Win a weekend for two at Helsinki

Win a weekend for two at Helsinki

Radisson Blue Quiz is a new competition which gives a chance to win some cool prizes. All you have to do is to visit the website, answer correctly to all three questions and you might be the lucky winner of a weekend stay for two or a giftcard (1,000 giftcards are offered: 860 worth €20, 120 worth €50 and 20 giftcards worth €100). Radisson Blue are giving away the weekend for two at one of their wonderful hotels in Milan, Madrid, Berlin, Helsinki or Hamburg. In order to participate in the competition you have to fulfil the eligibility criteria. More specifically, the participation is exclusively opened to persons who are domiciled in the European Union and who are at least 18 years old at the time of entering the contest. Simple as that!

I entered the competition having in mind to win a city break at Helsinki. I am interested in visiting this city since it is Finland's hub for cosmopolitan living and because it houses many of the country's landmarks like the Ateneum Art Museum, Temppeliaukio Church, Parliament of Finland or Helsinki Cathedral. As I read on the internet, the classical Helsinki's sights can be divided into an eclectic set of churches and a wide variety of museums. But what I want to see most is the Suomenlinna fortress. It was once the greatest sea fortress in the Baltic, built by the Swedish around 1750 in order to protect their eastern flank. Today, Suomenlinna is still living in its own time with only old buildings, few cars and inhabitants, and lots of old fortifications or catacombs. But it's not just a museum: the complex houses restaurants, cafes, and museums, being also a very popular place for picnics. It is so magnificent!

Hope to win the trip to Helsinki in order to have the opportunity to see these wonderful places. See you there!

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Boracay's White Beach

Boracay's White Beach

Boracay Island is located off the northwest corner of Panay Island, and belongs to the Western Visayas island-group, or Region VI, of the Philippines. In 1990, it was voted by the BMW Tropical Beach Handbook as one of the best beaches in the world and again in 1996 by British publication TV Quick as the world's number one tropical beach. In 2007, Boracay Island topped the list of the World’s Most Popular Beach according to Yahoo! Travel.

White Beach is the main tourist beach of the island. It is about four kilometers long and is lined with resorts, hotels, lodging houses, restaurants, and other related businesses. In the central portion, for about two kilometers, there is a footpath known as the Beachfront Path separating the beach itself from the establishments located along it. In the north and south of the Beachfront Path, beachfront establishments do literally front along the beach itself. Several roads and paths connect the Beachfront Path with Boracay's Main Road, a vehicular road which runs the length of the island. At the extreme northern end of White Beach, a footpath runs around the headland there and connects White Beach with Diniwid Beach.

Thai massage

Thai massage

Thai massage is a type of massage in Thai style that involves stretching and deep massage. This form of bodywork is usually performed on the floor, and the client wears comfortable clothes that allow for movement. No oils are used in Thai massage. It is known in Thailand as nuat phaen boran, which means literally: the ancient manner massage.

For the practicing of this type of massage, the client wears very comfortable clothes and lies on a mat or firm mattress on the floor. It can be done solo or in a group of a dozen or so patients in the same large room. The receiver is sat into a lot of yoga like positions during the entire course of the massage.

The massage practitioner leans on the recipient's body using hands and usually straight forearms locked at the elbow to apply firm rhythmic pressure. The massage generally follows the Sen lines on the body (somewhat like the meridians or channels in the Chinese medicine and Indian nadis). Legs and feet of the giver can be used to fixate the body or limbs of the recipient. In other positions, hands fixate the body, while the feet do the massaging action. A full Thai massage session typically lasts two hours or more, and includes rhythmic pressing and stretching of the entire body (it may include also pulling fingers, toes, ears, cracking the knuckles, walking on the recipient's back, and arching the recipient's into the so-called cobra position). There is a standard procedure and rhythm for this massage.

A trip to Kenya

A trip to Kenya

Kenya is a very beautiful country on the east coast of Africa. Its people have diverse and varied cultural beliefs and practices which are interested for a lot of tourists. Here, the most notable is the Masaai culture, represented by a group of people living in the northeastern part of Kenya who still hold on to there cultural practices and beliefs. It is an unforgettable experience to live with these friendly people and being one of them even for a day. Kenya is also the home of a great number of wild animals and birds.

Tourists should visit Kenya because it is a country that is enjoying abundance of peace and prosperity: people have learned to coexist with each other in harmony, the government ensures that the tourism industry is well taken care of etc. For example, an annual budgetary allocation for the tourism industry ensures that tourists enjoy top of the range services making the adventure to Kenya unforgettable.

