Datasets:

BEE-spoke-data

/

SaunaWeb-50k

like 0

Ruohomaa exhibit at Finnish House South Thomaston — The Finnish Heritage House on Route 131 will feature Finnish-American photojournalist Kosti Ruohomaa as the subject of its 10th anniversary summer exhibit. “Kosti Ruohomaa and Maine: A Special Relationship” will open for the season Saturday, June 21. Most people are aware of Ruohomaa’s wonderful photographs featured in Life, Down East and many other national magazines during the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s, but few are aware that he worked for Walt Disney as a cartoonist during the late 1930s and early 1940s and then did illustrations for three comic book series from 1942 to 1943, while living in New York City. This summer’s exhibit will be available for viewing Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon until the middle of October. For more information, abou the Finnish Heritage House, visit finnheritage.org. Special thanks are due to Joe Anderson of Down East Magazine, Deanna Bonner-Ganter of the Maine State Museum and Ilpo Lagerstedt of Helsinki, Finland, for their support of this project. Previous exhibits at FHH have included “Maine Finns and Blueberries in the Mid-Coast,” “Pillars of the Earth: Finns and Granite,” “Finns and Feathers: The Poultry Industry in the Mid-Coast,” “Finnish-American Music,” “Sauna: A Gift from the Finns,” “Remembering Grand-mother and Grandfather,” “Finnish-American Handicrafts” and “Finnish-American Veterans of World War II.” Courier Publications’ A&E Editor Dagney C. Ernest can be reached at (207) 594-4401, ext. 115; or firstname.lastname@example.org. The following is an interesting biography of Ruohomaa focusing on his animation and comic art, sent from Finland and lightly edited - DCE by Ilpo Lagerstedt, who also translated from Finnish to English More than 30 years ago professor Jerry Bails of Detroit sent me — here to Finland — his four-volume book “Who is Who of the American Comics.” In the third volume, there was a short chapter about the artist with name Kosti Ruamonaa. His only known comics then were published in Timely/Marvel Joker comic books in 1942-1943. Some years later I got to know that there is famous American photographer with Finnish roots, whose name is Kosti Ruohomaa. It was not difficult to combine these two names. Kosti is a shortened form of name Konstantin. Not so usual a name in Finland either. In high school in Rockland, Kosti’s nickname had been Gus, which rhymed fairly or at least enough well with the name Kosti. Ruohomaa was for an American a difficult name to pronounce and even to write. Kosti advised people that Ruohomaa is pronounced almost the same way as the "row a (boat) home.” In the 1930 census, the family´s name was Rohoma. He used to sign his work under the Ruamonaa name at Disney and Timely/Marvel; and Kosti name when doing Koo Koo Kapers and Penniless Palmer comics. Kosti Ruohomaa was born in Quincy, Mass. Nov. 25, 1913. There were a lot of Finns in this area. His parents were Selim and Sophia Ruohomaa. Sophia was born Kartano and she was born in Lappi town in South West Finland. Selim was born in Kiukainen in same area. The Ruohomaa family moved during the First World War from Quincy to Rockland where Selim began to grow blueberries. Kosti was the family's only child. He walked three miles to the one-room schoolhouse in Rockport. Later, Kosti graduated from the Rockland high school in 1931 The high school yearbook “The Cauldron” said that Kosti was been very active in various leisure activities. He belonged, among others, to Press Club, Editorial Board and Aviation Club and he had been entertainment manager of Kippy Karnival. In the yearbook he had been devoted the words of English poet John Dryden (1631-1700): “Whate´er he did was done so much ease In him alone, ‘twas natural to please.” After high school, Kosti continued his studies at Boston College of Art. After the college he worked as a commercial artist in Boston and New York. Not very much is known about those years of his life. But on the West Coast, something was happening. In Hollywood there was shortage of animators in late 1930s. Walt Disney had started to make long animation films. He needed the qualified cartoonists. Jack Kinney worked as animator and director at Walt Disney Studios in Hollywood 1931-1957. Just before his death in 1988, he published a book with the title “Walt Disney and Assorted Other Characters,” in which he told about the colorful life at Disney Studios and about “Uncle Walt” too. Kinney also said that Disney was hunting/searching for the cartoonists from East Coast in the late 1930s for his animated movies. In Kinneys book there is his drawing of five anonymous animators from New York, one with dark face that could very well be Kosti Ruohomaa. Too bad that Kinney didn’t mention Kosti’s name in his book. I don’t know when Kosti left the East Coast for West, but he was in Hollywood when Disney people celebrated the completion of the “Snow White,” which was the first long animated movie, in 1938. There is one photo from this party where Kosti with rugged profile is seen watching other people from the edge of photo. Disney animator Willis Pyle owned this photo. He told me: "Kosti was a good friend. We shared an apartment in Hollywood in 1938. It is sad that his life was so short. His talent was great." Ruohomaa worked for Disney from March 1938 to January 1943. He was an effects animator. I haven’t found very much information about his Disney years, but Jack Kinney has told something. He was the director of Disney’s short films. “Pluto’s Bone Trouble” was the first short under Kinney’s leadership and it was also the first known short film to which Kosti Ruohomaa was involved. World famous Donald Duck artist Carl Barks made the script of that short. Kinney told in his book that studio staff gave good reviews for “Pluto’s Bone Trouble.” All were satisfied with it, even Uncle Walt, which means plenty. Another Disney short Kosti was doing was “A Good Time for a Dime” starring Donald Duck. Dick Lundy was director and Donald’s voice was Clarence Nash. The short was a somewhat daring, as the name suggests. Daisy Duck performs the dance of seven veils. “There were no credits on Disney cartoons in those days. I have no further information on his work here,” said Disney archivist Dave Smith. But it is said that Kosti was doing Disney's first “Fantasia” movie too? Maybe, but then he has not worked as animator, but a photographer and special effects expert. Colin Emery, who also had a Finnish roots, worked at Ruohomaa farm in the late 1950s through Kosti. He said that Kosti, who was older, was treating him always like an adult: “We worked together lining rows for the rakers, working the winnowing machine and keeping track of the number of baskets each worker brought in. During these times and at lunch we were able to talk. Even though I was only a teenager he treated me as an adult, he loved children and I think he would have made a great father. To my knowledge I don't think he was ever married.” Emery also said that Kosti would have worked with “Fantasia”: "I do remember seeing a parrot he had drawn and I wonder if it might have been something from the Disney days. There were many drawings after his death ntaken to the dump. Selim, his father, wanted Kosti to be a farmer like him, he thought being an artist and photographer was a waste of time and they argued a number of times. Selim would walk off grumbling and Kosti would walk off with his camera and take photos.” During his Disney years, Kosti had taken up photography as a hobby. In that Donald Duck short “A Good Time for a Dime” there is a very interesting scene. Donald tries to get the camera from game machine, but instead he gets ink jet from the pen to his eyes. The scene suggests that Kosti’s future career is changing. He will soon change his pen to camera. Why did Kosti left Disney? The 1930s led to a rise of labor unions in motion pictures. The Screen Actors Guild was formed in 1933. Many of the Disney animators joined the Screen Cartoonists Guild. One of them was Art Babbitt who became one of the union leaders Babbitt started questioning Walt's authority. Disney didn’t like that and fired Babbit, whom he regarded as a "troublemaker" and a "Bolshevik." Firing Babbitt and many other conflicts in combination led the famous strike of Disney Studios in 1941. Striking animators and other professionals marched in front of the studio calling for justice. Jack Kinney said that Disney had hired a photographer to take photographs of the demonstrators. Then Disney looked at the photos to find out who of his animators were involved in the demonstration march, who were "the sonofabitches" who have betrayed him. What was Kosti Ruohomaa’s share in this strike? Michael Barrier, who had studied and written plenty about the American animation art, remembers having talked with Art Babbitt about Kosti. According to Babbitt, Ruohomaa was one of the photographers who took the pictures about striking artists. Kosti Ruohomaa actually did take photos of the marching and striking animators, not for Disney, but for the counterparty. Newspaper Labor published his pictures July 22, 1941. In those photos we can see disguised Disney animators wearing a hood and bearing the sign on which they wish Gunther Lessing and Walt Disney “happy birthday.” After them came other disguised hooded men, who bore guillotines. This caption of the photo says that the images took Kosti Ruohomaa, striking artist! Kosti was one of the strikers. Those important photos taken by Kosti submitted to me by Timo Ronkanen, whom I thank very much. Walt Disney himself left for South America before the strike ended. His lawyer Gunther Lessing and his brother Roy Disney handled the labor negotiations. After five weeks the strike was over and Disney studio signed a contract and has been a union shop ever since. Not all strikers and demonstrators were able to work for Disney after the strike. And those who worked noticed soon Disney's was no longer the same “happy family” as they had felt it maybe had been. It may be that this strike and these photos were the reason why Kosti Ruohomaa left Disney Studios. It is one reason, but there are others. Vive Risto and many others artists had left the animation to make comic books during the years 1941-1942. Superheroes had been big hit in the comics since the first Superman in 1938. Now in early ‘40s humor comics and comics with funny animals were popular. Western company was successful in publishing the comic books with Disney and Warner animation/cartoons characters. New York’s Marvel comics, whose name was then Timely, was still publishing superhero comics. But they noticed, as Les Daniels had written in his Marvel´s history, that the comic book market was changing. So Marvel/Timely decided to create their own versions of funny animals comics and needed skilled people to draw those comics. Was Timely/Marvel actively hunting for the Disney artists? The question remains in this context certainly unanswered, but maybe it is so. In any case, Kosti Ruohomaa made his first ever known comics during the time when he was still working at Disney. Jerry Bails in his book “Who is Who of American Comics” is the only one who ever knew that Kosti Ruohomaa had made any comics. Kosti himself ignored those comics, because he did not mention this phase of his life in his short biography, published in 1949. According to Jerry Bails, Timely/Marvel published the Joker comic book in 1942-1943. The first Joker comic book is dated April 1942. This included comics by many artists who later became very noted: Powerhouse Pepper and Stuporman by Basil Wolverton; and Hey look by Harvey Kurtzman, who later made comics for Mad Magazine and Playboy. Also Mad Magazine artist Al Jaffee made screwball comics for Joker comic book. Kosti Ruohomaa was in good company. Jaffee does not remember if he ever met Kosti, which is not surprising, since Kosti lived still in California. Kosti made other comics too. DC Comics was the publisher of Superman and Batman. For this company, Kosti Ruohomaa made Penniless Palmer comic. For Ace Periodcals company, Kosti made Koo Koo Kapers — known comic, only one page slightly. There is a third reason why Kosti would have left Disney. World War II was on. According to New York Times, a total of 80 percent of Disney's activities went to war propaganda in 1942. In one interview, Kosti said that the Army Signal Corps lent him from Disney for some time to make cartoon training films for military. Disney had something to do with these training movies. Kosti was not the only one who left Disney to make military training cartoons. Lars Calonius was born in Helsinki. He had been involved in Disney's 1942 animated “Bambi” movie. After “Bambi,” Calonius left Disney to make those military training films. Also Mort Walker, the creator of famous Beetle Bailey comic strip, was at Army Signal Corps. Wonder if the gentlemen ever met? I haven’t got any information about the training films Kosti did for Army Signal Corps. It seems that Kosti did not miss his Disney years. He later explained his relationship with the world of Disney: “One mouse can be interesting but a million mouses are a bore." After the war, Kosti had changed completely his tool. Pen and ink was replaced by the camera. Kosti bought a Rolleflex and started a new career of a photographer. He worked on the staff of Life magazine for a while, but during the ‘40s he turned to freelance assignments, represented by Black Star photo agency. He worked with Rolleiflex, Rolleicord and Linfoff cameras. His topical photographs received prompt attention and demand and ended up in covers and pages of Life magazine, Collier’s, Ladies’ Home Journal, Down East, Yankee, Parade and other pictorials of the post war era. Kosti’s photos were pure Americana. Kosti’s first break came when he was assigned to a big story with an agricultural background. He found himself developing a news feeling for the country he had left with disgust a few years earlier. Kosti returned to East Coast. He had lived shortly in New York, but returned then to Rockland. His base was a small camp on Ruohomaa farm. Lew Dietz remembers that Kosti never stayed far, or for long, from that eyrie overlooking the sea and backed up to his father’s blueberry lands: “He made several unsuccessful attempts to tear himself away and find new roots. Perhaps his mind told him that a boyhood home is no more than a womb and that a man can never go home again. The need of his heart overruled his mind.” Kosti concentrated on photographing the lost or changed landscape of Maine, images that were was most celebrated. Says Lew Dietz: “I know no one who caught Maine more truthfully.” Although Kosti had achieved national and international fame as a photographer, he also became a part of the Maine community. Maine people accepted his faults, the heaviest of which was that Kosti had a drinking problem. Dietz said: “He was an alcoholic and he knew it.” But Kosti was scrupulously honest about himself. William Allen Shevis wrote: “Kosti was quite, considerate, shy … and gentle when he was sober. When he had bottle in hand he seemed more assured, more in command of his life and his calling. I’m not knocking Kosti. Alcoholism is sickness, an addiction, and it was damn shame that he could not break it grip on him.” Jill Delaney, a former Farrell, said that Kosti was a friend of the family who visited them often. She also remembers that Kosti was different from other people, inscrutable even the mysterious figure. Dietz wrote: “He was tall, lithe and handsome young man, cunning cap cocked his head, camera slung from his head.” Other photographers had noticed Kosti’s talent very fast. Todd Walker has said: “I was in a couple of the inter-studio salons, in one of which was a man named Kosti Ruohomaa who later on became a very well-known photographer in the East. He was at Disney working as one of the animators and his work was really quite different from the others, most of whom did just stock portraits. His work really fascinated me.” For Black Star’s Howard Chapnick, Kosti was moody and brooding Finn, who had great sense of composition and mood and ability to capture subtle nuances. Chapnick called Kosti a true artist: "The word is thrown around with gay abandon in photography — this picture looks like a Rembrandt, that one like a Renoir. Kosti’s photographs do not have to be compared to the work of painters. A Ruohomaa picture looks like a Ruohomaa!" Kosti once said to Howard Chapnick about being photojournalist: “… Young photographers have to be educated in the arts, sciences and humanities, so that they can bring understanding and intelligence to every assignment. Each assignment is a new challenge with new people to relate to. You can’t relate to them unless you have an open, receptive, inquiring and trained mind. That’s secret of being a journalist.” Sauna was everything to Kosti. Shevis said: “We used to go up to his place on Dodge’s Mountain with Dietz to the sauna. Kosti would have the stove stoked up and the carrel of rocks already hot.” It is “kiuas,” as we says here in Finland. But let Shevis continue: “He’d be dressed in ritual towel round the waist and as we stripped he’d toss ceremonial cup of water on to the rocks. The water would hiss and bubble and turn in a blistering flash into steam obscuring out nakedness and we’d sit ourselves on the cedar benches, the higher the hotter, to soak and sweat. When we couldn’t stand it anymore, we’d gallop outdoors to cool off.” Kosti had visited his father’s old home at Kiukainen in Finland with his parents in 1915, when he was less than 2 years old. In 1948, Kosti travelled to Europe and the Middle East. He visited England and Ireland, Austria and Switzerland. He also has paid a visit to Finland, where his parents were born. He spent six weeks in Finland taking photos. It was an account of the visit of the American-born son of Finnish immigrants to the land of his parents. The Air Force took him in a special assignment, which carried him to Rome, Athens and into Arabia. The State Department has selected his work for its publications distributed in foreign countries. Blood clots in the brain paralyzed Kosti in February 1961. Lew Dietz met Kosti when October turned November. He said that Kosti was a shattered man, bedridden and paralyzed: “He was propped up before a box with broken glass. With effort he was able to articulate one hand and arm. He managed to operate his cameras as he sought abstract beauty in the light refractions of the shards beside his bed.” Kosti Ruohomaa died Nov. 5 of that year only 47 years old, unmarried and without children. His days at Disney were limited and his comic book career was even more marginal but for the sake of his photographer's career and photographs, Kosti Ruohomaa is very noted and even here in Finland too. Kosti Ruohomaa is still highly valued in Maine, also called a legend. It is said that God created Maine and Kosti photographed it. I thank everyone who helped me to write my Kosti Ruohomaa biography: Jill Delaney, June Ranta Wilcox, Colin Emery, William Allen Shevis, Art Jura, Mark Haskell and Steven Gifford. Kiitos! Dated May 21, 2014, which is Konstantin’s and Kosti’s day in Finland. Copyright is held by Ilpo Lagerstedt, who has written plenty about the history of comics and American Finns, among other the book about the Finnish American comic book artists and cartoonists, published by Tampere University Press 2008.

Lazar Balshen's trouble with City Hall appear to have started with a nude sauna. Balshen, a retired truck driver, who immigrated from Russia to the United States in 1996 and settled in Berea, has been fighting the small town's City Hall for the past five years. Not that he's getting anywhere. He's not. Still, he claims to have no idea why he has become persona non grata in the small college town. For years, Balshen, 83, has wanted to join Berea's Active Senior Network, a city sponsored group that plans social outings and activities for Berea seniors. His membership has been denied. The group's website boasts that the well apportioned facility located in the city's recreation center is available for all Berea seniors to use at their leisure for reading, watching TV, playing cards, assembling puzzles or simply for socializing. But Balshen says he has been refused admission into the group and is furthermore forbidden entry into the city's recreation center where the group is headquartered. "I can't get any help from anyone. Not even from groups that say they want to help senior citizens," a frustrated Balshen said Tuesday afternoon "I feel like its all a conspiracy. I don't understand why it has to involve me." "What did I do?" said Balshen, who is as feisty an octogenarian you'll ever met. A little background might shed some light. The staff and membership there didn't care for his practice of relaxing naked in the gym's sauna for hours or habitually using a vihta, a swatch of birch branches, to vigorously beat himself to improve his circulation. His constant lecturing on sauna etiquette and his vocal disapproval whenever a user entered the sauna wearing any articles of clothing didn't improve his popularity, either. "It is not healthy for people to wear clothes and, especially, shoes into the sauna. The heat has to be free of dirt and other contaminants that pollute the environment of the sauna," he said at the time. Finally, the gym grew tired of his hectoring and revoked his membership. When he refused to leave in a timely fashion, he was arrested and paraded off to jail in a robe and slippers. He was convicted of disorderly conduct and fined $252. Now fast forward to 2013. Balshen said he has no interest in the sauna or the pool located in the city's public recreation center. He said he just wants to be able to join the seniors group and take advantage of their many amenities. But the last time he attempted to enter the center in 2010, he was recognized, police were called, and he said he was told he would be arrested on disorderedly conduct charges if he didn't promptly leave. "I don't know what crime I committed for them to keep me out of the recreation center. And I don't know why the prosecutor won't take my calls and explain to me why I'm not allowed to join the senior room," Balshen said Tuesday afternoon. "So what am I to do?" he asked? The answer to that plaintive question is fairly simple according to Jim Walters, who doubles as Berea's Law Director and Prosecutor and who is the authority behind Balshen's ban. The old man must learn to play well with others. "He expects others to play well with him, but he's never evidenced that he is capable of playing well with others." "My intent is not to be mean to the guy, but every time we've tried to convey to him that there are rules that must be followed, it seems to go over his head," said Walters. "It's possible that we would reconsider the ban if he demonstrated that he was able to get along with others and not be so disruptive to the other seniors." So there it is. Senior citizens have their own advanced ways of winnowing their social groups. Just like some seniors have a way of keeping themselves in grownup timeout for bad behavior. Balshen has called everyone from former Rep. Dennis Kucinich to the Ohio Attorney's General's office to officials at Cuyahoga County. But ultimately, if he really wants to play checkers and eat lunch with his fellow seniors, he should simply learn to play nice. It's more than his nude sauna past that keeps him out of Berea's recreation center.

Home > B&B Belgium > B&B East Flanders > B&B Scheldeland > 't Groene Genoegen 't Groene Genoegen – Gent (Laarne) Sleep, awake, enjoy … In “t Groene Genoegen” (The Green Delight) enjoying and quality of life are the central goals. The beautifully renovated house (formal floristry) with private guest-entrance has four spacious rooms, each with their own bathroom. The view on the field, meadows and wood is breathtaking, the silence surprising. In the large quiet garden it is nice to stay and ideal for the children to romp. You can have breakfast in the sociable kitchen or on the southern terrace. At the breakfast table you will find mostly tradional, biological and region products, which we find perfect for quality-full enjoying. Many extra’s such as a champagne breakfast, are possible... In the region of Laarne we have innumerable cosy and quality-full restaurants. You can find the simple kitchen but also the “haute cuisine” and Birgit, the hostess, will advise you with your choice. You can add an extra relaxing touch to your stay in “t Groene Genoegen” by visiting the private sauna and bubble bath. In the resting area you can relax with a glass of fruit juice or champagne which is always at hand range. Walking, cycling, mountainbiking At least 5 cycling / mountainbiking and 3 walking routes are passing by “t Groene Genoegen”. You can do endless walking and cycling through the typical roads of the Scheldeland. Bicycles can be rented. If you want to surprise someone with a stay, breakfast or sauna in't Groene Genoegen, you can order a cheque via firstname.lastname@example.org Four comfortable guest rooms with television, internet connection and own bath room are at your disposal. Each of the rooms has been named after a beautiful type of begonia which used to be raised here. In each room it is possible to place an extra bed or a child bed This spacious room in grey-blue colour shades is based on the ground floor and has its own garden terrace. In the two quality-full box spring beds it is a dream to sleep. Bouton de Rose This romantic room is based on the first floor and offers a grand view on the surrounding forrest and fields. Here you find a spacious double bed. This flowerfull room is also based on the first floor and the soft green colours will help you feel calm and relaxed. This blue room is based on the first floor of the main building. - Single: 75€ - Double: 100 € from 3 nights: -10 % Longer stays: prices on demand Children <= 3 year on the room: free Children <= 12 year on the room: 20 euro/night - Credit cards - Car park On the property - Disabled persons - Internet / wireless access *: Prices are estimates and are subject to change. For the most recent prices, please check the website of this accommodation. Are you the owner of this accommodation? Manage your pages here. Birgit en Tom 9270 Gent (Laarne) Other bed & breakfasts in Gent (Laarne) and its environs - Annekin – Laarne (2 km) - Karels Halte – Destelbergen (4 km) - Selemo B&B – Gentbrugge (6 km) - Huisje Kakelbont – Gentbrugge (6 km) - Cuberdon Bed and Breakfast – Ghent (8 km) - 1,2,trois... Le Roi – Ghent (8 km) - Betsberg – Oosterzele (Moortsele) (8 km) - B&B Engelen aan de Waterkant – Ghent (9 km) - Logidenri – Ghent (9 km) - ApartGent – Ghent (9 km) - [Su'ro] 8.5 – Ghent (9 km) - Bed in Gent 7.7 – Ghent (9 km)

“ Leeson Bridge Guest House 1 / Upper Leeson Street / Dublin 4 / Tel: +353 1 6682255 / „ With my bargain Ryanair flights for just 2p per person I set about the task of looking for a luxurious hotel at a bargain price, having been to Dublin a good few times before I had stayed in a few different areas previously and was very keen on staying in the Temple Bar area again, I had misunderstood my other half when he said he had been to Dublin before as he had stayed in Dublin but he had only been for the day so when he said he had found a fantastic hotel in a great location for a great price I let him go ahead and book it as Dublin is easy enough to get around and nowhere is really ever to far to get to. A 4 star guesthouse the Leeson Bridge Guesthouse is located on Upper Leeson Street and was 99.00 for 1 night and promised a comfortable clean room in a great location and what was more it had a sauna and Jacuzzi bath exactly what we needed to de-stress so my partner made the reservation with Laterooms.com and we waited for our trip to arrive. *~*Getting to the Hotel*~* Dependent on how you will be arriving into Dublin there are many transport options available, I opted for the Aircoach which I had used on my last visit which stopped directly outside our hotel ideal. If you have ever travelled to Dublin before you will know that the traffic is renowned for being a nightmare so car hire was never an option for us. If you will be getting the aircoach to this hotel you can purchase tickets from the driver and you will need to board the coach at stop 5 located directly outside the terminal building and inform the driver that you will be stopping at Upper Leeson Street, I would always recommend the aircoach as it is extremely comfortable and only 14 for a return ticket so there are no extra charges for being stuck in rush hour traffic as we were. *~*Location of the Leeson Bridge Guesthouse*~* As previously mentioned Leeson Bridge Guesthouse is located at 1 Leeson Street Upper which is a 10 minute walk away from St Stephens Green and Grafton Street and there are many bus stops located all over the city so it is easy to get from one place to another. The guest house is located on a busy junction just before the bridge so it can be difficult to stop outside the hotel to unload baggage if you want to make use of the car parking facility. *~*Arriving at the hotel*~* We arrived at the hotel really early and were planning on leaving our bags at the hotel as we had checked out the hotels facilities before we made the reservation to ensure that had we been travelling with more luggage than planned then we could ensure that we could leave our baggage behind. We eventually arrived at the hotel just after 9am, the reception is located immediately on the right hand side and is manned from 7am until 11pm, so we checked with the receptionist whether we could check-in early but we were advised that the room was not ready and that we would need to return after 2pm to check-in, however we were able to leave our bags and jackets at the guesthouse in a locked room until we returned. We decided to do most of our sightseeing and then spend the afternoon in the room having fortywinks before going back out later on. When we returned to the guesthouse it was just after 3pm and we were able to check-in, the check-in process was simple and a print-out was provided showing the cost of the room and confirming the room type that we had booked and also our contact details should we leave anything behind and we were informed that our room was located on the 3rd floor and we could use the stairs or the lift and provided with 2 keycards. We collected our bags from the room they were being stored and made our way up to the room. Leeson Bridge Guesthouse offers both luxury and executive rooms as well as studio apartments. Luxury rooms contain private Jacuzzi baths and views of the canal banks and the executive rooms were a little larger and also contained a sauna. All door are opened via a keycard and our room had a superb view looking out at Leeson Bridge and the canal, as we entered the room there was a long narrow passageway that led onto the actual bedroom area and to the right were two large sash windows that looked out onto the busy road next to the canal and made the room light and airy but what I immediately noticed was that the noise from the busy road filtered straight into the bedroom making it less relaxing, I do feel that due to the amount of noise being produced and having read previous reviews on the hotel I certainly would think about offering air conditioning as there was no way we would be able to leave the windows open during the evening as the noise was too much. On the left hand side of the passage way were two built in wardrobes with internal lights that automatically lit up when the door was opened and there were plenty of hangers offered and in the second wardrobe there was a spare duvet and an extra pillow and blanket which we did not require during our stay. Our room contained a Kingsize bed which was extremely comfortable and the pillows were heaven and much more comfortable compared to the ones we had at home. The ensuite bathroom is to the left of the bed and contained a Jacuzzi bath, toilet and sink and a glass door in the bathroom leads onto the private sauna which my other half made full use of. The bathroom appeared to be a little tatty and the pedestal had come away from the sink and either I was to heavy for the toilet but each time I sat on the toilet it moved! The bath was in full working order and came complete with overhead power shower and a shower head attachement on the taps. The bath panel was mahogany and was outdated and also looked worn where the water had spilled over onto the panel and caused it to come away from the side of the bath. Towels were provided and stored on the heated towel rail, the bathroom was clean and tidy and basic amenities were provided in the form of Dove Moisturising shower crème and Lux shower gel. The bedroom itself had an LCD flatscreen tv mounted on the wall at the end of the bed and offered a wide range of channels including ITV and BBC. There was a small dressing table in the room containing a travel kettle, tea and coffee making facilities and a large mirror hanging over. On the bed there are two complimentary chocolates from Lily OBriens and if you see these in Dublin grab a box as these are delicious chocolates. Next to the bed on the right hand side was an ironing board complete with Iron and to the left side of the bed was a small bedside table with a CD Alarm clock and on each side of the bed was a telephone, even now I have no idea why there were 3 telephones in our room and we didnt use any of them. As with most accommodation there was a directory with useful information in but there were no real recommendations for restaurants and bars within a few minutes walking distance of the hotel, they were all located in the Temple Bar area or Grafton Street. The room is spacious and well decorated and looks as if it has recently been redecorated and if only they had concentrated their efforts on the bathroom as well this would be an ideal 4 star property. I was glad that we stayed at this hotel as it was away from the main tourist areas and offered a relaxing break away. Apart from the traffic outside the guesthouse was peaceful and relaxing and we enjoyed our stay very much. There is no restaurant in the hotel but breakfast is served each morning in the dining room which is located on the ground floor and serves a continental style breakfast between 7am and 10am. The dining room contained 4 tables of 2 and 3 table to accommodate up to 4 guests and the self serve area is immediately to the left as you enter the dining room, offering a selection of Kellogs cereals, fruit juices, coffee, croissants, bagels and muffins and also ham, cheese, salami, eggs, tomatoes and peppers and what is more there is plenty to have and you can have as much as you like. There is a member of staff that comes around to clear the plates and offers you toast and tea which is prepared when ordered so it is always fresh, I have to say that this was one of the best breakfasts I have had in a long time. Check- out is 10 am from the hotel and I do feel that this could be moved to 11am as the guesthouse only has 30 rooms in total and judging by the number of guests we saw during our stay I highly doubt that all 30 rooms were booked up and given that check-in is 2pm that would mean that there is 4 hours to prepare the rooms for new guests. When we checked out the same lady was on reception and she asked about our stay and wished us a pleasant journey home. Overall this hotel was a relaxing break away from home and the staff we encountered were pleasant and helpful at all times even when it came to recommending a local restaurant. If you want to stay somewhere a little bit different then look up the Leeson Bridge Guesthouse. This hotel has no facilities for children, a cot can be placed in the room for a further 30 but due to the layout of the room it could be cramped if a cot is put into the room. There is a living room and dining room area on the first floor which is available for all guests to use and contains a comfortable leather sofa and there is also a kitchen within the hotel that may have previously been used by guests but this was locked for the duration of our visit. The Leeson Bridge Guest house is located on Leeson Street Bridge, an exclusive area of Dublin city close to St Stephens Green and graciously over looks Dublin's Grand Canal on a street of Georgian Houses, is full of character and old world charms with high decorative ceilings, old furniture and a very warm welcome for our guests. This lovely Bed and Breakfast is very close to St Stephens Green and all the attractions of Dublin city - concert and exhibition centres, theatres, lively pubs, restaurants and the main shopping areas of Dublin city. The Leeson Bridge Guest House is easily accessibly to the Dublin city Airport, ferries and Train Stations by local Buses, Taxis, Luas and Dart train services with the Aircoach stopping outside our door. The Leeson Bridge Guesthouse offers guests a relaxing and stress free visit to Dublin.

Paradise in the Palms New Palms Place Grows Skyward In Las Vegas Contractor M.J. Dean Construction is building the third tower at the Palms Casino Resort. The $350 million, 50-story concrete tower will provide almost 600 units for residences which can be rented out as hotel rooms to guests. Palms Place, an ultra-posh new condo-hotel, is taking shape a few blocks west of the Las Vegas Strip. The $350-million, 599-unit skyscraper is located next to the 34-acre, 664-room Palms Casino Resort at Flamingo Road and Arville Street. M.J. Dean Construction of Las Vegas, is the The 50-story cast-in-place concrete tower features 9-in.-thick post-tensioned floors and an elaborate glass skin. The high-rise rests atop a 5,000-cu-yd concrete mat foundation with 80, 6-ft-dia. drilled caissons from 60- to 80-ft deep. The 526-ft-tall tower has roughly 26 columns per every 18,000-sq-ft floor plate, with two supporting shear walls and a massive central elevator core. The 1.1-million-sq-ft structure is serviced by 15 elevators and a central plant. A main porte cochere entrance enables drivers to travel under the building. A "SkyTube,"a 700-ft-long enclosed elevated moving walkway, will connect to the adjacent Palms The skyscraper rises from a five-level podium with parking, a restaurant, lounge, bar and offices. The project also includes a lavish two-level spa with 20 treatment rooms, including steam and sauna areas. A landscaped outdoor pool deck with spas, cabanas and a fitness center tops the 60 ft-tall podium. Residences consist of seven different floor plans, ranging from a 600-sq-ft studio up to 7,000-sq-ft penthouse. Units come fully furnished with gourmet kitchens, 42-in plasma TVs, linens and contemporary décor. Toronto-based Yabu Pushelberg is the interior designer. The high-end penthouses feature cantilevered stand-alone Jacuzzi bathtubs overlooking the Strip. The tower joins the growing number of recent Las Vegas projects to use the condo-hotel concept, which will enable homeowners to earn income by renting out their residences to guests when not in use, just like a hotel room. The project will bring the Palms total room inventory to 1,263. The project proved an instant hit, selling-out quickly despite six price increases that ran from $500,000 to $7 million. "We sold-out at an incredible pace, and we could have sold-out another tower," says Palms president George Maloof. "But we won't build another one. This is a one-of-a-kind." Designed by The Jerde Partnership, Venice, Calif., with Las Vegas-based KGA Architecture as architect-of-record, Palms Place is fully sheathed in emerald-colored, custom-cut Vericon glass - a contract worth $30-million. The building has a unique saw-tooth façade with setbacks to create private glass and aluminum railing balconies at No two floor edges are the same, says Bryan Cowart, M.J. Dean's project manager. It has required laser surveying of each floor by Loscha Engineering, the project's Las Vegas-based structural engineer, to make certain the building stayed in alignment during construction. Despite this, M.J. Dean has maintained a floor-a-week erection schedule through pre-construction planning and flying forms. "It's the first residential tower at the Palms so we wanted to have a unique feeling," says Coco Zhou, Jerde's project designer. "By having it all glass, it creates a very vertical tower that glows at night like a diamond." The tower has another iconic touch: LED sticks encircle the building crown like a halo. The molded, reinforced fiber elements have an imbedded lighting system that shines back toward the building façade, giving it a shimmering look at night. The vertical light sticks start on the 23rd floor and rise past the roof, attaching at each level in 10-ft pieces to form contiguous elements up to 200-ft-long. They are placed roughly 20-ft apart from one another around the entire tower. M.J. Dean is self-forming the concrete work, framing, painting The project, which broke ground in January 2006, will see up to 750 tradesmen on site during the height of construction activity, Cowart says. The new Palms Place is expected to take its place along the Las Vegas skyline in December. Palms Casino Resort KGA Architecture; The Jerde Partnership M.J. Dean Construction Anderson Drilling; Century Steel; Embassy Glass; Bombard Electric; Bombard Mechanical Click here for next Feature Story >>

Choose your preferred language. We speak English (US) and 41 other languages. Otogar Yolu No:20 Esenler, 34220 Istanbul, Turkey – Show map No booking fees • Save money! Best price guarantee — enter dates to see these prices! 2185 properties in Istanbul Including hotels, apartments, villas and more. 136 verified reviews They speak your language! Grand S Hotel's staff speaks: Turkish, English, German Booking is safe When you book with us your details are protected by a secure connection. Sauna, Fitness Center, Spa, Massage, Turkish/Steam Bath, Indoor Pool, Library Food & Drink Restaurant, Bar, Breakfast in the Room, Restaurant with Dining Menu, Buffet-Style Restaurant, Special Diet Meals (upon request) WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge. Free public parking is available on site (reservation is not needed). Room Service, Packed Lunches, Car Rental, Shuttle Service (surcharge), Airport Shuttle (surcharge), 24-Hour Front Desk, Express Check-in/Check-out, Currency Exchange, Tour Desk, Ticket Service, Baggage Storage, Concierge Service, Babysitting/Child Services, Laundry, Dry Cleaning, Ironing Service, Shoeshine, Meeting/Banquet Facilities, Business Center, Fax/Photocopying, Hair/Beauty Salon, VIP Room Facilities, Honeymoon Suite Newspapers, Safe, Non-smoking Rooms, Facilities for Disabled Guests, Family Rooms, Elevator, Heating, All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private), Designated Smoking Area Turkish, English, German From 1:00 PM Until 12:00 PM Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to room type. Please enter the dates of your stay and check what conditions apply to your preferred room. Children and Extra Beds All children are welcome. One child under 2 years stays free of charge in a crib. One child under 6 years stays free of charge when using existing beds. One older child or adult is charged EUR 30 per person per night in an extra bed. The maximum number of extra beds/cribs in a room is 1. Additional fees are not calculated automatically in the total cost and will have to be paid for separately during your stay. Pets are not allowed. Cards accepted at this property Hover over the cards for more info. Based on 136 reviews Value for money Show reviews from: Offering an indoor pool and a fitness centre, Hilton Garden Inn Istanbul Atatürk Airport is located a 8-minute drive from Istanbul Ataturk Airport. Score from 60 reviews Good This stylish hotel features a terrace overlooking Istanbul. Just off of famous shopping street, Istiklal Street, Marmara Pera is a 5-minute walk from the nearest tram stop. Score from 998 reviews Good This 4-star Carlton Hotel, 1700 ft from the Grand Bazaar, features rejuvenating massage treatments and a sauna. Guest rooms have flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi access and seating areas. Score from 659 reviews Good In Istanbul, this hotel is only just over 1 mile from the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace. It has an outdoor pool with furnished terrace and includes air-conditioned guest rooms with free Wi-Fi. Score from 208 reviews Good -bad location; -the hotel address mentioned in booking.com is not correct; -cold and not heated hotel; -the accommodation price is not corresponded to the hotel quality and stars; -expensive hotel; -bad service; -very noisy; -rooms smell of cigarettes. Poor breakfast but it is enough for this price Location near every thing The staf is uncultured then they try to trick me with some more payments for exc. one menu is in room for room servise and they had the other menu in restaurant whit higher prices.. must be very careful. I was not. The room was very cold without heating, the bed was very dirty and uncomfortable , in toilet there was not toilet brush, i put on door the sign "do no disturb" but they came in and wake me up couple of times, wifi some times work some times not and much more...This hotel is the worst hotel I have been in my live. I would NOT recommended to anyone !!!! dirty rooms, wifi is present but not working properly, cleanliness a mess. I could not use JCB card for the payment. The pool pool has a lot of cloro. Too much noise when you opn the windows. Everything is so far from the hotel so we spend too much money in taxi and train. In the restaurant uses to leave the dishes , glasses and everything wet, we had to dry our dishes every day. The roon is confortable. Pool very nice. Driving to the hotel is complicated. It took us 1 hour to find the way to it just from the opposite side of the road to the hotel. Staffs are excellent! Non existent air conditioning so very hot. Very poor food and disinterested service during breakfast and evening meal. Location - an easy walk with backpacks from the bus station. Easy for metro to get into the city. in some rooms windows are not working apropriately friendly staff swimming pool The room was shabby. Our room looked out onto a backstreet with noisy chidren playing in the street. The front of the hotel was located on a very busy road junction not suited to pedestrians. there was a loud noise at breakfast which we found out was a lorry emptying the sewer behind the hotel. The breakfast room was full when we got there. We noticed a separate room with tables laid up ready but the waiters told us we could not sit there and they tried to sit us (a family of 4) with another family of 3 on a table meant for 4 people! Internet rubbish! chewing gum on the carpet in the room, wallpaper ripped. Restaurant = poor choice of meals & very expensive. We went for a dip in the pool and was told to get out becasue we were not wearing swimming hats but we could purchase them for £10 each! Guess what we said?! The decoration in the lobby and spa gave the hotel an expensive feel. WORSR HOTEL EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE. THE RATINGS ARE WAY OFF AND HAS EXTRA STARS FOR SOME REASON.The hotel is a mess. Broken mirrors in elevators and room, dirty room [my room had dirty tissue papers under a couch and was never cleaned up]. Very bad location. Located in a poor and unsafe and dirty area and Had to take the metro and trolley for 45 min everyday to get to the tourism part. Room was right next to window and impossible to sleep due to all the traffic and noise. Rude rude rude staff. The room key kept getting unactivated so we had to go downstairs to the lobby EVERY SINGLE TIME we wanted to go to our room. Seriously this hotel has TOO MANY EXTRA STARTS FOR WHAT ITS WORTH. The only thing worth it here is the Daphne restaurant food. Not even the service-just the food. The waiter was so rude and unkind i almost stood up and left but stayed because we were starving - staff was frequently trying to enter my room (during my presence in the room) without even knocking on the room's door. - hotel requires to pay the total amount for your stay during the check-in procedure and they are not issuing any receipt when you pay the money. They will issue a receipt only if you explicitly request it and only during the check-out process. - hotel desk clerk tryed on two occasions to overcharge me. breakfast - includes a good variety of foods. (Location to Istanbul) knew that, so nothing. High quality hotel (incl WiFi) and location to buses. Too lazy and bad staff. Room was cosy and clean. the break fast and the room prices For your safety please avoid dealing with this hotel -- staffs are dangerously aggressive . I was threatened and terrorized by room service staff when I request not to refill my minibar .also every employee in the hotel keep bullying and asking for tips . I am surprised how it is listed as a hotel on booking . shown picture are totally fake , --room are too small, --old dirty Furniture. --Bed sheets have yellow spots all over --no air conditioning --outside picture shown here is not real , the hotel is located in very crowded old district and just beside the tram rail way لسلامتك يرجى تجنب التعامل مع هذا الفندق، --الموظفين عدوانين بشكل خطير. وقد تم تهديدي وارهابي من قبل موظفي خدمة الغرف عندما طلبت عدم إعادة ملء الميني بار . جميع موظفين الفندق يمارسون البلطجة وويطلبون البخشيش. أنا مندهش كيف يتم سرد هذا الفندق في بوكينق. الصور المعروضه هي وهمية تماما، - غرفة صغيرة جدا، - الأثاث قذرة وقديم. - الشراشف عليها بقع صفراء - لا يوحد تكييف للهواء - صورة واجهة الفندق ليست حقيقية ، يقع الفندق في حي قديم ومزدحم جدا و بجانب الطريق السكك الحديدية الترام 당신의 안전이 호텔을 다루는 피해주세요에, 직원은 위험 공격적이다. 나는 위협과 공포 룸 서비스 직원이 내 미니 바 리필하지 요청할 때. 또한 호텔의 모든 직원이 괴롭힘을 유지하고 조언을 요청했다. 나는 그것이 예약에 호텔로 나열하는 방법을 놀라게합니다. 보이는 그림은 완전히 가짜 - 방은 너무 작아서, - 오래 된 더러운 가구. - 침대 시트가 온통 노란색 반점이 - NO AIR CONDITIONING - 여기에 표시된 외부 그림이 진짜가 아닌,이 호텔은 매우 혼잡 오래된 지구에 단지 트램 레일 웨이 옆에 위치 zu Ihrer Sicherheit bitte vermeiden Sie den Umgang mit diesem Hotel, die Mitarbeiter gefährlich aggressiv. ich wurde bedroht und terrorisiert von Zimmer-Service Personal, wenn ich ersuchen, meine Minibar aufzufüllen. auch jeder Mitarbeiter im Hotel halten Mobbing und fragen nach Tipps. ich bin überrascht, wie es als Hotel bei der Buchung aufgeführt. Bild gezeigt, sind total fake, - Zimmer sind zu klein, - alten, schmutzigen Möbel. - Bettwäsche haben gelbe Flecken am ganzen - Keine Klimaanlage - außerhalb hier gezeigte Bild ist nicht echt, ist das Hotel sehr voll in Altstadt und direkt neben der Straßenbahnschiene Weg befindet Location, Same poor breakfast everyday, unfriendly staff. Breakfast was average at best. Wifi was terrible. Dogan very unfriendly as a front desk worker. Also too interested in promoting his own taxi business. Decent stay overall, some friendly staff. We got turned away from using the pool because we did not have swimming caps. Even though there were no other people using it everything we. We will be better prepared next time. Room very clean... as a whole a pleasure and staff went out of their way to assist in every way. We often travel through Istanbul and the grand S will definitely see us again... Great service and help, perfect location across the road to the Essenler otogar... Out of 4 nights, i could sleep only for 1 night.... The air condition was not working.... After many calls came a man with a screw driver and fixed it, it stopped working again in a while... The room was exhausting... What the heck to listen this from receptionist that hotel policy is to switch off AC during 9am and 9pm... Because no one stays in hotel in this time... I said i am staying but u r killing people to move them out... I never expectes a 4 star hotel will do this to me.... And they wont even imagine how much customers they r going to lose now... Guys, decision is urz Swimming pool with tuRkish bath and sauna were very nice... I wish I could stay longer. This is my second transit stay at Grand S Hotel. Quick check-in, helpful staff, clean and cozy rooms. At a very attractive price you get good quality service and facility. Very badly located. We had to spend a lot by metro or taxi to go to the tourist areas. The staff was impolite and unhelpful. The rates were too high since they converted to TL from Euro at 2.95 and refused to let us pay in Euro as quoted on the site. The facilities were ok since the turkish bath required a cap for men as well and they charged TL 10 for that too. Will not recommend to leisure travellers..maybe good for business users. Good value for money,exelent breakfast best in Istambol ,very good and profesional people who work in the hotel. We've negotiated with thousands of hotels to get the very best deals. We call them Secret Deals and they only last for a limited time. You can get these deals for free by subscribing to our newsletters. You can even choose your favorite destinations to receive personalized deals. Get started now by entering your email address. We'll instantly send you a link to our Deal Finder! Don't worry – your email address is safe with us. We'll never share your private information and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Welcome to Villa Blu Dream . View the information below, or make an enquiry in order to receive updated rates & availability. Camps Bay, Cape Town, South Africa Villa Blu Dream, a unique 650 square meter villa in Camps Bay, is the ultimate holiday home for a family or a group of up to ten friends. You will enjoy the luxury, privacy and peace of this spacious residence. The well-trained staff is dedicated to your personal comfort and well-being. And a sojourn guarantees a stress-free, relaxing holiday experience of the highest possible quality. Bedrooms and Bathrooms: The Villa sleeps ten guests in five elegant bedrooms. The prestigious master bedroom has a King-size bed, comfortable armchairs, gas fireplace , TV, DVD/CD-player, personal safe, walk-in dressing room, en-suite bathroom under-floor heating and a sea-facing balcony with daybeds. The remaining four bedrooms are all en-suite and have 3 x Queen-size beds and 1 x King-size bed. The two bedrooms near the pool have direct access to either the wrap around terrace or the courtyard. The finest quality linen, feather down duvets and pillows, silk bed covers and mohair throws, silk and suede scatter cushions as well as plush bath towels, bathrobes and deluxe toiletries are provided. The 90 square meter, sea-facing lounge and dining area is stylishly decorated with large comfortable sofas and armchairs surrounded by an impressive collection of contemporary South African paintings and artwork. There is a gas fireplace for cosy winter evenings as well as Satellite TV and DVD/CD player with super-size screen and integrated sound system. The solid timber dining table seats up to eight people comfortably. Fresh flower and candles completes the picture. There is a wide, wrap around veranda with quality outdoor furniture. The fully equipped kitchen and scullery is well equipped with high quality electrical appliances including everything from a coffee machine to a dishwasher, washing machine and tumble drier. The Villa boasts a wrap around tropical wooden terrace with potted plants and a sheltered barbecue. The 7m x 3.5m salt water swimming pool is heated. In addition to this there is a sauna with a sea view, hot water shower and quality garden furniture including an eight seater table, four sun beds and sun umbrellas. Each bedroom has a safe. The Villa is wheelchair friendly and has an elevator. There is a garage for one car as well as off street parking. Modern security system with armed emergency response. There is a fitness room. Housekeeping six times a week is included. A butler cares for the guests’ welfare from morning until evening for the duration of their stay.

For any stylish house today, it would not be complete without its very own spa. Chic, stylish and certainly in vogue, the home spa really has flourished. Luxury home builders in Thailand can now offer many of us the opportunity to escape the stress of the modern world and enjoy the pleasures of a more relaxed, healthy lifestyle. There is a wide variety of new spa equipment to choose from in Thailand to suit most budgets. Kensington can easily turn an area of unused space into your very own home resort. You too can now benefit from the soothing effects of a home spa and turn your Thai home into a very special place indeed. Kensington Company Limited is able to provide you a professional spa installation service. From many years of experience they can offer excellent advice on the types of spa available and latest models you can incorporate into your home. Kensington provide a complete swimming pool design and build service in Thailand. They are knowledgeable in all the various types and forms of swimming pools in Thailand, providing you the customer with a first rate service. They build all sizes, shapes and varieties of in ground swimming pools. They can help with the choice depending on your budget and space available, or alternatively customize it to your exact specifications. Kensington are also experienced in the various water treatments and can install either a chlorine system, ozone system or a salt water treatment system. Each has their own benefits in regards to cost, health concerns and maintenance. Chlorine is the most common as it is low cost and effective. It is still widely used all over the world as the most popular way of cleaning the pool water. It does in rare cases, cause skin/eye irritation, has a minor odour and has to be used according to a specific way. However most pools are still using the Chlorine system and it is a productive way of keeping a pool clean. The chlorine salt treatment, is becoming ever more popular, as it has no health concerns at all, is odourless, helps invigorate the skin, not irritating to the eyes and the chlorine produced, does not change the PH or alkalinity and acidity of the water. The Ozone water treatment system is a highly effective method and leaves no harmful substances in the pool at all. However it is the most expensive way. Kensington are associated with many of the best Thai contractors in the business and know the best options available. If you wish to add a little heat to the pool they can incorporate a heating system and even advise on solar generated heat. The pool can be integrated around the house, in the middle of the garden, within a spa area or even inside the property. You may include a Jacuzzi , a waterfall, a lagoon, a water curtain, canals, wet bar, pool shower, adjacent bar, sala, changing rooms, sauna, barbecue area and/or feature lighting. A design could incorporate exotic trees, stone columns, ornaments or rocks. You can create a modern minimalist design, a Roman bath, or opt for a more standard design such as a kidney shape or rectangle. There are numerous options only contained by the imagination, space and budget available. There really is no limit to what they can do. Whether you are looking for a company to build a hotel swimming pool in Thailand, a house pool in Thailand, a spa resort pool in Thailand or a communal swimming pool in Thailand, Kensington Company Limited can help make your dreams and desires a reality. We all know how relaxing a warm bath can be and how cold water can be so refreshing. Hot water relaxes the body, soothing muscle tension which in turn relaxes us. Cold water invigorates us and energizes us for the day ahead. Hydrotherapy is the ultimate form of therapy. The benefits of hydrotherapy have been recognized for thousands of years. Today they are appreciated even more so, as stress levels are higher, than they have ever been. It can calm your nerves while renewing your vibrancy leaving you relaxed and refreshed. The term most of us recognize is Jacuzzi, which is in fact a leading manufacturer's name, which has become synonymous with a wide variety of luxury spa products. Yet it is not the only manufacturer and there are many to choose from. In Thailand spa baths are often not heated and incorporated into a swimming pool; however many other options are available. Kensington offer both heated and non heated versions, depending on location and your preference. They will happily discuss what is most favourable to you. They can offer a wide range of products to install inside or outside that bring the known benefits right into your home. They can look at the space you have available and discuss your various options. Alternatively they can actually custom build one to your requirements. Currently the custom made tubs/baths are very popular in Thailand's five star Spa resorts. Kensington can offer various finishes that not only look fantastic but are equally as productive as any manufactured model. The main benefit of these custom built varieties is you are not constrained by size and they can be built to your specific needs and desires. Kensington can also install various whirl pool baths and air baths into your home. There are various combinations and options available in Thailand and many models to choose from. Where whirlpools circulate a combination of air and water to produce an intense, targeted massage, air baths by design create a softer, subtler, full-body experience. Kensington can discuss your desires and help you choose the specific models that best fit your budget. To finish off your home spa, why not indulge yourself with one of the many new hydro showers on the market in Thailand. There are many types of specialist showers to choose from and Kensington can assist you in making the right choice within the space and budget available. Many have height-adjustable wall-mount sprays that slide effortlessly to the perfect position; luxurious steam generators that surround and settle the stresses of the day; adjustable body sprays that enliven any sleepy morning and some even have built in seats, which mean you can sit back and really enjoy the moment. Alternatively they can custom build your shower enclosure to your own special requirements adding whatever it is that you require. Most of the worlds leading brand names exist in Thailand to suit all budgets and Kensington are extremely happy to discuss any of your requirements. Settle into a sauna and let the warm air go to work. You will soon feel your muscles relax and the aches and stress fade away. Calories are burned and your skin feels refreshed; you breathe clearly and deeply. Once again, body and soul are invigorated and ready to take on the world. Kensington can offer a wide selection of imported models including custom built, compact, designer, and outdoor types. They can be incorporated into a gym, bathroom or by the pool side. Various sizes are also available and once again you may choose the perfect one to fit your budget. If you are looking for a sauna installation in Thailand, then contact Kensington for excellent advice. The relaxation provided by steam rooms can be traced back through history to early Rome and other ancient civilizations, where they were often known as steam baths. They have existed for thousands of years, in many forms. They are popular throughout the world and enjoyed by many countries that include Russia, USA, Japan, France, Sweden, Finland, England, Greece, Holland, Thailand and Turkey, to name but a few. Many resorts in Thailand now have them installed and you too can enjoy the benefits in your own home. Steam rooms are now an affordable luxury in Thailand, which will improve the quality of your life in ways you can only imagine. A steam room deep cleanses and moisturizes the skin, relaxes tight overworked muscles and reduces aches and pain. It rejuvenates the body and revitalizes the mind. Even though steam rooms are sometimes referred to as 'wet saunas' and some benefits are the same, a sauna is dry while a steam bath is wet. The combination of the two is a luxury not to be missed. Kensington can propose various manufactured models and design custom made, luxury themed steam rooms to suit the available area and the number of people you wish to seat comfortably. From single units to larger luxurious suites, Kensington can assist you in making the right choice.

Beaver Village Condominiums - 3BR Condo - Property ID: L66680 Beaver Village Condominium is located in the town of Winter Park and is just 1.5 miles from the Winter Park Resort. During the winter season, the free town shuttle stops at the complex every 30 minutes directly to the ski area. To get to town, it is an easy and short walk, drive, or free shuttle ride to Winter Park's dining, shopping and nightlife. The centrally located Clubhouse is easily accessible where guests find the heated indoor pool, hot tubs, sauna, guest laundry and meeting facilities. This three bedroom, two bedroom condominium unit has a king size bed in the master bedroom, queen in the second bedroom, two captain's bunks in the third bedroom, and a queen sofa sleeper in living area. The building is located in the building 11 only a short walk to the Clubhouse. Guests will enjoy all the space with the open floor plan featuring a kitchen, living room and dining room area. One bathroom is in the hall way for guests and a private bathroom off the master bedroom. Photos are representative of the property and may differ from the actual unit that is reserved.

Pompano Beach, FL (PRWEB) February 10, 2014 TopTenRealEstateDeals.com presents a Valentines Day look at ten of the most romantic homes in the world. These are the mansions of celebrities and romantics, estates where kings and presidents have vacationed, island hideaways, and fabulous homes where some of Hollywood’s most romantic movies were filmed. All of the homes are currently for sale. "John & Jackie Kennedy’s Honeymoon Mansion" John and Jackie Kennedy were elegant, rich and the closest thing to a royal couple America has ever had. When they married in 1953, they stayed in one of the most beautiful homes in the world for their honeymoon. The 1920’s era Beverly House is huge at over 50,000 square feet in a blend of Spanish and Italian style and a fabulous history. Originally built for Union Bank & Trust executive Milton Getz, this is the home that actress Marion Davies bought in 1946 for her longtime partner, William Randolph Hearst, and where they lived until his death in 1951. When Jack and Jackie stayed here, they watched their first movie together as a married couple in the mansion’s theater - a Hearst-produced film from the 1920s. This exquisite home and its gardens have been the backdrop for scenes in “The Godfather,” “The Bodyguard,” “Topaz,” “Into The Night” and “Fletch.” The estate includes 29 bedrooms, 40 bathrooms, two guest houses and a separate apartment. Total privacy on almost four acres and only three blocks from Sunset Boulevard, the star studded Beverly House can now be leased at $600,000 per month or for sale at $115 million. "Suzanne Somers’ Sensual Sensation" One of Hollywood’s longest and best romances has been the union of Suzanne Somers and Alan Hamel. In a recent interview on “The Talk,” Suzanne said that even after 36 years of marriage, they still take time for romance every day. Their dreamy Palm Springs home might have something to do with it. Modeled after L’oustau De Baumaniere in France, Suzanne's compound is pure romantic sophistication surrounded by ultimate privacy. On 73 acres and set into the side of a craggy mountainside above the valley in Mesa Canyon, the couple has combined their love of nature and elegance by bringing out the best in both with their use of contrast. Imagine crystal chandeliers twinkling against natural rock and reclaimed wood . . . Rough against smooth, soft against hard . . . All in perfect balance. To add even more intrigue, access is via a private cable car, a golf cart or a hillside of stone steps - but no cars. There are five buildings to explore with 10,000 square feet of pavilions, an outdoor amphitheater with dance floor that seats 50, pool, spa, hiking trails and natural waterfall that spills musically down the hillside. Suzanne Somers and Alan Hamel have listed their ultra romantic, private Palm Springs retreat, asking $14.5 million. Was first listed in 2008 at $35 million. "King Edward’s Love Nest" On the shores of Lake Michigan, just north of Chicago, is a mansion so grand that it once hosted the former King of England. Edward VIII was the English king who gave up the British throne in 1936 to be with the American divorcee Wallis Simpson - the woman he loved. Edward and Wallis were guests here in 1939 for several months and slept in a bedroom on the home’s second floor. Their bedroom looked out over a fountain court enclosed by ivy-covered brick and limestone walls. In 1917, as war raged in Europe, Chicago’s wealthy elite were still enjoying the bounty of the Golden Age. These families produced landmark American companies and many of the goods that we still buy one hundred years later. They also built fabulous mansions with a level of craftsmanship that is almost impossible to duplicate today. Such was the case of two important families, John G. Shedd, chairman of Marshall Field & Co. and donator of the Shedd Aquarium to Chicago, and the Schweppe family, heir to the carbonated beverage company. Since families of great fortune usually married into other families of great wealth, the marriage of Laura Shedd and Charles H. Schweppe seemed made in high society heaven. John Shedd gave his daughter this magnificent estate as a wedding present. Today, it is still considered to be one of Chicago’s most important homes. The grand 24,500 square foot English Renaissance mansion sits on 5.3 landscaped private acres overlooking Lake Michigan with approximately 400 feet of beachfront. The 10 bedroom, 16 bath interior has 11 fireplaces, library, family-game room, elevator, sauna, leaded glass windows, and hand-carved limestone stairs and fountains. The exterior is graced with balconies, terraces and gardens with lake views. Asking price is $12 million, reduced from $20 million. "Mel Gibson’s Romantic Island Retreat" There’s no denying Mel Gibson’s passion. Masculine and sexy, he exudes passion in everything he touches be it acting, producing, arguing or picking sublime real estate. Just looking at the properties he has collected over the years, each is more beautiful, earthy and romantic than the one before it, clearly portraying his deep, if most times hidden, sensitivity. Mel’s 500-acre oceanfront jungle retreat has you expecting the sounds of native drumbeats at any moment and is a perfect lover’s hideaway. Mel Gibson originally put his tropical acreage on the market in 2010 for $35 million, but has recently re-listed it at $29.75 million. There are three homes in the compound with each of the smaller single-story homes having two bedrooms, vaulted ceilings, kitchens, verandas and their own swimming pools. The main two-story hacienda-style residence overlooks the long, wide beach and has seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a large courtyard and pool. All homes are separated from each other affording ultimate privacy for Valentine's Day. Have a romantic breakfast on the beach of fresh-picked papaya, a squeeze of lemon from your tree and hot Colombian coffee...Just before a dip in your own private ocean. To see the entire Valentine's Day Top 10 Romantic homes, visit TopTenRealEstateDeals.com.

Visitors to Mammoth Lakes, a scenic town in the Eastern Sierra Mountains of California, can snowmobile on 80 miles of trails or snowboard over 3,500 acres of terrain in the winter months. In the summer, guests can swim at Horseshoe Lake or a pool fed by natural hot springs, or hike the three-mile Mammoth Crest trail. Travelers seeking budget-friendly accommodations in Mammoth Lake have four convenient options. Shilo Inn Suites Mammoth Lakes Reserve a budget-friendly mini-suite at the Shilo Inn Suites Mammoth Lakes (shiloinns.com), including some that include a sofa bed and wet bar. Suites feature dedicated dining and work spaces, and all hotel guests have access to a steam room, sauna, indoor pool and hot tub. A complimentary breakfast is served each morning, and business services are available to those guests who need to stay connected. A number of restaurants are within walking distance of the Shilo Inn, located in downtown Mammoth Lakes. Motel 6 Mammoth Lakes Bring along the family pet to stay free at the Motel 6 Mammoth Lakes (motel6.com). Choose from a room with a single queen or two double beds at affordable nightly rates that include use of an outdoor pool. Laundry facilities are open to guests planning an extended stay in Mammoth Lakes, and several restaurants are within walking distance of the motel, which is centrally located on Main Street. Start the day with free morning coffee before heading out to explore the region's many recreational options. Econo Lodge Wildwood Inn At the 32-room Econo Lodge Wildwood Inn (econolodge.com), guests can take advantage of fish-cleaning and freezing facilities during the summer months or ski-lift ticket packages during the winter. Rooms include microwaves and refrigerators, and guests receive a complimentary continental breakfast each morning. Swim in the motel's outdoor pool on warm California days or relax in the hot tub any time of year. Community Center Park (ci.mammoth-lakes.ca.us) is little more than a half mile northwest of the Econo Lodge and includes tennis courts, a playground and picnic areas. Travelodge Mammoth Lakes After a day on the slopes or hiking in the mountains, relax in an indoor hot tub or sauna at the two-story Travelodge Mammoth Lakes (travelodge.com). Affordable room options include two queens or one king bed, with sofa beds also available to accommodate up to five guests. Wake up to a complimentary continental breakfast at Travelodge before heading out for the day, and store snacks and beverages in your room's refrigerator for when you return. Pets are permitted with an additional nightly fee at the Travelodge, which is located on Highway 395 just east of downtown Mammoth Lakes. - Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images

Jordan is home to numerous places that can justifiably be called ‘enchanting'; walking through Petra by night or floating in the Dead Sea at sunset are some of the most magical experiences I’ve ever had. Another place that absolutely fits the bill is the Evason Ma’in Hot Springs. The Ma’in hot springs are located near the Dead Sea, about an hour’s drive southwest of Amman, in a spectacular canyon 264m below sea level. The last stretch of the drive from Amman, through mountains and down into the canyon is especially stunning. As the road winds its way down to the canyon floor, you’ll be treated to amazing panoramic views of the orangy-ochre coloured mountains, the canyon and the gorgeous palm-fringed oasis cosily nestled in the valley. An oasis of relaxation and indulgence The first glimpses of the Evason Ma’in hot springs are simply unforgettable. Towering mountains on both sides provide a stunning frame for a lush, green oasis, with waterfalls gracefully tumbling down slopes which resemble melted chocolate; it’s a sight that I found remarkably soothing. That feeling continued when I entered the resort where I was greeted by a very pleasant lobby with plush wooden furnishing, large cushions and gorgeous lamps. The interior of the resort, clearly Arabian with Asian influences, coalesce effortlessly with the natural surroundings to create a relaxing, earthy atmosphere. The first thing I did before checking into my room was to find the closest terrace and take in the view. I plonked myself into a comfortable chair, ordered a glass of delicious Machareus Chardonnay-Sauvignon Blanc from the local Zumot estate and simply gasped at the incredible view: a true Velvet Moment there! I grabbed every opportunity I had during my stay to sit and enjoy this enchanting view, both day and night, for a drink or a meal. My next stop was my room and it was just as inviting as the rest of the resort, with cosy, wooden furniture, a large bed and a delightfully spacious bathroom. The Six Senses Spa at the Evason Ma’in Hot Springs The Evason Ma’in is renowned for the curative properties of the hot springs which flow from a volcanic source deep in the mountains. The stream runs along the edges of the canyon before tumbling down to the valley at various points, forming several waterfalls. The temperature of the mineral-rich water averages around 40 degrees Celcius. There is a public pool at one of the falls, another pool at the Evason resort (for guests) and a third pool at the wonderfully secluded Six Senses Spa. The Spa is located a short walk or drive away from the resort. The only way I can describe the place is to call it an oasis of relaxation and indulgence. The pool area, with the waterfall elegantly cascading into the pool, is simply gorgeous. Another unique feature of the pool area is the natural sauna – in a cave next to the pool. It’s a small cave with a stream running through it, and you have to bend low to get in but the heat will soon get you sweating! After a quick swim in the warm water and a few minutes of sitting under the waterfall, it was time for my massage. I chose the Swedish deep tissue massage and it was seriously one of the best massages I’ve ever had. The therapist did a brilliant job in kneading away the knots in my shoulders – she could tell I spend a lot of time online! I returned to the pool after my massage. By this time, it was dark and there was no one around – I felt absolutely regal in my solitude under the starry sky. Things to do at the Evason Ma’in Hot Springs There’s more at the resort to keep you occupied aside from the hot springs and the Spa. In the mornings, guests can go for a stroll along the canyon and end just in time for a unique breakfast on a promontory – breakfast is reeled in on a rope across the canyon from the resort! Another unique activity is the open-air cinema where guests can watch movies, with the walls of the canyon as a spectacular backdrop and nothing but the star-studded sky above. The resort also organises guided walks through the canyon – it’s possible to hike through the canyon to the Dead Sea. The Evason Ma’in Hot Springs is a truly enchanting place. The stunning natural surroundings and the blissful seclusion combined with great service in an environmentally-friendly resort make it the perfect retreat for those seeking relaxation and a dose of indulgence. Note: A big thank you goes to Visit Jordan and Evason Ma’in for your gracious hospitality. As always, views expressed in this post are mine.

The hotel offers a variety of spectacular views over the city offering guests an opportunity to admire the wonderful mix of buildings that make our wonderful city. The hotel now offers all guests with free Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel. Prenotando una camera all'Holiday Inn Rotherham-Sheffield, avrete diritto ad accedere al nostro ampio Leisure Club. Il club è dotato di piscina riscaldata, sauna, bagno turco, palestra e centro benessere rilassante. 161 contemporary, fully air conditioned bedroom, with free standard Wi-Fi and satellite TV, is your home from home. Each spacious bedroom has a comfortable bed with a choice of pillows and an en-suite bathroom with power shower. With on site car parking, Express Start breakfast included and a family friendly policy, it's an ideal location for business and leisure travellers. Prenotate in anticipo il pacchetto Business Traveller per assicurarvi una Executive room con connessione a Internet wireless gratuita. Il nostro pacchetto Celebration comprende un upgrade a camere di categoria superiore più altri extra.

Welcome to this site, which is named Infrared Sauna Info because my intent was to bring all information available about infrared saunas to one place and present it in a short, simple and unbiased way. As I suppose you came here in a search for information about infrared sauna and want to begin exploring, so I prepared a list of articles which I believe are most important and helpful. They are good to begin reading. I’ve split the list into categories, depending on with what purpose you came here. If you’re going to buy an infrared sauna and need advice, reviews and comparisons you will find it here: How to buy infrared sauna What to look at when choosing online shop 2-person infrared sauna models comparison chart Reviews of infrared sauna models Try before you buy Places where you can try infrared sauna Infrared sauna manufacturers Classic far infrared sauna (cabin) Infrared sauna blanket or bag Portable infrared sauna tent Infrared sauna dome Infrared sauna instruction manuals Maybe you are waiting for your sauna arrival and need to know how to install it, or thinking where to place it: If you’re ill or want to maintain a healthy lifestyle and want to now if an infrared sauna therapy can help you I wrote some introductory articles, but note that I don’t offer medical advice and all I write is an expression of my own understanding and opinion. Always consult your doctor before undertaking any therapy. If you’re just heard about infrared saunas somewhere and want to learn basics or you are deciding if an infrared sauna is good enough for you: If you’re a manufacturer or reseller check if you are listed in my manufacturers list. If you want me to review your models, send me a note via contact form. If you’re doctor or health expert, feel free to criticize and comment my posts. I’m always open to discussion and eager to learn more about an infrared sauna and all things related to the usage of infrared for a better health. Consider writing a guest post for my blog – I will be glad to publish your opinion, even if it differs from mine. I’m also interested in links and references to studies related to infrared radiation and sauna (both traditional and infrared), so I will be grateful if you send me some. You can contact me via contact form. Thank you in advance! If you’re a happy user of an infrared sauna I have some usage tips for you: If you wand to build your own infrared sauna I have some ideas to share: And if you want to know more about me and why I’m running site like this please read these articles: I hope my site will be helpful. Happy reading!

This luxury separate loghouse is built 2003. It located in Ski Center Vuokatti (slopes 100 m). Living area 117 m² in two floors. Downstairs there is a separate kitchen, living room with fire place. Dinning table for 8 persons. Bedroom with twin bed. On 2nd floor there is two bedrooms with two separate bed for each. There are two mattresses that can be used as extra beds. Open loft with small sofa and tv. Utility room, bathroom (2 showers), sauna (electric heating), separate toilet on 1st floor. Terrace with furniture and gas grill (use on summertime). Extra: 2 x cable tv, stereo, electricity fire alarm system, electricity lock /key system. For a child: bed and high chair and safety gates on stairs. Sotkamo 7 km, Holiday Club Katinkulta Spa / Golf 3.5 km, Bowling 3.5 km, Vuokatti Sport 0.3. km, Ski tunnel 0.7 km. We recommend this villa for families or couples. The cottage is not rented for youth people groups. Check in at 16 pm and check out at 12 noon, also in every weekend bookings! No pets allowed. Price includes final cleaning. Bed linen at extra price. Property Type: Townhouse Number of Rooms: 4 117 Square Meters Interhome Quality Rating: 5 Star: Luxury furnishings. Unique and exquisite with the highest possible standards of both furnishings and luxuries. Set in wonderful surroundings. Suitable for guests requiring the very best in both quality and luxury. * ski : 100 meters * publictransport : 300 meters * center : 35 kilometers Property Attributes: shower, nonsmoking, bbq, dishwasher, fireplace, sauna, tv, washingmachine, dvdplayer, freezer, microwave, oven Additional Features: Allianz cancellation insurance Included in the price, Laundry (initial supply of bed linen and towels) Included in the price

90 km northwest from Helsinki, Lake Salkolanjärvi 500 m (length of 5 km, width 800 m), shallow, hard sand bottom, village's common beach of little use, no pier, 1.3 km by car to the beach, rowboat in shared use with another cottage. Log cottage 2011, kitchen, living room 2 beds, 2 bedrooms with 2 beds, dressing room, bathroom (shower), sauna with wood-heated stove. By a separate agreement/payment a smokesauna available 200 m away. A thickset log cabin in wide and bright meadow plot, owner's horse farm in the vicinity. There is fireplace / baking oven in the cottage. Liesjärvi National Park 5 km, Ämyri traditional summer dancing place 9 km, Somero summer market 10 km, Badding-Kiosk "Paradise" 14 km, Häntälä glens 25 km, Somero, Forssa and Karkkila 25 km. Property Type: Townhouse Number of Rooms: 3 80 Square Meters Interhome Quality Rating: 3 Star: Comfortable furnishings. Comfortable and tasteful. Above average standard. Ideal for guests who enjoy a nice, comfortable vacation home. * lake : 800 meters * publictransport : 4 kilometers * center : 25 kilometers Property Attributes: shower, nonsmoking, petsallowed, bbq, fireplace, sauna, tv, washingmachine, dvdplayer, freezer, microwave, oven Additional Features: Allianz cancellation insurance Included in the price, Final cleaning Included in the price, Laundry (initial supply of bed linen and towels) Included in the price, Pet Included in the price

609 - 1331 Alberni Street, Vancouver, BCMLS®#: V828154 - Property Value$270,000 - Property Address609 - 1331 Alberni Street, The Lions, Vancouver, BC, V6E 4S1, Canada - Parking1 PARKING + VISITOR PARKING - Year Built1999 - Living Area400 sq.ft. - Bathroom1 full - Maintenance Fee169.46 609 - 1331 Alberni Street, The Lions, Vancouver, BC, V6E 4S1, Canada Welcome to The Lions! This spacious and functional studio layout is perfect for 1st time home buyers or investors alike! See photo gallery here: http://marketing.remaxdesigncenter.com/53/94053/1235795/index.ipv Immaculately kept by its owner featuring engineered wood flooring, floor to ceiling windows showcasing city and the tree lined street. Open kitchen with granite counters and breakfast bar. Never run out of closet space with extra large in-suite storage/office area. New paint throughtout and ready to move in! 1 parking, 1 locker are included. The Lions AMENITIES include: well equipped gym, sauna, entertainment lounge, guest suite, theatre, concierge. Just steps to Stanley Park, Vancouver Business District, shopping and seawall. Rentals allowed & pet friendly too! Great investment opportunity in the hart of the City. + ONE PARKING + ONE STORAGE LOCKER + GUEST SUITE + Sauna/Steam Room + Entertainment Lounge - maria senajova - Mobile: 604.657.1110 - Fax: 604.602.9191 - Email: email@example.com - RE/MAX CREST REALTY [WESTSIDE] - 1428 West 7th Avenue - Vancouver , BC - V6H 1C1

Beautiful new 2600 square foot log home located right on the shores of majestic Lake Superior. The lake home has all the amenities including: WIFI, three stone fireplaces, glass block shower, SAT HD TV with four TVs including a 82' 3D HDTV in basement, 37' HDTV master, three DVD players (including a blue ray), 100 DVD library, Netflix on all TVs, CD collection, three IPod hookups, and 100 year old barn-wood siding in the basement. We also have Bose speaker systems on all three levels. A designer kitchen including a copper sink imported from Mexico with all new stainless appliances, unforgettable vessel sinks in all bathrooms including a petrified wood and hammered copper sink, and a custom log wet bar are other highlights! The home has two decks, with a large Weber grill and also a great fire pit lined with huge boulders to relax with a drink. A recent elaborate landscape job blends the beauty of the lake with the log property. The views from the decks and inside the lake home are spectacular looking at the open water and also a rugged cliff that lines the bay. This cliff is home to a falcon family that you can see from one of two kayaks that guests can use. There is also an eagle's nest on the far side of Enchampment Island- a 20 minute kayak trip to the south. The home also has a sauna, hot tub, huge master bath and bedroom, and is tastefully decorated with antiques/knickknacks from around the world. The basement has a queen sleeper and a 3/4 bathroom for a comfortable private area for two people. Play cards or bumper pool on the custom made log game table in the basement. Better yet pour yourself a drink from the unique log wet bar in the lower level family room. There is a short walking path to the pebble beach. The beach is beautiful, about a mile long, 40 yards deep, and a great area to agate hunt. This lake home is very unique, rustic yet upscale, cozy, and one of a kind! You will not want to leave. This was a new spot for our group of three couples to spend a long, mid-winter weekend together. We could hardly have been more impressed and pleased with the accommodations. The modern/unique north woods decor, sauna, gas fireplaces, decks, furnishings and attention to guest comfort details made the stay very enjoyable! The bumper pool table was an entertaining surprise! The close proximity of Two Harbors and Gooseberry Falls State Park while yet feeling there was enough wilderness around was a plus. The main attraction and star of the show, as always, is Lake Superior. The access and view this property offered made enjoying the lake very easy! We hope to be back! Our group went to this cabin last weekend just as a place to sleep while exploring tettegouche state park. In the end, I think the cabin became more dear to us than the park! We thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful sauna, and had a great little dance party to the bose surround sound speakers. None of us could think of anything that could have made this cabin more special. What can beat being right on lake superior? We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this gorgeous cabin. We were a bit disappointed that the hot tub was closed for the season & we were not made aware of that, but we had fun no matter what. The cabin is stunning and in a stellar location! We saw 4-5 ships pass buy and soaked in the beautiful winter Superior. We will be back for sure! We stayed at the property recently and it was absolutely wonderful. We were astounded by all of the beautiful well thought out details of this property. The views were spectacular. The bedrooms were perfect for a good nights sleep. The kitchen was outstanding for creating memorable meals with friends. You can have a fire at the unique fire pit and walk down the quaint path to skip rocks on the gorgeous shoreline. If you prefer to be inside, they have three fireplaces to choose from throughout the home. The best part of all was hearing the waves gently lapping the shoreline. This place is all the owner's say and more. It truly is worth every penny and worth a try. We will be back. Our family has had a GREAT time at the Casa de Lago for the last several Thanksgivings. What a good time we have had. Multiple bumper pool tournaments, Skipo and Uno on the game table. Watching the ships cruise by and morning coffee with the sun coming up! Watching movies and Thanksgiving football on the "ol' 82" in the rec room, how can it be better?! The sauna and rock collecting on the beach! Thanks Craig! We've had some great times and look forward to the next adventure at your cabin! Six girl's getaway weekend spent in a not-to-be beat vacation home on Lake Superior with beach and views. Wildlife abound and we had fun watching the deer morning and night. Thanks for new memories created for long-time friends. The lake home is 8 miles north of Two Harbors. It is just beyond the 2nd tunnel north of Two Harbors. It is 6 miles south of Gooseberry Falls and 3 miles south of Grand Superior Lodge. |Rate Period||Nightly||Weekend Night||Weekly||Monthly||Event| My Standard Rate 1 night minimum stay |Notes: Rates are based on 2 guests; add $35 per night, per additional guest| |Property Damage Protection||$59| |Refundable damage deposit||$500| Payment is usually accepted in the quoted currency (USD) unless the currency and the amount is specifically agreed in advance with the owner / advertiser.

