New Experience-Germany.info Website Celebrates German Heritage and Makes Travel Planning Faster and Easier

Posted on May 17, 2012 by admin

Houston, TX (PRWEB) March 14, 2007

For people interested in seeing the sights and wonders of Germany, planning such a trip can be both fun and challenging at the same time. But for the business traveler who’s suddenly required to fly into Germany, the task can seem quite stressful.

Planning any trip to a non-English speaking country involves many hurdles to overcome, especially for those who’ve never done it before. So many aspects are involved such as figuring out how to negotiate the language barrier, laws, regulations and fitting in upon arrival. Now there’s an antidote to the problem.

Enter the http://www.experience-germany.info travel website. It’s part of the new Experience Europe website network. The purpose of this content-rich website is to give travelers the ability to quickly and easily plan their trip within an hour or two.

Almost all issues regarding travel to Germany are addressed on this website. For example, visitors to http://www.experience-germany.info will be pleased to find detailed, informative articles that offer a glimpse into what the major German cities are alike, as well as some of the more popular travel destinations in Germany. Visitors are also treated to crisp, color photos of respective cities and landmarks, thus making the cyberspace glimpse of Germany more tangible.

But more than that, visitors will be able to glean travel tips from fascinating articles such as, “Seeing the Best of Germany in 2 Weeks”, “How to Fit in During Your Trip to Germany”, “Budget Travel to Germany”, “Money Matters in Germany”, “The VAT Tax”, “Traveling to Germany with Children”, “Crime in Germany”, “Packing Tips for Your Trip to Germany”, “What the German People are Really Like”, plus much more. Useful, detailed content like this along with head-turning photos are what make the Experience Germany website a feather in the cap of those planning their trip to Germany.

For those people who opt in to receive the Experience-Germany.info newsletter, they’ll receive a free report titled, “Basic German Words & Phrases”.

Contact Information:

Mike Jezek

http://www.experience-germany.info

281-384-4132

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"Your Dream Day in Anguilla" — An Anguilla-Beaches.com Contest

Posted on May 9, 2012 by admin

“Your Dream Day in Anguilla” — An Anguilla-Beaches.com Contest

Anguilla (PRWEB) June 07, 2011

Anguilla-Beaches.com announces the “Your Dream Day in Anguilla” contest. The winner will receive a 5 night stay at Carimar Beach Club and dinner for 2 at Straw Hat, Cote Mer, and daVida, Anguilla’s finest restaurants.

If you had only had one day to spend in the Caribbean’s hottest destination, Anguilla, what would you do? Would you horseback ride on Cove Bay? Or soak up rays on Shoal Bay? Share your “dream day” in Anguilla, and be eligible to win the prize valued at over $ 2,000.

“Anguilla-Beaches.com shares our family’s personal Anguilla travel stories. By writing Anguilla-Beaches.com I have been able to express my passion for Anguilla,” says Nori Evoy, who founded the website in 2002 when she was 14 years old. “Now, we want to know what makes YOU passionate about Anguilla, what each and every traveler loves or looks forward to most about Anguilla, the best island in the Caribbean.”

To qualify to enter the Anguilla-Beaches.com contest, contestants must:

     Submit a story of at least 300 words
     Attach at least 1 photo
     Write a story that is well written and a pleasure to read

The “Your Dream Day in Anguilla” contest is currently in progress and will close June 18th, 2011. For more information on the “Your Dream Day in Anguilla” Contest, visit:

http://www.anguilla-beaches.com/anguilla-contest2.html

ABOUT ANGUILLA-BEACHES.com

Anguilla-Beaches.com is a travel website about the Caribbean island, Anguilla, written by a traveler who has been visiting the island for nearly 10 years. The website shares insider Anguilla tips, including information on restaurants, activities, hotels, villas and transportation. For additional information, please visit our website at: http://www.anguilla-beaches.com

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"Calabria pro Zambia: Bridge of Solidarity" Kicks Off its First Fund-raiser with the "Jerome Hines Memorial World Peace Concert"

