MIDDLE HEAD ON SYDNEY HARBOUR is easily accessible by car or bus and is located close to the leafy suburb of Mosman on Sydney’s north side.

There is a makeshift car park located on the corner of Middle Head Road & Chowder Bay Road which is only a few hundred metres form the gates into Cobbler’s Beach Reserve. These gates lead you to the headland of Middle Head.
Middle Head is quite a spectacular place to view the goings on of what is still a working harbour. This is also one of the best places to view the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race (Boxing Day) as the colourful vessels jockey for position for the run down the south coast.

Not the day to visit if you want a quiet picnic!

The first time I visited Middle Head was only fairly recently. Even though I have lived in Sydney all my life my first visit was a bare two years ago. (more…)

Everyone knows or dreams of how romantic Paris can be. The Tour Eiffel, the Louvre museum, the Notre-Dame abbey, the Champs Elysees…Paris’s world-famous attractions are numerous and well worth it. Still, there is a part of town whose charm and uniqueness make it a must that not everybody takes the time to thoroughly visit. It’s Montmartre.

Set in the north side of town, right past the renowned and wicked Pigalle quarter, Montmartre is a hill that represents the highest point in Paris (”la Butte”). What now is a hilly quarter set in the 18th arrondissement, used to be a town of its own, and a very special one.

Montmartre used to be the core of the Bohemian life in Paris in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and still preserves its artistic feel. Many famous artists lived here for at least part of their lives. Among them all, we can name painters: Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Amedeo Modigliani.

If the generations have changed, if the former overly quaint village is now a touristic quarter, the setting and heritage are still intense and ever-lasting. The many small squares are now home to several caricaturists, painters, street artists, street-market stalls. Art-works of any price can be bought in the local art shops (”Naif” art is worth a special mention), and local “Relais” are a pricey yet not-to-be-missed and authentic restaurants where you can try one of the most important cuisine products in the world. (more…)

“If Edinburgh is the Capital, Glasgow has the capital”. This is what Glaswegians like to say about their city. However, while Glasgow is by all means the financial core of Scotland and its nation’s most populated city, with hard-working people and a fast pace of life, it sure is not a boring and stressful place to live in. There’s much more to it than economic matters, and its hedonistic side is just not known enough.

Work hard, play hard, the Scottish way. Live music scene is vibrant in Glasgow, to the point that in 2008 it was named “City of Music” by UNESCO. From traditional Celtic to contemporary music, a great number of gigs and concerts take place in the many pubs, clubs and theaters that light up the city’s night-life. The West End is probably the hot-spot for fun, but pretty much everywhere in Glasgow you can find a place to hang-out. (more…)

Athens is considered the cradle of Western society. Even before the Roman empire, the Greeks ruled over an immense territory whose capital was Athens. Here is where several standards of our own society’s life-style were born and applied. A thousand articles wouldn’t do justice to a city that is considered the oldest in Europe, but still it is legitimate to high-light some of the many reasons why it’s worth visiting.

First things first: the Acropolis. The “high-city” is the most stunning and celebrated architectural area of Athens. Ruling high above the ever-growing urban area of modern-day Athens, the Acropolis is where the old “downtown” used to be, being it the safest and richest part of town. While rocks testifying prototypes of urbanization have been found that belong to earlier than 6000 years ago, the construction and rebuilding of monuments such as the famous Parthenon dates back to roughly 400-500 years before Christ, during the leadership of Pericles. Little is left of that, but that little has a powerfully inspiring and fascinating effect on the visitor who’s even barely aware of the history that lies behind what he sees. With its remains of temples (including the Propylaea and the Erechtheum), columns, statues, walk-ways, the Acropolis is an invaluable heritage to locals, and a must for tourists.

However, tourism-wise there’s a lot more to Athens than the Acropolis. The Plaka district is a great target for those wanting to try taverns while listening to live music, in a scenery characterized by a neo-classical style, right at the feet of the Acropolis. Close by, in the Monastiraki neighborhood, more taverns and local activity are to be found, including an interesting flea-market every Sunday. (more…)

Take a day out of your Williamsburg Vacation to visit Richmond, Virginia. In addition to the many attractions available to guests at hotels and resorts in historic Williamsburg, Virginia’s capitol is a short drive away.

A mere distance of 40 miles from Busch Gardens a treasure trove of delights for the history buff waits in Richmond. Civil War buffs especially will find this historic city of interest. The city boasts a little something for everyone however, from roller coasters to culture and art.

To begin with, Virginia’s “other” theme park, Paramount’s Kings Dominion is just outside of town. Climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower, enjoy one of the 15 rides for adults or the rides and shows friendly to smaller kids.