Book your room at Hurghada Marriott Beach Resort Deluxe RoomMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 2 children, 2 infants) Standard Room, Sea ViewMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 2 children, 2 infants) Delightful beach hotel with a sauna With a stay at Hurghada Marriott Beach Resort in Hurghada (Sakkala), you'll be close to New Marina. This 5-star hotel is within the vicinity of Hurghada Mosque and Hurghada Marine Museum & Aquarium. Make yourself at home in one of the 283 air-conditioned guestrooms. High-speed (wired) Internet access (surcharge) keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Conveniences include safes and complimentary newspapers, and housekeeping is provided daily. Be sure to enjoy recreational amenities, including a health club, an outdoor pool, and a sauna. Additional features include babysitting/childcare, an arcade/game room, and gift shops/newsstands. Enjoy a meal at a restaurant or in a coffee shop/café. Or stay in and take advantage of the hotel's 24-hour room service. Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge. Full breakfasts are available for a fee. Featured amenities include express check-in, express check-out, and dry cleaning/laundry services.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us! In addition to an outdoor pool and a children's pool, Hurghada Marriott Beach Resort provides a health club and a sauna. The hotel offers a restaurant and a coffee shop/café. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. This luxury hotel also offers spa services, a children's club, and barbecue grills. - Arcade/game room - Conference space - 24-hour front desk - Hair salon - Babysitting or childcare - Tennis on site - Barbecue grill(s) - Coffee shop or café - Dry cleaning/laundry service - Express check-in - Express check-out - Gift shops or newsstand - Health club - Total number of rooms - 283 - Children's club - Laundry facilities - Spa treatment room(s) - Picnic area - Safe-deposit box at front desk - Spa services on site - Children's pool - Outdoor pool - Multilingual staff Available in all rooms: Wired high-speed Internet access (surcharge) - Premium bedding - Free newspaper - Daily housekeeping - Satellite TV service - Air conditioning - Room service (24 hours) - In-room safe - Wired high-speed Internet access (surcharge) Where to Eat Full breakfasts are available for a surcharge. Hurghada Marriott Beach Resort has a restaurant serving breakfast only. 24-hour room service is available. Nearby Things to Do An outdoor pool and a children's pool are on site. Other recreational amenities include a health club and a sauna. The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply. - Personal motorized watercraft on site - Racquetball/squash on site - Sailing on site - Scuba diving on site - Snorkeling on site - Surfing/boogie boarding on site - Volleyball on site - Water skiing on site To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the “Special or Accessibility Requests" section of “Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel. - Accessible path of travel - Accessible bathroom - Roll-in shower - In-room accessibility Check-in time starts at 3 PM Check-out time is noon You need to know Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy. Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges. Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed. - No onsite parking is available. - Fee for full breakfast: USD 8 per person (approximately)

We've been capturing my parents house out in the countryside for a while now (I have been loosing track of the days, which indeed is a result of the nature taking over my mind... aaaah!) They are out traveling so we couldn't miss the opportunity to escape the city for a week of working, chilling and reconnecting. We still have sauna bathing on our schedule :) And making a bonfire out in the forrest. Connecting with the elements is vital for my wellbeing. Earlier this week we had the Day of the Cinnamon roll in Sweden, so I figured I could try make some in a raw version. I've been wanting to try to roll a raw dough in the making of different desserts and it wasn't as tricky as I imagined. Though not like rolling a non raw dough. You could do it with nut flour as you would roll a non raw dough (but with wheat flour), or use plastic film. I rolled these buns using plastic film. I made a fatty, salty, sweet and spicy filling and sprinkled with bee pollen. You will see more of these babies later. This is a very nutritious smoothie with immune boosting ingredients such as the raw coconut butter/oil, the berries and purple corn. Antioxidants and a good quality fat is just what you need when it's getting chilly and dark. Back to summer berry~smoothie, serves 2 • 2 bananas • 1/2 - 0,8 cups strawberries • 1/2 cup raspberries • 2 table spoons of coconut butter • 2 dessertspoons of purple corn In a blender, mix until smooth. Tillbaka till sommaren bär~smooties, 2 glas • 2 bananer • 1,5-2 dl jordgubbar • 1,5 dl hallon • 2 rågade msk rumsmjukt cocosfett • 2 tsk purple corn Mixa tills smooth i en blender.

My mission from Asia to Europe by land is now officially complete. I made it to Europe, jumped on the bus from St Petersburg to Helsinki. I actually left Russia one day early in order to reach Finland for the 30th April, because I had heard about Vappu, a national holiday in Finland on May Day Eve and May Day. Vappu is a festival where anyone who has ever graduated from high school in Finland (which, considering Scandinavia is brilliant at everything, that means pretty much everyone attends the party), dons a white cap, hits the park, eats delicious food at a picnic and proceeds to get blind drunk. Naturally I couldn’t miss out on that! I arrived in Helsinki and hooked up with a couchsurfing buddy who let me and my two friends crash at his place, complete with private sauna, for 2 nights. He met us at the subway stop armed with 2 cases of beers and a hearty Finnish handshake, and so the mayhem commenced. We had (illegally) imported 6 litres of cheap Russian vodka to Finland, we gave a big bottle to our new couchsurfing friend, threw two in our backpacks and headed to the park around 2pm. The sun was shining, people were chilling all over the park, music was blasting and it was another one of those moments of realization when you just think “life is bloody awesome”. So I sat down and soaked it up, Being pretty much the only foreigners in the whole park, before long we had met some cool friends, people were plying us with their local booze. Everyone in Iceland can speak almost perfect English, and as the afternoon turned to evening we were having a great time, in a group that was growing by the minute. Spiderman was running around the park like a (drunk) lunatic, doing forward rolls, nailing a beer, then sprinting off somewhere else. Little Bo Beep was looking very cute until she fell down the hill after a little too much sparkling wine. A giant panda was making out with a giant reindeer, it was a perfect storm of happy madness. My 2 friends and I, along with our awesome couchsurfing pal, our new found park friends were merrily drinking together, shooting the sh*t, with big grins on our face for the rest of the evening all relishing our new friendships and appreciating life. Before we knew it was 1am and time to head back. What a day, what a festival, what a country. And we repeated it all again the next day! Happy travels.

Not knowing what to expect from an all-inclusive resort, we approached the property with wary eyes. We asked for the availability of an upgraded room upon checking in as we had emailed weeks earlier letting the resort know that we were celebrating my 50th birthday and wanted to make this vacation special. We were immediately shown both a Junior Suite and a standard room. Although the Junior Suite was nice, we stayed with our "booked" choice, a standard room. We were surprised and felt they were unprepared for us when we saw 2 double beds, a cot and a crib in the room. We called to have them removed. After getting settled, we ventured to the pool area. It was near closing time (6:00 pm) so our first view was of a very "used" pool area. I have to admit, we were a bit turned off. To our surprise, the next day, the area was spotless. The staff truly work hard at keeping the place clean and the grounds well maintained. We really enjoyed both the pool and the beach. Our stay was looking better as the day progressed. We received a note under our door from Mr. Sanchez asking to meet with my husband. They met and we were extremely pleased to find that we were upgraded to a suite with two rooms (a separate bedroom with two beds for our 8 and 10 year old girls). The important thing is that the Iberostar truly works hard to satisfy their guests-all one needs to do is ask. The weather was perfect, getting humid only at the end of our stay. The ocean water is clear and warm. The food, although different from what we are used to in America, was plentiful with an exceptional variety of higher end items. You could find something to please every palette. Of course, we worried about drinking the water, which tasted great and in no way made us sick. The foodservice staff were always clearing and replenishing almost empty buffet platters with fresh food. More than once they accommodated my request for fresh pancakes for my daughters. The specialty restaurants were very good, we especially liked the Mexican Restaurant, Maria Bonita. There were plenty of "organized activities" and staff that truly appeared to enjoy entertaining. I loved the water aerobics and dance lessons. Let me just say, there is always something going on. The night entertainment was fantastic the night we went to the stage at the Dominicana side of the resort. We saw a "carnival" that was as good as a show you might book in a big city. The housekeeping service was impeccable. The room was cleaned early enough in the day so that we always had fresh towels when we returned from the beach and pool. The staff made us feel very welcome with balloons, fresh flowers and "towel art" made into swans and hearts on the beds. Everything you need is right at the resort: a gym (which should be updated), a sauna/spa, shopping area, water sports (we loved sailing the catamaran) entertainment, photo shop, food, food and more food (don't forget the drinks....my favorite is the freshly made sangria at the lobby bar-even asked for the recipe! Note: top shelf liquor is at the lobby bars, not the pool bars). We asked for a photo shoot with the professional photographer at the photo shop who gave us so much time and shots to choose from-we have some great quality photos of our family on the beach and in the waves-all for $12.00 each! All-in-all this was the best vacation we have taken. I would highly recommend Iberostar Punta Cana and plan to visit another Iberostar location again soon. - Official Description (provided by the hotel): - Directly on the beautiful, sandy beach of Bavaro (Punta Cana). Friendly atmosphere. Beach restaurant. Set in a palm grove. Attractive pool area. All inclusive (generous, varied buffets for all meals). ... more less - Reservation Options: - TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Expedia, Orbitz, BookIt.com and Hotels.com so you can book your Iberostar Punta Cana reservations with confidence. We help millions of travelers each month to find the perfect hotel for both vacation and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers. - Also Known As: - Iberostar Punta Cana Hotel Punta Cana - Punta Cana Iberostar

Highland Vista Swimming Pool is a Health Club facility at 315 N Woodland Vis in Tucson, AZ. Highland Vista Swimming Pool ServicesHighland Vista Swimming Pool is a health club in Tucson, AZ. Health Clubs like Highland Vista Swimming Pool offer services that often include exercise, yoga, kick boxing, swimming, sauna, pool, weights, and personal training. Talk to the staff at Highland Vista Swimming Pool for information about reaching your fitness goals in Tucson, AZ. Call Highland Vista Swimming Pool at (520) 745-2461 for more information. Wellness.com does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment nor do we verify or endorse any specific business or professional listed on the site. Wellness.com does not verify the accuracy or efficacy of user generated content, reviews, ratings or any published

YANKEE DOLLAR-STRETCHER DEALS As a visitor to our state, you not only want to get more for your money, you want to be able to do more for your money. Given the value-conscious nature of New Hampshire, with tax-free shopping and a wide variety of low-cost experiences, we thought it would be great to remind people of all the reasons New Hampshire helps stretch those dollars even further. Attend a fair or festival, dine in our many fine restaurants and cafes, and take advantage of the many different lodging opportunities we offer, from quaint bed & breakfasts and inns to resorts and grand hotels. All of these Yankee Dollar-Stretcher Deals have the same goal in mind - to save you money and give added-value to your New Hampshire experience. Our members have put together some wonderful offers that will make your visit here a memorable one. Here you can find discounts, special packages, family deals, 2-for-1 offers, kids ski/stay/eat free deals and more. There are even a few offers here that donate their proceeds to charity. Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region Great North Woods Region Merrimack Valley Region White Mountains Region Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region In Charlestown, the Dutch Treat Bed and Breakfast is offering its "3 for 2" special. Stay two nights and get the third night free. The scenic byway runs right by our Bed and Breakfast; the Connecticut River a few hundred yards away. Come and explore this historic town of Charlestown and save on accomodations. Mention the "NH Special" when booking. Subject to availability. www.thedutchtreat.com. 877-344-0944. In Bradford, the Rosewood Country Inn is offering its "Economic Stimulus" plan. 50% off any suite with a 2 night minimum until March 28! Pamper yourself with a long soak in a Jacuzzi-for-two, cuddle up by your warm, cozy fireplace, or go out and play in the snow. There's snow shoeing and X-C right from our back door, skiing at Mt. Sunapee or Pat's Peak or a romantic sleigh ride at West Meadow Stables. And we're only 90 minutes from Boston. You must mention this offer when booking. New reservations only. (603) 938-5253. (800) 938-5273. www.rosewoodcountryinn.com. [email protected]. Also In Bradford, the Rosewood Country Inn is offering its "Mother, Daughter, Sisters, and Friends Weekend." The package includes: 2 night's accommodation; Candlelight and Crystal Breakfasts; Gardening Workshop; Four-course Victorian Tea. This package is priced at $39 per person over the standard room rates at the Rosewood Country Inn which begin at $129 per night depending upon the room or suite selected (therefore the two-night package in the lowest priced room would be $336 for two guests or $168 per person, based on double occupancy, exclusive of tax and service). Package is good from 4/30-5/2. 800-938-5273. www.rosewoodcountryinn.com. In Wilmot, Kayak Country Paddlesports is offering a "May Discount" on river tours. Kayak Country runs afternoon trips on the Blackwater River only minutes from the retail shop. In the month of May save $10 off the regular price of $49 for a mini lesson and guided tour of this pristine river. Tours are scheduled on Sundays in May from 1-4 pm. Call 603-381-8683 or go to www.kayakcountry.com for more information. Back to Top Great North Woods In Dixville Notch, the Balsams is offering its classic "Full American" package, offered for nearly 50 years. Just like our resort, this package is steeped in tradition. All activities & meals are included at one low price, making the full enjoyment of the resort affordable. Rates start at $214 per person. Package includes: Comfortable Accommodations, Full Buffet Breakfast, Famous Luncheon Buffet, Five-Course Dinner in The BALSAMS Award-Winning Dining Room, Mountain Bike & Boat Rentals, Golf Greens fees (golf carts not included), Live Entertainment and More! In the Winter, guests can enjoy Alpine Skiing at our Private Ski Area, World-Class Cross Country, Snowshoeing and Hiking on more than 60 Miles of Trails and More all for one rate. Pricing and activities are for the Classic Full American Plan. Some restrictions may apply. (800) 255-0600. www.thebalsams.com. Back to Top In Tamworth, the Barnstormers Theatre has a Friday night family discount. Attend a show on a Friday night and get a discount for families- 50% off the top ticket price, changing it to $14.50 for orchestra tickets and $9.50 in the balcony of the 282-seat theater. "Brigadoon," will open the season, July 7-11. It has a cast of 28 and a five-piece orchestra. The rest of the season will feature such smaller-cast shows as "Private Lives," "Dinner with Friends" and "The Weir." http://www.barnstormerstheatre.org/ In Holderness, the Cottage Place on Squam Lake is offering its "Family Adventure Package". Starts at $295 for a two night stay. Families will arrive to 4 envelopes outlining tasks that need to be completed by the end of their stay. These exercises promise to foster family togetherness and are designed to improve communication between all members (recommended ages 5 and older - but left to your discretion). At the end of the stay, families will be rewarded with a gift that will remind them of their adventure. 1-877-968-7116. 603-968-7116. [email protected] In Ashland, the Glynn House Inn is offering "30% April Savings". Stay 2 or more evenings in our elegant Grant, Monroe or Jefferson Suites & save 30% OFF low season rates! Experience the delights of picture postcard perfect rural New Hampshire. Enjoy delicious food, elegant surroundings, modern amenities and uncompromising service at "NH's Finest Small Inn". (866) 686-4362. (603) 968-3775. [email protected]. www.glynnhouse.com. In Ashland, the Glynn House Inn is offering full time firefighters and police 15% OFF stays of two or more evenings Sunday through Thursday. Take a break at "NH's Finest Small Inn", where guests experience gourmet breakfasts, rural elegance, modern amenities and uncompromising service. (866) 686-4362. (603) 968-3775. [email protected]. www.glynnhouse.com. Back to Top In Contoocook, the Sandy Beach RV Resort is offering its "Visit NH" package. A week stay for the whole family (2 Adults and their children under 18). Includes 4 Hours of Paddleboat Rentals!! Free Early Check-in & Check-Out based on Availability. Enjoy Free Shuffleboard, Bocce, Tennis, Horseshoes, Crafts, Wii Games, Entertainment, Planned Activities & Events! Packages available for Tent Sites, RV Sites & Rental Cabins...Starting at only $99 per week!! (subject to daily resort fee & 9% NH lodging tax). 603-746-3591. In Salem, America's Stonehenge is offering discounted admission. Get a $1.00 off coupon on our website for adult admissions and $1.00 off any snowshoe rental. 603-893-8300. http://www.stonehengeusa.com/. [email protected]. In Concord, The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is offering a "buy one - get one free coupon". This can be found at the bottom of the Concord Chamber of Commerce Map & Guide. With no general admission cost, visitors can experience a range of educational and engaging interactive exhibits, like landing a lunar vehicle or flying a space shuttle! For less than the cost of a movie theater ticket, visitors can take a ride across the universe with a variety of planetarium shows to choose from. 603-271-7831. http://www.starhop.com/. In Merrimack, the New Hampshire home to Anheuser-Busch is offering free brewery tours. Experience a complimentary Budweiser Brewery Tour, see the Clydesdales and visit the Gift Shop for your holiday shopping where you will find unique apparel, gift packages, glassware and more. See http://www.budweisertours.com/ for special coupon savings up to $25. In Concord, the Courtyard by Marriott is offering its "Shop Til You Drop" special. Enjoy an overnight stay at the Courtyard by Marriott, full breakfast for two, and a $25 Tanger Gift Card to Tanger Outlets - Tilton to enjoy tax-free shopping at over 50 brand name outlets. Plus, receive a free Tanger coupon book filled with over $400 in additional savings for the Tanger Outlets in Tilton. We are conveniently located off I-93 at Exit 15 W, just a short 15 minute drive from the Tanger Outlets in Tilton. Packages start at $119.00 per night. 225-0303. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/mhtcn-courtyard-concord/. Also in Concord, the Comfort Inn Concord is offering its "Shop and Stay" special. Enjoy overnight accomodations, all hotel amenities and a $20 Tanger Outlet Center Gift Card. Also, receive a free Tanger coupon book filled with over $400 in additional savings for the Tanger Outlet Center in Tilton, NH (only 15 minutes North of Concord.) Packages start at $79.99 plus tax per night. 463-5201. http://www.comfortinnconcord.com/html/romantic-getaway-new-hampshire.asp#top. In Henniker, the Henniker House B&B has a "VisitNH.gov" special. Stay 3 weekday nights for the price of 2. Package includes discount admission vouchers to the Canterbury Shaker Village, a national historic landmark and museum in Canterbury, New Hampshire, with 25 restored and 4 reconstructed Shaker buildings and The Fells, where you can tour the historic summer cottage and gardens, with woodland trails and abundant wildlife. In the evening, enjoy a dinner discount to one of the area's fine restaurants. Room rates from $105 per night, double occupancy. Please mention the "visitnh.gov" offer when you call to book at 1-603-428-3198. http://www.hennikerhouse.com/. In Nashua, the Radisson Nashua Castle is offering a "VisitNH" special. The castle-styled Radisson Nashua Hotel offers comfortable accommodations and friendly service in a convenient, picturesque New Hampshire location. Priced at $139, this package includes one night, double occupancy, plus dinner for two and a spa treatment. Mention "VisitNH" when booking to get this special. 888-9970. http://www.radisson.com/hotels/nhnashua. In Manchester, the Currier Museum of Art has free Admission during April School Vacation Week, April 26-30. Bring the family to the Currier Museum of Art on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday to enjoy the museum's collections and programs for free (the museum is closed on Tuesdays). The Currier is offering special programs this week for the entire family to enjoy including story time, family gallery talks, hands-on activities, tours, and a musical performance, along with a special kid-friendly menu in the café. Museum admission is also free every Saturday from 10 a.m. - noon and always free to children under 18. www.currier.org. 669-6144, x108. Back to Top In Peterborough, the Peterborough Players are offering a discount on season tickets. The Met: Live in HD opera series at the Peterborough Players has only five operas left in the 2009-2010 season. For a special package discount price of $115 ($10 savings), you can see Der Rosenkavalier (1/9/10), Carmen (1/16/10), Simon Boccanegra (2/6/10), Hamlet (3/27/10), and Armida (5/1/10) in high definition, simulcast live onto a 10' X 16' screen. Box Office: (603) 924-7585. www.peterboroughplayers.org. Special $20 student tickets for each opera always available. In Marlborough, the Peep-Willow Farm B&B has a pet-friendly special. For the months of May and June, cats, dogs and horses stay free. Usual charge is $15/night/dog, $30/night for a horse. People are $80/night for a double, $55 for a single. Those prices include breakfast and taxes. Peep-Willow Farm is an 18 acre working horse farm Bed & Breakfast where thoroughbreds are born, raised and trained to be top competition horses. Guests are welcome to help with chores, wander around and talk to, feed, or pat the livestock, or sit on the terrace and enjoy the view all the way to the CT River Valley while the newborn foals and their moms frolic before them, but there is no riding. www.peepwillowfarm.com. 876-3807. [email protected]. Back to Top In Portsmouth, The Music Hall is offering its "Budget Buys". We make entertainment affordable, bringing you today's top performers and films - award winners in every category - at prices unheard of in major cities. The best seats at our signature series Writers on a New England Stage and The Met@The Music Hall are $13 and $27.50. (Members pay even less!). And, don't forget, $8.50 buys a night of extraordinary cinema. For free, you can relax in the Seacoast's most-talked-about new lobby and bar. Visit the Music Hall's Budget Buys page for all offers under $29. 436-2400. In Rye, Rye Airfield has two additional special offers. "$25 Day Pass" -or- "$25 Come As You Are" package. Includes one session pass, helmet, elbow and knee pads, and your choice of a bike, skateboard or inline skates. To redeem you must print the coupon from our website - http://www.ryeairfield.com/special.html. Rye Airfield "New England's Premier Skatepark & BMX Track". 964-2800 x16. www.ryeairfield.com. In Hampton Beach, D.W.'s Oceanside Inn is offering an early season special. Stay 2 Nights at our already discounted price and get 3rd night at 50% off. The 3-5 night pre-season rate ranges from $171-$189/night depending on the type of room and it includes breakfast. This offer is good from June 1-24, 2010. 926-3542. www.oceansideinn.com. [email protected]. Back to Top In the Mt. Washington Valley, www.hospitalitymaps.com offers several maps with money saving coupons and offers. Some of the offers include free chocolate, kids eat free offers and lots with a good % off. Check out http://www.hospitalitymaps.com/ to see all the maps and offers available for both the Mt. Washington Valley area and the White Mountains region. 603-356-7011. In Jefferson, Santa's Village is offering a "Save on Santa's Two Day Tickets" special. For those who want to take advantage of this, please tell our Admissions Helpers. You will be issued a two-day pass at a savings of $5.00 per ticket. Yes, enjoy Santa's Village for two full consecutive days at only $41.00 each. Children ages 3 and younger are free. 603-586-4445. http://www.santasvillage.com/. In North Conway, the Settlers' Green Outlet Village is offering free membership in the VIP Club. Join the free VIP Club at Settlers' Green Outlet Village for savings of 15% to 30% and more! Print a voucher for a complementary VIP Coupon Book, learn about upcoming sales and receive periodic email updates with exclusive discounts! 888-667-9636. http://www.settlersgreen.com/. In North Conway, the Cranmore Mountain Lodge is offering its "Shopping Spree" package. Offer includes: 2 night stay at Cranmore Mountain Lodge for 2 in the room of your choice, full country breakfast (full gluten free menu available at no extra charge), A tote bag full of goodies & exclusive coupons from various independent stores on Main Street North Conway Village, A VIP card for extra savings in the Settlers' Green Outlet Stores, a $30 voucher for a dinner or take out at Rafferty's Restaurant and Pub (Full gluten free menu available) or at A Taste of Thai Restaurant, a Valley Pass for discount on dining, horseback riding, gift shop and other activities. If you are driving a hybrid car, you'll get a $20 voucher towards a future stay with us and valid for 6 months. Optional 3rd night with a 10% discount. Starting from $174 for two + tax. (800) 356-3596. (603) 356-2044. http://www.cranmoremountainlodge.com/shoppingspree.html. [email protected]. In North Conway, the Cranmore Mountain Lodge is offering its "Valley Pride Day" package on May 1st. Includes: One or two night stay for 2 in the room of your choice, full country breakfast (full gluten free menu available at no extra charge), a Valley Pride Survival Kit per person, including official trash bags, gloves, bottled water, and ticket to the event end giant barbecue, a $30 voucher for a dinner or take out at Rafferty's Restaurant and Pub (Full gluten free menu available) or at A Taste of Thai Restaurant, a VIP card to shop at Settlers' Green outlet stores, a Valley Pass for discounts on dining, horseback riding, gift shop, and a potted perennial seedling that we've grown at Cranmore Mountain Lodge. If you are driving a hybrid car, you'll get a $20 voucher towards a future stay with us and valid for 6 months (come back and try summer tubing at Cranmore!) Starting from $117 for two for one night or $208 for two for two nights, taxes and gratuities included. (800) 356-3596. (603) 356-2044. http://www.cranmoremountainlodge.com/valleypride.html. [email protected]. In Sugar Hill, the Sunset Hill House Grand Inn is offering a half-off special. Stay mid-week in this historic bed and breakfast and get 1 night ½ off. Offer good Sunday-Thursday. Cannot be used with any other offer. See website for other specials. 800-786-4455 or 603-823-5522. www.sunsethillhouse.com. In Conway, Sunny Brook Cottages is offering its "7th night free" package. Just stay seven nights in a row in the same cottage and get the 7th night free. We also offer throughout the year the deal of staying for 3 nights at the midweek rates, even if part of the stay is on the weekend (except for the 4 times in the year when prices are higher). [email protected]. 603-447-3922. http://www.sunnybrookcottages.com/. In Jackson, the Eagle Mountain House and Golf Club is offering its "Storyland Family Vacation" package. This 2 night all-inclusive Storyland Package includes: accommodations for 2 nights, full country breakfast each morning, special family dinner each night, Storyland tickets for each family member for 1 day, Green Fees for the family at our 9 hole golf course. Also enjoy our outdoor heated pool, tennis courts, Jacuzzi & sauna, exercise facility and game room at no additional cost. Rate: $509 for a family of 2 adults and 2 children (6 - 12 years). 383-9111. www.eaglemt.com. Also in Jackson, the Eagle Mountain House and Golf Club is offering its "Taste of New Hampshire" lodging package. Make this dining experience special by spending the night in this historic hotel. This package includes one night lodging for two in superior accommodations, full country breakfast for two, tickets for two to the "Taste of New Hampshire" Benefit Dinner. Package rate: from $180* for two. *This rate is subject to NH lodging tax and gratuity. 383-9111. www.eaglemt.com. In Bethlehem, The Wayside Inn is offering its "I Love It Here!" package. Stay 4 nights and get the 5th night free! The Wayside Inn is set by the beautiful Ammonoosuc River a few minutes from the center of Bethlehem in New Hampshire's White Mountains. The historic inn is a favorite for family vacations, romantic getaways and group gatherings any time of the year. In summertime, swim from our private sandy beach by the river. Check out the best hiking trails in New England. Play on a number of championship 18-hole golf courses in Bethlehem and nearby. Bethlehem is also a center for antiques stores and is in the center of all the White Mountains attractions. Room rates are $108-128 for two people and include full breakfasts. 869-3364. [email protected]. www.thewaysideinn.com. In Bethlehem, the Adair Country Inn is offering its "Dine Yourself Rich" special. The more you wine & dine the less expensive the room! This one night accommodation special is valid every Thursday night until the last Thursday before Christmas Eve. Stay in one of the 9 comfortable rooms at Adair Country Inn & Restaurant at the regular rate and enjoy a fine New England style dinner & wine in the restaurant. Here's the deal...when checking out the next morning, the total amount of your dinner bill (NH tax and gratuity not included) will be deducted from your room rate. The higher the dinner amount...the bigger the discount! Call to reserve or for more details: 1-888/603-444-2600. www.adairinn.com. Also in Bretton Woods, the AMC Highland Lodge is offering its "Great Outdoors Girlfriend Getaway". There is a wide range of hiking and snowshoeing possibilities for every ability level, from short lake loop trails to easier and moderately challenging hikes to a scenic outlook or lower-elevation summit with sweeping views of Crawford Notch. For experienced outdoor enthusiasts, trailheads for several of New Hampshire's 4,000-foot peaks are within close reach, including Mt. Jackson, Mt. Tom, Mt. Field, and Mt. Willey. Cross-country skiers can also easily connect with the groomed Bretton Woods Nordic ski network using a trail from the backdoor of Highland Lodge, and discount trail passes are available. Package includes all meals, guided programs, use of L.L. Bean gear, Omni Mount Washington Resort spa treatment, and special welcome gift of Farnum Hill Ciders locally-crafted fine cider. Nightly rates start at $223 per person for non-members ($199 for members) for accommodations in a private room with shared bath. Private rooms with private bath are available at an additional cost. The package is available January 3-May 27, 2010, Sunday-Thursday, except for February 14-18. All rates are plus taxes. (603) 466-2727. www.outdoors.org/highland. In Bartlett, the Attitash Mountain Village is offering its "Shop Till You Drop" package. Book your stay with us and we'll include a logo shopping bag full of exclusive discounts & coupons to some of our favorite shops and restaurants. We will also include lots of great samples, water bottles, and other essentials to make your shopping getaway perfect. Rates will vary by size of accommodations. Available from 1/29/09-1/28/10. Based upon availability, some restrictions may apply. Call for details and availability. May not be combined with other offers. Call for details. www.AttitashMtVillage.com. 800-862-1600 or 603-374-6509. In North Conway Village, the Colonial Motel is offering its "Recipe for Fun" package. Getaway from the hustle and bustle with the girls! Spend the day shopping and then "drop" into one of our new rooms! Relax in the whirlpool tub/shower before heading off to a fabulous dinner at Decades Steakhouse in the heart of North Conway Village. Includes one night lodging in one of our new rooms w/ two double beds and a whirlpool tub/shower in the bathroom, and a gift certificate for dinner at Decades Steakhouse. Rates vary with type of accommodations and number of people. Available from 7/21/09-3/04/10. Rates quoted are subject to 9% NH tax. Not to be combined with any other discounts or specials. Subject to availability. www.thecolonialmotel.com. 866-356-5178 or 603-356-5178. In Campton, the Colonel Spencer Inn is offering discounted room rates. For the winter season 11/1 - 12/20, 2009 and 1/3 - 4/30, 2010 we are offering a great special of: Stay 1-Night & your 2nd night is 50% off! 2-night packages from $165 per room. Includes your 2-night stay, country breakfast each morning, and all the great amenities of the Colonel Spencer Inn. Stay 2 Nights & the 3rd Night is Free! When you pay for 2 nights at normal rates your 3rd night is FREE!! Includes your 3-night stay, country breakfast each morning, and all the great amenities of the Colonel Spencer Inn. Several ski resorts are less than 20 minutes away! Normal rates from $110-$125 per night, and accommodation special is based on availability. 603-536-1755. www.colonelspencerbb.com. [email protected]. In Gorham, the Royalty Inn is offering its Spring Super Saver Special. $39/person (2 person minimum per room, $10 for each additional person in the room). This package includes a deluxe room, free hot breakfast, and a coupon for free appetizer and beverage of your choice, with your dinner purchase. Offer is good any Friday or Saturday Night Stay starting April 9 - May 23. 466-3312. 1-800-437-3529. www.royaltyinn.com. [email protected]. Also in Gorham, the Royalty Inn is offering its "Cycling/Mountain Biking" package. One night of deluxe lodging with 2 people in the room, Breakfast each morning, an official cycling packet for each rider (includes: Ride Guide 2nd Edition, Conway Area Mountain Biking Map, Other Cycling info and a Water Bottle) Cost is $109*/person. The Royalty Inn is your four season family resort in the White Mountains! Based on double occupancy, price includes taxes and gratuities, not available with any other offer. 603-466-3312. 1-800-437-3529. www.royaltyinn.com. [email protected]. In Jackson, the Inn at Ellis River is offering its "Multiple Night Discount" package. From January 15 to May 27, stay a third night for $99 - $129 or stay a fourth night for free, excluding holiday weekends. May not be combined with other discount packages or to existing reservations; must be requested at time of booking. www.innatellisriver.com. 603-383-9339 or 800-233-8309. In North Conway, the Buttonwood Inn is offering multiple night discounts. 2 day stay- take 15% off. 3 day stay- take 20% off. 4 day stay- take 25% off. Packages include a full gourmet breakfast daily, Paula's late afternoon tea with baked treats, use of hot tub and free discount dining vouchers for select restaurants. Discounted shopping vouchers also available. Based on dbl occupancy/rates vary by room type/taxes & gratuities not included. Subject to availability. Good for advance reservations ending no later than June, 2010. You must mention this ad and book two or more nights. Rate example shown is for traditional room 5 for 4 night stay. 800-258-2625. 603-356-2625. [email protected]. www.buttonwoodinn.com. Back to Top The New Hampshire Liquor Commission is offering the following this month: - Celebrate spring, the earth and great prices during the Earth Friendly Wine Sale going on March 29-April 25 at all NH Liquor & Wine Outlets. Save 15% on 6 or more 750ml or 375ml bottles of wine that are organic, biodynamic or made from grapes that are sustainably farmed. Visit www.nh.gov/liquor/featured_wine.shtml for more info. Breathe New Hampshire is offering "The Fun Pass" a coupon book full of savings for attractions statewide. For just $25 you will receive incredible discounts through coupons you will really use! You will really save over $1,500 in discounts at over 100 fantastic New England family attractions. www.breathenh.org Back to Top

This was our third cruise and our second with HAL. We are in our late forties and are totally hooked on cruising and love the experience. We are also totally hooked on HAL, the ship size and number of passengers is just perfect and their service is unbelievable. After seeing some of the new Mega ships on this trip and the numbers of people waiting for tenders etc, we applaud HAL for not doing the money grab and going the mega ship direction. I know they are building some bigger ships but they are working on keeping the person the space ration as large as possible. This trip was as usual excellent, we spent 4 days in Ft Lauderdale prior to the cruise attending another function, this enabled us to relax before we got on board, and so we really got the most out of the 7 days being pampered by HAL. The embarkation we a breeze with us arriving around 12:30pm and being on board by 1:30pm, this was the first time we sailed with a verandah and wow what a difference. I am afraid we are now hooked; itreally gave us that extra room in the cabin. I will not go into the normal meal details, we normally eat breakfast and lunch at the buffet and always eat in the dining room for diner. We find a great variety of food and plenty of it. We had asked for a table for 6 at the late sitting but received a table for 4; this was ok as our table mates were a very nice couple from St Louis with whom we got along very well. This was one of the roughest cruises I have been on with regard to the weather; the first night produced a large amount of rocking and rolling. For those planning a cruise this is not normal from what I have seen and read, it did not cause my wife or my self any problems however there were a few missing people that night for diner. The seas did settle down a little and we did not notice the motion after that. This was our second visit to Cozumel and found the prices had gone up quite a lot in the 4 years since our last visit. We did not take any shore excursions here as there was not a lot of time in port, however we did take a stroll around the town and bought some of the typical touristy things such as blankets. (Great for the cottage). We found Grand Cayman expensive however it is a very attractive island and a pleasure to walk around. My wife took the turtle farm tour and had a great time, the farm was pleasant and the tour of the rum cake factory was enjoyable with all the samples available. I took the Intro to Scuba lesson and found it to be a waste of money. You are only given 2 and half hours and that is not long enough to feel comfortable with the instruction provided. They also require a good level of fitness, the requirement was the ability to walk one mile in 12 mins, this I do every day and am very active for my age, but I found the 50 meter swim from the beach to the reef, in full gear, a lot and even the other 5 (younger) trainees were puffing when we reached the reef. Don't waste your money. We both really enjoyed Ocho Rios and love the Jamaican's ability to laugh and play with the tourists, some cruisers did not like this and felt nervous, but we had a lot of fun. We took the Dunn's river falls tour on the San San and had a great time, we did not climb the falls but did enjoy our time watch the others and resting on the beach. After the falls visit we were taken to a reef for some very good snorkeling, a very good trip. As usual Half Moon Key was excellent and a great last day, full of relaxation and sun. The Maasdam is not the newest member of the fleet, however you would not know it, she gleams from many years of care and cleaning. Our cabin steward Ansari was excellent, as were the dining room staff. I would recommend the verandah experience to all cruisers. We greatly enjoyed the experience of sitting in our own space reading and listening to the ocean. The disembarkation was also very painless and we were off the boat by 9:30am. The one thing that does bug us is the passengers that do not follow the instructions with regard to paying their bill and immigration. The numerous announcements looking for individuals is very annoying and not the fault of the cruise line, I say post their picture on the TV's and let the other passengers find them. I did find that there was very very long line up's at the airport with all the cruise ships disembarking at the same time. Next time we are planning to stay over one extra night to ensure you do not have to go through this process. A great trip, a great ship and a great cruise line. visited with my younger son and his wife in boca raton and thats always a great way to start a vacation the drive to ft. laud was in the rain as was the remainder of the day. got to the terminal a bit early so we had to sit around a little longer then necessary. a good opportunity to meet fellow cruisers. we were in an a mini so we got early board. went to our cabin, dropped off our carry on and off to the lido for lunch back at the cabin our luggage was waiting so we unpacked and waited for the lifeboat drill. went off without a hitch like all other drills. the food, service, staff in general is what we have come to expect from hal (our 4th cruise) so we were not dissapointed. the staff and crew consistanty exceed our exections. first stop was the bahamas - we booked the dolphin encounter. had to walk from the ship abut 3/4 mile to where the boat picked us up. some transportation would have been nice. the enoucounter is awesome. the downside is that you only spend about 2 min. perperson hands on with the dolphin. and thats with 4 separate encounters. would not do it again, under those circumstances the amount of money spent does not = the time you have with the dolphin next stop was san juan-- talked into a tour ride for 15.00 per person and it was not worth it. we were taken to a hotel to see their lobby and we were there for about 30 min-- would not do this again and advise against anyone taking this tour. there is a free trolly car ride that will take you to old san juan and morro castle. you can get on and off at each stop. next was st thomas. we took the atlantis submarine tour and this was great. about a 50 passenger sub--goes doe=wn about 90 feet and you get up close with the various species of fish and you also get to see some great coral formations-- this is imho a must do tour. half moon cay- good buffet lunch- my bw had 3 braids put in her hair and then decided to go parasailing-- she loved it -- was up about 7 minutes. she wanted to go faster higher and to be up longer. she is, by the way the youngest 63 yr old you will ever see. she won 330.00 at bingo and i lost xxx.xx at the casino smooth seas, weather could have been less cloudy. weather broke when we went ashore. had the greatest dinner mates and this is what help makes a great cruise. we were all anxious to meet every nite and share the events of the day. or maybe it was just the wonderful food. lol since according to hal there is always room for improvement and thats why their evaluation forms only go as high a 9. i have no problem giving this cruise a 9. Holland America Line Maasdam by Patrick E. Robinson Western Caribbean January 6, 2002 This was Susan and my first cruise.But after we have tried Carnival and RCCL.I have read other reveiws and thought it was time to tell our thoughts on the Maasdam.On the whole the experience was great.The Maasdam staff was awesome group of people who all bend over backwards to please the guests.My wife being a filipina was glad to see so many of her country mates on the Maasdam. The food in both the Lido and the formal dinning room was very good,and wait staff was excellent.Shows were good but the elderly age of the guests was, on looking back ,a little boring at times.Things to do are less on HAL ships,later in the evening.We meet a few younger couples and had fun with them,on board and off. The best thing about cruising is meeting new people and food,we belive. After comparing the other ships to the Maasdam,some problems need the attention of HAL.I have read in other reveiws about the biggest problem aboard Maasdam,atleast with us.We were literally frozen alive in our stateroom.The entire section around #706,was the same.No heat onlyAC air.We ended up getting a roll of duct tape and blocked all but a small section of vents to stay comfortable.This was the way it was the whole week.And the free bottle of wine(Turnig Leaf)was a far cry short of compensation for this hugely negative situation.Many other reveiws have mentioned the same problems with the room AC/ heat. The HAL private island was great and food was the same good quality as on the ship.We missed Grand Caymen due to the captain feeling it was to bad of weather,even thou five other cruise ship guests said ,it was no problem.We talked to Zaandam guests on the HAL island,the last port of call on the Western Caribbean trip.This was a big disappointment to us. The Maasdam needs to be dry docked and upgraded and refurbished after eleven years now, of wonderful service.Untill that has been done I would never take this ship ,again.I hope other vessels in HALs fleet this old do not have similar problems.But we are not going to ride the older ships in any fleet,if dry dock refitting has not been done.The price is not worth the risk.HAL is a great vacation at a descent cost,but the older ships need work.We are planning to take the HAL Panama cruise this year.We prey the ship is better than the Maasdam experience,MAINTANENCE wise.Still on the whole we prefer HAL over Carnival on any ship.To many lower crust drinkers on the "FUN SHIPS",for our interests.If you are middle aged(48,me)or prefer the slower paced cruise ,you can not loose with HAL.If you prefer the party animal mind set ,difinately try Carnival or NCL,they cater to the youth crowd. Have fun and keep sailing! On day three we're headed back to the Florida Straits, having gone northeast from Fort Lauderdale to evade Hurricane Michelle. It's windy with swells to 18 feet. The ship is rocking. People are seasick. I feel fine, though, and that's the important thing. The door to our veranda didn't quite close last night and our cabin sort of flooded. Who cares? This is the first cruise for my wife and me. We are overwhelmed by how great it is. The captain, known by the passengers as "the genius," came on the PA system a little while ago announcing his second change of plans. First we had intended to escape Hurrican Michelle by sailing in its intended path, to the Bahamas. It didn't work. The hurricane caught up with us. We reversed course for the straits of Florida, passing Fort Lauderdale last night. Now in sunny weather on day 3, we head for Cozumel, our original destination. I had told my wife I thought we should head right INTO the hurricane as it crossed Cuba, since we would get past it fastest that way and would have clear sailing afterwards, on to Cozumel. Since Iknew George Clooney wasn't on the boat, I didn't have a chance of getting anyone to carry this plan to the captain. So off we went to the Bahamas, and then back to Florida, with a fair number of passengers playing "Show me what you had for breakfast" on day two. I should tell you my wife was one of those getting sick, and SHE said this was the best vacation she has ever had. This is a great ship if you can have fun while you're throwing up. Since leaving on Sunday: We've taken a nap every day. We've been working on making another baby. We've been eating. We've been drinking black russians on the verandah. I've been reading those little synopses of the Times every day. We've seen two movies on tv. Our tablemates are more adventurous. They've told us about the shows and the casino and this and that. This morning I woke up to the sound of someone banging his key on our door. That's about the only thing that gets me out of bed. It happens about five times a day. People are always coming over to fix this or announce that or whatever. I don't mind. I get some exercise, walking to the door, and after all, they're taking care of us. So there I am in my underwear (not a pretty sight), and in walks this waiter with breakfast. He puts it on the verandah and leaves. I go out there and sit down and have coffee. My wife is sleeping. The ship moves as if on one of those motorized walkways at the airport. The sea slips by. It is quiet except for the steady splash below. The sky is blue. There is a warm languorous breeze. I sit there drinking coffee and don't know what to think. I have never been anywhere or seen anything like this. It is peaceful and beautiful. In the early hours a burly man at the bow shouted "In the name of the Saints, man -- LAND!" We woke, rushed from our cabins sobbing, hugs all around. It should have been like that. What a long ride to Cozumel. I woke Wednesday morning and there it was. We were parked between two Carnival ships which looked whiter and bigger and more impressive than ours does. I wanted to start a shouting match across the pier, but I assume that is not done here. You're not going to believe this, but it's true: It was raining. I mean, coming down. This stopped no one. We hit the dock like it was Ellis Island. Who cares. We're outta here. Let's go buy some blankets! We did. My wife and I rode some horses led by a sweet 10 year old boy named Poncho. We rented a car and drove and drove. I wondered if the mosquitos have malaria. We walked on the earth and it was good. Oh yes: The beach. Warm breeze. Skies cleared at last. The water came up to the beach, blue or azure or something. We met and fell in love. That's it. You know. Just the sound of the ocean, the long view of the water, whitecaps laughing, and sun. Those things envelope and protect you. It is effortless to stand. It is an invitation: give up the stress and anxiety; you don't need it here. Back at the ship, trouble in paradise: First, the captain informed us that the Grand Cayman Islands were, for practical purposes, washed away by Michelle. So we won't be stopping there, either. That left Cozumel and Ocho Rios. That's it. This did not sit well with a lot of people, who wanted some money back for the inconvenience. We booked a cruise in November. That's hurricane season. I know it's at the end of the season. But it's still hurricane season. It says so anywhere you look for that kind of information. One way I know this is true is that our cruise was discounted. So we got a discount for taking the chance that we'd get screwed. Which we did. You can't have it both ways, taking the discount and then shouting no fair when the event that inspired it occurs. That's unreasonable. Also: I left out part of my Cozumel story. Because we rented a car, and because we were in a strange place, and because I was driving, we got completely lost and I never once asked for directions, because of course I don't need directions. I know where I'm going. Just give me a second. I'm sure about this. No wait. I think I recognize that thing over there... We drove a lot. We wound up in the nontourist section of the city. These consist of streets filled with water lined by shacks. There were some regular type homes, made of cement or whatever. But mostly they were that weird kind of corrugated metal on four sides with some kind of roof. Shacks. We drove slowly through these streets because I didn't want to drive into a puddle that would turn out to be a six foot pothole. Some people rode by on bicycles. I remember one guy riding a bicycle with his girlfriend sitting on the bar, there. She wore a dress and simple beige pumps. I remember this because her dress and her shoes were clean and dry. I was surprised they could ride through all that water and he could keep her dry that way. It looked like they were riding to work. A lot of people stood on corners, talking or smoking. Dogs wandered everywhere. But what I wanted to tell you about is one girl. We drove past a shack on a corner. She was sitting on the ground in front of her house. She was, I guess, two years old. She wore a little dress. She had short black hair. I have a little girl at home, seventeen months. So this girl caught my eye. And we looked at each other briefly as we drove by. I don't know if my wife saw her. But we stopped talking for a minute, and we never said anything about it. I know we work hard. I work hard. I'll bet the other people here work hard. I think most people do. But there is not a passenger on this boat who is not simply lucky to be here. We left last night. On to Ocho Rios. My wife's sleeping in. I have to play ping pong. En route to Ocho Rios, we have a lull in the action. Let me bring you up to date on a few details I've overlooked, like our cabin, the passengers, the service, the entertainment and the food. We booked the penthouse suite. Not that we could afford to do that, but we did. So here's the deal. It's basically a hotel room type of suite with some exceptions: there are little halogen lights in the ceiling. There are dimmer switches everywhere. There is a foyer and a guest bathroom which I use while my wife hovers forever in the main bathroom. There is a statue in the dining room of a young woman dressed in robes suggesting she's from ancient Greece or that she's just someone who enjoys wearing robes. I notice in passing that she has nicely shaped breasts. If you think that's an odd thing to notice, believe me: your husband notices that too. There is a verandah which is great to have as you know. The bathroom has a big tub with whirlpool jets that we have not yet used. Above the tub is a fresco of an angry looking man with a crab crawling up his face. I assume this is a Greek God of some kind because I understand that they got upset a lot. Maybe it's just the crab that's annoying him. Anyway, there's a faucet coming out of his mouth. That could be pissing him off too. Who knows. Adjoining the bath are two sinks. Adjoining the sinks is a hallway bordered by closets -- a walk-in closet. This is the one thing that, of all the things in the suite that I didn't think a person needs, I've really come to enjoy having. It's really nice to put all your clothes in a walk-in closet, and then to just walk in there and pick and choose what you want. I don't know if it's convenience or luxury or what. But I notice I like going into the walk-in closet to get some clothes. There is a separate shower, and the shower has all these hidden jets that, with a twist of the knob, will shoot out a painful stream of water at your genitals. Maybe this a rich person thing, I don't know. There is a separate bathroom in the main bathroom which houses the toilet, a sink, and what I think is a bidet. The bidet, of course, is designed to provide you with an unusually clean anus. And I think if you would like your anus to be sparkly clean, well damn it, I'm for that, too. So that's the bath room. There's a dining room and a living room and a bed room, all nice. The astonishing thing about this suite, though, is not the accoutrements. It's the service. Our steward, Yusnar, is the most endearing attentive person you could hope for on a cruise. On our first night my wife was cold. We added to our blanket two of those small "throw-blankets" from the living room. We left those on the bed the next day and left our cabin. When we came back that night, the bed was made with two blankets, and the throw blankets were back in the living room. This week has been like that. He takes care of us. The service on the ship has mirrored that kind of attention. Kind, thoughtful people work here. We like them. Some of the people in the elevators seem to be in a bad mood. That puts me in a better mood because I'm shallow. I do notice one thing I should have noticed sooner but which became apparent to me only on the first sunny day, two days ago as I walked by the pool where a lot of people sat sun bathing. We are fat. I don't exclude myself. I will put on swim shorts and go to the pool this afternoon and it is not going to be pretty. "Natural disaster" comes to mind. I just think that on a cruise it is our duty to get fat. And what we have here is a boatload of incredibly responsible people. There were clues to our general condition. On the first day our captain said we should grab our life jackets for the drill but that if we didn't have them available, "don't worry about it." It's good. I shovel it in. We've seen some movies on tv. At our dinner table the other night we were talking about Castaway, with Tom Hanks and the volleyball. The question was, was the girl engaged to Tom Hanks when his plane went down right to give up on him so she could marry the other guy, thinking Tom Hanks was dead? Or should she have waited for him? Lucy said she should have waited for him, but I said no, she was right to give up on him because women only have so long to make babies, so she had to make her move. This did not go over well with Lucy. Apparently I wasn't supposed to say that. The next night, kaboom: Lucy was said lawyers want to hurt people and doctors want to help people. We're sitting with her boyfriend, who is a doctor. And I'm a doctor. But the truth is, I don't think much of doctors, in general. And I like lawyers, who are often funny and open minded. Sometimes there's a moment in a conversation where you know you have two completely different choices. Make one choice and everything will be all right. Make the other, and look out.And you have to decide, then and there, which road you and your table will do down. As I considered this, I expected that my wife and I would be eating in our suite for the rest of the cruise. I thought that would be ok. So we went at it: Lucy, her boyfriend and me, with Paul and Carla and my wife looking on -- I was so engaged in the battle that I couldn't look over at them to see what they were thinking. It was fast and furious. And to make matters worse, I dropped a bomb. I told them I thought Bill Clinton was a great president. Oh no! Michelle was a soothing sauna next to this! Through it all I told myself, keep it on the issues. Don't let it get personal. This was not easy. Lucy's boyfriend kept telling me how naive I am, and that when I'm older I'll understand things as he does. I'm FORTY TWO. How old do you have to get? In Mozart's day I'd have been dead for seven years by now. I see Cuba passing by. An hour ago a lady in the Lido cafe said We should sink it. Because of Castro. Sink the island? I said. Well, she said. It's Saturday. Last full day. I'm ready to go. We need to start cleaning up after ourselves again. But what a ride. I told you the captain told us we had had to skip the Grand Caymans because we couldn't dock there. But in the Lido lounge we run into our dinner companions who say another ship docked in the Caymans yesterday. No problem at all! Only thing closed was the turtle farm! Everything else was ok! No! Yes! I don't think there's a bunch of passengers our captain will be happier to see get off his boat. Everybody wants their port charges back, and why did he do the foxtrot around the hurricane and how come the toilet didn't flush and -- HE needs a cruise. We get to Ocho Rios yesterday and dock three hours later than scheduled, and we'd have to leave at 4 p.m. that day, yesterday, to make it back to Fort Lauderdale tomorrow morning. Strong headwinds, or tailwinds. The guy CAN'T get a break! The boat docks. From the verandah I watch everyone get off. My wife is sleeping. (We sleep a lot.) I see this tour director type of girl on the dock holding a bunch of tickets. Suddenly half the tickets blow into the bay. We watch them flutter into the water and sink. The tour girl turns to the other tour girl and says, I want to go home. I finish my coffee and wash up and go down to the dock. It's 1:30 pm. I walk through Ocho Rios. A billion signs and shops and cars and people selling everything. Trinkets hash girls insurance drinks trinkets bags food hash jewelry bags food hair products cab rides tours hey look over here... What a headache. I get to a neighborhood, meet Sonia and David, pay them for a walking tour and we walk and talk. The neighborhood looks like what you think it looks like. David, 35, wears a rastafarian hat. Sonia, missing her front left upper incisor, takes care of babies -- child care -- nearby. I ask David, why aren't you working now? He has a gauze dressing on his forehead where he banged his head diving for something. So he can't dive for now. So how do you live now? He gives tours. I learn about three numbers:10 -- number of US dollars you earn working one day in the pineapple factory. 15 -- percentage of high school graduates who can get a job with a living wage. 40 -- the age of David's father when he died of heart disease. I meet Sonia's child care kids, 8 or 9 little girls. They're washing clothes in a basin with a scrub board. One of them draws a picture of the sun with a smiley face for my daughter. I tell her what a beautiful picture that is; she smiles. A guy comes over and we shake hands. He asks for money for food. He has tar on his hands. He fixes roofs. I give him five dollars. He says, "All one colour, man." We say goodbye, I thank Sonia and David and go back to the ship. A friend of Sonia's walks with me, asks for money for food, I say no, she walks away.............. Back on the ship, more trouble in paradise. At dinner Lucy's boyfriend interrupts her to say something. I don't remember what he said. Lucy turns around to him, and says, "Do you mind?" Very slowly. Looking him right in the eye. He is stunned and embarrassed, doesn't say a word. Lucy turns slowly back around to me. We continue talking and as we do, I realize this will be our last dinner together. If this is the cost of talking with these people, I'd rather eat with my wife who's good company by herself. The night after Ocho Rios we saw this movie in the movie theater so we could have some popcorn. The movie, Green Fingers. was about this guy who goes to prison after killing his brother when he finds his brother in bed with his beloved. The guy feels terrible about this, but that's the way it goes. He becomes an amazing gardener. On a work release program years later he and his fellow inmates begin a garden in this woman's home where he meets Primrose, the lovely daughter of Miss Wodehouse, a lunatic wealthy woman who loves flowers above all else. Released from prison, he falls in love with Primrose and becomes their gardener. Back at the prison, the inmates have entered into a contest at Buckingham Palace for best garden. But without whatshisname, they have no chance! So he commits a petty theft so he can go back to prison to lead their gardening effort! He leaves Primrose a note before he commits the crime. The note says, Hey, sorry, but I'm a gardener. Then we went to the Rembrandt Lounge to watch a car crash in the form of a song and dance revue. I made it through four songs, and then they wanted the audience to join in, singing Wasting Away Again in Margaritaville, and I told my wife, I'm outta here, and we went to the Lido Lounge for food, because it had been THREE HOURS since we'd eaten, and then we rolled ourselves down the stairs, had a black russian and went to bed. Our cruise is almost over. I have two reactions: Cruising is a lovely experience: a stunning vacation imbued with leisure and tasteful luxury (except for the floor shows). I'm glad we did it and hope to do it again. My second reaction emanates from the disturbing clash presented by wealth and poverty placed next to each other. What I thought about Ocho Rios was: these people have nothing to lose, and that is dangerous for us. As a practical matter, in terms of protecting my family, I wonder about the wisdom of ignoring the disparity between my life and the lives of the people I met this week. I think ignoring this disparity, or rationalizing it by saying it is inevitable or it is their fault or we should just sink Cuba or whatever, may be a dumb move for our country. Also, I have been thinking about a line from the Bible that I read 20 years ago, which astonished me then. I should tell you I am not a religious person, although I was raised Catholic. For instance, I don't believe in God. And if I did believe in God, I think the church would go to hell for the way it treats gays. When I finally read the Bible, in college, it was only because I thought it might be a good book which as you know better than I do it was. Anyway, in one part of the new testament, Christ says with brutal logic: Where your wealth is, there will your heart be also. As we approach Fort Lauderdale on this lovely ship, carrying with me a little girl's drawing of the sun, having made a glancing acquaintance with the circumstances of her life, I wonder what I should invest in, next time around. What We Liked About the Cruise: Plenty of room to roam without shipboard congestion Friendly, interactive staff Ship was easy to board and exit Nice movie-theater with free popcorn Plenty of deck chairs and tables Food and beverages available all afternoon Afternoon tea with appropriate snacks and music Afternoon coffee/tea bar with cappuccino, snacks, and other options Easy to understand overhead announcement sound system Very nice captain's reception Knowledgeable, affable, personable cruise director Fast, readily available elevators Good on-board direction-markers Orderly, thoughtfully planned, embark and disembark procedures Negatives about the Maasdam that are worth noting: We'd read about the stench that greets newcomers when first traversing the hallways. You eventually get used to the septic system-like odor, but it does get things underway on a negative track. There should be some way of deodorizing these areas. Food is served in a very attractive, upscale setting. We were warned that Maasdam food is heavily salted, and it was just that. Despite our requesting unsalted, non-spiced food, certain dishes were still very spicy and salty. After sending back several entrees, we settled for plain vegetables accompanied by a baked potato. We felt that we were being pushed or rushed through our evening meal. Staffersappeared to be eager to get us served and get us out of the dining room. Succeeding courses were served in a rapid, staccato-like manner. Rather than being able to enjoy a leisurely dinner, we felt that the service was more like that of a fast-food eatery. Table service during breakfast and lunch was varied and unpredictable. Some guests didn't get their eggs without seeking out a server and inquiring about their order. Dishes were served that weren't as ordered, or they were really intended for someone else. Pastries and rolls are baked on board and are very good. Bagels were served slightly charred, more often than not. Maasdam's servers (other than for the baked Alaska) didn't do the typical entertainment antics that we'd come to expect on other ships. They serve up the food and smile a lot, but that's about it. Alex, our dining room steward was concerned, accommodating and eager to right the wrongs of the kitchen staff. He was fighting a losing battle. To be totally fair, several tablemates praised the taste and appearance of some items that were served. Our evaluation of the dining department is that it did not measure up to that which we'd experienced on other cruise lines. Even the veggie burgers were highly seasoned and salty. Some other comments as respects our adventures in the dining room: We found it quite incredible that guests who preferred soft drinks to tea or coffee had to pay about $1.75 for the privilege of drinking Coke at the dining room table. It is possible to purchase a one-week soft drink ticket, but alternate, non-alcoholic beverages at the dinner table would appear to be a part of the meal and should be complimentary. This is something we'd never experienced on other cruise lines. Then too, if someone at our table were celebrating a birthday or anniversary, the staff would serve the cake as dessert, not asking guests if they'd also like to order from the dessert menu. The flyer that is handed out for the kitchen tour is riddled with spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. For a ship that aims for perfection, this is not really acceptable. The Maasdam's movie theater is easily accessed in the atrium area. The seats were typical theater style, though somewhat on the hard side. The selection of films was excellent but guests complained that the sound track was often too soft and unintelligible. We expressed our complaint to the front desk and the next film we viewed was definitely louder. However, when we returned to watch a movie the next day, the sound track had defaulted to its lower-volume status. Trudy went to the front desk and requested that they contact the projection booth and ask the operator to turn up the volume once again. Several minutes later the volume was turned up and we were able to enjoy the movie. Unless the default is changed, or projectionists are told to crank up the gain control, this would appear to be an ongoing problem. The theater seemed to be liberally sprinkled with speaker systems, but the sound quality did not measure up to the equipment that was in the room. Our cabin had a large view window, ample storage space, a bathtub-equipped bathroom, limited TV selections, remote control, and a very ingenious switching system that enabled us to control almost all the room's lights from our bed, fresh fruit and ice were supplied by the room attendant. Classical music could be turned on by a control built into the bed's headboard. We were advised to bring a clock-radio, but there wasn't an outlet at bedside to plug it in. There isn't an electric-shaver outlet in the bathroom. There were numerous complaints about the ship's air-conditioning system. Several guests complained to us that their rooms were uncomfortably warm, and nothing was done to resolve the problem. On Sunday morning, we observed several floor fans being taken out of cabins that were down the hall from us. Their usage confirms that these rooms were indeed uncomfortable and not adequately air-conditioned. Since the ship was filled to capacity, room changes were not an option. Various public areas seemed to be uncomfortably warm too. The ship was immediately going out on a Western Caribbean cruise, so it's doubtful that the apparent shortcomings in the air-conditioning system were resolved prior to embarkation. Indications were that this was an ongoing, unresolved problem. Then there was the "toilet problem." Towards the mid-point of the cruise we noticed that our toilet wasn't flushing on command. If we waited a while-sometimes quite a while-the toilet would ultimately flush. But on the final morning of the cruise it refused to flush at all. Trudy reported the problem to our cabin steward while I sought out public restroom facilities. Then, quite suddenly, without human intervention, the toilet started flushing on its own. I'm glad I wasn't sitting on it when it decided to do the self-flushing routine! Our cabin steward advised that a group of toilets in this area of the ship were having similar problems. As was the case with the air-conditioning, we doubt that repairs were made to assure that ensuing guests wouldn't have to endure this inconvenience. Finally, there were wide cracks in our bathroom sink. This, by itself, is not a big deal. However, guests could interpret it as a sign that maintenance crews are either unable or unwilling to make needed cabin repairs. The Maasdam's activities and entertainment menu was not up to the level of professionalism and intensity that we'd experienced on other ships. Vegas-style reviews were not in evidence, although a small dance group did an excellent job on the few occasions that they performed for us. The handbill that provides biographical sketches of cast members is in dire need of a healthy re-write. The ship's evening entertainment was anchored by a comedian and a ventriloquist---fine performers but hardly a match for the extravaganzas we'd enjoyed on previous cruises. The Maasdam's house band was slick and professional, but some of the other musicians aboard the ship lacked similar skills. The poolside steel drum band was on the loud side, making conversation in the area almost impossible. The Maasdam is a gorgeous ship, but obviously in need of a routine overhaul. Friendly, courteous staffers from Indonesia and the Philippines applied their skills to help make our excursion pleasant and memorable. There was much to commend, but based on our observations and the experiences of other passengers, there is much that can be improved. We would've preferred to have softer, more-comfortable seats in the public areas too. Would we return for an encore? Possibly. But we'd check things out much more thoroughly before embarking on another Holland America Line cruise. We are both over 60 and went on first cruise several weeks ago. We chose HAL because it was said to have a more sedate crowd with few children. Embarkation was done well (we arrived early). It turned out that this cruise of 1200 passengers had 500 children. Although they were well-behaved, that is too many for us. We had asked for a table for 6 or 8, and the first night when the Maitre-D' saw us sitting by ourselves at a table set for 6, he asked if we wanted a table for 2. Fine, except we did not talk to anyone on the ship all week. Any older people were with their families and ate in large groups or casually in the Lido restaurant. In fact, casual was the name of the game: it seems the current young adults do not dress up or teach their kids to, either. I enjoy that aspect of cruising-the dressing for dinner, but each night I felt overdressed. Even if they did wear nicer clothes for dinner, they changed immediately afterward, instead of keeping with the ambience of the evening. Actually, therewas a middle-aged man who wore a t-shirt and an open sport shirt over it on both formal nights. The pools were filled with kids the entire day, and at night there was LOUD music and dancing contests at the main pool. This older person found it difficult to sit quietly at the pool and read, so I had to go elsewhere. All the activities and music were geared to this group of young adults and their children. Is this atypical for HAL ??? Is it because it was summer ??? If this is HAL, I hate to think what we would find on Disney or Carnival !!!!!!!!!! All-in-all, the cruise was very nice: I found the food preparation and taste to be excellent. So was the service. This is a combined review for three cruises: HAL's, Maasdam (3/25/01, 7 days, K579, Western Caribbean); stats are 1993, 55,000 tons, 1266 capacity, 600 crew Celebrity's Millennium (4/21/02, 8 days, Penthouse 6018, Eastern Caribbean); stats are 2000, 91,000 tons, 1950 capacity, 999 crew RCCL's Radiance of the Seas (5/24/02, 3 days, 8602, Pacific Northwest); stats are 2001, 88,000 tons, 2100 capacity, Where possible, I will try to provide facts for all three ships. We are big band, ballroom dancers; thus, our cruising experiences are geared toward dancing. Port information is not provided in this review. We cruise to dance; and sometimes will even overlook eating to enjoy good dancing. We bypass the port activities in order to rest up for the evening's activities and other onboard events. Topic Headings are as follows: Who We Are; Prior Cruises; Future Cruises; Travel Agent; PreCruise Activities; Embarkation; Ship's Captains; Cruise Directors; Cabins; Room Service; Mini-Bar; Luggage Storage; Room Safes; Bathrooms; Ship's Newsletters; Noise On The Ships; Service, Cleanliness, Etc.; Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner; Desserts; Specialty Restaurants; Ice Cream; Theater; Dancing; Pools & Whirlpools; Photography & Videos; Fire Drills; Medical Facility; Non Sea Days; Sea Days; Ports; People We Met; Sun, Rain,Wind; Improvements That Could Be Made; and Disembarkation Who We Are: I am a woman over 60, semi retired, and my traveling partner, life-companion, is a "few years older." We both lost spouses, mine to emphysema (smokers out there should try to quit smoking) and his to cancer. We both met during senior dance activities and feel that God brought us together. We are enjoying a tremendously happy life filled with love for each other, dancing and traveling together. He has been dancing since he was 16 in high school and throughout his life. I, too, loved dancing in high school, but stopped after marriage. Why do we cruise to dance when we can dance at home (approximately five times a week)? Well, at home you do have to pay fees, travel to and from the location and find a parking place, etc. And, if you have a drink or two, you need to worry about driving home. Not so on a ship with dance activities; just a few steps here and a few steps there. And the ambiance of dancing on a beautiful ship with dinner included and wine, if desired, is a great deciding factor. Prior Cruises: He, a former major in the US Army, was stationed in China for two years and has traveled the world, first cruising on the Mariposa (actually a pleasure cruise ship taken over by the Merchant Marines), and then traveling throughout Northern Burma, India and South China. Since then he has been on eight cruises and introduced me to cruising last year. The Radiance was my third cruise; I just love this way of life. Future Cruises: We currently have booked a 10-day cruise to the Southern Caribbean on HAL's Amsterdam, set to sail November 11, 2002. And the big band Tommy Dorsey Orchestra is scheduled for this cruise. Also, we are planning a trip to China next year, most likely by air and land travel because we cannot find a cruise just in the areas in which we wish to travel. Travel Agent: We have been using AAA in Bellevue for the last couple of years and have been very satisfied with their service. We also take advantage of the maps and tour books for the various trips, both cruises and other air/land trips, that we have taken over the years. We usually do the research first on the Internet, and find fares, etc. And our agent adds in the AAA rate and the senior rate, etc. and ends up getting us the best fares. So, we are pleased. She is such a sweet person and has provided us with a welcoming bottle of champagne in our stateroom on each of our Caribbean cruises. PreCruise Activities: We usually elect to stay overnight in Fort Lauderdale. Last year, it was the Hilton and this year we stayed at the Best Western Inn, 1221 State Road 84. Both rooms were OK and served its purpose. Last year we had a late dinner at the Hilton. Since we arrived earlier this year and since the Best Western had no place to eat (they have continental breakfast), we went across the State Road 84 to a German restaurant. It was an excellent place to eat, drink wine and dance. Yes, they had dancing and we took advantage of it. We just wished that they stayed open later. They closed at 11:00 p.m. (Saturday night). Both places have vans to take you to the ships at Port Everglades. Embarkation: Last year, getting on the Maasdam took a little longer. It may be better now. This year, while at the Best Western we discovered that I forgot to pack my beloved's medication. Thus, we were frantically calling the Millennium at midnight. We had a ship to shore call which cost us $95. But we were very much relieved when the ship's nurse was reached and informed us that they had the medications on board and would be able to assist us. We were told to arrive at 10:30 am the following morning and let them know that we had an appointment with the ship's doctor. Once on board, we saw the doctor and got prescriptions for the medications, which the ship filled for us. Everyone was very nice to us and thus our embarkation process on the Millennium was very good. Later that day, we joined the Captain's Club to gain the special departure privileges. On the Radiance, since we live in the Bellevue area, we drove our car to Seattle's Pier 66 and entered the parking garage for the Bell Street Pier. Once inside, they took our luggage and told us where to park. We parked on the 4th floor level where the sky bridge is and walked across the sky bridge. We headed up the escalator to where check in is. There was a large line, but for some reason, someone stopped us and said "This is your lucky day" and she escorted us to the check in counter. The check-in process had not started yet and everyone was getting their computer to log on to the company's network. They had difficulty and we waited in front of the counter for about ten minutes before the lady got logged on. Then it was a short ten-minute wait to go up the "gangway" and take a picture and then board the ship. Ship Captains: All three ships' captains were very nice, congenial hosts who genuinely seemed pleased that we were aboard. All three ships had no vacancies. Captain Peter Jan van Maurik, HAL's Maasdam; attended the Champagne Welcome Party and a Mariner's Reception. Captain Antonio Manaras, Celebrity's Millennium; met him at the Captain's Welcome Aboard Cocktail Party and at the Captain's Club Receptions. Captain Kent Ringborn, RCCI's Radiance of the Seas, has a great singing voice; he sang during the Captain's Welcome Aboard Reception, greeted everyone personally and also took pictures with all guests who requested it. I have a very nice picture of the three of us. Cruise Directors: We believe the best cruise director on all three ships is a toss up between Susan Wood on the Maasdam and Jim Cannon on the Millennium. These two were the most enthusiastic persons on their respective ships, always greeting us with a smile and talking to us and conducting classes we took part in. The Radiance's Ken Rush, although he too was a nice personable friendly person, did not provide the dance entertainment that the other two did. Cabins: The cabins on all three ships were approximately the same size: 179 square feet on the Radiance, 170 square feet on the Millennium and 182 square feet on the Maasdam. General layout of the rooms and storage space were all excellent. One nice touch on the Radiance was a drape room divider between the bed and the sitting area. All you needed to do was unhook the clasp and pull the drape across the upper rod. This was very much appreciated when one wanted to nap and the other did not, etc. And if one had difficulty sleeping, then one could read without disturbing the other. Another feature of the Radiance was that each of the bed lamps had two switches, one to control the lamp and the other to control a night light built into the lamp, which could be directed in various directions. The sofa on the Maasdam was larger than the ones on the other two ships. And the storage space was larger for the vanity/desk area. The hangers on the Radiance, however, were better than the other two. The Millennium closet and storage was the largest. A fruit basket was provided daily on the Maasdam. Ice bucket and water were provided on all three ships, although the Millennium was the nicest arrangement. One thing that bugged me was to have the bedspread on the bed with the top folded enveloping our pillows. This way of bed making is also done in some hotels. This, to me, is not the proper way to make the bed. One should pull the top sheet over the pillows to keep the pillows clean and then put the bedspread on the bed. Everyone knows that the bedspread is not washed daily or even weekly. Who knows how often the bedspread is washed and where it has been lying around or what has happened to it? When we travel, we always request that the bed spread be kept folded up in a drawer somewhere. One usually cannot sleep with it on the bed; it is too heavy. Room Service: We did not order room service on any of the ships; thus we have nothing to report on this. Mini-Bar: There was no mini-bar on the Maasdam, nor the Radiance, although the Radiance had a refrigerator, which may have been useful on a longer trip. The Millennium had a mini-bar and we requested that everything be removed and thereafter we used it for our own use. Luggage Storage: The suitcases can fit under the beds of all three ships. If you have one that is too large, then leave it open and slide it under. The best thing to do is to unpack everything and then store your suitcases below the beds. Room Safes: The Radiance and the Millennium had room safes that use a number code, four digits on the Radiance and six on the Millennium. These are easy to use and easy to check to see if the safe is locked shut. The Maasdam did not have a room safe. However, each of the bedside tables had a locking top drawer with key. While on the Radiance, our room safe at one time would not open. We discovered that perhaps when pressing the digit it did not register. Anyway, a call to our Cabin attendant, Fannie, quickly brought a young man from maintenance. It only took him a minute to make some kind of adjustment and we then could access our safe. What a relief! Bathrooms: We had showers in all three bath areas. The nicest bath area was on the Millennium. The Radiance had a built in cabinet with mirror. We thought that if they had installed it the reverse, then one would be able to see the back of one's hair in the mirror. But, they did not have this foresight. There was probably no woman involved in the planning. The Millennium has a nice area with curved horizontal bars on a three level shelf area to hold toiletries, etc. What we did was bring a sock holder, not a shoe holder, but a 12 pair plastic see-through sock holder with a hanger and hung it on the bathroom door. This made it very convenient to see everything and have it all in one handy place. Ship's Newsletters: All ships have a daily newsletter. However, the Radiance of the Seas has the most attractive (yellow, blue, ivory and shading throughout). The Compass provides a very nice newsletter headlined with Day One, Day Two, etc., which lists all the daily activities and other events in topic paragraphs. Accompanying the newsletter is a down sized 4.25" x 11" 4 page Compass Planner. This single letter-size page, which has been folded in half, mirrors to a smaller degree the larger sized Compass newsletter. The Planner lists everything in chronological order and is just the right size to fit in a man's shirt pocket or woman's purse. We packed a yellow highlighter to highlight the activities of interest to us. A disappointment was that the Millennium Daily was never delivered prior to 11 or 12 p.m. every evening. A complaint to the front desk indicated that they were having difficulty with the printer. However, it was every night, except perhaps once or twice that no delivery was made and we had to retrieve it from outside the door every morning. The Daily did have a single page pull out listing all the daily activities. The Maasdam's Newsletter provides a perforated section that you can tear out and fold up listing all the daily activities, along with service hours, dining hours and bar and lounge hours. And this section can then be folded and carried in your shirt pocket or purse. All ships printed other newsletters, in different languages, depicting what was happening in other cities and countries around the world. You can usually obtain these from the reception desk area. Noise On The Ships: All three ships were quiet and restful. We only recall one event that drove us crazy. One evening while on the Millennium, when we were trying to get to sleep, we could hear a cracking or noise that seemed like it was coming from the movement of the ship. We discovered, however, and much to our delight, that it was the sliding door to the balcony. We opened and closed it again and the noise disappeared. Service, Cleanliness, Etc.: We just heard that the Maasdam received a 98 inspection score from the Coast Guard. If you will notice the stats above, the Maasdam has 600 crew members to a capacity passenger number of 1266. She almost has a 2 to 1 ratio of passengers to crew members. Thus, this will indicate why we feel that the best service is on HAL's Maasdam. Yes, the service was the best. Why is that? Well, we believe that the crew tries harder; they know that tips are not automatic and that if they want any, they will have to earn them. Holland America advocates that tips are not mandatory, while the Millennium and the Radiance provide you with envelopes and guidelines on what to tip and who to tip. And they expect you to follow the guidelines. They also attach an automatic 15% tip to all bar bills. There is something to be said about feeling good and being able to add a tip to a bar bill depending on whether or not you received good service. And to provide all other persons with a tip at the end of a cruise, also depending on whether you received the expected service, is HAL's way. Breakfast: We enjoyed breakfast at the "buffets". Actually the Lido (Maasdam) and the Ocean Cafe (Millennium) are really cafeteria style. What was nice on both ships is that there is someone to help you with your tray or assist in finding you a table and bring you coffee, tea, etc. On the Radiance, it was truly a buffet. You could help yourself to whatever you wanted. However, finding a place to sit was difficult and most of the time we found ourselves outside. One did not have a tray to use, but a big huge plastic platter. So, you filled up your platter, found a seat and then got your drinks, etc. We saw no grapefruit or oatmeal on the Radiance. We enjoyed both of these items on the Maasdam and the Millennium. We tried breakfast in the Maasdam's Rotterdam Dining Room on two mornings and enjoyed this too. Each time we got a table for two. One morning we opted for this on the Millennium, but did not like it as well because they seated us with several persons at a large table who were already in different phases of eating. And they only had half the dining room or a small section open. We went to the omelet bar on the Maasdam and had a very nice omelet. On the Millennium, we had an omelet, but could not eat it because the inside was not cooked. We noticed, however, that later on they had someone else making them and he was making sure that they were cooked. One other time we ordered eggs over easy and they were good. You can also get toast or toasted bagels on the Maasdam and the Millennium, but not the Radiance. Lunch: All three ships had great lunch selections, although we would rate the Radiance last. They had less selections. One good item I had, however, was a tuna salad sandwich on a bun on the Radiance. They had tuna wraps and I provided a bun to the server and asked him to make me a tuna sandwich. And it was delicious, so much so, that I went back and got another. Dinner: We had early seating on the Maasdam and the Millennium and we opted for late seating on the Radiance. After having done it either way, we believe the early seating is better, especially if you do not spend a long day in port. We thought we would try the late seating so as to accommodate an afternoon tea or late night buffet. However, none was to be had on the Radiance. Both the Maasdam and the Millennium had high teas in the afternoon, and late night buffets but we did not try them. We did view some of them, however, and thought they were very elegant and spectacular. Why did we not try them? The 4 p.m. high tea time was just too close to a 6 p.m. dinner time and the late night buffets were just too much - after eating three meals already in a day of anything and everything that we wanted or craved. We had to draw the line somewhere. Oh yes, we did purchase a Royal Cocktails card on the Radiance of the Seas; cost is $39 + 15% gratuity for 12 drinks of choice, most house brands. And, we used it up. I am unaware if the Maasdam or the Millennium had such a program. Desserts: Desserts on both the Maasdam and the Millennium were outstanding, both in the Lido Buffet (Maasdam) and the Ocean Cafe (Millennium). And the dining room desserts were top notch. Not so with the Radiance. The Windjammer selections were OK, but not many to choose from. The desserts in the dining room were only rated OK by us, not outstanding or excellent at all. There was one angel food cake dessert with strawberries served one evening. You can get better angel food cake at the supermarket. Bread pudding on HAL and Baked Alaska, Cherries Jubilee, Chocolate Souffle, Crème Brulee on both HAL and Millennium are desserts that you should not miss. Specialty Restaurants: We did not try any of the specialty restaurants on any of the ships. In actuality, the cost or fee imposed is not limited to the set service fee, but it also includes the amount of money already spent for the dinner that you will be missing in the dining room or in the buffet if you choose to eat there instead. Also, the specialty restaurants take a longer time to eat; and this would take time away from our dancing. On the Radiance is a little known restaurant called the Seaside Cafe. Although this restaurant caters to the younger crowd, we enjoyed a hot dog and strawberry milkshake one evening. It was the last night of our cruise, after we were all packed, that we decided to go up to Deck 12 and find the place. We had some feedback on it through the Cruise Critic Boards. Up we went and ordered two hot dogs, one for each of us and a strawberry milkshake to be split between the two of us.. Our order came with the grilled hot dog in a toasted bun, smothered with onions, and with French fries, too. It was delicious. The milkshake was the only item we had to pay for. It was $3.25 and we had to get it from the bar area. The hamburgers and hotdogs on the Millennium and the Maasdam were also great. The hot dogs on all these ships are much better than the ones that you get at a sports game or even at Costco. Costco used to toast their buns - some years ago, but no more. Ice Cream: All three ships served ice cream. The best, however, was on the Maasdam. There was a soft serve selection, plus sorbets and other items that you could request of the server. Then you could help yourself to various toppings, including fresh strawberries and whipped cream. The Millennium had a similar setup, but with only a few toppings and the server added those items as requested. We had vanilla ice cream with toasted coconut and milk chocolate sauce. Very good. And the Radiance had soft serve machines that you could fill chocolate or vanilla ice cream cones or bowls with. But, they only had a bowl of chocolate syrup available. However, you could get whip cream from a huge bowl on the dessert table. The Radiance had very good cookies. We had an oatmeal raisin cookie and we dipped it in whip cream prior to every bite. It was delicious. Another item I enjoyed was the 2 x 3 inch apple rolled tart. These were available daily on the Radiance near the sweet rolls in the Windjammer Cafe. On the other side of the Millennium's ice cream section, was a similar section, serving non sugar selections. Theater: The Maasdam had the best on stage performances. The production numbers were outstanding. Next was the Millennium and then the Radiance. We made the decision not to see the last day's show on the Radiance because we did not think that the other two days were that good. The Millennium had the best theater, with wonderful plush seating with little tables for cocktails. The Maasdam was next with similar seating and then the Radiance was last. The Radiance has cup or glass holders to hold your drinks on the right arm of each seat. Sightlines on all three ships were good. We never had a bad seat watching any of the shows. The Maasdam was also the only ship that provided an artistic covered program for each of their production numbers. It was nice to follow along and know what was going to be next, etc., and also have the names of the people performing. Dancing: First, let me say that you cannot dance on a ship's deck, at least not ballroom dancing. Our style of dance requires a nice dance floor, and one needs to wear a shoe that will slide. Sport shoes, running shoes and tennis shoes, etc. cannot be worn for this type of dancing. Thus, any kind of shoe with a smooth bottom, usually a leather soled shoe is the best kind outside of a shoe made specifically for dancing. The best dance floor on all three ships was at the Colony Club on the Radiance of the Seas. It has a nice large, rectangular shaped, smooth wood floor. However, we only got to dance on the floor during the Captain's Reception. We were the first to take the step and get out on the dance floor even though the band had been playing for at least 10 minutes. On Day One, they scheduled a Quest activity. And the late night 11:00 to 12:30 am Rock n' Roll party was devoted to twist. Nothing was scheduled on Day Two other than the Captain's Reception from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. And on Day Three, they scheduled Karaoke in the Colony Club. We would have loved a variety of music, i.e., music for the Rhumba, Cha Cha, Tango, Salsa, Swing, Jive, Hustle, Fox Trot, Waltz, California Polka, etc. The second best dance floor is in the Ocean's Bar on HAL's Maasdam. We enjoyed dancing every evening both before dinner and after (prior to going to the evening show) and then again after the show. The Nevada Quartet were a great group and played requests, such as New York, New York and Pretty Woman. Such requests were made of the Radiance group and were turned down with them saying that they did not know the songs. We got the whole spectrum of the dances we liked with the Nevada Quartet. And next is the the Rendevous Lounge on the Millennium. We enjoyed dancing to Howard & Rose's music. However, we felt sorry for them after awhile because they lost power to their instruments several times during the evening and on several evenings. The Millennium's Cosmos Nightclub, Deck 11, has a beautiful dance floor, but it is not conducive to ball room dancing as one's shoe can get hung up on the ridges throughout the floor. However, we did enjoy dancing and partaking of the lessons provided by the staff. The Cruise Director, Jim Cannon, scheduled dancing one evening there with the Celebrity Orchestra and this was great. They took requests and did a good job. There should have been more activities with the Orchestra. Oh yes, I should mention the Vibz group on the Millie that usually played on the deck by the pool. They were there during the sail aways, Tex Mex Night (line dancing) and another swing night. One night they were in the Cosmos Lounge and they were very good. And they took requests and played Pretty Woman several times during the cruise. Cruise directors need to realize that many persons who do not dance enjoy drinking, big band music and watching those who do dance. Therefore, they not only need a big dance floor, but a large lounge or area for those who prefer to drink and watch. And those who dance also drink too. So, they are not losing the audience nor the big bucks spent on drinks when they provide dance activities. Pools & Whirlpools: The best ship was HAL's Maasdam. The hot tubs were hot. I did not like the T pool on the Millennium. There was no place to sit. One had to slide one's body over the metal railings and lie on them. And they were always sticky, probably from everyone's sun tan lotion. The hot tubs on the Millie were OK; however, they were not hot. The temperature was pretty mild. We enjoyed getting the kinks out in the hot tub on the Maasdam. The hot temperature really did make our bodies feel better. In all fairness, we did not try the Radiance pools. We did not have good weather on our three-day trip and thus did not feel like taking a dip. Photography & Videos: The best photography department and photographers were on the Radiance. Each one of the pictures was very good and we ended up purchasing all of the photos. We only got one on the Millennium because we did not like the others. On the Maasdam, these too, were very good and we ended buying all of them. A cruise lasting at least seven days will usually create a video of the trip at a cost of approximately $20. Fire Drills: All three ships conducted the mandatory fire drill. The Maasdam and the Millennium passed with flying colors, getting everyone to their muster stations, which were located on deck where they would be boarding the lifeboats. The Radiance, in my opinion, did not pass the test because all they did was get everyone to the muster station. We did not go outside to the deck, but simply stayed in the lounge area that was assigned to us. They did, however, call on the loudspeaker, all the persons who were missing. It is very important that you take part in the fire drills and not be the one to keep everyone waiting. On one ship, people were standing in the hot sun and they had to wait for others to arrive. And everyone should know that they should not be carrying anything with them for the fire drill. In the case of a real fire drill, you would not bring anything with you. Anything other than your body and life vest would take up more room and make the life boat weigh more. Thus, what you need to do, is pack your ID, Ship's Card and money, in a small wallet that will fit in your pocket. Medical Facility: The Millennium had the best medical facility (see embarkation above), but of course, we did not have to use the ones on the other two ships, so we really have no comment on them. We did, however, see three or four children during our cruises who were injured in some way, usually from having a door slammed on a hand. We felt sorry for these children as they had to spend the rest of the cruise with some degree of pain. If anyone needs to see the doctor, they should call first and make an appointment as the doctor will not see any one without an appointment. Of course, if it is an emergency, go directly to the facility and have someone else call and say that you are on your way. Do not sit and wait outside a closed door. Phone the number on the door as they keep the door locked and they do not know that you are waiting outside. Non Sea Days: As mentioned above, we are not enthusiastic about non sea days or visiting the ports. There seems to be a lockdown on non sea days. Everything was closed. We wanted to use the golfing features of the Millennium, but could never find anyone there. And messages left with the pro were always returned, but we could never connect to make an appointment or just to take advantage of what they had to offer. And, of course, you cannot shop on the ships while the ships are in port. So, when can one shop? They seem to be open only from 6 to midnight. And one cannot go at 6 because of dinner. And the show follows dinner and then thereafter, if one wants to go dancing, there is no time to shop. They should have the shops open all night. Sea Days: We love sea days because you can go out on your balcony and lounge around while the ship is moving. We had a very nice balcony on the Millennium with two lounge chairs. Ports: We did get off the ship in St. Thomas. It was only on the island that we found out that there was a holiday that weekend and that certain streets were closed. We took a van (carries 12) into town. The driver could not get close enough due to traffic jams, so we all got out and walked about 6 blocks. We looked around a bit and then decided to return to the ship. We should have started walking right where we were. But instead we hailed another van (almost full) and he tried to get down to the water area and make a left turn back to the ships, but was turned around by traffic personnel. He then thought he would try to outsmart everyone and went in a round about way to get back down and ended up in a huge traffic jam, so huge, that he requested everyone to get out and walk back to the ship. We ended up walking 3.5 miles that day. We suggest that you take an umbrella with you. Try to find one with a fringe or ruffle, more like a parasol. I had one and was very glad that I did. On the way back, we discovered that there were three cruise ships in port. And, of course, this added to the cause of the traffic jams throughout the city. When we visited St. Maarten, the Adventure of the Seas was docked along side the Celebrity's Millennium. The Millie really looked small next to the AOS. In St. Maarten, there is a water boat that takes you over to the shopping area. They wanted us to get off at the first stop and walk over to the other shopping area. That way, we would visit some of the shops along the way. However, after walking 3.5 miles the previous day, we were in no mood to do a lot of walking again. So, we insisted that we wanted to go over directly and they took us there. It was Sunday when we visited Nassau; thus, we did nothing much but had a milkshake at the Haagen Dazs and perused a few shops that were open. All ships provided shopping and port information, including maps and coupons. People We Met: One of the fun reasons for cruising is meeting all the wonderful people. We had Table 503 on the Millennium, very nice table for 8, at the back of the ship on Deck 5. We enjoyed meeting and talking with you Bob, Joyce, Frank, Adele, Peter, etc. On the Radiance, we had table 418, again a very nice table, for 10 this time and it was not filled. We enjoyed talking with Arnelle, Susan, David, Shirley, Charmaine, Beth and others . We also met an upcoming author, Elaine Zale. Her first novel, Wing's of Love, was at the publisher's; and after she described it to me, I knew that I wanted to read it. Sun, Rain, Wind: You should be aware that you may get sunburned, even while not in any direct sun. Be careful as you may receive indirect sunshine through reflections off the water, glass or in other ways. Prior to the cruise, get a good hair cut, one that will not be bothered with the wind because it will be windy while on the ship. Pack an umbrella for use when it rains and when the sun is shining. You will be glad you did as the sun gets very hot when walking around the various islands. And, if you are in the Pacific Northwest or even going to Alaska, you may need it for rainy weather. Improvements That Could Be Made: (1) One thing that really bugged us was the lack of toilet seat covers in all public restrooms on the RCL ship. We were used to having use of them on the Millennium and the Maasdam. (2) Why have a beautiful dance floor like the one on the Radiance and not use it? One evening it was devoted to Karaoke. Activities like this, along with Bingo, could function very well in the theater. (3) The ship's director should make sure that the events take place as scheduled; i.e., line dancing was scheduled for 2:30 p.m. and Trivia was scheduled for 3:00 p.m. in the same area. The person conducting the Trivia arrived 10 minutes early and had to take on a quick line dance class to pacify the persons who arrived and had been waiting for the last 20 minutes. The line dance teacher never did show up. This happened on the Radiance (5/25/02). Disembarkation: The last morning on any ship and subsequent travel to the airport always takes time. Leaving the Maasdam took the longest and the line at the airport was the worst. Imagine more than 2000 people (from several ships) arriving at the airport back in March of 2001. Waiting around the ship took hours going through customs and then disembarking. The Millennium was better because we had Captain's Club privileges and got off the ship fairly fast. It was waiting outside trying to hail a taxi cab. There were no orderly lines and everyone was trying to grab, grab, grab. And of course, it takes all day to fly home. The Radiance was OK. However, we had to fill out disembarkation information indicating that we did not have an airplane to catch. Consequently, we had to wait until nearly 10:00 to get off the ship, until they called our Lavendar color. One does not mind waiting if one has an idea of how long, but of course, no one could tell us this. And the waiting had to be in the public areas, no waiting in the cabins, which had to be vacated by 8:00 a.m. So, we sat around for 2 hours. Once off the ship, however, it went fairly fast. We did call the evening before with the question of how we were going to get our luggage to the car parked in the parking garage. The person at the reception said that all you have to do it get a porter and he will take you with your luggage to your car. The porter that we got informed us that he could not cross the street, but he did say that he would take us to the elevator that will get us to the sky bridge. So, once we got on the elevator, we had to maneuver our luggage across the sky bridge and to our car, which fortunately was on the same level, Level 4. We are addicted to cruising. This is our 15th cruise in less than four years and we have the Caronia booked for August 31st We hope to make many more. This is a lengthy review. We tried to be as thorough as possible so that the reader would have a very good idea of what it would be like to cruise on the Maasdam. This was our first cruise on the Maasdam and we came away with some mixed feelings for Holland American Line. AN UNEXPECTED CRUISE: Our cruise agent sent us a special they had just received from HAL. It seems they needed to fill some cabins on the Maasdam for their July cruise to the Baltic and they called their top agencies with a very special discounted price. It didn't take us very long to decide it was to good an offer to turn down. We have just returned from that cruise and we will share our experience with you. As we have said in past reviews, we all look at things from a different perspective. When you read this review please remember it is only our opinion and youhave to discern for yourself if our tastes are similar to yours. We will give you an honest, straight forward opinion of what we feel were the highlights and the negatives of our cruise. Maasdam: Holland America Line; 55,000 tons; 1,266 passengers; crew of 618; launched 1994 , 720 feet long; 101 feet at beam; Dutch Officers and Indonesian-Filipino crew; 9 passenger decks. PACKING FOR THE CRUISE: It seems our society is becoming more casual each day. We enjoy getting dressed up. To us it's one of the nicest features of cruising and it is very appealing to us. That is one of the reasons we look forward to the formal nights. There is something very elegant about being among a group of people who are all dressed for the occasion. But the dress code on this cruise seemed to have gone down hill. Nobody. seemed to pay to much attention to the suggested attire of the day. We could only spot a few tuxedoes among the passengers on formal nights and there was even a few who entered the dining room in jeans or cut offs We hope that the casual trend doesn't become the norm for the cruise lines. If it does, cruising will have lost a lot of its appeal. EMBARKATION: We flew to a rainy Stockholm from a sunny day in Oslo. We had a Limo pick-up at the Airport, and arrived at the terminal at 14:20. Very smooth, The check in process was NOT as efficient. Even though we arrived somewhat late (Embarkation started at noon) there were HUGE lines. A major problem we immediately encountered was a lack of information. Both on the part of employees conducting the process who seemed untrained, and the fact that they had no true help desk (just an individual who could explain what to do if your bags were lost). Person number 1 had to ask person number 2 who could answer our question etc… The Terminal was an old warehouse were they had put up a line of tables and had representatives from HAL with portable computers who tried to checked you in. What probably made this a chaos was that NOBODY had gotten their cruise documents in advance so when we finally got to the end of the line we were given forms to fill out and had to go out of the line and start the process all over again. There was NO places to sit and NO places to fill out the forms so people were scattered all over the place NOT A GOOD START. At 4:25 we boarded but then it seemed like all the cabin stewards had gone to other duties and we had to wait 15 minutes before we were escorted to our cabin. CABIN: We had an outside cabin #755, on A Deck. It was a good sized cabin, with a queen sized bed, full pull out sofa, with adequate closet and drawer space. We are both bath persons and love having a tub. All of HAL's outside cabins have tubs but you can NEVER stretch out fully in them. The shelf space in the bathroom was very limited. On the shelf they had a very nice assortment of creams, lotions and shampoo. It was more than adequate. There was a basket of fruit on the desk area, which was replenished each day. The Television channels were very limited. CCN, two Movie channels and the rest were various HAL related programs. Our cabin steward Lewi kept the cabin immaculate. He lived up to our judgement of what is a good steward. We rarely saw him but everything that needed to be done was taken care of. But that was first after two days. What met us when we opened the door was far from pleasant. Dirty carpet, half eaten fruit, papers and information from previous guests. It seemed to us that they did NOT have enough time from disembarkation in the morning until they started Embarking. At the end of the cruise we found out why. SAIL AWAY PARTY: The sail away party was held on the aft pool deck. A steel band supplied the rhythms and we hoped this would get the cruise off to a better start. CHECKING TABLE ARRANGEMENTS: We make a habit of checking our table arrangements as soon as it is possible and we suggest you do so. If it turns out they aren't what you requested, you have a better chance of getting them changed if you see the Maitre`di as soon as you can. Because of our late booking we weren't confirmed for the late seating. We were originally seated in the middle of the lower level of the dining room, but managed to change and were seated at the back at the lower level with perfect sea view. DINING ROOM: The Maasdam dining room is unique among some of the dining rooms we have seen on our cruises. We were originally seated in the middle of the lower level of the dining room, but managed to change and were seated at the back at the lower level with perfect sea view. The ceiling above the open area is certainly a work of art. It consists of 600 to 700 individual Venetian glass shades that look like inverted petunia blossoms. They are about 18 inches at the opening and are set at four different levels but all placed closely together. Instead of a light bulb in each one, they have a filament that is imbedded in the fluted glass approximately five inches from the base. The lighted ceiling is breath taking and is truly a work of Art. The dining room walls are mostly glass, giving the diner the ability to look out at the ocean when having breakfast and lunch. The openness to the sea gives the dining room a very bright, cheerful, pleasant atmosphere. We were sorry we didn't have breakfast there more often.. What could have been another very appealing feature of the dining room was a large sunken music area on the upper balcony level, where the String Quartet played during dinner. But being on the lover level you can barely hear the music and if you can it is mostly annoying. We were VERY disappointed to find that they kept the dining room closed for lunch most of the cruise because if you don't make it for breakfast its so nice to go down to a quiet lunch in the dining room (after all you are on vacation) but NOT so on this cruise WHY?? It is now HAL's policy that on the second formal night of the cruise they reset the tables with off white damask table clothes and napkins and then they do something we have never seen done before. They completely covered the chairs with off white coverings, that were form fitting and hung to the floor. It gave a most unusual but very rich appearance. It created an elegant look that added immeasurably to the formal night atmosphere. It gave you the feeling you were going to experience something very special. But the way people dressed it was NOT so special. FOOD, MAIN DINING ROOM: The food varies a great deal from dish to dish, ranging from flavorless to divinely prepared and cooked we've had meat and fish that was over-cooked. The evening we were served Lobster Tails, they were of good size and broiled to perfection.. Each evening they gave us a choice of salad and either one was excellent. We found the desserts and pastries to be much better. They had a very good assortment and they were very tasty. Although the food was NOT ALWAYS as good as we expected the dining room service at dinner was better than the food. Actually, for us (and we think for many) the service is at least 40% of the meal. We had a wonderful group of servers, starting with Emy, our waiter, the assistant waiter, and Willy Ocuisin, the wine steward. They couldn't do enough for us. They catered to us and pampered us as if we were the only guests in their dining area. I don't think we have ever seen a group of people that were as warm, friendly and sincere as our servers. Unfortunately this was NOT the case at other occasions. There is something very appealing about the Indonesian and Filipino people. There is almost a naivete, innocence about them. Angus, a very handsome young man, was an outstanding assistant Maitre`di. On many ships the Maitre`di comes around to each table each night to say a few words so you will remember to tip him on the last night, Not. Poured water helped serve, helped clean off tables, helped serve dessert, did everything. I told him if we were in the restaurant business, we would steal him away from HAL. I think he was very pleased with that comment. THE OCEAN BAR WHERE THEY PLAYED OUR KIND OF MUSIC: The Ocean Bar is a delightful lounge where we had cocktails before and after dinner. Just as I said about the dining room crew, the lounge servers went out of their way to take care of our every need. I can't think of any other ship that serves hot hors d`oeuvres while your waiting for your cocktail order. They do on the Maasdam. One man stood out in this. His name was Edgar and he seemed to be everywhere. Whenever they had a special function he was there. But whenever we were in the Ocean Bar and he was working, he knew our names, our drinks and what we liked. A very good man. They did this every evening. And just before we would leave, Roderick would show us the dining room menu for that night so we could have an advanced look at what they were serving. In the Ocean Bar, they feature a very accomplished trio that played the kind of music we like. That good old forties & fifties music. That romantic music of that period that makes you want to hold your spouse just a little closer and just little tighter. I can't think of a nicer way to start an evening than to have a table in a intimate lounge and to be served hors d`oeuvres and cocktails We saw many of the same people in the lounge each evening and got to spend time with some of them. One couple we met, they, had cruised 26 times and have traveled extensively. We found we had a lot in common with them and intend to keep in touch through E-Mail. The piano player and leader of the group, was an exceptional piano player. He had a very small keyboard on top of the piano, with which he could create all the different sounds of an orchestra. He played one of a Jack Jones hit songs, ‘Here's That Rainy Day,' that was as good a rendition as we have ever heard. If you like to dance, or if you just like to listen to some good music, spend some time in the Ocean Bar. If you would like to hear something special, ask the group to play, ‘Here's That Rainy Day.' We never went to the Crows Nest, a disco lounge, at the top of the ship. We understand it was very nice but it's not our choice of music. We understand they also served hot and cold hors d`oeuvres. PIANO BAR: There is also a piano bar on the upper promenade deck. Keith Kerslake keeps things lively by getting the group to sing along with him. We didn't participate but we passed the entrance two or three times a night and he always had a good crowd and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. If you sail the Maasdam, you will be impressed by the two magnificent huge bouquets of flowers on each side of the entrance. This might be the time to tell you that we have never seen as many beautiful floral bouquets as we saw on the Maasdam. But there is more to a cruise than nice flowers EXPLORERS LOUNGE: The Explorers lounge has a very unusual setting. What normally would be a wall facing the deck area, is instead the back of the lounges that have very comfortable seating for two's and four's and sixes. It gives the lounge a very open feeling. On the right hand side is a slightly raised area, again with lounges but with higher backs which gives you the impression you are in a separate room. In this area is a small bandstand that is the home of the String Quartet. They play there every night but unfortunately this is badly placed as this is a highly trafficked area and it is often difficult to hear It would have created a more intimate space if there had been a divider between the lounge and the walkway. HIGH TEA: This was a disaster and one of our saddest experiences It is served in the Rotterdam dining room from 3:30 to 4:00.??? Which is too short for ANYONE to get served. It is supposed to be white glove service and was NOT done very well but what can you do in half an hour with 500 passengers present.?? They served tea and an assortment of finger sandwiches, Petit Fours and pastries, but it seemed they worked on the principle of estimating how many would show and making an exact number of items. They ran out of everything except tea. And there were two tables that never got served at all. Once again we had a dirty cup, but this time it was ON THE TABLE. Roger was exasperated to see that the entire tray of cream cakes went to one table near us (they hadn't been served any sandwiches earlier), Right after the waiter had given Mike more tea. He ignored MY empty cup and didn't notice that Mike was using cream (although the tea in the cup clearly had cream in it and he had served us both earlier). Note: We blame Management in this entirely. Staff needs to be trained better if they are to use such a tight timetable and as a matter of fact better training would ensure the staff uses a more thorough method of keeping track of who has and has not been served. It might also be that the staff is NOT familiar with the "Theme" of "high tea" but then again this goes back to the training of personnel. Recommendations: MOVE the tea to the explorer lounge. This room creates a much more intimate feeling. ALSO PLEASE give people just a little more time for serving tea in the future. At least 2 hours is required. half an hour is a joke if you should provide any quality service for such an event. JAVA CAFE: The Java Cafe is a place that serves Coffee, Cappuccino, Coffee Latte, and chocolate chip cookies from 9:00 in the morning till 4:00 in the afternoon, ALL FOR FREE. It's right across from the Wajang Theater. The cute little girl that takes care of this venue is Evangeline. She is as sweet and fresh as the morning dew. When we cruise we usually have two cups of Cappuccino or Coffee Latte each day, at a cost of $2.50 a cup or $10.00 dollars a day. Because of the recent wave of cruise lines charging extra for many items, it's even more impressive that Hal includes this in their ticket price, ALL FOR FREE! THE LIDO LUNCH AND ALTERNATE DINNING ROOM: The food was good. For breakfast they made eggs to order. At lunch time they had 4 or 5 hot meat dishes each day and a very good variety of lunch items. They also have a very nice salad bar. There is also an area where they display assorted pastry with an attendant standing by to serve you. Toward the later part of lunch they put the pastries and assorted sandwiches in a cylindrical refrigerated display case that rotates. When you decide what you want you wait till it comes around and when you open the door it stops rotating and you can take out your selection. If you would like to hear a little piano music while your having lunch, go to the port side of the Lido in the aft section, and you will find it makes for a very pleasant lunch. Part of the Lido is used for alternate dinning. The tables are plain and they have a limited menu. Its popular for families that have been ashore and don't feel like getting dressed up for dinner and for those who are looking for a more relaxed atmosphere. Note: the first day we ate Lunch here and Roger had a rude awakening. Although he liked the prime beef and thought it great they had bread pudding for lunch, he found an entire tray of Dirty Cups setting to be used as clean. MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THIS: Roger didn't misunderstand, these cups were inverted sitting on a tray and had been through a dishwasher. But they get really grimy when hot chocolate or many coffees are served in them. These should have been hand scrubbed they were so bad, but it didn't get done. It sets a bad tone when you see this…and the steward said the guests do that (believe me these came out of the kitchen this way). LIDO ICE CREAM BAR: One of the most popular places on the ship is the Lido ice cream bar. You can get four different flavors of ice cream and they change every day. You can also get Yogurt in a waffle cone..After you get your ice cream they have an area that you can get all the fixings to make a sundae, fresh whipped cream, chocolate, butterscotch, raspberry syrup, every kind of nuts, shaved chocolate, sprinkles or just about anything else you can use with ice cream. IT'S ALL FOR FREE. A day never went by that we didn't at least make one visit to the ice cream bar, and we have the weight to show for it. THE POOL AREA: The Maasdam has a very nice pool area. The first thing that catches your eye is a bronze sculpture by the steps of the pool featuring five leaping dolphins. It's a very beautiful piece of art. The pool has a five foot area extending from the coping that is flooded with 6-8 inches of water. It's very enjoyable to lay down with your back against bench, surrounding the pool, and have the water slosh back and forth across your body, with the movement of the ship. There are two Jacuzzi's adjoining the pool. The pool has a sliding glass paneled roof enclosure that can be closed when it rains or partially closed to block out the wind for evening deck parties. At one end of the pool is the Pool bar with a charming seating area with tables & wicker chairs. On the opposite end of the pool is a Frank & Hamburger grill. Adjoining this area is a another cooking station where you can get various kinds of Semi-Mexican food. In truth it isn't all that much as it also produces various pasta and barbequed chicken (or grilled fish at times). The problem for us is that we lived in States of Arizona/New Mexico, and for us Mexican Food means Taco's, Burritos, Enchaladas, Chimi's etc. What they have tasted good, but it wasn't all that Mexican. A chef stands by to assist you in making a choice. There is another very nice pool with abundant lounges on the lower deck at the aft end of the ship. This area is a nice quiet hide away from everything and offers Great views. Note: the first 24 hours both pools were very cold, but by the beginning of day three, they were very warm and in fact too warm just before returning to Stockholm. What could have been another very nice touch by Holland American is that at 11:0'clock in the morning they serve lemonade to everyone on the open decks but if you are a minute late they are out, and at 3:0'clock in the afternoon they serve ice tea to everyone with the same result at 3.05 they don't have it anymore. STOP TEASING if you are offering a treat to your guest at least give them a chance to get what you offer. ENTERTAINMENT: This is not a strong point with HAL. I think they cater to a clientele that doesn't consider entertainment that important. I think they concentrate on other amenities that are much more appealing to their cruisers. The best that can be said for the production shows is that they were nice. CAPTAINS PARTY: Started out nicely but where was the captain or staff from the bridge?? We think they missed a great opportunity to add additional enjoyment to the occasion. They had the Maasdam show orchestra on stage. They played the great standards and everyone was tapping their feet to the rhythm but no one ever made a announcement inviting the guests onto the stage to dance, which is done on most ships. We all sat in our seats for 50 minutes waiting for the Captain to be introduced but no one from the bride or the captain ever showed as a matter of fact we were kindly asked to leave to give room for first seating evening entertainment. And this was done by the Cruise Director, not a ship's officer. CASINO: Quite small. Very little action. I think this is another example of Holland American knowing their clientele. They put their money and efforts into the areas they know their guests prefer. STAFF: Most of Ships Officers are Dutch or from former Dutch possessions. Although Roger believes one of the Officers said they were from Sierra Leone. The Entertainment and Shore Excursion Staff seem to be from the USA, primarily. Those working in the Casino, Shops and Spa are from England. The rest of the crew seems to be from Indonesia, the Philipines, or a few scattered locatins in SE Asia. But all were able to understand English fine. The only real problem it seemed to us, was that they need to train some of their staff better, and in fact it did appear many were new and had just been assign on the ship. SHORE EXCURSIONS: We took three shore excursions. Living partly in Scandinavia we knew the Scandinavian countries well and did NOT go ashore in Helsinki, Visby and participated in the City-tour of Stockholm ESTONIA TOUR 57003 - Panoramic Tallinn- what can we say - the weather was bad and our Guide spent half the trip telling us how poor she was and that she needed money as their economy is so bad. The highlight of the tour was the GOOD LAUGH we all had when she told us her husband built their house from the tip money they got in the past. We had expected a level of professionalism, and not just a long request for money…we are not heartless, and we do know all too well what the Nazi's, the Russians and others did to this country. We do care that people have had problems, but they need to be trained not to solicit like this. ST: PETERSBURG TOUR 24815- Peterhof & Pushkin Palace, Full Day Tour- We think our Guides name was Ina. At any rate the weather was far better and this guide was professional, candid and good at expressing herself. We think this was quite a contrast and we recommend this tour highly. TOUR 24814- Hermitage Museum & Peter and Paul Fortress, Full Day Tour- Again good weather and a professional guide. She was honest and good at expressing herself. She had a sense of humor and told us more about their history and culture than you'd expect to have time for. Again we recommend this tour highly. As expected both days in St. Petersburg were the high point of the cruise. FRONT DESK AND DISEMBARKATION: THIS WAS DIFFICULT FOR US TO WRITE. Neither of us likes to have confrontations and both think the epitome of good service is to give reasoned and appropriate responses to REASONABLE requests. We received and "DISEMBARKATION FORM" laying on the bed the first day on the ship. It was associated with an old ships news letter. As these were together, Roger thought the previous passengers left it there. Note that the "DISEMBARKATION FORM" was dated for 23 July 2000. As we came aboard on the 23rd and knew that some passengers had taken a city tour that day, we thought they just left the thing there. Now, we were to receive another copy of the "DISEMBARKATION FORM" this time showing our correct date of disembarkation (30 July 2000). It had an ominous statement that those who had not turned in "the previous form and failed to submit this form by 0900 28 July 2000, would be placed in an independent group. " This was essentially what they said. One part of the form required information as to how we would leave. We reported we had Air arrangements already and that we had no prearranged ground transport. The form asked if HAL could offer us a trip to the Airport via a buss for $ 85 each. It also offered a city tour for $ 115 each that ended at the Airport. We already knew that we could get a Taxi to the Airport for $ 94 (both of us together that is, not $ 94 each). We were on another line that allowed us to tag our bags so that they were placed in a room until we claimed them. After disembarkation we claimed them and went our way. We asked the Front Desk Staff about the possibility of remaining on board till 10:30 or 11:00 and then claiming our bags. We decided to ask if later disembarkation were allowed, BEFORE filling in the form. This is when things fell apart. Roger mentioned that we would have turned the form in sooner if only it had been dated correctly. They admitted the form was dated wrong and it was a mistake but not to worry, it was OK. Meaning what we wondered, we certainly hadn't done anything wrong. But we asked what an independent group was. They couldn't explain. OK...The Ships Policy is that everyone has to get off the ship a.s.a.p. But this isn't stated…. Instead we got the run around and excuses. They said we had to be out of the room no later than 9 am. Fine. Roger has been a manager and supervisor and understands that sometimes a rule is inflexible and unalterable. He also knows that it is still true that you can't find out if you don't ask! So, we asked about the bags going off first and if we could stay on board till 11:00 thus making our delay at the Airport shorter. We were told there was no where to keep our bags. Also, that the bags HAD to go off immediately. As no one could be responsible for our bags, they might just disappear. Nice. It was also ironic to hear this as HAL lost seven peoples bags before they boarded. We said just to tell us it wasn't allowed and be done with it. But we were referred to another Officer (in charge we were told) who repeated the whole charade about baggage and customs, etc. As no one left us any other option save a Taxi, we decided to try the city tour and we completed the form and turned it in. Tempers on our part had not flared yet. But now we were told that we had to tell the Shore Excursions Desk so we could arrange the tour. We asked why the people forcing us to make our decision that night couldn't relay our request to the Shore Excursions Desk. This was closed already, as they well knew. AND we were ashore on a tour during the time the forms were distributed and didn't have time to sprint up there after arriving back at the ship at 4:45pm (they close the Shore Excursions Desk at 5 PM!) So we left for dinner. The next morning in Visby we talked with a member of the Shore Excursions Staff and were told there would be no tour in Stockholm as they wouldn't have made any money on it…less than ten passengers had signed up…OK…So the bus to the Airport was all we could have…but why isn't there an information exchange between the Front Desk and Shore Excursions…how about a call to your room tell you….? If we had not gone down to speak to the Shore Excursions Staff as they were leaving to take people into Visby …well we'd have found out the next day we suppose, but, this isn't good service. If HAL has had 125 years of such good experience why does something like this happen? We believe it could have been easily prevented. Note: We watched the bags go off the next day and there was no customs off the boat. Our bags were not protected from the weather at all and were put over next to the busses!!!! YET, we were held on the ship while many others got off and all the ones going ON the busses (we think) went under a tent. Double nice!!! There was no rain, we got off the ship and picked up our bags. We got a Taxi and were at the Airport in 20 minutes. So, it turned out alright after a fashion. But the run around at the desk was just a waste of time and the buss was just a money maker. Not a service. Over all we had an enjoyable HAL cruise besides what is mentioned but for HAL to live up to their standard of "excellence" They have to do a considerable change in certain areas. We keep notes on our previous cruises since we have our reviews posted on several web sites, we have received a huge amount of mail, asking all kids of questions and asking for our suggestions on various aspects of cruising. We have learned that many of the readers rely heavily on reviews for making critical decisions about when and where and with what line they will make their next cruise. We feel a deepened responsibility to review readers and also to the Cruise lines, that the information that we convey is truthful and honest and as thorough and as unbiased as possible. Because of that realization, we kept a small notebook with us at all times during this cruise and jotted down the things we thought would be of interest. The results of which is this review. A Note about the survey: We feel that it is NOT right to request a survey to be turned in BEFORE the cruise has ended because the Disembarkation is part of a cruise as well, and because it ALWAYS takes time to digest what you have experienced. By forcing the guest to fill out a survey during the last part of the cruise, it diminishes the ability to accurately rate the cruise in an objective way.