Posted on April 19, 2012 by admin

“Calabria pro Zambia: Bridge of Solidarity” Kicks Off its First Fund-raiser with the “Jerome Hines Memorial World Peace Concert”

Rome (PRWEB) January 18, 2007

On Wednesday, January 17 the “Jerome Hines Memorial World Peace Concert” in Michelangelo’s monumental Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli e Martiri officially opened the fund-raiser campaign for the non-profit “Calabria pro Zambia: Bridge of Solidarity.” The event, organized in collaboration with Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, the Foedus Foundation and the Paolo di Tarso Foundation, is a spiritual musical journey, which includes selections from “I Am The Way,” by Metropolitan Opera’s late Basso Jerome Hines. Featured performers will be world acclaimed Soprano Ines Salazar, the Schola Cantorum of S. Maria degli Angeli and the Orchestra Nuova Filarmonica in Roma, directed by Osvaldo Guidotti.

The charity will use the proceeds of the concert to finance the construction of medical and educational facilities in Zambia, as well as an orphanage and other structures to help relieve the suffering of Zambia’s children. Along with Mr. Giuliani as guest of honor, are other distinguished dignitaries, representatives of the Italian cultural and industrial world, spiritual leaders of the Orthodox Church, and the Islamic community.

“We have a moral obligation to continue our mission in Zambia, one of the poorest country in the world beset by unacceptable conditions, causing hunger and widespread devastating diseases like malaria, leprosy, and HIV/AIDS,” says H.E. Mons. Domenico Cortese, Bishop of Mileto-Nicotera-Tropea (Calabria) and president of Calabria pro Zambia. “By helping them we better ourselves as humans and as Christians.”

For any additional information about “Calabria pro Zambia”, donations and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Giuseppe Blanda (Santa Maria degli Angeli) at +39 06 69190249.

Contacts:

Daniela Puglielli (USA) 908 212 7846 t Gilda Bello 348 513 4890

Donatella Bruni 333 213 8144 ttFabio Gallo 349 0700631

Fondazione Foedus: 3394684560

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Qabili Palau Recipe ? How to Make a Perfect Afghan dish

Posted on April 9, 2012 by admin

by CasaDeQueso

Qabili Palau is widely regarded as Afghanistan’s national dish. It is best describe as rice cooked in a broth-like sauce, then baked in an oven and topped with julienned carrots, raisins and chopped nuts. If meat is added, it’s usually lamb, chicken or beef; the meat will be covered by the rice.

The most important step towards any good palau is the rice; use the best Basmati rice you can find, and don’t be cheap about it. The rice should be cooked so that is neither dry nor wet: sticky rice is a big no-no. If you’ve spoiled the rice, it’s better to make another batch than to continue; all the Afghan people will thank you for it.

The Ingredients:

3 cups Basmati Rice

10 chicken pieces (drumsticks and top portion of wings are great! Alternatively – used lamb)

2 yellow or brown onions, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup chicken broth

2 small carrots

1 cup of raisins

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1.5 table spoons ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

12 cups of water (estimate – use your judgment!)

Salt (according to your tastes)

Browning Sauce (this is optional – it’s purely to make your sauce look more brown)

The Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

Chop and sauté some onions in a pan over high heat until the onion is a nice brown; this should take about 5-6 minutes. Don’t burn the onions!

If the chicken pieces are too big, cut them into tiny pieces. However, if using drumsticks and wings, it’s best to leave them as is there is nothing nicer than biting into a nice, juicy drumstick.

Add the chicken into the pan and sprinkle with kosher or sea salt (both of which provide a much better taste than regular table salt.
Cook the chicken over medium-to-high heat for about 6 minutes, turning occasionally to get an even golden brown on all sides.
At this point in time, the onions will start to caramelize nicely, and there’ll be a nice, thick sauce.
Add about a quarter cup of chicken broth, then continue stirring until the liquid dries up, at which point put another quarter cup in again, and repeat until you’ve used all the chicken broth.
This really gives the chicken that extra flavor! Once the thick sauce is truly good and going, bring to a boil, cover with a lid, and let the whole thing simmer for around 10 minutes. Then, remove the chicken from the brown broth, and set aside (keep warm).
Stir in the ground cumin (2 teaspoons), ground cardamom (1.5 teaspoons) and the crushed black pepper (0.5 teaspoon) into the broth and continue to cook on low heat for another 5 minutes.
This allows the spices to get their flavor into the broth.

