I used to dream of visiting South Africa. I always considered it a mystical place full of mystery and surprise. It has lived up to my expectations; WOW is what I have to say about my visit.

After arriving in Johannesburg, we were transferred to the Emperor’s Palace, where we spent our first night. Our accommodation was very comfortable, the room was immaculate. I must say that it is the first time that we have had a room without walls separating the bathroom and shower from the bedroom area. It was very different from what we Americans are used to, but it was very nice. A word of caution: be careful not to lean on the drapes thinking they hide a wall or you’ll be in serious trouble when you fall into the marble sink.

The Emperors Palace is a group of hotels; ours was the Peermont Metcourt which is connected to the Casino through the corridors. We walked to dinner at the casino. There is a wide variety of restaurants to choose from. The food selection is also varied and extremely tasty. My husband ordered Karoo, we had no idea what kind of meat it was. It turned out that the Karoo is an area of ​​South Africa where the animal is from; we think the meat itself is lamb. I’m not as adventurous as my husband, so I ordered beef cooked on a skewer. Both meals were delicious and very cheap. We spent $20.00 US for the two of us and our dinner included wonderful African wine and desert.

Our second day in Johannesburg after breakfast, we were transferred back to the airport and caught our flight to Kimberley, South Africa. Our guide, Steve, met us at the airport for the next three days with Jacels Tours.

Kimberley is the area where diamonds were first discovered in South Africa. The diamond mine called Big Hole and Museum Village is located in the center of the town and is preserved today as a living museum of yesteryear. A very interesting place to visit!

After having lunch in the Big Hole, we set off for our three-hour drive to Mattanu (Hebrew for gift from above), a private game reserve located in the Northern Cape Province, the largest, safest, and malaria-free province in South Africa, approximately 58 km to the north. West of the diamond digging town of Kimberley. Upon arrival we were met by the owner/manager, Jacques Kriek. We toured Mattanu after our welcome drink. I am including some of the photos I took while in Mattanu.

                       

After our tour of Mattanu, we took our first wild ride. It was great. We drove throughout the reserve and saw several different animals in the wild. Got some great photos and so did everyone else in our little group. After our wild ride through the reserve, we return to the main house and enjoy a wonderful dinner prepared by the owner’s wife and daughters. After our delicious meal, we were escorted to our rooms for the night, where we were able to rest and recover from a long inspiring day.

Early the next morning we had another great meal, breakfast, and then headed out for some wild game where we were allowed to help with the activities. This was quite an experience for us. The owner of the reserve is a well-known and respected veterinarian who specializes in endangered species from South Africa.

Dr. Kriek traveled in his helicopter to find the two wild animals that we were going to transport to another area. Below is one of the animals called “Oryx Antelope” that we captured and moved. They are the largest of the antelope species.

I include some photos of our capture and transfer. It was quite an experience to see the Dr. shoot the sedative from his helicopter onto the animals. Once the animals were under the influence of the drug, we reportedly approached them and gently maneuvered them onto the flatbed truck we used to move them to their new location.

Once in the new location we had the opportunity to vaccinate the animals against diseases typical of their breed. I was the lucky one chosen to give the injection to make the Oryx fully functional again from the anesthesia and my husband was so engrossed in what he was doing that he couldn’t even see a picture. He was discouraged by this dilemma. I probably won’t see another opportunity like this again.

After our wild game safari ended, we packed our things and headed to Twee Rivieren, located on the banks of the Nossob River. We were greeted by the camp ranger who showed us to our accommodation for the night before meeting for dinner. The facilities are nice and clean, we saw various animals and plants in and around the camp. Twee Rivieren is the only campsite with 24 hour electricity (except when we had a thunderstorm and all the lights went out overnight) and cell phone coverage.

The next morning, after our breakfast, we return to Kimberly airport for our return flight to Johannesburg to make our connection to Sun City for the ASTA Destination International Expo. We were met in Johannesburg by our coach transfer to Sun City, another 2 hour journey. It turned out to be quite a long day.

Our hotel accommodation in Sun City was the Cascades Hotel. We stayed in a suite that was very comfortable and quite nice. The meals were excellent. Outside our room and everyone else’s there were wild monkeys that would break into rooms if a door or window was left open or unlocked. They were imps, we saw them climb up the outside of the hotel and into the rooms on the upper floors where the windows were open. They would take food out of the mini-fridges.’ It was a lot of fun watching them.

During the conference we learned about the surrounding areas of South Africa (Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, Garden Route (wineries), Western Cape, North Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape. We also learned about the spa industry in South Africa. We were treated with another game safari and local entertainers.The food was excellent and we were treated very well by our hosts.

Places to see:

South Africa is a very diverse area. You will have the opportunity to see many elephants, tortoises, zebras, wild boars, bungee jumping, zip lining, ocean surfing, fishing, visiting local tribes, walking, riding a donkey cart, visiting historical sites.