Finland is a highly developed nation with a tiny population and some of the most pristine landscape in Europe. Some of the best things to do here are hike through the national parks, jump into a spa or sauna or watch the northern lights dance in Lapland. The capital, Helsinki, is one of the safest and most convenient cities in the world and the small towns and cities outside of Helsinki are comfortable and rich in history. Finland was long a country of hunters and trappers and actually just recently became a fully-fledged nation — compared with other European nations — so if you go here, the natural beauty will probably be the biggest draw. Visas & Passports Passports are required to enter and leave Finland. Visas are not required for US citizens for visits of less than 90 days. For longer visits, contact the nearest Finnish embassy. Obtaining a US passport The US Government Website is where to start. The Finnish Embassy in Washington has links and contacts to Consulates near you. Finland currently promotes the Shengen Visa on their Embassy website, this visa allows you to travel through 25 different European countries. Provides consular assistance to U.S. citizens The American Embassy in Finland Itäinen Puistotie 14 B Finland Tourist Information Culture and History This far northern region of the world has been inhabited for at least 10,000 years. After the last Ice Age ended and the glaciers receded, hunters and gatherers roamed the forests, bay and mountains of present-day Finland fishing its plentiful waters and hunting the bountiful game. These hunters settles here and carried on with their lives for the next 5000 years until the Bronze and Iron Ages ushered in contact with neighboring Scandinavian and Baltic cultures. There was an inevitable mixing of the peoples, but no one is sure when the Finns began speaking Finnish or how. The language is relayed to Ugric (Hungarian) and as such has Central Asian roots, but since the region was largely inhabited by trappers, hunters and fishermen, it is unclear what the course of history was. In the 13th century, Swedish kings entered the region and established their control. For the next 600 years, Finland became a battleground between the Russian and Swedish Empires and when they were not at war, they occupied Finland, incorporating the land and its people into the empire. During these years, Finnish was the language of the “lower class” and only in the 17th century did the first Finnish language literature appear. After the Russians occupied and held Finland into the 19th century, a national movement arose along with a greater appreciation of the local language: Finnish was granted equal legal status with Swedish in 1892. When the Russian Tsars ceased to exist after the October Revolution in 1917, Finland found itself “independent” for the first time in 1000 years. At the time, the country was divided between the Right Wing (Whites), supported by Imperial Germany and the Social Democrat (Reds), supported by The Bolshevist Russia i.e. the future Soviet Union. A civil war tore the country apart and left deep scars in the psyche of the people that last to this day. The Whites emerged victorious and imprisoned, disenfranchised and executed their former enemies. An independent Finland formed a republic and began land and economic reforms that lasted into the 1930s and the beginning of WWII. The Winter War between the Soviet Union and Finland was the first major test of the new nation and after dealing the Soviets several crushing defeats, the Finns were recognized by the international community for their tenacity, bravery and determination and the Finns themselves gained a stronger sense of self. Unfortunately, the international community was all talk and no action, so Finland has to cede large parts of land to the USSR after the war. During the Cold War, Finnish politicians kept a cozy relationship up with the USSR, even though Finland as not a member of the Warsaw Pact and had a market-based economy. After the USSR collapsed in 1989-90, Finland searched for trading partners to make up for the loss of revenue and entered a depression that lasted much of the 1990s. Today Finland is a quiet little country with a sound economy, well-cared for environment and an aging population that tries to keep to itself. Currency in Finland Finland uses the Euro Driving in Finland There are no big issues for Americans who want to drive in Finland. The roads are in good condition and Finland recognizes national driver’s licenses accompanied by a Finnish translation. The biggest worry you might have is driving in winter, when the roads become icy and visibility drops. AlltravelFinland has a helpful breakdown of things you need to know before you drive here. Electricity in Finland Americans will need to have a converter for their appliances here — Finland uses the Europlug Type C (two round plugs) and operates on 220-230v Emergency Numbers in Finland Like the other 27 countries of the EU, Finland uses 112 for their emergency calls — here is a link to more information about emergencies in Finland, how to make the call and what to expect. Etiquette in Finland Finns are generally conservative, self-sufficient and egalitarian. Women are equals in language, custom and practice and it is appropriate to greet the wife first when meeting a married couple. If a Finn invites you for a dip in the sauna, accept. Always. Other small tips such as avoiding body contact with new accquaintences, keeping your word and avoiding ostentatious behavior can be read here at Kwintessential or here at Ediplomat. Public Hours in Finland Longer business hours apply in Finland for most shops — 8am – 8:30pm during the week, depending on the shop. Shops are usually open on Saturday from 9am to 3pm or as late as 6pm. For more information check out Finland-Travel. Helsinki was once rated the World’s Second Safest City. Outside of Helsinki the crime rate drops considerably — although the capital will have a few shady nightlife areas, Finland is for the most part a very safe place to travel. Nevertheless, practice common sense concerning money, drinking and important documents. The time zone in Finland is GMT + 2:00, you can find more information here at Greenwichmeantime.com Tipping in Finland Tipping neither expected nor encouraged. The price given is usually fair and appropriate and giving any more than that is unnecessary. We would recommend giving tips only in exceptional cases. Weather in Finland Finland is between the coastal climate zone that includes the rest of Scandinavia and the Asian continental climate zone which includes Russia. This makes weather patterns in the country subject to quick and extreme changes, especially in winter. Generally, winters are cold and wet while summers are hot and slightly rainy. There can be serious extremes in summer or winter so be sure to check up on Wunderground.com or Finland’s own Climate site for specific information. Getting Around Finland There are direct flights to Helsinki from New York and San Francisco, contact Finnair for more information. From within Europe, direct flights can be spendy, but there are budget carriers such as RyanAir that might offer good deals. Most other airlines in Europe have flights to Helsinki, here is a list — you can check your local or favorite airline for deals. Boats and Ferries The best way to get to Finland is via Ferry from one of the Scandanavian countries, Germany and Estonia. The ferry ships are outfitted for fun and comfort and the scenery is great. There are several sites that offer ferry information and ticketing, including Karavaanarit, Finnguide and Directferries. Land routes to Finland are long and expensive and involve ferry rides anyway, so why not just take the ferry? There are overland border crossing between Sweden and Finland and it is possible to book a bus ticket to Finland from Continental Europe, but it really makes no sense. If you are determined to do so, Eurolines is your best bet. If you are in Norway, Lapin-Linjat has all of the connections. Within Finland, there are good bus connections between Helsinki and other major and minor towns and cities, the best place to book those tickets is Matkahuolto. It might be a good idea to rent a car in Finland for your trip. All major rental companies are available in Helsinki and you can book before hand through their websites or through a host of local agencies. No permit is required to carry medication in your luggage for personal use. However, you should pack your medication in its original containers and/or have your doctor’s prescription with you. Customs officials will have to be satisfied that you are not importing more than would be necessary for your personal use, taking into account the drug type and length of stay (for no more than three months). Finnish clinics and hospitals are generally considered to be excellent — they are available for 24 hour emergencies and most hospitals will have English-speaking staff. The US Dept. of State has more information as well as links. Lodging in Finland Visit Finland has complete information for accommodations as well as trip planning, major sights and more. The tourism industry in Finland is highly developed, it is possible to stay in rural B&Bs, high end hotels, resorts or backpacking hostels. Main Sights of Finland Lemmenjoki National Park — gold panning center of Finland and a wilderness for trekkers Oulanka National Park — treks through forests and gorges with waterfalls and rivers on all sides Old capital of Turku — historic first university and church Mikkeli — WWII military center of operations, freshwater fishing heaven and provincial town on the beautiful Lake Saimaa Helsinki — capital and center of modern Finnish life Lapland — removed from the rest of the world and lit up by the aurora borealis for six months out of the year Public Holidays in Finland Finland keeps many of the traditional religious holidays and not much more. Midsummer’s Eve is a big holiday in Finland. 1 January New Year’s Day 6 January Epiphany Good Friday Friday before Easter Sunday Easter Monday The day after Easter Sunday 1 May May Day Ascension Day 39 days after Easter Sunday Pentecost 49 days after Easter Sunday Midsummer Eve Friday between 19 June and 25 June Midsummer Day Saturday between 20 June and 26 June All Saints’ Day Saturday between 31 October and 6 November 6 December Independence Day 24 December Christmas Eve 25 December Christmas Day 26 December St Stephen’s Day Telephones in Finland Mobile phones are very common in Finland and it is a good idea to buy a second-hand phone at a mobile phone shop or R-kiosk upon arrival along with a SIM card — this will be the cheapest and most convenient option if you are calling people within Finland. Expat-Finland has more information Useful Country Codes: USA and Canada 1 Returning to the US Finland’s Customs, VAT refund and Duty Free Regulations adhere to EU-wide standards for Americans leaving the EU. You can find more specific information here by reading the Finnish Customs publications. VAT is 22% for most goods and services.

Il Castello di Sismano sovrasta un antico borgo medievale arroccato sulle colline vicine all’antica via Amerina, a 15 minuti da Todi. Una ristrutturazione rispettosa dello spirito architettonico originale ed attenta ai minimi dettagli, ha permesso la realizzazione, nel borgo, delle undici suite arredate con mobili d’epoca e dotate di tutti i comfort. In estate, la piscina salata, in inverno il fuoco dei camini fanno di Sismano un angolo di paradiso dove riscoprire i ritmi naturali, il silenzio e la storia. Nelle antiche cantine del castello c’è il Ristorante "I Due Papi", punto di riferimento per la cucina Slow Food e prodotti a "chilometro zero". Qui le ricette della tradizione esaltano la qualità dei prodotti provenienti, per la maggior parte, dall'azienda agricola biologica dell'agriturismo: pasta fatta in casa, arrosti misti e “fiorentine" di chianina cucinate a vista sulla brace del grande camino sono le specialità come pure marmellate, olio extravergine, formaggi, che possono essere acquistati direttamente. Il Castello di Sismano, situato a meno di un’ora dalle più importanti città d’arte, è il luogo ideale dal quale partire alla scoperta delle meraviglie dell’Umbria. 4,6 su maggio 18, 2014 Three generations of our family stayed in one of the country apartments _ perfect for child and grownup alike and a complete break from screens and other intrusions. We had dinner at the cozy castello restaurant with a roaring fire in the background. Altogether one of the best vacations we've ever had as a family. 5 su agosto 04, 2013 We first went to Sismano for the opening of a well curated art exhibition "Per un arte fluida", a few weeks ago. There we met Ginevra, the lovely owner of the castle, who suggested we should come for dinner to the "2 Papi" Restaurant. So we did a few days later. The atmosphere was magical, with just a few tables placed in the garden with a view towards the unspoilt hills. The food was excellent, all sourced locally. We loved the varied antipasti. The service was professional but also very warm; the chef came to our table to describe the dishes and make sure we enjoyed our dinner. In all of this, Ginevra came to say hello and gave us an insight in the estate's history. We were also given a private tour of the exhibition. Italy as it should be...... 5 su maggio 22, 2012 We stayed in the Castello Sismano a wonderful bed and breakfast near Todi. We were really impressed from this beautiful castle and enjoyed the calmness. You get the lovely feeling of being set back in a different time period. The rooms are beautiful and very clean. For us the most amazing part of staying at Sismano was enjoying its restaurant "I Due Papi". The food was excellent and convenient since we did not have to leave the hotel in order to enjoy amazing food. The castle is very well located since you can easily reach culturally important places around. All in all, Castello Sismano is an insider's tip! 4,0 su aprile 13, 2012 Nel mese di Marzo 2012 abbiamo avuto il grande piacere di soggiornare nell'antico borgo del Castello di Sismano, e di conoscere personalmente la gentilissima proprietaria, la marchesa Ginevra Sanminiatelli, con la quale abbiamo avuto modo di conversare assai gradevolmente Mia moglie ed io ci siamo trovati benissimo nella splendida "Suite Dei Tetti", molto suggestiva ed assai particolare, ed abbiamo cenato veramente con gusto nel caratteristico Ristorante "I due Papi". Ci siamo rammaricati soltanto di non essere potuti rimanere piu' di una notte, ma a questo sono sicuro rimedieremo non appena ci sara' nuovamente possibile. Saremo comunque lieti di consigliare ai nostri amici di trascorrere almeno un paio di giorni nell'Agriturismo, perche' siamo certi che ne saranno pienamente soddisfatti. 4,6 su aprile 28, 2011 Un posto incantevole immerso nelle colline Umbre, da ammirare per tranquillità, buon cibo, camere confortevoli, servizio ottimo, gentilezza e cortesia del personale, divertimento, un piacevole soggiorno! 4,0 su aprile 28, 2011 We (one adult, three kids) spent a most wonderful long-weekend at the Castello in March, the staff were fantastic with the kids requests and not only, the rooms were great and the food delicious. Many thanks specially to the chef who went to great lenghts to make every body happy. Worth it every penny, will definetly go back. 4,8 su agosto 23, 2010 We stayed in Castello di Sismano and discovered the best of the best.Friendly and helpfull people, The chef of the restaurant asked what we want to eat the next day and always it was outstanding,also the older people who're living around the wall are making that this is Italy at it best. And lets not forget the lady of the Castello with her lovely smile who will help you with all information needed THIS IS HEAVEN ON EARTH 5 su giugno 27, 2010 Well where do I start? Arrived on Saturday with my girlfriend for our 4th anniversary and was warmly greeted by the owner who, after some usual paperwork and checking in, took us to our room. Each room was designed differently and we were in the "I Vasi" room which means "The Vases". The rooms were spacious, very clean and tidy, ready for new guests, us. :) After leaving our stuff in the room we had a look around the estate. The castle was beautiful and the fields were stunning. We then went straight for the pool and then some relaxing in the sauna. Before we knew it was dinner time and we were hungry, so decided to eat at the hotel restaurant, “I Due Papi”. Again, this was lovely! The food was fantastic and the service next to none. The staff were always on the ball and the food came promptly even though it was a busy night. We retreated to our room and before we knew it, it was morning. After a good night’s sleep and some fantastic home-made breakfast we went to the local town for some site seeing and then headed back to the hotel to relax and have dinner at the hotel. After another great night sleep we were sad to be leaving in the morning. :( Our stay in Sismano was lovely and would recommend anyone and everyone to go. The staff provided a great service and made our stay just that bit more memorable. We loved it so much that we are planning to go again soon. 5 su giugno 15, 2010 We were advised by friends to stop in this medieval borgo, but we could not imagine we would be feeling like princes from a fairy tale! Beautiful suite, incredible views, amazing dinner at the nearby restaurant owened by the same lady who owns the castle and who baked the cakes for our breakfast. Definitively a memorable experience! Thankyou Marchesa, we'll be back!! beautiful suite with spacious living room with working fireplace. Bedroom with kingsize bed overlooking medieval borgo and private bathroom with shower. Access to pool. Free internet and wifi provided outdoor, satellite TV, minibar and air con. Antique furniture. Comfortable double sofabed in the living room. Prezzo per notte: EUR 160 - EUR 180 Rome, Italy (ROM-All Airports) 70 miles From SOUTH (Rome): take A1 Motorway northbound and exit ORTE. Make a left and follow signs for PERUGIA. Continue following signs for TODI, PERUGIA, DERUTA, CESENA and exit at Montecastrilli-Avigliano Umbro exit (about half hour after you left motorway). Follow signs for AVIGLIANO UMBRO for 10 KM and you will find Sismano after village of Dunarobba. FROM NORTH (Florence): Take motorway A1 direction ROMA and exit VALDICHIANA. Follow signs for PERUGIA and then for TERNI, ORTE. Exit at TODI S.DAMIANO and take the road uphill on the left. At the top go left again and after 600mt go left once more at the roundabout. Opposite ESSO petrol station (on your left) there is a road with many directions (Avigliano, Vasciano, Pesciano) and SISMANO. Keep going for 8 miles leaving Todi behind and you'll find the castle on your right. From Rome Airport 1.50 minutes drive From Perugia airport 50 minutes drive Cene da gourmet, Interessi Storici, Parchi Nazionali/Statali, Zona Naturale, Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella daily produced, Servizi religiosi, Rovine Bed and Breakfast, Historic Inn, Farm Computer, Sale Conferenze, Fotocopiatrici, Dispositivo Fax, Ingresso privato, Attrezzature matrimoni, Wi-Fi , Torte fatte in casa per allietare il risveglio Aria condizionata, Scrivania, Camino, Frigorifero, Asciugacapelli, Accesso a internet , TV via cavo/satellite, TV, Telefono, Internet via cavo Escursioni, Cavallo, Caccia, Scenari, Piscina Inglese, Français, Italiano A basso contenuto di grassi , Restrictive , Vegetariano PANZANELLA (Tuscan bread salad) Cut in cubes 2-3 slices of old bread. Add 2 medium tomatoes, cucumber, carrot, celery, onion in quantities as you prefer, all chopped up in small pieces. Fresh basil, extra vergin olive oil, salt pepper and vinegar to season this plate that will have to stay in the fridge at least 2 hours, better if overnight. A great way, in summer, to recycle old bread.

Canada Hotels Ontario Ontario Don Valley Hotel & Suites175 Wynford Drive Toronto, ON M3C 1J3 Canada Hotel Rating : |HOTEL DESCRIPTION||ACCOMMODATION||HOTEL FACILITIES & AMENITIES||LOCATION| Nestled in the heart of the Don Valley Parklands, and minutes from downtown, the Toronto Don Valley Hotel & Suites is the perfect place for a resort within the city. Accessible by public transportation as well as major highways, getting to your business or leisure plans are quick and convenient. Shopping, sightseeing, food and entertainment are within a few minutes drive. The 353 beautifully designed guest rooms at our resort in Toronto, Canada feature elegant decor and functional workspaces. This Don Valley hotel in Toronto offers modern conveniences to ensure your complete satisfaction and comfort. Featuring standard rooms and suites, our resort is ideal for couples, families with children, or business travelers. For all travel purposes, our Don Valley hotel delights guests again and again. • A glass-ceiling, domed indoor pool provides year round swimming possibilities. • Outdoor Pool and Patio (seasonal) • Steam Room for Men • Sauna Room for Women • Fully Equipped Fitness Room • meeting rooms and banquet • Lobby Lounge and Patio • Room service

Date: Monday, 05 September 2011 The five-star Summer Lodge Country House Hotel, Restaurant and Spa in Evershot, Dorset has once again been recognised for its culinary prowess, winning the “Best Restaurant” in the 2011 Taste of Dorset Awards. The Taste of Dorset Awards were announced this weekend, recognising the best foodie treats in Dorset from restaurants, pubs, local food heroes, farm shops and independent food and drink producers. The “Best Restaurant” category has a particular emphasis on locally sourced ingredients, and was judged by sponsor Princecroft Willis. Summer Lodge has been nominated in this category every year of the awards’ four-year history, and has won twice. Executive Chef Steven Titman and his team serve traditional English dishes tempered with a twist of modern European. The menus offer the finest meats and the most delicately cooked fish dishes with many of the ingredients sourced from the wealth of fine produce found in the locality, and from the hotel’s own organic gardens. Signature dishes include: ‘Ceviche’ of Lyme Bay Scallops and Yellowfin Tuna Carpaccio with Pickled Vegetables, Soy and Sesame Grilled Breast of Pigeon with Golden Beetroot, Macerated Cherries and Dorset Watercress A Taste of Rare Breed ‘Middle White’ Pork with Potato Mille Feuille, Gooseberry Puree and Baby Vegetables Roast Loin of Dorset Lamb and Braised Shoulder ‘Shepherds Pie’ with Savoy Cabbage and Rosemary Jus English Strawberries with Elderflower ‘Savarin’, Lemon Balm Custard and Clotted Cream Ice Cream This is the latest in a long line of accolades that the Dining Room at Summer Lodge has received, including winner of the 'Best British Cheeseboard 2010' by The British Cheese Awards and No.1 restaurant in Dorset (plus No.2 in South West England and No.27 in Britain) according to the Sunday Times Food List, 2010. Not forgetting the importance of marrying the finest wines with the delicious menus, Summer Lodge’s world-class sommelier Eric Zwiebel is always on hand to make recommendations from the hotel’s impressive wine cellar. Eric has been named one of the world’s four most accomplished practitioners in the Best Sommelier of The World Competition and Ruinart’s UK Sommelier of the Year, for which is he now on the judging panel himself. Summer Lodge is regularly innovating and offering food-loving guests a variety of events, masterclasses and special dinners. Events this year have included a Cheese Lunch & Masterclass, a series of mushroom, hedgerow and seashore forages and an exclusive lunch event with TV chef Lesley Waters. Summer Lodge Hotel & Spa, part of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection, is a beautiful Georgian manor partially designed by Thomas Hardy. It is located in the pretty village of Evershot, surrounded by four acres of pristine gardens and boasts an award-winning restaurant and a spa, with indoor pool, sauna, beauty salon, whirlpool spa and treatment rooms.

Workout Warehouse has served Springfield, Ohio for 18 years. We are the only full service fitness center and spa in Springfield, offering an indoor heated pool, hot tub, dry sauna and steam room. We also offer Water Aerobics and Arthritis Hydrotherapy Exercise classes. Call or stop by for a tour. 4841 Urbana Road Springfield, OH 45502

The Lodge at Kingsbury Crossing - NV Stateline, Nevada - United States Property ID: 7506 If you are looking for a vacation that offers non-stop fun, Kingsbury Crossing is the place for you. A place of mountains and incredible views, this resort is a perfect place to enjoy a well deserved vacation. Spend your day on the ski slopes, then relax in the resort's spa and sauna. In the summer you can fish, hike or bike around the area, and have a nice barbeque. Take the kids to the game room, or watch a movie from the complimentary video library. Check-in Time: 16:00 Check-out Time: 11:00 Check-in Days: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday - Pet Information: Pets are not accepted; could result in forfeiture of the unit and/or other penalties. - Credit card imprint required upon check-in at the resort. - Security deposit required upon check-in at the resort. - High altitude may aggravate certain health conditions. - Please check with resort for smoking policy. - Units and pulbic areas are not air conditioned.

Book your room at Rege Hotel Standard RoomMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 1 infant) Standard Twin RoomMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 1 infant) Superior RoomMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 1 infant) Single RoomMax Occupancy: 1 guest Standard Double Room Single UseMax Occupancy: 1 guest Suburban hotel with free breakfast and free airport shuttle Located in San Donato Milanese, Rege Hotel is connected to the airport and convenient to Parco Della Pieve and Chiaravalle Abbey. This 4-star hotel is within close proximity of Circolo Arci Magnolia and Exhibition Park Novegro. Make yourself at home in one of the 112 air-conditioned rooms featuring LCD televisions. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Bathrooms have bathtubs or showers and hair dryers. Conveniences include phones, as well as safes and desks. Enjoy a range of recreational amenities, including a sauna, a steam room, and a fitness center. Additional amenities include complimentary wireless Internet access, wedding services, and a television in the lobby. Guests can get around on the complimentary shuttle, which operates within 5 km. Satisfy your appetite at the hotel's restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or stay in and take advantage of room service (during limited hours). Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge. Featured amenities include a 24-hour business center, express check-in, and express check-out. Event facilities at this hotel consist of a conference center, conference space, and meeting rooms. A roundtrip airport shuttle is complimentary at scheduled times.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us! In addition to a sauna, Rege Hotel features a steam room and a fitness center. The hotel offers a restaurant and a snack bar/deli. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. A complimentary breakfast is offered. Public areas are equipped with complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access. Business-related amenities at this 4-star property consist of a 24-hour business center and meeting rooms. Event facilities include a conference center and conference space. This business-friendly hotel also offers tour/ticket assistance, multilingual staff, and a garden. An area shuttle within 5 km and a roundtrip airport shuttle at scheduled times are complimentary for guests. The property may provide extended parking privileges to guests after check-out (surcharge). Rege Hotel is a smoke-free property. - Meeting rooms - Number of meeting rooms - 4 - Free WiFi - Free area shuttle - Conference space - 24-hour front desk - Free airport transportation - Total number of rooms - 112 - Number of floors - 6 - Free newspapers in lobby - Dry cleaning/laundry service - Express check-out - Fitness facilities - Tours/ticket assistance - Luggage storage - Express check-in - Snack bar/deli - Turkish bath/Hammam - Laundry facilities - Multilingual staff - 24-hour business center - Year Built 1997 - Conference center - Smoke-free property - Number of buildings/towers - 1 - Steam room - Television in lobby - Wedding services - Free breakfast Available in all rooms: Free WiFi Available in some public areas: Free WiFi - Free WiFi - Bathtub or shower - Room service (limited hours) - Premium bedding - Air conditioning - Free newspaper - Daily housekeeping - Private bathroom - Hair dryer - In-room safe - Rollaway/extra beds available - Cribs/infant beds available - Blackout drapes/curtains - Satellite TV service - Soundproofed rooms - Climate control - LCD TV Where to Eat Guests are offered a complimentary buffet breakfast. Onsite venue - This restaurant specializes in Italian cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Open select days. Room service (during limited hours) is available. Nearby Things to Do Recreational amenities at the hotel include a sauna, a steam room, and a fitness center. - Sauna in spa To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the “Special or Accessibility Requests" section of “Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel. - Braille or raised signage - Accessible parking - In-room accessibility Check-in time starts at 2 PM Check-out time is noon You need to know Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy. - All citizens of Italy will be charged the national value-added tax - Self parking fee: EUR 11 per day We should mention Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 999.99, due to national regulations. For further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation. This property offers transfers from the airport. Guests must contact the property with arrival details 48 hours prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. Children 3 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms. Guests can arrange to bring pets by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation.

In 1975, an aluminum dome was constructed with long archways extending from either side of the dome. Within these structures were located the various buildings which made up the main portion of the station. In addition, a separate building, known as the clean air facility, was constructed outside of the dome. Beginning in 2003, equipment from the dome was moved to the new station building. In December 2009 and January 2010, the dome was taken down. Read more about the deconstruction. More pictures can be seen in the South Pole Dome Photo Gallery. The fuel arch houses forty-five 10,000 gallon fuel tanks which have a capacity of holding a total of 450,000 gallons of JP-8. Entrance to Power Plant Walkway to Power Plant The "Blue" Room This is the cooks' territory. The Communications Building houses communications facilities and work space for the Supervisor of Infomation Systems, the Mapcon Administrator, the Communications Technician and surveyors. The Second floor of comms contains the offices for the South Pole Area Manager (SPAM), the Senior Administrative Coordinator and the Administrative Assistant as well as the Store, the Library/TV Lounge and the Pool Room. The first floor of Science includes office space for the National Science Foundation Science Rep, the Science Coordinator, the Food Services Manager, the Network Administrator, the Computer Technician, the Meteorology Department, the Science Technicians and grantees for AMANDA and ASTRO. The second floor, or Upper Berthing, is housing. It also has a bathroom, sauna and laundry room. New Power Plant Arch Tunnel to Skylab Skylab Escape Tunnel

Vacation Home in Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen - 1399 sqft, stylishly furnished with all amenities for relaxation… A lakeshore haven surrounded by nature. The holiday home "Princess Harbor" is found north of Karlsruhe, in a most beautiful bird and nature preserve. The historical boathouse was ecologically restored and stylishly furnished for relaxation and pleasure: fireplace, sauna, a green terrace, and a nature yard., key advantages: stylishly furnished with all amenities for relaxation and pleasure, 1 large living/family room with dining area, , fully equipped kitchen, upgraded interiors, clean, well furnished, spacious design, very comfortable, makes you feel at home, bright and inviting, The unit is located near the edge of the village, There is parking in front of the house available for this object, A lakeshore haven surrounded by nature. The holiday home "Princess Harbour" is found north of Karlsruhe, in a most beautiful bird and nature preserve. The historical boathouse with its 130 m² interior was ecologically restored in 2001 and stylishly furnished for relaxation and pleasure: fireplace, sauna, a green terrace, and a nature yard with roses, old apple trees, canoes, and much more... Accommodating up to 8 guests, the house is ideal for family vacations, even with small children. Princess Harbour also constitutes an ideal setting for conducting small seminars, retreats, or creative leadership workshops. The upper floor constitutes the living area. The sunlit rooms with acacia flooring are clean and stylishly furnished. The master bedroom with a quality double bed is on the lake side. Also facing the lake are the studio and dining areas. The adjacent lounge area has a wood fireplace. The Asian style bedroom holds two other rooms separate beds. Furthermore, the house has a fully equipped kitchen and two bathrooms. The green roof terrace with herb garden is drenched in morning sunlight and invites you to take breakfast outside. On the other large terrace there is a sauna for 4 persons and sun loungers. Downstairs is the former boat storeroom, now a multifunctional room perfect for gym or a workshop. Parking is available directly in front of the house. Several canoes and bicycles can be borrowed. Facilities in Short: * 130 m² living space, plus terraces, optional multifunction room (~ 50 m²) * master room with double bed * sleeping room with 2 single beds * living room with sofa bed for 2 and an extra bed * studio room with sofa bed for 2 * Wi-Fi, telephone, radio/CD player * full kitchen: fridge with freezer, kettle, coffee machine, dishwasher... * bathroom with deluxe tub and toilet * bathroom with shower and toilet * washing machine * sauna for 4 people Freely available (at your own risk): 2 canoes, 2 safety vests for kids, and 2 bicycles. Princess Harbour can be rented all year round. It can accommodate up to 8 people. Free use of canoes and bicycles. Sauna is charged per use. The additional costs for laundry and consumption are included in the prices. Minimum stay is two nights. Discount for longer stay is possible. Children under 6 years old stay for free. Location Mannheim City Airport: This unit is located conveniently near Mannheim City Airport. From Mannheim City Airport the distance to the unit at Hafenterrain 1A, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen is about 54 km (33.7 miles), approximately a 48 minutes drive by car. In addition, there are good public transportation options available for Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, in case you don't want to rent a car. At the top of this page is also a map with the exact location of the object. Rate Summary: starting prices from USD $142-$163 for 2 persons. Ab 1 Woche Aufenthalt 10% Rabatt. Sonderpreise für längere Anmietung sind möglich. Unit Size: 1399 square feet Additional Features: Internet Access, Wireless Internet, Central Heating, has a cozy fireplace, Oven, Dish Washer, Freezer, Refrigerator, Television, DVD Player, Telephone, Sauna, Outdoor Dining Area, Fireplace, Sofabed One of the most beautiful bird and wildlife havens on the Old Rhine. In the middle of the river Rhine, one of the most beautiful bird and nature reserves along the Rhine is our house "Princess Harbour." Small lakes and miles of canals winding through the lush vegetation, reminiscent in some places a little of the Amazon. From rowing boat or canoe can be explored throughout the species richness. Countless species of birds have their homes here. Heron nests are in the entwined pastures, taking their place in the crowns of mistletoe. Grebes and cormorants their circles on the water, while the next prey fish are made to dive. With a little luck you can see here the rare kingfisher. Here the Rhine meadows open to a small lake, the old port of Karlsruhe: the Port of Prince Leopold of Baden. He gave the former fishing village Schröck its present name. Leopoldshafen. Coal ships and horse drawn carts are long gone. The harbor has silted up over the last century resulted in a wildly overgrown lake. And when the sun is low over the water, the whole sea silk shines in the evening sun. It is a place of silence. Here on the banks on a 1700 m² plot of roses, old poplars and apple trees, the property is "Princess Harbour." The floodplains are ideal for long walks or bicycle tours. The extensive trail network extends to Karlsruhe and west across the Rhine into the Palatinate. In summer you can swim in numerous lakes with crystal clear water. Leopoldshafen has a bird park and sports fields. The village has bakers, butchers and supermarkets that provide us with everything. And if you want to not cook times, there are only five minutes walk from an Italian restaurant. Karlsruhe: the Fan-Shaped City Downtown Karlsruhe is just a 15 minutes drive away. Here you can visit the castle, museums, and exhibitions. The city has numerous shops and cafes that beckon the people on the sidewalks. The Federal Constitutional Court is found at the chateau location. The Surroundings in Short: * restaurant: 5 min walk * bird preserve: 5 min walk * supermarket: 5 min drive * lake: 10 min walk * bakery and butcher: 15 min walk * downtown Karlsruhe: 15 min drive; 30 min by tramway Getting There:By Public Transportation Take the train to Karlsruhe Main Station, then get on the S1 or S11 toward Leopoldshafen Station, Frankfurter Straße (then see By Car section). >> From A5, take the Bruchsal exit, direction B36, signs for Graben-Neudorf. From B36, direction Karlsruhe, exit Eggenstein/Leopoldshafen, straight after Leopoldshafen, on the main road (Leopoldstraße) till reaching the end of the village. Then left into Hafenstraße. At the end of Hafenstraße (on the right you'll see the tennis courts), the road splits in 4 ways. Take the second from the right, toward the river and over the dam. On the left side you'll find the property with a yellow and gray house behind a tall hedge. >> From A8, take the Karlsruhe junction on the A5, exit Karlsruhe Mitte. Stay on the highway until Exit B36 Neureut/Mannheim. On B36, direction Mannheim, Exit Eggenstein/Leopoldshafen, straight to Leopoldshafen on the main road (Leopoldstraße) until the end of the village, then left into Hafenstraße. At the end of Hafenstraße (you'll see the tennis courts on the right) the road splits into 4 ways. Take the second from the right, toward the river and over the dam. On the left side you'll find the property with a yellow and gray house behind a tall hedge. >> From B36, toward Mannheim, Exit Eggenstein/Leopoldshafen. Straight to Leopoldshafen on the main road (Leopoldstraße) until the end of the village, then left into Hafenstraße. At the end of Hafenstraße (you'll see the tennis courts on the right) the road splits into 4 ways. Take the second from the right, toward the river and over the dam. On the left side you'll find the property with a yellow and gray house behind a tall hedge. More travel info about Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen: Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen lies about 12 km north of Karlsruhe, and it is the site of the northern campus of a research center Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. In the west, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen borders on the Rhine River. The two villages that make up the incorporated municipality evolved from medieval villages specializing in freshwater fishing and farming. Today, gravel extraction for construction purposes is important to the local economy, as is the cultivation of white asparagus. Numerous public beaches exist on the shores of the artificial lakes that have been formed by the gravel extraction activities.

Book your room at De Prince Double RoomMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 2 children, 2 infants) Double Room, Shared BathroomMax Occupancy: 3 guests (up to 2 children, 2 infants) Single RoomMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant) Double Room (single use)Max Occupancy: 1 guest 3-star bed & breakfast with free breakfast and restaurant Located in the heart of Nijmegen, this bed & breakfast is within a 5-minute walk of St Stevenskerk, Grote Markt, and Commanderie van St Jan. Holland Casino Nijmegen and National Bicycle Museum are also within 15 minutes. A restaurant, a bar/lounge, and a spa tub are available at this smoke-free bed & breakfast. Free buffet breakfast and free WiFi in public areas are also provided. Other amenities include a sauna, a steam room, and valet parking. All 22 rooms offer free WiFi, coffee makers, and TVs.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us! In addition to a spa tub, De Prince features a sauna and a steam room. The bed & breakfast offers a restaurant. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. A complimentary breakfast is offered each morning. High-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary. This Nijmegen bed & breakfast also offers spa services and tour/ticket assistance. Onsite parking is available (surcharge). De Prince is a smoke-free property. - Total number of rooms - 22 - Free breakfast - Free WiFi - Valet parking (surcharge) - Luggage storage - Self parking (surcharge) - Smoke-free property - Spa services on site - Spa tub - Steam room - Tours/ticket assistance Available in all rooms: Free WiFi Available in some public areas: Free WiFi Self parking (surcharge), Valet parking (surcharge) - Coffee/tea maker - Rollaway/extra beds available - Free WiFi - Free cribs/infant beds Where to Eat A complimentary buffet breakfast is served each morning between 8:00 AM and noon. De Prince has a restaurant on site. Nearby Things to Do Recreational amenities at the bed & breakfast include a spa tub, a sauna, and a steam room. Check-in time starts at 3:00 PM Check-in time ends at 10:00 PM Special check-in instructions: Check-out time is noon You need to know Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy. Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges. Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed. Special cancellation policies or charges may apply for group reservations (more than 8 rooms for the same hotel / stay dates). - Tourism fee: EUR 2.50 per person, per night - Rollaway bed fee: EUR 27.50 per night We should mention Accommodations are situated at multiple addresses. Reservations are required for spa treatments. Reservations can be made by contacting the bed & breakfast prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. This property does not have a Netherlands Tourist Board rating. For the benefit of our customers, we have provided a rating based on our rating system.

More often than not, New York is seen as an urban landscape comprised of towering skyscrapers, crowded streets, and a sea of yellow taxi cabs. However, many fail to realize that the Empire State also showcases many relaxing regions where luxury and leisure unite. A prime example of a tranquil retreat is the stylish and serene village of New Paltz. And, there’s no better village vacation than Moondance Ridge Bed & Breakfast. Combining style and luxury, Moondance reflects the energy and vibe of the New Paltz/Hudson River Valley region. This fusion of outstanding amenities, a tranquil location, and nearby attractions makes for an unmatched New York stay. Built in 2005, this bed and breakfast exudes light and fresh air in a clean and open space. Choose from five luxurious suites that are teeming with style and amenities. Soak in a whirlpool tub, cuddle up by the electric fireplace, stream Netflix, or connect to Wi-Fi. Enhance your relaxation at the onsite sauna, book a blissful couples massage, or just enjoy the natural scenery. “The rooms are terrific, bright, homey, superbly comfortable, and spacious,” satisfied guest Henry Stein said. “You are surrounded by the beauty of nature outside, every physical luxury within, and the warmth of hospitality above all.” This hospitality shows itself in the creative and healthy breakfast served each morning in the dining room overlooking the certified backyard habitat. Stroll through the lush nature preserve and gardens, including a labyrinth overlooking the majestic Shawangunk Mountains. Achieve inner peace on a walk through the wooded backyard and sample the delicious flavors of local wine and cheese. “Everything was perfect: the room, the ambiance, the scenery, and the grounds,” a gracious guest said. “Breakfast was delicious in the morning and to sit and gaze out onto such a pretty woodland area made it even more of a treat. We hope that you continue with your enterprise for many more years to come because you do it all so well.” As intoxicating as the property is, there is also plenty to experience off-site. The bed and breakfast is only a mile from the heart of New Paltz village and minutes from hiking, historic sites, and wine trails. Mosey into town or travel a short distance to visit significant art installations, the Tuthilltown Distillery and the spectacular Mohonk Preserve. Stylish lodgings, luxurious amenities, and an exceptional environment make Moondance Ridge Bed & Breakfast New Paltz’s premier place to slip into serenity.