Immerse the rice completely in a bowl of water, and drain in a colander. Repeat this step a few times, until the water that you’re draining becomes clear.

Meanwhile, cook the rice in a dutch oven, or really any sort of pot that has a fitted lid. This is where the 12 cups of water come in. Put some salt into the water before cooking the rice, so that your rice will just have that hint of saltiness to it when cooked.

Cook the rice until it is just ever so slightly crunchy (nearly cooked), then strain any remaining water.

Put the rice into a cooking pot, add the prepared broth. Make sure the broth and the rice mix well and add the chicken pieces on top.

Cover the pot with foil, and then with the lid.

Bake the rice for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Once you’ve put the rice into the oven, julienne the carrots, and do a quick stir-fry with them, along with raisins. You’ll be putting them into the pot, but you want to be stir-frying them just enough so that they’re slightly cooked, but do not overdo it, as you will be putting them into the pot, and let the cooking process complete in the oven. Set aside.

Once the 20 minutes have passed, take it out, and put the julienned carrots and raisins into the pot.

Reduce the oven’s temperature down to 250 degrees, and let it cook for another 20 minutes.

Once that’s done, take the pot out from the oven.

Arrange the chicken pieces on a large platter. Then cover it with the rice. Make sure that the carrots and raisins are evenly spread in the rice; you don’t want them to be just piled all up in one spot (it’s all about aesthetics!).

You may also visit World Cuisine for a comprehensive list of mouthwatering recipes.

Article from articlesbase.com

Beautiful Island of PALAU!!!
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Signing Time Host, Rachel Coleman, Invited to Consult With World Organizations About Improving Deaf Education in Ghana, Africa

Posted on March 30, 2012 by admin

Signing Time Host, Rachel Coleman, Invited to Consult With World Organizations About Improving Deaf Education in Ghana, Africa

Signing Time logo

Salt Lake City, UT (Vocus) May 12, 2008

Rachel Coleman, Emmy-nominated host of Signing Time!, will be returning to Ghana, West Africa this week to speak with International NGOs, representatives of Ghana’s government and educators about improving education for deaf students in Ghana.

Coleman (co-founder of Two Little Hands Productions and The Signing Time Foundation), along with representatives of the Utah-based Association for Deaf Children (ADC), has accepted a special invitation from Signs of Hope International and the Ghana National Association of the Deaf to meet several world organizations including the Ministry of Special Education in Ghana.

In January of this year, Signs of Hope International partnered with Coleman and the Signing Time team to go to Ghana for 10 days to improve sign language vocabulary for deaf students. During the visit, both organizations also helped teachers learn how to teach sign language to their deaf students. Curry Jones, founder of Signs of Hope International along with representatives from the Ghana National Association of the Deaf, will speak to about the benefits and successes of implementing programs dedicated to helping deaf students and teachers improve their sign language skills. Materials like the Signing Time series and other sign language education methods will be discussed as part of an overall goal to make Ghanian Sign Language (GSL) a standard education requirement for teachers of deaf students in Ghana.

“We hope that this meeting will be a new beginning for the deaf students in Ghana. It is a chance for us to come together and offer support programs that these students deserve,” said Jones.

Coleman, who co-created Signing Time to teach children to communicate with ASL, has seen firsthand the miracles that come from using sign language. As the mother of a daughter who is deaf, and another with cerebral palsy and spina bifida, she has personally experienced the benefits of using sign language as a communication tool for all children.

“I am so excited for the opportunity to go back to Ghana and speak with decision-makers about the future of the deaf education in Ghana,” said Coleman. “My hope is that the leaders in this community and country will understand the value of deaf education and provide a future for deaf children to live normal lives.”

Signs of Hope International, the Ghana National Association of the Deaf, The Signing Time Foundation and ADC hope to make this a successful meeting that will improve opportunities for deaf students in Africa.

