Soak in the clear blue skies of Albuquerque this October!

Posted on February 2, 2012 by admin

If the hot air balloons you see dotting the sky, grab your interest why not take a flight yourself? Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is just around the corner! Each year, balloon capital of the world celebrates the balloon fiesta that is considered to be one of the most photographed events in the world. Drawing a huge international crowd of balloonists and spectators each year, it’s a festival that fills the clear blue sky of Albuquerque with multi-colored hot air balloons. At a time, one can see more than 700 balloons in the sky. Chasing Rainbows featuring rainbow hued balloons drifting through the skies over Albuquerque, is the theme of this year’s event. Wine festival, chain saw art competition and a Twilight Twinkle Glow are the newest addition to this festival of colorful mass ascensions, afterglows, fireworks and special shapes rodeos. This year’s festival runs October 6 through 14, 2007. This is not all that Albuquerque has in store for you! You can visit the Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum. It’s a museum that has world’s finest collections of hot-air ballooning equipment and is a world-renowned authority in the art, culture, science and history of hot-air ballooning. Albuquerque has many local hot-air balloon companies which provide rides for visitors on a daily basis, so if hot-air ballooning is something you’d like to try for yourself then do take the hot air balloon rides and get an unforgettable experience. Make sure you carry your camera, tripod and extra media cards so that you’re able to capture the thrilling moments. Check out some cool pictures in the image gallery pinned below. Image Credit for the first picture. Source: CNN

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Spend some hours of leisure in Crystal Springs Resort!

Posted on February 1, 2012 by admin

Whether you are looking for the ideal spot for a family retreat, a romantic getaway, wedding ceremony, spa vacation or a golf getaway, Crystal Springs Resort is just the right pick. Nestled within the beautiful Kittatinny Mountain range and lush green Vernon Valley, Crystal Springs Resort is a luxurious place to stay at. The resort features two unique hotels, Minerals Hotel and Spa and the brand new, Grand Cascades Lodge. From golf courses, spectacular indoor and outdoor pools, award-winning spas to restaurants, cafes and bistros, the hotels offers unparalleled world-class amenities. Beautiful gardens combine with exquisite natural scenery to create a haven incorporating spectacular cliffs and gorges, sweeping views, murmuring streams and cool, blue pools. Bird life is plentiful and wild animals such as zebra, wildebeest, giraffe, antelope, jackal and leopard populate the nature reserve. The Crystal Springs Resort is a perfect place for those who want to break away from the stressful days of the week and spend their leisure hours in a serene atmosphere. Location: Sussex County in New Jersey. Source: The New York Times

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Las Vegas Bikefest kicks off on September 27

Posted on February 1, 2012 by admin

We all know that Las Vegas is a place that has endless attractions to fill up more than a weekend with the casinos, clubs, bars, strip clubs and endless entertainment but one thing you might not be aware of is the annual bike fest. Every September, Las Vegas is home to Harleys, Hondas, Indians and every chopper imaginable at one of the best bike weeks in the country. Named Las Vegas Bikefest, it is one of the most exciting and enthralling festival where things can get crazy and wild! Hundreds of vendors, a Mr. Las Vegas contest, poker runs, free entertainment, and music from bands like 38 Special and George Thorogood make Las Vegas Bikefest the party of all parties. This year’s Las Vegas Bikefest is scheduled to take place from 27th Sept. to 30th Sept. Those of you who plan to attend the Bikefest are sure to have gala time. You will get to see some incredible custom bikes and also have the opportunity to meet the builders. One of the featured events at the Bike Fest is the Artistry in Iron Builders Championship where you will get to see top name builders and their latest creations. Other Bike Fest in Las Vegas attractions will include displays and demo rides from bike manufacturers, biker contests, giveaways and drawings, music, tattoo contest, vendors and lots more! If you haven’t been to Las Vegas Bikefest, think about it and plan now. You can check out the cool Bikefest pictures and get more information on Las Vegas Bikefest website. Image Credit Source: Latimes

