Zoocap » Travel

National Parks are the Jewel of the Canadian Rockies

Ann — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 05:00:00 +0000

North America is known for its rugged wilderness and both the United States and Canada have taken great strides in protecting some of that wilderness from development. Travelers who want to explore the wild beauty of the Canadian Rockies will find that there are several national parks around the town of Banff Alberta that both protect the natural environment and allow visitors to experience the stunning sights and sounds of the region.

The main parks in the region are Banff National Park, Yoho National Park, Jasper National Park and Glacier National Park . They encompass mountains, forests, lakes, hot springs, glaciers, and lots of wildlife. There are several small towns and villages in the area that provide lodging, shopping and dining for visitors to the parks.

Hiking is perhaps the most popular way of exploring the parks. Visitors can also tour the lakes by boat or canoe and they can explore designated trails on horseback or bicycle. There are scenic drives through mountain passes and along glacier highways as well as trails and loops that are ideal for wildlife watching. In recent years companies have started offering helicopter and airplane tours of the region to give visitors a different view of the area.

National Parks are the Jewel of the Canadian Rockies is a post from: Zoocap

A Trip to Tusayan

Ann — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Few people have heard of the town of Tusayan . As of 2010 it is officially the smallest incorporated town in the state of Arizona. Prior to that it was an unincorporated village. Those that have heard of it think of it as an extension of the Grand Canyon, since it is located only a few miles from the South entrance to Grand Canyon National Park and derives almost its entire economy from visitors to the park.

Located in Coconino County, the 2000 census indicated that Tusayan had a population of 562. It is the area of the town that makes it the state’s smallest, measuring a mere .225 square miles or 144 acres. It is the home of the Grand Canyon National Park Airport , which serves two airlines, both of which offer sightseeing tours of the Canyon and surrounding areas.

A vast majority of the visitors staying in Tusayan hotels are there to visit the Grand Canyon. The town offers the usual array of stores, hotels, and restaurants that is expected at a tourist resort. It is also located within easy driving distance of Flagstaff and Sedona as well as Lake Powell and Las Vegas, making it a good home base for travelers who want to explore the region.

A Trip to Tusayan is a post from: Zoocap

Overseas Health Insurance Options

Ann — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Overseas trips bring a lot of decisions and preparations. Health insurance should be a priority to anyone making overseas travel plans, but, unfortunately, many people don’t see the value of this type of insurance. The dangers of international travel aren’t limited to lost luggage, canceled flights , or risk of terrorism. Anyone can break an arm, get in a car accident, or come down with a serious virus or bacterial infection without warning. If that happens to someone while they are overseas, they will be forced to pay the costs out of pocket or be at the mercy of the charitable policies of a given country — unless they have visitor health insurance of some kind.

There are a variety of options available when choosing overseas health insurance. The most common solution is a global health insurance plan that provides coverage in almost any country in the world. These policies usually include provisions for emergency treatment, medical evacuation , and prescription replacement (including glasses, hearing aids, and other medical equipment). Those planning long-term trips can get policies that include preventative care and cover pre-existing conditions.

If a trip is limited in geographical scope, it is possible to get insurance for one country, such as India, or a region, such as Asia. These plans will be targeted to the health care system of that region. The options are nearly limitless. For example, Bajaj Allianz travel insurance offers specialized plans for senior citizens, for families, for those taking multiple trips in a single year as well as more generic plans and region-specific plans.

Overseas Health Insurance Options is a post from: Zoocap

Popular Galleries and Architectural Landmarks of Montreal

Ann — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Montreal is one of the most popular cities in Canada for foreign tourists to visit. It has also been recognized, repeatedly, as being one of the most livable and beautiful cities in the world. This is due to a lot of reasons, and one is the enormous welcoming and friendly nature of the city atmosphere, though it is also largely due to the fact that Montreal is just plain beautiful. The cityscape is incredible and the architecture represents a diverse history of styles and genres. A large number of the city’s buildings also serve as some of its historic landmarks. There are also a number of acclaimed cultural attractions.