ABOUT THE SIGNING TIME FOUNDATION

Sign language is often the only way for many children with special needs to communicate, and all children can benefit from the social and educational advantages achieved through the inclusion of sign in their learning.

The Signing Time Foundation is dedicated to making sign language fun and accessible to all children, creating a world in which all children can express themselves and be understood.

HOW IT STARTED-THE AFRICA PROJECT

In a recent interview, Leah Coleman (co-star of Signing Time) was asked the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” She replied, “I want to be a writer and make books; or a teacher for the deaf African kids that don’t know sign language yet.” Leah was born profoundly deaf and has lived an extraordinary life despite her challenges. When she heard about the many struggles that deaf students in Ghana face to receive an education and be accepted in society, she said, “Mom, we have to do something!”

In January of this year, the Signing Time team, including Signing Time host Rachel Coleman, along with her co-stars, nephew Alex Brown and daughter Leah Coleman, went to Ghana, West Africa for 10 days to improve sign language vocabulary for students that are deaf. The Signing Time Team also helped the teachers learn how to teach sign language.

Fans and media can follow along with the Signing Time team as Rachel blogs about their experiences live from Ghana.

ABOUT SIGNING TIME

Two Little Hands Productions produces and distributes Signing Time, a captivating and entertaining ASL DVD series and public television program. Signing Time was created to make signing fun and easy for children of all ages and abilities. Signing Time has become the largest library of entertaining signing videos of its kind available and offers an unparalleled multi-sensory approach to teaching children ASL. Signing Time reaches children with diverse learning styles and encourages interaction through signing, singing, speaking and moving.

CONTACT:

Lindsey Blau

801.676.4440 Ext. 114

lindsey@signingtime.com

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Celebrate the Old Year in a New Way in the British Virgin Islands

Posted on March 26, 2012 by admin

Celebrate the Old Year in a New Way in the British Virgin Islands

Tortola Sopers Hole

Tortola, British Virgin Islands (PRWEB) December 19, 2007

From frolicking the white sandy beaches in teeny-weenie bikinis, holding umbrella drinks to sailing the technical tides of the Sir Francis Drake Channel, there is no better place to celebrate the New Year than the British Virgin Islands. With rows, rows, rows of boats gently lining the shore, adventure-seekers experience tailgating at its finest by “boat hopping” – mixing and mingling with visitors and locals during this merry party tradition, where life is truly but a dream. Fun-filled days of sunbathing, snorkeling, swimming and sailing provide a relaxing escape from a frosty winter wonderland and allow visitors to approach the upcoming year refreshed, rejuvenated and with a sun-kissed glow.

Hot Spots

Reflect on the year’s best moments and look to the future with luxurious flare during an Old Year’s celebration at the hottest island spots in the British Virgin Islands. The biggest and best parties in the Caribbean start Dec. 30 and continue long after the ball drops.

Foxy’s Tamarind Bar & Grille – Jost Van Dyke

The most renowned Old Year’s Celebration and birthplace of New Year’s events in the BVI is annually held at Foxy’s Tamarind Bar and Grille, an island favorite for years. Foxy’s hosts 48 hours of continuous entertainment with live music, dancing and delicious dining. BVIslanders and world travelers flock to the unique beach bar for nights filled with specialized succulent cuisine and cocktails including Foxy’s own micro-brewed beers, all accompanied by a collection of calypso bands to bring signature Caribbean grooves to the dance moves of each partygoer.

Trellis Bay – Tortola

Experience the regional culture of the islands at the Trellis Bay New Year’s Eve Festival lasting from noon until after midnight on December 31. From reggae music and traditional island dancers to a festive fireworks extravaganza and areas perfect for boat hopping, residents and visitors alike enjoy the lively, family-oriented atmosphere at Trellis Bay.

Bitter End Yacht Club

Celebrate the New Year at Bitter End Yacht Club, the Caribbean’s premier luxury water sports resort. The Bitter End Yacht Club entertains guests at Almond Walk with live reggae music and an original New Year’s menu including a midnight champagne toast. Whether seeking adventure through windsurfing and scuba diving or hoping to relax with full service spa treatments and boat excursions, the eclectic activities in the British Virgin Islands undoubtedly offer something for everyone.