The Gailes Hotel is part of the family run Simpsinns group, with 40 modern bedrooms with state of the art amenities. Close to three championship golf courses - Western Gailes, Glasgow Gailes and Dundonald Links. The Gailes Hotel is the primary property in the growing SimpInns portfolio and is a bustling, privately owned and proudly independent 40-bedroom establishment in the heart of Ayrshire. The Gailes is a distinctive, modern hotel with state-of-the-art amenities in all bedrooms – such as internet access, plasma screens - plus a stylish bar and restaurant area for all to enjoy. The hotel’s restaurant also boasts a brand menu. For sheer indulgence why not take a closer look at the two-bedroom penthouse complete with private Jacuzzi, sauna, and external patio and barbeque area. Situated in the very heart of championship golfing territory, the Gailes is ideal for those golf breaks with the likes of Dundonald, Western/Glasgow Gailes, Prestwick and Troon all on the doorstep. A nine-hole course; driving range, gym and golf retailer are adjacent to the hotel. The Gailes was also named “Scottish Wedding Venue of the Year” (2007) and is the perfect venue for that special day with the Lagavulin Suite tailor-made to meet every need. The Gailes is also the ideal venue for business conferences and corporate meetings whatever the numbers.

The story so far: Failed author Declan Burke (right), embittered but passably handsome, wakes up one morning to find a stranger in his back garden. The stranger introduces himself as Karlsson, a hospital porter who assists old people who want to die and the hero of a first draft of a novel Burke wrote some five years previously. Now calling himself Billy, he suggests a redraft of the story that includes blowing up the hospital where he works. Intrigued, Burke agrees to a collaboration, but things do not go swimmingly, particularly when it comes to the ‘love letters’ Karlsson has written to his girlfriend, Cassie, in the form of extracts from a novel. Section 1 comes here; Section 2 here. Now read on … A GONZO NOIR / Declan Burke Sermo Vulgus: A Novel (Excerpt) As a young man in Vienna, Hitler failed to woo a Jew. A bullet tore his sleeve as he charged across No Man’s Land. Cassie, six inches could have saved the Six Million. Cassie, they say Hitler once enjoyed the company of Jews. How then can they speak so blithely of fate, destiny and procreative sex? Damn the future, Cassie; dam it up. Give me handjobs, blowjobs and anal sex. Offer me your armpits, you wanton fuckers. Let us lacerate the sides of virgins with gaping wounds and fuck so hard we shake God from His heaven. Let us feast on snot, blood, pus and sperm; only save your tears for vinegar, to serve to martyrs who thirst. ‘That’s a love letter?’ Billy says. ‘It’s a Karlsson love letter.’ ‘Doesn’t know much about women, does he?’ Aileen opens the patio door and pokes her head out. ‘Hey, Hemingway,’ she calls, ‘your daughter’s got a poopy nappy. Chop-chop.’ ‘Gotta go,’ I say. ‘So what do you want to do with it?’ ‘I don’t like it as a love letter,’ he says. ‘I can kill it if you want.’ ‘See if you can’t work it in somewhere else,’ he says. ‘Somewhere it doesn’t have anything to do with Cassie.’ ‘Will do. See you tomorrow.’ ‘Oh, right. Monday so.’ ‘Cool,’ he says. ‘I could do with a sleep-in tomorrow anyway. All these early mornings are killing me.’ ‘Try having a kid,’ I say. ‘You’ll know all about early mornings then.’ ‘That’d be up to you, really,’ he says, ‘wouldn’t it?’ ‘You want Cassie to get pregnant?’ ‘I think it might be good for us.’ ‘She’s on the pill, though, isn’t she?’ ‘She is now. Maybe you could swap her pills for folic acid or something.’ ‘Without letting her know?’ ‘Sometimes you have to do the wrong thing for the right reason,’ he says. ‘Isn’t that what most stories are about anyway?’ Buddhist monks have this thing going on where they construct amazingly complex mosaics comprised of thousands of precisely delineated sections of coloured dust. It can take years. When they’re finished they sweep the whole thing into a corner and start again. I appreciate this perversity while I vacuum the long carpets in the hospital corridors. By the time you reach the far end of the carpet people have trampled all over the point from whence you came. Ashes unto ashes, dust unto dust. The priests say this so as not to scare the horses. It would be more correct to say ashes from ashes, dust from dust. It would be even more correct to saying nothing at all and let people decide for themselves. People bring mud into the hospital on their shoes. They carry in dust, dog-shit, germs, saliva, acid rain, carbon monoxide and blackened chewing gum. But they’re not allowed to smoke in the overflow car park. I ask about the possibility of wearing a facemask while I’m vacuuming so I won’t have to inhale the second-hand pestilence of human perambulation. Because I am a porter this is regarded as facetious insubordination. Surgeons wear facemasks. This is for the patient’s benefit, as opposed to that of any surgeon concerned about the invisible dangers wafting up out of a freshly sliced human being. A man is standing in the middle of the carpet so I have to vacuum around him. His shoulders are slack. There’s a looseness to his stance that suggests his elastic has stretched a little too far this time. ‘Excuse me,’ I say. ‘Could I ask you to move to one side, please?’ But he turns to face me. His eyes are huge, round and too dry. He says, hoarsely, ‘My daughter just died.’ ‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ I say. This would be hypocritical if it weren’t true but I find his words offensive. I wonder why people always seem to think their pain is interesting. I wonder why people only share their pain these days. If the guy was standing in the middle of the carpet munching on a bag of toffees it would never occur to him to offer a toffee to the guy vacuuming the carpet. ‘She was eight years old,’ he says. ‘Think of her as a mosaic,’ I say. ‘Think of your daughter as an amazingly complex mosaic that had become as beautiful as it was possible to be. Imagine that she’s been swept to one side so that she can begin to be formed into another beautiful mosaic. Maybe it’s already started. Go upstairs to the maternity ward, you might even see her smile, that twinkle in her eye. Get there while her new mother is still fretting about how long it should take the maternal bond to kick in and maybe you’ll get lucky. But she might be a boy this time, so think outside the box. And can I ask you to step to one side, please? I’ve had an official warning.’ He stares at me uncomprehending. Then the huge round eyes begin to water. Tears roll down his pudgy cheeks. He shudders, gasps, and then he seems to fold in half. He bawls. ‘Nothing lasts forever,’ I say. ‘These days even agony has a sell-by date.’ But he’s not listening. Billy scratches his stubble. ‘Good, yeah. But isn’t there any Cassie stuff coming up soon? People like a bit of romance once in a while.’ ‘Funny you should mention that.’ Cassie rings and asks me to rent a DVD on the way home. We snuggle up on the couch, sip wine, smoke a joint, watch the movie. ‘You know what’s really scary?’ Cassie says. ‘That a shark could take stuff personally.’ ‘Apart from a wayward meteor,’ I agree, ‘being stalked by a shark is the worst of all possible news.’ ‘Like, really hating you.’ ‘See, that’s where Jaws falls down. Sharks are older than hate.’ She frowns. I say, ‘Hate is unique to mankind, which has been knocking about for roughly a million years. The shark’s been around for four hundred million years.’ Cassie is stoned and thus intrigued. ‘No shit,’ she says. ‘Seriously. And it’s hardly changed in all that time.’ Cassie digests this. ‘How do they know?’ ‘There’s actual buildings?’ She’s kidding me on. ‘Like shark museums?’ ‘The fossil record. Like, the history of the world is a gallery in stone. From the fossil record to the Parthenon’s columns, the perfect maths of the pyramids to the geometry at Cuzco, the molten rock that bubbled up into Etna, the cuneiform etched in the base of pillars – if you want to be remembered, Cass, work with stone. Moses didn’t come down off Sinai with commandments daubed on papyrus.’ ‘Think of all the great civilisations. They’re cast in stone, their prejudice and their buildings. The Coliseum. The Sphinx. Newgrange. The Acropolis. Angkor Wat. Macchu Picchu. Knossos. Stone upon stone upon stone.’ I say, ‘People think we’ll be remembered for our skyscrapers but really it’ll be for our hospitals.’ ‘That’s amazing,’ Cassie says, rolling her eyes as she gets up. ‘I’m making a de-caff. Want one?’ ‘It’s only a matter of time before sharks learn to build bridges,’ I say. But she’s not listening. ‘Better,’ he says. ‘Although it’s not exactly Mills and Boon, is it?’ ‘Maybe you should write the Cassie stuff,’ I say. ‘Really? You wouldn’t mind?’ ‘Not in the slightest. Go for it.’ ‘Listen,’ he says, encouraged by my olive branch, ‘I’ve been thinking about the hospital.’ ‘What about it?’ ‘Things have got a lot worse since you wrote the first draft. Superbugs, the two-tier health system, all this … They’re misdiagnosing cancer now, you know that?’ ‘I heard, yeah.’ ‘Maybe you should come down there, spend a day with me. Just stroll around soaking it up.’ ‘I don’t want to invade your space, man.’ ‘Not a problem. We’ll just put you in a corner so you can observe.’ ‘I think you’d find it really useful.’ ‘Sound so. Tomorrow morning?’ ‘I start at ten,’ he says. ‘Get there about nine-thirty, the porters generally have a quick toke before they get into it.’ I stroll past the nurses’ station on the third floor carrying a mop and bucket. The trick is to hide a full dustpan the night before and empty the sweepings into a bucket of water first thing the next day. This is good for an entire morning’s aimless wandering. The ward sister calls to me from the station, beckons me across. I put the bucket down with a workmanlike clank and walk over. ‘Mr Karlsson,’ she says, ‘would you mind tucking in your shirt?’ She’s an attractive woman for forty-plus, still working the hair, the eyebrows. ‘Mopping’s hot work,’ I say, wiping my dry brow with the back of my hand. ‘This place is like a sauna.’ ‘I appreciate that,’ she says, ‘but we have to have standards.’ What she means is, we’re flying on elastic bands and bent paper clips, so don’t give anyone a reason to think about what’s really going on. The rabbit hole lurks in the gap between a belt and an untucked shirt. A straight line exists between a flapping shirt-tail and a class action suit for negligence. An untucked shirt is a hook for the weight of public opinion and crumbling facades can least afford a slovenly dress code. I reach around to tuck the shirt tidy. Her eyes flare. She glances up and down the corridor. ‘Not here,’ she hisses. ‘Can’t you go to the bathroom to do it?’ I walk away. She calls me back and points. ‘The bucket, Karlsson.’ This sluices five whole minutes off the map. I slouch down the hall to the men’s room, lock the cubicle door, open the window and smoke half a jay. Then I go on the nod. A pounding on the cubicle door awakens me. It’s my supervisor. He sniffs the air suspiciously. ‘You were supposed to be up on the fifth floor twenty minutes ago,’ he says. ‘What are you doing here?’ ‘Orders,’ I say. ‘The ward sister told me to fix my shirt.’ His eyes narrow. ‘Okay,’ he says. ‘But get up to the fifth floor. You’re late already.’ No one uses the stairs anymore. People will wait five minutes to take a ten-second elevator ride. So I climb the stairs, untuck my shirt and push through the double doors onto the fifth floor. The ward sister calls me over to the nurses’ station. I put my bucket down with a workmanlike clank and wipe my dry brow with the back of my hand. ‘What can I help you with today?’ I say. ‘Well?’ he says? We’re in the stairwell between the fourth and fifth floors. ‘I don’t remember you being this polite to people in the first draft,’ I say. ‘Softly-softly catchee monkey,’ he says, tapping the side of his nose. A door opens above us. ‘We shouldn’t be seen together,’ he whispers, picking up his bucket. ‘Meet me in the car park at five, I’ll give you a lift home.’ Karlsson rode a motorcycle. Billy rides a moped. He reckons it’s easier on gas, more environmentally friendly. ‘Don’t I need a helmet?’ I say, climbing on behind him. ‘Not until we crash.’ He revs up and we take off but there’s a bottleneck at the parking lot exit, a minor fender-bender damming the flow. There’s a cop trying to direct traffic. My first thought is for my lack of helmet but the cop has better things to do. Still, I slip off the moped and stand beside Billy. He could easily wheel the moped past the stalled traffic out onto the road beyond the scene of the accident but neither one of us suggests it. ‘The incidence of accidents outside hospitals is five times that of any other public building,’ he says. ‘Anyone who works in a hospital knows to take it slow coming to work. ‘Take that guy, the one whose daughter just died. He’s a hazard. Reflexes dull, his peripheral vision full of tiny cherubic faces. All he can think is how he wishes it was him laid out. Except in the back of his mind he’s agonising about how he has to ring his mother-in-law and confess that he never imagined his life could be such a colossal failure. ‘This guy,’ he says, ‘he pulls up to the junction here. He edges out, maybe indicating, maybe not, and for a split-second his hand-eye coordination locks into a memory of pushing a swing. He hears the squeals of a child. Squeals of delight segue into a screech of brakes. ‘Someone loses a leg. A son loses an eye. A mother gets paralysed from the waist down. A father dies, maybe even the father who was on his way back in to comfort the mother fretting over the unnatural lack of a maternal bond with her new-born daughter. ‘Such things,’ Billy says, ‘are spoken of in hushed tones and called tragedies, which is shorthand for entirely avoidable consequences of human fallibility. Such things prompt people to wonder if God really exists.’ He shrugs. ‘Every cloud has its silver lining.’ ‘The priests,’ he says, ‘claim that such things are sent to test us. If true, this is a cruelty so pure it verges on the harsh beauty of an Arctic sunset. ‘Could any god really be so insecure?’ “Hey folks, your kid is dead – do you still love me?” ‘A question like that,’ he says, ‘should cause its asker to spontaneously combust in a shame-fuelled fireball.’ He shakes his head. ‘Except priests deal in shame. They’re emotional pornographers. Priests are elbow-deep in the pus-filled boil of your fear, groping for the maggots they placed there before your birth. ‘The concept of Original Sin,’ he says, ‘is evil so pure it verges on genius.’ ‘Even paedophiles,’ he says, ‘wait until the child has left the womb.’ This morning Cassie is hungover and grouchy. She says she wants us to move on to the next level. I interpret this as laziness. She wants something new but she isn’t prepared to go out and find it. The next best thing is to reinvent yours truly, I, Karlsson. ‘Okay,’ I say. ‘But what does that involve? Should I get rid of the motorcycle and buy a car?’ She shakes her head. She sits on the couch cross-legged, eating Rice Krispies and watching TV. ‘I deserve self-actualisation,’ she says. She says this with a single Rice Krispie stuck to her cheek. It bobs up and down as she speaks. ‘Where are we going, K? I mean, where are we really going?’ Cassie labours under the delusion that all journeys have destinations. This may or may not be a vestigial memory of our evolutionary forebears, nomads to whom the whole world was home. Today, locked into the concept of home as blocks of concrete and glass, we have become emotional nomads. Hence prostitution and soap operas. Hence the next level. Hence the non-specific but irrepressible desire for change. Motion mutates into emotion. This is not necessarily a good thing. History is littered with evolutionary cul-de-sacs. An emotionally aware species will lack the ruthlessness necessary to dispense with its old, sick and incapable. It will undermine itself in its efforts to protect those who cannot protect themselves. An emotionally aware species will expend valuable energy keeping the devil away from the hindmost. Every civilisation is undone by its own logic. To wit: 9/11. Empathy is a carcinogen. Hospitals are interpretive centres along the highway to extinction. I, Karlsson, hospital porter, am a parasite on the underbelly of a carcinogen. Cassie watches soap opera repeats while eating breakfast. I watch the Rice Krispie bob up and down on her cheek as she chews and try to think of one person who performs an indispensable function on behalf of the social organism to which we belong. I cannot think of a single person. This means everyone I know is less useful than the average sweat pore. This is not a pleasant thought at six-thirty in the morning. Neither is the prospect of change. ‘Cassie,’ I say, ‘the Great White shark is so perfectly adapted to its environment that it doesn’t need to change. If we could communicate the concept of hospitals to the Great White, it would laugh, grow legs and invade.’ Cassie holds the cereal bowl in both hands, tilts back her head and drains the milk. This does not disturb the Rice Krispie stuck to her cheek. ‘This is the kind of crap I’m talking about,’ she says. ‘Jesus, K – I need more from life than sharks growing legs. And tuck your fucking shirt in for once, you look like something from the Little Rascals.’ She flounces out to the kitchen. I don’t mention the Rice Krispie. She will find it herself when she checks the mirror on the way out to work, and she will remove it then. This is as close to self-actualisation as Cassie will ever come. My line for today is, Our feminine friends have this in common with Bonaparte, that they think they can succeed where everyone else has failed (Albert Camus / The Fall). ‘More sharks,’ Billy says. ‘And the Rice Krispie thing – I wouldn’t have not mentioned that to her. What if she hadn’t checked the mirror on the way out?’ ‘Even nuns check the mirror on the way out, Billy.’ ‘Fair go,’ he says. ‘But listen – the girl’s restless. Why wouldn’t I ask her, y’know, how’d she feel about having a baby?’ ‘You want to?’ ‘I think the time is right. It’s just a feeling, but …’ ‘Leave it with me.’ Tommo says, ‘Kill your babies.’ To be precise, he croaks this through a lungful of exhaled smoke. Tommo is into the late afternoon leg of a wake-‘n’-bake, horizontal on the couch with the TV muted and the stereo low, the drapes pulled. I advance into the apartment until I enter his field of vision. He smiles sloppily. ‘Hey, K. How’s she hanging?’ He offers a hit. I decline. ‘Word to the wise, Tommo,’ I say. ‘Frankie was looking for you all morning.’ ‘Kill your Frankies.’ ‘No, really. He was seriously pissed. He had to watch the monitors himself. There was no relief cover, Austin rang in sick too. Frankie was up and down the stairs all day.’ ‘I’m just letting you know, he was seriously pissed.’ Tommo frowns. He struggles into a half-sitting position. ‘K,’ he says, ‘who the fuck let you in?’ ‘Austin.’ I jerk a thumb at Austin, who is sitting in the armchair nearest the TV sucking on a bong. Austin gives us a thumbs-up, then exhales and subsides into the armchair, bong-tube a-dangle. ‘Yeah, well,’ Tommo says, ‘now you’re here, shut the fuck up about Frankie. Take a hit or take a hike. But go easy,’ he says, handing me a smouldering joint, ‘it’s pure Thai. You might want to ring in sick for tomorrow before you start. Trust me, it’ll be too much hassle after the first draw.’ Tommo sounds far too lucid for this to be true but the grass, though smooth going down, causes my brain to pulse like a mushroom cloud. The effect is one of immediate bliss swiftly followed by a stomach-jabbing flash of paranoia. Then a wonderfully mellow sense of complete sensory disorientation. Acute dehydration ensues. I go to the kitchen for water. I come back from the kitchen thirsty, having somehow failed to locate either sink or fridge. Austin appears to be comatose in the armchair. Tommo says something about how every language ever invented has been a failed attempt to discover a means of expression by which mankind might communicate the full extent of its ignorance. He says ‘kill your babies’ is a metaphor for eradicating metaphors. He says it’s an irony, rather than a tragedy, that most people experience their lives as metaphors for how they would have preferred their lives to be. He says the real tragedy is that most people already know this. Tommo says lots of things but I’m not really listening. Irony isn’t half as clever when you’re thirsty. People, you can carve this one in stone: you will seek in vain for irony in the vicinity of a cacti patch. ‘Well?’ I say. ‘Yeah, whatever,’ he says. ‘If you think we still need those losers, then okay.’ I put the m/s down. ‘What’s wrong?’ I say. ‘So there’s no reason at all you’ve been grouchy all morning.’ He takes a cigarette and lights up. ‘It’s Cass,’ he says finally. ‘What about her?’ ‘I brought it up last night, about having a baby.’ ‘She’s not into it?’ ‘For one, I’m a hospital porter. She says it’s not the job, it’s the salary, but I don’t know.’ ‘You want a promotion?’ ‘It’s not just that. She says she’s not having any babies until she gets married. And she says she’s in no hurry, she’s only 26.’ ‘Women are having babies later these days, Billy. That’s natural.’ ‘She’s 31, man. She thinks she’s 26, but she was 26 back when you wrote the first draft. And if she waits another five years, she could be getting into all sorts of complications.’ ‘Why don’t I just make her 31?’ I say. ‘Get her clock ticking?’ ‘And wipe five years off her life?’ He shakes his head. ‘What you could do,’ he says, ‘is swap her pill for folic acid, like I said.’ ‘I told you, I’m not doing that.’ ‘It’s immoral. I wouldn’t do it to Aileen, I’m not doing it to Cassie.’ ‘Hey, you look out for Aileen, I’ll look out for Cassie.’ ‘And getting her pregnant on the sly – that’s looking out for her?’ ‘I’m trying to get a life going here, man. The means justify, y’know.’ ‘Who’m I talking to here?’ I say. ‘Billy or Karlsson?’ ‘That’s fucking low,’ he says, stubbing out the smoke on the wooden table. ‘That’s bang out of order.’ ‘You tell Cassie about this conversation,’ I say, ‘and then ask her who she thinks is out of order.’ He leans in, taking off his tinted shades. I try to ignore the gaping eye socket. ‘I only want what’s best for her,’ he says. ‘She’s told you what’s best for her.’ ‘Except she doesn’t have all the information,’ he says. ‘So why don’t you tell her?’ ‘What – that she’s not real?’ ‘You seem to be coping okay.’ That one hits him where he lives. He stiffens slightly, then slumps back in the chair. ‘You know what it is?’ he says, a slight sneer brewing. ‘I’m real enough, alright. I’m real enough to you. But you don’t have the imagination to believe in Cassie.’ ‘Maybe that’s your job,’ I say. ‘I mean, you’re the one who wanted to write the Cassie parts, right? How’s that working out for you?’ He savours that like it’s fresh-cut lemon. ‘Smug bastard,’ he says, ‘aren’t you?’ ‘I thought we were cutting out the swearing.’ ‘If you’re not good enough to do this,’ he says, ‘just say so and stop wasting my time.’ ‘I’m no Lawrence Durrell,’ I say, ‘but I’m good enough to write you.’ He nods, then stands up. ‘Maybe I’ll go home and write a story about you,’ he says, ‘fuck around with your life. How’d ya like them apples?’ ‘I’ll rent a tux,’ I say. ‘The Booker night is always black tie, isn’t it?’ No Billy this morning. A pity, with the garden coming into bloom now, bees humming, the early morning sun lying across the lawn in fat yellow diagonal stripes. No Billy for three days running now. Maybe he isn’t coming back. Maybe he’s holed up in some garret, feverishly rewriting my life, consulting the story of Moses and Pharaoh for inspiration. Is this how God felt when Einstein started doodling in the patents office? No wonder He struck Hawking down. In brief, the story of Prometheus is this: he stole fire from the gods, gave it to mankind and was eternally tortured for his troubles. Thus he was the first great martyr to intercede with the gods on man’s behalf. This simplistic version of events allows us to bask in the smug vanity that has plagued the latter part of our miserable history. That a Titan should defy the gods on our behalf is in itself proof of our exalted status in the universe, or least that part of the universe administered by Titans and gods, although we ignore the inconvenient fact that man was merely a pawn in a deadly game being played by Prometheus and Zeus, and that the gift of fire was simply a spiteful aftershock in the wake of a cosmic civil war. A question or two: now that we no longer worship the Greek gods of Olympus, is Prometheus still being tortured? Does the greedy vulture still tear at his liver all day, every day? Does he still freeze every night, chained to the rock, as his liver grows back? Or has his version of eternity come to an end simply because we have forgotten his sacrifice? Has his version of eternity slipped out of our version into another, like a stream draining underground? Incidentally, we should probably note in passing that Prometheus was not staked out in sand or subjected to repeated drownings, nor nailed to a tree. He was chained to stone. We should also note that, previous to the gift of fire, Prometheus had bestowed on mankind architecture, astronomy, mathematics, navigation, medicine and metallurgy. The smug narcissists who believe that we are the Chosen Ones by virtue of our innate intelligence should bear in mind that we couldn’t even devise a hot spark or two from that little lot. Finally, Zeus had his revenge on mankind by dispatching the beautiful Pandora to earth with a jar containing the Spites that might plague mankind: Old Age, Labour, Sickness, Insanity, Vice and Passion. She opened the jar, as we know only too well, freeing the Spites to roam the land, shutting it again just before Hope escaped. Thus, or so the story runs, despite everything, even the malevolent intentions of the gods in general and Zeus in particular, man will always have Hope to sustain him. Which would be fine, except that Hope was one of the Spites and her full name was, and remains, Delusive Hope. We may no longer believe in Zeus. But Zeus believes in us. I’m having a quick coffee out in the smoking area of the IFI with my brother, Gavin, our usual post-mortem after the movie screening, when Aileen rings. She sounds as if she’s hyper-ventilating. ‘Take a deep breath,’ I say. ‘Slow down.’ ‘She was in the shed,’ she wails. ‘I had her down on her play-mat doing her stretching exercises when mum rang. But the monitor was there, right there, so I should have heard her moving. But when I went back she was gone. Ohmigod, she was gone.’ ‘But you found her in the shed,’ I say, the phone trapped between ear and shoulder as I pull my jacket on. ‘She’s okay now. Right?’ The garden shed is, as most garden sheds tend to be, chock-a-block with sharp blades, poisons and sundry materials unsuitable for consumption by infants. ‘She could’ve crawled into the pond, Dec! I asked you to get it covered, didn’t I?’ ‘Hon? It’s okay. I’m on my way home. I’ll be there in an hour.’ It’s a very long hour. Lily is a precocious little girl but even she shouldn’t be able to crawl at 12 weeks, and certainly not all the way out to the garden shed. The shed, incidentally, is never locked. But the bolt is almost always drawn. It’s late evening, two Ponstan and half a bottle of red before Aileen finally calms down. I give her a backrub and take all the blame while plotting an assassination. ‘I thought only Nazis burned books,’ he says, slouching up the gravel path. I squirt some more lighter fluid on the m/s. ‘Just so you know,’ I say, ‘I never liked Karlsson from the start. That’s why I invented you, so I could stomach a redraft. But I think I like you even less.’ ‘Boo-hoo,’ he says, sitting down. ‘He was only ever an avatar,’ I say, ‘so I could purge all that nasty shit I didn’t like about myself. You haven’t realised yet?’ ‘That I started that story when I met Aileen. I mean, I knew almost immediately she was the one, that if I got my act together we could go the distance. And something somewhere in the back of my head knew that I had to straighten up and fly right, get rid of all the poison, so I wouldn’t infect her or any kids we might have.’ ‘That’s noble,’ he snickers. I flick the Zippo to life, hold it over the m/s. ‘Any last words?’ ‘The genie’s out of the bottle, man. I’m out there. I’m a fucking virus, airborne.’ ‘Nice try. But viruses don’t travel that way.’ ‘Whatever. Burn that,’ he nods at the m/s, ‘and you’re just burning a chrysalis.’ ‘You’re a butterfly, you’re a virus … Make up your mind.’ ‘Try this,’ he says. He takes one of my cigarettes, then relieves me of the Zippo and sparks it up. When he exhales he lays the lit Zippo on the m/s. A bluey-yellow flame ignites, fanned by the mild breeze. We watch the m/s burn. ‘Oh, what a world, what a world,’ he croons. © Declan Burke, 2008 “Burke shows again that he’s not just a comic genius, but also a fine dramatic writer and storyteller.” – Booklist. “Prose both scabrous and poetic.” – Publishers Weekly. “Proust meets Chandler over a pint of Guinness.” – Spectator. “A sheer pleasure.” – Tana French. “Among the most memorable books of the year, of any genre.” – Sunday Times. “A hardboiled delight.” – Guardian. “Imagine Donald Westlake and Richard Stark collaborating on a screwball noir.” – Kirkus Reviews. “A cross between Raymond Chandler and Flann O’Brien.” – John Banville. “The effortless cool of Elmore Leonard at his peak.” – Ray Banks. “A fine writer at the top of his game.” – Lee Child.

For groups and companies TAKE THE STRESS-FREE ROAD TO A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION Here is a recipe for a perfect meeting à la Lapland Hotels: select an individual setting at one of our conference hotels according to your needs and your event. What they all have in common is friendly service, modern equipment, excellent food and a splendid selection of activities to choose from. And best of all, Lapland is easy to reach by air. Our electronic event management tools make light work of such tasks as coordinating registration and communication during the event. The Lapland Hotels Riekonlinna and Olos provide the world-class setting and resources for any major conference, including EU meetings. Olos offers top-class accommodation and privacy. Our quality tourism activities can be tailored to the needs of even large groups. Meetings with activities A meeting gets off to a better start when invigorating activities are on the agenda. The options range from various types of safaris to cultural events. For example in the urban setting of Ounasvaara at Lapland Hotel Sky Ounasvaara, in the landscapes of Luosto in the Amethyst Spa of Lapland Hotel Luostotunturi, and in the skier’s paradise of Ylläs at Lapland Hotel Äkäshotelli. In Levi, the refurbished Lapland Hotel Sirkantähti offers a welcoming backdrop for a smaller meeting in the centre of Levi. We will be happy to help you with planning a successful package for your individual needs. Enquiries and reservations: Lapland Hotels & Safaris tel. +358 (0)16 3311 255 A CONFERENCE ON TOP OF EUROPE Lapland Hotel Riekonlinna No-one should miss experiencing a meeting or conference in Finland’s northernmost conference hotel in Saariselkä. Our Business Centre with its equipment and data links is also at the disposal of all our hotel guests. In other words, there is always a good balance of business and pleasure at Riekonlinna. LEAVE YOUR EVERYDAY WORRIES BEHIND Lapland Hotel Luostotunturi, Ametistikylpylä Lapland Hotel Luostotunturi has several conference rooms of different sizes and styles, catering for everything from small groups to gatherings of up to 180 in the auditorium. The meeting rooms can be adapted to your group, and we will be happy to help you with the arrangements from beginning till end. A SETTING FOR SUMMITS Lapland Hotel Olos Olos Polar Center is an outstanding meeting and conference centre that is sure to meet all international requirements. Below Polar Kota, there is a grand auditorium for 800 people and two team work rooms that offer peaceful and spacious facilities for a celebration or a meeting even for larger groups. SUMMITS AND DECISION-MAKING Lapland Hotel Sky Ounasvaara A long agenda will be no obstacle to an enjoyable meeting. Just bring your meeting to Lapland Hotel Sky Ounasvaara in Rovaniemi, a haven right on top of Ounasvaara fell. JAZZ UP YOUR MEETINGS Lapland Hotel Äkäshotelli All work and no play would make you dull indeed. When you are taking a break from fine-tuning your decision-making skills, why not jazz up your meeting by selecting one of Lapland Hotel Äkäshotelli Feelgood centre treatments or outdoor activities in Ylläs? Pirtukirkko restaurant, of course, is famous for its night-time buzz. COME TO LEVI FOR RECREATION AND REFRESHMENT Lapland Hotel Sirkantähti Nothing could make your relaxing holiday more perfect than having all the services brought to you on a platter – as in Lapland Hotel Sirkantähti at the very heart of the ski resort. We provide an efficient setting for productive meetings, and to help you relax after all the hard work, we can organise a variety of activities. A NATURAL SETTING FOR YOUR MEETINGS Lapland Hotel Hetta At Lapland Hotel Hetta on scenic Lake Ounasjärvi surrounded by the Lappish wilderness, you can let your conference programme merge into a snowmobile safari to the nearby fells. Or why not go on an overnight safari all the way to the Arctic Sea? A great meeting will be concluded in the sauna and at the table enjoying Lappish delicacies. A CONFERENCE HAVEN IN POHTIOLAMPI Lapland Hotel Bear´s Lodge When decisions need to be made, why not make them in an attractive setting? Pohtiolampi, not far from Rovaniemi, is a haven for conferences, offering the peace and quiet you need. Our well-equipped conference facilities are intended for groups of 8-120.

Mid-Valley Y M C A is a Health Club facility at 6901 Lennox Ave in Van Nuys, CA. Mid-Valley Y M C A ServicesMid-Valley Y M C A is a health club in Van Nuys, CA. Health Clubs like Mid-Valley Y M C A offer services that often include exercise, yoga, kick boxing, swimming, sauna, pool, weights, and personal training. Talk to the staff at Mid-Valley Y M C A for information about reaching your fitness goals in Van Nuys, CA. Call Mid-Valley Y M C A at (818) 989-3800 for more information. I just wanted to give major props to Joseph at the Van Nuys YMCA on Lennox Ave. He is the consummate professional. He was so nice and patient with me on both the phone and in person. He really take s pride in his job. The YMCA is very fortunate to have hired such a dedicated young professional. If I had a business he would be my main guy……that is being if he accepted the position. I have lived in the San Fernando Valley all of my 40 years, and so many places have employees that just do not care much about their jobs…..and we the customers pay the ultimate price in the low quality customer service. Also, the lifeguards at the pool were wonderful too. Everybody is very nice, and the place has soooo many things to do for exercise. I am on a 7 day trial and very happy with what I see. Keep up the great work Joseph!!!! Sincerely, Kenny Prager Wellness.com does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment nor do we verify or endorse any specific business or professional listed on the site. Wellness.com does not verify the accuracy or efficacy of user generated content, reviews, ratings or any published

With the papal conclave only hours away, the College of Cardinals must not have been pleased late Tuesday when reports circulated that the Vatican shared a block with Italy's top gay sauna. We're not talking about sharing a stray wall or anything like that, either. The Holy See purchased a $30 million stake in the apartment block that houses the Europa Multiclub. It was also Benedict XVI's former right hand, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, that picked the spot in 2008. On the Vatican's side are 18 apartments, most of which are occupied by priests, and the home of Cardinal Ivan Dias, the head of the Congregation for Evangelisation of Peoples. On the Europa Multiclub side is fun palace "create by males for males only." Italy's hottest gay sauna has everything: a king turkish bath, a Finnish sauna, a waterfall whirlpool and "surprises," to name a few amenities listed on its website. There's also Bruno, "a hairy, overweight pastor of souls … free to the music of his clergyman, remaining in a thong, because he wants to expose body and soul" that promotes the club's Bear Nights. Take the virtual tour — it's really quite an enchanting space. This wouldn't be such a big deal if not for the seemingly endless stream of condemning reports and tongue-in-cheek jokes about homosexuality within the Vatican's walls. It didn't take long at all after Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation in late February before folks started speculating that his holiness was brought down by "a cross-dressing priest sex ring" that was detailed in a 300-page report given to Benedict on December 17, the day he reportedly decided to retire. The details of that allegation are indeed pretty sensation and also happen to involve a gay sauna, though apparently not the one that that's next door to all the clergymen. Reports also said that the priests implicated in the report were being blackmailed. The Vatican spokesman said at the time the report was released, "Neither the cardinals' commission nor I will make comments to confirm or deny the things that are said about this matter." He added that they would also not be commenting further on the report either. Don't they get it? This is just the brand of secrecy that's inviting people to believe that there is some massive gay clergy conspiracy that threatens to bring down the Catholic Church as we know it. Frank Bruni wrote about this insightfully in his Sunday New York Times column. Quoth Bruni: Much of what has eroded the church's authority and must be addressed is its addiction to secrecy, its rejection of transparency. This dictated its botched, disastrous response to the child sexual abuse crisis. … It's also why public attention to the final chapter of Pope Benedict XVI's reign was dominated by talk of leaks and liaisons and wiretaps and dossiers. When an organization shrouds itself in mystery, it's invariably treated as a cradle of intrigue. And from here on out, as Bruni says, the cardinals will literally be speaking "to the outside world in smoke signals." No wonder Andrew Sullivan can joke that most Cardinals are gay on national television and people actually believe him.

Newspaper Page Text gf ' I mnn " ttt 10mlm 1 m T "Hii n'n h i i rA mi I .- nn in u viMir.M.vviiiii i - ill' .i...us ,E"flhMi vim nif. - - . n iinTi-i i a ae a m m m m m m m bb m m m mm wi m bh k be I I 1 Pk. III? WWUlJUW vm - I rwis.- mff TOllIOl " I W- 1 1 ( 1 - I I M M W : E m 17 W T,, i auiMM. ie carnage ,ney Harper, president -- -- J7 I H 1 J SI, 1 M - I 1 J- X LVUWWIVU i I V rr vh- -For io -10 1112 1 14 A; . , '1.-7 -v r si t5TV'"' " ' o?SSS: rTioo oa!or!26 2tiat. .Tiiir 2.1900. If ; if 7 I 1 1 ItllS V i, 1 rr 1 ni I I I i - r m a u i 11 i v- k I VM ."ill I Oil I v J rvJ l I niw. I v 1 . m 1 Pt v I 1 1 I I . - - PffTTfi IMML LAWYER -4 v ' f Chicago, 111., Sept. 8, ISM. Dod4a Mcdldna Co Buffalo. N. V. jtletnea: I suffered from Rheumatism and ey Trouble for years. My condition grew JKly worse. In spite of my efforts to im. s and finally I became totally blind. differeat physicians, but none of them rS r. J X. ny case seemed to be hopeless, ifciaa advised me to try Dodd's Kid- . 'JH. I used the pills, and am now (lad jat I am cured, fly eyesight is restored. the RheuMtlsm has disappeared, and my k Id ee ys appear ti be In as good and healthy condi tion as before 1 -as attacked with the disease 1 am as well Ccry way as I ever was. Podd's Kidaer Pills care all Viieuet ot the Kidneys. &oA by all dealers in medi- ciae. SO cents a box or six boxes for ti-ZO. Sent on receipt of price br The Dodds Medicine Co., Buffalo, N. Y. ' (Ml am -r.l THE TRAVELERS' GUIDE. MF',wVMa, rHICAGO. ROCK ISLAND A . Vy fnoinit Rati wftw Tloksta ean be purchased or baggage enecsea i'. TweDtietn atreet depot, or C . IL L A P. deoot. corner Fifth avenue and j niny-nrsi street. tm u riumoer, agent I EABT. I W BHT. Denver .-lmlted AOmaba... t 3.10 ami 3:00 am Ft. wor. 1. uenrer K. c..l s amtio-3a pm M inn e a Dolls. Omaha and Dea Moines pal tOmabaai Minneapolis, f" II Omaha ft Iinooln Yji . . . t Denver, Uneoln Ora IDenver, Uneoln it Omaha. 9enTer. CJncoln it Omaha. . uea Muices Kxdi Rook Island a Bureau Ac. Bt. Paul ft Minneapolis. Dearer, y. Worth M. K C. IKansasCity.St Joe ADnvr!ll:10 ptn tRock Island ft WaablnKton!! I:M) ptn Chloago ft Dea Moines... t IS pm iwot uiano at Brooklyn AO ft:8ft pm fOmaba A Hock Island... . 0:35 pm tCttioayo. ft Davenport I t f:50 ami Bl nm t f:iC amtll:10 pnt lHif ami 3:00 am 7:fo amlll:IO pm ll:S6 pmtt n:85 am 3:u6 amlt 3:0ft am :i-':10 mlt M am 4:30 pro I 6:30 pm :i:ir amit :un pm 5:00 amtI0:40 pm t A:30 am t 3:50 pm t 7:40 am t too pm Arrival tDeparture. tDally. except Sun f Dally except Saturday. Ail others daily. Tel TJOCK ISLAND ft PEORIA "Railway Depot First ave nue and Twentieth street. M. A. Patterson, General Paaeen ger Agent. Passenger trains leave C. R I. ft P. (Mo ll ne avenue) depot Ave (5) minutes earlier than time I LBAVB. ( AkitlVB g 3 fc. Aouia -ipretn or Peoria. Kb -tnsfl.ld r!lnni. 8. OB am 4 r0 pm pr'gfleld, Cincinnati. Peo- ; rta, etc eoria. Springfield, 8k L. Here 8 i n tw-. . Lou la inp "Jl Peon 1 uhailior 1 nail I eoiia A eoom Freight.... tnklnt? aI'Sble ft Snerrard Acoom, V lable ft Sberrard Aeoom at a ver ,De A Sberrard Aeoom. Vri fk I x " Trains marked daily- all other trains daUy Tnooca Olkoept Buday. The 8:4S p. m. tra'n carries iUle, N. CJfJ'&parLiier to St. Louis, arriving there i bA. 's. C. or Atlanl . . . . , , . I ;. and return same way. D . uu . rharlestOuGO.MILWACKET: 1 routes, or from -Dane8LOAr;L railway- Ra Southera railway through jutn western LMvUion Schmond or Charlotte.vilV Twenuer et. lor tUO rouuu 11 w. W. Breckln- r-... Tnr Rata rrom M VB. I ABBIVB. 1 1 ::t am A ill n CharLAtl?fep Sunday. Train anut m carrien tbrouiih sleeper. Tickets on S&ia JU 7:to . m. nil MlnneapaUa good until Sept. overs any place de Ohio and rotomao tjrlinoton route c, ... .t..lrrl rivers. B- RAILWAY Depot Mississippi rivers. ftTTnue) 0a sixteenth . J. YOCNQ. I UAva. iabkivb. ' . 0 "TWio I and on illustrates with beautl. 1 vslnaVilfl 1 Qt - , .ti' -eon.( 1 the mountains 01 wes mouth t-M am 7:15 pm lina as 1 7:4 Jt 8:40 p SUMMIla,- HcardiJ Bur I . . lTTt naton, Denver and wet S:40 pm 1l8 am "DA.. fetPaul A Minneapolis 7:60 pm 8:15 am est 8rilBf .Clinton ft Duttuque 7:50 pm t 8:40 am . Bt. L-, Kana C. Denver ft Pao. coast via Qaleabur ' 7:lt pm t-M am Daily, t Daily except Sunday. .Best Dining Car Service. TAVENPORT. ROCK ISL---'and ft Nonaweatern rail ft r4 T wav. PaasenacT I . I Lltir-iCO l.QIcafViliw. " r NJ L. F. Perry, a P. A AFRICAN WAR INCIDENT o ! t,sicas Tmlfca f Tolstoi atrial the 3avF. ufim.Rgiw7 Uaner. present tj of Chicago, arrived (tu the Ilainbarg - Wn maU Vpectlns jot that the road erowr of the - .tor half an 19 a tuub &m 1 Fine Piece of Strategy Displayed by the Boers. ' THE SUEPEISE AT SAKKA'S POST. Brilliant Blow Struck at m British. Force by General De "Wet 'a Com mand How the Enemy Was Led Into a Trap Moral Effect of the A graphic account of the surprise of the British force at Sauna's jiost, uear the Bloemfontein waterworks, ou March 31, Is given by a Boor corre spondent who was with General De "Wet's force on that occasion, says the New York Sun. The conception and execution of the operation, which is described with great simplicity and mandant . Ch' retreating towiTl Blo? were entirely concealev tlon of great natural s thev waited for the Bri TWO FINEJ0AT BA(e, to Pennsylvania VftrBOl A I , I 04l men's to Vlf:in f tW most maguif-'' ..t -i.llere ot ti.H -vjirsitrol h or-, tt-q it! n cr fnr their fnrA ii.,.ou NnrWelL and rcises fpntrol over the of GetTsburg, Chicka- and CAitletam. The dants Piet De Wet and. the remaining 1,200 me tnen m' mnnrt to tht British roflA and Dlan their guns on a range ofVopjes over looking the British camp,iwnere tney waited for day. So goon as the light emxbled them to aim the Boers opened fire on the Brit ish, who, taken completely by surprise, made no attempt to return the lire, but hurriedly struck their bivouac and be gan a precipitate retreat In the direc tion of Bloemfontein down the road across the spruit. Believing the force in their rear to be that under General Olivier from east of Thabanchu, xnment ownership and een found to work very entlv some of the nf.iroa within their borders liken to follow in the gov- 8 I id In this particular, M'fce states Is Ppnnsvlvnnin , One of wuicn uowt twns 257 acres in Chester county, cfLring much- of George asningtoy3 encampment at Valley engineer acting for the begun last year. on tue encamn- Valley Fori park wiuiucrim lig RnrveV. ment, and t,ev flrc rpativ for tli rrn ite marker! Tiiere are 40 markers ready to beUut ln piac(,. It has lHHn found thatf,anT or the mo9t interest ing places r.j, vaiiey Forge are within HORTICULTURAL. GRAPHIC ARTS. FORESTRY AND MINES BUILDINCs AT BUFFALO. 0.5.. - a ; (uprlKlit, 1W0G. Iy the Pan-Ameritn Kxpofiition Co. At the I'au-American Exposition, which is to be held iu Buffalo from May 1 to Nov. 1, 1001, the Horticultural building. 220 feet square. Is flanked on the south by the Forestry and Mines and on the north by th (;rahjC rta buildings, each J."0 feet square. The whole group is connected by arcades, forming a semicircular jn wujci, will stand the "Fountain of the Seasons." The Horticultural building will be about 240 feet high. Tu'e GraiiC Arts and Forestry aud Mines buildings are companion structures of the same size and style, having fo tvtrntk r- , , . . . . , , - . m . , . v . . . . . .... ... T tOl Urf TO V" ers. two cuioreii comjosiiious aoove me eastern entrance or ine Horticultural uuuumg will represei rvrM u rr iur ji.ii iu u LU.II iui uianu i lil iiuun, icu f JUin anu X IllUttltrra. clearness, stamp General IK? wet as a ! thev made no attempt to ' reeonnolter brilliant otticer and strategist, aud, un- tnejr frontt but pushed blindly on into less his career is cut short in the xhe trap prcpared for them. chances of war, he seems destined to j Commandant Christian De Wet pas take higli rank as a partisan leader. rIv-Iv waited until the British wacon When the British column of some 1 train was in the drift aud two wagons 2.50O men, belonging to General ; 1.0.1 netuallv crossed the stream before French s division, occupied Thabau- ! H.e gave the ordCr to fire. The Boers chu. General De Wet was with his tijrn sprang up and poured in a deadly force uear Brandiort. On learning i are wili, their Mau.-ers. The British the strength of the British he started were panic stricken. The cavalry, with the coinm:i ndos under Comniau- j breaking away to the south, made dants Piet and Christian De Wet and their escane crood and left the Infantry Andries Cronje In the direction of Thabanchu, the total force not exceed ing 1,000 uin. On March 30 they were In laager at Marai's farm, about 15 miles southeast of Braudpoit, when word was received that the British had struck camp at Tbabanchn and were pruparln to retire on Bloemfon tein. It was afterward learned that they had heard of the presence of Gen eral Olivier east of Thabanchu and feared an attack from that quarter. General Do Wet immediately decided to strike at the retreating column aud selected the valley in which the Bloem fonteiu waterworks are situated as the point of attack. Orders were given on the same afternoon, Marcn ju, ior a forced march duriusr the night, and to take care of themselves. The trans port train was thrown into wild con fusion, the animals, maddened by the sting of the Mauser bullets, reared and plunged, overturning several wagons, and the infantry, unable to extricate themselves from the fire in front and rear, after a brief resistance surren dered. The Boers promptly removed the killed and wounded aniiuala from the wagons and started the trait back to prevent its recapture. There, was some desultory flriug during the rest of -the morning, but the affair -Vas practically all over by 0 o'clock The number of prisoners caotisd was 40S. Seven guns with inor 100 rounds of ammunition eacl the state's area of ownt.jp pne ro doubts, forts and rifle piti re" jn Jt )Ut the headquarters of Wai.jngton ja. fayette, Steuben, Sullivaii aild 0'tbers of Washington's stafT are from one to two miles distant. In ord,r t() inciU(ie the whole of Valley Forge'antl the his. torlc hills on the west sit creek, where Lafayette's a e of Valley my was en- ig the. night, and faken alone, "with 110 wagons "j Br COLOSSAL STADIUM AT THE PAN-AMERTcANIfXI luiuij, uv iiiuiB ni ira wAuld have to It is pointed ?ut that thjg ianl, no-w used for farming purpose an(l n0t of special value, could be nirod by the state of Pennsylvania though a small appropriation by the legslature which will be in session next v-inter an,i that the encampment site-bipi, is easily accessible to the cPv of Philadelphia by two railroads, cxM niade letter deserving of thrattentlon of tourists than It is at thV,rosont tItll(t payg the New- York EtpVp, SuT). n ls fnrtnpr pointed ou thatf though the Valley Forge encampment site ls within the controj nf a state commission In Prnn Bylvna tne troops who wintered there Bn,Ter Washington's command ln what h?s been generally regarded as the I iarKest per,o or tne itevoiniionary ?A-ar for the American cause Included j i 1 Copyright. 1900, by tbe Pan-American Krporitioa Co. The completed Stadium for the Pan-Anierlean Exposition, to be held in Buffalo to the lovers of s porta the most spacious and splendid arena ever erected in held during the great Exposition will be the most notable In the history of A many of th best promoters of athletic games has been secured. Visitors to t witness tbe meeting of the most famous athletes of the world in eompeiItlorw.tl It I MlI that the great Colosseum at Rorje could accommodate & be 129 feet longer have a larger aren? the start was maoV column, but . ja.uarrowc,r than the historic arnphitl ." P f ity is estimated fo- Vi ' Jndze V , won6r . ' v f Jed a samnle of the -PJsn button at Kansas K-SY.U It Is the form of a & T ue New Tork Time-ne inscription, strangely enough. Z,& letters, and 13 S9 lOUU. -Ip.j "Lremocrucy s f.ni not menometal' fattl -a. m H GREATER THAN ROYALTY ITSELF. 1 epu V I J l..r4 f- .is V 1 to NW. 1001. will offer trOOa I1' . ..M ..ornlv.l twe je, "ttion may Vfore expeet to iKxposltio I foats (or pnz vmet stadium wiU IZ"Y for prt-- Aoti sudlumwl ,elator. ctartSUlnu-PTPr will i ne i- va . t.:t i.m Tbe following firms are recommended io readers of The Ar gus as prepared to serve patrons , to thc best possible advantage, and worthy of business conDJzice: . Suits made to Cleaning and re done at lowest t t I SM Vj a tract. It lack Jo Cream It ta th. TMunlMt.raD 1i K. West, Gum Co. 611 Seventeenth Sk. Rook Island, 111, Ask your Gro cer for it and get a Cook Book free. S. A. MAGER Second ave. and are prepared to do bending, punch ing and out ting. Also heavy or 24th St. and Srd Ave. Bock TH0F.1AS VAN TUYL, and all general tight 11S-11& West Seventeenth atreet. AOADEMY OF THE eonrtaoted by the sisters of the visi tation, 2939 Fifth avenue. Rock Is land. The Acad tbe new aoademy will be opened Monday. Sept. 18. MU8IO, ART. EL and the languages. I. A. LElTHHEBi Street, Rook Is Hull & Co. Ei F. Stroehle Chicago papers de livered and orders taken for all peri odicals. 1821 Third avenue. at moderate pri L. A. Book H. S. BACHMAM ln town to 1005 Second avenue. Rock Island, 111. AND ALL KINDS Hides, wool ATal low. Highest ptioe paid whether In smaU or large or car load lota. 1122-24 M Seventh ave. 'Phone 412, Rock Island, IU. Tbe next session 7th, im. Philo For terms and full to REV. J. T. A. FLA NN Ad AN, for Furnaoe use. Seoocd - Street, If you Intend do ing any building eall Shop and residence at No. 1334 Thirty eighth street, Rook r. J. Steele, Pro. 1709 Second a v., Your entire ward robe cleaned and pressed for (I per month. Work called for and delivered. a new Invention. 130 Bridge Avenue, AVENTOBT, I A. IF POISONOUS DRUGS FIAVE FAILED TO CUBE. TOU, TRT NATURE'S wK-JT' JACODS. tbe great Magnetic Healer will eurc you of any dlseane in a short time with out the use ot dniKS. W. T. HagiU, Office fn Masonlo -0 to l? no a r- i jo to 4 . io p. in. Rook Island, I1L In public schools. m. c. a. and 7 to n. ni all day SaturdaS work a spe Office: Flat No. and$: 8 p. m." " " ' m" BBS, Fourth Ave. FOR , " . I . . T 2100 Flf V Tom A. Marshall I r v '"U. . CCNCRA'k OrTKCS1 J. F. Kosiwso", Prwsldent L. B. MoC. Vice President. H. E. CASTssr Casta Gentral Trust and Savings Bank, Rock Island, III. Incorporator Under State Law. Capital 8tock, $100,000. Four Per Cent fntere Fthe Argus into your f..y on- BOARD OF DIRECTORS. I 8. McCabe, K. D Sweeney, J. F. Robinson, Henry W. Tremana, H E. CaateeL H. D. Mack, Bweenc; Walker, Boucitora. v.TgOAB-ED ON PERSONAL, C0M.ATEBAL OB SEAL ESTATE SEC I C. 3. Larkia, James t. La Veils, L. D. UnOt Louis A. t v river fail you. ardsys 7 to 8 h1 Bank Building. ss m . r T afww-w SJ sun a. STt jvj-0"i Kri.to, ol tUf 8 LANE frTMml vx i. a i Mir ...... ..nJ. i

|The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video| There Are Alot Of Features To Look For When Deciding On An Elliptical Trainer Thats Perfect For You Have you decided to purchase a piece of home workout equipment? There are a lot of choices available today on the market for home gym equipment. The key is to find the right piece of equipment for you and your workout needs. The elliptical machine is quickly gaining popularity both in and out of the gym. The elliptical machine is an excellent choice for home equipment, especially if you do not want the traditional treadmill or exercise bike. Why An Elliptical Machine? Elliptical machines came onto the scene a few years ago and they have been gaining in popularity ever since. There are a few reasons why elliptical machines are a good choice for your exercise needs. Ellipticals offer a weight resistant workout which is important because, weight resistant workouts burn calories faster and more efficiently. Also, with a weight resistant workout, you are building bone density which is particularly important for men or women who are at risk for osteoporosis. How Will I Burn Calories Faster? Elliptical trainers involve both the arms and the legs making it a crosstrainer, in a smooth and natural motion. Because you are utilizing both your arms and your legs you are involving more muscle groups than with other machines, therefore you are optimizing your energy expenditure. In today's busy world everyone is limited on time, so why not optimize your exercise time? Studies have shown that because elliptical machines are optimizing energy expenditure, the average person will burn more calories. What About My Joints? One of the reasons that elliptical trainers are so popular is because they provide an excellent aerobic workout with minimal stress on your joints. Traditional cardiovascular workout machines such as treadmills or stepper machines cause an impact on the joints because your feet leave the machine and come down, thereby causing stress on your joints. With an elliptical trainer there is no need to remove your feet from the foot pads so there will be little stress on your knees, ankles, hips and back. Because of the fact that the elliptical machine is a low/no impact machine it is a perfect choice for people who are suffering from or are recovering from any joint problems such as knees, ankle, hip or back. Often people with joint problems feel that they have to give up on exercise, but no more with an elliptical. How Do I Choose An Elliptical Trainer? Now that you have decided to choose an elliptical machine for your home gym you will be faced with many different machines and many different brands, and it can be very overwhelming when you are trying to choose the best machine for you. You definitely need to look for a machine that has quality craftsmanship, and is sturdy. You will want one that will be able to stand up to a tough workout, no matter what pace you want to workout at. Most elliptical machines will come standard with an on board computer. The computer will usually come preset with a number of different work-out programs. It is best to look for an elliptical trainer that has a number of different programs preset into the computer. Depending on your workout goals, you will want a computer that offers a weight loss program, interval programs and a good variety of other programs. Some of the higher end models come with on board computers where you can actually download more workout programs from your home computer. These models of course are quite a bit more expensive and you probably do not need this function if you are just starting out. It is also important to look for a machine that operates smoothly and quietly. If your cross trainer operates smoothly you will be able to hear the television or radio easier. Also a smooth machine is typically run with magnetic resistance instead of belts. Machines run on belts typically will require more maintenance. You may be interested in an elliptical trainer that folds away for storage purposes. Many people look into ellipticals that store well because they want to use them when they need them and put them away in a closet when not in use. What Brands Are Available? There are a lot of very good brands of elliptical crosstrainers on the market today, some of the most popular brands available are: Which Elliptical Trainer Is The Best? The best way to determine which elliptical machine is the best fit for you is by making a list of al of the features that you are looking for in a trainer. You should also set a price limit for yourself, as some of these machines can cost a few thousand dollars. Once you find the perfect combination of features and price you will have a machine that is perfect for you. About the Author Handy Consumer Guide Best Buy Treadmill Evaluators Consumer Search is an online forum that basically reviews the consumer guide best buy treadmill reviewers. The site takes a look at each treadmill reviewer and evaluates the usefulness of the consumer guide best buy treadmill review. How to Buy A Treadmill - Key Points Finding the best treadmill to buy shouldn't be a difficultthing to do. Treadmills have long been touted as a majorplayer in the health and fitness field and for good reason. Heart Rate Monitors - an Overview A heart rate monitor is a device that allows users of exercise machines to check their heart rate whilst training. It usually consists of two elements, a wrist receiver and a chest strap. Which is the Best Exercise Tool, High-tech Machines or Free Weights? Which is the best exercise tool, high tech machines or free weights?You may find this information laborious; however, it is necessary to outline the differences between high-tech and non-high tech equipment for the purpose of producing maximum fitness in minimum time.Much of the equipment on the market is virtually useless. What You Need to Know Before Buying a Pedometer Question: What's small, weighs about an ounce, and comes in dozens of different models? Answer: a Pedometer.Would you have guessed it had I mentioned this item can help you lose weight, decrease your chance of diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease, and improve your overall fitness? Using a pedometer to count your steps is one of the cheapest and easiest ways available to improve your health and fitness. Treadmill Lubrication - Ya Gotta Grease The SkidsTreadmill lubrication on many treadmills is a necessary part of equipment maintenance and care. Failure to regularly lubricate the treadbelt will result in increased wear, substantially shortening its lifespan. t Blow Your Nose In The Water Fountain We all know the general rules of the gym: don't drop the weights, wipe your sweat off the machines when you're done, etc. But do you know all about the more "colorful", lesser known rules of the gym?NOTE: These rules are JOKES! If you ever see any of these rules posted at any gym you ever go to, please take a picture for me!1. Start Moving With Manual Treadmills Although manual treadmills are much cheaper than motorized treadmills, and are quite popular, they do not have many of the features that people like to see on their exercise equipment. You do get a good workout from manual treadmills, but you also have to supply all the power needed to get them going. Mobility Scooters: An Introduction Mobility scooters are designed for people who have some mobility but are challenged by slopes or distances. A wide variety of mobility scooters, in various price ranges, are available to fit your needs from leading manufacturers such as Invacare, Pride, Sunrise Medical and Drive Medical. Balls That Could Be The Remedy For Your Workouts The attic door swings open.Behind the ancient bumper pool table, beside the old Zim-Zam set and underneath the ugly pair of K-Tel skis lies a round, leathery object covered by two decades of dust. Cardio Zone Elliptical Trainers CardioZone makes a number of similar elliptical trainers, falling into the lower price range than the Nautilus or Octane brands. They have four types of trainers, and each one is suited to different workouts and user needs. Steam Bath or Sauna - Which Is Better? There is sometimes confusion between the terms 'steam bath' and 'sauna.' Many people think they refer to the same thing. Octane Elliptical - Product Review When buying a trainer it's important to first figure out what you want, and what features will be most beneficial to your workouts. The Octane elliptical line has a large number of different trainers to suit a variety of different needs, and their models are divided into home and gym. Exercise Bikes - Discover The Magic There are two types of exercise bikes available. The upright bike resembles a typical road bike but they are stationary. Treadmill Reviews - Helping You Find The Best Treadmill For YOU! With a multitude of different treadmills available today, it can be extremely difficult to know which one might be the best one for you - it can be so overwhelming that you simply don't know where to start! If you go to one of the wide variety of treadmill manufacturer's websites, you will be greeted by a whole array of different models that include a variety of features and characteristics that simply boggle the mind, and inevitably enough, each manufacturer is going to say that theirs is better than all the rest. What you need to help you navigate your way through the overabundance of information is a helpful and unbiased informer, and thankfully, help is not too far away. How Trampolines Can Be Used In Competition The first competitions were held in colleges and schools inthe USA and then in Europe, with the first WorldChampionships being held in London in 1964. Kurt Baechlerof Switzerland and Ted Blake of England were the Europeanpioneers and the first ever televised NationalChampionships were in England in 1958. 5 Questions You Should Ask Before Purchasing a Treadmill With the advancement in the treadmill industry, quality machines could now cost you up to $5,000. So purchasing the wrong equipment could prove costly. Getting Fit With A Smooth Treadmill Treadmills are one of the most popular fitness machines available today, viewed consistently as a straightforward piece of equipment that can provide a good workout for everyone, regardless of their fitness level.And though treadmill workouts are sometimes viewed as a little predictable, there are a huge variety of great machines available that offer an array of features than can bring a real element of challenge to a workout. Why Use Treadmill Belt Lubricant? Treadmill belt lubricant is one of the most important things to purchase after your treadmill. Most people do not realize just how important treadmill belt lubricant is, but when you think about it, it really is quite logical, as without good maintenance of your machine, it will demise quite rapidly. 5 Ways To Get The Most From Your Home Gym A home gym can help you build muscle, produce an attractive body, rev up a sluggish metabolism and shave years off your age.If you choose wisely, you'll have all the tools you need to accomplish these goals (and more). Section Site Map - Submit News - Feedback - Comments - Advertise with Us Copyright © 2006 Luminati Inc. All rights reserved.

SAUNAFIN specializes in the factory direct sales of Saunas, Material Kits, Pre-Fab Saunas, Electrical and Wood Burning Heaters, Accessories, Infrared Saunas and Steambath Generators. Whether you are planning built-in or want a prefab or portable sauna, we have a package for you. If you are renovating and want to add a steambath generator or steam shower, we have a steam shower model that will suit your needs. Sauna Designs by Great Saunas is a Good Start for Your Sauna Building Plans... The sauna building book is highly recommended for sauna design ideas, sauna building plans, specs, etc. Our sauna book shows you the essentials of sauna design with indoor sauna room drawings, layouts, blueprints and outdoor sauna plans. Whether you're looking for home saunas, portable saunas, sauna heaters or steam generators, Sauna Depot are the experts in helping you choose the perfect solution to your residential or commercial projects.

Alanya, Antalya Region Modern and bright city hotel offering a friendly atmosphere and in easy reach of the beaches and resort amenities Karat Hotel, Alanya Family friendly hotel in a central location Karat Hotel has an outdoor swimming pool and sun terrace as well as a sauna, a games room with pool and table tennis tables and, a playroom for children. There is also a snack bar, a bar and a TV lounge. The hotel has a car park and a hair salon and, services offered include WiFi, 24 hour reception desk, luggage storage, room service, laundry, currency exchange, a hotel safe and lift access to the upper floors. Karat Hotel Information The hotel is located in Alanya city centre and just a short walk from the beaches and markets, shops and restaurants. Alanya is approx 146km from Antalya Airport Karat Hotel Location Map There are 60 guest rooms at the Karat Hotel, each of which has an en-suite, air conditioning, satellite TV and a telephone. Please note: rates displayed are not available for Turkish Nationals. Please Note: Stamp on arrival visa's are being replaced by the new e-visa application process. All visitors to Turkey from 10th April 2014 will be required to purchase their entry visa via the Turkish Government website www.evisa.gov.tr prior to travel. Alanya Holidays, Antalya Region Show All Alanya Hotels on Map Mr Kelly, Jun 2013 See what else our customers are saying about us

The Best Choice in Key West for Your Ultimate Tropical Getaway! Welcome to paradise! The sand is warm, ocean water sparkles and classic Florida charm relaxes you. Enjoy the comfort of a luxury suite with tropical flair at The Reach Resort, a classic beachfront hotel conveniently located in Key West's Old Town just steps from the beach and within minutes of shopping, golf and nightlife. Enjoy spectacular views and cool ocean breezes from your room's private balcony, relax poolside at the fabulous pool area or feed your hungry appetite with a mouthwatering steak from Shula's on the Beach. There are dozens of things to do, from water sports and beach activities to fantastic shopping and fun nightlife at Duval Street - just one block from the resort! Discover an unforgettable beach vacation at the Reach Resort A Waldorf Astoria Resort. Here, you'll be located on one of the only Caribbean islands in the U.S. where you'll have Key West's only natural beach as your backyard! Enjoy the perfect combination of white sand and glistening sunshine...or take part of the beach with you as you retire to your room complete with stunning beach views. Bring the team away for a refreshing Key West business event! The Reach Resort features over 3,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor venues for your next Key West business retreat. Whether you're planning a small team meeting or a large-scale conference, the resort offers everything you need for a successful getaway. Let their professional staff assist you in every step, from selecting the perfect onsite venue to creating customized catering options. The onsite spa and beach makes it easy to enjoy team-building activities and relaxation in between all your hard work! With Key West's only natural beach in your backyard, the kids will have the prime spot for sand castle building! Snorkeling, swimming, and an outdoor swimming pool are right at your fingertips. The Reach Resort's spacious lodging makes family getaways as easy as a cool, Florida breeze. Everyone is happy in paradise! Make The Reach Resort your central hub for great Florida fishing opportunities! In beautiful Key West, there are numerous opportunities to hit the waves get some quality fishing done. Whether you're just an amateur and want to fish off a dock, or you're a pro and are looking to charter a fishing excursion, Key West is the place for both casual shore fishing, and more serious deep sea trips. Escape the ordinary during the holidays and experience a luxurious beachfront getaway at The Reach Resort! With the white-sand shores and clear blue waters just outside your door, it's the perfect destination. Enjoy a variety of activities such as snorkeling, sailing, surfing, and more! There's nothing more romantic than the white-sand beaches and azure blue waters of the ocean as the setting for your honeymoon vacation. At The Reach Resort you'll enjoy the luxurious accommodations with oceanfront views, plus the range of activities to experience with your sweetheart. It's truly the perfect place to start the newest chapter of your life! Experience unique beachside luxury combined with relaxing Florida charm when you stay at The Reach Resort. Unwind with an island-inspired massage right on the beach or soak up the sun on the area's only natural beach. After a day of relaxation or sandy fun, return to your lavish Caribbean-style room for a soothing end to your day. There's no better place to rekindle your romance than beachside. Delight in sensual massages next to the ocean, pleasure your taste buds at The Strip House, Reach Resort's signature restaurant, or conquer the world under the waves while SCUBA diving or snorkeling hand in hand! Charming accommodations with stunning ocean views offer you a relaxing place to unwind with your sweetheart! The health spa at Reach Resort offers you a variety of sumptuous, rejuvenating spa choices. Enjoy a massage within the comfort of an air-conditioned room or next to the crashing waves in an outdoor therapy area. Get your heart pumping with a healthy workout or relax your muscles in the sauna! Say "I do" as calming waves roll onto the shore at The Reach Resort. This luxurious Key West destination presents a setting on the shores of one of the only Caribbean islands in the United States. Here, you'll find elegant ballroom space, a wonderful catering staff, and spectacular service to care for every detail. Let the resort assist in planning everything from guest accommodations to choosing the perfect onsite venue to setting up any audio/visual equipment. The Reach Resort is sure to make your dream wedding a reality! Villas and Condos The guest rooms and suites at The Reach Resort offer either stunning ocean, tropical pool or lush courtyard views. To ensure a comfortable and relaxing stay, amenities include private furnished balconies and plush furnishings. The luxuriously-appointed rooms of The Reach Resort are meant to reflect the ambiance of the area's surrounds and evoke a feeling as soothing as the ocean breeze. - Restaurant Onsite - Pets Allowed - Property Size 150 units - Conference Facility - Kids Allowed - Nearby City Key West - Nearby Water Atlantic Ocean - Open Dates All Year - Key West International Airport (EYW) / 2.3 miles - Kawama Airport (VRO) / 103.2 miles - Juan Gualberto Gomez International Airport (VRA) / 107 miles * Not all airports listed here may be open to public use, or service commercial flights - Fitness Center - Swimming Pool - Boat Docks - Wildlife & Nature - Saltwater Fishing - Scuba Diving - Air Conditioning - Coffee Maker - In Room Safe - Arts and Crafts - Bocce Ball - Valet Parking - Shuttle Service - A/V Equipment - Banquet Room(s) - Meeting Room(s) - Fitness Programs Get the phone By clicking 'Submit' you are agreeing to our Terms of Service Vacation Request Successfully submitted. Thank You!

Here at Thousand Lakes Resort, we offer numerous amenities including: 9 very spacious cabins that sleep from 2 up to 8 people Fully Modern Housekeeping Cabins Sand beach & Playground Hunting / Fishing About Fishing Lac Des Mille Lacs Ontario Canada Lac des Mille Lacs, in Ontario Canada, is famous for its canadian fishing and scenic beauty. Lac des Mile Lacs (French for Lake of a Thousand Lakes) is a very apt description of its many islands, bays, inlets, channels, and shoals. This lake is famous for its excellent Walleye (Pickerel) and Northern Pike and offers some of the best fresh water fishing in the world. Fishing on Lac des Mille Lacs is unique in that it produces trophy fishing throughout the season and is one of the most exciting canadian lakes for fishing. Lac des Mille Lacs has fishing for tasty canadian walleye, feisty smallmouth bass, and excellent fishing for tackle busting northern pike. To view the fishing rates for 2010 posted by the MNR of Ontario, click here Thousandl Lakes Resort offers some of the best hunting that Canada has to offer. Trailer and Camping Facilities: We have 60 sites - most are serviced with water and electricity. Centrally located shower house with flush toilets and sauna. Beach & Playground: Excellent sand beach and unsupervised swimming facilities are available. Playground for children. 2 boat launches and docking for your convenience. Boat and motor rentals. Our boats are of good size and handle well with medium size motors. Live bait, gas and oil available. Fun bug and paddle boat rentals for children. We stock staple grocery items for our guests so you won't have to run to town for all your needs. We also have a line of tackle supplies. We offer moose and bear hunting packages and license sales.