There is plenty to do and see for the guests in one of the Montreal hotels . Having a strong traditional basis in French culture and language, there are some fine French restaurants. And while it seems like you couldn’t go wrong with anything you choose to do in this great city there are some things that are at the top of many tourists’ list and are considered to be must see attractions. The Notre Dame Basillica is one of the most popular places to visit and is the city’s oldest Catholic church. The enormous amount of stained glass is one of the inviting features of this building that dates from 1656. There are a number of museums and galleries in the city and L’atelier de sculpture du Village has some of the most beautiful statues and sculptures in the city. These are just a couple of the must see location in Montreal, and the city is full of them.

Fort Lauderdale’s Tropical Climate

Ann — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 01:10:00 +0000

One of the reasons Ft. Lauderdale draws so many tourists and visitors every year is the city’s spectacular climate. Located just north of the Tropic of Cancer , also known as the Venice of America, features a topical monsoon climate with muggy, humid, and hot summers.

Summer is also the city’s wet season, when most of the rain falls. Fort Lauderdale receives an annual rainfall of slightly more than 63 inches, making it one of the wettest cities in the country. While that sounds like a lot of rainy days, Fort Lauderdale is actually mostly sunny. Monsoon rains pour down in tropical deluges from May to September. Temps range in the high 80s and low 90s with high humidity. However, if a summer storm blows through in the afternoon, it usually takes the humidity with it, leaving a cool and beautiful summer evening and night.

It’s the rest of the year that attracts the most beach lovers to the area’s best hotels. Ft Lauderdale has a significantly lower humidity once the monsoons are over and the winter month’s offer an average daily high temperature of 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit. Nightime temperatures however around 59 degrees Fahrenheit and rarely fall below 40F.

Fort Lauderdale’s Tropical Climate is a post from: Zoocap

TOGO in Dallas

Ann — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Texans will have the chance to enjoy 45,000 sq ft of food, music and fun at TOGO 2010, which stands for Taste of Greenville Avenue . TOGA showcases the more than 30 eateries located on Greenville Avenue and will have additional public service booths and business exhibitors. In addition to the incredible food, there will be music and family activities throughout the event on Saturday, October 23rd.

Organized for a second year by the Greenville Avenue Restaurant Association , the spotlight is on the food. Participating restaurants will offer up their best menu items in sample size portions for only $2 a pop. This will allow attendees to sample a wide range of restaurants and will level out the competition between eateries based on price.

Entertainment for the event will include local musical groups, including the Woodrow Wilson High School Marching Band and local school choirs. There will even be a jalapeno eating contest, currently scheduled for 12:15 that should offer lots of fun for the crowd. ArtLoveMagic will also be performing throughout the event. The group celebrates local poets, artists, illustrators, and musicians.

Restaurants already scheduled include Nandina’s Asian Tapas, Ali Baba Lebanese Grill, Texadelphia, The Blue Fish, Dodie’s Cajun Diner, and Bliss Raw Cafe . Some of the public service booths at the event will include Dallas Fire & Rescue, Griffey’s House, the Office of Emergency Management, and various political groups.

Last year’s event drew over 4,000 festival goers, including many from area five star hotels. Dallas is truly becoming a popular foodie destination.

TOGO in Dallas is a post from: Zoocap

Fort Lauderdale Art

Ann — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 01:10:00 +0000

The 23rd annual Las Olas Art Fair will be held in Fort Lauderdale on October 23rd & 24th. Over 200 regional, national, and international artists and craftsmen will display their works, turning Las Olas into an outdoor gallery. Thousands of spectators are expected to gather at Fort Lauderdale hotels to attend the event, which is ranked as one of the top 100 art festivals in the US.

The Las Olas Art Fair is a juried event, which means that judges carefully select the participants from hundreds of applicants. This ensures only the highest quality original artwork will be on display. The fair requires that all artists remain at the event throughout the weekend, which gives visitors the opportunity to mix with the artists, asking questions, learning about inspirations, and even commissioning specific works. At many large festivals, art lovers only get to view and purchase the art, and perhaps attend a lecture or panel discussion featuring the artists themselves. With artworks priced from $15 to $20,000 for large scale sculpture, there truly is something for art lovers of all walks of life.