The British Virgin Islands remains an undeveloped haven for natural treasures. The BVI boasts no high-rise hotels, no casinos and no traffic, rather, the purity of the land — from pristine beaches with powdery sand and crystal clear waters home to an aquarium of the world’s most diverse sea life, to extensive coral reefs responsible for claiming renowned wrecks and vast Outbacks sheltering endangered species. The BVI is rich with the storied islands of Norman, Deadman’s Chest and Anegada, while the islands of Peter, Necker, and Guana anchor luxury resorts and sun worshippers find a haven on Jost Van Dyke, Cooper Island and Virgin Gorda. Whether it is discovering the natural phenomena of The Baths or diving the Indians, Sandy Spit or fabled Wreck of the Rhone, the BVI is bountiful with Nature’s Little Secrets.

For more information on New Year’s Eve activities, please visit http://www.bvitourism.com or call the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board toll free 800-835-8530.

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Vanuatu.tv, New Internet Television Network Launched

Posted on March 22, 2012 by admin

Vanuatu.tv, New Internet Television Network Launched

PORT VILA, Republic of Vanuatu (PRWEB) February 14, 2007

The South Pacific island archipelago of Vanuatu is receiving added exposure with the debut of the first Internet-based television station to broadcast from the area. Vanuatu TV is introducing Vanuatu’s customs, tourism and businesses to the world via professionally produced television programming via the Internet.

According to Grant Abbott, CEO of Vanuatu TV, he and his brother, Chris decided to create Vanuatu TV after spending a holiday there in 2006. “We found plenty of Vanuatu information on sites featuring lots of inactive words and pictures. Having spent over eight years developing TV programs for the Internet, we decided to use our skills to showcase Vanuatu, ‘the happiest place on earth and our home,’” Grant Abbott stated.

Now, with a simple mouse click at the http://www.vanuatu.tv site, visitors have all of Vanuatu at their fingertips. Visitors and tourists can find out where to eat, stay, play, visit or invest in Vanuatu before arriving. Vanuatu TV has dedicated television programs featuring Vanuatu tour activities, accommodation, restaurants, business and real estate, all produced by experienced television professionals with lively and animated hosts/presenters. Vanuatu TV is a win-win for anyone involved in the Vanuatu tourism industry.

Vanuatu Businesses

Vanuatu tourism operators can show off their businesses to the world in an exciting, new and state-of-the-art format. According to Grant Abbott, “In our pre-launch, we were getting viewers from Russia, China, Hollywood, Paris, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East.”

Vanuatu Travel Retailers

Vanuatu TV provides the travel retailer with something different–a unique and exciting TV site they can direct clients to so they can see first hand where to stay, play and eat. “A picture may tell a thousand words but a TV program tells and sells the whole story,” said Chris Abbott.

Vanuatu Travel Wholesalers

Vanuatu TV provides wholesalers with a multi-media support tool with more impact than travel brochures to showcase their Vanuatu travel offerings.

Vanuatu Visitors

They can plan their holiday and more importantly, get excited about coming to Vanuatu, experiencing the culture, adventure and exciting offerings around the archipelago.

Vanuatu TV will be continually producing new programs, including stories on game fishing, scuba diving, surfing and honeymoons along with refreshing those currently on the site on a regular basis.

Contact: Grant Abbott, CEO

Phone: 67841015

Source: Vanuatu TV

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Guatemala's Route To Lake Atitlan Remains Open and Secure

Posted on March 18, 2012 by admin

Guatemala’s Route To Lake Atitlan Remains Open and Secure

Lake Atitlan in Guatemala

New York, NY (PRWEB) November 18, 2010

The Guatemala Tourism Board (INGUAT) announced today that the road from Guatemala City to Lake Atitlán remains open and accessible by tourists and locals alike. Road work construction was started on October 26, 2010 to expand lanes on a section of the road and will continue until mid-December. This portion of the highway starts about two hours from Guatemala City and continues through the Antiplano and will end in the city of Panajachel and will be named the “Route to the Country Side.” It will open in time for the holiday season this December. All original lanes of the road, however remain open.