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Luxury Ride on GrandLuxe

Posted on February 1, 2012 by admin

For long, Europe knew about luxury train travel on the Orient Express. The opulence of Orient Express has been recreated in the USA with the GrandLuxe Rail Journeys. Six 1950s railway cars are attached to Amtrak’s California Zephyr that passes through some of the most historic and picturesque locales of USA. On boarding the luxury train butlers escort the guests to the wood-paneled ‘vintage Pullman’ room, 5 feet wide and 7-feet long with a 4 inch wide closet and two drawers. A beaming butler will show the passenger how to fold down the Pullman’s tapestry-upholstered seatback to become a bed and how a nozzle serves as a shower in the 2 feet by 3 feet toilet. There are guidebooks for every passenger that explains the detail and historical importance of every stop. A week onboard the GrandLuxe, with all the luxury and tours of plantations and cities such as Savannah and Charleston starts at $4,320 a person. The cost includes meals and tours. Meals on GrandLuxe are quite a lavish spread with expensive wines and the Manhattan entertainer Annie Lebeaux playing your favourite tunes on the piano. There is cooked-to-order breakfast, lunch and a five-course dinner. The train runs from Emeryville, California to Chicago. Image: passenger train journal Source: usa today

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High-tech unisex toilets at Bar 89

Posted on January 31, 2012 by admin

The picture above is one of the hi-tech unisex toilets at Bar 89 in Manhattan, New York. Through the glass doors, you can see the toilet and sink lit up in red and blue. Hey, don’t worry. These toilets have electrochromic glass walls that remain transparent only when unoccupied but once the door is locked from inside, it becomes opaque (you hope) and the word occupied can be seen at the top of the door. May be it seems the cool idea at the moment but if you go, I suggest you to check atleast once if the bathroom is not transparent when occupied. Source: Spluch

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Century-old shipwrecked ore carrier ‘Cyprus’ discovered in Lake Superior

Posted on January 31, 2012 by admin

We all know that the Great Lakes have witnessed thousands of shipwrecks and Cyprus is one of them but the most mystifying. A team of Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society has discovered this century-old shipwrecked ore carrier that sank during a Lake Superior storm during its second voyage. The wreckage was located 460 feet below the surface, about eight miles north of Deer Park, a village in Michigan’s eastern Upper Peninsula. Cyprus was a vast ship that was built in Lorain, Ohio and was launched on 17th August, 1907. During the second voyage on Lake Superior, the ship witnessed the fatal day as it mysteriously sank. Twenty two people died during the ship wreck and their bodies were recovered later. Charles G. Pitz and few others were lucky enough to survive. Different people have given their own interpretations regarding the cause of shipwreck but it’s still debatable. This find is anticipated to give some clues about the real cause. Image Credit Source: ABC News

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MGM Grand Detroit,MGM MIRAGE,Travel

Posted on January 31, 2012 by admin

if Las Vegas is a place you have added in your travel destination list then I’ll suggest you to check out MGM Grand Detroit. Raising the city’s hospitality offerings to unparalleled heights, the new MGM Grand Detroit debuted last week. Billed as the first Vegas-style resort in one of the major metropolitan area, $800 million MGM Grand includes 400 rooms and suites and its 18-story hotel has electronic concierges in each room. Developed by MGM MIRAGE, one of the world’s most respected hotel and gaming companies, MGM Grand Detroit is the only resort-style spa in southeast Michigan and 30,000-square-feet of meeting and convention space. The resort also features a 20,000-square-foot spa and, the lobby that has 20-foot ceilings and a private ‘living room’ for casual gatherings. The casino has 4,500 slot machines, more than 90 table games and an upscale eight-table poker room. Nightly rates start at $299. The opening was attended by Grammy-nominee Kid Rock and Grammy-Award winners Ashanti and Anita Baker along with celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck and Michael Mina and many other Detroit dignitaries. MGM Grand Detroit is anticipated to be a draw for many audiences from the business traveler and international visitor. Source: The New York Times