Las Olas Boulevard is known as the heart of Fort Lauderdale with shopping, restaurants, spas, fashion, and plenty of art galleries and studios.

Fort Lauderdale Art is a post from: Zoocap

Boston BLT

Ann — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 01:10:00 +0000

In a city as old and diverse as Boston, anyone visiting can find pretty much anything they’re looking for. With an enormous range of live art, from theatre to music and dance, every evening can easily be filled with sublime performances. The only other thing missing from the picture, besides time in a luxury Boston hotel would be the meal before or after the show. And Boston is perfectly suited to accommodate every taste.

There are choices for nearly any kind of cuisine in the world, and the mix of cultures here means that there are generations of expertise running through the recipes. Enough so that it’s possible to get into arguments about who serves the best BLT in Boston. This is great news for chowhounds, because there are choices for everything.

In the BLT realm, however, there seems to be two places that consistently rank on the people’s choices lists. Flour Bakery and Shay’s Pub and Wine Bar couldn’t be more different, and both offer a sandwich worth traveling for. The Shay’s version is the old school BLT, served up on toasted white bread, with nothing extra. At Flour, the “l” becomes arugula, and the bacon is applewood-smoked, and there are other gourmet touches. It all is enough to make one love the city so much that it almost feels like home.

Boston BLT is a post from: Zoocap

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An Event not to miss while visiting Sydney

Ann — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Sydney is one of the largest cities in Australia, so it is obligated to keep its arts and culture events flowing for all the tourists and visitors. From the Sydney Opera House to the Museum of Contemporary Art , visitors will find many activities that begin and end with culture.

Sydney not only has a wide variety of cultural experiences throughout the area, but attractions that go above and beyond expectations. The city does this by investing millions of dollars per year in order to attract tourists to their incredible festivals and events and by keeping it fresh and new. Sydney knows exactly which events will draw in the crowds and they invest heavily with those events to help increase the tourism dollars.

When planning a visit and booking a room at any of the wonderful hotels in Sydney , be sure to consider not only the attractions that happen in the city throughout the year, but consider the events that are happening while on vacation. There are hundreds of wonderful experiences to be had that are within the city limits and some of the most incredible events can be found throughout the city. Taking advantage of some of these unique events will only help with experiencing the best of what Sydney offers. What’s even more incredible is that most events happening in Sydney are free!

An Event not to miss while visiting Sydney is a post from: Zoocap

Marc Chagall Stained Glass Windows in Zurich

Ann — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 01:10:00 +0000

Zurich is an amazing and beautiful city and the tourists who visit it often have a difficult time deciding where they should visit first. One of the most amazing features of the city is its architecture, and some of these great historic buildings also feature spectacular artwork as part of their features. The Fraumunster church, which means our lady’s minster, is one of these and is also one of the great historic buildings of the city. It was built prior to the year 900 and features a choir that dates from the Romanesque period. The stained class choir windows were designed by artist Marc Chagall . During its latest renovation a visitor’s scaffolding was added that allows from some of the most spectacular panoramic views of Zurich you can find anywhere.

Chagall designed the five large stained glass windows in the abbey. Each of these has a dominant color, one of the factors that was prominent to his work, and also depicts a Christian story. The prophets are the subject of one and it depicts the ascent of Elijah. Jacob and his dreams of heaven are the theme if another. Christ and various aspects of his life are a third. The final two windows represent the law and depict Moses looking down on the suffering of his people and Zion, with the triumph and angel that are representative of the end of the world. Chagall was extremely well known and respected for his paintings, and also created a number of great stained glass work. He has windows in churches and buildings in various places around the world. They were installed in Fraumunster in 1970. These are part of the reason the church is a favorite place to visit for the guests in the Zurich hotels .

Marc Chagall Stained Glass Windows in Zurich is a post from: Zoocap