“The Route to the Country Side, is one of Guatemala’s most important tourism products, and we are consistently working on making the trip accessible, comfortable and secure,” said Nicole Rohrmann, Director of Marketing for the U.S.A. and Canada at Guatemala Tourism Board. “We hope that visitors to Guatemala will take full advantage of this beautiful scenic route and enjoy the stunning natural landscape and cultural attractions of the region.”

The new promotional route through Guatemala’s Altiplano is a cultural journey through ancient, rich Maya traditions. The region is teeming with towns where the Maya heritage is kept very much alive and where visitors can immerse themselves in this mystical experience. The Altiplano region is also home to some of Guatemala’s most stunning natural beauty, including Lake Atitlán and numerous volcanoes.

Panajachel is the largest city on the shores of Lake Atitlán, where tourism dominates the economy. It serves as a base to visit the numerous indigenous villages around the lake, each with their own distinct culture. But Panajachel is also the ideal place to just hang out and relax, with its dramatic views over three volcanoes that reflect on the waters of Lake Atitlán.

Some of the Panajachel’s main attractions are:

    Museo Lacustre Atitlán – This museum displays the geology behind the formation of the lake and has exhibits tracing the history of the region back to precolonial times
    Reserva Natural Atiltán – A nature reserve with trails that loop through a small river canyon, an herb garden, a butterfly atrium, and enclosures of monkeys and coatimundis
    Shopping in Calle Santander and at the main market (mostly fruits, vegetables and animals, every Thursday) in the old town, next to the Catholic Church
    Visits to the nearby towns of San Juan La Laguna, Santiago de Atitlán, Santa Catarina Palopó and Sololá which all have highly developed arts, crafts and textile traditions
    Outdoor activities around the lake include boating, fishing, paragliding, scuba diving, swimming, and two-wheel touring

For more information on Guatemala please visit http://VisitGuatemala.com

INGUAT is the governing entity responsible for tourism in Guatemala. Its main objective is to promote, support and sponsor internal and inbound tourism, while highlighting the country’s natural and cultural treasures. INGUAT offers a tourist assistance service to individual travelers who require it as well as providing support to tour operators with any tour groups they bring to the country. INGUAT is headquartered in Guatemala City and has an office in New York. Media can also follow INGUAT’s latest developments on Facebook.

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Many Travel to Dominica for Yoga Retreats

Posted on March 5, 2012 by admin

Many Travel to Dominica for Yoga Retreats

Roseau, Dominica (PRWEB) October 25, 2009

The exotic island of Dominica (http://www.dominica.dm) is heralded as a go-to spot by spiritual retreat enthusiasts and curious newcomers alike. The Caribbean island, adjacent to St. Lucia and Barbados, offers a balance of adventurous and relaxing activities. Dominica Web site marketing executive, Samantha Smith, relates that yoga retreats has been a big reason for vacationers to visit along with the many other attractions Dominica has to offer.

Yoga retreats has been a popular enterprise with spiritual enthusiasts for some time, but recently has gained ‘mainstream’ traction, and Dominica is known to be a great setting for a retreat. “People seek yoga retreats for many reasons,” states Smith. “Retreat activities taking place in Dominica involve yoga exercises, organic foods, natural hot springs, spas, and massages. People stumble upon our site and realize Dominica serves as host to these kinds of activities, and become more interested. The original date and geographical origin of retreats would probably be difficult to find, but in recent times, we have seen more people coming to the island for this exact reason.”

Yoga retreats remain a huge attraction, yet are only one reason to visit the exotic, vacation island. “One of the greatest allures about Dominica is that it beholds something for anyone,” relates Samantha Smith. “If a vacationer is looking for relaxation, there are the sun-bleached beaches. If one feels adventurous, Dominica serves host to a plethora of physical activities such as hiking and scuba diving. If a vacationer desires a starlit night involving great people and tranquil ocean sounds, then the island can certainly accommodate them too.”