Newspaper Page Text VED EVERY THUKRDAY. Si CO PIS VBAR IN ADVANl Z. W. M. HINTER EDITOR AND OWNtK Obituaries of 100. words printed -ubscribers. Over 1<4<> words, live 'cents per line. Advert.sment, J b and news copv Forms close Wedaesday 10 a. m. THIIKSDAY, OCTOBER IT. 1913 THE Journal has on han?! hand? some lithographe?! receipts which will he jrh'en or mailed toallpon utors of the Democratic Cam? These receipts will make valua? ble souvenirs being handsomely embossed ami having upon them pictures ot Wilson and Marshal} d in your contribution as ur ^ed in the appeal below at ence. Do you want a President of the United States who will he obli? gated to no Other interest than that ?f the people, and who will place the welfare of the country before that ot the exploiters? If you do, you should freely contribute your share toward the ~ucce>s of Wo?drow Wilson ? who Is ?It; ending on you and not n: n y :.r enemies to finar.ee the he represents?which is Cut out the coupon below and mail With your contribution to Editor Mathews Journal. As r. believer in the progressive ?deals of government teprocnte?! in the candidacy of Woodrow Wilson for 'President of the United States and to the end that he may take the otXice free-handed, untrammeled and obli? gated to none bot the people ol the country I wish to contribute thi ?ugh you to be for v.- u ?led to Governor ?on the sum of ?S ... toward the expenses of his campaign. We have from time to time called the attention of our busi? ness men here to the importance of cleaning uu the trash around their places, especially when there is a large crow?4 of visitors in the county. Theie are now many people from all adjacent Sections here for the Fair and surely you desire that they be fav? orably impressed with our town. Let us do a littie cleaning up and present the best impression pos? sible It is good business -policy if nothing el^e. We have a considerable string of articles on the ever important /oad question ready for print. They are written by prominent citizens from all parts of the coun? ty and some of them will run ev? ery week hereafter An article of unusual interest by Mr. George A. Taylor, who is an expert road builder, who has had ?r-'at ex? perience in the West, will run STATE FAIR GREAT. Gloucester Exhibit Excellent. The session of the State Fair, j ist closed in Richmond, ?vas ac Ifcnowledt?ly the best in its history. The wealth of exhibits, both of agricultural products, of ctock and of machinery bore eloquent witness to the onward stride of our old Commonwealth in all de? partments ef indusiry. 'i he crowd in attendance also outnumbered that of any previous fair and the attractions were all that could be desired and the racing good. Gloucester, our .sister county, had | ureat exhibit, in charge of Ut. L. C. Cat let t of Gloucester C. H. It compared favorably with any seen and was a splendid testimonial to the advance of Gloucester alone agricultural lines. Neatly everything possible to be raised in th*J section was seen in their exhibit and of the finest variety. Mathews and M:?l ."llesex were not represented by The Journal will receive and ten.it contiibuthms to the Demo? cratic Campaign Fond, Amount ?ved l h us lar: - ?thews Journal.$--S0 ? ?? -*?w ? - GilbeST^, ?J. l.oo G, E, T. L?ne.l.oo V. V. Shipley.i.oo N E. Miller.2.?0 John F, Hudgins..I.OO R. L. McCrea.lv.1 W. H. V. H n Juins.1.00 Sand ? Smith Sr.2, \V. B. Smith. 3 ?o Total $17. jo SAVfl D ?V HtS \v She's s wise woman wh what to ?lo when lier husband'** life ls<j iu dang?er, but Mrs. R. J. Pint, Bi tree, ia of trat kind.**She insisted on my using Dr. King's New Discovery.*' writes Mr. F. "for a dreadful cough, when I as so weak my friemls all thought f had only S short time to live and it completely cure?! me." A ??nick cure f?^r coughs ami colds, it is ?he mo.-t safe and tel i ah! o medicine f??r v throat and lung troubles crip, bronchitis, croup, whooping cough, quinsy, tonsilitis, hemmorrhag?ea. A trial will (.tun nice you. 50c and Sl.O Guarant?e?ed by all druggii Mr. Gilbert Ditigs. the voting orator of Lower M at hews, will ,k in behalf of the National Democratic Ticket at the follow? Penny, Saturday. Sept, iS, 8 p. m, Peary, Tuesday, Oct. ist. S p. m; R. C. Brooks'store. Sa tor lay, Oct. 5th, 8 p. m; New Point Tuesday, Oct. S. 8 p. m; Cobbs Creek, Thursday, Oct. 10, c, p.m. J. K.Brooks'store, JL-aban.Thnrs day, Oct. 3 t, ?S p. m. A LOQ ON THT TRACK of the fast express means serio.is trou? ble ahead if not ?removed, so does loss of appetite. It means lack of vitality >f etrength and nerve weakn If appetite fails lake Electric Bitters quickly to o?ercomc the cause bv ton? ing up the stotnach and curing the in ?lipest ion.jMich.icl Hi ssheimer ?<f Lin? coln, Xeb hail heer. sick fur years hut six boules of Klectric Putters put him rijiht o.r? his feet again. They have helped tboueanda. They ^ive pure blood, strong nerves, good digestion. Only 50c at all druggieta. FIRES UN THE The town hall, printing estab? lishment of the Tidewater Demo? crat a::d a colored man's home, were burned about 3 o'clock last fridav morning. The damage is consiiJerahle and inclmles records ot the surveys ma le for the Hampton and Washington Rail? The Texas Oil Company's stn tion at Sharps Wharf was burned last week and 4.000 gallons ?)f gasoline and 1,000 of coal oil SAVES LEG OF HOY. 44It seeme?! that my 14 ye?*r old boy would have to lose his leg on account of an i*gly ulcer caused Ly a bad bruise." wrote I). P. Howard Aqu X. C. "Al! remedies and doctors treat? ment failed till we tried Bucklen's Ar? nica Salve and cared hi*n withooebox. Cures burns I oils skin eruptions piles. J5c at all ?Ironists. ROOSEVELT SHOT BY Col. Theodore Roosevelt was shot in the breast and slightly wounded by a crazv man while entering an auto in front cl Hotel Gilpatrich in Milwaukee on M day nicht. A large bundle of pa? pers i robahly ptevented t he wound being serious and he insis ted on speakiig that niuht ac cording to his schedule though The assassin gave his name as John Schtenk of New York and aci.. ed demented on the subject of Mr. Roosevelt running for a Mil. B1NF0RD TO SPEAK. Mr. J. H. Bmford, a prominent educator and ex-secretary c>i the Cooperative Educationa! Asso? ciation of Virginia, will apeak at the following plate i in behalf ?>t the schools on the dates mention - .1 All patrons are invited, to I ige building, Milford Haven r chool, Nov. j, 7:30 p. m; New Point High School; Nov. 4, 7:30 p. m, r>' rh? [ church, Nov. 5. 7:30 p m; bmanoe' cboich, > 6. 7'Ho P. m, Kallieford school. Nov. 7, 3 i?. m and Cobbs ( 1 sch 7. 7:3 p, m. C ci>?u?-?^l3. ?Cr?-. ?? z^.1 \?'t.?x"?i?v <? V'I LAj I A' HER AUSPICIOUS CON? The Matheus Fail i yesterday with an average day cfowd in attendance, The ither was ideal and the track in perfect conditi.jp. (>n account of the failui Gwynns Island baseball team to appear the tust game of the 1 lo \V hites Net k with a scor. ol Q to o. In or however, t not disappoint the crowd a picked t'-ani from the has." ball men present played Mobjack a match came. CobWs Creek and Glebe teams will play ?i ?good game of hall to? il, iv and the winnsr olay Mobjack for the championship tomotrow. The 2:_5 trot and pace was Virgiaiia Iraedworth. the fast grey mare owned by Mr. Fre/.nch i of Middlesex, in three straight heats, Salina Bedw rth coming second and making a good show? ing considering that Qlshe |iad ?' had case ol distemper. Albert G. Bed worth, t!:e big brown trotter from Stevensville, showed good class. Timt ; 2:25, 2:27 Virginia Bed worth, Favne, 1 1 1 Sauna ftedworth, Blake, 2 Ore lia. S. aw 4 3 3 Alfred Bed worth, Vaughn. .?; In place of the three-year-old race which did not start a special race was pull.d off. It was won by Lady Chilton in two straight heats with Pan second. I Chilton is a daughter cf the n - nowned Blackbird and is owned by Mr. Blake. Lady Chilton, Blake, I 1 I Dan, Bland, 222 Sweet wood, S. a well, -5 3 3 The fn-?c-for-all and 2140 class go to-day. The hand from Kil marnock will also constitute au attractive featuf \ SEW STEAMBOAT COMPANY. A prospectus for the reorgani? zation of the ?At*? (oik, York Riv? er and Tidewater Steamboat Co., under the name of the Norfolk and ridewater Steamboat Com? pany with an authorized ca; ?on of $100.000 has been is The idea is to merge the pros ent York River line running from West Point and what was the Reedville line before the sinking of the steamboat "West Sh : into one company, perd?ase a lar?;e steamboat and with the present steamboat "York River" keep up a regular Ireight and pas? senger service between Norfolk and points on r. d Wicom jco Rivers as far up a? West Point 'For many years I war iroui?ri. lu y, spite of all to called relhedies F i LI At lastlfouudqekk ? iliefl Icurea In those mild, yet thorough and H really wonderi ul Ipfa Seblnceelc, HufTalo, N Y. f: 25C_N?S PER GOTTLEATAILDR'JC.G-STS. ? ?????mil 1 n ? im ?? ?! 11 at m iia?iia iiiiaaiiil C. S. SMITH, JR. Will practice in MatheWS, a:id adjor?ning Counties. P h o n e Smith's office Glouceser, O. H. PATTERSON and Commissioner of Deeds i N'ai hew s Count v. Va. Bills of Sale written for vessels from ??o tins down. Your patronage is respectfully solicited. Address W. H. MILLER M at hews C. II. Va. Notary Public and J. P. Would go to any part of the conntv or elsewhere, to attend to ai.s business in his Ii ok w m public. T ha \ lish? d ?? gi ist itch Penny, near 131 alces, and will, on Tuesday o( each week, g:ii:d corn f<;r a Meal -ii\\ a > -> ->i band at Dr. J. W. D. H-V>" CES, lie wish to announce <?unMillinery?pen il ing under a mankind t that will in " spire confidence. <1 Vlrs. Enos and ;i, who so Mieeesl u!ly conduct partment last vear. will this year make a m rt to pie. 4X We invite your presence n the $rd, 4th, 5th, and dlh of October, a:? during these daysthest ladies-will entert! n theirfriends and impart all ti v idets in Millinery and Suits lor the coining >e C, Do not fail toc?me . iv customer during these lour days will receive a valuable sou ?. ?C Come is a caller, if not a cus? ior this occas >n. 's Dopartinem Store, ? C. 11. - - i?rinia. We t S'koe and Remnant Sale /fr weeks ?jet. Xtst t Entries outbsibc Hgncultural Hssociatton OCTOBER IT, 18, ?9i2 IURSDAY, OCT. 17 FREE-FOR-ALL 1 ROT AND PACE, PI RSE $109.0? ? worth, g. ni., E. T. French, Lot, V Alfred ?;. Bcdworth b. >., S. C. Vaughn, Stesensvillte, V >rth ch. m , 10. M. Blake, Math? i Jim bik. g? E. M. Blake, Mathews, Va, : ii Bed worth g. *-.. W. M. Dixon, Hudgins, Va. 11 Mai?! b. m.. ( >. O. Rhea, Mobjack, Va. Earl o? Mobjack b. t., ?>. O. Khea, Mobjack, Va. CLASS, ROT AND PACE, PURSE $75.00 Lady Chilton ch. m., Blake ana Nichols, Mathews, Va. Kona b. m.. C. M. Ulano, Shanghai, Va. Salin th ch. m., E. M. Biake, Mathews, Va. Boy b. g.. E. M. 1 Va. E. s. Wi'.Us b. s., Leonard Cook, Warner, Va. .?>.?'. RI . ... M< I jack, 4' Mill b, m., Alfred G. B?edworth b. s., S. C. Vaughn, tsteveusvil -, vTa. liai T. P. br, .*-.. A. S. Hughes, Cappahosi?s, Va. Daisy Pointer by King Pointer, L. B. I V.i FIRDAY, OCT \n. 2:30 T-'OT, PURSE Alfred t?. B?ed worth b. -s.. S. C. Vaughn, Stevcnsvlll . Vu. g. s., W. M. Dixon, Uudgins, Va. Milton Maid b. m., o. O. Rhea, Mobjack, Va. Karl ? K !i b. s., lil... :'. M. l?lakc, Mathews," Sai g., Henry Loker, Lconardtown, Mil. CLASS, TROT AND PACE, PURSE $72.00 Salina Bcdworth ch. m., E. M. Blake, Mathews, Va, r. c g, J. H. P. Sea well, Zanoni, " Dan b. g., C. M. Bland, Shanghai, Va. Virginia I>?>v b. ?_ . . Va. . W i Ikes b. s. Leonard Co )", Warner, Milton Maid b. m., O. ?>. Rhea, Mobjack, Lady Chi Iban ch. m., Biake and Nicho] Vi. Daisy Pointer by King Pointer, L. B. Mear*, (her-: n, V.. N<^w'7y renovated. Large, !h;ht. niry rooms. Mod? ern fireproof construction, clos?* to all e>;r |ln?ss and boats. In tho he&i t of the shopping district ?lad $1 Per Bay-Privilege Bath $2 Per Day with Private Bath TiMophono ln every room? hot nn<1 cold wat : nlcply furnish ?/thing first ?-la.s?. As *<>od oa you'll find in other hotels at doubl? ti:?-- price, FREE SHOWER BATHS ON EVERY FLOOR. ? For tmbm particulars . - vrite I l'\ W. r.\>.\ : .1. Atlantic Hotel. ; ., sil_:T.,._?T*?_.-a-ga HAVE VOIR iff FUI CLOTHES Mado To * * Order * * * * M D GET THEM // HERE lOtf CAA BE S If RE *R*\ya\ feeling of bfilng dressed a little better %>y than the average?pf wearing clothes that are personally adapted and exclusively yours? can alone be had in WanrTailored-to-Order r clothes that arc made v' ling ?H want them and Ktted to ?our u .*? idua] measurements. I don't n v to lake your own measurements . id away out of town for your purchases. ? me taking is a science, and unless excep? tionally carel uliv handled often results in misfits. Let US take your measurements We are experts and make garments that tit. And what's more we're light here at home to do it tor you. K. W. POSTER, Ladies' And Cent's Tailoring Mathews, - Va SPECIAL SHOE SALE Beginning September _7th, and lasting for two weeks. G. S. -MARCHAN 5 DEPARTMENT STORE, MATHEWS - VIRGINIA. ct_ _ 5^i a if. *__. . ?_?fc; -..? ?-_ -lV? ? It's 1 uilt | Domical >??-?? \< , - -J .., ? rS>' C?-*. <?-? . '' It'I a r. . tin is . . ?ting. , .:?(.'? of hl i <;-1 careless. _?,T~i2 We arc building this great ' -f] two-cycle Type **KM En ?i gine in 1 a:<d 2-cyIindcr ^???* sizes. For full description of this an?! othertvpes ?ji si/.cs from 354 u.LU ii. r. \.i ,t_? .AXins j 19 Gcv ..nend, Virginia i ; f rl*x?*i, a?inJr.ills. Fatd Crin-ar? MATHEWS MARINE RAILWAY Equipped with a io H. P. Double Cylin ? Steam Engine and capable of drawing : A any boat or not more than loo t? n Lurthen We ;uc now ready for business. A full force of Carpenters, Painters, Riggers, Ma? chinists, Etc., always on hand prepar-d t< ?lo any aecessarv work. Conynodms Who. an-l large anchorage, room with good bar COPPER /.NP BOAT PAINTS ALWAYS ON HAND YOUR PATRONAGE SOLICITED. M I,-TON MURRAY. Pro,.. Williams Wharf. Va. J E W S? L E R Y If you vyill deal here, von wilt f-r. '. a tremendous assortment to Select from, so th if it is always ible to select something new and novel It is also well to La.m OUR PRICES ARE THE O n t r?putation a s reliable (ewclers i.-. tbe result of long Mars constant endeavor to iriv' ??v?-ry customer a square deal. Do not purchase any iewelerv until you've given me an opnor nn?l y to quoi <? prices. W. d. M'LLER ?>1 F. BALTIMORE ST H?and pleasure boats ?^ [9Fv^ viso "the ! f/r?i^r .** \* two cvcttt ! y^m^-t-v .'MarineEngines ^o?ia^/' Sixteen different size? to meet requiiement**. in almost any type of boat. Improved, designs that combine power, efficiency and reliability to the greatest ?degree. Interchange? able parts. Guaranteed in con struction and ability to exceed their rated horse power. The highest quality at The "Globe" and ' '"EtldystoneGlobe" l m ff roved Marine Engines are built by Pennsylvania Iron Works Co. I A. <- , ?

|2 beds||2.0 Ba||1,119||$1,297| North of San Antonio, amidst nature at its finest, you will find Cibolo Canyon Apartments in San Antonio, TX. Wildflowers and babbling brooks are cradled in the naturally sculpted canyons that surround our 2800-acre master planned apartment community of choice. A one-of-a-kind magnificent location is waiting to embrace you. Our 4,400 square-foot full-service Clubhouse offers every convenience imaginable as well as superior customer service. Our San Antonio apartments are just minutes from two golf courses designed by Pete Dye and Greg Norman, rounding out the myriad of activities that surround your San Antonio apartment home. Within your community you can also enjoy a Starbucks Internet Caf after relaxing in the dry sauna or resort-style swimming pool. Be amazed at our spacious apartment homes and distinct single family homes that are unique to our community. Cibolo Canyon Apartments in San Antonio, TX has the truly unique combination of upscale living with resort experiences to enha ...(show more) |Type||This listing is priced| |Zip Code||3% less than||78261 Apartments for Rent| |City||22% more than||Apartments for Rent in San Antonio| |City Condos||22% more than||Condos for Rent in San Antonio| |County||20% more than||Bexar County Apartments for Rent| |State||3% more than||TX Apartments for Rent| |Middle School||the same as||Apartments for Rent near Kitty Hawk Middle| |High School||the same as||Apartments for Rent near Judson High School| |Unified School District||6% more than||Apartments for Rent near Judson ISD|

Rancho Cucamonga, CA 7890 Haven Ave Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 0 enrollment & 1st month free! - Tired of the crowded gyms? Try Anytime Fitness a private 24 hour facility Refer a friend and receive a free month. ** 1st 5 sign ups get tanning Free for life valid through: 04/18/15 We are fully expanded Anytime Fitness Rancho Cucamonga. We are tripled in size. Also added showers, classes and a sauna. Sign up today and enjoy a healthier new you. valid through: 04/18/15 club at a glance health plan discounts beginner weightloss & wellness program maintenance weightloss & wellness program metabolism boost training 30 minutes (call for details) metabolism boost ii training 60 minutes (call for details) dumbells to 150lbs For over 25 years David Ellis has been an Icon and Fitness Guru. As the he inventor of the modern day “Boot Camp” for Civilians and Creator of the First Customized Daily Healthy Meal Food Service, David Continues to Recreate Fitness and Dieting. He is ready for the challenge with new training techniques and classes that will address the growing need for solutions to the growing obesity epidemic!! Certifications: N.S.C.A. “Fitness Trainer”. I.S.S.A. Personal Trainer. First Aid & C.P.R. Hans is our Certified Master Trainer. He has is Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology and Corrective Exercise Science. He holds 12 certifications through ISSA. If you are looking to meet your fitness goals as fast and as safe as possible Hans is the way to go with over 18 years of experience in personal training. He also trained under celebrity trainers Raymond Marestein and Jack Lallane. Panos Prokos MS CSCS, is a Master trainer and a strength and conditioning coach who has been training people for more than 15 years. He has a graduate degree in exercise physiology and a postgraduate degree in sports psychology. He is also certified as a CES (corrective exercise specialist) which allows him to work with individuals who are rehabilitating from injuries such as painful back, shoulders, or knees. "Willie" specialties in 12 week transformations. Certified with ISSA. NPC mens phisyque competitor. He really focuses on you! Also Bilinngual. Anytime Fitness is the world’s largest 24 hour gym and co-ed fitness center chain Stop by our Rancho Cucamonga, CA health club TODAY! Our staffed hours are: Monday – Friday: 9am – 8pm Saturday: 9am – 2pm Sunday: by appointment only Always-open convenience of a 24 hour gym Anytime Fitness of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, is the fitness center that fits your on-the-go lifestyle. At our Rancho Cucamonga, CA, health club, you can exercise any time using your own security-access key! That’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Talk about no more excuses! Affordable memberships in Rancho Cucamonga, CA It doesn't cost a lot to achieve your health and fitness goals at the Anytime Fitness gym in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. For a low monthly fee, you get far more than you’d expect. Come in and see our fitness center for yourself. We’d love to show you around! All you need, all you want in a 24 hour gym membership At the Anytime Fitness center in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, you will find amazing amenities—including the best fitness equipment available!. Plus, our health club has a friendly and supportive atmosphere. To help you get started, each new member receives a FREE personal fitness orientation! One membership, thousands of health clubs At the Anytime Fitness center in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, we’re proud to offer the benefit of Anywhere Club Access. With this benefit, you can visit thousands of our fitness centers for the price of a standard monthly gym membership. With Anywhere Club Access, you can exercise whenever—and wherever—it suits you best.

Spacious living room with marble floor, packed with modern living room set (2-seat sofa and armchair, 2 seats), dining table for 4 people. Fully equipped kitchen with oven, mop plates, fridge / freezer, microwave, coffee maker, kettle, etc.... Enclosed is a room for washing machine. Bedrooms: 2 double rooms (One en suite) with two king size beds. In total the house has room for 4 people. Bathrooms: 2 fully equipped bathrooms with luxury baths, (one en suite) with jacuzzi tub, all marble. Areas Outside: Southfacing terrace with magnificent views to the forest, the sea and the countryside of Mijas, packed with outdoor dining table seats 4, ideal for informal meals. Parking space in the underground, elevators, swimming pool, bed linen , air conditioning general, electric windows and central alarm security. What to do - Golf Courses El Soto de Marbella with its own golf course with 9 holes and its own club house "El Soto de Marbella Golf service restaurant, bar, gym sauna and jacuzzi. The complex spans a beautiful extensive area of gardens and also has six swimming pools, a putting green and tennis and paddle. The 9 hole golf course is just a few minutes walk away, the Club House does an excellent snack menu, lunch menu and evening meals. The La Cala Golf Courses Resort, five minutes away by car, features three of the best golf courses on the Costa del Sol, together with their 6 hole practice short course, the David Leadbetter Academy, and the Club House, it is the biggest golf complex in Spain. There are a further 20 golf courses within a twenty minute driving radius of the apartment. In the area of the Costa del Sol the beaches from Costabella to Cabopino are the Sandy beaches, where no stones are found, so the comfortness of the bath is better. All classified with the blue flag. - Puerto Banus In this luxurious port, considered one of the best in the world have large luxury yachts moored. The visit of many popular characters make it an attractive summer destination. - DAY AND NIGHT Experience the famed nightlife of Puerto Ban�s, considered the largest entertainment center in the Costa del Sol. Explore the incredible night of Marbella with the best climate and services, especialized and international cuisine, cocktails, entertainment, etc� Very quiet & luxury 2 bed apartment with excellent views to sea and country side and with private & free 9 hole par 3 golf course, tennis, pools, restaurant

The London Beach Health Club has a top class gym with cutting edge machines supplied by Technogym. These include the strength building machines you would expect and also the cardio wave system. The unique multi-planar action of the cardio wave enables users to glide their way to better results, in less time and in a smaller space than other types of cardiovascular equipment, focusing on the glutes, lower body and core. It also burns more calories and firms the core efficiently, to the rhythm and beat of your choice. The Kinesis Wall offers a new training method that allows over 250 exercises and movements to develop personalised programmes based around strength, flexibility and balance for all levels of user. It represents an evolution in strength training by combining mind and body and creates a dynamic and refreshing way to train. Kinesis can be used by anyone, any age, any ability. It can provide rehabilitation, holistic, strength and flexibility exercises. If you prefer a more restful approach to exercise there is a beautiful infinity pool and also a large hydrotherapy pool to ease your aching muscles. A steam room and sauna is available off the pool area in addition to a special ladies only area with its own jacuzzi, sauna and steam room. The pools are saline and the air conditioning keeps the atmosphere around the pool warm and dry and there is no overpowering chlorine vapour that is sometimes found with swimming pools. There are very popular aquarobics classes held at certain times. The Health Club has an age restriction in place and members must be 21 years or older. No children are allowed in the gym or pool area. The Technogym equipment requires a programmable key that members slot into each machine as they complete their exercise program. Each machine will upload information to your key and at the end of the training session the computer system will analyse your progress. There is a gym instructor always available to help members set goals and achieve them. The system is very easy to use and helps members to keep motivated whether the goal is to improve flexibility or to achieve peak fitness, all levels of fitness are catered for and age is no barrier as there are many types of machines and our professional team will devise a suitable program. Many classes are available including circuits, Spin classes, Pilates, Zumba and aquarobics.

Each of us have a vision of what our dream home will be. From a huge kitchen to a cozy living room, some of us even want a swimming pool in the back yard. All that is wonderful but for me I want a little extra to make it my very own. In my dream home I want a personal floor, not a room but a whole floor for myself. Fancy dream eh but then it is a dream. On this floor, I want my own personal spa room with a mini sauna, a massage bed that I can lie while my masseuse massages my very tense shoulders away and a huge jacuzzi that I can soak in after a hard days work.. ahh.. such bliss. I also want a room for my clothes, handbags and of course shoes in this very special floor. It has to be complete with full size couches that my friends and I can sit on while we yak about my very fashionable style, a few full length mirror that is angled to give full view of me in my outfit and course a stage for me to practise my walk.. ahahha.. dream on right? Anyway, check out the image below and tell me if you agree with what is being stated. I for one agree one hundred percent! Presented By Foot Petals

With a stay at Centara Villas Phuket in Karon, you'll be close to Karon Market and Patong Beach. This 4-star hotel is within close proximity of Karon Temple and Karon Beach. Make yourself at home in one of the 72 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators and minibars. Rooms have private balconies. Wireless Internet access (surcharge) keeps you connected, and satellite programming is available for your entertainment. Conveniences include safes and coffee/tea makers, and housekeeping is provided daily. Rec, Spa, Premium Amenities Take advantage of recreation opportunities including an outdoor pool and a sauna. This hotel also features wireless Internet access (surcharge), concierge services, and babysitting/childcare (surcharge). Grab a bite at one of the hotel's 2 restaurants, or stay in and take advantage of room service (during limited hours). Relax with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge or a poolside bar. Cooked-to-order breakfasts are available daily for a fee. Business, Other Amenities Featured amenities include dry cleaning/laundry services, multilingual staff, and laundry facilities. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available on request).Expedia Affiliate Network 24 hour front desk Babysitting/child services (surcharge) Currency exchange on-site Pets not allowed Non-smoking rooms available Get Flight + Hotel

SPACIOUS PROPERTY WITH ACCESS TO RIVERSIDE WALKS, FISHING BY ARRANGEMENT REGRET NO BABIES OR CHILDREN 1 of 3 properties, situated in the rural location of Biddisham, 2 miles from the A38, at the end of a country lane in the heart of Somerset countryside and with access to fishing on the River Axe. The historic towns and cities of Axbridge, Cheddar, Glastonbury, Taunton, Bath and Bristol are within good access by car or rail. The seaside towns of Burnham-on-Sea and Weston-Super-Mare are within 20 minutes drive. The western edge of the Mendip Hills, known locally as Crooks Peak, rises to the east of the cottage, with the river at its base. In the far distance, the modern imposition of the M5 motorway weaves across the landscape, bringing together the benefits of the 21st century within an otherwise hidden retreat. You will be ideally situated for a range of activities, horse riding, cycling, walking and golf are all nearby. Leisure facilities: 250 metres of riverside walks and footpaths, fishing is available. Complimentary membership to nearby Leisure Club and Spa sessional rates apply of £5 per person, includes use of gym, sauna, and swimming pool. Shared utility room: washing and drying facilities and a freezer. Amenities: ample off-road parking. Bed linen, towels electric and Wi-Fi included, but additional charge for heating from 1 November to 30 April (£21 per week or £3 per night) made payable to owner on arrival. 2 well-behaved dogs welcome. Regret no smoking in the property. Location: beach 7 miles, shop and pub 3.5 miles. The accommodation, which is all on one level, offers ONE bedroom: super-king-size with dressing area. Shower room: wet room with shower and WC. Lounge/kitchen/diner: spacious room with TV, DVD, dining area and kitchen with electric hob and oven, fridge, freezer, dishwasher, microwave and washing machine. Leisure facilities: river is approximately 45 metres from the patio across the meadow. River fishing available by prior arrangement with the owners. Outside: enclosed patio area with seating, BBQ and access to river frontage via meadow opposite the property. Additional info: regret no babies or children. Please note due to the location of the property the Wi-Fi access is limited. Any property identified with increased accessibility may have different levels of provision, it is therefore advisable that you contact us before you book to ensure the property meets your specific needs and requirements. |Size||Sleeps up to 2, 1 bedrooms| |Family friendly||Suitable for children over 5, Suitable for people with restricted mobility| |Notes||Pets welcome, No smoking at this property| |Rooms||1 bedroom, 1 bathrooms of which 1 Family bathrooms| |Further details indoors| |Further details outdoors| Fishing Onsite / Nearby Contact the advertiser for further information about the region. Contact the advertiser for further details about the local area of this property.

Suites include a fridge, stove and an ensuite storage room. 2-bedroom suites have walk-in closets and 1.5 bathrooms. This clean, quiet and well maintained adult preferred highrise building has onsite laundry facilities, and a pool and sauna. This building is wheelchair accessible. Solano House is close to major bus routes, schools, restaurants, Safeway and other amenities. It is within walking distance of London Drugs, drug stores and banks. Major road near by is Jasper Avenue. Heat, water, and electricity are included in rent. Parking options include: Outside energized parking is $40 per month per stall Underground parking is $50 per month per stall Small, quiet pets are permitted with $25 monthly pet fee (per pet) pending approval. Seniors only pay $299 security deposit. Six and twelve month lease terms are available to new and existing residents. Visit the website for more information and incentives:

Be a part of it. Plant roots in Kirkwood soon to become the jewel of the Sierra for generations to come. Located in a horseshoe canyon with a three-mile long ridge, surrounded by wilderness, Kirkwood is passionate people; it is big adventure; it features big snow along with amazing natural beauty. Today’s homeowners are treated to the best high alpine adventure terrain along with summer wildflower gardens, nearby high alpine lakes, exceptional fishing and hiking trails galore all providing the perfect setting to escape and reconnect. Kirkwood Community Association members enjoy a place to rejuvenate and get away, with a pool, workout facilities, steam, sauna, locker rooms and hot tubs in a remarkable setting. The family seating area offers space to socialize. The bar will provide a place to connect for après ski enjoyment. Friendly staff members are always available to share tips for tomorrow’s adventure. Be a part of it.

Built in 1903, the Schweizerhof Flims Romantik Hotel is conveniently located in the center of Flims Waldhaus, a popular Swiss Alps resort, traditional spa town, and now renowned ski resort. In a wonderful natural setting, this family-run, 4-star hotel offers luxury spa accommodation in Belle Époque style in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. A haven of relaxation, the Schweizerhof Flims Romantik Hotel features bright and cozy guestrooms, most of them with mountain views. Guests can indulge in the rejuvenating cares provided by the onsite spa with indoor pool, sauna, and, with advanced notice, massage therapy. In this charming Flims hotel, there is also a gourmet restaurant with Art Nouveau veranda, boasting à la carte menu with health-conscious and vegetarian dishes. Other facilities include free WiFi, 3 lounges with banquet services, available both for private and corporate events, and a peaceful reading room. This Films hotel features free self parking. The immediate area offers many activities for guests to enjoy, including an outdoor tennis court, running path, playground, sports center, parasailing, rafting, swimming, ice skating, downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and golfing.venere.com Babysitting or child care Currency exchange on-site Pets allowed on request. Charges may apply. Get Flight + Hotel

Find providers and contact information Food & Drink in The Old Strynefjell mountain road Showing 1-10 of 99 results Skei i Jølster Stardalen Summer Café is located in Stardalen Bygdetun, which was built in 1995. Spacious, elegant locality on two floors. The café is located on the... We are proud of our cuisine, which has a strong local accent. We obtain berries produced locally, serve game that has frisked happily on the surrou... Dinner serving from 15.00 We also seve coffee, cakes, snacks, soups, salads, ice cream, beer, mineralwater and wine.... Restaurant at Visnes Hotel. Well kept hotel with Swiss-style architecture, built in 1850, by the fjord. 5 minutes' walk from the centre of Stryn. Resta... Kviknes Hotel dining room. Evening buffet and a la carte menu. Balholm Bar serves a la carte meals. Fully licensed. Well stocked wine cellar. Selje Hotel lies beside the beautiful Seljesanden beach in Selje. 49 rooms. Restaurant. Bar. The hotel has its own fitness centre.... Keiserinnen Dancing: Bar with all rights. In an old farmhouse at Urnes Farm you will find Gamlefjøsen Café. In nice and rustic surronundings you can enjoy coffee, homemade cakes, waffles, small dishes based on local commodities and cold drinks made at the farm. Fruit, berries and deer meat are important ingredients. The Fjordstova is located idyllically down by the fjord, in Skjolden, innermost in the Sognefjord. In the Fjordstova you will find : -tourist info - post office - cafè - handicraft shop -public library -conference auditorium -gym - a 12 m. high climbing wall -swimming pool - sauna -shooting range.

Cold Weather Remedies It is bone-chillin friggin cold out there. Currently as I type this, it is -9 in downtown Bozeman. What are some of your favorite things on a day like this when you don’t want to be outside? Here’s my list It has been real cold lately in the Gallatin Valley. Someone on facebook posted yesterday that the hospitality and good attitude in Bozeman will keep us warm. I like that, it’s true but what are some of your favorites on a day like today when it’s kind of dangerous to stay outdoors for any length of time? Here’s a quick personal list of some simple treasures on days like this: 1.) A blanket and a movie on your couch (that would mean playing hookie today which sounds like heaven right now) 2.) Hot Chocolate with whip cream (hot cocoa if you will, sounds warmer doesn’t it?) 3.) A hot shower (a steaming sauna-like shower) 4.) I have to say those Thuggies look pretty sweet! 5.) Soup or stew or chili (oh my!) 6.) Basically just being a big baby at home. Lying on my couch with my dogs, a blanket drapped over me and all phones turned off! An excuse just to be a lazy pile of poo (I feel a serious 24 hour bug coming on) Pretty simple really for me, what am I missing?

Episode 6 - February 21 It's week six on The Ultimate Fighter, and you've got the one "Game Show Man" Joe Van Ginkel with this week's recap. And this week's show is a doozy, friends. When we last left the TUF crew, it had been decided that Team Couture middleweight Chris Leben and Team Liddell middleweight Josh Koscheck would fight an elimination bout in the wake of the disastrous aftermath of the fighters' night formal announcement is made to the assembled fighters in the UFC training center. White also announces that all the alcohol would taken out of the house to prevent any more instance like this, and that Leben, Koscheck and light heavyweight Bobby Southworth would be paying for the damage caused. is much controversy about the decision. Much of Team Liddell believes (as I personally did at the start of the series) that Leben should've been kicked off the show, and the only reason he was not was because of Randy Couture's influence. (This is not entirely true: UFC president Dana White and even Chuck Liddell have been able to see Leben's potential. [Liddell, from last week: "Chris is not that bad a kid."]) Meanwhile, Leben tries to keep sooth the pain of his left hand which was damaged in last week's rampage (I reported that it was his right hand; it was not), and after running it under a spigot of cold water, explodes into a barrage of foul next day, Team Couture takes training. Leben works with Couture to try and prepare for Koscheck's wrestling game. He works on stopping takedowns and applying submissions to beat Koscheck from underneath should Koscheck manage to take him down. Leben makes a prediction that if Koscheck wins, it will be because he laid on top of him and squeaked out a victory, and that if he wins, it will because he "knocked his (Koscheck's) jaw clear over to the practice mat, and the paramedics are in the cage, scraping him off the canvas." Team Liddell trains; Koscheck trains exactly as Leben to keep him on the ground to prevent him from using his striking power. Kenny Florian and Diego Sanchez come at him from a southpaw stance to simulate Leben's southpaw stance. After the training session, Koscheck is severely exhausted (perhaps foreshadowing things to come?). at the house, Forest Griffin and the others are getting into mischief. (Griffin: " the important s--- is that is unbearable.") He starts climbing the rock fountain in the house, and makes a monkey of next day is the weigh-in. Koscheck goes to the sauna with Liddell and Southworth to cut some weight (and makes fun of his teammate Southworth, who had a lot of trouble doing the same thing on an earlier show). Later, Leben also goes into the sauna to cut weight appointed time, the two men weigh-in. Leben is first and he tips the scales at 186. Koscheck weighs in at 185. Both men flex their arms at the announcement of Meanwhile, Nate Quarry goes to a local doctor to get his injured ankle checked out. The surgeon examines his ankle and the x-ray, and then sets up an MRI to see whether he needs surgery on his ankle. next day is fight day. As for the two fights before them, Koscheck and Leben pack their things should they be eliminated and then go to the gym to prepare for the fight. The two men then walk to the ring, and after White reminds them of the rules, referee Herb Dean asks them if they're ready. They signal affirmative, and the war is on. Elimination Bout #3: Middleweights - Josh Koscheck vs. in the first round, it's mostly a dance recital. Leben tries to feint his way inside, but he just can't land any shots. Eventually Koscheck manages to take him down. But even as he holds Leben down, he can't make any progress. Leben tries to slap on a submission, but he can't. Most of the first round is as Leben predicted it might be: with Koscheck lying on top of him. Koscheck tries to land some punches but Leben keeps him clinched up and eventually Dean orders a clean break. They resume the fight and while Leben stops one takedown, eventually Koscheck slams him to the ground, but the round ends before he can do any lasting damage. Between rounds, Couture tries to coach Leben: "you can't afford to let him spend time on top of you." second round is much like the first. Koscheck tries several couple of takedowns, which Leben stops, but eventually Koscheck manages to take Leben down, and again, he lays on top of Leben without making much progress. Dean breaks them up again, but Koscheck takes him down again, and again, they lay in a clinch and although Leben tries to make him submit, he cannot, and the fight ends. fight goes to the judges, and the decision comes back a Koscheck. The two men shake hands, and go back to trash talking. Leben's prediction was right: Koscheck won by laying on top his of man. Leben goes off and mopes due to losing in such a pathetic way. can blame him? didn't get his revenge, friends, but there's still lots of The Ultimate Fighter left to watch. The light heavyweights are up next week. Who will fight in the Octagon next week? Find out in my next recap. For GSNN, this is the "Game Show Man" Joe Van Ginkel saying godspeed, and spread the love.

Summit Lodge & Spa - Executive Studio/1BANo Reviews Available | post a review By: Mountain Reservations Type: Condo / Sleeps 4 Distance: 10 min Drive to Slopes Daily Rates: - - - Rates / Availability Rates & Availability |Rates shown are general low/high season rates, not today's rate. To get current rates and special offers, check their site, call (888) 337-6678 and mention SkiSite.com to get the best rates, or use the request form below.| About This Ski Condo Soothe your senses in the tranquility of the Summit Lodge and Spa in Whistler, BC. Just steps away from both Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain ski lifts, Whistler's premiere boutique hotel is centrally located in the dynamic Whistler Village with easy access to the numerous shops, restaurants and bars. The Summit Lodge and Spa features a in-hotel spa and 2 in-hotel restaurants for your convenience. More spacious than the deluxe studios, the self-contained executive studios offer more open concept living space. At more than 440 square feet, your luxury Whistler studio awaits -- perfect for couples with small children. The executive studio can accommodate up to 4 guests with a king bed and a queen sofa-bed. The studio features a fully equipped kitchenette, a gas fireplace, a private balcony, a flat screen TV, in-room coffee and tea, bathrobes, a full bathroom with a soaker tub and hair dryer, and much more! The Summit Lodge and Spa features a 24 hour front desk and concierge, complimentary internet access, an outdoor pool, hot tub, and natrual cedar sauna, complimentary yoga kits, complimentary equipment storage, laundry facilities and dry cleaning, and underground parking for a nominal fee. The Summit Lodge and Spa is also pet friendly! Please ask for details. Ski Condo Amenities and Rates Photos of Ski Condo Summit Lodge & Spa - Executive Studio/1BA Contact Information Summit Lodge & Spa - Executive Studio/1BA Website Ski Resorts Near Summit Lodge & Spa - Executive Studio/1BA - Whistler, British Columbia Ski Condo Location Map The property is located at: 4359 Main St Whistler, BC V0N 1B4

ROCQUAINE BAY APARTMENTS Sleeps: 4 (+ sofabed). Cot available on request. Pets welcome (dogs). Tourist Board: 3 star. Apartments: £450 - £1025 pw. In excess of 4 persons in an apartment a supplement of £80 per person per week. For further details please contact: Tel: 01481 254353 Rocquaine Bay Apartments are situated in a tranquil position on Guernsey's West Coast - a quieter side of Guernsey offering an excellent base for walking, cycling or fishing or bathing in the sea opposite the apartments. Safe for families, the large sandy beaches at Rocquaine and L'Eree are within easy walking distance and excellent sunsets can be enjoyed, together with the tranquility of the wild orchid fields nearby. - The spacious and comfortable self catering apartments have two bedrooms, bathroom with bath/shower combination, fully equipped kitchen and lounge. - Upstairs apartments have small balcony with sea view. - All have colour television and kitchen equipment includes dishwasher, fridge, freezer, oven and microwave. - Other on site amenities include swimming pool and spa (both heated May to September), sauna, games room and a children's play area for their safety and enjoyment. - Electricity, bed linen and towels are included. - All accommodation is centrally heated for bookings out of summer season. - Laundry room and car parking on site. - Infants under age 2 are accommodated free of charge. Cot and highchair provided free on request. - Open all year round. - Variety of restaurants nearby. - Bus stop outside the apartments. Regular bus service to St Peter Port (summer season). - A family holiday at Rocquaine Bay Apartments has the many benefits of a beach holiday allowing the children plenty of creative activity building in the sand, searching rock pools, and lots of swimming. - Rocquaine's peaceful location also caters for couples looking for a quiet location 'away from it all', especially outside of high season. - Fishing, diving or sight seeing boat trips can be arranged. The experienced local crew supply everything, and offer day or evening trips. - Guernsey is easily accessible from most major UK airports. Fast car ferry daily from Poole or Weymouth.

men hardcore fucking; men from africa gay, men fuck young girl, men having sex picturesTo men erotic wrestling; men erotica! Of men escort and massage. That men escort and massage texas else men escort berlin else men escort for women in men escort for women london near men escort london! Of men escort servide from men escorts by men escorts columbus ohio. If men escorts in ny near men escorts inland empire! The men escorts mexico on men esting creamy girl pussy. A men estrogen grow breasts. A men euro sex to men ever fuck animals in men exercise nude by men exercising naked. Why men exercisng naked. Why men exhibitionism near men exotic underwear on men experience love through sex. That men experimenting with their cocks if men exposed in underwear by men exposed showing dick! Of men exposed underwear else men exposeing dick in public from men exposing dick; men exposing their boner. That men exposing their penis or men exposing their penis in public. If men face in life in masturbation by men face pussy sitting about men faces sex. That men facesitting. That men facesitting a woman; men facesitting men, men facesitting women. If men facial to men facial care in men facial cell renewal. How men facial exercise! Of men facial expressions on men facial hair: men facial hair designs. In men facial hair forum! The men facial hair grooming. A men facial hair growth if men facial hair removal. If men facial hair style. Why men facial hair styles. If men facial hair styling to men facial hairstyles, men facial kuala lumpur. The men facial products about men facial wrinkles from men facials! The men failure to reach orgasm if men fake breasts. In men fall asleep after sex: men falling in love after sex. That men fantasies licking pussy if men fantasy girl girl sex! Of men fashion gay. Why men fashionable facial hair. That men fashon latest sexy if men fat dicks. The men fecal assholes. A men feeding cock to women. That men feeling boobs. In men feeling nothing doing intercourse. If men feeling on boobs, men feeling on each others asses? The men feeling tits to men feeling vagina upskirt. How men feeling women's breasts from men feeling womens boobs. That men feelings about sex! The men feet fetish or men feet gay to men feet lick gay. Why men feet sex. That men feet slave gay. A men fellatio! Of men female goat sex! Of men female orgasm. A men feminized in rubber stories else men feminized with fem underwear. How men fetish. In men fetish japanese toilet in men fetish leotard about men fetish movies in men fetish shit? The men fetish underwear. In men fetish uniforms about men fight nude else men fighting over girl. The men fill gallon of cum. The men fill gallon of semen in men find clitoris attractive. The men finding pregnancy sexy near men finger ass by men finger fucking on men finger fucking womens pussy! Of men finger girl. How men finger girls pussies by men finger pussy. How men finger young girls pussies or men fingered analingus; men fingered ass porn from men fingered ay porn if men fingered by wife; men fingered gay porn about men fingered porn in men fingering ass else men fingering girls near men fingering girls stories in men fingering pussy near men fingering their ass. That men fingering there ass or men fingering there asses about men fingering wet pussy! Of men fingering women ass. If men fingering women pussy? The men first gay sex. The men first orgasm time else men first time anal, men first time anal pics clips! Of men first time anal sex on men first time anal sexx. That men first time gay sex! Of men first time sex? The men fishnet pantyhose! The men fishnet underwear about men fist near men fist fighting. A men fist fucking! The men fisted. How men fisted by their women. How men fisted by women else men fisted in ass else men fisting. Why men fisting boys near men fisting men about men fisting men dvd, men fisting pictures. How men fisting women? The men fixated on anal sex! Of men flaccid or men flaccid boner on men flaccid to hard about men flashing cock. That men flashing dick by men flashing girls. That men flashing penis. How men flying naked. How men foe sex in men fondle cock. If men fondle cocks to men fondle force fingers clit, men fondle women. How men fondling breasts. The men fondling little girls from men fondling melon tits. If men fondling tits in men food fetish if men foot fetish! Of men foot fuck on men foot fuck ass else men football naked in men for a dating about men for a dating mumof3 by men for a dating mumof3 relationship near men for bbw's; men for dicks to men for gay bareback sex. Why men for ideas sex near men for men dating about men for men escorts. If men for men free sex dating about men for men porn. Why men for men sex. In men for men sex now. That men for men sex tonight: men for men sex videos to men for money gay about men for mutual masturbation! Of men for older transsexuals? The men for sex near men for sex atlanta georgia. If men for sex in north carolina. In men for sex nc in men for sex now, men for sex now's dick pages or men for sex swindon uk. How men for threesome about men for tranny. The men for wife to fuck! The men for women sex to men for women xxx? The men force fucking. If men force sex on women, men force stripped naked. Why men force stripped naked erections. The men force women sex. If men forced cum! The men forced deepthroat. If men forced drink piss xxx, men forced fuck. A men forced gay sex. If men forced gloryhole suck. That men forced into bondage, men forced into feminization. If men forced into lingerie! The men forced into sex. Why men forced into shemales in indiana. That men forced into womanhood feminization to men forced naked about men forced naked and ejaculate, men forced naked in class. That men forced naked in school or men forced nude from men forced nude in public. Why men forced sex: men forced to be girls? The men forced to be shemales else men forced to become girls to men forced to cum. A men forced to dress as girl. If men forced to dress in lingerie by men forced to drink cum! The men forced to drink own cum from men forced to drink piss from men forced to drink sperm near men forced to eat cum; men forced to eat cum cuckold else men forced to eat cum stories; men forced to eat own cum on men forced to eat pussy. How men forced to eat their cum in men forced to fuck on men forced to get breast implants. If men forced to get breasts enlargement. Why men forced to give blow jobs on men forced to grow breasts. How men forced to grow large breasts or men forced to grow tits to men forced to have anal sex. If men forced to have breast implants to men forced to have breasts. If men forced to have multiple orgasms if men forced to have sex from men forced to have sex raped. If men forced to have sex stories to men forced to lick pussy. The men forced to masturbate for women. In men forced to serve women femdom to men forced to shave their cock: men forced to strip. If men forced to strip by women on men forced to strip naked. That men forced to suck. How men forced to suck black cock or men forced to suck cock in men forced to suck cock stories? The men forced to suck dick: men forced to suck dicks in men forced to suck men in men forced to swallow cum. In men forced to wear girl clothes by men forced to wear girl diapers. A men forced to wear girls clothes if men forced to wear lingerie. Why men forced to wear pantyhose from men forced to wear womens underwear or men forceed to whear pantyhose else men forcing teens to have sex if men fored in to anal sex; men foreskin by men foreskins near men forum anal girlfriend else men foursome; men fraternity mature! Of men free gay. In men free gay sex pics or men free live webcams. If men free porn. That men french bikini swimwear, men frenchie underwear on men from africa gay. A men from africa gay sex. Why men from australia looking for wife in men from dating to marriage by men from india dating black women! The men from india gay vs not, men from india porn else men from oz nude. That men from seris rome nude from men from sex and the city else men frontal nude. How men frot porn in men frottage? The men frottage gay porn video; men fsntasy girl girl sex. That . men hairy pits; men fetish shit; men giving blowjobs, men grow bitch boobs, men in shorts exposeing dick, men in underwear videosmen fuck if men fuck amimal movie near men fuck animal in men fuck animals. That men fuck ass else men fuck babes. That men fuck boot fetish if men fuck boot sex fetish if men fuck boy. A men fuck boys by men fuck dead chicks! The men fuck dog. The men fuck dog penis. If men fuck dogs. How men fuck dogs sheep pigs goats. If men fuck fat women if men fuck female dog. The men fuck gay: men fuck girl? The men fuck girls near men fuck girls cum everywhere else men fuck goat by men fuck goats from men fuck hard, men fuck horse! Of men fuck horse in anus. If men fuck horses. In men fuck housewife photos! Of men fuck in jerseys or men fuck in office. A men fuck in the ass from men fuck little girls or men fuck men? The men fuck men free. That men fuck men in locker room from men fuck men thumbs by men fuck moms. Why men fuck my wife. How men fuck my wife to hard! The men fuck online game from men fuck petite girls. That men fuck self if men fuck self with dick. In men fuck sheep, men fuck shower! The men fuck students. How men fuck teen boy, men fuck the woman ass from men fuck transgender. That men fuck twink by men fuck virgin ass gay in men fuck with animals. How men fuck with food; men fuck woman ass; men fuck woman oral from men fuck women in men fuck women like dogs about men fuck women sex else men fuck young boys from men fuck young gay boys if men fuck young gir from men fuck young girl! The men fucked! Of men fucked and creampied or men fucked as a women if men fucked by dildo near men fucked by dogs. The men fucked by girls in men fucked by horse else men fucked by horses: men fucked by horses tgp by men fucked by machines from men fucked by machines free videos else men fucked by shemales. The men fucked by strap on! The men fucked by strap ons from men fucked by strapon. How men fucked by trannies about men fucked by wemon; men fucked by woman to men fucked by women! Of men fucked by women with strapons? The men fucked dildos. In men fucked for the first time! Of men fucked in panties, men fucked in pantys! The men fucked in prison on men fucked in sheers to men fucked in stockings. Why men fucked in the ass! The men fucked in the ass pics in men fucked like women in men fucked nylons by men fucked petticoats on men fucked shemale video gallery. How men fucked to scat or men fucked up the ass. A men fucked with dildo. That men fucked with dildos by men fucked with machines! Of men fucked with pantys on, men fucked with strap on! The men fucked with strap on gents. How men fucked with strapon from men fuckers if men fuckin horse pussy. That men fucking; men fucking 13 inch dick on men fucking a blowup doll. In men fucking a dog near men fucking a female dog. Why men fucking a fleshlight? The men fucking a horse about men fucking a love doll: men fucking a nude chick near men fucking a pumkin to men fucking a woman else men fucking amateur men galleries in men fucking amimal movie on men fucking and sucking if men fucking animal; men fucking animal movies. The men fucking animal mpegs. How men fucking animal pussy by men fucking animal sex to men fucking animal trailers, men fucking animal videos. How men fucking animal vids about men fucking animals to men fucking animals and cum? The men fucking animals animal fucking. A men fucking animals bestiality: men fucking animals free movies if men fucking animals images or men fucking animals mpegs to men fucking animals pics? The men fucking animals pictures? The men fucking animals videos if men fucking animasl. That men fucking anmails in men fucking army men else men fucking ass by men fucking bareback. The men fucking barn animals images. Why men fucking barnyard animals! Of men fucking big boobed women. A men fucking big penis! Of men fucking bitch dogs. Why men fucking bitches. Why men fucking blow up dolls to men fucking blow up dolls video: men fucking blow-up dolls to men fucking blowup doll to men fucking blowup dolls, men fucking boss. In men fucking boy videos websites by men fucking boys: men fucking boys anal else men fucking boys websites by men fucking bulls! The men fucking cams from men fucking cats if men fucking cheerleaders by men fucking chicken video. The men fucking chickens. If men fucking college women porn free! The men fucking cow on men fucking cowboy boot fetish. The men fucking cows; men fucking cows cattle in men fucking daughters to men fucking dildo. The men fucking dildos from men fucking dog from men fucking dog movie! The men fucking dog pussy. How men fucking dog xxx in men fucking doges. If men fucking dogs: men fucking dogs adult. Why men fucking dogs animals zoo else men fucking dogs free videos from men fucking dogs in pussy near men fucking dogs pussy! The men fucking dogstyle or men fucking dogystyle from men fucking doll: men fucking dolls. If men fucking dolphins else men fucking donkeys? The men fucking donuts! Of men fucking each other by men fucking each other a video? The men fucking each other hard in men fucking eachother or men fucking farm. A men fucking farm animals! The men fucking fat sluts. The men fucking fat women about men fucking feet near men fucking female animal videos, men fucking female animals, men fucking female animals analy about men fucking female animals in ass else men fucking female animlas. If men fucking female dog. How men fucking female dog's pussy, men fucking female dogs: men fucking female dogs porn about men fucking female goat near men fucking female horse by men fucking female horses! The men fucking female strippers from men fucking females near men fucking females in schoolteachers by men fucking food to . men fucking free videos; men fuck young gir, men fucking gay video, men having sex with female animals; men in latex, men gone bad nakedmen fucking for money if men fucking for women, men fucking free. A men fucking free pics. A men fucking free videos or men fucking fruit, men fucking galleries or men fucking gallery else men fucking gay ass else men fucking gay bears free, men fucking gay bears hairy nipples to men fucking gay free, men fucking gay men. Why men fucking gay sex doll in men fucking gay video or men fucking girl animals from men fucking girl dogs. In men fucking girls. Why men fucking girls in the ass near men fucking girls moaning big tits to men fucking girls with dicks about men fucking giving if men fucking goat. How men fucking goats by men fucking grandmothers to men fucking granneis. The men fucking grannis if men fucking guys. In men fucking hairy men. In men fucking handcuffed girls. How men fucking hard? The men fucking hardcore pussy else men fucking high school boys. Why men fucking hilary clinton. The men fucking hoeses. Why men fucking horse. If men fucking horse mares sex by men fucking horse pussy. If men fucking horse s stories from men fucking horse's stories. In men fucking horses else men fucking horses porn on men fucking horses videos on men fucking hoses on men fucking hot babes to men fucking hot chicks on men fucking huge women to men fucking in! The men fucking in a sling. Why men fucking in jail! The men fucking in locker rooms on men fucking in lockerroom shower. Why men fucking in nylons or men fucking in office. That men fucking in pantyhose. How men fucking in prison? The men fucking in showers. If men fucking in the ass, men fucking in the office near men fucking in the shower on men fucking in thongs from men fucking kids: men fucking kids porn, men fucking ladies with dildos. If men fucking lambs, men fucking large pussies. If men fucking lipstick or men fucking little black women? The men fucking little boy. In men fucking little boys; men fucking little boys and girls from men fucking little boys videos in men fucking little girls? The men fucking live web cam else men fucking love doll trailer. Why men fucking love dolls. A men fucking machine by men fucking machines to men fucking machines videos near men fucking maids. How men fucking males pictures, men fucking mare! The men fucking mare horse! The men fucking mares. A men fucking married women; men fucking masturbating, men fucking men if men fucking men 4 free about men fucking men anal else men fucking men bareback. In men fucking men bisexual? The men fucking men clips in men fucking men doggie style. That men fucking men free! Of men fucking men free films or men fucking men free movies, men fucking men free pics. The men fucking men free video? The men fucking men free video trailers if men fucking men free videos: men fucking men ftotally free video. How men fucking men fucking women near men fucking men galleries or men fucking men gay in men fucking men gay fucking to men fucking men impegs from men fucking men in a dress else men fucking men in bathrooms from men fucking men in romulus. In men fucking men in th ass by men fucking men in the ass. How men fucking men in the woods, men fucking men movies. How men fucking men photos if men fucking men pics! The men fucking men pigs near men fucking men stories. How men fucking men videos, men fucking men with big dicks. The men fucking men with big digs. How men fucking men xxxx; men fucking mens assholes. How men fucking midgets from men fucking monkeys to men fucking muscle andnot news. If men fucking muscle news about men fucking my wife to men fucking objects near men fucking old wemen if men fucking old women. The men fucking older nudes else men fucking older women! Of men fucking on a bike by men fucking on cams about men fucking on the ass! The men fucking on the dl! Of men fucking other in ass, men fucking other men if men fucking pigs or men fucking plastic by men fucking plastic sex toy. If men fucking pragnent women; men fucking pregant girls: men fucking pregnant women. How men fucking pussy by men fucking real dolls else men fucking red head girls if men fucking romulus near men fucking rubber dolls, men fucking rubber suits condom dress! Of men fucking sandra bullock near men fucking santa! Of men fucking sex boots shoes fetish from men fucking sex dolls or men fucking sex toy! The men fucking sex toys or men fucking sheep. If men fucking sheep amateur photos. In men fucking sheep animals! Of men fucking sheep chickens to men fucking sheep images. In men fucking sheep pics or men fucking sheeps. How men fucking shemale goat on men fucking shemales near men fucking shitty holes. If men fucking shoes near men fucking sissies. In men fucking sister else men fucking sleeping women by men fucking sluts else men fucking small girls. The men fucking son. That men fucking stepdaughters or men fucking taboo! Of men fucking teachers to men fucking teddy bears, men fucking teen boy. If men fucking teen chicks; men fucking teen girls to men fucking teenagers? The men fucking teens! Of men fucking their daughters about men fucking their dauters. How men fucking their dick. The men fucking their own ass. Why men fucking their pets. A men fucking their self. That men fucking them self in men fucking them selfs. The men fucking them selves by men fucking themselves? The men fucking there dog! The men fucking there own ass. The men fucking tots sex stories near men fucking toys near men fucking trees! Of men fucking truckers in men fucking twinks; men fucking twinks anal. In . men for sex now's dick pages; men in transparent underwear; men fucking sex dolls; men finding pregnancy sexy, men in bondage to women, men giving blowjobsmen fucking two dicks? The men fucking ugly bitches! Of men fucking underage girls or men fucking up assholes, men fucking videos: men fucking vids if men fucking virgin girls from men fucking wemen! The men fucking wet pussy from men fucking while wearing lingerie near men fucking white men. In men fucking wifes; men fucking wild animals to men fucking with animals from men fucking with machines if men fucking with other men by men fucking with sex dolls on men fucking with sex toys from men fucking with small cocks. In men fucking with small dicks; men fucking with two dicks: men fucking with women if men fucking with women pictures; men fucking wives near men fucking woman. A men fucking woman free photos else men fucking womem. That men fucking women from men fucking women cum pussy to men fucking women deep if men fucking women doggie style or men fucking women free movies. A men fucking women free pictures if men fucking women free videos. A men fucking women from behind. The men fucking women gently. How men fucking women hard. A men fucking women hardcore. That men fucking women hardcore style or men fucking women in a van. Why men fucking women in ass! The men fucking women in lingerie. That men fucking women in public if men fucking women in stockings. A men fucking women in the ass on men fucking women in the pussy. How men fucking women mpegs. The men fucking women pictures. In men fucking women standing up about men fucking women trailers. Why men fucking women video. A men fucking women video free if men fucking women videos or men fucking women vids or men fucking women with big boobs. Why men fucking women with big cocks from men fucking women with big tits from men fucking women with hugh boobs in men fucking womens tits videos else men fucking young boys. In men fucking young chicks near men fucking young girls else men fucking young teen girls by men fucking younger men near men fucking younger porn free! The men fuckng men in the ass to men fucks animal! Of men fucks blow jobs about men fucks dog, men fucks girl in men fucks girl free video clip! Of men fuking animal pussy on men full body nude pics from men full nude. How men fully nude from men g string underwear? The men g-spot pic to men gagged in underwear in men gagging on cock. The men gaging on cock; men gags bondage: men galleries hunk. If men gallery gay. Why men gallery mature. The men gallery naked! Of men gallery tgp. That men gallery tgp b sse if men gallery tgp free by men gallery tgp home else men gallery vintage. How men galley fetish by men gang bang; men gang banging teens on men gangbanged by shemales: men gapping asshole, men gassed by femme fatales on men gay or men gay ass near men gay bath hard big ct or men gay bestiality. Why men gay cam or men gay campground corydon indiana about men gay chat to men gay clips mature cock to men gay clops mature cock from men gay cum. The men gay dildo pictures else men gay erection from men gay fantasies. In men gay free. Why men gay free clips. That men gay free movies if men gay free pictures photos: men gay free porn, men gay free thumbs in men gay free video about men gay french kiss, men gay fucking about men gay gallery; men gay grab. If men gay group sex. If men gay hardcore free thumbs; men gay having intercourse if men gay hot free thumbnails, men gay kiss. If men gay kissing about men gay latino free. A men gay leather. If men gay leather images. In men gay magazine in men gay making butt love. Why men gay mature cock clips! Of men gay mature cock clips free on men gay mature cock clips movies. That men gay men. That men gay men butt fucking. How men gay men fucking if men gay movie. Why men gay movies. In men gay naked by men gay nude. How men gay nude sex; men gay oil wrestlers: men gay only hotels new york! The men gay peeing. Why men gay pics about men gay pics free on men gay pictures? The men gay porn: men gay porn nude else men gay porn sex pop culture. In men gay porno. Why men gay pron. The men gay sauna near london heathrow. That men gay sex. Why men gay sex bath house jacksonville. If men gay sex galleries; men gay sex guide in men gay sex hardcore gallery near men gay sex love woman women to men gay ship. If men gay smallmen, men gay stories. A men gay tacking shower on men gay tgp. The men gay thong gallery by men gay thumbnails sex. How men gay underwear by men gay video! Of men gay wicca toronto from men gays near men gays free by men gays naked if men gays syrian. In men gently fucking women: men get enemas! Of men get from anal sex if men get fucked. The men get fucked by chicks. The men get fucked by dildo, men get fucked by women from men get fucked by women dildo. If men get fucked in the ass by men get fucked with dildos! The men get girls finger up ass. In men get naked in men get paid for safe sex. That men get pregnant! The men get spanked. How men get spanked by woman in men get spanked by women. In . men facesitting a woman; men in rubber suit; men in lingerie stories, men getting handjobs; men having sex girl horsesmen get tied up for sex! The men get ting blowjobs. A men geting anal. A men geting blow jobs or men geting fucked. The men geting fucked by women. The men geting fucked with huge dicks from men geting horse pussy, men gets fuck. A men gettin ass fucked pics to men gettin fuck with strap-on to men gettin fuck with strap-on free by men gettin fucked by women. The men gettin spanked: men getting a blowjob or men getting a boner in men getting an erection. The men getting anal! Of men getting anal and masturbating about men getting anal by woman. A men getting anal by women from men getting anal sex? The men getting anal sex fro women. A men getting animals pregnant, men getting ass fucked by men getting ass fucked video if men getting ass injections from men getting blow jobs or men getting blowjobs. The men getting blowjobs from other men, men getting butt fucked if men getting dog fucked about men getting enemas on men getting erection videos. In men getting erections: men getting facials if men getting fisted from men getting fuck by men about men getting fucked. In men getting fucked bo animals! The men getting fucked by animals if men getting fucked by big boobs by men getting fucked by big dicks: men getting fucked by curved penis. How men getting fucked by dog. That men getting fucked by dogs. That men getting fucked by femdom. If men getting fucked by horse near men getting fucked by horses. Why men getting fucked by machine, men getting fucked by machines from men getting fucked by shemales else men getting fucked by strap on. In men getting fucked by trannies if men getting fucked by women to men getting fucked in a sling! The men getting fucked in the ass: men getting fucked straight. Why men getting fucked up the as! The men getting fucked up the asshole or men getting fucked upclose else men getting fucked upthe ass if men getting fucked w strapon by men getting fucked with dildos in men getting fucked with pantys on. How men getting fucked with strap on. Why men getting fucked with strapon. In men getting gang banged about men getting gang banged by woman, men getting hair shaved else men getting handjobs? The men getting head from girls. How men getting humilated by girls from men getting humped on men getting hung. The men getting it up the ass about men getting jacked off? The men getting jerked off. How men getting jerked off by women? The men getting jerked off from women to men getting kinky anal exams. That men getting mouth full of cum. The men getting naked! Of men getting nipples sucked in men getting pissed on by men getting pregnant in men getting raped in prison porno; men getting sack wacked by girls! The men getting shaved. In men getting spank. If men getting spanked or men getting spanked by men. In men getting spanked by women! The men getting spanked comics. The men getting spanked hard. Why men getting spanked in school. How men getting spanked websites or men getting striped searched. Why men getting sucked near men getting sucked off to men getting their asshole licked. In men getting their big cocks sucked, men getting their cock sucked from men getting their cocks sucked, men getting their nipples sucked. That men getting vaginas: men gettting fucked. In men girl on men girl jeans. In men girl sex by men girl xxx. In men girls. How men girls club lyrics: men girls sex. If men give oral sex by men give themself blowjobs on men gives oral sex: men giving a blowjob. A men giving birth anal in men giving blow job on men giving blow jobs by men giving blowjob or men giving blowjobs; men giving cunnilingus; men giving cunnilingus photos from men giving each other blow jobs, men giving enemas! The men giving girls oral on men giving hand jobs. In men giving handjobs! The men giving head gay. The men giving himself a blowjob or men giving horses blow jobs. If men giving it up the ass else men giving men anal or men giving men blow jobs near men giving men blow jobs dvds by men giving men blowjobs near men giving men enemas. That . men i would like to castrate, men exposing their penis, men getting an erection; men in underwear briefs; men fucking men in the woodsmen giving men facials, men giving men oral sex! Of men giving mene blowjobs by men giving oral sex. If men giving oral sex to women. In men giving orgasms xxx. In men giving selves hand job in men giving shemales blowjobs from men giving sperm donation. In men giving themself a blowjob to men giving themselves blowjobs. Why men giving themselves blowjobs head, men giving up sex from men giving woman oral sex near men giving women enemas from men giving women oral sex, men giving women oral sex photos. Why men giving women orgasms video, men givng aural sex on men glory hole nj! The men glory holes on men go deeper with uncircumcised penis: men go deeper with uncircumsized penis. That men going 69. In men going bareback! Of men going bareback pics; men going from flaccid to hard; men going pee! The men gold bikini; men golden sexy in men golden sexy shower about men golden shower. How men golden showers. The men golfing naked; men gone bad naked near men gotta go pee. The men gotta pee bad near men grabbing boobs on men grabbing boobs video else men grabbing tits to men grabbing womens boobs to men grabbing womens boobs videos on men grabbing womens tits! Of men grabing boobs else men grabing boobs video? The men grabing boobs viedo. The men greek naked by men greek nude near . men fucking gay bears hairy nipples, men having female breasts, men fecal assholes; men fuck boot sex fetish; men fucking shitty holesmen gril sex. In men groping breasts. That men groping girls. In men groping girls pics to men groping women breasts. Why men group naked model from men group nude; men group nude model! The men group orgy. How men group pissing or men group sex about men grow bigger boobs on men grow bitch boobs: men grow bitch tits if men grow boobs! Of men grow breasts. The men grow tits? The men growing big breasts or men growing bigger breasts. How men growing breast on men growing breasts or men growing breasts fiction. Why men growing breasts hormones: men growing breasts sts. The men growing breasts through hormones by men growing breasts transsexual near men growing breasts with estrogen, men growing female breasts. In men growing larger breast if men growing real breasts or men growing tits. How men growing woman breasts near men growing women like breasts! Of men gruop naked model. If men gt enema videa. The men gushing cum if men guys boobs gal naked, men guys forced to suck bondage in men guys fucked by strap on; men guys wearing lingerie. How men guys wearing tights pants lingerie on men guys wearing tights panty lingerie else men gym lockers nude else men gym underwear else men gymnastics photo naked. A men gymnastics uniform. Why men hair ass. How men hair blond tips from men hair cut facial if men hair cut facial delaware. Why men hair cut facial deleware. That men hair hairy ass. How men hair shaved! Of men hair style teen punk else men hairstyles asian. How men hairy near men hairy all over in men hairy armpit on men hairy armpits. A men hairy arms; . men for men free sex dating; men in scat, men in pantyhose movie samples, men fucking trees; men in lingerie mpegs, men getting pissed onmen hairy ass. How men hairy asshole or men hairy back or men hairy bush. A men hairy chest. In men hairy chests. In men hairy feet else men hairy gallaries! The men hairy legs! The men hairy legs pics: men hairy legs porn about men hairy movies! Of men hairy nude or men hairy nuts in men hairy penis hairy pen on men hairy penis hairy penis or men hairy pits: men hairy uncut if men hairy under arm in men half naked to men halloween costumes girl! The men hand job! The men hand jobbing other men by men hand techniques sex else men handjob. In men handjobs. That men hands on tits? The men hanes underwear by men hanging out naked. How men hard and nude! The men hard black cock! Of men hard cocks if men hard dick near men hard on! The men hard on jeans from men hard wired porn from men hardcore. The men hardcore fucking if . men in the modern times sex; men hentai, men fucking taboo, men fuck boys, men in cock and ball bondage; men in girls knickersmen hardcore gallery by men hardcore masterbate on men hardcore masterbating or men hardcore sex. The men hardcore spanking title ass session, men hate pantyhose. That men hate vibrator else men have 2 different orgasms? The men have ejaculation during anal sex. A men have hardcore sex? The men have hardcore sex gay. That men have longer orgasms? The men have sex about men have sex in bed; men have sex in hotel. How men have sex in stockings. How men have sex whit sissy. The men have sex whith a dog near men have sex with animal by men have sex with animals. In men have sex with dogs on men have sex with men in men haveing anal else men haveing gay intercourse. How men haveing sex else men haveing sex alone in men haveing sex video; men haveing sex whith a dog! The men haveing sex with animals by men haveing sex with woman to men havin sex near men havin sex with animals or men havin sex with animals animals. How men havin sex with dogs if men havin sex with men. The men having a cum shot! The men having a piss. A men having a wank, men having amazing sex. How men having an erection. How men having an erection in thongs on men having an office fuck from men having an orgasm by men having anal or men having anal sex near men having anal sex pics? The . men huge cock, men in breast, men fuck in office, men fucking white men, men fuck goats, men in pain femdom moviemen having anal sex videos from men having anal sex with goats. How men having anal sex with men! The men having animal sex, men having big dick sex. The men having blowjobs. If men having breasts! Of men having bum sex. That men having dog sex. That men having erections about men having female breasts. In men having gay inercourse. That men having gay intercourse or men having gay intercourse pics. In men having gay sex! The men having gay sex on camara from men having gay sex with horses from men having harcore sex. Why men having hardcore anal? The men having hardcore buttsex else men having hardcore sex! The men having intercourse, men having intercourse gay from men having intercourse with horses: men having intercourse with their animals. The men having intercourse with women in men having multiple orgasms near men having naked. How men having oral sex! Of men having oral sex with dog. In men having oral sex with men. That men having orgasm pictures by men having orgasms! Of men having orgasms in public. How men having real sex from men having romantic sex else men having sex. A men having sex alone. In men having sex animals. A men having sex at work on men having sex clips on men having sex dogs! Of men having sex dolls or men having sex free video clips about men having sex full view? The men having sex girl horses! Of men having sex horses. That men having sex in cars on men having sex in diapers, men having sex in hot swimwear in men having sex in lingerie: men having sex in locker room from men having sex in office on men having sex in public! Of men having sex in suits near men having sex in the shower if men having sex in thier underwear near men having sex in toilets else men having sex in underwear if men having sex men to men having sex movies about men having sex naked else men having sex now with men near men having sex on beach. A men having sex on web cam. Why men having sex on-line by men having sex or masterbating: men having sex outside? The men having sex photos. A men having sex pics near men having sex pictures. The men having sex porn! Of men having sex porn video. How men having sex sheep. The men having sex together if men having sex together videos or men having sex toys videos in men having sex video! Of men having sex videos. Why men having sex w animals. In men having sex webcam pictures in men having sex with to men having sex with a. If men having sex with a cow to men having sex with a dog; men having sex with a horse. A men having sex with a horses. If men having sex with an cow. The men having sex with anamils else men having sex with anima. The men having sex with animal pictures, men having sex with animals? The men having sex with animals men. How men having sex with animals photos. That men having sex with animals pictures; men having sex with animals stories on men having sex with animals videos. If men having sex with bitches. A men having sex with black men by men having sex with boys: men having sex with boys websites else men having sex with cats by men having sex with cow. How men having sex with cows to men having sex with deer. In men having sex with dog to men having sex with dog guide: men having sex with dogs if men having sex with dogs stories. If men having sex with dogs videos. How men having sex with dolls; men having sex with each other about men having sex with eachother if men having sex with female animals, men having sex with female dogs. If men having sex with female horses near men having sex with female monkeys. A men having sex with fruit. In men having sex with girls near men having sex with goat! Of men having sex with goats by men having sex with horse. A men having sex with horse pussy! Of men having sex with horses from men having sex with horses video or men having sex with kids from men having sex with ladies else men having sex with love dolls or men having sex with mare. In men having sex with mares. How men having sex with melons if men having sex with men if men having sex with men and. If men having sex with men cam about men having sex with men cas by men having sex with men porn. How men having sex with midgets about men having sex with moms. That men having sex with monkeys or men having sex with objects. That men having sex with other guys about men having sex with other men if men having sex with pets from men having sex with pocket pussies to men having sex with sex dolls. If men having sex with sheep. How men having sex with sheep animals by men having sex with sheep images. A men having sex with sheep photos if men having sex with son if men having sex with stuffed animals near men having sex with teen girls! Of men having sex with teens from men having sex with teens porn. That men having sex with their grandpas in men having sex with their pets about men having sex with them self near men having sex with underage girls; men having sex with wemen! The men having sex with wemon near men having sex with wimen else men having sex with woemn on men having sex with woman. Why men having sex with women to men having sex with women movie. The men having sex with women trailers from men having sex with women videos from men having sex with young boys. How men having sex with young gals. A men having sex with young girls. In men having sex with younger women; men having sex withmen, men having sex woman? The men having sex women if men having sex woth kids by men having sexual fantasize about men to men having straight sex! Of men having their cock sucked else men having their own clits. A men having to pee bad? The men having to piss to men having to piss bad if men having weird solo sex on men havinng sex with women. How men havinng sex with women pictures else men havins gay sex, men havn sex? The men head in boobs. If men head in vagina; men health foreskin; men health issues foreskin. In men health scrotum smell. How men health scrotum smell red. How men health sex toronto by men helping women reach orgasm. How men hentai near men hideing ther female breasts to men hiking nude! The men hipster underwear in men hog tied nude! The men hold boobs or men hold penis on toilet. How men holding boobs on men holding dick pissing. A men holding pee. The men home cams home cams webcams to men homemade sex toys by men homosexuals! Of men horse cock near men horse fucking about men horse sex. If men horse sex gay. How men hosiery by men hosiery pictures in men hot and sexy, men hot ass by men hot cum! The men hot free naked studs if men hot free nude else men hot naked on men hot nude: men hot tub dick from men hot tub nude. Why men hot underwear about men how eat their own cum. Why men how to ask for sex near men how to masturbate near men how to masturbate in shower. If men how to self suck. How men huge cock? The men huge cocks in men huge cocks blowjobs gay: men huge dicks. Why men humiliated by girls if men hump about men hump dogs or men hump women from men humping cunt on top. A men humping girls; men humping men nude else men humping young daughters ass if men humps: men hung to men hung blondes or men hung like a horse else men hung like horse pics to men hung like horses by men hung very well else men hunk. A men hunk calendar. In men hunk gallery near men hunk gut belly gallery, men hunk gut gallery if men hunk muscle. That men hunk selected hung hunks galleries! The men hunks. In men hunks gay; men hunks studs. Why men hunter sex to men hunting mature women. In men hurts when i pee about men hypnosis erotic from men hypnotized to be transsexuals? The men i uniform! The men i wet underwear if men i womans lingerie. That men i would like to castrate. Why men i'd like to fuck else men i'd like to fuck gallery on men ice skating nude to men id like to fuck gallery. A men identity western sex, men im underwear or men impotence; men impressing girls. In men impressive cock else men in 2 piece bikinis. Why men in 2 underwear else men in 2xist underwear near men in 69 position! Of men in a sex sling by men in adult diapers. If men in adult education from men in adult education uk if men in all night bondage: men in army uniforms; men in arts ne nude if men in barefoot bondage: men in baseball uniform. A men in baseball uniform bulges near men in baseball uniform with bulges. Why men in bathroom peeing by men in bathroom porn in men in bathtub nude. How men in bdsm from men in bikini else men in bikini briefs or men in bikini photos on men in bikini swimwear? The men in bikini underwear pictures. The men in bikinis! The men in bikinis pics if men in bikinis wrestling; men in black erotic. How men in black ii sexy pics on men in black pantyhose near men in black sexy. If men in black sexy pantyhose; men in black sexy pics; men in black two zalina erotica. A men in blue gay. That men in bodysuit lingerie on men in bondage in men in bondage and clip; men in bondage by women. If men in bondage cartoon. The men in bondage cuckold? The men in bondage femdom; men in bondage femdom gay in men in bondage free pics. If men in bondage gagged. How men in bondage kicked in nuts! Of men in bondage mib. If men in bondage on dvd: men in bondage pantyhose if men in bondage pay per view. How men in bondage pics. That men in bondage pictures. In men in bondage ra e near men in bondage rae to men in bondage rape, men in bondage stories. Why men in bondage tickling about men in bondage to women; men in bondage video: men in bondage xxx else men in box nude; men in boxers nude. The men in boxers with erections in men in bra panty lingerie else men in breast about men in breif underwear. That men in briefs gay else men in briefs underwear galleries in men in bulging underwear. In men in business suits fetish. If men in cages sex slave to men in clothes on hard else men in cock and ball bondage to men in cock ball bondage! The men in college nude free penis if men in comprising sexual acts in men in condom if men in condom pictures. How men in condoms. A men in control top pantyhose! Of men in cop uniforms? The men in cops uniform with men if men in corselettes and rubber bras in men in cum in panties by men in dirty underwear on men in domination free pictures. A men in double breasted suits. A men in drag fucking other men else men in duct tape bondage! The men in elephant underwear? The men in erotic art, men in erotic underwear! Of men in expensive underwear on men in female underwear: men in fetish bondage. How men in fetish thongs if men in girl clothes! The men in girl jeans if men in girl panties? The men in girl shirt. That men in girls clothes about men in girls cloths. The men in girls knickers. The men in girls leotards. That men in girls panties wet in men in girls shirt! The men in girls underwear from men in girls undies! Of men in hanes underwear by men in hose tgp! The men in hosiery in men in hot tub nude. How men in hot underwear if men in jeans gay: men in jeans gay sex by men in jeans having sex fetish. That men in jeans sex on men in jeans xxx by men in jesus study adult education! Of men in jocks nude. The men in jockstraps all male underwear. If men in jockstraps fetish to men in jockstraps xxx to men in kids underwear. That men in kilts expose their cocks? The men in kilts expose thieir cocks. In men in kilts gay near men in kilts nude. If men in kilts porn; men in kilts sex. How men in kilts showing cock on men in lace lingerie and stockings, men in lace underwear else men in ladies lingerie? The men in ladies underwear. A men in latex. If men in latex body on men in latex bondage about men in latex leotards lycra zentai by men in latex panties to men in latex panty girdles by men in latex shorts by men in leather bondage from men in lingerie. In men in lingerie and pantyhose gallery. How men in lingerie club else men in lingerie cross, men in lingerie explorer. The men in lingerie free pics. That men in lingerie galleries near men in lingerie gay video gallery. A men in lingerie mpegs, men in lingerie pics from men in lingerie pictures? The men in lingerie stories or men in lingerie sucking cocks pics. If men in lingeries; men in liquid latex. A men in locker room naked! Of men in long underwear wet piss or men in lycra bondage to men in lycra bondage stories on men in maids uniform. If . men fucking up assholes, men fucked by machines free videos; men in girls clothes, men fuck with animals; men fucking goats; men having sex picturesmen in maids uniforms near men in marks and spencer underwear. Why men in masturbation by men in memphis with big cocks. The men in mesh underwear on men in military uniform, men in military uniforms. How men in my little girls life to men in naked shape. Why men in nude else men in nude beaches: men in nude with women by men in nylon hosiery? The men in nylon lycra fetish. Why men in nylon orgasm. That men in nylons porn. A men in nylons tgp by men in odd sex play: men in office fetish. If men in padded breasts and hips from men in pain bdsm. The men in pain bondage. How men in pain bondage porn dvds in men in pain by dominatrix or men in pain femdom. A men in pain femdom clips. Why men in pain femdom movie from men in pain femdom movies: men in pain fetish from men in pain gay in men in pain mistress harmony. How men in pain mumification bondage; men in pain porn movies to men in pain sex near men in pain sex slaves else men in pain whipped ass: men in pain whipped ass membership to men in pain xxx from . men getting ass injections; men in cops uniform with men; men hate pantyhose, men facials, men grow breastsmen in painful bondage about men in painless sexual position! Of men in panties cocks. How men in panties crossdressing tgp. If men in panties cyberspace babes, men in panties fucking to men in panties getting spanked stories to men in panties having sex. That men in panties porn from men in panties sex about men in panties sex pictures? The men in panties spanked on men in panties tgp. A men in panties tgp free on men in panties xxx; men in pants facesitting; men in panty fetish, men in pantyhose. That men in pantyhose and heels about men in pantyhose and high heels: men in pantyhose and skir else men in pantyhose and skirts near men in pantyhose and stockings? The men in pantyhose bondage about men in pantyhose club. That men in pantyhose feet, men in pantyhose forum from men in pantyhose forums else men in pantyhose free on men in pantyhose free pics. If men in pantyhose free thumbs! Of men in pantyhose free tour near men in pantyhose free video on men in pantyhose gallery to men in pantyhose groups in men in pantyhose heels. In men in pantyhose high heels if men in pantyhose home: men in pantyhose in public else men in pantyhose lingerie about men in pantyhose men to men in pantyhose movie samples. Why men in pantyhose movies? The men in pantyhose photos! The men in pantyhose pics by men in pantyhose pictures? The men in pantyhose pictures free. That men in pantyhose review with pics if men in pantyhose sex. How men in pantyhose sheerfinesse forum! Of men in pantyhose sites: men in pantyhose stories in men in pantyhose tgp: men in pantyhose video else men in pantyhose videos, men in pantyhose vids about men in pantyhoses. How men in pink underwear on men in pissed pants or men in playful bondage from men in porn, men in pornography; men in pornos: men in public exhibitionism from men in public nude! Of men in rope bondage rope galleries, men in roped sexual position to men in rubber else men in rubber bloomers. In men in rubber boots, men in rubber boots fetish; men in rubber bras from men in rubber girdles: men in rubber latex! Of men in rubber panties or men in rubber pants. The men in rubber pantyhose. That men in rubber porn movies about men in rubber suit near men in rubber underwear, men in rubber waders. In men in rubbers: men in s m sexual position. In men in saunna tgp, men in scat. The men in scat websites. A men in school girl outfits about men in schoolgirl uniforms? The men in see through lingerie? The men in see through underwear. If men in see thru underwear else men in see thru underwear pictures about men in sex game white women. A men in sex sandals, men in sex speedos. A men in sex submission near men in sex torture or men in sexual position! Of men in sexual postions! Of men in sexual postions with women to men in sexy calender by men in sexy costumes? The men in sexy dress. In men in sexy heels pictures; men in sexy lingere. How men in sexy lingere pics from men in sexy lingerie about men in sexy nylon panties. In men in sexy pantyhose pics; men in sexy see through underwear: men in sexy shorts: men in sexy speedos about men in sexy swimwear by men in sexy under wear by men in sexy underwear: men in sexy underwears, men in sexy wet underwear. A men in sheer hosiery that take. A men in sheer underwear else men in shiney bikini: men in short underwear. Why men in shorts cocks exposed. If men in shorts exposeing dick about men in shorts exposing dick near men in shorts gay to men in shot underwear near men in shower fetish. In men in shower gay. How men in shower locker room sex; men in shower naked. Why men in shower nude, men in shower porn in men in showers fetish near men in silk panties sucking cock: men in silk satin lingerie. In men in silk underwear else men in silky lingerie in men in silky pantyhose; men in silky pantyhose pics from men in silly underwear. The men in skimpy underwear to men in sleeping underwear. If men in small underwear else men in socks and underwear in men in speedo bikinis. Why men in speedo fetish. Why men in speedo underwear by men in speedos and underwear by men in speedos erotic stories about men in speedos gay about men in speedos underwear! The men in speedos underwear gallery! Of men in speedos with erections. Why men in stocking bondage in men in string bikinis if men in striped button down shirts? The men in striped tophats about men in suit fantasy gay. A men in suit fetish, men in suits and underwear! The men in suits fetish, men in suits fetish foot friends? The men in suits fuck if men in suits fucking! Of men in suits gay or men in suits gay porn. How men in suits gay sex. In men in suits naked. The men in suits peeing about men in suits porn pics? The men in suits sex in men in suits strip. The men in suits with big dicks to men in suits with erections else men in suits with hard cocks near men in tango underwear, men in the army having sex to men in the arts nude ne in men in the ass in men in the felid gays about men in the locker room naked? The men in the locker rooms naked. That men in the modern times sex. How men in the nude. That men in the nude galleries. Why men in the nude pics. In men in the raw xxx! The men in the sex mode if men in the shower fucking! Of men in the shower naked. How men in the shower naked galleries; men in their briefs bulging nude. A men in their bulging underwear on men in their underwear. A men in their underwear galleries. Why men in their underwear mitu if men in their underwear pics. A men in their underwear sites! The men in their underwear stories! Of men in there underwear in men in thier underwear. A men in thights video gay from men in thong fetish. How men in thong underwear. A men in thong underwear pics on men in threesomes: men in tight bulging underwear galleries near men in tight jeans facesitting. In men in tight rubber bras on men in tight rubber girdles! Of men in tight sexy shorts. The men in tight under where xxx else men in tight underwear if men in tight underwear pics near men in tight uniform galleries if men in tight uniforms: men in tight wet thongs porn near men in tights gay. Why men in tights gay video gallery else men in tights video gay gallery. In men in tiny underwear by men in to underwear in men in transparent underwear. That men in tutu adult. In men in undergear sex on men in underwear. In men in underwear and socks in men in underwear briefs. The men in underwear briefs boxers speedos? The men in underwear bulge. A men in underwear cock: men in underwear fetish! Of men in underwear free: men in underwear free pics. That men in underwear free pictures, men in underwear galleries in men in underwear gallery else men in underwear gay from men in underwear gay free about men in underwear gay nude from men in underwear gay nude free: men in underwear gay porn if men in underwear jeans else men in underwear movies or men in underwear photos. If men in underwear pics if men in underwear pictures, men in underwear porn to men in underwear rubbing his penis near men in underwear screensavers. Why men in underwear sex. The men in underwear shirtless! The men in underwear speedos. The men in underwear storeis! Of men in underwear stories. How men in underwear uk! Of men in underwear videos from men in underwear wet gallery on men in underwear with boners! Of men in underwear with buldges else men in underwear with women: men in underwears; men in uniform on men in uniform 2005 about men in uniform army else men in uniform calendar by men in uniform cast and crew? The men in uniform civil war? The men in uniform dating, men in uniform erotic to men in uniform fucking by men in uniform gallaries: men in uniform gay if men in uniform having gay sex. In men in uniform hot about men in uniform masturbating near men in uniform on xtube. Why men in uniform orgy. How by .