Don’t miss Cape Town; Cape Town’s unusual exquisiteness makes it one of the most striking cities in the world. Cape Town enjoys stunning beaches, as well as the extraordinary Table Mountain that can be seen from anywhere in the city. The restaurants are comparable to the big restaurants in big cities like New York or France, as are the wines. Cape Town is one of Africa’s major ethnically diverse cities and is known for its social tolerance.

To the east of Cape Town you can visit the Winelands with its spectacular views and beautiful mountains. This area is known for its past culture and history with several excellent examples of characteristic Dutch structural design dating back to the 17th century. Winelands includes quite a few regions with their own wine tasting tours.

Knysna is a municipality at the center of South Africa’s impressive Garden Route. Knysna lies between the Outeniqua Mountains and the Indian Ocean. Knysna designated the beloved city of South Africa, a pleasant and friendly place with much to see and do. There is a large lagoon ideal for water sports and the adjacent forests are great for walking.

Durban’s “Golden Mile” is a series of beaches protected from sharks by nets and patrolled by lifeguards around the clock. This is prime surfing terrain, but it also has plenty of room for swimmers and surfers.

Shopping: Victoria Indian Street Market in Durban has a large Indian population, their ancestors being laborers transported by the British to work the sugar cane fields in the late 19th century (much like a young Mohandas Gandhi). The Indian street market is a fascinating and busy place that is home to mosques and temples, with an abundance of shops and delicious foods.

The most extraordinary shopping area in Cape Town is the Canal Walk. The shopping sanctuary with its architecture showcasing designs from the Orient and the Renaissance houses more than 350 shops, restaurants and theatres. Canals meander outside reflecting Venice. You can buy almost anything here, from clothes, toys, attractive household items, books and jewelry.

Wedding ceremonies are held here over the pool at Mattanu Private Game Reserve

Food and drink:

A great South African dish is Cape Malay. It’s very spicy, being a mix of Dutch and a mix of Oriental and East Indian mixes, all fused with colors and flavors that are definitely African based. Don’t miss out on seeing, feeling and savoring this exceptional Cape Town experience. South African cuisine is not to be missed.

South African wine region

Best Times to Go: South Africa is a year-round destination, so the time of year you visit depends on what your travel plans are. The best time to watch game is in early spring (August to October). Southern right whales are best seen off the coast from mid-June to late October, and humpback whales from August to December.

Diving is usually at its peak from April to September, as is surfing; however, one can participate in these activities at any time of the year. The flowers are best displayed in August and September. River rafting is always best at the end of winter; and in summer (late November to February) in KwaZulu-Natal.

In the states of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, spring and autumn are prime for hiking, as summer tends to be very hot. If you enjoy the beaches, summer is the pre-eminent time to do so; however, everyone else will be there too. KwaZulu-Natal’s beaches are warm and sunny, even in the dead of winter.

Hyderabad is one of the largest cities in India and is the capital of Andhra Pradesh. This is the fourth most populous city in the country and is part of the Telangana region of the state. The city has a long history starting from the time of Chalukyas and Khiljis. The old name of Hyderabad was Golconda and the famous Kohinoor diamond was mined here. Hyderabad is also famous for its bangles and pearls.

Reaching Hyderabad is very easy for both tourists and business people as it is well connected to other major cities through its road, rail and air network. NH 7, NH 9, and NH 202 pass through the city apart from many state highways. There are many railway stations in Hyderabad such as Hyderabad Deccan Station, Begumpet Railway Station and Kachiguda Railway Station. Among these stations, the largest one is the Secunderabad railway station and this station serves as the headquarters of the south central railway zone. Rajiv Gandhi International Airport is located here and caters to the needs of both domestic and international travelers.

The buildings and monuments of Hyderabad reflect the Indo-Islamic style of architecture. The colossal arches of Golconda Fort and Charminar bear witness to the architectural style of the Qutb Shahi dynasty of the 15th century. Other places of interest in Hyderabad worth visiting are Mecca Masjid, Charkaman, Falaknuma, Purani Haveli, Chowmahalla Palace and King Kothi Palaces.

Restaurants in Hyderabad serve Hyderabadi cuisine and are very famous all over the world. This cuisine has spicy rice, wheat and meat dishes. It could be said to be a mix of Arabic and Mughlai cuisine and is also influenced by French, Turkish and Iranian foods. Some of the popular food varieties are Hyderabadi Biriyani, Hyderabadi Haleem, Qubani Ka Meetha, Double Ka Meetha and Kaddu Ki Kheer. Apart from serving Hyderabadi cuisine, there are many multi cuisine restaurants in Hyderabad serving all varieties and dishes that will satisfy the taste buds of people belonging to various regions and ethnicities.

To make your stay comfortable, you need to find the right hotel in Hyderabad. There are numerous five-star, three-star and economy class hotels and they are evenly distributed throughout the city. They have their own rates and specialties. Due to the high population and the large influx of tourists and businessmen, the hotel industry is one of the constantly growing industries in Hyderabad. Luxury hotels have been the choice of sophisticated businessmen and foreign tourists and have all modern comforts.