Battlefields abound around the confederate capitol. Cold harbor, and Gaine’s Mill for a start are wonderful experiences. The White House of the Confederacy and the Museum of the Confederacy are also open to tourists who want to explore our nation’s Civil War history. (more…)

New York is one of the most vibrant cities on earth. Once you’ve seen it you’ll want to go back again and again – and one of the best times is at the beginning of any New Year.

The first reason for flying into New York itself is that you will get the best view of the city as you come in to land. Just imagine seeing it for the first time and knowing you’ll shortly have the chance to explore it all close up.

Another good reason for visiting early in the New Year is that the peak time of year for visitors has just ended. It will still be busy but it won’t be quite as crowded as it is just before Christmas. This might surprise you as another main reason for visiting is that you can enjoy some shopping in the January sales. Why not try and get home with some fantastic bargains in your suitcase?

One excellent reason for visiting New York in the early months of 2010 is that you stand a much better chance of seeing a show on Broadway. There is always the opportunity to get tickets, but since everyone tends to be watching their spending after Christmas, there are more discounted tickets around than at other times of the year. (more…)

When you and your family are sitting around the dining room table trying to decide where you want to spend your next vacation, Copenhagen, Denmark may not be your first choice. But you may want to look into a bit more. Denmark has a lot to offer and Copenhagen is a very child friendly place to vacation.

A vacation spot needs to cater to everyone in the family and Copenhagen and the surrounding area has something for everyone. Let’s look at some of things Denmark has to offer a visitor or expat in the realm of entertainment.

If you start you holiday off in Copenhagen, the capitol, you have access to lots of museums, amusement parks, zoos and beaches. In the heart of Copenhagen stands Tivoli, which is probably the most visited place in Denmark and has one of the world’s best roller coaster “The Demon” and lots more attractions for both adults and children. (more…)

Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra, is the largest city in India. It used to be referred to as Bombay. In the beginning, Mumbai was the conglomeration of 7 islands, which were on the Konkani coastline. Later these islands were joined to form the island city named Mumbai. This metropolitan city has the population of 17 million people. Mumbai is known as the economical capital of the country. It is also home to the Hollywood industry of India. The city attracts the people from all around for various reasons.

South Mumbai -Malabar Hill, Fort, Colaba, Nariman Point, Tardeo and Marine Lines.

South Mumbai has most of the real estate and is thus considered to be quiet expensive. This is the main area visited by the tourist and has the well known Museum, art galleries, good restaurants, bars and the historic Gateway of India.

South Central Mumbai -Parel, Byculla,Worli, Dadar and Prabhadevi.

This is the industrial hub of Mumbai, but gradually there was a decline into the industries of this area. The only Zoo of the city is situated here there are also some well known temples over here. (more…)

If there’s one thing the city of Chicago is known the world over for, it is the classical style of architecture being put to use in some of its historic districts, particularly with its churches. By merely beholding these spectacles of engineering achievement, something stirs in the heart of the historian in each of us. Even with religious concerns put aside, there remains a solemn cultural duty to keep these old buildings vibrantly beautiful, and structurally sound for future generations to reflect about.

Some of the most famous and beautiful specimens can be found in close proximity to one another, and they represent a wide variety of denominational considerations. Consider what lies along the stretch of Lincoln Avenue, for example. On this road, you can find the Trinity Episcopal Church, the First United Methodist Church, and the St. Michaels Romanian Church. One would be hard pressed to find a road in the region that better embodies the spirit of religious tolerance and freedom upon which our nation has built such a rich heritage.

Chicago is a very old city, and as time has passed, the building style of its architects has evolved and diversified to match. As such, the churches in the city represent a wide gamut of elegant construction techniques, and artful interpretations of religious imagery and beauty. Many of the larger Catholic establishments were built with emphasis on arched doorways, and window frames. They feature buttresses as well, all done with clear references to the Gothic style exhibited in European churches. (more…)

Celebrate New Years Eve in San Antonio Texas. There is live free entertainment along with great food, drinks and music. There are activities for children and adults alike on South Alamo Street between Market and Durango from 6PM until 12:30AM. There is something for everyone scheduled simultaneously ending with a huge fireworks extravaganza showcasing the Tower of Americas happening at midnight.

There is a special childrens area in La Villita which is a historical arts village in the heart of downtown. La Villita has artisans, craftsmen, quaint boutiques, food and special boutiques specializing in all kinds of childrens gifts and apparel. New Years Eve LaVillita will come alive and be open for children with games, carnival rides and more.

For adults there will be 4 stages of live music and entertainment along with over 50 booths for food and drink. This huge fiesta is the largest free venue for New Years Eve in the state of Texas and attracts over 250,000 visitors each year. (more…)