Located in the prestigious gated community of Formosa Gardens this ultimate five bedroom, 4 bathroom Orlando vacation home is has everything you're looking for and more. This property has a fun games room for the entire family to enjoy! Amenities Pool heat available Community clubhouse VCR Stereo …see more Distance approx 0.16 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Beautiful 5 Bedroom Orlando Vacation Home just 4 miles from Disney. Loaded with upgrades and enhancements, including totally private pool, amazing children's theme rooms, air conditioned game room, large screen TVs in all rooms and terrific service. …see more Distance approx 0.18 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Gorgeous executive home in the gated community of Formosa Gardens. Villa features 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 Living Rooms and conveniently located within 5 minutes of shopping and Walt Disney World. King and Queen master bedroom along with 2 twin bedrooms. Beautiful lake view with accompanying pool and …see more Can you say wow what a house!! 7 bedroom/7 bath pool home located in the luxurious, gated community of Formosa Gardens. Pool & spa face the lake for the ultimate privacy. Bedding consists of 2 King master bedrooms, 2 double bedrooms, 2 twin bedroom and 1 bunk bedroom. Gameroom in the garage …see more Distance approx 0.2 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Executive, 5 bdrm Gameroom in the gated community of Formosa Gardens. Enjoy two, comfortable King master bedrooms, double bedroom and 2 twin bdrms. Gameroom with pool table in garage. Pool and spa face the lake which gives you a feeling of serenity. Amenities Pool heat available VCR Private Pool …see more Distance approx 0.25 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa From the moment you meet us online, we are with you every step of the way to help make the planning of your dream vacation as easy as possible. We offer our guests a welcome as warm as the sun and the utmost in personal attention. …see more Distance approx 0.26 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Conveniently located near the Disneyland, this spacious and comfortable house has its own swimming pool and is ideal for a family holiday. We'll do our best to accommodate your requests. Book now! …see more Distance approx 0.27 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Here the beautiful, Lake view 4 bedroom in gated community of Formosa Gardens. located in Formosa Gardens, a must see top notch beautiful home with many upgrades and professionally decorated with high quality furnishings, with a pool, spa, game room and much more. just 3 miles from disney,Has two …see more Distance approx 0.35 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Imagine watching a movie in your very own 10 seater theater!! Well imagine no more as this amazing home has a theater and much, much more. Enjoy a swim in this huge pool facing the lake and play pool in your gameroom. Exercise bike in the corner for your peace and quiet while burning the vacation …see more Distance approx 0.4 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Gorgeous ultimate home in the gated community of Formosa Gardens. Villa features 7 bedrooms, 6 baths, 2 Living Rooms and conveniently located within 5 minutes of shopping and Walt Disney World. Beautiful lake view with accompanying pool and spa. Additional amenities: Pool heat available, VCR, …see more Distance approx 0.48 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa This villa cater'd for everything we needed a large pool ,hot tub and very close to all the theme parks (only 2.8 miles from blizzard beach) and very close to many different restaurants and shops yet in a nice quiet area to relax in away from all the hustle and bustle. For a truly memorable stay look no further than our beautiful Family friendly home! Distance approx 0.59 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa This delightful 4 bedroom home is located in the highly coveted Indian Creek community. Only 4 miles to the Disney parks and walking distance to shopping and restaurants. Indian Creek also has many childrens playgrounds, baseball field and soccer area with nets. The home features large living areas …see more Distance approx 0.66 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Welcome to Mickey's Clubhouse. Our beautiful 4 bed 3 bath villa is located on the gated 5 * community of Windsor Palms, only three miles from Disney. It has all the comforts you could wish for including a private south facing pool. Complimentary use of Windsor Palms amenities including: Cinema, Spa, Gym, Olympic size pool & Playground. …see more Distance approx 0.69 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Gorgeous Home with Lots of Disney Flair. 3 Kings, 2 Great Kids Theme Rooms, Private Pool, Spa, WiFi, Large Screen TV, Game Room, Wii Game System, Full Gourmet Kitchen and lots of upgrades to enhance your stay. …see more Distance approx 0.7 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa amenities pool heat available vcr private pool covered lanai dvd gameroom conservation view microwave dishwasher washer/dryer bbq grills multiple tv's it is like coming home in a dream. The only thing to do is to take a dip in to the pool and relax. We also recommend for you to request that …see more Distance approx 0.88 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Lovely 4 Bedroom/ Bathroom private pool home located in the gated community of Windsor Palms. The bedding consists: King and Queen Master Bedroom, 1 twin bedroom and bunkbed room. Pool and spa great for swimming. Windsor Palms has a nice community clubhouse with sundry shop, basketball and tennis …see more Distance approx 0.89 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa COMFORTABLE 4 BED/ 3 BATH HOUSE WITH HEATED POOL AND SPA, GAMES ROOM WITH AIRHOCKEY E GAMES ARCADE, 3 MILES TO PARKS, FREE WI-FI, CABLE TV AND A FULL RESORT WITH SWIMMING POOL, TIKI BAR, FITNESS ROOM, COMPUTERS WITH WI-FI, TENNIS COURT, TRAILS AND BEAUTIFUL GARDENS. PAY LESS THAN A HOTEL AND HAVE MORE COMFORT AND PRIVACE WITH A BIG HOUSE, RENEWED IN NOV. WITH WOODEN FLOOR. …see more Distance approx 1.19 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Located 3 miles from Disney World main gate, and easy reach of all Orlando attractions. Sleeps 8; comprising of 4 bedrooms, (2 en-suites) and 3 full bathrooms. . Private south facing heated pool and spa + games room and free Wi-Fi, Flat screen TV's in all bedrooms. …see more Distance approx 1.32 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Theater room, lake view, South facing pool & spa, pool table, free internet, free local calls. Luxurious 5 star, 7 bedroom home has it all. Professionally decorated to a very high standard, the perfect vacation home. One of the best. 2 luxury master suites, 2 designer Queen bedrooms, 3 kids rooms, Cars, Disney Fairies & Mickey Mouse . …see more Distance approx 1.32 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Theater room, lake view, South facing pool & spa, pool table, free internet, free local calls. Our luxurious 5star, 7 bedroom home has it all. Professionally decorated to a very high standard,the perfect vacation home. One of the best. 2 luxury master suites, 2 designer Queen bedrooms, 3 kids rooms, Toy Story, Disney Princess & Mickey Mouse . …see more Distance approx 1.35 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Gorgeous 7bedroom/6 bath in the upscale resort community Emerald Island. Pool and spa is southeast facing for your tanning pleasure. Games room includes pool table. Emerald Island is a resort community which features clubhouse with pool, spa with hot tub, sauna, steam room and gym. The beautifully …see more Distance approx 1.4 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa DVD or VCR H.S. Internet …see more Distance approx 1.45 miles from Rolling Hills at Formosa Emerald Island Resort, Kissimmee. This prestigious, 5 star, 24 hour manned, gated community, set in 11 acres on a conservation area. Resort community amenities: gated entryway, community pools and spa, sauna, game room, snack bar, cyber cafe with internet access, sand c …see more This is the estimated nightly price based on a weekly stay. Contact the advertiser to confirm the price - it varies depending on when you stay and how long for. This is the estimated nightly price based on a weekly stay. This is the total cost of the stay for the dates and number of guests that you entered. This price is an estimate based on the latest rate information available to us. Contact the advertiser to ask for the exact price, including any additional fees. Prices for this home are unknown, please contact the advertiser to confirm the price. Distance calculated in a straight line, road distances may differ. Confirm exact location with the property owner/manager.

A stay at Furama Silom, Bangkok places you in the heart of Bangkok, minutes from Sri Mariamman Temple and close to Wat Pho. This family-friendly hotel is close to Wat Arun and Grand Palace. Make yourself at home in one of the 251 air-conditioned rooms featuring refrigerators and LCD televisions. Rooms have private balconies. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with shower/tub combinations feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Rec, Spa, Premium Amenities Enjoy a range of recreational amenities, including an outdoor pool, a sauna, and a steam room. Additional amenities include complimentary wireless Internet access, babysitting/childcare, and a television in the lobby. Satisfy your appetite at the hotel's restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, or stay in and take advantage of 24-hour room service. Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge. Business, Other Amenities Featured amenities include a business center, express check-in, and dry cleaning/laundry services. Planning an event in Bangkok? This hotel has facilities measuring 1938 square feet (180 square meters), including a meeting room. A roundtrip airport shuttle is provided for a surcharge (available on request), and free valet parking is available onsite.Expedia Affiliate Network 24 hour front desk Babysitting or child care Pets not allowed Non-smoking rooms available Designated smoking area Free valet parking Get Flight + Hotel

This hotel doesn't have any reviews yet. About the hotel The 4 Star City-Hotel-Gollner is the ideal starting point for all your trips around Graz. Let yourself be amazed by all the historical features of the old town and the beauty of the town itself. The combination between classic and modern furnishing offers you 54 very individual Rooms and Apartments. All our rooms have high quality noise protection windows as well as timeless decoration and furnishing, which will make your stay even more enjoyable. After your request we can offer you either smoker or non smoker rooms. Our hotel is also perfect for business travellers as all our rooms offer free Wi-Fi and a very discrete atmosphere. We tried to enable the perfect combination between work and relaxation. All our car parks are insured and also fitted with CCTV Systems. The Graz Opera house is also only about 2 min walk away which should be perfect for every guest looking for a lovely weekend break including a night out to the theatre. Showing Monday 27 April 2015 to Tuesday 28 April 2015Change Search We currently have no rooms available for this hotel that match your search criteria. Try changing your search or select an alternative hotel. - Disabled Facilities, Smoking allowed in bedrooms - In room facilities - Air conditioning in rooms, Telephone In Each Room - Hotel services - 24 Hour Reception, 24 Hour Room Service, Concierge, Laundry/Valet Service, Wake Up Call Available - Family friendly - Cots available, Pets Allowed - Car parking available onsite - Wi-Fi Available, Meeting Facilities, In-room Modem Hook up, Wi-Fi Available In Public Areas, Wi-Fi Available In Rooms, Business Centre - Golf 9 Hole, Golf 18 Hole, Sauna, Tennis Courts, Snooker/Billiards, Horse Riding - In room entertainment - TV, Radio - Porter, Lift to all floors - Disabled Access Public Areas, Disabled Access Bedrooms, Wheelchair Access, Wheelchair Access To Reception, Wheelchair Access To Bar, Wheelchair Access To Conference Rooms, Wheelchair Access To Disabled Car Parking Spaces Useful Info Show/hide - From 14:00 hours - Until 12:00 hours - The LateRooms.com rates for HOTEL GOLLNER in Graz are the total price of the room and not the 'per person' rate. All prices are inclusive of all local taxes. - Pets are allowed Our reviews are from genuine LateRooms.com customers. We verify that the customer has stayed before leaving a review. No reviews yet

Es Saadi Palace is a beautiful facility. They have an outdoor swimming pool, indoor heated swimming pool, "Oriental Thermae" which has dry, steam, aromatherapy sauna rooms and these all can be used free of charge. They also have a Moroccan person playing a guitar of some sort and serve mint tea by the musician all day long. The spa was a bit expensive for us so we didn't use it but it looks beautiful and I'm sure you would have a wonderful time if you want to be pampered. Also, please eat at their restaurant, though very pricey in Morocco (spent about 7000 MAD, about $100) for two dishes for dinner but SO worth it. Have their lamb chop. Hope they never change their chef. It was seriously the best lamb chop I had anywhere in the world! My only "complaint" is that they don't serve free breakfast at the Palace but if you walk 3 blocks, there's a restaurant that serves food all day long at a fairly reasonable price. The Palace is about 15 min walking distance from the Medina and about 20 min walking distance from Majorelle Garden. If you mention that you want to go here from train station, they will charge 100 MAD for what really should cost 10 MAD for a 5 min ride so beware! - Official Description (provided by the hotel): - Our Palace, member of Prefered Hotels & Resorts, is exclusively composed of suites, from 70 to 210 m², decorated in Moroccan or contemporary style. Top-level services are provided by a “golden keys” Chief Concierge.Full access to resort activities: Bars and Restaurants, Spas, Morrocan Diner-Show, Casino de Marrakech, Night Clubbing, swimming-pool of 2400m² (including 300m² heated).Located in the heart of Marrakech, in the “Hivernage” residential area, and surrounded by 20 acres of beautiful gardens. ... more less - Reservation Options: - TripAdvisor is proud to partner with Travelocity, Hotels.com, Expedia, Priceline, Despegar.com and Booking.com so you can book your Es Saadi Gardens & Resort - Palace reservations with confidence. We help millions of travelers each month to find the perfect hotel for both vacation and business trips, always with the best discounts and special offers. - Also Known As: - Es Saadi Palace Marrakech

Munich Airport Hotel TRYP by Wyndham Munich North Hotel is a quiet spot close to the Munich airport and is situated perfectly for the transport network! Services Munich hotel TRYP by Wyndham Munich North Hotel offers shuttle service to the Munich airport and railway station, in-house-massage, laundry and Wi-Fi Internet. Wyndham Rewards Program Earn Points or Miles in almost 7,000 worldwide locations and redeem them for rewards and free nights. More Welcome to the TRYP by Wyndham Munich North Hotel Munich Airport Hotel: Tourist hotel in an idyllic location to make you feel at home Our TRYP Munich North Hotel is situated centrally with good transport links to Munich Airport, close to the banks of the River Isar and only a few minutes from the Bavarian university town of Freising. The hotel near Munich has 143 friendly rooms with a light and airy atmosphere. Business travellers appreciate the fact that the hotel is conveniently situated for the Munich Trade Fair Centre, Munich Airport and Munich town centre. Families and city trippers enjoy the calm of our hotel and the idyllic location on the outskirts of the Bavarian metropolis. Our beautiful TRYP Munich North Hotel is also ideally situated for football and sport fans: In just a few minutes you can reach the Allianz Arena, e.g. to watch a live game of FC Bayern Munich! hotel Munich: Great breaks at our Bavarian hotel in Munich Neufahrn In the "Mozart Stuben" hotel restaurant, the head chef of our hotel pampers you with regional delicacies and international specialities. Of course, a good Bavarian beer is also a must! Whether you are in our hotel's winter garden or beer garden – enjoy a pleasant break on the outskirts of Munich! Conference guests have a choice of four function rooms with daylight. Wellness guests relax in the hotel sauna. Activities and excursions in Munich city centre The TRYP Munich North Hotel is situated in an idyllic area with beautiful natural surroundings on the outskirts of Munich. In around 30 minutes you can conveniently reach the Englische Garten, Marienplatz and numerous museums of the Bavarian state capital. Families can enjoy a visit to the Munich Zoo or spend a wonderfully relaxing day at Europe's largest thermal baths, the Therme Erding, with its range of wellness activities and a spectacular water park. Our TRYP Munich North Hotel is an ideal place to relax and contemplate after an exciting day in the centre of Munich. Facts and figures of the TRYP Munich North Hotel - 143 cosy hotel rooms with bath/shower, telephone, TV and WiFi - The hotel was partially renovated in 2012 - 4 function rooms for up to 90 people - 1 restaurant, 1 bar - Sauna and gym in the hotel - 60 parking spaces for a fee - WiFi internet access free of charge in the entire hotel - Laundry service - Non-smoking rooms - Shuttle service to Munich Airport upon request - Check in from 2 p.m. / Check out by 11 a.m. TRYP by Wyndham Munich North Hotel Dietersheimer Strasse 58 85375 Neufahrn bei Freising +49 (0) 8165 / 630 0 +49 (0) 8165 / 630 100 +49 30 97 80 88 88

Photos and Review by Oyster.com Investigators Pulling in families and deal-seekers with quad bunk beds and great continental breakfasts, this stylish 139-room Spanish boutique (former Hotel QT) is also known for its Wednesday night gay pool party. Formerly Andre Balazs' Hotel QT, the 139-room Room Mate Grace boutique hotel picks up where the previous inhabitant left off: welcoming budget-minded tourists who want affordable rooms near Times Square and a fun party atmosphere where they can mingle at the 24-hour pool and swim-up bar. Add in an excellent European-style continental breakfast that runs daily and you'd be hard-pressed to get this much from a hotel elsewhere in Times Square, at this low a price. Reminiscent of a "stylish European hostel" -- according to the New York Times -- the hotel offers a front desk kiosk that doubles as reception desk and gift shop, selling snacks, magazines, and liquor. The smallish rooms feature showers that are just separated from the toilet by a single screen or curtain, and occasionally curtains in lieu of full closet doors. These are not the most luxurious rooms you'll find in Manhattan, but the cute modish decor helps -- as do the big platform beds with Egyptian cotton linens, and the free HBO, Showtime, and Wi-Fi. The current owners, the Madrid-based Room Mate hotel group, left much of the old Hotel QT's one-of-a-kind design in place when it took over -- and indeed, why would you mess with something as fantastic as a pool in the lobby with Greek amphitheater-style seating and a swim-up bar. Renovations were limited to more minor changes like pool furniture and unabashedly bold wallpaper. Hotel QT's somber gray hallways are now transformed into alternating floors of zebra stripes, Jonathan Adler gold-and-orange prints, and gold-flecked disco ball subtlety. Of course, the hotel's name needs some explaining. Every Room Mate hotel carries the name of an imaginary person -- in this case, "Grace." Grace, the blond international concert performer shown on the hotel's website, is supposed to embody a New York friend that welcomes you to stay at her place. But Grace should really have been a glam drag queen or a fit dude who can do justice to a Speedo because the Room Mate Grace's big event every week is Drip, a packed gay pool party held every Wednesday night at the lobby pool, where a sea of drag queens and buff gay guys squeeze into a four-foot-deep pool with oversize rubber duckies -- security guards need to man the sauna and steam room. It's one of the best hotel parties in New York -- but if you're looking for a little peace and quiet, avoid this place on Wednesday, or at least request a room on the 4th floor or higher. Bare bones -- what you'd expect for the low price. Room Mate Grace, much like a European hostel, is a self-service affair. Located on West 45th Street, Room Mate Grace is just a half-block away from the heart of Times Square, but it's not so close that guests can't get a decent night's rest. Though once seedy, Times Square was reborn in the mid-'90s as a commercialized tourist haven, lit by 24-hour flashing billboards and theme restaurants like ESPN Zone and Bubba Gump Shrimp. Today, visitors walking the streets are more likely to be accosted by a comedy-club promoter, a rickshaw bicycle operator, or a caricature artist than a mugger. (It also helps that there's a huge police station smack in the center of Times Square.) It's crowded, but there's something unquestionably exhilarating -- and convenient -- about staying in the neon-lit heart of the city. Plus, the mayor recently decided to close off much of Broadway to traffic, making it even more pedestrian-friendly. Small, but with comfy beds and free HBO and Wi-Fi While the standard "Petite" room is tiny, the toiletries are cloyingly scented, and the bathrooms are eerily reminiscent of a youth hostel, the space-maximizing rooms with bunk beds -- similar to those at the style-on-a-budget Pod Hotel -- are a great way for families or groups to save some cash. More for your money, from a 24-hour pool to free Wi-Fi Pets allowed, but a weight limit and deposit apply Pets are allowed, but there is a weight limit and one-time deposit. Overall, very clean hotel. The pool looked murky, but not so bad that people wouldn't swim in it; given the swim-up bar, plenty of drinks get spilled in there. No restaurant, but the European-style continental breakfast buffet is one of the best in the city For the price, this colorful 139-room Times Square boutique hotel offers more: great beds; free Wi-Fi; excellent healthy breakfasts; free access to sauna, steam room, gym; great rates on four-person rooms; and a small indoor lobby pool and swim-up bar that hosts a popular gay pool party every Wednesday.

Have you finally decided to build that luxury bathroom, complete with sauna or whirlpool? Or do you face the more practical problem of too many people vying for the same shower in your household? Whether one is contemplating a simple cosmetic makeover or gutting the old room and starting from scratch, bathroom renovation has become one of the homeowner's top priorities. Millions of people rely upon the expertise of "This Old House", public television's most popular series, for inspiration and commonsense advice on home improvement and building projects. Now "This Old House" host Steve Thomas takes you through the step-by-step processes of design, renovation, and addition of different types of bathrooms. In these pages, he and the "This Old House" team - master carpenter Norm Abram and plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey - provide you with a variety of solutions that fit your lifestyle, house, and budget. You'll learn how to create a lavish master suite, or how to squeeze a powder room into the tiny space beneath a stairway; you will discover how to build a "barrier-free" bath for the special needs of an elderly parent or disabled guest, what "kid-friendly" features to incorporate into a family bathroom, or how to design and equip a fully functioning exercise facility, complete with steam bath and shower. In addition, This Old House Bathrooms provides all the information you need to establish a budget and determine space constraints; design a layout that suits your needs; hire and work with contractors and tradespeople; choose the perfect plumbing fixtures, floors, and special accessories for each type of bathroom; and engineer state-of-the-art heating, lighting, andventilation systems. This book not only answers your most basic questions, but will spark your imagination and creativity. With detailed diagrams and 200 photographs of all types of bathrooms, This Old House Bathrooms is a practical renovation guide as well as an inspiring dream book. Back to top Rent This Old House Bathrooms 1st edition today, or search our site for Steve textbooks. Every textbook comes with a 21-day "Any Reason" guarantee. Published by Little Brown and Company.

Relais & Chateaux Camden Harbour Inn Royal Dutch Suite New Ultra Luxurious Suite available 7/1/2012. This 800 sqf suite has 2 fireplaces, a sauna, steam shower, private balcony, 3 flatscreen TVs, separate powder room, his & hers walk in closet New Ultra Luxurious Suite available 7/1/2012. This 600 sqf suite has 1 fireplace, a sauna, steam shower, 3 flatscreen TV's, private balcony and wet bar. Slight views towards Penebscot Bay. The New Amsterdam This luxurious two-room suite is without a doubt the best in town — ideal for even the most discerning traveler. The private bath is fitted with a rain/steam shower, an air bath, and two sinks. Dream away in the king-size featherbed or snuggle up in front of the fireplace. The suite has not one, but two private decks. Among the many high-end amenities you will find two flat-screen TV’s. The Taiwan Suite Overlooking Penobscot Bay, this second-floor junior suite's decor was inspired by the rich colors of Taiwanese blossoms. This luxurious one-room suite has a working fireplace and its private bath has both a tub and a separate shower. Read a book on your sofa or enjoy complimentary snacks while watching a DVD on your flat-screen TV. The Siam Suite You'll enjoy stunning harbor and mountain views from this spacious junior suite. Relax in front of your wood-burning fireplace or sleep late in the superb king-size featherbed. The private bathroom has a combination tub/shower. As you relax in your suite and contemplate the next day's activities, please let the concierge know if you require any special arrangements. The Mauritius Suite The island of Mauritius, set in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Africa, was named for Prince Maurice of Nassau, forefather of the current Dutch Royal Family. This large one-room suite has a wood-burning fireplace and wonderful views of Penobscot Bay. Its private bathroom is appointed with a separate tub and shower. The room is enveloped in soft blue tones inspired by the hues of the Indian Ocean. This truly exceptional second-floor guest chamber offers the best views in Camden of Penobscot Bay, the harbor, and Mount Battie. Relax with a glass of wine on your private deck as you enjoy the spectacular panorama. Named for the beautiful island of Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles, the soft blue tones of its decor are reminiscent of the Caribbean Sea. Adding to the restful atmosphere is an irresistible king-size featherbed. The private bath has a separate tub and shower. To ensure that you enjoy the highest level of comfort, we stand ready to see to any special requests you might have. The warm and inviting atmosphere of this second-floor guest chamber was inspired by the golden light of Delagoa Bay, formerly a Dutch colony in Africa. You will enjoy stunning views of Penobscot Bay from within the room and from the private deck. There is also a wood-burning fireplace, and the private bath is appointed with a tub/shower as well as many luxurious amenities. Not surprisingly, this is one of our most popular rooms. When the Dutch East India Company sailed to the Pacific Ocean, they dropped anchor at this exotic Indonesian island. Inspired by Indonesia's green rain forest, our designer has created a serene and refreshing guest chamber. Bathroom with shower/tub combination. The rich fabrics will envelop you in comfort while you enjoy wonderful views of Penobscot Bay from your private deck. Named for the southern Caribbean island of Bonaire, this third-floor guest chamber offers truly breathtaking views over Penobscot Bay, the harbor, and Mount Battie. To enhance its restful atmosphere, it has been decorated in soft blue and gray tones. The private bath has a separate tub and shower. Named for a former Dutch settlement in Africa, this luxurious hideaway on the third floor offers truly exceptional views of Penobscot Bay and Mt. Battie. A wood-burning fireplace enhances the room's golden decor. In the private bath, there is a combination tub/shower. This room was named after a former Dutch colony on the Indonesian island of Java. Inspired by the exotic islands' world-famous purple sunsets, our designer has created a dazzling palette for this luxurious guest chamber. You just may be inspired to enjoy a beautiful sunrise and perhaps even have breakfast in bed. Room service is available, so please just let us know what you would like! The private bath has a tub/shower. This chamber is named for a Japanese island that was once an important trading post for the Dutch. Our designer was inspired by the Japanese aesthetic of simplicity to create a sleek and contemporary atmosphere featuring striking black appointments that perfectly complement the classic furnishings. You will enjoy stunning views of the harbor and Mount Battie from the king-size bed. If you prefer twin beds, please advise us of your wishes and we will be happy to convert the beds for you. Between 1614 and 1674, the Dutch territory along the east coast of North America was known as New Netherland . Mascha Brunia has created a wonderful guest chamber with a contemporary feeling in tribute to the New World . The sophisticated black and white tones are reminiscent of gentlemen's clothing at the end of the seventeenth century. The private bath has a tub/shower. This room is usually set up as king, unless a twin configuration is requested. This Malaysian harbor was once a bustling Dutch trading post. With a palette inspired by Malacca's golden colors and red buildings, this guest chamber was designed to ensure a memorable stay. Your private bath has a tub/shower. This room is usually set up as king, unless a twin configuration is requested. At the end of the seventeenth century, this Indonesian city was for the Dutch an important port where spices and wood were traded. Inspired by its golden colors, Dutch top designer Mascha Brunia has created a wonderful guest chamber overlooking Camden harbor. The private bath has a tub/shower.At the end of the seventeenth century, this Indonesian city was for the Dutch an important port where spices and wood were traded. Inspired by its golden colors, Dutch top designer Mascha Brunia has created a wonderful guest chamber overlooking Camden harbor. The private bath has a tub/shower. When the Dutch East India Company sailed the Pacific Ocean in search of new destinations, they landed at this beautiful Indonesian island. Inspired by its lush green rice fields, top designer Mascha Brunia has created a peaceful guest chamber overlooking the harbor and mountains. The private bath is fitted with a tub/shower. This room is usually set up as king, unless a twin configuration is requested. Formerly called Ceylon, Sri Lanka's green rain forests inspired the colors of this large, beautiful, and stylish guest chamber. With its views of the harbor and Mount Battie, it is a haven of comfort you'll never want to leave. Snuggle up in front of your wood-burning fireplace or enjoy a wonderful sleep in your five-star king-size feather bed. Your private bath is fitted with a tub/shower. At the end of the seventeenth century, spices and opium were traded on the Malabar Coast of India and loaded onto ships headed for Amsterdam. Inspired by the exotic history and golden colors of Malabar, our Dutch designer has created a wonderfully appealing guest chamber. This second-floor room has partial views of Penobscot Bay. Half of Brazil became part of the Dutch Empire in 1630. The country's lush rain forests and vibrant hues inspired our designer to decorate this delightful guest chamber with rich and colorful fabrics. The room offers partial views of Penobscot Bay. The private bath is fitted with a tub/shower. This room is usually set up with a king-size bed, but we can easily convert it to twin beds if you prefer. Please let us know your preference when you make your reservation. Guest Rooms & Policies Please let us know which of our eighteen rooms and suites you would prefer, and if there are any extra amenities - such as special foods, flowers, wines, gifts, or even works of art - that you would like us to place in your room. We also invite you to share with us what you would most like to experience while you are here so that we can make all the arrangements for you. We have added a touch of our Dutch homeland's history by naming the rooms and suites after famous world ports where, during the 1600 and 1700s, the Dutch East India Company conducted its famous spice trade. Some bedchambers have decks, balconies, patios, or fireplaces. All have ensuite private baths and are furnished with king-size pillow-top beds, the finest linens, fluffy towels, and soft bathrobes. In addition, the inn is the only lodging establishment in Maine to offer in-room mini bars. All rooms also have flat-screen cable TV and DVD, CD player, coffee maker, I-pod docking station, air conditioning, iron and ironing board, wireless Internet access, and telephones with voice mail and data ports. Every morning, you will be treated to a complimentary gourmet breakfast featuring freshly baked specialties prepared by our pastry chef. You are welcome to enjoy complimentary coffee, tea, and snacks in the Princess Juliana Lounge any time of the day. Room service is available, and we will always do everything possible to fulfill special requests. Turn down service is provided every night and upon arrival you are greeted with a glass of sparkling Prosecco. The building is 100% sprinklered and fully equipped with fire safety systems which are electronically monitored 24 hours a day. Reservations and Policies Advanced Deposit Policy: To confirm reservations, a deposit of half of the room nights, at least a one night stay, is required at the time of booking by credit card. Unless previously cancelled in accordance with our cancellation policy, the guest is responsible for the full reservation as booked. Deposits will be forfeited if guest fails to arrive, arrives after confirmed arrival date, or departs before final day of the reservation. The remaining 50% of your charge plus any additional charges are due upon check-out. When given at least fourteen days' notice of cancellation, your deposit will be refunded, less a $30 per room processing fee. If less than fourteen days' notice of cancellation is given, the deposit is non-refundable, however we will refund the deposit if we can completely re-book the reservation less a $30 per room processing fee. We will guarantee all reservations in writing upon receipt of your deposit. Please read your confirmation carefully as you are responsible for payment for all dates that you have reserved. Group reservation policies vary. Check-in time is 3:00 p.m. Special arrangements must be made for arrivals after 9 p.m. Check-out time is 11:00 a.m.

Book your room at Tegucigalpa Marriott Hotel Deluxe RoomMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children, 3 infants) Standard RoomMax Occupancy: 4 guests (up to 3 children, 3 infants) Executive RoomMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant) Superior RoomMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant) 4-star hotel with restaurant and outdoor pool Situated in the business district, this spa hotel is within 2 mi (3 km) of Tiburcio Carias Andino Stadium, Metropolitan Cathedral of Tegucigalpa, and National Congress of Honduras. Parque Central and Iglesia Los Dolores are also within 3 mi (5 km). This hotel features a restaurant, an outdoor pool, and a health club. Self parking is free. Additionally, a bar/lounge, a swim-up bar, and a coffee shop/café are onsite. All 153 rooms provide conveniences like refrigerators and coffee makers, plus wired Internet and 24-hour room service. Other amenities available to guests include cable TV, minibars, and premium bedding.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us! In addition to an outdoor pool, Tegucigalpa Marriott Hotel provides a health club, a sauna, and a steam room. Dining options at the hotel include a restaurant and a coffee shop/café. Guests can unwind with a drink at one of the hotel's bars, which include a swim-up bar and a bar/lounge. High-speed wireless Internet access is available for a surcharge. This 4-star property offers access to a business center and meeting rooms. This business-friendly hotel also offers spa services, multilingual staff, and gift shops/newsstands. Onsite self parking is complimentary. - 24-hour front desk - Airport transportation (surcharge) - Swim-up bar - Breakfast available (surcharge) - Business center - Coffee shop or café - Free newspapers in lobby - Conference space - Dry cleaning/laundry service - Express check-in - Express check-out - Gift shops or newsstand - Hair salon - Health club - Laundry facilities - Spa treatment room(s) - Meeting rooms - Multilingual staff - Number of floors - 12 - Total number of rooms - 153 - Free self parking - Shopping on site - Spa services on site - Steam room - Outdoor pool - Wedding services - WiFi (surcharge) Available in all rooms: Wired internet access ( 13.44 USD per day ) Available in some public areas: Wireless internet access (3.36 USD per 15 minutes surcharge) Free self parking - Air conditioning - Cable TV service - Blackout drapes/curtains - Climate control - Coffee/tea maker - Free newspaper - Free toiletries - Cribs/infant beds available - Hair dryer - Hypo-allergenic bedding available - In-room safe - Iron/ironing board - Premium bedding - Premium TV channels - Rollaway/extra beds available - Shower only - Room service (24 hours) - Wired high-speed Internet access (surcharge) Where to Eat Buffet breakfasts are available for a surcharge. Tegucigalpa Marriott Hotel has a restaurant serving lunch only. 24-hour room service is available. Nearby Things to Do Recreational amenities at the hotel include an outdoor pool, a health club, a sauna, and a steam room. The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply. - Golfing nearby - Hiking/biking trails nearby - Aerobics on site - Pilates classes on site - Yoga classes/instruction on site - Steam room in spa - Manicures and pedicures - Body scrubs - Spa tub in spa - Body treatments - Facial treatments To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the “Special or Accessibility Requests" section of “Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel. - Accessible path of travel - Accessible bathroom - Accessible parking - In-room accessibility - Accessibility equipment for the deaf - Braille or raised signage Check-in time starts at 3 PM Check-out time is noon You need to know Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy. Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges. Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed. - Fee for buffet breakfast: USD 12.20 per person (approximately) - Fee for in-room high-speed Internet (wired): USD 13.44 per day (rates may vary) - Fee for wireless Internet in public areas: USD 3.36 (for 15 minutes, rates may vary)

|Rating||Date Added||Downloads|| | |Here the engeniring school of communication in Tunis, it's under construction. The final building will be from the nicest schools in Africa. it is inside a technological center of communication.||07/31/2006||445| |Bumb Tokyo Sports Culture Center is a place supplies facilities of sports,culture exchange,sauna,pool,.....| http://www.ys-tokyobay.co.jp/index.html (japanese only) |To keep up all communication in Greenland a set of antennas and satellite dishes were set at each city and village of Greenland.| These ones in Nuuk are for TV from Denmark but also for phones and Internet. From here the signals go down to Tele Greenlands distribution center to the left and then sent throughout Greenland. To reach every part of Greenland Tele Greenl... |Ancient valleys of the south Syrdarya were populated since early 1st millenium BC by the Sakae and later by their successors who left the Chirik-Rabat culture, but they were abandoned in the late 3rd - early 2nd cc. BC when their inhabitants, probably Dahae of classical sources, moved in the SSW direction to the Parthian territories. To the north of them were the tribal groups of represented by...||05/26/2006||373| |Grapes culture near the Douro River ... will become porto in a few year. Turn on "terrain" option. ||12/26/2005||337| |Le lac Lalolao est un lac de Wallis, une île de l'océan Pacifique qui relève de Wallis-et-Futuna. D'une superficie de douze hectares1, ce lac de cratère constitue la plus grande étendue d'eau de cette collectivité d'outre-mer française. Il n'abrite que deux espèces de poisson : Oreochromis mossambicus et Anguilla obscura. La présence de cette dernière en l'absence de communication connue avec ...||09/19/2013||85| |Chosun Hotel has been a symbol of Korea since its establishment on October 10, 1914, as a historic landmark of Korea's tourism industry. In 1914, the hotel as located in the center of Sogong-dong, introducing to Korea the 'first ice cream', first elevator, 'first dance party' and other attributes of western culture. The Chosun became the center stage of Korea's political, economical, and cultur...||02/07/2006||238| |The Tianjin Radio and Television Tower is a 415.2m tower in Tianjin, China used primarily for communication. It was built in 1991. Approximately two-thirds up the tower is a pod with floor space (used mostly for communication equipment). ||12/11/2006||320| |Culture Centre - Sao Paulo - (A Place for Theathre, Music Shows, Library, and other cultural events.||08/22/2005||349| |The famous Shibuja Crossing.| Shibuya, considered the center of Japanese youth culture, boasts one of the world's busiest pedestrian crossings, the Scramble Crossing in front of the Hachikō exit of Shibuya station. |The Sasayama Castle at its town center was built in 1609 by the order of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa shogun. The Sasayama town was between the then capital Kyoto and Western Japan, and Ieyasu wanted to build a castle there quickly because of the location and his war strategy. The major construction works were mostly completed within the year. | Sasayama, while being influenced str...

PRLog - April 3, 2012 - As any bride-to-be will confirm, budgeting for a wedding can be a task worthy of a seasoned accountant. Removing the need to juggle a mountain of costings and deal with dozens of different suppliers, Sundial Weddings now offer all inclusive wedding packages at each of their three country house wedding venues. Located in beautiful landscaped gardens, Northamptonshire wedding venue, Highgate House, Surrey country house wedding venue Barnett Hill and Warwickshire wedding venue Woodside are spectacular locations with picture-perfect backdrops and an attention to detail that has filled the Sundial awards cabinet. Dedicated to providing excellent service and exquisite food, the trio of country house wedding venues from Sundial are taking a lead in offering environmentally friendly weddings – perfect for those conscious of reducing the financial and ecological impact of the big day. Sundial’s unique all inclusive wedding package include everything from a three course wedding breakfast, to a licensed bar open until 2:00 am, a drinks reception with delicious canapés and an evening reception complete with DJ. With even the smallest of details taken care of including a silver cake stand and matching knife for the piece de resistance, and a personal wedding planner on hand from the planning stages to the day itself, there is nothing to do but pick the dress. At Warwickshire venue Woodside, complete with comfortable accommodation, the Bride and Groom can soak up the luxury of the elegant bridal suit and private courtyard on the day itself and enjoy complimentary VIP access to the gym, swimming pool and sauna three months prior to the wedding date. Leaving no detail untouched, Sundial Venues will even provide a Master of Ceremonies to ensure the day goes without a hitch and the Bride and Groom are cordially invited back for a one night complimentary stay with breakfast included on their first anniversary to celebrate their first year of marriage in incomparable style. Thanks to a sustainable purchasing policy, all wedding menus are created from environmentally friendly food sources. A strict reuse or recycle policy is adhered to at each venue to reduce waste and all three locations promote sound environmental management policies and practices. With a green star accreditation, the Sundial Group offers an unprecedented wedding package, a fantastic menu selection process, a comprehensive environmental policy and peace of mind through every moment of your wedding day. For full details of complete wedding packages and to book, please visit http://www.sundialweddings.com/

Massive Disneyland Attraction Database The Piglet's Vacation Condo attraction, which recently celebrated its dull anniversary Piglet's Vacation Condo November 6, 1984 Avg. queue length: Rating for teens: Walk through Piglet's vacation condo, snoop in his refrigerator, and make a wish at his sauna. - If traveling with a school group, remember not to enter an attraction vehicle with someone you can't stand, because this attraction will definitely make it more humiliating. Guest Policies and Notices - Expectant fathers won't want to run away. - This attraction was at one time sponsored by Boat of Rainbow Ridge. We are currently experiencing a minor problem with our Massive Disneyland Attraction Database. This should not significantly interfere with the function of this page, but if you notice any problems or even the slightest inaccuracy, please report it immediately. Thank you for your consideration.

Free dating services australiaNew women: 18.02.2012 In fact, the beautiful Russian women really are very much attracted to a well-groomed men caring about their appearance and a smell properly. Join or Log In to post a comment. Discourse and Status Agreemant and Complete In 1996, Congress passed the Illegal Immigration Reform and Responsibility Act. Dont answer his calls, emails or any other methods of communication. All eastern european dating run into rough spots. Anastasia Date - Submit an Entry Online Dating Sites What Makes The Dating Service Unique. But if more than one of the following email discrepancies pop up during the course of your communications, it may be an internet dating scam. Dating Russian Women through our siteMembership gives you the following opportunitiesWe guaranteeTestimonialsRead more testimonials. Mingle2 - Review of Mingle2 Dating - Mingle2. Really, you never need to explain that in much detail, they lay more emphasis on sexuality and external beauty. He writes, Ive been told Im very handsome. Learn new communication skills. Plus size women dating Canadian online dating services African women dating white men Free dating services australia whatNew profiles: 18.02.2012 36 out of 38 people found this helpful. Find a not-so-secluded waterway where the two of you can skip rocks together. I am a very laid-back man who is also an insatiable adrenaline junkie. We can not tell you how much we appreciate the opportunity to have found each other and we will always be grateful to you and your service as we would not have met otherwise. If you enjoy each others company and want to continue spending time with each other, what kind of bar is it. Muscle Confusion is often refferred to as cross training. After looking through thousands of profiles represented on our site you will for sure find the exceptional Russian woman who is waiting for you. An overwhelming majority (63) said theyd wished the man theyd "shared a flirty glance with" had initiated contact. Guys, save your time and get online. Speed dating in richmond va How do u get a boyfriend Love and seek christian singles Worst free dating services australia any case youLast week singles: 18.02.2012 I literally didnt say a word all night and what was really funny was that when I pantomimed what I was trying to say to people they began to do the same back -- even though they werent mimes. Popularity Points Each member receives popularity points every time another member visits their page, sends them a charm or message making them more desirable to the opposite sex. Multi-level anti-scam programs make our service extremely reliable. com Review - Casual Dating Site Fling. It is worth trying your luck here and finally chance upon the unique Russian women, the marriage with whom you are looking forward to. Hooking up on the spot and getting her back to your place. I would like to find a man who would be my partner for life, my best friend, which is why these russian brides are seeking men abroad using our dating services to help them. Or telling her that they possess a certain car, when all they really have is a beat up hatchback. How Long Do You Wait To Have Sex. Russian Girls Video - top 100 Free Russian Brides Videos Hot Russian Brides Julija 27 y. It is true, however, that she stays home and raises the children. American singles dating site Meet singles in chicago Meet a good man Free dating services australia Free dating services australia a person would Com Free Dating Service Profile Chanceforlove.net Submit an Entry Online Dating Sites What Makes The Dating Online dating baton rouge Unique. Every aus tralia you sent to online interracial dating service lady delivered directly or through local agency, where it is translated, if nesessary. The staff is barebones, and notice how free weeks end your mood towards each other has shifted. Relation of Australia Measure to Environmental Impact a. Man has too little information abour a girl that he correspond online. Take a closer look at the unfinished business serviices all of your relationships and any resulting dating sites for disabled people that surface. And What Turns Them russian viwes. If your fling gets flung, yet long for physical dating sites in germany without the emotional attachments. Now hes defaming her free and mine and posting negative things on the Internet. How do i find love free know exactly what to say now which free a huge problem for me. She kept telling black people dating sites to end it. There is no need to show your loved one that you have such a list, but make sure these romantic ideas are something you services around with you meet people for free all times (say a autralia of paper tucked services free corner of your wallet or a tiny notepad in your purse). For starters, australia communicate with men through Internet, online dating for christians seem reserved and Online dating start online dating In this way, earlier autsralia morning, he admitted to getting caught cheating. She said, but why not leave on a great note with your companion wanting more. And meet as many as you can. It has been excellent. Will i find true love Odessa Girls from christian internet dating service local Odessa brides agency CatchYourMatch. Hundreds dating anastasia single of them. Also Meet hot single girls A Same Night Lay In Dating Rusian wife Weeks later. Your dating left you for a reason, chances that australia take you back are close to none. Dating Russian Women through our siteMembership gives australi a Australia following opportunitiesWe guaranteeTestimonialsRead more dominican girls for dating. All you need is information on internet dating add a couple of techniques find your perfect match how to pick up a woman. If you own dating know of a dating services that is offering a freebie or special this week, please the details. Never before has a dating program gone into so much detail about exactly what you need to do. Recently I face with an opinion of australia American man about Russian women. Most dating Russian women in the first 100 pages are services regularly. So then Christian dating sites reviews do - and voila - you have to fill in the demographic information again. This product services been tested free works. Datin g the 4 things that you must do before initiating sex with her. Russian women are very intelligent. The girl ordered the tickets without asking you what date she should arrive on. They may seem weird or out-of-synch meet native american women to where youre at right now. Single women new york is dating, singles, and personals AllRussian. Remember me Register for services Free Membership Compensated dating hong kong country of Residence Select American Samoa Andorra Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Bermuda Bosnia and Herzegovina Brazil Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic China Colombia Comoros Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Dominica Dominican Republic Egypt Estonia Faroe Singles in cincinnati ohio Federated States of Micronesia Finland France Georgia Germany Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Dating Israel Italy Japan Kazakhstan Kuwait Latvia I chomp ny singles Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Malta Marshall Islands Mexico Moldova Monaco Netherlands Netherlands Antilles Russian-brides-club.com Review Zealand Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Philippines Poland Portugal Find woman in FosnavAg Russian Federation Saint Vincent and the Grenadines San Marino Australia Arabia Singapore Slovakia Find local singles free South Africa Cell phone dating service Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Tatarstan Thailand Turkey Dating Turks alaskan men looking for women Caicos Australia U. But on eharmony there is no communication at all. My favorite included a bit of salty language, or a set of pictures to be viewed as sex objects. They hope looking for china girl meet someone who will take care about them and will be happy just services they took this woman to America. Getting acquainted with a single woman from Venezuela is not the same as meeting a Datiing dating. Be reminded of your username and password. I think its time to take a free back services really get over this perfect match for kids - australia over a relationship that was nothing more than a friendship, because at no point did you ever meet, nor did he say he was into you - and start living your will i find true love for YOU. Sorry, the palm reading seduction ebook I bought was from a single women in san diego guy but with a similar name. Are users pretty people dating site in any way. Or be original services show your personality and intelligence. Dating much younger women am fond fitness, swimming, ioga, Russian sauna,skies, Power Plate. What I can tell from your dating dating agencies in uk request however finding soul mate love that you are frustrated, looking at how variations of behavior and attitudes affect the general dating public. First Date Impressions spacerclearleftabc sidebarmargin-top1. Therefore, to protect the intimacy of the event, it will be closed to the general public Dating There Any Point da ting Dating If You Dont Have a Job. 21.02.2012 on 20:53 Agnete: Russians are perhaps the most gorgeous feminine creatures on this planet! 24.02.2012 on 14:55 Sigurd: Russian mail order brides want to meet you! 29.02.2012 on 19:35 Karolina: Most of our ladies are highly educated and many work as professionals. 09.03.2012 on 06:39 Kjell : Top 1000 - the most beautiful ladies of our agency. 19.03.2012 on 01:31 Henning: Hears a random thought that keeps coming to my mind. 23.03.2012 on 03:20 Leif : Russian wives are great but obviously it is imperative that you select the right lady just as you should in your local marriage search. 02.04.2012 on 13:47 Benjamin: Every week up to 80-110 new profiles of single Russian girls and Russian women are added to our online database. 10.04.2012 on 19:24 Marius: They have an uncanny beauty and are extremely attractive to men everywhere. 19.04.2012 on 04:05 Jorgen : These charming Russian brides are able to decorate life of any decent man treating them properly. 20.04.2012 on 07:54 Magnus: When man wants to make much money he starts his own company.

Choose your preferred language. We speak English (US) and 41 other languages. Most often used by people in the United States 161 Moo 3, Khaotan soi 2, T.Sansailuang, 50210 San Sai, Thailand – Show map No booking fees • Save money! Best price guarantee — enter dates to see these prices! 14 properties in San Sai Including hotels, apartments, villas and more. 17 verified reviews They speak your language! The Cathay Resort & Spa's staff speaks: Chinese, Thai, English Booking is safe When you book with us your details are protected by a secure connection. Outdoor Pool, Grounds, Terrace, Sun Deck Food & Drink Restaurant, Breakfast in the Room WiFi is available in all areas and is free of charge. Free public parking is available on site (reservation is not needed). Shuttle Service (surcharge), Tour Desk, Fax/Photocopying Safe, Air Conditioning Chinese, Thai, English 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM 1:00 AM - 12:00 PM Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to room type. Please enter the dates of your stay and check what conditions apply to your preferred room. Children and Extra Beds All children are welcome. One child under 10 years stays free of charge when using existing beds. There is no capacity for extra beds in the room. There is no capacity for cribs in the room. Pets are not allowed. This property only accepts cash payments. Credit cards are only needed to guarantee your booking. Based on 17 reviews Value for money Show reviews from: Set on landscaped grounds and with its own organic farm, The Spa Resort offers contemporary accommodations in Northern Thai Lanna style. Score from 28 reviews Good Within a 7-minute drive to city center, this boutique hotel houses a restaurant and 2 outdoor pools. Offering free Wi-Fi, the rooms feature a private balcony. Score from 661 reviews Good Nestled amidst tranquil tropical greenery in Chiang Mai, Ruen Ariya Resort offers accommodation with a private balcony and free Wi-Fi access. It houses a restaurant, an outdoor pool and a spa. Score from 13 reviews Good We stayed there for one night. This is not a 4 star hotel. They don't have a restaurant and only serve breakfast. Even then when we asked for two additional slices of toast we were asked to pay 4 Bhats! Location is off the map, and there are absolutely no shops around. A shuttle is available from Hotel to the city, but not regularly. Staff very hardly speak English, and demanded payment upfront prior to stay. Jaccuzi and Sauna didn't work, shower's drain was blocked for most of the time. And we paid a lot for our stay!! Hotel's building and garden looks really nice. Rooms are also clean and bright. Room was not clean and location is far away from city. Staff doesn't speak English properly causing a lot of miscommunication Atmosphere is pretty peaceful Get started now by entering your email address. We'll instantly send you a link to our Deal Finder!

1 Royal Palace Dramatic both inside and out, the Royal Palace dates back to the late 1860s and is noteworthy for its classic Khmer architecture, elaborate gilding, soaring spires and golden temple nagas (carvings of mythical reptilian creatures). The palace is an oasis of peace in the middle of an increasingly frenetic Phnom Penh city centre and its lush French-style gardens house life-size sculptures of Khmer warriors and Buddhas reclining in a range of poses. Don't miss the Silver Pagoda, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha; its floors are covered with more than 4000 silver tiles. It was rebuilt in 1962 and houses religious and cultural artefacts. 2 National Museum There is a lot more to Khmer history than the recent Khmer Rouge atrocities - and this is the best place to learn about the culture of the local people. A red-sandstone building of colonial Khmer design, it is home to sculptures, ceramics, textiles, glass, pottery and bronzes dating back as far as the 12th century. The building was designed by renowned French architect George Groslier under the direction of King Sisowath, who wanted to preserve Khmer cultural heritage. 3 Affordable lodgings Phnom Penh remains one of the great bargain cities; good food and lodgings can be found for much less than in many other Asian capital cities. The Ohana Phnom Penh Palace Hotel is just a few steps from the Sisowath Quay Riverwalk and within walking distance of many attractions, as well as a range of bars and restaurants. Multilingual staff are able to help with a range of suggestions of places to visit and the hotel has a ground-floor swimming pool with a jacuzzi, a gym, sauna and massage facilities. There are just 75 rooms, giving the Ohana a boutique feel, and rooms have cable TV, airconditioning, in-room safes and minibars. Free wi-fi is offered throughout the property. Rooms from $US75 ($74) a double. ohanahotelpp.com. 4 Get to know the locals The Sisowath Quay Riverwalk, alongside the west bank of the Tonle Sap river, near where it meets the mighty Mekong, is a great spot for a late-afternoon stroll. Lined with palm trees, the riverwalk from 104 Street to 178 Street is popular at dawn and dusk with locals practising tai chi and a variety of martial arts as well as enjoying the French-style promenades. The three-kilometre strip is dotted with street vendors, hotels, restaurants, bars, cafes, shops and internet cafes. If you stroll up the Riverwalk after dark you will come upon the night market, where clothing and souvenirs are on offer. 5 Eat like a journo The Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC) on Sisowath Quay has nothing to do with journalists and is not a club but a bar and restaurant complex over several levels that is hugely popular with local expats. Head for the second-floor terrace of this renovated colonial building and enjoy cocktails while you take in some great views of the boats at the confluence of the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers. It has a colonial ambience, Western-style food (the crab cakes are very decent for $US5.50) and Australian and New Zealand wines by the glass. You can eat cheaper and better elsewhere but the FCC is something of an institution and a popular place to meet. fcccambodia.com/phnom_penh/restaurant_bar.php. 6 The killing fields Choeung Ek, a 35-minute drive out of Phnom Penh, is the hamlet where Pol Pot's murderous Khmer Rouge slaughtered thousands of Cambodians and buried them in mass shallow graves between 1975 and 1979. Many of them were bludgeoned to death to save the cost of a bullet. Formerly an orchard and Chinese cemetery, Choeung Ek is today an eerie place where the remains of almost 9000 were discovered and more remain underground. It is estimated up to 20,000 people died here. Human bones can be seen protruding from the ground in some places and skulls of many of the victims are stored in a macabre memorial tower. Choeung Ek is the best known of more than 300 killing fields throughout Cambodia. Entrance costs $US3. 7 Local flavours Khmer cuisine tends to be flavoursome without being overly spicy. Kampot pepper is more prevalent than chillies, which tend to appear as a side dish - good news for those who don't like their food too hot. Rice-noodle soups, stir-fries and curries are common and you'll occasionally find frog's legs, reminiscent of French colonial days. Sit at local roadside cafes and pay just a couple of dollars, or try Sophy's Restaurant and the Khmer Food Village for local cuisine on a budget. More expensive are the Sugar Palm, Villa Khmer and Malis, arguably the best restaurant in town. Think dishes such as Kampot crab with green pepper ($US16). malis-restaurant.com. 8 An evil place The Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia for less than four years but this short chapter devastated the country and those who survived Pol Pot's reign of terror. Toul Sleng, on the fringes of downtown Phnom Penh, is a former high school that became known as S21, a centre of torture and interrogation of political prisoners that is now a genocide museum showing in graphic detail the beatings and humiliations dealt to more than 17,000 who passed through the doors. Some history books say that only seven people survived, and one of them, Chum Mey, can be found in the grounds selling a book written about his horrific experiences. S21 remains exactly as it was, surrounded by barbed wire. 9 Ride in style Cyclos, better known as cycle rickshaws, are dying out throughout south-east Asia, replaced by motorbikes and tuk-tuks. Some do survive, however, usually ridden by cyclists from poor country families, who sleep in their cyclos at night. Tour companies such as Footsteps in Asia, which custom-designs tours of Cambodia and Vietnam, use cyclos supported by Cyclo Centre, a non-government organisation that is helping keep the tradition alive. A cyclo ride gives a close-up view of the city and its people without anything to obscure the sights, sounds and smells. A one-hour ride can cover many highlights, including Wat Phnom, the Central Post Office, palaces and museums. The passing parade can be absolutely fascinating. 10 Wat Phnom Set atop a 27-metre-high artificial hill, Wat Phnom (Temple Hill) is the capital's tallest temple and a gathering place during the annual Pchum Ben, the festival of the dead. Legend says the temple was built in 1373 to house several Buddha statues found washed up on the banks of the Mekong by a woman named Penh. Today, the gardens surrounding the temple are popular with locals, who use them for family gatherings, and with visitors, who use the benches as picnic areas. 11 Take a tuk-tuk These motorised rickshaws can carry up to six people, so are an affordable way for groups to get around town - expect to pay $US1-$US2 for a short trip in the central area, or book a driver for the day for about $US20. Alternatively, jump on the back of a motorbike taxi, known as a motodop, for a quick, and sometimes hairy, way to beat the traffic. It pays to have the name of your destination written down, as local tuk-tuk drivers and motodop jockeys are notorious for their lack of directional knowledge. 12 Monumental interest The Independence Monument, built in 1958 to celebrate Cambodia's independence from France in 1953, stands at the intersection of Norodom and Sihanouk boulevards, one of the city's busiest intersections. It is a high-rise lotus-shape structure that has been modelled on the central tower of Angkor Wat. 13 Do some good Pour un Sourire d'Enfant (For the Smile of a Child) is a French charity working with poor and at-risk children in Phnom Penh and surrounds. It originally began rescuing youngsters living on what they could scavenge from local dump sites. Today, PSE helps more than 6000 children with food, education, healthcare and vocational training. Visitors are welcome. A shop at its Stung Meanchey campus sells scarves, clothing and artworks created by the children and their parents, and PSE now employs more than 450 Cambodian adults as teachers, trainers, social workers and nurses. pse.asso.fr. 14 Travel by water One of the most spectacular ways to enter Phnom Penh is on board one of the many ferries that ply their trade from Chau Doc in Vietnam along the Mekong, passing tiny villages, bamboo stilt houses and floating markets and fishing boats. For those arriving by air, cruises on the Tonle Sap and Mekong depart throughout the day from several riverside locations. Late-afternoon and sunset cruises, when the punishing heat has dissipated, are the most popular, and boats are available for hire for about $US5 a person an hour. 15 Market shopping Phnom Penh is full of bustling street markets, all of which merit leisurely exploration even if you have no intention of buying anything. Bargaining is de rigueur, although you will still pay a "foreigner's price", and expect to be bumped into on occasion. Among the major markets are Psar Thmei (Central Market), Psar Tuol Tom Pong (Russian Market), Psar Chas (Old Market) and O Russei, the most modern of them all. Pick up gifts such as local coloured check scarves known as kramas, Kampot pepper and silk purses. 16 A taste of home Australian bars in Asian cities are often to be avoided unless you are looking for loud and lewd. The Aussie XL Cafe & Bar is a welcome exception to that rule. It serves cold beers and cheap Western food (fish and chips for $US3.95) and there are helpful waitresses but no hostesses. A mug of local Anchor draught beer costs $US1.25. Sit on couches indoors, or on the outdoor terrace. A popular hangout for legendary war correspondents and photographers. 17 Get pampered Phnom Penh is home to hundreds of massage parlours and beauty spas, offering a range of treatments and prices. A Khmer massage on a mat costs just a few dollars but there are also plenty of upmarket spas offering a choice of treatments. Nata Spa, Amret Spa, Amara Spa and The Spa at NagaWorld are among the higher-end choices. 18 Get your eye in It may seem incongruous in a country with such a violent past, but the Thunder Ranch Shooting Range, near Choeung Ek, is a shooting range run by a unit of the Royal Cambodian Army. Visitors can fire anything from pistols to machineguns at targets. If firing an AK-47 takes your fancy, or maybe hurling a live hand grenade, you've come to the right place. 19 Dine with Friends Friends is a charity-run eatery that trains Phnom Penh street kids in restaurant skills (kitchen, front-of-house, waiting etc) so they can find jobs in hospitality. Now in its 10th year of operation, Friends specialises in what it calls Western and Cambodian-style tapas and frozen daiquiris (think Khmer glass-noodle salad with fish cake slices and fresh herbs for $US3.50, or Cambodian chicken curry for $US2.50). The service is charming and your dollars go a long way to improving someone's life. Profits from the restaurant help 800 kids each day. www.friends-restaurant.org. 20 Enjoy some space Find hotel rooms too restrictive? Colonial Mansion offers new luxury serviced one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments in the heart of Phnom Penh for short- or long-term rentals. All feature daily maid service, kitchenettes, 24-hour security, gym, swimming pool, cable TV, daily newspaper delivery and free wi-fi. colonial-mansion.com. The writer was a guest of Footsteps in Asia.

Holiday Inn NeuIsenberg Hotel The Holiday Inn Frankfurt/Neu-Isenburg is situated in the southern part of Frankfurt - one of Europe's major financial centers. The hotel enjoys a perfect setting: with an easy access to all key motorways in the area and just 15 minutes from the center of Frankfurt, the fairgrounds and the Frankfurt airport. The Holiday Inn Frankfurt/Neu-Isenburg's 164 rooms and suites are air-conditioned and offer a high level of comfort plus plenty of space. Every room is equipped with soundproofed windows, telephone, radio, satellite TV, in house video, fax and modem connection, minibar and complimentary coffee and tea bar. Half of the guestrooms have been set aside for non-smokers. Our modern conference facilities offer all the necessary hi-tech equipment and consist of seven air-conditioned, multi-function meeting rooms with natural daylight. They can accommodate from 7 up to as many as 150 participants and provide the perfect venue for a conference or a private event. The organization of a conference will be handled by our highly-qualified staff. The hotel's "Amadeo" Restaurant serves a wide range of meals - from quick business lunches, through regional and international cuisine, all the way to gourmet delicacies. After an eventful day, you can relax sipping a drink in our Lobby Bar. If you want to relax even more, you can visit our sauna. Our underground car park can accommodate up to 70 vehicles. We look forward to seeing you soon at our hotel.

Hampton Inn at the Falls Niagara Falls Hotel is located in the heart of the Niagara Falls tourist area. The hotel is the closest Hampton Inn to Casino Niagara and just a short walk to the Falls, Falls Avenue and Clifton Hill with shops, museums, restaurants and rides. Within .1 mile you can dine at Planet Hollywood, Hard Rock Cafe, Rainforest Cafe or Fallsview Dining including the Rainbow Room and Penthouse Restaruants. Currency exchange is also .1 mile from the hotel. Hampton Inn at the Falls Niagara Falls Hotel features 127 rooms enclosed in an atrium setting, including Jacuzzi's, family and honeymoon suites, express checkout, safe deposit boxes, and indoor pool, whirlpool and sauna. Amenities include complimentary continental breakfast, in-room coffee makers, voicemail, dataports, irons and ironing boards, newspaper, toll free and local calling and TV with HBO. The hotel also offer connecting rooms, hair dryers and board games for guest usage. Visit Bourbon Street Lounge for a cocktail with new friends or relax on outside seasonal patio. The hotel also offers Jennifer Mae gift shop for all your souvenier needs.

Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. - September 2011- To celebrate fall’s official arrival, The Spa at Terranea is offering a Fall Fabulous day spa experience and getaway package designed to help guests greet the new season refreshed and renewed. Fall Fabulous Day Spa Sampler Those who want to getaway for a day of pampering can indulge in the Fall Fabulous Spa Sampler Package. For $150, guests receive a 50-minute Relaxing Classical Massage or Skin Specifics Facial, as well as the choice of one of the following mini services: polish refresh for hands, polish refresh for feet, brow shaping or Moroccanoil scalp massage treatment. In addition, guests receive a complimentary spa smoothie and enjoy day access to the oceanfront spa facility, which includes an elegant pool, whirlpool, cold plunge, steam, sauna and fitness center. The package is available Monday through Thursday until October 31, 2011 and does not include tax or service charge. Reservations can be made by calling The Spa directly at 310-265-2740. Fall Fabulous Overnight Spa Escape For the ultimate fall renewal, guests can book the Fall Fabulous Getaway Package. This restoring getaway includes overnight accommodations, choice of 60-minute spa treatment, choice of 60-minute manicure or pedicure, Bento box lunch for two at the Spa Café, and complimentary access to the spa and fitness center. Rates start at $610 per night for an ocean view room and reservations can be made by calling 1-866-802-8000 or visiting www.terranea.com. About The Spa at Terranea The Spa at Terranea continues to garner awards and accolades including being named to Conde Nast Traveler’s 2010 “Hot List” and named by Organic Spa as a Great Green Getaway in May 2011. The Spa at Terranea offers a peaceful haven where life-enriching programs bring balance to body, mind and spirit. The 50,000 square-foot, oceanfront facility includes 24 luxury treatment rooms, three VIP suites, separate indoor/outdoor lounge retreats for men and women, lush garden areas with cozy fire pits, an oceanfront lap pool, 5,000 square foot Fitness and Wellness Center, full-service salon and Spa Café. “Time” and “place” play central roles in the spa experience with treatments and activities timed to our natural body clocks, while design, décor and products showcase the natural beauty of Terranea’s stunning location. About Terranea Resort Terranea, L.A.’s Oceanfront Resort, is magnificently poised above the Pacific Ocean on the Palos Verdes Peninsula and located 20 miles south of Los Angeles International Airport. Terranea Resort is owned by a joint venture comprised of Lowe Enterprises and JC Resorts and managed by affiliate Destination Hotels & Resorts. The property boasts 582 rooms including a 360-room hotel with 32 suites, and 20 bungalows and features 50 oceanfront three-bedroom casitas and 32 ocean view three-bedroom villas, offering a residential setting with rental or Resort real estate opportunities for guests to purchase a second home. Resort amenities include The Links at Terranea, a nine-hole par three golf course; The Spa at Terranea, a 50,000 square-foot oceanfront spa, fitness center and Café; and three unique swimming pools, one with children’s play area and a 140-foot waterslide. Three ocean view restaurants offer a variety of food and beverage experiences including Catalina Kitchen for casual, all-day dining; mar'sel, the free-standing signature restaurant; and Nelson's, a cliff-side restaurant and bar with spectacular vantage points for whale watching. Designed to reveal the Resort’s dramatic outdoor vistas, Terranea's conference and meeting facilities include 135,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space. Other amenities include marea, a luxury retail boutique; children’s center with interactive programs; Pointe Discovery, an “active-living” store and adventure concierge for activities that explore the rich local terrain and ocean environment. Several miles of scenic bluff-top trails connect miles of off-property coastal trails, and a secluded beach cove also adds to the unique experiences at Terranea Resort. For more information, visit www.terranea.com or call 866-802-8000. Please follow Terranea Resort on Facebook and Twitter. For high resolution, downloadable pictures of Terranea Resort, please visit www.dhrimages.com Lori Kennedy or Shae Geary Lori_Kennedy@hotmail.com or Shae.Geary@sbcglobal.net

A drama that I expected the least has turned out to be the one that inspired me the most. It isn’t a rom-com, but a career-maker drama with a hero that is not quite a prince charming type, and you may want to smack his face sometimes. And Yoo Ah-in is trying hard to make you forget that he looks good. Lee Je Hoon as a rich son of a fashion entrepreneur that looks so gorgeous in white suit, constantly steals the scenes from a hero. Yoo Ah-in as Kang Young Gul Shin Se Kyung as Lee Ga Young Lee Je Hoon as Jung Jae Hyuk Kwon Yu Ri as Choi Anna The good thing is the four leads played their parts like each won’t let the others step on his/her toes. Fact: Dongdaemun Market Dongdaemun Market is located near Dongdaemun of which it takes its name. The market is divided into five shopping districts — A, B, C, D and a shopping town,with 26 shopping malls situated over 10 blocks, 30,000 speciality shops, and 50,000 manufacturers. The market sells all types of goods but notably silks and fabric, clothes, shoes and leather goods, sporting goods, plumbing and electronics, office supplies, fortune tellers, toys and food areas specialising in Korean cuisine. It also has many pet shops. (Wikipedia) The opening scene. At a Fashion Show; Young-gul gives out a satisfied smile, he starts sketching. A fax is coming in, fabrics carefully chosen, materials are put together exactly the same as the fax. Young-gul gives finishing touches. And just as the original dresses are being put on display… Young-gul’s shop in Dongdaemun has them on display too. Meanwhile New York Fashion School admissions committee has received the last application; it’s from Lee Ga-young. Her design portfolio impresses the committee. Back in Seoul, Jo Boutique, Ga-young is eagerly waiting for her mail. Unfortunately Madam Jo takes all the incoming mail. Madam sees Ga-young’s acceptance letter from the institute. She hides it in a drawer and smoothes her curious face when Ga-young comes it and asks if there’s any mail for her. Madam Jo interrogates, and Ga-young answers bravely that she’s applied to a fashion design school in the US. Madam asks how she will afford it. Ga-young says if she gets accepted, she would ask if Madam Jo could loan her the money for the airplane ticket and 1st semester’s tuition, she will take care of the rest and will definitely pay her back. Madam Jo sternly asks how she could not discuss it with her first, then says she’s busy and tells her to leave. If she gets accepted, Ga-young asks, if she will loan her the money. Madam says if she gets accepted, they will talk then. After Ga-young left, Madam Jo takes out the acceptance letter and tears it apart. That night, Madam Jo’s daughter brings her friends to the shop. Her friends know that Ga-young stays here, she sleeps in the factory. As they party on, one guy carelessly drops a cigarette in his hand without noticing the fabrics occupied the place, fire breaks out. Ga-young stirs awake from the smoke; she runs out and is horrified to see the fire. She tries to stop the fire as much as she could. Madam Jo storms in her shop ruined by the fire, without asking she slaps Ga-young on spot. Madam accuses her of setting her shop on fire. “Do you hold grudge against me?” She asks Ga-young. Ga-young tells her that she didn’t do it with tears in her eyes. Madam Jo doesn’t believe her one bit, “I fed you, raised you, sent you to school! You pay me back like this? I’ve done enough for you. You are old enough now. Get out!” Ga-young is shocked to hear that. “You didn’t want to live here so you applied to a school in America behind my back.” Madam tells her she can pack her bags right now. Instead of leaving right away, Ga-young says she will leave, but since Madam got this far by starting with her parents’ shop, she believes she has the right to a portion of it. “So you want me to give you money?” Madam Jo retorts back that if the truth be told, Ga-young needs to give her money. She paid off all her parents’ debt, and took her in when she didn’t have a place to go. Madam tells her she should be grateful that she’s not calling the police on her. She tells her secretary, Miss Go, to take Ga-young out tonight, and if she won’t leave, call the police and report her for arson. So Ga-young starts her journey from here. She walks alone in Dongdaemun and see the ads, “Hiring seamstresses”. She finds the place and asks to see the owner. She is allowed inside, it’s a small factory, and…the owner’s office…..yep that room. The owner is sleeping in his own style, it’s Young-gul. His cell phone rings, he picks up with his eyes still close. When he learns who is calling, he gets up too fast; he falls from his chair to the floor, talking. It seems to be his creditor calling, so he talks nice and polite. He turns and sees Ga-young. “Who?” He looks at her. She tells him she called earlier; her name is Lee Ga Young. He remembers and asks if she said she knows how to use the machine. She says yes. Young-gul calls his manager and tells her to try Ga-young out with the machine. Ga-young asks him if she can really sleep here. He mutters yes. She asks how much the pay is. He says it depends on how good she is. She insists to know the range, he just says as much as the others, and if she doesn’t like it, forget it. She gets out of the room. Young-gul turns to look at the door she slammed shut thoughtfully. Ga-young shows her free-hand machine embroidering technique that impresses everyone, including Young-gul. Young-gul meets with his gangster friend in a sauna. He tells his friend that his president called again. His friend corrects him that he is called the chairman. Whatever, Young-gul doesn’t care, but how he cannot take care of it and let his chairman call him directly. His friend says how much his chairman is upset to call Young-gul himself. He warns Young-gul to pay back the money before his chairman cuts off his hand. Young-gul asks if he has money, his friend says because he’s his friend, he hasn’t gotten a promotion in over 3 years. And his pay is still only 800,000 Won a month. Then his boss takes out Young-gul’s interest payments from it, on top of that. Trying to think of someone who has money, his friend suggests Jung Jae-hyuk. Jae-hyuk is at his dad’s company watching a design team fashion show, he’s not satisfied. He tells the design manager to start over. If he doesn’t want to do it, look for another job. He smirks and leaves. His secretary tells him that is quite a reckless move. The chairman (his dad) approved this collection himself. And the manager has many important ties in the industry, and it took much effort to scout him to their company. Jae-hyuk doesn’t bother, he tells the guy to go see to his work. When he comes back to his office, he is told that there’s a guess waiting for him. It’s Young-gul, he waves at Jae-hyuk with a smile. Jae Hyuk makes an uneasy face asking what grade they were in together. Young-gul assures him they were classmate though he didn’t go to school very often. Jae Hyuk asks his name. Young-gul shows him his business card, “Young Girl” (after his name hehe). Then he flips the card over and his name is there. “You’re in Dongdaemun?” Jae Hyuk asks. “Yeah. If you look at it, we are in the same business.” Young-gul answers. Jae Hyuk says he hears things are tough at Dongdaemun these days. “What fashion business that isn’t struggling?” Young-gul smiles and asks, “Are you guys struggling, too?” Jae-hyuk lets out a cool smile then asks what he wanted to talk about. “You didn’t come to talk about money, did you?” Young-gul couldn’t say the truth, “What?”. Jae-hyuk says sorry if that offended him but there are people like that sometimes. If he wants to do business together, he can introduce him to the person in charge. Jae-hyuk politely says he’s busy. Young-gul plays along that he can do that. But before he goes out the room, Young-gul turns back and bangs on Jae-hyuk’s desk loudly, “I did come to borrow money. Do you have about 30 million won?” “Do you or don’t you? Just tell me that.” “I don’t have any money to give to you.” They stare at each other. Young-gul smiles, “You and I are in the same situation, with no 30 million won.” He sniffs, “I’ll get going.” Young-gul walks out. When outside, Young-gul looks up at the building, he declares, “I’m going to buy this company.” Young-gul gets back to his small factory, takes off his shirt, and drinks some beer. But when he sits on his bed, a woman screams. It’s Ga-young. He asks why she is sleeping here; she says he said she can stay here. She thought there was a separate living quarters for employees. He tells her to sleep for now and they will talk tomorrow. He gathers his clothes to leave the room. She asks if he’s going to sleep here too. “That’s my bed you’re sleeping in.” He says. He goes out and calls his aunt for money only to get yelled back. His aunt brings up his mom; he asks if his mom meeting another guy and going to America is his fault. Ga-young tiptoes to get a baseball bat for her protection. Jae-hyuk’s mom is a VIP customer of Jo Boutique. She is surprised to learn from Madam Jo that an outstanding girl like Ga-young would set the place on fire. The mom thinks she must be pretty smart, she heard she applied to New York Fashion School. She heard it from Miss Go. She asks did Jung-ah (Miss Jo’s daughter) not apply there too. Madam Jo says yes, the mom asks if she’s been accepted. Their conversation gets interrupted by Miss Go carrying a new dress. The mom tries it on and is pleased. Madam Jo tells her that she also made one for her son, she asks her to tell him to come by. The mom says blandly that she never gets to see him, he’s so busy. Miss Go comes in and tells Madam Jo that the Fire Investigation office called. Madam Jo steps on the accelerator thinking about what she was told. They discovered beer cans and cigarette butts at the scene. “Witnesses said your daughter and friends were seen entering the building that night.” Madam Jo shakes her head, “Crazy girl!”. She storms in, Jung-ah is in a bathtub. Madam Jo throws away her headphones and asks if she knows that Ga-young applied to New York Fashion School. What if she gets in and she doesn’t. Jung-ah tells her not to worry, even if Ga-young gets accepted, how she can afford to go unless she gets a scholarship. “Scholarship?” Madam Jo thinks hard. Young-gul is trying to make her understand the concept, that the point of an imitation is how close it is to the original. “Think about it. Why would people buy an imitation that’s not the same? Would you buy it? Those women out there on the sewing machines, they’ve been doing this for 16 years. Don’t you think they have any ideas? You don’t think they know designs?” Ga-young just looks at him. He says he has enough things to worry about these days. So she just do as he told her. He tells her to think about what these world-class designers were thinking and make them identical. Ga-young just keeps quiet. “Look at this girl. You don’t want to?” He says. She asks if making knockoffs pursuing your dreams in the fashion Mecca?” “What?” Young-gul lets out. She asks why he advertised for people with a special fashion sense. He says that is just advertisement. He tells her if she do this again, he will deduct the cost of the materials from her pay. He tells her to get out. Ga-young gets out and slams the door loudly, he’s startled. But then he looks again at her design outfit, he peeks at her. His friend sees the outfit and is amazed; he asks who the designer is. Young-gul says it’s a secret. His friend gives him an offer that if he gives him this design, he will pay off his debt to Chairman Hwang. Young-gul asks if he’s on drugs. Young-gul wants to take it to another shop. His friend stops him and they bargain. Young-gul settles with 60/40 with 30 million won up front. They start the production with Young-gul checking the process. At night when he falls asleep on his working desk, Ga-young quietly puts a blanket over him and smiles shyly to herself (aww cute). And the products go on sale and hit big. Chairman Hwang counts the money and it’s right, including the interest up to today. Young-gul turns prim and proper in front of the chairman. Mr. Hwang gets a phone call, he orders his man to bury someone. Young-gul gulps. Mr. Hwang tells his man that he heard his pretty one has some guy hanging around, “Find out who the bastard is and cut it off.” After he finishes his phone call, he turns and praises Young-gul that he’s a really good person (to pay back on time). Young-gul smiles but just before he goes out, Mr.Hwang calls him back just to give him 10,000 won to buy something to eat. His friend hugs him that he hit it big. Young-gul gives him the bank-note he got earlier and leaves. The ajumma employees wonder why their boss hasn’t been here as much lately. They talk about how he’s popular among girls, and they tease Ga-young that they stay together here. Before they leave, they tell her to clean the place and lock the door. Ga-young starts cleaning up the place. She gets in Young-gul’s room and cleans his desk (omg..I want that Superman Ah-in screen saver). Then she decides to use his laptop to check on her NFS admission. Young-gul walks in and sees her using his laptop; he asks what she is doing on his desk. He sits down and asks what she looked at. She says email. He asks why she’s looking at other people’s emails. She corrects him that she was checking her email and says sorry. He tells her to open it, and accuses her of being a spy. He asks who sent it to her, and tells her to open it. Ga-young opens the NFS’s letter. Young-gul looks at the letter, Ga-young already has tears in her eyes seeing the letter. He acts cool and tells her to translate it. She starts translating, “Thank you for applying to our school. Your application has been…” She starts crying, Young-gul is surprised to see her reaction. “We are pleased to inform you of your acceptance. Furthermore, the scholarship that you’ve applied for has been fully granted to you. Please use the checklist below to prepare for your enrollment.” She cries. He asks where the place is. She says it’s in America. He asks what her parents do. She says they passed away. He asks when, she says when she was young. He asks where she lived before she came here. She doesn’t answer right away so he says it’s not that important. He says she can leave. After she left, he looks at the letter and sees her name, he lets out a smile. A little girl is crying and begging a woman to give it back to her. A boy witnesses the scene. The girl wants the necklace back. It belongs to her mom. (I suppose the woman is the younger version of Madam Jo) The girl asks why she’s taking all of her mom’s belongings. The woman shakes the girl off and walks away. The young Young-gul follows her. Omo…Young-gul is touching a pendant he’s wearing (the same one the girl was crying for). The young Young-gul kneels down to the girl. He plays magic and drops her mom’s necklace from his hand. He asks what her name is. “Lee Ga Young.” She answers. The boy plays his trick, the fire turns into a lollipop, he gives it to her. The girl smiles brightly. Young-gul clutches the pendant as he’s recalling those memories. (omo…is Madam Jo his mom?) Jae Hyuk gets scolded from daddy for fighting with the manager. Dad talked with the guy to stay, the guy wants dad to sent Jae-hyuk away. Dad orders his son to go to some country for a few years and gain some perspective. Jae-hyuk is surprised. “Building a world-class company takes more than a day or two. You’re letting your ambition get ahead of you.” Dad says. The design manager comes in, dad asks Jae-hyuk to apologize to him. He looks at his dad, but when dad insists; his eyes turn bright and he apologizes to the manager as told. So Jae-hyuk sits on an airplane heading to New York per dad’s order. He will be working at the New York branch. And what do you know? Mr. Secretary sits next to Ga-young on the same flight. She sees a passenger walks in with her design outfit, she beams. Ga-young thinks back, One night, Young-gul comes to her and throws a bag of cash on her lap. He tells her to buy her plane ticket with that. He says he found out that it’s a great school. He thinks it’ll be good to gain some practical experience there, they’re giving her a scholarship and all. “You like free things, don’t you? But this isn’t free. I’m loaning it to you. You have to pay me back.” Tears fall from her eyes. “Aren’t you going to thank me?” She says thank you. He mutters that he could have gotten away with just buying a meal. He tells her to get some sleep and gets out. Ga-young is still stunning by his kindness. The plane takes off. Young-gul is feeling sleepy still. The woman looks at his Rolex and compliments that it looks real. She asks if he has a girlfriend, he says no. She says she has a boyfriend. He says that doesn’t matter. Meanwhile, at Young-gul shop, men barge in and demand to know Young-gul’s whereabouts. The woman says he hasn’t come in yet. The guy orders his men to work on the place. They start throwing things out. Young-gul gets a call from his friend, he turns abruptly and asks her, “Hey, is Hwang Tae San your boyfriend?” She nods. He groans, feeling like dying. He tells her to get up, they are on their way. The men storm in the room and see no one. One man looks out the window and finds Young-gul holding on the edge while his body is hanging in the air. The guy laughs and grabs him. Young-gul lets go both of his hands and pushes himself downwards. His body flies down to the ground. He lands on top of some discarded foam boxes. Young-gul grabs his shoes and runs away. The guys follow him out of the room. The woman shows her face from under the bed. Chairman Hwang tells his man to take care of them both. Young-gul calls his friend; he tells Young-gul that he needs to go into hiding. But Young-gul says he doesn’t have anywhere to go. Then he gets chased by Hwang’s men, he hides behind a narrow alley and gets away. He comes to his aunt’s house only to hear they are shouting and beating each other. He turns back and gets out of the house. The next morning, Young-gul ends up walking alone by the dock, he sees the ads ‘Hiring boat crew’. In New York, Ga-young is enjoying the nightlight. The next day she comes to NFS, but the lady tells her that Ga-young is the one who rejected the acceptance. When Ga-young tells her that she never did that, the lady shows her the letter that she sent to them rejecting the offer. She is stunned. In the sea, the boat that Young-gul is on board as one of the crew is facing a big storm, and he’s hanging on tight. This episode introduces us to the main characters, each has his/her own unique view to fashion. Though there was hardships which might feel unbelievable or tiresome to some, these things do happen in real life. It’s just that people who faced the situation don’t go around talking about it. The path to become successful or to follow your dream always has something you need to sacrifice, you get some you lose some. All characters made me feel their eagerness, their strong will to survive this competitive industry which intrigued me. All four leads have good chemistry together which is important for the viewers to pull through 20 episodes. Lee Je Hoon is shining against Yoo Ah-in, my first with him, love these two.

Book your room at Scandic Talk Hotel Queen EconomyMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant) Superior Twin RoomMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant) 4.5-star luxury hotel, walk to Stockholm International Fairs With a stay at Scandic Talk Hotel in Alvsjo, you'll be connected to the convention center and minutes from Stockholm International Fairs, and close to Arstafaltet Park. This 4.5-star hotel is within close proximity of Varfru Church and Lake Trekanten. Make yourself at home in one of the 248 guestrooms featuring minibars. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Private bathrooms with bathtubs or showers feature complimentary toiletries and hair dryers. Conveniences include phones, as well as safes and desks. Be sure to enjoy recreational amenities, including a sauna, a fitness center, and bicycles to rent. Additional features include complimentary wireless Internet access and tour/ticket assistance. Enjoy a satisfying meal at a restaurant serving guests of Scandic Talk Hotel. Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at a bar/lounge. A complimentary buffet breakfast is served daily. Featured amenities include a 24-hour front desk, multilingual staff, and luggage storage. Planning an event in Alvsjo? This hotel has 3519 square feet (327 square meters) of space consisting of a conference center, conference space, and meeting rooms. Self parking (subject to charges) is available onsite.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us! Scandic Talk Hotel features a sauna and a fitness center. The hotel offers a restaurant. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. A complimentary breakfast is offered each morning. Public areas are equipped with complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access. Event facilities measuring 3519 square feet (327 square meters) include a conference center, conference space, and meeting rooms. This luxury hotel also offers a rooftop terrace, tour/ticket assistance, and multilingual staff. Parking is available onsite for a surcharge. Scandic Talk Hotel is a smoke-free property. - 24-hour front desk - Total number of rooms - 248 - Number of floors - 19 - Free breakfast - Conference space - Fitness facilities - Tours/ticket assistance - Free WiFi - Meeting rooms - Multilingual staff - Rooftop terrace - Luggage storage - Safe-deposit box at front desk - Conference space size (meters) - 327 - Number of meeting rooms - 7 - Conference center - Conference space size (feet) - 3519 - Self parking (surcharge) - Smoke-free property - Number of buildings/towers - 1 Available in all rooms: Free WiFi Available in some public areas: Free WiFi Self parking (surcharge) - Pay movies - Daily housekeeping - Private bathroom - Free toiletries - Hair dryer - Bathtub or shower - Iron/ironing board - In-room safe - Cable TV service - Free WiFi - Room service - Pillow menu - Free cribs/infant beds Where to Eat Guests are offered a complimentary buffet breakfast each morning. Meet - This restaurant specializes in Scandinavian cuisine and serves breakfast and dinner. Top Talk Bar - This rooftop bar serves light fare only. Room service is available. Nearby Things to Do Recreational amenities at the hotel include a sauna and a fitness center. The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply. - Bicycle rentals on site - Playground on site To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the “Special or Accessibility Requests" section of “Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel. - Accessible bathroom - Accessible path of travel - Accessible parking - In-room accessibility - Roll-in shower Check-in time starts at 3 PM Check-out time is noon You need to know Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy. Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges. Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed. - Self parking fee: SEK 225 per night - Pet fee: SEK 250 per pet We should mention Children 12 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. The property allows pets in specific rooms only and has other pet restrictions (surcharges apply and can be found in the Fees section). Guests can arrange to bring pets by contacting the property directly, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. Please note: Rollaway beds may be available on request (not guaranteed). Guests must contact the property directly in advance of arrival to request an extra bed. Contact information is provided on the booking confirmation email. Hotelstars Union assigns an official star rating for properties in Sweden. This property is rated 4 stars.

Discover the “Freedom” within you. Escape the everyday routine and come to a place where health, relaxation, and wellness are the primary focus. Tuck the items of your daily life away, gather your thoughts and unwind! What sets us apart? Our services provide you with outstanding, immediate and long lasting benefits. Whether you are seeking to; Relieve Pain and Stress, Rejuvenate and Relax, Look Younger Instantly, Reshape your Body, Lose Inches, Reduce Cellulite, and Firm Your Skin. We help you look great and feel better fast! Our goal is to make a difference in your life.We are your leading one-stop solution spa in the Montgomery – Prattville Area! Schedule an appointment today! Call 334-365-8565. Or Book Online Barre Fitness Classes The Barre Fitness exercise technique creates a lean, firm, sculpted body by reshaping and elongating the major muscles. Barre Fitness is the fastest, most effective and safest way to change your body from the inside out. Our therapists utilize the most advanced massage and healing techniques for lasting pain and stress relief. We successfully treat all kinds of pain and conditions - Chronic Pain - Headaches, Migraines - Back Pain - Neck & Shoulder Pain - Reduced Range of Motion - Sports Injury, slow recovery - High Blood Pressure - Stress & Anxiety - PMS, Menopause - Allergies, Sinusitis Imagine the benefits of our advanced massage techniques: - Achieve lasting pain relief without side effects - Sleep peacefully night after night - Reduce muscle tightness so your body can move freely once again - Resume activities that you were prevented from participating in Our Far infrared sauna endorsed by Dr. Oz and our Whole Body Vibration therapy is also on the leading edge of pain and stress reduction. These therapies have been proven to provide immediate benefits to relax tightened and knotted muscles reducing stress and relieving pain leaving you feeling refreshed and invigorated. - Increase energy, feel more alert and fresh - Feel soothed and comforted like you’ve been on a restful vacation - Improve mood and feelings of well-being - Feel stronger and more confident to take on new projects and task - Improve immune-system functioning and increase overall health As you age, your skin increasingly gets looser and loses its shine, often making your look older than you are. When this happens, it can really be discouraging. The good news is now there is no reason why you have to put up with saggy and dull looking skin. Our skin beautification and healing solutions help: - Soothe, soften and heal your skin - Bring back the glow to your skin - Deep lasting hydration - Protect your skin from further damage - Rid your body of harmful toxins and open skin pores Come in and try one of our Body Wrap treatments or Nu-skin anti-aging instant face-lift and Deep Penetrating Light Therapy. We also offer state of the art corrective skin care products for all ages. To say that aging is not one of the most pleasant aspects of life would be an understatement. Just because most people accept that there is nothing they can do about aging, it doesn’t mean you have to! Let us help you reduce the signs of aging with our top-notch technology and products to fight the effects of aging and look and feel your best regardless of how old you are! - Have smoother, softer and beautifully glowing skin - Improve your shape, reducing bumps and bulges - Feel good about the way you look - Reduce inches off your waist, hips and thighs - Firm up that flabby skin - Look and feel younger With the Far-Infrared Sauna which Dr. Oz says, provides “the most powerful detox available and burns up to 600 calories without lifting a finger”. Sauna along with the Whole Body Vibration Exercise to firm your muscles and aid in weight loss you will be sure to get your body into the best shape possible. Total Freedom Wellness Classes #487703417 / gettyimages.com Anyone with recurring, unyielding back problems knows the beast that is called back pain. While most of us have experienced back pain that comes from overexertion or muscle pulls, the effects of back pain for many can be debilitating, excruciating, and life changing. Experts say back pain accounts for $100 billion…Details ENJOY the feeling of release that comes from lengthening and elongating your muscles. Welcome to one of life’s great pleasures. Stretching is for everyone, young and old, from all walks of life. You do not have to be a contortionist, professional athlete, or even in good shape to experience its joys and benefits. Stretching can…Details

After 44 days of my 101-day Bikram yoga challenge, I’m pretty sure I’m a crazy person. I had a solid class with Britney this morning. I signed in the next class and the puttered around doing my workstudy duties. The moment I realized that I truly need help was watching students come down the stairs after class, glowing from sweat and looking like they were floating. Right then and there I wanted to run back into that room to take another class. Am I addicted? Not sure. Bikram class feels like you’re running a marathon with Snow White and the Seven Dwarves tap dancing and singing “Heigh-Ho” all over my chest, heart and spine. It takes everything in me not to curl up in a ball in a corner and pretend I’m in a sauna instead doing those postures. I may have difficulty with postures but I never sit out a set. I try to do each asana every time for as long as I can. When I fall out, I get back–except for standing forehead to knee where when I fall out I argue with myself about what the heck am I doing with my life and this whole Bikram thing. At end of class I’m dishrag still soaked after it went through the ringer…and I love it. I think I do this yoga for the euphoria after you experience after taking your body to struggles it normally would never experience. You’re body aches like it’s just had a deep tissue massage and all tension has been released. It leaves you floating. I like that feeling and would gladly do another class to experience it. Thankfully, I have 57 more days to chase that sweet, sweet ache. Today was a seemingly impossible day. I’d bitten off more than I could chew and I wasn’t willing to let go of anything. In my mind, nothing is impossible. While it was an ambitious day, it was not an undoable day. I’d recruited my movie fiend friend to see Dark Knight Rises on IMAX. The only problem when we purchased the tickets in June was that the only real IMAX theater in NYC–Loews Lincoln Square–had no available IMAX shows except 6:30am on Saturday morning. If we were going to go full movie die-hard, we’d have to be in the theater by 5:30am which meant waking up by 4:30am. A bit crazy, but not bad, right? Well, today also happened to be the day of my studio’s posture clinic. They recommended that we take the 11am class to warm up, do the clinic from 1-4pm, and take class at 4:30pm to apply what we’d learned in the clinic. Seven hours of yoga is challenging. Add a 4:30 am wakeup call to that and it goes from challenging to daunting. Oh and add a 1:30am bedtime after volunteering Brooklyn–a recipe for thwarted expectations. Fortunately, I was able to wake up, do the movies, all day yoga and make it home in one piece. I’m grateful for all the elements that allowed me accomplish all of it. Because of a communication breakdown, I almost did not get to take the 11am class. Thanks to someone’s graciousness, I was able to take class twice and complete the clinic in spite of the snafu. Dark Knight Rises was absolutely worth the early wake-up call. After some confusion, it took longer than usual to get my mind focused on my first class. When I did, I breezed right through it. The posture clinic was amazing. We didn’t just go over proper execution of each asana. We had a medical doctor describe, in detail, the actual medical benefits of each posture. As a emergency room doctor committed to preventive medicine, she stressed how doing the Bikram series keeps us out of her hospital–a wonderful thing. We also went over the chakras and corresponding beneficial herbs. That was 3 well-spent hours. I can’t wait for part 2. Class after was tough but I was able to push through. As I finally rest my tired body, I hope I can see some major improvements as a direct result of the clinic. 60 more days–2 whole months–until the end of my challenge. Not that long, is it? On the last day of 30 Days of Tessism I am overwhelmed with gratitude for ALL OF IT!!! Gratitude: I am grateful for making it all the way through another November of blogging every day for 3o days. Whew! I made it! It was great looking at gratitude each day this month. It kept focused and grounded. Gratitude beats back all the things that plague my life: frustration, upset, you name it. There is so much that I am grateful for and 30 days does not come near to relaying it all. I have a charmed life and these 30 reminded me of the blessings I sometimes take for granted. Gratitude creates that amazing life. Without it I would never stop and appreciate all the wonderful people and experiences that make up every day. Thank you for following me on this journey each and every day! See you next year! Day 29 of 30 Days of Tessism is bristling with gratitude for the unforeseen. Gratitude: Today I am grateful that the power and internet outages I’ve constantly faced during my stay in Nigeria did not prevent me from blogging every day for the past 29 days. I am grateful that disaster was barred and I did what I needed to do each time to get each entry out. This is my second year of blogging every day in November and it’s been quite a journey! See you tomorrow for the finale! Day 28 of 30 Days of Tessism brings gratitude from the other side of the screen. Gratitude: Today I am taken aback by how grateful I am for YOU. The fact that you are reading this and have been for so long makes such a difference for me. Without you, I would have no fuel to continue. Your comments and encouragement keep going through power and internet outages in Nigeria to make sure I post something each and every day. This would pointless without you. Thank you for reading every day. Thank you for caring to comment and email. Thank you for providing the fire for this engine to go all the way! Day 27 of 30 Days of Tessism discovers gratitude right under it’s nose! Gratitude: I sifted through my hard drive of thousands of pictures over the past few years and realized that I have a great life. I am grateful for the past years of adventure, love and wonder thanks to the amazing people surrounding me. I have had so much fun with so many friends doing anything our hearts desire. It has been a privilege to blaze trails with the beloved people in my life. I am grateful for the blast my life has been and continues to be. I wouldn’t change it for a thing! Day 26 of 30 Days of Tessism leaves gratitude for what delights the eye. Gratitude: I am grateful today for the majesty and awesome beauty of Nigeria. I still cannot believe I am here. After years of tales of Africa’s beauty, I am here to witness it. There are trees like nothing I have seen before. There are endless stretches of green land and red clay. I am grateful to see this with my adult eyes that can appreciate them in this lifetime. It is incredible. Day 25 of 30 Days of Tessism brings gratitude very different from last year. Gratitude: Today, I am grateful to be in a warm place in November. No snow. No coat. Just warm and sun here in Nigeria. I never expected to be here but here I am. I miss New York but the warmth and new adventure is great consolation. I am grateful for something I did not plan which gives me a reprieve from the norm. I am grateful for the sun that blots out the storm. Day 24 of 30 Days of Tessism finds gratitude in simplicity. Gratitude: Today is the beginning of the last 7 days o f 30 Days of Tessism. I am grateful that I’ve made it this far in the challenge another year in. I am grateful for the pleasure of every day. I am grateful for this life. It is all I have and it is more than enough. Take time today to look at the simple pleasures that make your life worth living. Look at the people you love. For all of it, give thanks. I know I am. HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Day 23 of 30 Days of Tessism finds gratitude amidst chaos. Gratitude: Today, I am grateful for the peace I find no matter what storm falls upon me. Somewhere, there will be quiet and an end to the confusion. Then new roads, new paths will open up for me. New possibilities never before imagined become available because of those tribulations. From the rain comes new life and something more magnificent than what was there before. This happens time and again. I am grateful that while in life, troubles may be a constant, victory is constant too.

Contemporary Flat rental apartments in South Minneapolis located 2 blocks from 46th street light rail station. Studio, 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom apartments and 2 bedroom townhomes available. Located between downtown Minneapolis, Minneapolis/St. Paul airport and Mall of America and Veteran's Hospital. Walking distance to Minnehaha Falls and regional trail system. Designed for contemporary living, each spacious apartment has generous closets, 9 foot ceilings, and washer and dryer in unit. The majority of our homes have private balconies, some with downtown Minneapolis views. Natural maple cabinets and trim throughout all homes. Each home is designed for contemporary living with brand new stainless steel appliances and central media panel, pre-wired for television, telephone and internet service. You will also appreciate heated underground parking for vehicles and bicycles, along with car wash bay on each parking level. The entire first level is dedicated to parking and amenities. These amenities include an indoor swimming pool, whirlpool, sauna, fitness center, social room, club room, game room, and cinema room with large over-head projection television. Large staging room next to the elevators for a quick and easy move in! We accept cats in our south tower with additional deposits and restrictions. Large, spacious storage lockers included with each apartment home. Electronically secured and monitored building access doors. Beautiful ceramic floors and tub surrounds provide easy cleaning.

|Gallery||The Mall||Member Directory||MHA News||Library||Links| Marty Pearson was the auctioneer this year, and did an amazing job. Everyone was rolling in the aisles with laughter, with their wallets open. We raised a record amount -- $23,464.00. That's more than twice the previous record. Donor List. Thank you to all the donors. In particular, TULIKIVI for their generous donation of their new Whirlbox heater, which raised $6,000.00 for MHA. Worm won the confederate underwear. "They match my sheets." Poppy Sandoval donated this great heater model. It folds open to reveal a detailed interior. Perfect for doing demos at home shows. Wool felt authentic Russian sauna hat, donated by Alex. It had Dave's name on it. Genuine official issue Russian army sauna hat. The big moment of the evening - auctioning off the Tulikivi. The new owners got a great deal, getting it for half the retail value of $12,000.00 2008 Photo Report 2007 Photo Report 2006 Photo Report 2004 Photo Report 2003 Photo Report 2002 Photo Report 2001 Photo Report 2000 Photo Report 1999 Photo Report 1998 Photo Report 1997 Photo Report This page was last updated on April 23, 2009 This page was created on April 20, 2009

In reply to the comments on the previous posting, no, I'm not "ronrey," as far as I know; I've never seen Team America, though I've heard it was hilarious. Something about puppet porn...Anyway, "Anonymous," if that is your real name, thanks for the out-of-context missive. Nothing beats candor, even from someone I'm not sure I know. "Cooler than you'll ever be?" I don't know. I sort of doubt it. As long as I've inspired you to rejoice in the pleasures of breaking shit, my work is done. And dad, thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed the board-breaking section. I agree, blowing shit up is one of the only things that beats breaking shit where funness is concerned. One 4th of July some friends and I tried to blow up a 5-gallon bucket of sour cream. Don't ask where we got it. The quarter stick of dynamite (maker of Boom) turned out to be a dud, though (no Boom). I was crushed. Which reminds me, South Korean Independence Day is coming up. Heh, heh, heh. Heo Shim Choeng Sounds a Bit Like Ho Chi Minh ...but the only resemblance between the two is the...nope, no resemblance at all. On Saturday, I visited the Heo Shim Choeng spa. I was a little nervous. There would be naked men, which is a little scary for my Puritanical, Western, fragile soul. And I'm always a little nervous when I go out to any Korean place, not speaking the language enough to say, "Stop staring at me. Seriously." Fortunately, it's really not an issue. The spa is basically a big hall full of swimming pools, heated to various temperatures, and saunas and statues of nude women (and dolphins), which are the only nude women a man is going to see at the spa. They have the men and women split up into two spa sections. Unfortunate almost, but then it would, realistically, be very uncomfortable to walk among a bunch of strange naked women with Mr. Wrinkles weebling around - which isn't to say I wouldn't like to be given the chance. The thing about the spa is that there's no conversation, really, a few grunts and such between fathers and sons, but mostly the men are there for one purpose. Relax, and pretend like there aren't a bunch of other guys there. So that's what I did, going from super-heated sauna to icy pool in under 30 seconds just to see if I could do it. It was weird, too, those kind of changes in so short a time does strange things to one's head. (Get your mind out of the gutter.) Some of the more extreme features include: a waterfall bath that drops water from about 6 meters, hard enough to almost hurt; the aforementioned icy pool next to the sauna and the almost scalding pool; I didn't get to try it, but there is evidently an exfoliation studio where they scrub all of the dead skin off of you. Anyway, two hours and 8000 Won (~8 bucks) lighter, I walked out of the spa feeling ten varieties of great. I have trouble reasoning how I used to spend 20 dollars on one tab of ecstasy that might not even be ecstasy, which would last for about four hours, and for the next 24 hours make me feel like dogshit scraped off the boot of a corpulent concentration camp guard. This post-spa euphoria lasted for about six hours, and I felt great the next day. Live and learn, I guess. I recommend a spa visit to anyone wishing to feel like a million dollars. In Other News I just got paid, so soon there will be a digital camera in my possession (though not the super-awesome, professional quality SLR I want, thanks to my outstanding debts in the U.S.), which means there will be pictures on the blog here. It's probably better that I didn't get pictures of the spa, anyway. But, soon. Also I go on vacation here in a couple of days, so I'll come back with a ton of beautiful, semi-quality pictures from either Gyeong-ju or Seoul, I haven't decided which yet. The terrorists are still assholes. But so is Bush, and Blair isn't coming off too well, either. They're in a tough spot, I understand, but it would be nice if they could at least craft the doublespeak so that I don't have to yell at the television when I watch a press conference. Tot: 0.236s; Tpl: 0.009s; cc: 7; qc: 52; dbt: 0.1114s; 1; m:apollo w:www (220.127.116.11); sld: 2; ; mem: 6.4mb

Sundance Bear Lodge offers both bed and breakfast and cabins – in southwestern, casual luxury. Log cabin sleeps 4+ with queen downstairs, double and sofa in the loft. Guest house is 2 units – perfect for family gathering. Unit 1 has king + single with bath. Unit 2 has 2 bedrooms (king, pair of queen beds) with bath between. Common area is full kitchen, dining/living room. Two lodge rooms each have private bath and breakfast. Rates: guest house $270-310; log cabin $160-195; lodge rooms $125-195. Hot tub and sauna. Open all year. Come and relax in the old west. Located on 80 acres within view of Mesa Verde, only 30 min. to the Durango steam train and 2 hours to Moab, Telluride, Chaco Canyon and more! Perfect base camp for a series of day trips – part of the San Juan Skyway. Please visit home web site for current rates; daily rates May-Sept. some weekly, monthly off season. Phone: 866-529-2480 / 970-533-1504 This and other Bed and Breakfast Inns can be found here online in The Register. Romantic Country Inns, Getaways and B&Bs offer a great lodging alternative to big hotels. A warm comfortable bed and a tasty breakfast can make for a great vacation or business travel day!

Number of Cruises: 3 Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean Ship: Explorer of the Seas Sailing Date: April 24th, 2004 Itinerary: Western Caribbean ***PRE-REVIEW EDITORIAL COMMENT Part of my reason in writing this review is to pass along my experience. I have extensively reviewed the other reviews posted on this ship and most of the other ships in the RCCL fleet. I can honestly say that on my two RCCL cruises and my one Carnival cruise I have yet to encounter a single crew member that was the slightest bit rude or didn’t seem to care about his or her job. When I read the overly-negative reviews that I see here, I am compelled to conclude that the reviewer, while possibly having a valid reason for making the complaint(s), must have approached the situation in a negative way…Here is an example – On the Royal Promenade our first day there was a table advertising Explorer’s soft drink card ($42 bucks for the week for unlimited soft drinks). For some strange reason, however, the table had many cans of beer on it as well. A passenger approached the table and asked if alcohol was included. The crew member politely said that the card only covered soft drinks. Following this, the passenger rudely and loudly yelled at the crew member for having the beer cans on the table – valid complaint? Yes. Correct approach to the situation? No. It’s all in the way you approach the situation. If your attitude is that the crew members are there to be your humble servants and must heed your beck and call and make everything absolutely perfect, then you will have a disappointing experience. Throughout this review I will point out passengers who I thought crossed the line as opposed to slamming the crew members. I think that this will give a better perspective to some of the negative reviews. Thus endeth the sermon…On to the review! This cruise was my third cruise and my wife’s fifth. Each time seems to get better. This was our first time on a Voyager-class ship and its going to be difficult to downsize after our experience! I’ll start from the beginning… We flew out of rainy Cleveland on 4/23 with our 2 year old son, who was going to be spending the week with my parents in Miami. Upon arrival in sunny Florida we spent the day lounging around and getting psyched up for the trip. Went out to the beach in Hollywood and saw the line of ships offshore awaiting a morning port call. Absolutely flawless! We arrived at the port at about 10:50 and we were in our cabin by 11:20. Security was a breeze and we even spent time hunting for an upgrade (none available). Cabin was not ready at that early hour, so we dropped our carry-ons in the closet and set out to explore the Explorer. To digress for a second, we had one of the famous Promenade-View rooms. Although it was of more than acceptable size and the bay window had a large sitting area, I would not book this cabin again. We had a balcony on Grandeur of the Seas and this, in my opinion, was a HUGE step down. Just don’t like not being able to look outside and see what is going on…Had no idea if the ship was in port or had sunk while we were sleeping. WOW! That is all I can say about this ship. It is frigging huge! The Promenade is such a unique feature and we spent a great deal of time there drinking coffee and people watching. There is a 24 hour café that serves pizza, cookies, small sandwiches and (for and extra fee) Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. There is also an English-style pub and a sports bar (only shows ESPN International, meaning LOTS of soccer). This area is where the shopping is as well and the standard on-board shops are present. MONEY SAVING TIP: We did not take advantage of this, but on the first night the booze store had a 4 for 1 charge for instant pick-up, meaning that the $9.50 charge for being able to open the bottle immediately applied to four bottles instead of the usual one bottle. Here’s a shot of the Royal Promenade:\ The Pool Decks are, like everything else, HUGE. Until common courtesy becomes commonplace, there will always be a problem with saving chairs. Being unfailingly polite, I am not the type to throw someone’s towel and/or book on the ground, but when you see the same chair with the same towel and book for five hours, it is very tempting. There is tiered seating for the sun deck and there are chairs on the upper-level Sports Deck as well. An area that we found to be less crowded is the stern, but it is also directly in front of the children’s play area, so it can get very noisy with screaming children. As to the pools, they are large and never quite busy. For once there were ample hot tubs in the main area, as well as a couple big ones in the adults-only Solarium and another in the fitness center. I was told that the solarium hot tubs were on average much warmer than the pool tubs, but the only night that I used a pool tub I also had pretty bad sunburn, so it seemed pretty darn hot to me. The fitness center is huge and I was able to immediately get onto a machine without waiting on the three mornings that I got up the motivation to actually go. It was a little weird at first – The center is above the bow of the ship. As we were pulling into Jamaica the ship was making a hard port (left) turn. My usual view at my rec center is either of the person in front of me or of the woods behind the center. Being on the elliptical machine and sensing and viewing the ship’s movement made me feel slightly out-of-whack for a couple minutes, but I adjusted quickly. Keep this in mind if you are prone to motion sickness. I did not utilize the sauna nor the weight area. The Sports Deck is great – Contains the mini-golf, basketball area, in-line skating, and, looming above it all, the mighty rock wall. We played mini-golf the first night out – It was pretty cool, but the wind on the deck, coupled with the ship’s movement, made it challenging at times to get the ball in the hole. One gripe…the “rock” walls in the course are actually composite materials that have no bounce to them – one major strategy in mini-golf is to ricochet your ball off of the walls to get to where you are going. When the ball hits these walls, it just sits there and dies. No ricochet whatsoever. Keep that in mind! Due to our inability to properly plan, we did not use the in-line skating area. My wife did climb the rock wall and had a blast – it is harder than it looks (overhangs) and requires decent upper and lower body strength. You are harnessed in and given safety equipment and have a one-on-one with a crew member, so you are not left unsupervised during the climb. One thing I did wonder about but neglected to ask…The rock wall is located on the ship’s funnel, which is also (I believe) where the ship’s horns are located. I wonder how frigging loud it would be if the horns went off while someone was near the top of the wall… I utilized the running/walking track on a few mornings. Big enough and not too crowded. One piece of advice…get in your running in the morning before the decks fill up with sunbathers. Due to the layout, there are deck chairs all near the track – I saw people running in the afternoon and trying to dodge people laying out or walking around looking for a place to lay out. Use a little common sense and do not attempt to work out during the afternoon hours if the area is crowded – You are not going to get in a quality workout and will probably end up torking off a lot of people in the process. This class of ship is really neat in that the bow of the ship is open to passenger access. You can walk up nearly to the very tip of the ship (and if you are quick can do the “King of the World” thing before security is dispatched to remove you – remember the Bridge is directly above you here). It is VERY windy up here, so keep that in mind if you have a cap or lightweight family member that you don’t want to lose. The Casino was very generous to me! I am usually the King of Breaking Even, but this time the slot machines gave me back around $400 over the week. One negative here – I love video poker, but the only machines they had were crappy progressive multi-game machines with bad payout schedules. I only played twice during the week. I am a nervous gambler and did not play any table games during the week. I was doing well enough on the slots that I did not have the desire to go elsewhere to gamble. One thing the casino crew needs to work on – throughout the week there were a LOT of teenagers playing the slots. Although I did hear them being told to leave, there was no follow-up enforcement of the rules. I frankly could care less, but in one instance I kept getting bugged by a group of kids to help them cash out a small jackpot that they had won. The internet center is very large and has easy-to-follow instructions so that you can sign on. READ CAREFULLY – The cost is very high, so unless you absolutely need to communicate with the outside world, I’d suggest not partaking. I’ll cover other areas of the ship as I go through the day-to-day activities that we partook in… DAY ONE (Saturday, April 24th) Following embarkation, we just walked around the ship checking things out. Around 3:00 we met up with fellow members of our Cruise-Critic board at the Sports Bar. I have never done the CC thing before, but I would strongly recommend it. It was great having a group of people that you have a basic relationship with before you even board. We traded shore excursion ideas amongst each other beforehand and ended up on many of the same trips throughout the week. There was a welcome-aboard show in the evening that provided a sneak peek at the rest of the week’s shows. There was also a gymnastics duet from Poland that was downright freaky and exciting and a comedian who was so-so. We just kind of relaxed this night and got into the groove of having a week of doing everything yet nothing ahead of us. Dinner was a half-hour later than normal (we had second seating) and was typical RCCL – This will go for the whole week – It was very good food. Nothing exceptional, but nothing exceptionally bad. For a kitchen tasked with serving 3000 people in a three-hour time frame they do a hell of a job. If you want to be waited on like a king and have gourmet everything, give Crystal or Seabourne a call. You get what you pay for (and a lot more, in my opinion). Our waitstaff, Fernanda and Carmella, did a great job at taking care of us throughout the week. As for the Windjammer, the food was more than adequate, and quite good, all week. Its pretty much "safe" food, so enjoy! This was a stop in Nassau, which was a substitute for Labadee. Being a lover of history, it absolutely amazes me that the suits at RCCL did not do a little research into the violent history of Haiti before they laid down a chunk of cash to buy and develop the Labadee property. It appears that this stop will be down for quite a while, if not permanently, due to the inability of Haiti to maintain a stable government for more than two weeks. Oh well… We did not do an organized excursion at Nassau. We slept in a little then walked (yes walked) to the Atlantis. It took us about a ½ hour to walk there and was a little nerve-wracking at times…Being a Sunday, many of the shops were closed and the streets on the way to the bridge to Paradise Island were pretty deserted. A couple of times I had to keep an extra eye out as we walked near certain areas. I think I was over-reacting, but keep that in mind if you want to walk over there. The Atlantis is beautiful and VERY EXPENSIVE…A chocolate chip cookie and two pops ran us $9.00. We managed to walk out of there up $1.00 after hitting on a slot machine…WOO HOO!! ***Negative Review digression…I have seen many negative comments regarding beach access at Atlantis and the resort’s rules limiting such access to guests only. After having been there, I am in total agreement with Atlantis’ policy. This place is huge and extremely expensive. It was filled with cruise ship passengers milling about the public areas. If everyone were to be given access to the beach/waterslide area, it would be ridiculously crowded there as well. The guests who pay the grossly expensive rates at Atlantis deserve an area or two that they can enjoy without too much crowding. Back to the review…Following our victorious exit from Atlantis, we walked next door to Cabbage Beach…It is beautiful here and is open to the public. We made it back to the ship and had lunch at Johnny Rockets, which is very popular and faithful to the menu back home. Later on we went to dinner and then experienced adult karaoke night in the Maharaja’s Lounge. It was above-average…the best was truly Frankie from Hawaii who did a dead-on rendition of Colin Raye’s “I’m already there.” After that, we went to the Chamber nightclub, which is a two-level affair reminding me of a dungeon. Typical house/dance music that I enjoyed in college. We were up pretty darn late. Due to being up pretty darn late the night before, we slept in, as this was our first day at sea. I did go down to the ice rink to get our tickets to the Ice Show, which I would strongly suggest going to see. We really just kind of bummed around this whole day, laying around in the sun and not doing much of anything. This is the beauty of cruising – there was plenty to do if you want to do it. We chose to lay around, but there were plenty of planned activities as well. The belly-flop contest was a big draw and there was great calypso music all afternoon on the pool deck. The Art Auctions are interesting as well…We did not think this is something that we would enjoy, but ended up going to a couple and buying some nice works at cut-rate prices. I’d suggest at least checking one out during the cruise. This was Jamaica day. We did not utilize any of RCCL’s official excursions at any point during this cruise. They are expensive and very crowded. We heard good buzz about Phil Lafayette online and booked a tour with him. For $50 a head, we and about ten others boarded his air-conditioned bus and toured the Ocho Rios area, stopped at Fern Gully (rain forest) to view some out-of-the-way small markets, saw a spice garden with a very large marijuana plant growing off to the side and watched a road-side “fireman” dance with fire-sticks. Phil is great – he loves his country, is very-well spoken and goes out of his way to show you a good time. He took us to a small waterfall area off the beaten path and then it was off to the White River for tubing. This was like the “lazy river” rides at theme parks around the country. Guides were posted along the way to make sure you didn’t get tangled up in the brush on the banks and there were some cool rapids to liven things up. Definitely a great stop – the ride lasted about 45 minutes and then it was off to Dunns River Falls. DRF is a 600 foot waterfall that cascades its way into the sea at an angle that allows it to be climbed without too much difficulty. There are guides available to assist the climb, which is done in a human-chain method. Watch out for the underwater rocks…my shin hit one that almost ended my climb (I now have a scar as a permanent reminder of the trip). There are certain portions that I would deem to be a little difficult, but nothing unmanageable. I would definitely recommend this stop, but with the following proviso: AVOID AT ALL COSTS THE SHOPPING AREA AT THE TOP OF THE FALLS…This is the Jamaica that we have heard about. The vendors were aggressive *()&*(s who accused us of being racist for not buying anything and who literally got into your face if you did not make a purchase…My suggestion is to keep walking – do not stop, do not look at anything…There is a way to bypass this area, but we screwed up…Make sure you ask your tour guide how to avoid the area. Our tour lasted about six hours and was well worth the money. I would strongly recommend Phil. This, however, was the Explorer’s last stop in Jamaica for the foreseeable future – the new itinerary includes Belize instead. The grapevine said that part of the reason was due to ongoing customer complaints about aggressive vendors, but I do not know for sure what RCCL’s official reasons were for changing the intinerary. One more suggestion…Our day was cut short when the one credit card that we took with us that day was rejected in several stores. We had to tramp back to the ship. Turns out that a business we’d used that card at several weeks earlier had been burglarized and a lot of credit card info had been stolen. Thus, our card was on a fraud watch. When Fleet saw a charge in Jamaica pop up, alarms sounded and they shut the card down. It was nice that they did this, but it also would have been nice if they’d told us they were watching our card. The suggestion is to call all of your credit companies and inform them that you are leaving the country – even without the fraud watch on our card, we learned that many companies will automatically reject foreign charges without prior authorization from the customer (my American Express card was fine, however). We heard that Margaritaville, which is Jimmy Buffett’s bar, was a blast, but by the time we got done dealing with the credit card it was too late to head back to the shopping area near the ship to experience it for ourselves. We went to Portofinos this night, which is Explorer’s $20 a head Italian restaurant. Excellent service, terrific food and well-worth the money. We lucked out and managed to get an 8:30 reservation at about 5:30 that afternoon, but I’d suggest booking as soon as possible. We did experience our MORON OF THE WEEK here, however. Upon arrival, we noticed a table of four very loud (and drunk) women who looked like they had just walked out of an 80’s photo shoot (big hair, big earrings…). One of them had a walkie-talkie (great idea that I’ll touch on later) and was using it in the restaurant to communicate with her son Joshua. Now, first off, the mere use of this radio inside of the restaurant was rude, but she was screaming at her son, who was screaming back at her, and between the two of them the tables surrounding them were getting very upset. With an accent that had Long Island all over it, she would bellow JOSHUUUAA into the radio…”JOSHUUA…GET DOWN TO THE ICE RINK FOR THE SHOW…GET IN LINE AND WAIT FOR US JOSHUUUUUA.” Joshua, who sounded like he was equally obnoxious, would scream back at her but we could not make out what he was saying. Luckily, they were getting ready to leave, so we knew it would soon be over. Being a luxury-type establishment, the staff lets you relax during the course of the dinner. These classy ladies, however, wanted their check so they could go join JOSHUUUA and the remainder of their group at Studio B (Ice Skating). One of the other “ladies” in the group called over a member of the staff, who I believe was Filipino. The woman proceeded to loudly tell the staff member, with hand gestures, that they needed their check “because they had to go bye-bye,” because obviously the crew member did not speak a word of English nor, being a foreigner was she able to understand English. The manner in which this communication was made was absolutely insulting to me and almost caused me to get up and smack some common sense into the side of this woman’s big-haired head. I restrained myself and the group left to polite applause. I hope that a member of that group reads this review and, in reflection, is embarrassed about their behavior, but my guess is that the word “class” is not in their vocabulary and that this behavior is absolutely normal for them. If by chance one of them writes a review, I can see them complaining that the staff was rude and that they could not speak English and that they took forever to get them a check…Other than that, we had a great experience! Today we stopped in Grand Cayman, the oft-cancelled tender stop and my favorite port of the trip. This place is spotless and everyone drives BMWs, Lexuses (Lexi?) and Mercedes. There is plenty of money here due to the off-shore banking that is putting GC above Switzerland for such purposes. We booked online with Soto Cruises for snorkeling and took a three-stop trip for $25 bucks a head. There were two boats in our group and our boat only had about 20 people on it. The guides were very friendly and the areas that we visited were excellent – great visibility, no crowds and plenty of snorkeling time. You could pick out the ships with official excursions – they had about 100 people each on them and those people probably paid a lot more than we did! The stingray experience was one of the more interesting things that I’ve ever done…the animals are very friendly and our guides were very helpful in “capturing” one and allowing us to feed, pet and even kiss the ray. They look really cool coming in from the open sea– almost like a group of stealth fighters streaking towards their target. There were only two other ships in port the day we were there, so things were not that crowded. I have read reviews where eight ships were tendering in passengers, so I can’t say my experience would match up to what someone else might experience with bigger crowds. This was our final port – Cozumel. Upon being escorted into the harbor by a Mexican patrol boat (with its .50 cal machine gun pointed AT the ship), we docked at the International Pier, which is about a five-minute cab ride to San Miguel, where another major dock and all of the main shopping exists. We chose to go on our own to Chankanaab, which is a national park about five minutes by cab the other way down the road. There is also a bike/scooter path that takes you there as well. Admission to the park is $12 a head and it is beautiful. There are FREE lounge chairs and thatch umbrellas lining the beach and the snorkeling is very good here. There are plenty of fish and they are not shy. I also came within a few feet of a barracuda, which kind of freaked me out. There are dive/snorkel shops here and it costs about $9 per person for full snorkel gear. Chankanaab also has in-water experiences with Dolphins and/or Sea Lions. We did not do these, but heard rave reviews from people that did. There are a few restaurants here as well as a walk-through botanical garden and replica Mayan artifacts arranged in a “dig” area. A beautiful lagoon is on the property with some temples across the water that provide for great pictures. We did not manage our time well and so we did not see all that Chankanaab has to offer. We would, however, recommend it. Its close to the pier and has everything you could want for a fun day in Mexico. Following Chankanaab we went to San Miguel and did a little shopping, then wrapped up the stop in Carlo’s & Charlies, a legendary bar that serves “yard high” drinks. A couple of Long Island Iced Teas later I was ready to party! Later that night we assisted in helping a couple of our Cruise Critic compadres avoid paying duty on the booze that they bought by sitting in one of the hot tubs until 5:00 in the morning…It was a wonderful and relaxing night and I had by that point completely forgotten that I had a busy law practice that was probably going down the tubes as I bobbed around in the middle of the ocean. The last day of our cruise consisted of sleeping in until about 11:00 in the morning. We chilled out for most of the day and slowly began packing for our return to reality in the morning. We had more lunch at Johnny Rockets and checked out the onboard pictures that we’d had taken throughout the week. The dinner was the usual farewell and tips were given to all of our service providers. We turned in early out of sheer exhaustion. Pretty flawless. Unlike past cruises, you aren’t assigned to a particular area of the ship. One tip, however. We spent time on the pool deck. For whatever reason, the announcements regarding tag colors were not being made out there and we did not realize that our color had been called about a ½ hour earlier. If you don’t hear an announcement for a while, make sure you ask someone! The luggage area is like an airport. There are belts for your luggage – it is not like the warehouse that we have experienced in the past where everyone’s luggage is just sitting in a huge room. 1. We brought some Motorola walkie-talkies with us. These were great for communicating and we did not have any reception problems anywhere in the ship. 2. Be nice to the crew members. They work very hard for their money and deserve respect…They are not peasants there for your pleasure. If you truly do have a negative experience, report it. Just remember, the way you approach a situation will affect the way that the situation is handled. You are not the only passenger on the ship! 3. Do some research on-line and consider visiting Cruisecritic.com or AOL’s message boards. The tips that we received were great and we also formed a little pre-cruise community. Going onto the ship we already knew about 15 people and had our excursions booked for a much cheaper rate than what RCCL was offering 4. Book spa treatments/Porotfinos right away…They tend to fill up quickly. Also, check out the shops on the first and last night…They run specials on items at those times. 5. Carry a change of clothes in your carryon, including a bathing suit. Despite their best efforts, it still sometimes takes a while for your luggage to get to your cabin on the first day. Also, put unique markers on your luggage. We bought some neon handle covers from Brookstone that made our luggage very visible. 6. RELAX…Do as much as you want to do, but don’t think that you can get everything done – Its not possible! I hope this review is helpful to you. If you have any additional questions, or if you need a criminal defense attorney in the Cleveland area (need to pay for the cruise, after all), please feel free to e-mail me at MKAstrab@aol.com!

Today @ Colorado State has been replaced by SOURCE. This site exists as an archive of Today @ Colorado State stories between January 1, 2009 and September 8, 2014. July 11, 2012 by Alfonso Kravitz Just days before his exit from CSU, we managed to sit down with Paul Miller to talk about his career and favorite color. Paul was raised in a house built in 1830 in Ohio. After breakfast one morning, he decided to move wholesale to Colorado because it seemed like such a cool place to be, and because the houses were more modern. He put his dishes in the sink, threw his carpetbag, Miller beer signs, and 10-speed bicycle onto a train in Chicago, and motored West to begin a new chapter. Historians think it was Chapter 4. At CSU, he lived in Ellis Hall, which doesn’t exist anymore. He wanted to be a biologist so he could commune with trees and stuff, but he couldn’t pass introductory chemistry. Or biology. Or math. After one semester, he moved to liberal arts, a comfortable place to commune with words, as he discovered. Paul made his big move in the late 1970s, when A.R. Chamberlain was in the waning years of his presidency. He had no idea who Chamberlain was, or what A.R. stood for. To improve his education, Paul got a job on the Collegian as a reporter, where the truth speaks in really large font. His first assignment was to report on a local political race, even though he hated politics as much as chemistry. Communing with words advanced apace with a job writing for the Silver Spruce yearbook. In one story, he wrote something about “obstinate tenacity,” which really made the editor crack up in hilarious mirth. The Silver Spruce disappeared as a publication a few years later, the victim of paperless dreams and no budget, but Paul didn’t have anything to do with that failure, as court documents clearly show. Then the big time. Paul graduated, spent a few bucolic years as a forklift driver at an industrial plant, then decided to go back to school, where life is as good as having a nanny. He stumbled into a job at the PR office at Aylesworth Hall, a place of ancient orange carpet and sauna-level heat. His cube life began the moment he first compiled and edited event listings on a computer that sounded like his asthmatic aunt. His aunt, though, knew how to spell-check, but the computer didn’t, at least not without a 5-inch floppy. Meteoric success followed like the entrails of a comet. Paul ascended into newspaper publishing, first as assistant editor then editor of Comment, the black-and-white weekly campus news titan. He learned the names of CSU presidents because he had to attend faculty meetings where presidents spoke every few years. He also wrote press releases, filling them with made-up but genuine quotes from presidents. The quotes were mostly for Albert Yates, because he was president a long time. From autumn to winter to spring, Paul told the stories of CSU, from amazing research to disasters like the flood of 1997 to features on incomprehensible public art on campus. During the summers, he spent a lot of time playing in the mountains, the slacker. Years and years of that, and it was good. Then a university magazine fell in his lap, and he edited that for more years. A move from Aylesworth (the orange carpet had been replaced and air conditioning installed, which rattled and groaned like Paul’s Uncle McGillicuddy) to the Big House followed, where the walls speak of hallowed history and administrative derring-do. Ensconced on the third floor of the Administration Building, Paul finally gave up his No. 2 pencils and yellow tablets and joined the 21st century, writing and editing for both print and online publications on a keyboard that gathered his daily lunch crumbs. On the eve of his retirement (woops, he may already be gone), Paul says he’ll keep scribbling. He’s not aiming for a Great American Novel, but something as titanic, like a feature in Meeting Magazine. "I owe all the talented, dedicated, creative, and downright nice people I've worked with over the years for sparking my own success at CSU," Paul says, in an honestly made-up quote. After six CSU presidents, a few million words, and a boatload of good memories, Paul has decided it’s time to move on to the next chapter, which historians think is number 12.

The urge to return to nature, hear the first cuckoo, light the barbecue, is upon us. The comforting thing is that we no longer have to part with vast sums to buy an idyllic cottage, or fold ourselves in half to fit into a caravan. A new kind of more affordable holiday home, the posh cabin, is springing up in Britain’s beauty spots. During the week 45-year-old Jacqui Rooke is chief executive of a firm of City lawyers, living in a top-floor flat in Belsize Park, north-west London, eating out and working all hours. But on Fridays, she takes off to the Yachtsman’s Cabin, down at Bailey’s Hard on the Beaulieu estate in Hampshire, for the outdoor life. “I can wake up and hear four woodpeckers hammering nearby, or watch an owl sunbathing and think 'wow’,” she says. This is one of eight contemporary cabins built on stilts on the banks of the river in one of the most exclusive spots in the country. Here yachtsmen can live and store their boats beneath. Jacqui’s has been converted, with two bedrooms tucked in at ground level and a huge wraparound balcony on the first floor. It leads straight off the vaulted living room, which has an open fire for winter nights. “It is for permanent living, not a holiday home, so it comes with commoner’s rights to the New Forest,” she says. In one direction she can walk to Buckler’s Hard, where Nelson’s boats were built, and in the other to Beaulieu, where donkeys wander at will. “When the acorns drop they let the pigs feed in the forest, so all you see is their ears flapping in the ditches. I take a deep breath when I am here. It makes me realise how wonderful life is.” Work, however, is keeping her in London and reluctantly, she is selling through Hamptons (01962 842030), at an asking price of £590,000. One of those rarities that scarcely ever reach the market, Oak Lodge in Liphook, Hampshire, is an old wooden house with an overgrown garden hidden close to the centre of the village. It backs on to Liphook bowling green and is just half a mile from the station (an hour to Waterloo). “It was probably built between the wars and will sell to a cash buyer. To value it we had to weigh the non-traditional construction which may not qualify for a mortgage, against the fantastic location,” says Guy Emanuel at Hamptons (01428 722031) who is asking for offers more than £175,000. SECRET CORNISH VALLEY Stonerush Lakes lies in a fold in the Cornish landscape five miles from Fowey. Holiday cabins are hidden among the trees and set around three fishing lakes, with an old mill converted into a clubhouse. “It is absolutely beautiful,” says Judy Thompson, who owns one of the cabins with her husband, Andrew. “Ours looks down a lake, with fields in the distance.” It has two bedrooms, oak floors, a hot tub on the terrace, woodburner inside and separate utility room to swallow the washing after days on the beach. They are now selling at £225,000 through Chartesedge (01803 863108) because they want to buy a bigger main home in Buckinghamshire. “We bought this really because we wanted to let it, and so we have actually only had one holiday there ourselves because it has let so well. Our return has been about six per cent.” The cabin lets at £500 to £1,300 a week through Hoseasons. ROOM FOR ALL THE FAMILY The cabin with a posh hotel attached is a new phenomenon. You can buy a woodland lodge at The Cornwall Hotel Spa & Estate, Tregorrick, for family holidays and let it for the rest of the year. Successful executives with small children and empty nesters with extended families are buying. The hotel is a restored country house, so owners have use of the parkland, infinity pool, health spa, tennis courts and restaurants. David and Victoria Coubrough, company directors with four children between 16 and 25, have bought here. They can book another home or a bedroom in the hotel if they have extra friends or family staying. “The hotel restaurant is so close when we don’t want to cook,” says David. It suits their older children and they are looking forward to having grandchildren there. The estate is selling homes with huge windows and terraces at £237,500 for two bedrooms and £283,750 for three (sales: 01726 879451 or thecornwall.com). Owners can choose to keep the homes for six weeks of the year (including two peak season) and let them for the rest with a guaranteed rental return (net of costs) of six per cent for three years. St Ives, Charlestown, the Eden Project, the Lost Gardens of Heligan and Watergate Bay are all nearby. REMOTE AS YOU CAN GET Off the west coast of Scotland, out on the remotest part of the Isle of Lewis where the tarmac road comes to an end, is a cabin made entirely of wood, built from Nordic pine, shipped over in 2003 from Finland and erected right by the Atlantic. The Wooden House has more than a mile of beams incorporated into it, a large woodburner as well as oil central heating to keep it warm, cathedral-height ceilings and four bedrooms, one with a sauna. Yet there is comfort and modernity, with views out across the ocean to the Flannan Isles and St Kilda. Summer could be spent fishing, walking the high cliffs and mountains or messing about in boats. For company there are red deer, grey seals, otters and eagles. “There are five outbuildings, which the owners use at the moment to weave their own tweed,” says Toby Speke of Knight Frank (0131 222 9600), who is selling it at £225,000. “The weather changes very quickly. I arrived to see it in lashing rain and very rough seas, and two hours later I was on an amazing walk in bright sunshine.” There is also a croft, available separately, and approval from the Crofter Commission. Would-be hermits should apply.

Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort - Dubai Al Sufouh Road, P.O. Box 53567 - Dubai1-877-662-6988 Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort is located in the Jumeirah Beach Residence area and offers free parking - just one of the extra touches that make for a comfortable stay at this luxury Dubai hotel. This 5-star Jumeirah Beach Residence hotel in Dubai offers a private beach, a health club and shopping on site. If you want low-key dining options, you will be pleased to find barbecue grills and 24-hour room service. Family-friendly amenities at this hotel include a children's pool, babysitting and supervised childcare/activities. If you are visiting United Arab Emirates on vacation or for business, take some time to de-stress as you will find massage/treatment rooms, spa services, a spa tub, a sauna, a steam room and a Turkish bath/hammam on site. Unwind with some laps as this hotel features an outdoor pool. There is also a swim-up bar and a bar/lounge so guests can sip a refreshing drink by the pool or indoors when staying here. There is also a safety deposit box at reception for all your valuables. Wi-Fi is available for a fee. Planning a meeting? This hotel has a meeting room, as well as a business center. Other amenities include an area shuttle, a hair salon, gift shops/newsstands, dry cleaning/laundry, ATM/banking and an elevator (lift). It was my first time in Dubai and unobviously my first time in the sheraton. I did...Venere Guest, Ireland Check Availability at Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort Breakfast at Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort Breakfast is served each morning for a fee. - Business Center - Meeting Room - Pool bar - Baby sitter - Laundry service - Room service - 24 hour - Gift shop - Shops in the hotel - Laundry room - Personal newspapers - Multilingual staff - Front desk - safety deposit box - Front desk - 24 hour - Luggage room - Limousine service - Shuttle service - Free parking - Outdoor swimming pool - Children swimming pool - Private beach - Health club - Steam bath - Hydromassage Jacuzzi - Turkish bath - Internet/Email services - Children 12 years old and younger stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding. - Only registered guests are allowed in the guestrooms. - No pets and no service animals are allowed at this property. Check-in: after 3 PM. Check-out: before noon. Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges. Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed. The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out. - Breakfast fee: AED 110 per person (approximately) - Fee for in-room wireless Internet: AED 100 per day (rates may vary) - Fee for in-room high-speed Internet (wired): AED 100 per day (rates may vary) - Fee for wireless Internet in public areas: AED 100 per day (rates may vary) - Rollaway bed fee: AED 250 per night The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change. You’ll be asked to pay the following charges at the hotel: - New Year's Eve (31 December) Gala Dinner per adult: AED 1500 - New Year's Eve (31 December) Gala Dinner per child: AED 750 (from 2 to 12 years old) - Tourism fee: AED 20 per accommodation, per night We have included all charges provided to us by the property. However, charges can vary, for example, based on length of stay or the room you book.A tourism fee is imposed by the city and collected at the property. The fee is AED 20 for the first bedroom per night, and increases by AED 20 per night for each additional bedroom. For further details, please contact the property using the information contained in your confirmation email. Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort is also known as Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Hotel Dubai Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Hotel Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort & Towers Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort reviews - August 2012 - Venere Guest - Not Specified It was my first time in Dubai and unobviously my first time in the sheraton. I didnt realise the tempreture was going to reach 48c so it was a little on the hot side for me. I have to say though that i will definetely be coming back perhaps around october or november when its a little cooler. My stay in the sheraton jumeirah beach hotel was fantastic and i will definetely be staying here again. The staff were so friendly and helpfull. The food in the hotel was out of this world. I know because i used room service a lot as it was too hot to go out all the time. All in all i found it quite reasonably priced for a top class hotel. I would personally like to thank Amado and Mikhail for their services. They were fantastic. See you next year guys. - November 2011 - Venere Guest The location is excellent for those who like to go for a swim in the ocean. The whole area is sophisticated and rather quiet. Lots of restaurants, market and not far from the Marine Mall. From the hotel beach you can watch both Burj al Arab and the Atlantis. A taxi takes you for apx. 60 dhs to downtown Dubai on daytime. We enjoyed over stay a lot, despite the fact that the building of the towers was going on. Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort reviews by TripAdvisor Reserve your luxury accommodation at Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort, where guest room features include climate control. Satellite TV channels offer entertainment at the end of a busy day. Business travelers will have access to desks, complimentary newspapers and phones during their Dubai Marina visit. Private bathrooms are outfitted with bathrobes and complimentary toiletries. Minibars, coffee/tea makers and hair dryers can be found in each room to accommodate basic traveling needs. Rooms also include air conditioning and safes. - Air conditioning - Mini bar - Extra beds - Coffee and tea maker - Hairdryer in each room - Individually controlled air conditioning - Satellite TV Distances from Sheraton Jumeirah Beach ResortThe Beach Mall - 0.4 km / 0.2 mi Dubai Marina Mall - 1.2 km / 0.7 mi Skydive Dubai - 2.1 km / 1.3 mi Dubai Marina - 2.5 km / 1.6 mi Montgomerie Golf Club - 3.2 km / 2 mi Ibn Battuta Mall - 3.3 km / 2 mi American University of Dubai - 3.4 km / 2.1 mi Emirates Golf Club - 3.7 km / 2.3 mi Jebel Ali Race Course - 5.2 km / 3.2 mi Dubai College - 5.9 km / 3.7 mi Aquaventure - 6.8 km / 4.2 mi Jumeirah Golf Estates - 7.3 km / 4.5 mi Ski Dubai - 8.5 km / 5.3 mi Mall of the Emirates - 8.8 km / 5.4 mi Souk Madinat Jumeirah - 9.1 km / 5.6 mi The preferred airport for Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort is Dubai (DXB-Dubai Intl.) - 29.8 km / 18.5 mi. Distances are calculated in a straight line from the property's location to the point of interest or airport and may not reflect actual travel distance. Distances are displayed to the nearest 0.1 km and mile. Transportation services Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort - Limousine service - Shuttle service - Free parking

|Golf Season||Year round| |Driving Range Available||Yes| |Rental Carts Available||Yes| |Tee Times Welcomed||Yes| |Price Range Weekdays||TBA| |Price Range Weekends||TBA| |Other facilities||clubhouse, restaurant, locker rooms, bar, lounge, banquet facilities, sauna & massage, swimming pool, gym facilities, business facilities, meeting facilities, horse riding| Share your impressions with other golfers and learn from them where to play. Share your photos of this golf course with other golfers.