If you’re traveling on a budget, there are many cheap hotels located near IT parks and public shopping spots. Although the facilities will be comparatively minor, they are meant to meet all the basic needs of the people. It is better to book these hotels in advance so that you do not have to search for one after landing in the city. A good Hyderabad travel guide will help you a lot in finding the good restaurants and hotels in Hyderabad.

This hotel is a luxury Bermuda hotel that has been allocated a small area to operate very close to a beach, which makes it quite unique. Bermuda’s reefs are often advertised in the pages of local newspapers offering tips and advice on vacation activities, but they are also home to many arts and crafts features.

The Reefs has unique rooms in that all rooms are ocean view, facing west overlooking the pink beaches. Those looking for more privacy might settle for one of the several cabanas that are away from the main section of the hotel that have outdoor hot tubs for added relaxation. Club residences allow you to live separately, but at the same time enjoy the pampering of resort amenities and service.

These types of accommodations have special features such as ocean views, central air conditioning, private baths, refrigerators, internet, coffee and tea, a safe to store your valuables, and get out looking your best. Although I would imagine these are offered at all reputable resorts.

Other nice touches are the complimentary drink on arrival and the daily local paper.

The hotel has numerous dining options ranging from an indoor restaurant at Grill 56n or Al Fresco at Ocean Echo or the outdoor offer, the Terrace and Coconuts Beach Bar restaurants that operate in summer. Entertainment from local artists is also offered every night.

Guests looking for more variety can take advantage of the hotel’s “Dine Around” program, which allows you to try other Bermuda restaurants in Cambridge Beaches or Pompano.

The hotel offers a freshwater infinity pool, jacuzzis, complimentary snorkeling equipment, kayaks, all weather tennis courts, pink beaches right in front of the resort, gym with Cybex equipment. Nearby services that can be arranged through reception are: golfing, diving, fishing, sailing, jet skiing, horseback riding and glass bottom boat cruises to mention just a few.

If for some reason you feel like leaving the resort, there are places where you can rent a scooter. And as if that were not enough, for families with small children, there are babysitting services available on request at the reception. What more could you want?

Las Vegas is 10 hours from the UK so it’s not the cheapest place to visit, the flight alone may cost you a big chunk of your budget, but if you do your research you can get there and enjoy all that Vegas has to offer. to offer without breaking the bank. Here are some helpful tips on how to make your budget go further.

When to go

Choose your time of year to visit. November through February, excluding all the obvious holidays, is the cheapest time to visit Las Vegas, since it’s out of season. The weather is cooler, especially at night, but it can still reach 70 degrees, warmer than some of our summer months! If you go to Las Vegas, chances are you’ll try some of the other entertainment on offer instead of soaking up the sun, so it won’t matter too much.

The day of the week you go is also important. The vast majority of visitors to Las Vegas are Americans traveling on long weekends, so hotel prices are higher on Friday and Saturday nights. If you only go for 4 or 5 nights try to avoid the weekend.

how to get there

While a direct flight is the preferred option, these are often more expensive than a one-stop flight, especially if you’re flying from a regional airport rather than one of London’s. So if you’re not in a hurry, check the prices of flights via other American cities. We once got an extra 24 hours in Atlanta courtesy of the airline due to a missed connection!

Where to stay

Las Vegas has over 100,000 hotel rooms, so you should be able to find one that fits your budget. Hotels off the Strip may be cheaper, however what you save on your hotel bill could end up being spent on transportation to The Strip, where most of the action is. Hotels in Freemont Street, Old Town are also a bit cheaper and there is plenty to do in that area. But if you want to stay on The Strip, there are plenty of options to experience a great resort with all its facilities for one low price. For example, when booking several months in advance for mid-week stays in December, you can choose stays at the Stratosphere, Harrah’s, Excalibur, Flamingo and Circus Circus for around £20 a night. Flamingo and Harrah’s in particular are some of the best located hotels on the strip occupying locations in the center of the strip. All of them are hotels of at least 3 stars and have all the facilities you would expect from a large hotel complex along with their own casinos. However, beware of the resort fee. This is a non-negotiable fee of up to £20 per room per night that is added to your bill and covers things such as in-room Wi-Fi.

To do

Most likely you are going to Las Vegas to gamble. On-Strip casinos can be expensive as they have higher table limits, usually $10 a hand, so if you want to play the tables look for happy hours, usually during the day, check out the smaller casinos and the which belong to the lowest budget. hotels, casinos off the Strip and also those on Freemont Street where the limits are lower. If you’re good at poker, a poker tournament can be good value for money, as for an entry fee you can play for several hours.