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Revival of Tee Pee Motel brings back a bygone American era

Posted on January 30, 2012 by admin

Will you believe me if I say that the wooden like structures you see in the picture above are the motel rooms? These are the small rooms of Tee Pee Motel located in Wharton, Texas. There are ten identical sand-colored, one-room teepees, built out of concrete and plaster. Sitting in a perfect line at a right angle off the highway, they look like a row of giant cupcakes. These cute little teepee rooms feature a bed, a little desk, a small fridge, a microwave and a chocolate-brown couch. Brainchild of Frank Redford, these teepees said to be built around 1940s and 50s in Texas were once looked upon as the replicas of Stonehenge and Easter Island in Kerrville and the Eiffel Tower topped by a cowboy hat in Paris. A diesel mechanic named Bryon Woods and his wife, Barbara Woods decided to refurbish the Tee Pee Motel in 2003. Bryon dedicated two years of his life and $1.6 million for the restoration work and finally his work paid off and he got successful in resurrecting the motel and bringing back a bygone American era. But believe me the photos don’t do the justice. You need to go and have a stay at these cute little tee pee rooms to have a true experience! Source: MSNBC

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Mummified Inca children: Can religious rituals be so brutal?

Posted on January 30, 2012 by admin

Few days back I wrote about the maiden Inca mummy (La Doncella) that went for display in Argentina Museum. Also, I mentioned the two other bodies that were found in an icy pit on Mount Llullaillaco. I’ve got some interesting facts about these Inca children. Go about reading if you wish to know these facts. In the year 1999, archaeologists unearthed the bodies of three Inca children in a volcano in north-west Argentina. These were among the best preserved mummies ever found. Their internal organs were intact, there was blood present in the heart and lungs and their skin and facial features were unmarked. Alongwith the bodies, the archaeologists discovered the cloth, pottery and figurine. The preservation of the mummies didn’t require much effort they were kept in freezers and are still well preserved. How did Inca children die? Capacocha was a religious ritual that Inca people followed some 500 years ago. As a part of the ritual, beautiful, healthy, physically perfect children were sacrificed for religious reasons. Inca people believed that the children did not die, but joined their ancestors and watched over their villages from the mountaintops like angels. These three Inca children were also a part of this religious ritual. The children were made to walk hundreds of miles to perform ceremonies in Cuzco and were taken to the summit of Mount Llullaillaco where they were given chicha (maize beer). Once they were asleep, they were placed underground where they froze to death. Now the Inca maiden is in display at the museum and is kept in an acrylic cylinder inside a box made of triple-paned glass. A computerized climate control system replicates mountaintop conditions inside the case. The two other Inca children were a 6-year-old girl and 7-year old boy and had elongated skulls. There are burn scars on the girl’s face. The two other mummies have not yet been shown, but will be put on display within the next six months. The question that comes to my mind after writing this post is that how can religious rituals be so brutal. It’s really unkind on the part of Inca people to sacrifice little children for religious reasons. Source: IHT

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Blackpool Tram No. 228,San Francisco,Railway Museum,Travel

Posted on January 30, 2012 by admin

The odd looking English street car you see in the picture above is the Boat Tram. Well-known as Blackpool Tram No. 228, it’s an England boat tram built in 1934 and the second Boat Tram to run on Muni’s tracks. Muni owns more than 90 historic streetcars and trolleys, many of which are in actual service on the F-Line. Some of the cars date back to the late 1800s. To know more about the San Francisco streetcar history, you can visit the Railway Museum near the San Francisco Ferry Building on Steuart Street. If you’re in San Francisco and miss the ride on this boat tram on a warm day then you surely miss the fun! Image Credit Source: Telstar Logistics

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