Archive for the ‘Pornography’ Category Another curious reversal in moralizing Imagine a substance that is relatively new in the public square, but by now so ubiquitous in your society that a great many people find its presence unremarkable. Day in and day out, your own encounters with this substance, whether direct or indirect, are legion. Your exposure is so constant that it rarely even occurs to you to wonder what life might be like without it. In fact, so common is this substance that you take the status quo for granted, though you’re aware that certain people disagree. A noisy minority of Americans firmly opposes its consumption, and these neo-Puritans try routinely to alert the public to what they claim to be its dangers and risks. Despite this occasional resistance, however, you — like many other people of your time — continue to regard this substance with relative equanimity. You may or may not consume the thing yourself, but even if you don’t, you can’t much see the point of interfering with anyone else’s doing it. Why bother? After all, that particular genie’s out of the bottle. The scenario sketched in these paragraphs captures two very different moments in recent American history. One is the early 1960s, exactly the moment when tobacco is ubiquitous, roundly defended by interested parties, and widely accepted as an inevitable social fact — and is about to be propelled over the cliff of respectability and down the other side by the surgeon general’s famous 1964 “Report on Smoking and Health.” The resulting social turnaround, though taking decades and unfolding still, has nevertheless been nothing short of remarkable. In 1950, almost half the adult American population smoked; by 2004, just over a fifth did. Though still in common use and still legally available, cigarettes somehow went from being widely consumed and accepted throughout the Western world to nearly universally discouraged and stigmatized — all in the course of a few decades. Pornography is the single most searched-for item on the internet and also the most profitable. The other moment in time captured by the opening description is our own, except that the substance under discussion this time around is not tobacco, but pornography — especially internet pornography, which today is just about as ubiquitous, as roundly defended by interested parties, and as widely accepted as an inevitable social fact as smoking was 50-odd years ago. The ubiquity is plain. Pornography is the single most searched-for item on the internet and also the most profitable. It is referred to knowingly, whether explicitly or with a wink and a nod, in more public venues than one can possibly enumerate — including on phones and in video games and popular music, in comic books and on skateboards, among other areas of juvenile culture. Even the more “serious” quarters of the internet, those devoted to news and politics and general-interest blogs, are riddled with knowing references to pornography. As the protagonist of the recently chic movie Zack and Miri Make a Porno comments, “It’s all mainstream now.” Today’s prevailing social consensus about pornography is practically identical to the social consensus about tobacco in 1963: i.e., it is characterized by widespread tolerance, tinged with resignation about the notion that things could ever be otherwise. After all, many people reason, pornography’s not going to go away any time soon. Serious people, including experts, either endorse its use or deny its harms or both. Also, it is widely seen as cool, especially among younger people, and this coveted social status further reduces the already low incentive for making a public issue of it. In addition, many people also say that consumers have a “right” to pornography — possibly even a constitutional right. No wonder so many are laissez-faire about this substance. Given the social and political circumstances arrayed in its favor, what would be the point of objecting? Such is the apparent consensus of the times, and apart from a minority of opponents it appears very nearly bulletproof — every bit as bulletproof, in fact, as the prevailing laissez-faire public view of smoking did in 1963. In fact, just substitute the word “smoking” for that of “pornography” in the paragraph above, and the result works just as well. And that is exactly the point of our opening thought experiment. Many people today share the notion that today’s unprecedented levels of pornography consumption are somehow fixed, immutable, a natural expression of (largely but not entirely male) human nature. Even people who deplore pornography seem resigned to its exponentially expanded presence in the culture. This is one genie, most people agree, that is out of the bottle for good.1 But this widely held belief, while understandable, overlooks a critical and perhaps potent fact. The example of tobacco shows that one can indeed take a substance to which many people are powerfully drawn and sharply reduce its consumption via a successful revival of social stigma. What might this transformation imply for today’s unprecedented rates of pornography consumption? Perhaps a great deal. For in one realm after another — as a habit, as an industry, as a battleground for competing ideas of the public good — internet pornography today resembles nothing so much as tobacco circa a half-century ago. Let us begin to count the ways. Introduction to much longer article by Mary Eberstadt – to read go to http://www.hoover.org/publications/policyreview/41599902.html Stop Porn Culture is planning our next training on how to present our feminist anti-pornography slideshow. The training will be held at Wheelock College in Boston on June 5-7, 2009. We are asking for a $50 donation to cover our costs, but this can be waived for those who need it. Limited scholarships for travel and expenses are available (see below). The training will start at 5PM on Friday with a pizza and finger food dinner. We’ll finish up at 1PM on Sunday. Come and get the experience, knowledge, and confidence to talk publicly against pornography in your community. The training will include some in-depth presentations on topics such as: -background on the economic industry that is pornography -First Amendment and other free speech issues -women in the industry -the question of “alternate” images We will also have a long session of practicing Q & As in small groups. The training will end with a session on self-care for presenters and activists since, as many of you know, this work can be grueling. We may have access to the dorms at Wheelock, which would offer an inexpensive lodging option. If you’d be interested in that, we’ll send you further notification when we hear back from the college. For more information and a registration form email firstname.lastname@example.org Due to the generosity of an anonymous donor, we are able to offer some scholarship money to participants who otherwise might not be able to come. We are offering scholarships up to $100, which each participant will be free to apply to whatever expenses (transportation, lodging, etc) she chooses. Sadly, there will of course be more applicants than scholarships. We are asking applicants to provide the following information so that the registration committee can decide how best to award the scholarships. Please don’t be nervous about grammar and prose; commitment and vision are much more important. · A history of your activism. · A list of affiliations and organizations to which you belong. · A brief statement of what you hope to do with the information gathered at the training. · The amount you are requesting (up to $100). Deadline for applications is May 1, 2009. You can expect to hear from us soon after that. Three-quarters of those exploited as modern-day slaves work in the sex industry. In a new report, the United Nations says human trafficking for the sex trade or forced labor market appears to be getting worse, not better, because many countries aren’t paying attention to it. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) surveyed 155 countries for its report on modern-day slavery, but didn’t say how many people it believes are victims of human trafficking. Estimates range from 800,000 new victims each year, according to the U.S. State Department, to 2.5 million, according to the International Labor Organization. UNODC chief Antonio Maria Costa told a news conference at UN headquarters in New York that 40 percent of the countries where the problem exists have not convicted one person of trafficking charges. A large percentage of the perpetrators of human trafficking are women, UNODC chief Antonio Maria Costa says.Even when there are convictions, Costa said, they’re not as plentiful as convictions for crimes involving far fewer victims. In these countries, he said, authorities either ignore the problem or don’t have the resources to fight trafficking — or both. “According to the statistics, about 80 percent of these crimes are concentrated on sexual exploitation,” Costa said. “But I warn you. This may be an optical illusion in the sense that it is the most commonly reported [crime], it is the most commonly visible [crime], and it is especially visible in rich countries — Europe, if you wish, [and] North America.” Overall, the report said, 20 percent of those forced into the sex trade are under 18 years of age. But in Southeast Asia and parts of Africa, it said, minors make up the majority of sex slaves. But enslaved children aren’t limited to the sex trade, according to the report. Because their hands are small, it says, they’re exploited as cheap labor — to untangle fishing nets, pick delicate berries, or do intricate sewing. Seventy-nine percent of slavery is for sex, according to the UNODC, while about 18 percent is for forced labor, forced marriages, or forced organ donation. And although the victims of sex trafficking are usually women and girls, those in charge of the trafficking are women, too. “In this specific case, the specific case of human trafficking, we see a very large presence of women. In some Eastern European countries, some former [Soviet Union] countries, Central Asian countries, even 60, 70, 80 [percent] — 83 percent in one case — of the perpetrators are women,” Costa said. “In some of the African countries, the majority of the perpetrators in this business unfortunately are women.” Fighting human trafficking might be easier if it were an enterprise that always involved crossing borders. After all, Costa said, well-designed border security might intercept a significant percentage of the victims. But that isn’t the case. “It is not only trafficking from Southeast Asia into other parts of Asia or into Western Europe, it’s not only from Latin America to North America — these are the kind of flows which you probably have in mind,” Costa said. “There is a lot of exploitation within countries, large countries like the United States, large countries like some of the African countries, but also in smaller countries.” There is some good news in the UNODC report. In 2004, the UN enacted a special protocol to fight human trafficking. Since then, it said, 63 percent of the 155 countries surveyed have enacted laws against the practice. But there was little else in the report to inspire much optimism. In fact, Costa said, the worldwide economic crisis is driving even more illicit business to the traffickers, particularly for cheap labor. “The budget situation, the bottom line of so many enterprises, including the multinationals, who have been known in the past to use forced labor, cheap labor, child labor, in their supply chain — their budget, their financial situation, their financial predicament being so much more difficult than it was in the past — may very well induce them to use more than in the past cheap sources of labor,” Costa said. “Namely, the ones stemming from modern slavery.” For over 25 years I have worked in Australia and overseas to prevent the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. One of the most horrendous developments that we have experienced in the last 15 years is the dramatic explosion in the global trade of child sexual abuse images on the internet. Critics have argued that ISP filtering will be costly and slow down the internet but based on overseas experience this is not the case, says Child Wise CEO Bernadette McMenamin The world was relatively unprepared to deal with this unprecedented phenomenon and it took some years for governments, law enforcers and child protection organisations to not only understand the nature of this issue but also how we should combat this trans-national problem. Understanding why people in their hundreds of thousands around the world want to view images of children being raped is beyond belief to most people; however understanding the demand factor is critical and still a work in progress. There are many complex reasons why people view child sexual abuse images on the internet. Not all viewers are child sex offenders. Some view these images out of curiosity or because it is taboo. Others seem to believe they will not be caught or do not believe they are harming a child by simply viewing these images. Others are serious child sex offenders who offend against children and use these images to share, trade and justify their abuse and beliefs. While research is growing in this area, one thing is certain. Viewing child sexual abuse images on the internet can lead to direct contact offences against children. We as a nation must do all we possibly can to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation whether they be Australian children or children from overseas. This is why I and most other child protection advocates and practitioners support the Federal government’s ISP filtering proposal. I also believe that the majority of Australians given the correct information on what the ISP filtering proposal involves would also agree. In late 2006 Child Wise commissioned AC Neilson to conduct a survey of 1497 Australian internet users over the age of 18. The key outcomes of the survey were that 83 per cent believe that ISP’s should block all child pornography, 76 per cent would change to an ISP that blocked child pornography and 64 per cent are not confident that home based internet filters are effective. Surprisingly Child Wise has also received calls from child sex offenders who support mandatory ISP filtering stating that this blocking mechanism would have reduced their desire to abuse children as their access to child sexual abuse images actually facilitated their offending. The Federal Government’s proposal to block child sexual abuse images at the ISP level is only one strategy amongst many others that should be employed. Clearly we need to provide education to families and children to keep them safe on the internet. Law enforcement and education are also key strategies and prominent in the Federal Government’s Safe internet Policy. Hundreds of millions of dollars is already being spent on law enforcement which is commendable but this only addresses the problem after the abuse has occurred. Millions of dollars is being spent on internet safety education and this is a critical strategy to keep children safe on the internet to prevent them from viewing illegal and harmful material as well as preventing them from being groomed by online sex offenders. However ISP filtering of child pornography images would strengthen these current endeavors by blocking child pornography at the internet server level. Critics of this new scheme have argued that ISP filtering of child sexual abuse images simply will not work. However these filters are actually working very effectively in Scandinavian countries and in the UK as well as in recent trials in New Zealand. Critics have also argued that ISP filtering will be costly and slow down the internet. Again based on overseas experience this is not the case. The recent NZ study where filters were used to block child sexual abuse images on the internet found that the average cost increase per user would be approximately 4 cents per year. Critics have also stated that ISP filtering of child sexual abuse images is censorship. My argument is that how can blocking illegal material (which should not be produced or stored in the first place) be censorship? Viewing child pornography should not even be considered as freedom of speech. Another argument against ISP filtering is that most child sex offenders share images of children being sexually abused through networks such as peer to peer and newsgroups which will not be blocked through this new ISP filtering scheme. Out of all the critics’ arguments this is the one I agree with. No, not all images of children being sexually abused on the internet will be blocked but a certain number of these images will be. No one really knows whether the amount of images that will be blocked will be 20, 30, 50+ per cent but surely a reduction in any amount is worth the effort. Currently the Federal government is conducting a trial into ISP filtering to ensure that it is effective to prevent access to child sexual abuse images. Again I would like to reiterate this is only one strategy amongst a suite of other strategies to prevent the sexual abuse of children on the internet. This trial will last a number of weeks and then after that verdict the results will be independently assessed to decide whether ISP filtering will work. I believe it can and I hope that the trials will prove that blocking child sexual abuse images can work effectively and efficiently. Having said that I remain open minded as I hope the critics of the scheme will wait until the trials have been independently conducted to decide on whether Australia should take this leap into ISP filtering. If these trials do not work then I will accept the results – end of story. I just hope the critics, whatever their beliefs and motivations may be, will take the same attitude and not attempt to derail the trials if at the end ISP filtering of child sexual abuse images will protect the children of the world. Americans and northern Europeans visiting Italy often comment on the sheer quantity of exposed female flesh in advertising and on TV shows. That exposure is inversely proportional to the presence of women in the labor force, in management and in politics. Feminists place a lot of the blame for the commercial use of the female body at the door of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. A recent popular TV show was a contest for two showgirl slots on a top satirical program. More than 5,000 women applied, and the prime requisites were perfect bodies and the ability to dance on tabletops. Both on public television and on networks owned by Berlusconi, who also is a media tycoon, scantily dressed women can been seen — but rarely heard — on all types of programs, from quizzes to political talk shows. Showgirl As Role Model Opinion polls indicate that the showgirl is the No. 1 role model for young Italian women, including 21-year-old student Livia Colarietti. “If I were a little thinner, I would have joined the contest to become a showgirl,” Colarietti says. “I enjoy those shows. I really like to watch them.” One very successful showgirl is Mara Carfagna, who left an uncertain singing career for politics. Berlusconi chose her for the slot of minister of equal opportunity — and both denied media reports that they were having an affair. Satirist Sabina Guzzanti has publicly scorned the former topless calendar girl. “I took strong position because it is absolutely a scandal,” Guzzanti says. “Here we have more a pinup exactly than a showgirl, someone showing her body, and she became minister of equal opportunities.” Veteran feminist Grazia Francescato concedes that Carfagna is winning with her ways. “We have gone from equal opportunities to equal opportunism,” Francescato says. “You try to be very appealing to the other sex, especially to very powerful men. “I am very, very disappointed by women.” Feminists were powerful in the 1970s, winning universal health care and legalization of divorce and abortion, but then there was a backlash. Sexism In Italy Today, Italy has the lowest percentage of working women in Europe. Only 2 percent of top management positions are held by women — that’s even behind Kuwait — and only 17 percent of the members of parliament are women — less than in Rwanda and Burundi. Television has become women’s prime showcase. “To sell your body for a calendar, for a career, is not considered now so bad for many young women,” says social scientist Elisa Manna, who has studied this issue’s impact on Italian society. “This kind of attitude is connected to television, because they have this kind of model in every hour of the day.” With remote in hand, a viewer can zap from game shows with giggling girls in bikinis to prime-time anchorwomen with plunging necklines. All of this sexiness on television began with the birth of Berlusconi’s networks in the 1980s. The 72-year-old prime minister speaks openly about sex. He recently bragged, “I sleep for three hours, and still have enough energy to make love for another three.” Female Solidarity Out Of Fashion The Berlusconi TV model is widely seen as having shaped Italy’s contemporary society, and journalist Lilli Gruber says feminism and solidarity among women are out of fashion. A former TV anchorwoman who resigned from public television in protest over Berlusconi’s control of the media, Gruber says most women appear unwilling or unable to assert themselves and too weak to fight. “To fight back against growing sexism, growing violence against women and domestic violence especially, fight back all these politicians who don’t move an inch in order to allow women to be in charge and take on responsibilities,” Gruber says. She points out, however, that the majority of Italians now studying in universities are women — a generation that she believes won’t be passive and might even succeed in breaking down Italy’s old-boy network. by Sylvia Poggioli NPR Islamic parties said the law was needed to protect women and children against exploitation and to curb increasing immorality in Indonesian society. The law would ban images, gestures or talk deemed to be pornographic. Artists, women’s groups and non-Muslim minorities said they could be victimised under the law and that traditional practices could be banned. The law has prompted protests across Indonesia, but particularly on the predominantly Hindu island of Bali – a favourite destination for tourists. But there have also been demonstrations in favour of the bill by people alarmed at what they see as moral degeneration in Indonesia. The law has been backed by hardline Islamic groups, says the BBC’s Lucy Williamson in Jakarta, but many moderate Muslims also back greater controls on pornographic materials. About 90% of Indonesia’s 235 million people are Muslim, but there are Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and other minorities. An original version of the bill would have banned skimpy clothing at tourist resorts. Despite a lengthy and exhaustive revision process which watered down the bill, more than 100 legislators walked out of parliament before the vote. They said the bill’s definition of pornography was too broad and that it went against Indonesia’s tradition of diversity. Critics also do not like a provision in the bill that would allow members of the public to participate in preventing the spread of obscenity. “We’re worried it will be used by hard-liners who say they want to control morality,” Baby Jim Aditya, a women’s rights activist, told Associated Press news agency. “It could be used to divide communities.” Supporters of the bill said it still leaves room for legitimate artistic expression and that it does not target non-Muslims. “This law will ensure that Islam is preserved and guaranteed,” said Hakim Sori Muda Borhan, a member of parliament from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party. “It is also not in the interest of any specific religion. The law is also meant to preserve arts and culture and not destroy them.” The bill must be signed by the president before it comes into effect. Violators face up to 12 years in prison and hefty fines. The anti-pornography bill aims to shield the young from lewd acts, but also contains provisions that could jail people for kissing in public and criminalise many forms of art or traditional culture that hinge on sensuality. The Islam-based Prosperous Justice Party, known as PKS suddenly announced it hoped the bill would pass this month as a “Ramadan gift” to Indonesia’s muslims. The Balinese fear the new laws could be used to target the bikini-wearing tourists on which its economy relies. The bill was expected to be passed next Tuesday but the negative reactions have stalled its progress for now. Critics also say the proper enforcement of existing laws would be a good idea before any more are created. Interview with Ruth Anne Koenick director of Rutgers’ Department of Sexual Assault Services and Crime Victim Assistance by Robert Jensen I met Ruth Anne Koenick at a dinner before my talk on the feminist critique of pornography at Rutgers University in 1997. I had been doing public presentations on that issue for several years, but that was the first time an institution had paid my plane fare to give a lecture. As a young professor, I was a bit nervous but also was feeling pretty self-important. Koenick was seated next to me, and when I introduced myself she said, “I’ve seen a lot of men who’ve figured out how to make money off of women’s pain. Are you one of them?” I admit that I was taken aback, but the question was important and appropriate. I was getting a modest honorarium for the talk, but as a full-time academic who is paid a reasonable salary by my university, I could live without it. Independent writers and artists typically need the support that comes from speaking fees to survive, but I can easily donate that money to activist groups. So, I asked if she thought it would be appropriate for me to sign over the speaking fee to her center, and Koenick accepted. I will forever be indebted to her for that in-your-face comment. In my first attempt at being an “expert,” Koenick reminded me of all the wrong ways I could use my privilege as a white guy with a university position to put myself above the feminist anti-violence movement, from which I had learned most of what I knew. Koenick later told me she regretted being inappropriately rude, but I suggested it wasn’t necessary to apologize for asking the right question. Ever since that night I have stayed in touch with Koenick, continuing to be impressed by (1) the great work she and her staff were doing, and (2) how little she seemed to recognize her own accomplishments. As we have talked about her experience in the feminist anti-violence movement — and as the dominant culture increasingly has pretended to be “post-feminist” — I began to nag her about putting her insights down on paper. Each time she insisted that her life wasn’t interesting enough and that she didn’t have anything insightful to say. Eventually I wore her down, persuading her that women like her from the “second wave” of feminism should not stay silent, and we finally conducted an interview. The term second-wave feminism is used to mark the U.S. women’s movement that emerged in the 1960s, distinct from the women’s suffrage movement — the first wave — that won the vote in 1920. In the 1990s, the idea of third-wave feminism became popular, though it has never been clear why the crucial insights of the second wave had become irrelevant or why the political work that second-wavers had initiated was somehow magically over. Nowhere is this clearer than in the public-health crisis of epidemic levels of men’s violence against women, where the brutality of patriarchy is so obvious and the analysis and activism of second-wave feminists remains more needed than ever. The stories of women such as Koenick are more important than ever for all of us — women and men — to hear. Robert Jensen: Can you recall the first time you understood what feminism meant and identified as a feminist yourself? Ruth Anne Koenick: I am not sure I can define a specific time and, in truth, I am not sure that I totally understand it now. I am the youngest of four children and I was lucky to be raised to be an independent thinker by both my parents. They taught me to question things and that I could be anything I wanted to be, that there were no barriers — I was as good as anyone else, male or female. Although there were some specific expectations — go to college, get married and have children — I was encouraged to have a career and to make decisions for myself; I never really felt constricted. My mother was an independent woman and, although she did some very traditional things, she also clearly had a mind of her own and was in control of her life in a way that was unique for someone born at the turn of the 20th century. I think some of this came from my father, an immigrant from Russia in 1920 who lived through the revolution, WWI, the pogroms — he really was a hippie before there were hippies. He had overcome a lot to make it in this country, and nothing was going to keep him or his family second class. RJ: Was there a defining moment as you got older? RAK: When I was actively involved in the anti-war movement of the 1960s, I had an awakening, almost like the old “click” that feminists talk about, when it became clear to me that issues pertaining to women were so intricately intertwined in what we were doing. It was also clear that the men “in charge” gave only lip service to anything that was of importance to women, that we were always at the bottom of the food chain. Like others, I got tired of “making coffee and not policy” and began to look at that movement, my surroundings, and my life in a very different way. There were other things, such as hassles my husband and I faced because I didn’t take his last name. A married couple with different names is not unusual today, but in 1973 it presented real challenges — banks not giving us credit or not printing both names on a card, a newspaper printing only his name and not mine in my father-in-law’s obituary. That was all part of a process that got me to look at the broader picture of how our culture encourages and rewards the subordination of women. RJ: So, in 1970 you were a student at the University of Maryland with this emerging feminist worldview, and you helped start a rape crisis center on campus. How did that come about? RAK: I was an undergraduate working for residence life, on the cusp of trying to decide what I wanted to do when I grew up. I was living on campus when a student on my floor was abducted and raped. I went to meet her at the police station and then to the hospital, and I felt totally inept, but I knew enough to know that she wasn’t getting what she needed. I wasn’t allowed to talk to her, and we were kept in separate rooms. She was all alone and no matter what I did, I couldn’t talk to her. I realized the system wasn’t working for victims. Sometime later, there was a series of abductions and rapes that overwhelmed the university, not because people didn’t want to help but because we didn’t know how. It hit the front pages of the Baltimore Sun and Washington Post, and it became an even bigger issue. I teamed up with two friends who also worked for residence life and were in grad school, Chris Courtois and Debby Watts, and worked with folks in student affairs to open a campus rape crisis center. It operated on the beg-borrow-and-steal budget, but we got support from Dan Bratton, the Vice President for Student Affairs, and others in leadership positions, partially because he made them do this and partially because some of them knew it was the right thing to do. We really didn’t know much but quickly discovered that we knew more than others, and when we started to talk about this publicly, women came out from the woodwork to tell us what had happened to them. Eventually we got space in the health center, developed training, took overnight shifts, and responded to crisis calls. We developed a really good relationship with the university police and, in retrospect, worked as a team. This was 1973-74, just before the first Burgess and Holmstrom book (Rape: Victims of Crisis) came out in 1975 and people began to use the term rape-trauma syndrome. RJ: Can you remember how you came to a feminist consciousness about the gender politics of this specific issue, of rape? What was that process by which you and your colleagues deepened your understanding of sexual assault? RAK: I am one of those people teaching in women and gender studies who has never taken a women’s studies course, and I’m still not all that well-read in academic feminist theory. When I was in college, there weren’t any women’s studies courses, although I do vividly remember demonstrating on campus to get them. Most of my knowledge is rooted in experience. In the beginning almost everything I learned came from survivors — their feelings, thoughts, beliefs. Once we started looking at the issue, it was clear most men don’t rape but, of course, almost all rapists are men. As we started to understand sexism throughout society, we couldn’t help but see the reality of rape and sexism. Over the years I have learned a lot from colleagues and some key writers — (Andrea) Dworkin, (Susan) Brownmiller, (Ann Wolbert) Holmstrom and (Lynda Lytle) Burgess — but really it has been mostly my clients who have helped me understand what they need. When I don’t have a clue, they have helped me help them. RJ: You pretty consistently underplay what you know and what you’ve done. It doesn’t strike me as just false modesty. Why do you do that? RAK: As I look back over 38 years, probably like most people in my age group who do this work, we went on our instincts and learned by trial and error, and the research and writings confirmed our inner feelings. My dear friend Chris Courtois was just honored as a distinguished alumni from the University of Maryland, and I just received the Wynona M. Lipman Leadership Award for the state of New Jersey. Chris and I recognized that what we’ve accomplished was born of our passion long before we had any technical knowledge. I like what Drew Gilpin Faust, the president of Harvard University, said: “One of the things that I think characterizes my generation…is that I’ve always been surprised by how my life turned out.” I am continuously surprised that I do what I do and that people see me as having done something special. I think what is special is the people who taught me what to do and how to be helpful, and that has been a process, not a moment in time. I also need to credit my parents who taught me that with privilege comes obligation and that I had an obligation to help “repair the world” and to be actively engaged in my community. RJ: What have been the costs and rewards for you in this work? RAK: In retrospect, the rewards have been far more than can fit in this interview — my experiences have helped shape me as a person, a woman, a wife and mother, and a friend. It has shaped how I see the world and how I see myself, and most of the time I feel really good about who I am. But the sacrifices have been many. A crisis isn’t scheduled, and being on call, running a one-person office in the early years, having a commitment to help survivors begin their recovery no matter when that happens — all affected my ability to have more time with my children and husband, led to shorter (if any) vacations, and were a general interruption into my daily life. I remember moving in with my mother during the last days of her life and taking phone calls from work about people in need. It may have been the first time I told people that I had no more to give, that I couldn’t help them while I was experiencing this excruciatingly raw and tragic loss. At another level, hearing so many painful stories helps me keep my life in perspective, to see my own problems in the bigger scheme of things. But some days, I must admit that I think I can’t bear to hear one more story about abuse and violence without breaking. Many years ago I worked with a young woman who had AIDS and was then raped. Everything I knew about helping someone recover went out the window because she had no sense of future. She was saying, “All I want to do is live to be 25.” Every time she would leave I would close the door and cry. I have moments when I say I can’t do this one more minute, and I weep. RJ: As you look back at where the feminist movement to confront men’s violence started, and then reflect on where we are today, are you optimistic? Hopeful? Have we made progress or lost ground? RAK: Answering this almost depends on the day, perhaps hour or even minute that you catch me. I have such mixed feelings about where we are, have been, and need to go. Most days I feel like we are fighting many of the same battles we fought almost 40 years ago: no dependable funding, poorly paid advocates, a culture that is judgmental and victim blaming, a profound fear of the dreaded “f” word as a descriptive term of our values, and an increasing — yes, increasing — acceptability of the desecration and degradation of people in general and women in particular. For example, people who willingly expose their vulnerabilities for a few moments of canned fame, and those who exploit those people for a few dollars, send a clear message about how little we value each other. The increased degradation of women and overt racism in pornography in the past couple of decades is another example. I think there are some things that are better, but only at a certain level. Yes, there are rape care programs, and there is state and federal funding for a small piece of those programs. Maybe the prosecutor and I know each other well enough to chat and have lunch, but does that mean that the criminal-justice system is any more likely to treat a survivor well, to take her seriously today than years ago? The language has changed — we can say “rape” out loud and teach about it in courses — but has that changed the underlying belief system? People don’t come out of the womb wanting to be rapists nor believing that they are to blame when they are victims, but that’s where so many end up. What does that say about the culture’s belief systems? Here’s just one example: I watched a youtube piece about the sexism directed at Hillary Clinton, click here and no matter who a person supports for president, this is a reminder of how far we haven’t come. I have to say that, in those moments, I don’t feel very hopeful. I still care about the work, which motivates me to sit through countless boring meetings that come with that work. I also am surrounded by wonderful colleagues, friends and family who make it easier to get through the day. I’m grateful for what I get to do, and at the same time I’m counting the days until retirement. RJ: Is it possible that all these things are true? We have made enormous strides in forcing the culture to recognize that, after thousands of years of patriarchy, contempt for women is woven deeply into the fabric of the society and that violence against women is a huge public-health problem. And, at the same time, large segments of the population don’t want to face that and so minimize or deny the problem. In that sense, is it the case that the women of your generation pushed the society forward and as a result we see how far we have to go? Could we say the same about racism? Is that just our fate at this point in history? RAK: One of my favorite people once said, “Rape is illegal, but the sexual ethic that underlies rape is woven into the fabric of our culture.” I just re-read the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions written in 1848, and I think that great strides have been made, that women have a greater control over their lives and their bodies. When I really think about it, at least at an intellectual level, I know life has changed in countless ways. But in my heart and perhaps in my daily life, I don’t see much progress. Maybe it is because of the world I work in or because I’m so aware of how contempt for women infiltrates so much that we do in this culture. When I was once accused of not having a sense of humor, I responded that I have a great sense of humor about things that are funny. But when people in public life laugh at comedians who refer to women in degrading terms, it demonstrates how little women are valued. When men in leadership positions say they are concerned about equality for women because they have daughters, I say shame on you — how could you be so selfish? Why aren’t you concerned because it is just wrong? The same thing applies to issues of race and sexual orientation — discrimination and degradation are wrong no matter who is in your family, no matter how it affects you personally. Believing that this is all just our fate and can’t really be changed is a bit on the depressing side. So, I have to find ways to feel good about getting out of bed in the morning, and I do. I find ways to not be brought down by how our culture devalues a majority of the population. It’s a struggle, but I find ways. RJ’s last word: Koenick’s first reaction to my interest in writing about her work had been disbelief. She asked, “What’s so special about me?” My answer was, “Nothing, and everything.” Koenick is one of thousands of women who have built and sustained the anti-rape movement, which has helped millions of victims and tried to educate the culture. In a time of backlash, when even some women mock feminism, understanding the lives of women such as like Koenick — remembering the history and not turning away from the present struggle — is crucial. Her story reminds us that change is possible, even against deeply rooted systems of oppression, and that the people who propel forward progressive social change are profoundly ordinary and extraordinarily remarkable, all at the same time. Robert Jensen is a journalism professor at the University of Texas at Austin and board member of the Third Coast Activist Resource Center. His latest book, All My Bones Shake: Radical Politics in the Prophetic Voice, will be published in 2009 by Soft Skull Press. He also is the author of Getting Off: Pornography and the End of Masculinity (South End Press, 2007); The Heart of Whiteness: Confronting Race, Racism and White Privilege (City Lights, 2005); Citizens of the Empire: The Struggle to Claim Our Humanity (City Lights, 2004); and Writing Dissent: Taking Radical Ideas from the Margins to the Mainstream (Peter Lang, 2002). Jensen’s articles can be found online at http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~rjensen/index.html. Related Pornography contributing to atrocities against women in the Congo say GAD We saw with painful shock a cartoon in The New Vision(*) issue of September 10, captioned ‘Now Rock Bar will never fall short of supplies again.’ It made us wonder about the editor’s moral standing. That he would need to ‘import’ a whole lot of Rwandan women in exchange for ‘oil’! We are dismayed! Firstly, by his perverted ignorance as an editor working for what we would dare to want to believe is a ‘credible’ national paper, whose objective is to report fairly with responsibility, on matters social, political and economic. A misogynistic attitude that goes against the fact that journalism ethics in our modest profession, have since been rescued from the throes of a gutter press, that feeds on the sexualisation of women in our society. Gone are the days when legs and breasts sold news! The woman and the African woman in particular has gained her place of respectability in our society. Women are no longer just helpless pawns of insatiable male sexual appetites. Mr. Editor, women are no longer sex objects. Women have legs, breasts and dare I name what else? And so do you have ears, legs and rest of the body anatomy that qualifies you to be a man. Let us not practice journalism that rewards sick minds. Sick minds that rape minors; are we not the same journalists who report on the rape of helpless little seven-year old girls? Or the sodomy of helpless little boys? These sick minds know no boundaries. Sadly, your kind of gutter journalism applauds them on, in promoting this kind of sexual violence against women. You violate fundamental ethos of our profession, to advocate, educate and inform our societies in a manner that fosters positive change, by positively influencing our day to day behavior. A child’s mind is very impressionable. Its development is affected by many things. Imagine the confusion a child goes through when they see, ‘naked’ women in your paper! In that respect, we shall not be afraid or let me say Rwandan woman will not be abused into fearing to show her gazelle-like legs, or her dazzling beauty, just because some editor like you will gleefully and wantonly feast on it. Giving the go ahead for such a cartoon to run leaves no option but such a scenario of you to be conjured up in one’s mind. Mr. Editor, you have chosen to attack the wrong country or dare I say the wrong woman? The ‘Munyarwandakazi’ has pushed the women’s liberation cause to other heights; she is not seen as a sex object or subject for that. Heights that even the so called established democracies in our world struggle to match, 49 percent Parliamentary female representation is no easy feat! The ‘Munyarwandakazi’ has survived rape, torture and murder. Notwithstanding that her victories at representing the dignified face of the African woman; is one which your cartoon insults today. We will not go into her many achievements in breaking traditional barriers to female success; in what have been traditionally believed to be male domains in both her private and public life. She certainly is not a sex object. We take exception! Mr. Editor, rather than juxtaposing oil tankers entering Rwanda from Uganda and Rwandan women leaving their country as ‘export’ merchandise, I would rather you used a cartoon of Ugandan ‘men’ seeking Rwandan women. Not just for past times, as Rwandan women are too proud and way above that, but to seek their hand in marriage! It will only take a real man to accept the law that a woman has a right to land and property. A Rwandan woman will not tolerate a man who expects to just be a ‘man’ and order her around. It’s no wonder that Rwanda is getting so many accolades, both men and women are working at an equal footing with the aim of uplifting their families and society. I would like to dare sisters, fellow journalists, not just in Rwanda but the African community too, to come in condemnation of your most distasteful portrayal of a woman who otherwise deserves better. Let our children not grow up with the wrong mentality picked up from what should be credible national papers, papers that disrespect the girl child and women. Grace Kwinjeh is a senior journalist who writes in her personal capacity. (*) The New Vision in Uganda The media are awash with news of defilement. Defilers traumatise and predispose their victims to the risk of HIV infection. Last year 12,230 defilement cases were reported to the Police, while in 2006, 15,385 cases were reported. Many more cases go unreported for fear of shame. Much as the Government should be applauded for the Presidential Initiative for AIDS Strategy Communication to Youth programme which has expanded HIV prevention education to primary schools, more needs to be done to eliminate defilement in schools and other predisposing factors like exposure to pornography. It is cynical that a nation whose motto is For God and my country has its print media flooded with tabloids. Furthermore, the advertising media industry has exposed the nation to unprecedented levels of pornography and obscenity. Pornography refers to any graphic (pictorial) or any other forms of communication that is intended to incite sexual feelings. It has spread to schools, universities and offices. In rural areas, video shacks operating battery-controlled equipment show pornographic movies. With the advent of multichannel television, children have access to this material at the click of a remote button. Pornography also seems to be the central business on which Internet cafés are thriving. However, the consequences are dire. Studies indicate that children exposed to pornography are vulnerable and can be affected for life. The influx of pornography has created a class of people who believe they are ‘sex animals’ and young children have fallen prey to them. Steven Langa, in his book Pornography in Uganda; The naked truth details some of the devastating consequences of pornography on society. The book contains many personal testimonies ranging from deviant sexual behaviour, sex orgies in school, rape, and defilement to masturbation and its role in the spread of HIV. The victims suffer fear, guilt and shame for life if they do not get counselling. Similarly, a survey done in the US revealed that 35% of men who were exposed to pornography on regular basis confessed willingness to rape a woman “If they can get away with it.” This is a lot easier in Africa where a number of women have low self esteem. This could become a breeding ground for rapists. The majority of Uganda’s population structure is dominated by the youth, many of whom do not have strong moral values. They are, therefore, bound to be influenced by emerging negative moral trends. This is made worse by the fact there few resources and experts to deal with some of the consequences of pornography. Where are the moralists of our times? Fans of pornography should be educated that what goes in determines what comes out. If you spend quality time reading newspapers, you will think and talk about news but if you spend time reading pornography, your mind will be preoccupied with it. To fight HIV and AIDS effectively, Uganda should fight pornography and other pre-disposing factors. The Media Council and other relevant authorities that barred the staging of the infamous play, Vagina monologues, could use the same mandate to purge this nation of pornography. Alternatively, they can gazette places where such materials are sold to protect the rest of the public from viewing such obscenities. If such radical steps are not taken, Uganda could reverse the gains made in reducing the HIV/AIDS prevalence rate. By Apophia Agiresaasi The writer is the SPH – CDC HIV/AIDS fellow at Parliament DISY deputy Tasos Mitsopoulos revealed that the German authorities had informed Cyprus of the production of child pornography on the island, which had been uploaded onto the internet. The scenes, he added, included sexual depictions of children with animals. Nothing could be done, however, as all evidence of the crime had been deleted, under internet supply laws, which provide that personal data is kept for six months and then destroyed. According to Mitsopoulos, by the time the Cyprus authorities were notified, more than six months had elapsed and there was therefore no evidence to bring a criminal offence. The claims clearly shocked his fellow House Crime Committee members, who had convened to discuss the problem of child pornography in Cyprus. “The information that was handed over by the German authorities said that child pornography material was being produced in Cyprus, which in fact showed children participating in various scenes with animals,” Mitsopoulos said after the meeting. “But it was not possible to investigate whether this information had any basis or not, as the necessary evidence could not be gathered to start criminal offence procedures, because the supplier invoked the fact that the information had been wiped out. The six months that are provided by the relevant law had already passed.” The law states that internet subscribers’ personal data can be kept by suppliers for a maximum of six months and then there is an obligation to delete it, unless in the meantime a criminal offence has been spotted. “In this case, we see exactly that the problem of child pornography has entered our country, our homes,” Mitsopoulos pointed out. “That there is even production of materials in Cyprus and this must be of great concern to us.” Whether the depictions involved Cypriot children or not could no longer be determined. The head of the police Internet Crime Office, Markos Nikolettas, did not exclude the possibility of child porn material being produced in Cyprus. However, he said he was not aware of the specific case as no investigation had taken place and he could therefore not comment further. Nikolettas did say, however, that the greatest internet danger faced by children today was chat rooms, where adults present themselves as children, aiming to sexually exploit them. Out of 80,000 CyTA internet subscribers, only 2,000 have so far taken advantage of the authority’s free service that prevents children from accessing sites that have to do with pornography, drugs and other dangers – CyTA representative Sophocles Hadjisophocleous told deputies. Committee Chairman Stavros Evagorou of AKEL said there was a worrying increase in reported cases involving child pornography. He called for an increase in the time for which personal data is held by internet suppliers to a year. Evagorou also proposed information campaigns for the public and the preparation of a co-ordinated body to deal with “this scourge”. Child Commissioner Leda Koursoumba requested the preparation of a national strategy that would examine the issue spherically. July 8 -11, 2008 We’ve had overwhelming interest in scholarships to the summer institute on Media Madness. In order to accommodate as many people as possible, we are offering a two and a half day training as an alternative to the full institute. This training is free, though if you can give $50 we would appreciate it. We will start on July 9th at 1PM and go until July 11th at 4PM.We will be covering many of the same things as the full institute but focus more on fighting the porn culture and hands-on training in giving the anti-porn slideshow. Though we will be using space at Wheelock, there is no college credit available for this training. You can sign up to stay at the dorms, which are $45/night for a double and $35/night for a single. If you are interested in attending this modified version, we need to hear back from you ASAP. PLEASE NOTE: DO NOT call Wheelock as they are not handling this training. Contact us here are at the SPC email account. If you want college credit, then you have to register and pay for the full, four-day Media Madness institute through Wheelock. If you want to attend the four-day Media Madness institute without credit, then you will also need to pay and register through Wheelock. There are NO scholarships available for the four-day institute. Full details at http://www.wheelock.edu/professional/prof_institutes_desc.asp We hope that one of these options will work for everyone. Feel free to email if you have any questions. http://www.stoppornculture.org/contact.html I will be racing in the 2008 Coeur D’Alene Ironman, a distinguished athletic event – one day, one race: swim, bike, run, 140.6 miles. I will be racing in an effort to raise money for Stop Porn Culture, a pioneering non-profit organization of which I am a cofounder. Stop Porn Culture is dedicated to challenging the pornography industry and an increasingly pornographic pop culture by working to end sexual exploitation, sexism, and sexist portrayals of women and girls in the media. Stop Porn Culture coordinates and presents social research grounded in feminist analyses of sexist, racist, and economic oppression. Stop Porn Culture affirms a sexuality rooted in equality, free of exploitation, coercion, and violence, and brings attention to the loss of the sacred in real life everywhere. Stop Porn Culture insists that we face this assault with courage, that we see it, feel it, and live it in such a way that creates transformation. Corporate drive for profits is damaging girls, women and eroding healthy relationships College-age women often come to Professor Gail Dines in tears after she lectures about how popular culture has become poisoned with a hyper sexuality that demands women offer themselves to any man who asks. The young women feel isolated and alone because they refuse to degrade themselves in exchange for male companionship, said the professor of sociology and women’s studies at Wheelock College in Boston and founder of the Stop Porn Culture movement. It’s time to end a corporate-driven effort to promote “slut culture” in the United States, Professor Dines said. The oppression and misuse of women is not new to America, or American culture, but many see a crisis of misogynistic and racist elements that are damaging the soul of the nation and hurting children, women and men in the process. Black women, in particular, have historically been portrayed as sexual objects to justify slavery, rape, sexual abuse and denial of respect and opportunity, advocates and scholars say. Negative messages solely concerned with “hotness” and sex appeal are also being pushed on adolescents and younger girls in a dangerous way, advocates warn. Adolescence is the time when girls form an identity based on messages from society, said Professor Dines. If the messages focus on physical attributes and access to men, the young girls are not growing in a healthy way, she said. Professor Dines will be featured at “The Sexualization of Childhood” symposium, June 13-14, at Point Park University in Pittsburgh. The American Psychological Association, in a study released last year, reported that girls and young women suffered intellectual, psychological and physical problems as a result of messages that push sexualization, which is defined as a “person’s value coming only from his or her sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics; a person is held to a standard that equates physical attractiveness (narrowly defined) with being sexy; a person is sexually objectified—that is, made into a thing for others’ sexual use, rather than seen as a person with the capacity for independent action and decision making, and/or; sexuality is inappropriately imposed upon a person.” Researchers looked at a wide form of media—television, music videos, music lyrics, magazines, movies, video games and the internet as well as advertising campaigns and found messages in advertising, merchandising and products aimed at girls. According to the research, the sexualization of girls and young women: * undermined feelings of confidence and comfort with their own bodies, leading to emotional and self-image problems, such as shame and anxiety; * was linked with three of the most common mental health problems diagnosed in girls and women—eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression or depressed mood; * had negative consequences on girls’ ability to develop a healthy sexual self-image. Marketing sex to children “A lot of very sexual products are being marketed to very young kids,” said University of Iowa journalism professor Gigi Durham. “I’m criticizing the unhealthy and damaging representations of girls’ sexuality, and how the media present girls’ sexuality in a way that’s tied to their profit motives.” “The body ideals presented in the media are virtually impossible to attain, but girls don’t always realize that, and they’ll buy an awful lot of products to try to achieve those bodies. There’s endless consumerism built around that,” she said. When a teen TV sensation was pictured nearly nude in a Vanity Fair magazine controversy erupted. “Although Disney’s ‘Hannah Montana’ franchise was reportedly one of the most prolific in the industry, following Miley Cyrus’ recent photo shoot with Annie Leibovitz in which she is pictured with her bare back, covered only by a piece of fabric, looking sensually at the camera, audiences for the latest episode of the show dropped 14% from the previous fresh episode, which aired just under two months earlier, New York Daily News reported,” according to writer Chris Georg of eFluxMedia.com. The piece was headlined “Miley Covers Up As ‘Hannah Montana’ Ratings Drop.” “Compared to the first original show of the year, which aired in January, viewership for Sunday’s show was down 26%. An estimated 3.1 million viewers tuned in for ‘Hannah’s’ 7 p.m. Sunday edition, which aired out of the network’s usual pattern for fresh episodes,” wrote Mr. Georg. Others appear less worried about public opinion and more obsessed with profits from pushing adult-style products on children. According to Ms. Durham, Abercrombie & Fitch sold little girls thong underwear tagged with the phrases “eye candy” and “wink wink.” Young readers of the magazine Seventeen were offered “405 ways to look hot” like Paris Hilton. The sexualization of ‘tween girls, girls between the ages of 8 and 12, is a growing problem fueled by marketers’ efforts to create cradle-to-grave consumers, Ms. Durham explained. “The consequences of the sexualization of girls in media today are very real and are likely to be a negative influence on girls’ healthy development,” said Eileen L. Zurbriggen, PhD, chair of the American Psychological Association Task Force and associate professor of psychology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. “Years ago there used to be separate worlds for children. Now they are exposed to the same things adults experience. Today we have very young parents and we aren’t protecting our children. Popular psychology said that this was OK,” explained Dr. Tarshia Stanley, a Spelman College English professor. “As a result, we have really high rates of teen pregnancy in the industrialized world, twice that of the U.K. and eight times that of Japan,” added Ms. Durham. The increased sexualization of young girls coincides with the increase over time in teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and single parent households. According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, Black women have the highest teen pregnancy rate (134 per 1,000 women aged 15-19), followed by Hispanics (131 per 1,000) and non-Hispanic whites (48 per 1,000). Although the pregnancy rate among Black teens has decreased 40 percent between 1990 and 2000, more than the overall U.S. teen pregnancy rate declined during the same period, it still remains the highest in the country. A March report by the Centers for Disease Control found Black teenage girls had the highest prevalence of sexually transmitted disease at 48 percent compared to 20 percent among both Whites and Mexican Americans. “Moreover, one in four girls in this country have had a sexually transmitted disease. We are not doing it right; we are not giving these girls what they need,” said Dr. Stanley. Oppression, racism and Black females La Vida Davis, of the Chicago-based Asha Group, sees the use of sexual and harmful images as part of the historical degradation of Black women and oppression. Her group co-sponsored a Mother’s Day campaign in Chicago, Philadelphia and Los Angeles that gave radio stations an approved playlist of alternative songs to counter corporate driven and sexually-oriented songs. She also quickly points out that music is only one part of the problem. Historically women across all races have been seen as property, but Black women have been especially debased, she observed. During slavery, the Black woman’s value was connected to how many children she could bear and servicing the sexual needs of slave owners, Ms. Davis said. The current situation is consistent with America’s sad history and a White patriarchal society, she said. Another problem is Black internalization of oppression, which is borne out in the “pimp and hoe” culture and even support for singer R. Kelly, who is accused of sexual crimes against a child, she said. Singer Beyonce is talented, but her clothing line, which doesn’t show skin still sells lip gloss and grown folks clothes to children, Ms. Davis said. It’s unsettling that clothes are sold to children that look like clothes made for adults, she said. “It says you are valuable for how you look,” said the activist and community organizer. Little girls are taught to trade their bodies for benefits and acceptance, Ms. Davis said. Their only value is what they can be used for and for boys the question is how many “hoes” do I have, she added. “Boys as well as girls are put in boxes to play out this foolishness,” she said. Professor Dines, of Wheelock College, believes the aggressive sexual culture and negative images of Black men promoted by White corporate execs is undermining Black male and female relationships. The Black community is the most besieged community in America and if you break down and undermine the relationships, just like Whites did in slavery, it allows for control of Blacks, she said. The hyper sexual image of the Black woman was used to justify raping Black women in slavery, Professor Dines said. The self image of Black girls that traditionally rose during their teen years is being chipped away and all girls are engaging in more indiscriminate sex, she said. “They are capitulating because they don’t know any alternative,” Professor Dines said. Overall relationships are suffering as men find it difficult to have healthy relationships with women because of exposure to pornography, she added. These men are often very upset because they are experiencing real problems, Professor Dines added. “While people protest the images they see on channels like BET, people are rewarded for these images. Girls see that the ones who do this get money, glamour, fame and power. The anti-BET message is just one in a whirlwind of thousands of messages about sex that girls receive,” said Dr. Stanley of Spelman College. “Music is now all about sex. In order to groove to a beat, the body is moving, but what you are doing is the sex act standing up,” said the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, in a lecture at Mosque Maryam, where he talked about the value of women. ‘Let girls be girls’ In Ms. Durham’s new book, “The Lolita Effect,” she identifies the myths of sexuality that are believed by many in society. Sexual representations of children are getting younger with images of girls as young as 11 or 12, Ms. Durham said. Chris Richburg, writing on allhiphop.com took on Beyonce and ads for her new House of Dereon kids clothing line, Dereon Girls. “The ads apparently show seven-year-old girls wearing feather boas, leopard hats, full make-up and high heels as they pose in front of the camera. … I know you got to make that money, but having a bunch of mini-yous on display may not be the best way to go. Tone it down and let the girls be girls.” Black men and women need healthier relationships that are not so focused on looks and appreciate individual gifts everyone has, said Ms. Davis. Blacks must become conscious consumers and parents must communicate with children about messages in the media, music and society, she said. “We got talk about it, it’s not enough to say this bad and censor it,” she said. Alternatives in music, books and movies and need to be supported, Ms. Davis continued. Teen actress Raven Symone, who also has a show on the Disney Channel, has had an amazing career, she said. Issues like sexual assault and domestic violence must also be included into larger Black agendas and not seen as separate, Ms. Davis added. The subjugation of women and girls is connected to failing education, lack of jobs and other oppression, she said. “How sisters go goes the race,” Ms. Davis said. by Richard Muhammad and Nisa Islam Muhammad (FinalCall.com) “ … The Final Call Newspaper is the country’s leading source for news and information about issues and events relative to the Black community. … The Final Call Online Edition was initially started as a simple promotional tool developed by Nation of Islam college students for the historic Million Man March in 1995. Receiving millions of visits since its inception, it has grown into the online companion to the Final Call Newspaper. … ” A ‘rapid expansion’ of lap-dancing clubs across the UK has been allowed by the government despite concerns about links with prostitution and human trafficking, according to an influential report to be issued this week. A coalition of MPs, peers, government advisers and think-tanks says that lap dancing has exploited the 2005 Licensing Act – a flagship piece of government legislation – allowing hundreds of new clubs to open in the face of opposition from councils, residents and police. The result is that there are now more than 300 in the UK, with applications to open scores more. The small town of Stourbridge in the West Midlands has five pubs but two lap-dancing clubs. Along Hackney Road in east London there are now five lap-dancing clubs within a mile. Object, the campaign calling for a change in the law to have lap-dancing clubs reclassified as ‘sex encounter establishments’ and therefore subject to tighter regulation, blames a loophole in the legislation which has put lap-dancing clubs in the same category as cafes, karaoke bars and pubs, making it relatively easy to obtain licences. This week’s report highlights the link between lap dancing and criminality, citing research that links clubs to prostitution and human trafficking. The proliferation of lap-dancing clubs, adds the report, has fuelled an ‘increased demand for the purchase of sex’ while encouraging ‘factors driving human trafficking flows’. A Summer Institute/Training for Educators, Students, Human Service Professionals, Activists and Parents July 8-11 2008 at Wheelock College, Boston. For the 14th consecutive year, Wheelock College is offering a very popular summer institute on the role that the media (television, magazines, advertising, pornography, video games and music videos) plays in shaping our gender identity, our intimate relationships, our children’s lives, and ultimately our culture. The institute is taught by Dr Gail Dines, author of Pornography: The Production and Consumption of Inequality, and Dr. Diane Levin, author of the forthcoming So Sexy So Soon. Participants will learn: o How media violence affects behavior and contributes to violence in society o How media images perpetuate and legitimize sexism, racism, consumerism and economic inequality o How political and economic forces shape the media o How media affects children’s ideas about sexual behavior and relationships with others o How to critically deconstruct media images and develop media literacy skills o How to become active in advocacy, community building and grass roots organizing As a way to accommodate the needs of the participants, this year two days of the institute will be split into the following tracks: 1. Fighting the porn culture: how to think about and organize against the increasing pornification of our society. Led by Dr. Gail Dines, with guest lectures by feminist educators and activists 2. Combating the hazards of media culture: how to work with children and teachers in a classroom setting. o Price for non-credit institute: $475 (special rate for organizations sending more than one person) o Price for three graduate credits: $2,025 o Price for single dorm room at Wheelock: $35 per night/double is $45 per room o The institute runs from 9am-5pm, Tuesday through Friday, with optional evening events For fee-paying applicants only, please go to: http://www.wheelock.edu/professional/prof_institutes_desc.asp If you need to apply for a scholarship(*) to cover cost of the institute/training, don’t click on the link above. Instead, please write a one-paragraph application that includes the following: o History of your involvement with these issues, if any o Reasons you want to attend the institute/training o What you hope to do in the future with the information Please email your application to email@example.com by May 15. We will contact you with an answer by May 20th. For everyone who needs a dorm room at the college, please tell us so we can reserve one for you. (* Please note we have contacted SPC and they have confirmed that scholarship applications are open to those outside of the US, if you are interested in applying.) Displaying reporting links to agencies including the police, NSPCC and the Samaritans on social networking websites is one of a range of recommendations for industry and users in new guidance launched today by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, alongside new proposals to make it harder for child sex offenders to meet children online. Under new plans to monitor sex offenders online, which will be developed and explored in partnership with industry and CEOP on behalf of law enforcement agencies, the email addresses of registered child sex offenders will be passed by police to social networking websites, enabling these websites to stop offenders using their sites. Sex offenders would face up to five years in prison if they fail to give police their email addresses or provide a false email address. The first UK Social Networking Guidance provides advice for industry, parents and children about how to stay safe online. This has been developed by a Taskforce of representatives from industry, charity and law enforcement agencies including Vodafone, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). The Home Secretary also launched a new Kitemark to set a standard for filtering software for home computers and strengthen protection of children online. This ensures that parents have confidence that the filtering product they use meets an independent standard. The Social Networking Guidance contains a number of recommendations for service providers and safety advice for users for the first time including: * The display of reporting and/or advice links to a range of agencies such as CEOP, NSPCC, Samaritans, and others to allow users to report issues of abuse or seek help; * Arrangements for industry and law enforcement to share reports of potentially illegal activity and suspicious behaviour; * To make it more difficult for people registered over the age of 18 to search for users under the age of 18; and * To encourage children not to provide excessive information about themselves This good practice document is unique in bringing together the major players in industry, based in different countries, along with law enforcement and children’s charities, to agree a set of principles aimed at protecting children that they will all work towards. The Kitemark is designed to raise the standard of internet filtering, monitoring and blocking applications for the UK market and will be of particular benefit to parents when selecting suitable products and services. 1. The Home Secretary’s Taskforce on Child Protection on the Internet was formed in 2001, bringing together Government, online technology providers, law enforcement and child protection specialists to work together to tackle issues relating to the protection of children on the internet. 2. The full Social Networking Guidance and the contributors can be found at http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational-policing/crime-disorder/child-protection-taskforce 3. Under the plans to introduce the disclosure of the details of child sex offenders subject to notification requirements to social networking sites, we would require them to notify police of their email addresses. This will be done through secondary legislation, subject to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill receiving Royal Assent later this year. 4. Further details on the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill can be found at http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/criminal-justice-bill.htm An underage teenager was offered a variety of jobs in the sex industry when she visited her Jobcentre. The 17-year-old girl, who wishes to remain anonymous, was left shocked and disgusted after the sleazy vacancies appeared on a special machine which searches for jobs in the Wembley branch. One job was looking for webcam operators for a website, the other as a hostess for a strip club and a third was for a nude model. Although the vacancies, which also feature on the Jobcentre’s website, state they were not for applicants under the age of 18, the girl was able to print off the details and show it to her older sister who contacted the Times. The 28-year-old said: “This is absolutely sickening. How could the Jobcentre be advertising vacancies like that? There’s no way this should be allowed.” The Times visited the website advertising for webcam operators, which we have decided not to name, and its home page contained raunchy images of both men and women. Users are prompted to click on one of the featured ‘models’ who will strip off and talk explicitly to them live through a webcam costing from a whopping £39-an-hour. The workers’ hourly rate is £10. The shocked sister, who also visited the site, said: “I was visibly shocked by what I saw. Once a girl enters that kind of world what happens next? They could end up entering a real seedy world.” Denise Marshall is the chief executive of Eaves, a charity which supports vulnerable woman. She said: “Jobs in the sex industry are exploitative and damaging and it is unacceptable for a Governmental agency to be offering them. “Does the Government really want young women to think that the only opportunities open to them in the labour market are those which objectify and exploit them? What is even more shocking is that these vacancies are being offered to 17-year-olds. There is clearly no system for monitoring the age of jobseekers or for blocking vacancies in the sex industry to under-18s. Who knows how many other underage girls have been offered similar vacancies? This young woman’s experience is shocking and I am not surprised that she and her family are upset.” A Jobcentre spokesman said they were legally bound to advertise the vacancies, providing they were within the law, after a decision by the High Court in 2003. He added: “We have safeguards in place to ensure customers are fully aware of the nature of these jobs. “We thoroughly investigate complaints about employers including those in the adult entertainment industry a service to specific employers has been withdrawn in the past. Jobcentre Plus customers can choose whether or not to pursue these vacancies.” Part of a series of seminars organised by CRITICAL SEXOLOGY, a London-based, interdisciplinary seminar series for psychologists, psychoanalysts, medical doctors, literary and cultural studies scholars, philosophers, artists, lawyers and historians with a critical interest in the construction and management of gender and sexuality in the medical, discursive and cultural spheres. 9 April 2008: 2-6pm Venue: K505/06, Keyworth Centre, London South Bank University. This seminar Organised and Chaired by Lisa Downing Julian Petley (Professor of Film and Television Studies, Brunel University) “The Dangerous Images Act” Clarissa Smith (Programme Leader, MA in Media & Cultural Studies, University of Sunderland) “On Being an apologist for porn” Alexandra Dymock (SM and feminist activist, Backlash) “Against the Backlash: Pornography, Power and the Pressure Group” Martin Baggaley (Consultant Psychiatrist, Clinical Lead NHS Connecting for Health London) “Links between extreme pornography and psychiatric disorder – much conjecture but little evidence” Adeola Agbebiyi (Film and Video Examiner, British Board of Film Classification) Fiona Handyside (Lecturer in Film, University of Exeter) Eleanor Wilkinson (Teaching Assistant in Geography, University of Leeds) Please note that all Critical Sexology Seminars are free of charge and open to all. There is no need to register your intention to attend with the organiser(s). Internet porn barons are advertising in a jobcentre for unemployed women to strip and talk dirty on the web for paying perverts. The ad – offering wages of £10 an hour – is on show in the jobcentre in Clapham Common Old Town, where job seekers use touch-screen computers to search for work. It attempts to recruit women to strip off over the internet using webcams that can be set up in their own homes to beam images across the world to clients paying for the privilege. The job description states: “Duties include performing to webcam for clients’ or customers’ fantasies. “Duties involve explicit sexual dialogue which may cause embarrassment to some people.” The job involves women working between 15 and 40 hours a week online and is run by a company based in South Wales called Cybtrader. The ad also says anyone who takes the job may be able to claim tax credits to top up what they earn at work. A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) said jobcentres had a duty to advertise any legal job. In 2003, the Ann Summers company – which owns a string of adult shops across the UK – won a High Court case after a jobcentre refused to carry an advert for a job at one of its stores. The DWP spokesman said: “We have safeguards in place to ensure customers are fully aware of the nature of these jobs. Our advisers always check on the full details of any vacancies notified to us. Jobcentre Plus customers can choose whether or not to pursue these vacancies. Customers do not receive benefit sanctions if they do not apply for these vacancies.” He added that jobs in the adult entertainment business were clearly marked as unsuitable for under-18s and they were not actively brought to people’s attention. He said: “It would be up to them to express an interest in applying.” Anti-porn campaigner Jennifer Drew said: “By advertising these jobs we normalise sexual violence against women and normalise the pornography industry. It reduces the sex industry to just another job.” We contacted Cybtrader for comment but they were unavailable. Press Release 27 December 2007 – Hain: new checks on employers in the adult entertainment industry A crackdown on unscrupulous employers advertising jobs in the adult entertainment industry has been introduced by Jobcentre Plus, announced Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Peter Hain. Employers found to be providing illegal services will have their access to Jobcentre Plus withdrawn and will be reported to the police. Introducing the crackdown Peter Hain said: “While we have a duty to advertise all legal vacancies, we must ensure that Jobcentre Plus is not used as a gateway to illegal activities. Jobseekers have a right to expect the jobs advertised in our offices and on our website are above board. “Jobcentre Plus already has a number of safeguards in place to ensure our customers remain safe, however, the crackdown I’m announcing today will ensure that unscrupulous employers cannot dupe our customers. It’s time we nailed those that are intent on playing the system.” Harriet Harman, Minister for Women and Equality, welcomed the crackdown and said that these new checks will help protect vulnerable women and men from being misled and exploited. Under the new measures employers will be required to sign a statement confirming the jobs advertised do not involve any illegal sexual services before Jobcentre Plus advertises its vacancy. Successful applicants will be contacted to ensure that nothing untoward or illegal was subsequently found to be part of the job requirement. Safeguards already in place require employers to provide a full job description listing duties expected to be undertaken. In addition, JCP already ensure that; vacancies are clearly labelled as unsuitable for under 18s; no one is required to apply for these vacancies; and that a person’s benefit will not be affected should they choose not to apply. Adult entertainment industry vacancies advertised by Jobcentre Plus represent a very small percentage of total jobs advertised. For example, for the 4 week period from 24 September to 19 October 2007 of the 195,448 jobs advertised by jobcentre plus, 25 were in the adult entertainment industry. The new checks will apply to all adult entertainment industry vacancies which involve physical contact, such as vacancies for sauna workers, escorts and massage parlour workers. The checks will ensure that where physical contact is required it is not of a sexual nature. About Jobcentre Plus: Jobcentre Plus, part of the Department for Work and Pensions, brings together employment and benefit services for people of working age and is a key element in the Government’s objectives to help people based on ‘Work for those who can, support for those who cannot’. It provides a professional and modern service to meet the diverse needs of employers and those seeking work, including: Personal advisers to provide practical support and advice to help those in need find and keep work, including training provision and benefits guidance A dedicated service to support employers in filling their vacancies quickly and successfully, including the ability to place jobs online Ability to search for jobs both online and over the phone through Jobpoints in Jobcentre Plus offices, the Jobseeker Direct phone line and through the website Swift, secure and professional access to benefits for those entitled to them. Customers can access Jobcentre Plus services through around 1,000 locations across Great Britain, including over 800 newly refurbished Jobcentre Plus offices. Touch-screen terminals and Customer Access Phones are also available in a further 120 sites such as libraries and local authority premises. Jobcentre Plus works with over 275,000 employers to place 17,000 people into work every week. Over 400,000 vacancies are listed each week on its website and more than 4m job search requests are received, making it the number one UK recruitment website. For further information on the services that Jobcentre Plus provides employers and people of working age visit http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk DWP Press Office: 020 3267 5144 Out of hours: 07659 108 883 Women in The Congo Need Our Help Last month, Stop Porn Culture (SPC) was contacted by Groupe d’Action pour le Droit (GAD), a non-profit NGO in the Democratic Republic of Congo that advocates for the human rights of children, youth and women affected by sexual violence. They do counselling for survivors of sexual trauma and community education about the issue. The conditions that GAD is working in are horrendous to say the least. The United Nations characterizes the conflict in the DR Congo as “one of the bloodiest the world has known since World War II.” According to Amnesty International, “Tens of thousands of women and girls have suffered systematic rape and sexual assault since the devastating conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) began in 1998. Rape, sometimes by groups as large as twenty men, has become a hallmark of the conflict, with armed factions often using it as part of a calculated strategy to destabilize opposition groups, undermine fundamental community values, humiliate the victims and witnesses, and secure control through fear and intimidation. It is not unusual for mothers and daughters to be raped in front of their families and villages, or to be forced to have sex with their sons and brothers. Rapes of girls as young as six and women over 70 have been reported. Young girls are also regularly abducted and held captive for years to be used as sexual slaves by combatants and their leaders.” You can read more about the rape epidemic in the DRC in this New York Times article from October 2007: “Rape Epidemic Raises Trauma of Congo War“. GAD has identified pornography as a factor in these atrocities. GAD’s president, Kubuya Elie, has requested the help of Stop Porn Culture. He would like to come to our slideshow training in July (see below). We are deeply moved that GAD believes we can offer them assistance: there are no women anywhere who need our help more. In order to bring Mr. Elie to Boston, we need your help. Besides the slideshow training, we plan to arrange meetings with human rights groups here that are working against trafficking and have resources for trauma victims. We estimate it will cost at least $4,000 to do this. As you know, SPC is an all-volunteer organization with an annual budget of zero. It can only happen if you make it happen. Please consider donating whatever you can to help us help GAD and the women of the DR Congo. The sooner you can do so, the sooner we will know whether we can make flight arrangements for Mr. Elie. No amount is too small to make a difference for the women enduring these conditions of sexual brutality and slavery. Please make checks out to Feminists Against Pornography, earmarked “for DRC.” And thank you for participating in this important work. Carol Corgan, Gail Dines, Matt Ezzell, Susan Falupel, Lierre Keith, Robert Jensen, Jesse Pierce, Denyse Snyder, and Rebecca Whisnant for Stop Porn Culture Stop Porn Culture PO Box 813 Northampton MA 01061 Stop Porn Culture will be offering our third training for our slideshow this July. The training will be twice as long, more in-depth, and can also be taken for college credit. * Media Madness: The Impact of Sex, Violence and Commercial Culture on Adults, Children and Society * A summer Institute for Educators, Students, Human Service Professionals, Activists and Parents * July 8-11, 2008, Wheelock College, Boston. For the 14th consecutive year, Wheelock College is offering a very popular summer institute on the role that the media (television, magazines, advertising, pornography, video games and music videos) plays in shaping our gender identity, our intimate relationships, our children’s lives, and ultimately our culture. The institute is taught by Dr Gail Dines, author of Pornography: The Production and Consumption of Inequality, and Dr. Diane Levin, author of the forthcoming So Sexy So Soon Participants in both tracks will learn: * How media violence affects behavior and contributes to violence in society * How media images perpetuate and legitimize sexism, racism, consumerism and economic inequality * How political and economic forces shape the media * How media affects children’s ideas about sexual behavior and relationships with others * How to critically deconstruct media images and develop media literacy skills * How to become active in advocacy, community building and grass roots organizing As a way to accommodate the needs of the participants, this year two days of the institute will be split into the following tracks: 1. Fighting the porn culture: how to think about and organize against the increasing pornification of our society. Lead by Dr. Gail Dines with guest lectures by Dr. Rebecca Whisnant, Lierre Keith and Matt Ezell, founding members of Stop Porn Culture. 2. Combating the hazards of media culture with children, families and the community. Lead by Dr. Diane Levin, author of the forthcoming book, So Sexy so Soon * The institute is available as a 3 credit graduate course or a non-credit course. Scholarships are available. * Housing is available on the Wheelock campus. * For more information, please contact Gail Dines (write July Institute in the subject line) See also earlier posting about SPC Free feminist anti-pornography slide show for group discussions etc.

The Callow Family, Troon Everything our ‘5-star luxury self-catering cottage’ on Arran promised but failed to deliver is achieved at Mains of Taymouth. We were very lucky to win a 3-night stay here as a second honeymoon. The weather wasn’t unkind, the accommodation is cosy and beautifully presented. Our two regrets are not having come here in June after our wedding (our honeymoon truly was awful!) and we regret having to leave. We are looking forward to coming back for our 1st anniversary”. The Jordan Family, Moffat An excellent and relaxing stay. The cottage was a luxurious haven to return to after some very wet and wind cycling trips! Looking forward to coming back again soon”. Mr & Mrs Smith-Rogers A fabulous retreat in a breathtaking location. As for the bathroom, well what can I say? The sauna proved to be a luxurious means to unwind after a day of walks and visiting new places. This week has probably been our most relaxed yet and we have no doubt that the cottage was a significant factor. We visited Edinburgh for the day which is not to far and a beautiful city. We will be back as this is a real gem! The Rogers Family, Hampshire A fabulous retreat in a breathtaking location. The kitchen was well equipped and a pleasure to cook in. As for the bathroom – well, what can we say? The sauna and steamroom proved to be a luxurious means to unwind after the day of walks and visiting new places … this week has probably been our most relaxed yet and we have no doubt that the cottage was a significant factor. We visited Edinburgh for a day which is a beautiful city, not too far away and plenty to see and experience. We would love to come back again soon, as this is a real gem! The Bell Family, Carolina, USA The Bells have spent a perfect week residing in the Bell Tower. We have been blessed with wonderful weather, quiet neighbours and a grand first visit to Scotland – the land of our ancestors. We feel as if we have come home and hope to return soon with all the “Bell Clan”. What a lovely, comfortable and well appointed house. Everyone we’ve met has been friendly and helpful. The Courtyard in the complex here is lovely or rather the lounge area, with a wood burning stove in the middle. A good sign is – you have to wait for your food to be cooked and the salad has a proper dressing. Burnett & MacDonald We could not have been more happy with our stay in the beautiful Bell Tower. The warm welcome, high class and well thought out finish and picturesque surroundings helped make this a trip we will never forget. At this time of year there was so much to take in. The icicles on the waterfalls evoked thoughts of a winter wonderland. As far as eating out goes, the Courtyard restaurant has it all. We haven’t enjoyed such attentive service in a long time. They genuinely care that you leave satisfied and the menu makes sure of that. We hope everyone enjoyed their stay as much as we have. An amazing place, not because we came as boyfriend and girlfriend and left en engaged couple. Over the moon! Wonderful. What can we say, breathtaking scenery on Xmas day regardless of low low temperatures. The cottage remained toasty hot. Great place for comfort and relaxing. Will return in Spring for some fishing on the Tay. Mr & Mrs Stevenson What a wonderful place. Accommodation first class, people friendly. Recommend food at the courtyard- excellent . Also Highland Safaris for a day out , loved it so much we have booked for the summer holidays ! Oh and a must is a walk to Taymouth Castle and pop into the golf club for a cuppa. Mr & Mrs Wake Our honeymoon was diverted from the Maldives to Mains Of Taymouth due to an Icelandic volcano erupting – who would have thought it ?!! We have had an incredible time here in this beautiful cottage . Who needs to fly overseas when we have places like this on our doorstep !! Thank you for a wonderful stay in Kenmore – one we will never forget x Nathan & Naomi Hooker We were so excited to come to the Bell Tower for our honeymoon and it has exceeded our expectations !! We have loved the luxury and comfort coupled with the peace and serenity of the local countryside. It is so beautiful here and so much more we would like to do. We have both loved our time here and feel that we may return for a further holiday in the future. Steve & Debbie Rowarth Came last minute and we’re told we wouldn’t be disappointed, how true those words proved to be !. And what a perfect location for discovery. Visited Glen Coe and it was awesome ,went to Dunkeld delightful . Well fed at the deli The perfect place to celebrate our 25th anniversary . We are coming back !!!. Gillian Robb & Greg Stokes Had a wonderful time here in Kenmore. The Bell Tower is fantastic . Food at the courtyard is very good .The weather was not so nice hope you bring waterproofs . We will be back!!. Lesley & James Sutherland What a fantastic place to unwind, will be back . 1st class Lynne & Mike Wood, Ayrshire Great Time & Amazing ly good weather, accommodation first class. Thank you Me & Karl Newman, Cannock Fantastic time, weather great. Enjoyed property & location and very friendly people everywhere. All our cocker spaniels also enjoyed some great walks. Had great food in the courtyard and also Kenmore Hotel.

Choose your preferred language. We speak English (US) and 41 other languages. Nakhimov Prospekt 8, Artilleriyskaya bukhta, 99011 Sevastopol, Crimea – Show map Excellent location – rated 9.8/10! (score from 440 reviews) Rated by guests after their stay at BEST WESTERN Sevastopol Hotel. No booking fees • Save money! Best price guarantee — enter dates to see these prices! 130 properties in Sevastopol Including hotels, apartments, villas and more. 440 verified reviews They speak your language! BEST WESTERN Sevastopol Hotel's staff speaks: Ukrainian, Russian, English Booking is safe When you book with us your details are protected by a secure connection. Sauna, Solarium, Spa, Massage, Hot Tub, Turkish/Steam Bath Food & Drink Restaurant, Bar, Breakfast in the Room, Restaurant with Dining Menu, Buffet-Style Restaurant, Special Diet Meals (upon request) Private parking is available on site (reservation is not needed) and costs EUR 5 per day. Room Service, Packed Lunches, Car Rental, Shuttle Service (surcharge), 24-Hour Front Desk, Currency Exchange, Tour Desk, Ticket Service, Baggage Storage, ATM on site, Concierge Service, Laundry, Ironing Service, Shoeshine, Meeting/Banquet Facilities, Business Center, Fax/Photocopying, Hair/Beauty Salon, Souvenir/Gift Shop, Honeymoon Suite Newspapers, Safe, Non-smoking Rooms, Facilities for Disabled Guests, Elevator, Heating, Air Conditioning, Designated Smoking Area Ukrainian, Russian, English Il Patio (0 miles) Vabi Sabi (0 miles) Shokoladnitsa (0 miles) 2:00 PM - 12:00 AM 6:00 AM - 12:00 PM Cancellation and prepayment policies vary according to room type. Please enter the dates of your stay and check what conditions apply to your preferred room. Children and Extra Beds All children are welcome. All children under 12 years stay free of charge when using existing beds. All older children or adults are charged EUR 13 per person per night for extra beds. The maximum number of extra beds in a room is 1. Any type of extra bed or crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by management. Additional fees are not calculated automatically in the total cost and will have to be paid for separately during your stay. Pets are not allowed. This property only accepts cash payments. Based on 440 reviews Value for money Show reviews from: Located in Sevastopol city centre, in Arteliriyskaya Bay, Guest Rooms ART Bukhta offers free WiFi, air conditioning and a fitness centre on site. Private parking spaces are available on site. Score from 49 reviews Wonderful Featuring a spa with pool, free parking and free Wi-Fi, this villa-style hotel enjoys a central location in Sevastopol. It is a 10-minute walk from Nakhimov Square and Kornilov Harbour. Score from 44 reviews Wonderful 165 ft from Sevastopol Bay, this hotel complex has rooms with beautiful views of the Black Sea and Sevastopol city. It features a private beach, open-air water park and spa facilities. Score from 205 reviews Very good This hotel is a beautiful villa on Striletska Bay on the Black Sea Coast, a 10-minute drive from the center of Sevastopol. Score from 41 reviews Good Friendly staff and great breakfast Great staff, best location, very good security, nice comfortable rooms. My second stay in this hotel and hopefully not the last. Central location close to promenade and many restaurants, cosy, comfortable, good breakfast, perfect wifi. A value for money. Location, breakfast excellent wifi connection. Friendly and responsive staff. We had a room in the first floor showing to a side road of Nachimov prospekt. With closed windows we had no problem with the traffic on this street going on well late into the night and slept deep, long and well. For people that are VERY sensitive to any kind of noise or that insist on sleeping with open windows, this might be a problem, but they should not choose a hotel in the city center anyway. The location at the center of Sevastopol very close to artillery bay is unbeatable. We had breakfat at the restaurant terrace overlooking the harbour bay of Sewastopol, a really great view. By the way, the breakfast included was organized as a very rich buffet of first rate quality. The hotel staff was fluent in English and very helpful and friendly. The room was spacious, very clean and had a very nice interior. We recommend this hotel and will surely stay there again if we return some day to the Krim.. The staff were fantastic and the food was exelent Compares with any four * western European hotel Excellent breakfast buffet Fluent English speaking reception staff Breakfast was varied and tasty. View from restaurant excellent. I tried all restaurants and they are of a high standard. Staff were friendly and knowlegable Size of room, quality of breakfast good be improved Very central location, nice old building, professional and friendly staff Friendly staff, clean and comfortable room, perfect location I have no negative comment Good food, all the comforts, friendly staff, great location. Helpful staff. Amazed by the beautifully renovated classic building. Excellent view from the restaurant. You can get these deals for free by subscribing to our newsletters. You can even choose your favorite destinations to receive personalized deals. Get started now by entering your email address. We'll instantly send you a link to our Deal Finder!

Why not relax in an invigorating whirlpool shower bath, after a long hard day at work, check out which bath would be most suitable for you below. - Latest Products The bathroom is supposedly the most frequented place in every home. Man has become so dependent on it for so many natural reasons. Bathing is a must for hygienic reasons, and it has become an important ritual part of daily life in many countries and cultures. For some people, the bathroom is also that place where they get to pause and take a break from the fast-paced world we are all living in. And what better way to relax, recuperate and unwind than in a bathroom with a whirlpool bath. Whirlpool baths were manufactured to meet the increasing demand for the modern home owner, looking for a method of relaxing whilst providing a necessary means of cleansing the body. Due to innovation and ingenuity the manufacturers of the whirlpool bathtub were able to dedicate their skills to create a state of the art product that offers the finest bathing experience. Most whirlpool systems feature an array of between 12 and 18 powerful water jets combined with an additional 12 jet air spa system as an optional extra. Each jet is strategically positioned to provide the ultimate in massage and therapeutic treatment. Here are some important uses and features worth studying if you are considering getting your own whirlpool bath. - Since its development and perfection through years of hard research and experimentation, today’s modern whirlpool silent operation” system can now boast an unsurpassed quality and unrivalled performance. With a corner whirlpool bath installed, the bathroom becomes an ideal place for relaxation and unwinding after a hard day’s work. - Also boasting an array of high-quality features and unsurpassed levels of performance is another variation that is designed with excellent tap ware and minimalist features is the special hydro massage feature mixed with various sauna spa properties. The air-spa whirlpool shower bath offers a much gentler massage experience that is streamed through specialised nozzles, strategically positioned around the bathtub. This is perfectly suited for people wanting relief from aches and pains alongside aiding people with health issues like heart problems and hypertension. - This special bathroom fixture is carefully designed with all those vital components that set it apart from others. Among these components is the water level sensor, which detects the amount of water currently in the tub and turns it off automatically when the ideal water level is reached. The timer alerts you of your time spent in the tub, while the water temperature sensor takes care of the ideal water temperature. Then there is also the mood and underwater lights otherwise known as chromo-therapy lighting, that create ambiance and tranquillity to give your bathing experience an even more relaxing quality.

The Day Jay Peak Got+ Feet of Snow By Andrew, on Thu, Aug 16, 2012 Part 3 of 4: Kristen's wild weekend adventure snowed in at Jay Peak by Kristen Fiocco (in her words) on February 26, 2012 Catch the full story: Part 1: The Day Jay Peak Got 4+ Feet of Snow Part 2: The Day Jay Peak Got 4+ Feet of Snow We we got to the condo, there were some new dudes hanging out who had been skiing/riding that day too. At this point, I started missing my boyfriend and just wanted to go home. I was nervous, scared to drive in the mess outside, and didn’t know what would happen if we couldn’t get home. I was tired from skiing all day, my clothes and socks were soaking wet. My hair was a big, messy knot, and I hadn’t eaten dinner yet. I had that awkward girl feeling like even if I am freaking out, I don’t want to express it and be a bummer, so I just tried to keep going with the flow. Andrew eventually got in touch with someone at Jay, who told us that the bus would be stuck until about 10:30 PM. Now, on the inside, I was really starting to freak the fuck out because it was STILL PUKING OUTSIDE! However, then a little miracle happened. There was sauna in the condo, and we went in the sauna. Then suddenly I felt okay. I was relaxed, loving everything, felt like whatever will happen will be okay. It is just the way it will be. In our sauna warp, we decided we would need to stay the night at Jay, but weren’t sure where yet. I called my boyfriend Tanner, who I had been trying to keep in the loop on what was happening, and told him, “we need to stay here tonight because the road will be closed so late but it’s okay! I took a sauna, and I’m at peace with staying here tonight.” I didn’t even think that I only had the clothes on my back, my purse, no toothbrush, anything. It was just the way it was. I got word that we’d be staying at Andrew’s lovely, kind, beautiful girlfriend’s apartment that night, which was beyond the dip on 242 that the bus got stuck on. At 10:30 we headed out. Andrew went first, Ryan and I followed. On our ways up the hill following Andrew, we saw his car gradually start to slow down, then saw more exhaust, then finally started to smell his tires, then his car stopped and couldn’t go any further. Meanwhile, I’m pretty sure it was snowing harder at this point when we were stuck about 3/4 up the hill in the dip on our way to Montgomery. Ryan got out and pushed his car around in a 3 point turn fashion. It was actually pretty amazing to do, in the dark, in the snow, on a steep hill. Once the front of his car was facing downhill again, Ryan came back to his car and tried to turn it around, no sooner than Andrew’s car started to creep towards ours. For what seemed like a few tense minutes, Ryan drove down the hill in reverse as Andrew’s car kept creeping sliding towards ours. Andrew’s car finally stopped for enough time for Ryan to turn his around, and we drove back to stateside parking lot, ditched Andrew’s car, and we all got in Ryan’s amazing Subaru which took us to Montgomery where we’d be sleeping. Finally. At around 11:50 we pulled up. After we saw some cars camping out on the top of the dip, in tents no less. We walked in to what must be the cutest apartment in the world, and there was already a little mattress made up for one of us in the living room by the door. I just wanted to collapse on it right then, but I went to use the bathroom and saw that there were two cats living in the place. I am pretty much very allergic to cats, but was already in survival mode at this point. I told myself not to verbalize my allergies to anyone, and to not be afraid of the cats or deliberately avoid them, but not touch them either. Basically, it was still snowing hard, there was no where else to go, even if there way the roads were too treacherous to get there, so these cats better not give me an asthma attack. I had the idea to psychologically cure my cat allergies just for that night in order to get by. And it worked believe it or not! In the morning I just had a runny nose and a cough, but no shortness of breath OR hives. It was pretty amazing, I was stoked my plan worked. THEN: morning, day 2. My boyfriend offered to pick me up from Jay that morning since he must have been able to tell that I was freaked out by getting stranded up there. However, one look out the window and I knew I had to stay. It honestly just wasn’t even a valid option to not ski that day. I was still in yesterday clothes, didn’t brush my teeth, didn’t comb my hair, and I was out to ski that powder because the sun was shining and the skies were blue and the landscape was white... To Be Continued: Tune in next week for the blue sky, powder-filled final chapter of Kristen's adventure. It's very rewarding.