If you’re in Vegas to party, be prepared to spend a lot of money! Just getting into some of the trendiest clubs can cost around $30 each and once inside, drinks can be expensive. Keep an eye out for deals on quieter weeknights that get you admission and a drink package. Even at the bars on the casino floors, a bottle of beer can cost at least $6 plus a tip. If you want to have a drink but are not bothered by clubs and bars, then the best option is to get served while you play, as the drinks are free! Yes, for the price of a tip of $1 per drink (or less if you prefer, but this usually guarantees a refill) you can drink whatever you want, from beers and wine to cocktails, for free. Of course, there’s a catch, as this only applies if you’re spending money on gambling, which can end up being a lot more expensive than a drink. But if you’re planning to gamble anyway, it’s a good way to combine both activities; Playing low limit slots slowly over a drink is relatively cheap, but don’t get carried away with gambling after a few drinks!

If you like food, Las Vegas will not disappoint. In addition to high-end celebrity chef restaurants, Vegas is also home to the eat-all-you-want buffet. Most hotels offer them for breakfast and lunch. For a single amount you really can eat as much as you want, or should be able to, and the variety of food on offer means there is something for everyone. Try one of the cheaper hotels again, like Excalibur, which offers buffet lunch for around $17. If you don’t feel like eating much, The Pub in Monte Carlo offers $1 burgers and $1 wings, plus buy one and go another free with draft beer during happy hour on weekdays. Note: Prices are correct at time of writing.

One note to remember about food and drink in Las Vegas is that the price is usually quoted before the 8.1% sales tax, so don’t be surprised when the bill comes and it’s more than you expected. Additionally, a 15-20% tip is expected in restaurants, not only for good service, but also as part of the cost. If you want to avoid tipping, go to one of the many fast food restaurants and food courts inside hotels.

These are just a few easy tips to stretch your budget when you’re planning your trip to Las Vegas. If you make these savings, you’ll have more to enjoy when you’re there!

Before you read the rest of this article on Caribbean coconuts, I want you to do me a favor:

1. Get in a comfortable position

2. Close your eyes

3. Allow yourself to feel nice and relaxed, almost to the point of taking a nap.

4. Imagine that you are one of a warm Caribbean beach

5. Explore that image in your mind for a while.

6. Once you have your image memorized, open your eyes

Now, what exactly did you see in your mental image of a warm Caribbean beach?

Did your image include coconut trees? Have you smelled the coconut oil?

I bet you did because this is what most people think of when they think of a Caribbean beach. Powdery white sand, blue-green water that sparkles in the sunlight, and those iconic coconut palms that line the beaches.

Coconut palm trees are so much a part of everyone’s vision of a Caribbean landscape that they assume they were always there.

But guess that?!

They are actually NOT native to the Caribbean and have been there less than 500 years!

They were introduced to the Caribbean region by the Spanish and other European colonizers during the first half of the 16th century. However, Christopher Columbus and his men never saw a coconut on any of his 4 voyages to the New World. These took place between 1492 and 1504. The coconuts just weren’t there when they got there. They came later.

I know this may sound a bit surprising. You might be saying something along the lines of, “But… I thought coconuts could withstand erosion by seawater and were buoyant enough to float thousands of miles. Right? Isn’t that how they got to the Caribbean and all over the world?” the world??They floated there from somewhere else, right?

Well I know this is what a lot of people believe. In fact, this is what some historians believed. However, the evidence shows this to be wrong, and it does so very definitively.

None of the earliest recorded records of the Spanish, and the records of other European colonizing nations that were exploring the Caribbean in the late 1400s and early 1500s, mention a coconut. Also, there was no Taino word or Carib word for coconut – these were the natives of the Caribbean islands and if anyone knew if they were there they would have known. There is no native word for coconut because coconuts did not exist before the Spanish brought them there. Most linguists believe that the word coconut comes from the Spanish word “mono” because they thought that the coconut resembled the face of a monkey with two eyes and an open mouth.

Now, the Spanish DID discover coconuts on the WEST coast of Central America. For a long time, history books and other historical accounts erroneously said that coconuts had spread from the west coast of Central America to the Caribbean. However, the genetic evidence shows very convincingly that this is absolutely wrong.

It turns out that when you do DNA analysis on coconuts from around the world, they fall into 2 distinct and separate genetic groups. They are all one species, but the 2 groups are genetically different enough that they are easily separated.

One group of coconuts originated from the Pacific region of Indonesia. The other group of coconuts originated near India in the Indian Ocean. The only place where the two groups appear to have mixed is in Madagascar. It has been very convincingly proven that the coconuts found on the WEST side of Central America are in the Indonesian Pacific group and the coconuts found in the Caribbean are in the Indian group. Therefore, Caribbean coconuts did NOT originate on the west coast of Central America.

If you play historical detective, it seems that coconuts from India were first carried by people or by currents to the east coast of Africa. Then much later, in the 1500’s, they were moved by people to the west coast of Africa and shortly after this occurred, they were brought to the new world by the colonizers and/or missionaries of the day.

As an interesting side note, I’d like to mention that Coconuts are believed to have been brought to the west coast of Central America by Polynesians over 1000 years before Columbus “discovered” the New World. Now, that’s something to ponder! Never take something written in a history textbook as the gospel. It is almost certain by now that Columbus was NOT the first non-native to “discover” America.

