October 27th, 2007
Auckland lies between two harbours — Waitemata and Manukau — and is almost completely surrounded by water.
Distinctively it carries the appellation of City of Sails. In 2000, it won the world-famous America’s Cup yacht race against finalist Italy to retain the Cup which it had won in the preceding series in 1995.
Queen St, running north to south, is the commercial heart of Auckland and it is here that you find the Auckland Visitor Centre at Aotea Square.
This is an essential first stop, unless you have done your homework thoroughly before arriving in New Zealand and know exactly where to go and where to get Auckland Accomodation. Here, you will find all manner of information on what to see and do in Auckland, the City of Sails.
You may want to visit the Auckland museums and art galleries, the gardens, the historic buildings, the activity centres. You may want to drive up Mt Eden for a spectacular view of the city or the bald One Tree Hill with an obelisk dedicated to the Maori, or take a cruise on the harbour.
You can reserve Auckland Hotels starting from $36 per night and there is no upper limit for that, price will vary depending upon your requirements and comfort you want. There are so many Hotels in Auckland to choose from, but you should reserve them in advance to avoid any trouble after arriving there. Do some research over your tour, informations are readily available over the net, you will enjoy touring Auckland, the City of Sails.
October 27th, 2007
If you are a visitor to London, first of all have a good arrangement for your London Accomodation. After all, a good and comfortable accomodation can , by far, do a magic to enhance your joy of tour, whereever it may be.
After you have finished your primary task of arranging for your London Accomodation, you are in a state of peace and then comes the point : which must see places should you visit.
Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum and the London Planetarium are must sees for any London traveler. Over 2 million people visit the museum yearly and this makes it the tourist destination of choice. It can be very crowded with so many people wanting to see it.
A grisly past accompanies the wax museum but that hasn’t stopped it from becoming a world famous destination. It began in France in the 18th century with Madame Tussaud using people that were chosen to die via the guillotine as subjects for wax death masks. Two of the more notable ones were Louis IV and Marie Antoinette. These wax figures as well as other well known historical figures and even some of today’s Hollywood celebrities are on display in the museum. The very strange display even includes examples from Dr. Curtius who was Madame Tussaud’s teacher.
After Madame Tusaud relocated from Paris, France to London in 1835, she opened the museum. As a result of always updating the collection throughout the years, the museum has something that will interest most visitors.
The chamber of horrors will frighten most children as it portraits murder and bloody warlords, even though it does so with amusement in mind. Great to see if you are a blood and gore fan.
If you have a desire to see wax figures of the famous, then visit the Garden party. You’ll be able to see sport stars as well as movie stars along with important historical and modern figures. If you prefer to see royalty, government or figures from British history, then make sure to visit the grand hall.
Be sure to include the ride The Spirit of London in your visit. It will carry you through 4 centuries of British history, including the sights and sounds from the era of Jack the Ripper.
The wax figures that you will see at the museum are so real looking that you might find yourself talking to them! Because they are so lifelike and with exhibits portraying execution, perhaps this is why the Chamber of Horrors is so frightening to children and many adults. Only the best of craftsman will find employment at Madame Tussaud’s.
If you purchase an admission ticket to the wax museum, you’ll also receive one for the London Planetarium, whose name as been recently changed to The Auditorium. You’ll be entertained with a 10 minute show that depicts the London sky.
You can travel to both the wax museum and the planetarium by using the London Underground Subway System also known as the tube and taking the Baker Street exit near Regents Park. Try to arrive as early as you can due to the heavy volume of tourists but even doing that will find you waiting about 20 minutes.
Oxford is really a world all its own. It is the oldest English speaking university in the world, there has been an educational institution in Oxford since 1096 and many of the present day buildings date back that far. Lewis Carroll, the author of ‘Alice in Wonderland’; C. S. Lewis, author of ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ and J. R. R. Tolkien, author of ‘The Lord of the Rings’, all went to Oxford at the same time. They would meet at a pub called ‘The Eagle and Child’. I ate lunch there and had a wonderful time imagining the three of them sitting at a table and fantasizing about alternate realities and worlds.
Stratford-Upon-Avon : Shakespeare’s home. The town itself is awe inspiring because so much is still like it was in the 1500’s.
There is a tour called ‘The Living History Tour’. Leeds Castle in Kent, which is described as the ‘loveliest castle in the world’. It’s in the middle of a lake! It really is pretty really interesting and entertaining. There are people dressed like they must have been five or six hundred years ago, performing little plays and carrying on jobs like they would have in those centuries. Visit Canterbury. You wouldn’t believe the Canterbury Cathedral; it is so grand and beautiful! It overwhelms you to walk around inside and imagine Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury being killed there. There is also a wonderful Chaucer museum in Canterbury where there are little role-plays being put on based on Chaucer’s stories. It is mesmerizing to walk around this area and just soak up the history, energy and thoughts of the people that have lived and died in this wonderful city.
Somerset House : if you ever go to London, be sure and visit this beautiful place. I hate to call it a house because it was spread out over an area the size of an American block. It was huge, with an open area in the middle containing diverse gardens and dancing fountains.
Check out the Sherlock Holmes Museum at 221 B Baker Street. It is a cornucopia of scenes and characters from the many books about the Sherlock Holmes escapades. From the Sherlock Holmes Museum take a bus to Bloomsbury. Walk by Virginia Woolf’s home on Fitzroy Square where she would often stand looking out the window while she worked on her books.
After a lot of walking around finally find the Charles Dickens Museum; in case you can’t tell, I’m fascinated by authors. It’s in the Dickens’ Bloomsbury home.
But, mind it, a London Accomodation arrangement fitting your budget is a must first of all, have a comfortable stay, a good experience of visiting london.