The vacation island’s Web site, http://www.dominica.dm, includes a lot of information about spiritual retreats and the other things Dominica has to offer its visitors. “For those seeking more information about spiritual retreats, we have a whole section of the site titled, ‘Spa & Wellness’, which can be found off of our homepage,” instructs Smith. “In addition, the Web site features many articles, pictures, and additional resources for those on their way or thinking about visiting our beautiful island.”

Known as “The Nature Island” and located between the French islands and Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Eastern Caribbean, the independent nation of Dominica (pronounced “Dom-in-eek-a”) is the largest and most mountainous of the Windward Islands, encompassing an area of nearly 290 square miles. For more information about our exotic vacation island, visit http://www.dominica.dm.

Contact:

http://www.dominica.dm/site/contact.cfm

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Facts About Laos

Posted on February 27, 2012 by admin

Laos, formerly known as the ‘Lao Peoples Democratic Republic’, is a country that is located in southeast Asia; surrounded by countries like Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and China. This small, land locked country, considered to be one of Asia’s poorest countries, boasts of traditions and a culture that dates all the way back to 1353 AD which was the time when the Lao Kingdom of Lan Xang was established. The country has had a rough past which included domination by Thailand and later becoming a part of the French Indochina. The economy of the country has flourished significantly since the government started encouraging privatization and opened up to private enterprises. The mountainous geography of the nation is also putting it on the world map as a destination for tourists seeking the thrill of nature and wilderness. Laos is known to attract not only those that love nature, but also those who love ancient places and backpacking across places like the gothic limestone karsts and the historic city of Luang Prabang.

Interesting Information About Laos

The earliest history of Laos can be traced back to a time, 50,000 years ago, when the first modern humans are believed to have come to Southeast Asia.

Chinese ancient texts dating back to the 5th century have mentions of a kingdom in southern Laos and refer to it as Chenla.

The myth of the creation of the Lao people can be read in the book called Nithan Khun Borom. It tells a fantastic story of the discovery of two gourds out of which came dark and light skinned people who later formed the peoples of Lao.

The kingdom of Lan Xang, established by Fa Ngum, was the first extended Lao kingdom and was established around the year 1353.

The reign of King Visoun, which began in 1501, is considered to be the golden era for the kingdom.

Towards more modern times, the kingdom was divided and came under the supervision of Thailand who was later replaced by the French in 1893.

Laos finally became independent on 19 July 1949.

It became a republic on 2 December 1975 and adopted its constitution on 14 August 1991.

Laos is a Communist state with the official language of the government being Lao.

The legal system of Laos is a mix of traditional customs, socialist practices and French norms and procedures.

The official currency of Laos is Lao kip (LAK).

The country is spread over an area of 236,800 sq km and has a population of 6,993,767 as of July 2010.

The country is rich in natural resources like timber, gypsum, tin, gold, and other gemstones.

The highest point in Laos is Phou Bia, which stands at a height of 2,817 m (9240 ft), and the lowest point is the Mekong River at a height of 70 m (230 ft).

The occupation that provides the maximum (about 80%) number of jobs is agriculture.

The main exports coming out of Laos are wood products, coffee, electricity, tin, copper and gold.

The months of May to November are the monsoon months in Laos which is followed by a dry period.

The best time to visit Laos is during the dry spell as the absence of the rains makes travel easy and the temperature is also an accommodating 15 to 38 degrees C.

As far as tourism is concerned, Laos is not an expensive destination to go to, and payments can be made with the Thai Baht or the US Dollar.

The culture of Laos reflects a heavy influence of the cultures of India and China.

Sticky rice, soups, chopped raw meat (Laab – a dish of finely chopped meat served with spices) and food gathered from the forests are common in the meals; especially in the rural areas.

Some minority groups follow the practice of sacrificing large buffalos. However, this practice is now being discouraged by the government.

The government maintains a strict control over the media in Laos.

An interesting thing that some people do when in Laos is to cycle from Luang Prabang to Hanoi; a trip that takes up to 15 days to conclude.

The main places to see in Laos are Plain of Jars, Pha That Luang, Pak Ou Caves, Wat Phu Champasak and Khone Phapheng.

Article from articlesbase.com

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