Ok, back to the story of the Caribbean coconut:

Once the Europeans “discovered” the coconut, they quickly realized that this would be a very simple way of transporting sterile water (coconut water) and nutrients aboard ships that embarked on long voyages through salt water where fresh water was scarce and often polluted. .

Coconuts have been planted in the Caribbean since at least the mid 1500s, as there are written records of this. Sometimes they were planted on the margins of the sugar mills to provide food and water to those who worked on the mills. It wasn’t until a few centuries later that coconuts were grown commercially on a large scale as a cash crop.

Now, I know this may sound off topic, but give me a moment because I need to tell you about the shipwrecks before I continue with the story of the Caribbean coconuts:

There were many shipwrecks in the 1500s, including the very famous incident in which an entire fleet of gold-laden Spanish ships sank trying to pass through the Mona Passage between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico during a terrible hurricane. In fact, Mona Passage is famous for shipwrecks, as the sea conditions were difficult to navigate, even in the best weather conditions. In fact, Mona’s Passage can be difficult to navigate even today with modern technology. Many men have lost their lives in this area as many ships have been wrecked there.

So why am I talking about shipwrecks when I should be talking about coconuts?

Well, it turns out that the coconuts spread throughout the Caribbean very quickly because of the moving ships, which is to say, the ships were moving them much faster than the currents could have. In fact, when there were shipwrecks, there could be many thousands of coconuts thrown overboard in a new coconut spot. As these coconuts came ashore, some of them surely took root naturally. However, it turned out that it was quite common for people in the Caribbean region to intentionally take the coconut bounty that the sea gave them and plant them. In this way, most of the coconuts would survive to produce another coconut plant. In fact, this is exactly what happened in West Palm Beach Florida and how it got its name. A ship wrecked on the high seas sending a few thousand coconuts that the people of the area planted when they came ashore.

The most popular vacation destination in the Dominican Republic is now on the east coast and is called Punta Cana. In fact, not just the original small community of Punta Cana, but the entire 39 miles of the east coast are commonly known as Punta Cana or the Punta Cana Coast. However, early investors in the area called it “La Costa del Coco”. This was due to the very lush and very mature coconut palm forest that lines the coast in this region and actually extended quite a bit inland. You will still sometimes see the phrase “La Costa del Coco” used.

I don’t have definitive proof, but I can’t help but think that those coconut trees that line the Punta Cana coast and that vacationers enjoy so much may be the descendants of coconuts lost during a shipwreck long ago. The coconut palm grove could even be from an old shipwreck as early as the 16th century. In a way, you may be looking at a historical marker of a shipwreck when you gaze at those coconut trees!

The next time you are in the Dominican Republic or anywhere else in the Caribbean and see a coconut palm tree, remember that you are NOT looking at a native Caribbean plant. Try to close your eyes and imagine what the Caribbean landscape would be like without the coconut plants. It’s harder to do than you think! We are so conditioned to think of coconuts as one with the Caribbean. Perhaps it is a good lesson to always keep questioning things, no matter how sure we are that they are true.

When it comes to renting apartments, there are several things to keep in mind before signing a rental agreement. The following information will help you make the best decision when deciding to rent an apartment.

Things to Consider

The first thing to consider when looking for rentals is how long you want to stay. It’s important to figure this out in advance because it will likely make a big difference in the type of hosting you choose. One option is a short-term rental that is like a hotel and a furnished apartment rolled into one. They are often called “corporate housing” and sometimes “extended stay hotels” because they focus on business travelers on extended stays in a particular area. Also, this particular option is cheaper than a hotel room because discounts are given for extended stays. However, if you are considering a long-term rental or want to stay for six months or more, then annual rentals are probably your best option. These allow you to create a homely atmosphere, decorate in the style you want, and choose your living environment on the spot. you wish. These rentals generally require a commitment of six months to one year.

Rental Rentals

Regardless of the type of rental you are interested in, you will need to locate them to review the rental agreement, take a look at the rental, and see if it is really what you want. You can usually find ads for extended-stay rentals, apartments, townhomes, and even hotels in your local newspaper or even on TV and radio. If you visit the particular area you are interested in living in, you will probably find rental guides for that area and you can check the local newspaper and just ask. Once you find what you are looking for or the rentals that interest you, you can call the various rental agencies and schedule an appointment.

Another option for finding furnished apartments or long-term rentals is to search the Internet. This is an easy and fast option because all you need to do is specify the city and other details where you would like to rent an apartment and the results will be displayed. There are many websites you can search on that list furnished apartments so you can find the best priced apartment in the location you want and even discounts. Most of these websites are free and there are enough you can search that you shouldn’t even bother with the paid sites. These are generally scams and you will find the same information on the free sites.

Sometimes you’ll find “for rent” ads in local stores, supermarkets, and even restaurants. Keep an eye on bulletin boards with these announcements. Also, mention to family, friends and co-workers that you are looking for a furnished apartment and they can help you with your search too.

There have been online casinos for a long time, and each of them offers various versions of roulette, blackjack, baccarat and poker with random number generators. With the evolution of new technologies, casinos now have the ability to offer real dealer gaming in a live casino environment. This newfound ability has us all looking at online casinos and wondering if the new live dealer casinos are a fad or the future of online casinos.

There are many advantages to playing roulette or blackjack at a live dealer casino. One of the most important advantages is the social network that can be done by chatting with the dealers or with other players. This type of interaction cannot be found when playing RNG games, and will only be found playing in a land-based casino or live dealer online casino. It’s always nice to join a game and have the dealer greet you by name, or be able to chat with the other players at the table.

Another great advantage of live dealer casinos is the ability to watch the game in real time. You can see how the cards are shuffled and dealt when you play live blackjack, or how the roulette wheel spins and the number comes out when you play live roulette. Real people are dealing cards or spinning the roulette wheel, real people you can see and hear. When you have the ability to see these actions, it means you can be sure that the end result is authentic. I don’t know about you, but I find it comforting to watch the roulette ball as it lands on the number wheel, and then hear the dealer say the number as it happens.

Some casinos, like LuckyLive Casino or DublinBet Casino, have cameras installed in real land-based casinos, like the FitzWilliam Club in Dublin, Ireland. The dealers at these casinos work for the casinos and are filmed live while they work. You will see other players at the roulette table or sitting at the blackjack table, and you will be able to hear live casino noise in the background. This feed is then transmitted to your computer via software, such as remote gaming software. The images you see on your computer are in real time with virtually no lag.

There are some casinos like Celtic Casino or Europa Casino that film the games from a studio with live dealers in a casino setting. Since this was all filmed in a studio, there won’t be the background noise you’ll find at other live dealer casinos. Although dealers are in a studio environment, you can be sure that all dealers are fully trained to the standards of dealers working in Las Vegas or Monte Carlo. They are all professional, courteous and extremely competent casino dealers.

Whether you decide to play in a live dealer casino filmed from a real land casino or from a studio, you will find the same level of professionalism that you will find in any casino around the world. The graphics are great and the technology just keeps getting better. You will find casinos that do not require any download, and some live dealer casinos offer instant flash casinos that can be played almost immediately. One thing that all live dealer casinos can offer is the realistic experience of playing in a live casino without leaving the comfort of your home. So grab a drink of your choice and play live roulette or live blackjack at one of the new live dealer casinos. You won’t be disappointed. Good luck for you!

Punta Cana, located on the east coast of the Dominican Republic, has become internationally recognized as a beautiful tropical vacation paradise with luxurious, eco-chic and affordable accommodations. In fact, Punta Cana has now become the number 1 tourist destination in the entire Caribbean, and this incredible transformation has occurred in just 28 years! This news has been published in many of the popular travel magazines and websites. I want you to know that this statistic is based on REAL data, not just hype. The statistics are compiled by the Caribbean Tourism Organization, a non-profit organization that closely monitors 29 countries in the Caribbean region.

I will discuss these data in more detail below. My discussion will focus on the data released in 2010, as the Caribbean Tourism Organization has not yet released the December 2011 statistics, so there is not yet a complete set of data for that year. However, if you look at the data available for the first 11 months of 2011, the overall trends remain the same.

The Dominican Republic received more non-resident airport arrivals than any other country in the Caribbean, easily surpassing Cuba, the second most popular tourist destination. The following is a quick reference list so you can see the top 10 Caribbean destinations along with the reported total number of non-resident airport arrivals:

1. Dominican Republic – 4,124,543
2. Cuba – 2,531,745
3. Cancun Mexico – 2,106,485
4. Jamaica- 1,921,678
5. Puerto Rico – 1,369,814
6. Bahamas – 1,368,053
7. Aruba- 825,451
8. The US Virgin Islands – 691,194
9. Martinique – 476,492
10. Saint Martin – 443,136

Now, let’s break these statistics down further into Europe travel, US travel, and Canada travel. Europeans overwhelmingly choose the Dominican Republic as their favorite Caribbean vacation spot. His next favorite is Cuba. The United States has a tight 4-way race between Cancun, Mexico, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. Cancun outperforms the other 3, but the Dominican Republic gained 6.8% in just one year and this trend continues. Punta Cana is now the number 1 destination within the Dominican Republic for Americans, replacing Puerto Plata on the north coast, which used to be the number 1 destination. Canadians also seem to like the Dominican Republic a lot, especially Punta Cana, and they choose it as their second favorite vacation spot in the Caribbean after Cuba. Please note that residents of the United States are not allowed to travel to Cuba.

So, with this compelling data in mind, let me ask:

How did Punta Cana become so popular?

With so many popular tourist destinations, it would be hard to pinpoint one specific thing that caused the area to skyrocket in popularity. Not so with Punta Cana. On the coast of Punta Cana, which stretches for about 39 miles from Bavaro in the north to Cap Cana in the south, there is an easily identifiable event that took place in 1984 that literally changed everything and completely transformed this region in the tourist mega-popular. destiny that is today.

Have I piqued your curiosity yet? Keep reading…

Punta Cana is absolutely beautiful. It offers wide, silky white sand beaches with a bright, warm blue sea along its coastline. It’s so tempting that it draws you in; some say it even “seduces” you. When you add to that the thick groves of coconut palms swaying in the tropical breezes along the entire coastline of this region, you have the iconic Caribbean paradise seen on postcards sent to those not lucky enough to continue. the trip but surely wish he had.

However, before 1984 few people really knew about this tropical jewel. It remained largely undiscovered by most world travelers until the construction of the Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ). In Spanish, the official language of the Dominican Republic, this international airport is called “Aeropuerto Internacional de Punta Cana”.

You see, no matter how spectacular a place is, if you don’t have a convenient and inexpensive way to get to the area, many people won’t see it. Before the Punta Cana International Airport was built, the small runway that had been built in 1971 could not handle the large jet planes. Also, to get there from another country, you had to fly to Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, and then endure a bumpy 4-hour bus or taxi ride to Punta Cana. The unpaved road was narrow and crowded. of giant potholes The road was also washed out in heavy rain and motor vehicles were sometimes stopped by horse traffic, making the pace of weary travelers wanting to get to their hotel miserable.

PUJ air traffic has grown by leaps and bounds and is on track this year (2012) to serve more than 4 million people! It now receives far more traffic than the next busiest airport in the capital Santo Domingo. There is no other private airport in the world that comes close to this degree of business success.

People come to Punta Cana from all over the world now. International airlines that operate at Punta Cana Airport are Air Canada, AirTran, American Airlines, British Airways, Continental, Delta, JetBlue, KLM, Spirit, United, US Airways and Westjet. USA 300, recently defunct (since January 30, 2012), was established by Apple Vacations and also served PUJ for a long time. Canadian charter airlines to Punta Cana airport include Air Transat, Sunwig, Skyservice and Canjet. They run during the cold and bleak Canadian winters.

So an area that started with very humble beginnings some 4 decades ago now commonly provides beds for over 70,000 people at a time. Punta Cana has definitely established itself as one of the best places that world travelers think to go to. And… there is no end in sight to the growth of this area. Punta Cana’s approximately 39-mile coastline has essentially been a “gold rush” for major hotel corporations, especially Spanish-owned ones, ever since the international airport opened up the area. Classy high-rise resorts, perfectly positioned to take advantage of the view, have sprung up almost overnight. Infrastructure has also been vastly improved as money has poured in for big projects.

Europeans and Canadians seemed to have “discovered” Punta Cana before the Americans. However, over the past 10 to 15 years, Americans have quickly caught up. In fact, this has happened at such a rapid rate that entire resorts have been built to cater specifically to American Americans, as the customs of Europeans and Americans sometimes clash a bit inside the resorts, although some Americans prefer the European atmosphere.

Americans and Canadians in the Eastern Standard Time zone can depart on a direct flight in the morning and arrive in Punta Cana at noon with no jet lag since the time zones are the same, except during daylight saving time when it is only one hour different. Even a trip from the west coast of the United States or Canada is a relatively easy trip when compared to other equally exotic destinations.

Punta Cana Airport also fits in very well with the Dominican landscape and makes a good first impression when tourists enter the country. It has an open-air design with a quaint thatched roof made of palm fronds. All materials used to build the airport were brought in from local sources, including palm, local timber, and native coral. This was a very intentional effort by Frank Rainieri and the other investors in Grupo Punta Cana who financed the airport privately. With insufficient funds for a project of this magnitude, Frank Rainieri approached a Dominican architecture student at Pratt University. He agreed to do it free of charge to establish a name for himself. Since then he has become quite famous and has been well paid for other projects in the Dominican Republic.

Originally, Grupo Punta Cana tried to get the government of the Dominican Republic to finance, or at least partially finance, the construction of the international airport, but after 8 years they realized that they had to finance it privately on their own. They must be given credit for their vision and persistence because a private airport of this magnitude has never been built before. However, they had the much-needed approval and cooperation of the Dominican Republic government or the project would never have gotten off the ground.

There you have it. The tourist success of the Punta Cana coast depended on one thing: building an international airport capable of giving tourists easy and cheap access to this beautiful paradise. It took incredible vision and perseverance.

Australia stands out to me as a truly top destination after traveling to 55 countries. Having booked a 5 star hotel in Sydney Harbour, I was pleasantly surprised when I checked in. My view of the Opera House was front and center. He was so close that it seemed as if he was perched on the ceiling. Within two hours of checking in, I was out in a minivan for a half day tour.

Although the Sydney Opera House is the most photographed sight, there is an older symbol of the city: the Harbor Bridge. It hangs high over the horizon. The brave of heart can take a long journey to the top. A local guide recounted how he and his elderly mother put on their harnesses and went on the trek together. For the rest of us, there were plenty of other options closer to street level – from the Quay, Darling Harbour, Parliament House, Sydney Zoo, St Mary’s Cathedral to Mrs. Macquarie’s Point & Chair or just strolling through the local city parks. and trying numerous nearby restaurants.

Of course, as a first time tourist to Australia, kangaroo sightings were high on my bucket list. Most were in zoos or outside the city, but their smaller cousin, deer-like wallabies, stalked the suburbs eating flowers and plants.

After a few days in Sydney it was time to catch a quick flight to Melbourne. As with the faster pace of Sydney, I fell in love with Melbourne. Its Victorian architecture standing alongside modern buildings was a reminder of Australia’s colonial history. However, 21st century Melbourne is a cosmopolitan city. Its vibrant Chinatown quickly became my favorite place to dine.

Melbourne was a great gateway for ecotourism. First, I connected with a day trip along the rocky Great Ocean Road and on a separate day I headed to Phillip Island. In addition to seeing koalas (don’t say bears) in the wild along the way, Phillip Island is home to “little penguins.” They return from the sea in “rafts” at night. Although August was a slow season to spot them, between 1,000 and 2,000 turned up that night. In addition to watching from the stands, tourists can walk alongside them on a low boardwalk as the penguins make their way across the sand back to their nests.

Not having had enough adventure yet, I headed to tropical Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef located in the far northeast of Australia in the famous Coral Sea. As the only solo traveler on my reef-bound tour boat, I was the 201st passenger. No one has to snorkel or get in the water, you can just take the boat ride and if you want, the little submarine. The platform is like a large food court or a small shopping mall.

The Reef is not the only Queensland attraction, but also an ideal vantage point for visiting the rainforest. When the train arrived, I joined another tourist as a walking partner. We got lost, but instead of going further into the rainforest, we found ourselves on the side of a busy road. That was an ironic end to our ecotour. We managed to find the gondola for the half hour ride. Even though I was used to the lifts and my travel companion had scaled the Harbor Bridge, we were both glad to get to the bottom. At one point we were enveloped in clouds with zero visibility. When I heard the birdsong as they flew right outside, I could only guess how high up we were still.

There was still one adventure left: even though it was winter, I had seen a man-made lake from the gondola with “no boat” water skiing, a new concept for me. The next morning, before heading to the airport, I took a local bus to the lake. It was cold enough to rent a wetsuit while the only skiers were teenagers with their parents watching. I waited too late and running out of time to get to the airport, I missed my chance. I don’t regret not climbing the Harbor Bridge, but I do regret skiing without a boat and spending more time in the water at the Reef.

Although Australia was one of the places where I felt like I could stay forever, on the 16th it was time to go home. Considering the size of the country, there were many more places to explore, such as Ayers Rock in central Australia, Perth on the west coast, Port Arthur (Tasmania), the ski slopes of Thredbo or Perisher and Kangaroo Island (Southern Australia). South).

In any case, I recommend Australia to other solo travelers as:

1. It was friendly, safe, and easy to get around.

2. Apart from the airfare, the cost was moderate.

3. There were multiple options for adventures or just relaxing.

4. The time needed to arrive was not a reason to stay at home. Think of all the movies you can watch in-flight!

If you haven’t already, add it to your “to do” list.

There are many options for romantic getaways in Pittsburgh PA. It is the most romantic place in southwestern Pennsylvania, which many people may not consider for a romantic getaway. People have started to feel attracted to him recently.

This city with its surroundings is charming and suitable for an anniversary, honeymoon or any other romantic gathering.

Romantic Activities and Attractions in Pittsburgh

* symphony

*Restaurants

* Opera

* walk

* Theater

* Spa

* Museums

Although there are many inns with dining and lodging facilities available, the most popular romantic options include:

The Inn at Negley

This luxury inn is located in the historic region of Shadyside and has many facilities like jacuzzis in its rooms and four poster beds to spend some quality time with your beloved.

Omni William Penn Hotel

This famous and luxurious hotel is located in the center of Pittsburgh. Various attractions like fine dining, Nail Galleria spa, theater culture and some romantic spots are also nearby.

The Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel

This hotel overlooks the Allegheny River and is located in the cultural center of Pittsburgh. It has an extraordinary historical configuration and was built in 1906. It is good for walking around various places in the city.

Posada in the streets of the Mexican War

This is a renovated mansion for guests seeking history and romance. It is located in a place that has a great combination of culture and history. This Inn presents a charming atmosphere in an eccentric mansion setting. It has a lovely glow to it and chocolate chip cookies are served every morning.

one final note

Pittsburgh is a nice place and has many romantic places to choose from. Find the best deals around holidays like Valentine’s Day. Remember that although it is a romantic place, the weather can change considerably during various seasons. Therefore, activities change accordingly. Even then, lovers would praise the attraction every time they visited.