Today, the eighth world wonder has found its home in Kenya. This is the annual wildebeest migration that takes place in the months of June to September. It is a thrill to watch these animals crossing Mara on there way to Serengeti. The lions, leopards, buffalos, elephants and rhinos are the residents in this beautiful country. And if you will travel through the game reserves and national parks, be sure that the adventure is one you will not forget quickly.

Enjoying a coffee

Enjoying a coffee

Most widely known as coffeehouses or cafés, establishments serving prepared coffee or other hot beverages have existed for over five hundred years. Various legends involving the introduction of coffee to Istanbul at a "Kiva Han" in the late 15th century circulate in culinary tradition, but with no documentation.

Coffeehouses in Mecca soon became a concern as places for political gatherings to the imams who banned them, and the drink, for Muslims between 1512 and 1524. In 1530 the first coffee house was opened in Damascus, and not long after there were many coffee houses in Cairo. In the 17th century, coffee appeared for the first time in Europe outside the Ottoman Empire, and coffeehouses were established and quickly became popular. The first coffeehouses in Western Europe appeared in Venice, a result of the traffic between La Serenissima and the Ottomans; the very first one is recorded in 1645. The first coffeehouse in England was set up in Oxford in 1650 by a Jewish man named Jacob in the building now known as "The Grand Cafe". By 1675, there were more than 3,000 coffeehouses in England.

An Armenian named Pascal established in Paris a coffee stall in 1672 that was ultimately unsuccessful and the city had to wait until 1689 for its first coffeehouse when Procopio Cutò opened the Café Procope. This coffeehouse still exists today and was a major meeting place of the French Enlightenment; Voltaire, Rousseau, and Denis Diderot frequented it, and it is arguably the birthplace of the Encyclopédie, the first modern encyclopedia. America had its first coffeehouse in Boston, in 1676.

The modern espresso machine was born in Milan in 1945 by Achille Gaggia, and from there spread across coffeehouses and restaurants across Italy and the rest of Europe and North America in the early 1950s. An Italian named Pino Riservato opened the first espresso bar, the Moka Bar, in Soho in 1952, and there were 400 such bars in London alone by 1956. Cappucino was particularly popular among English drinkers. Similarly in the United States, the espresso craze spread. North Beach in San Francisco saw the opening of the Caffe Trieste in 1957, which saw Beat Generation poets such as Allan Ginsberg and Bob Kaufman alongside bemused Italian immigrants.

Winning your dream holiday

Winning your dream holiday

Imagine how it would be to win a vacation in a comfortable and modern hotel located near the sandy beach in an exceptional environment with palm trees and greenery on Djerba island. This is possible if you enter the Radisson – Park Inn competition which is running weekly until the 18th of December 2010. There are great prizes, on a weekly basis two winners receiving an iPad and a £250 voucher for Park Inn Hotels, which can be used at over 200 hotels in 16 countries at the restaurant, bar, or simply on the room. Moreover, each participant will be entered into the final draw for one week's stay at Park Inn Manchester, Park Inn Berlin, or Park Inn Ulysse Resort (in Djerba, Tunisia) plus a £300 giftcard.

All you have to do in order to enter the competition is to play online this fun game of 4 in a row. Every time you play the game, no matter if you win or loose, you log in an entry to the competition. The general idea is to try your best at beating the hotel manager at his own game and be in with a chance of winning the mentioned really cool prizes. But in order to be eligible as a participant you have to be at least 18 years old at the time of entering the competition, and to be a resident of the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria or Switzerland.  

The Play 4 Park Inn competition is open from November 18, 2010 until December 18, 2010 as already mentioned. The 7 nights accommodation prize is for two persons and has to be materialized until the end of 2011.

If it is for me to win the big prize I would definitely prefer the vacation in Tunisia. Why? Because Djerba it is not just an ordinary island, it is like a little world of its own. Although a fairly big island, it is also so compressed that the laziest travellers can cover most of it. On the island, there are many villages with almost no towns, each village telling its own story. In conclusion, Djerba is smooth, sometimes startling, and just as charming as enthusiastic Tunisians tell you it is. Hope I transferred you even a small part of my enthusiasm about this place, since it is truly a dream destination for me.

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Discover Napa Valley

Discover Napa Valley

Napa Valley, 30 miles long with a lot of grapes planted on more than 46,000 acres, is located in San Francisco. Known for its sparkling wines, Napa Valley is one of the premier travel destinations in the world. It has incredible locations where you can also find some of the most amazing wineries.

In Napa valley you can find great food and sunshine, and you can always enjoy the view of mountains or valleys covered by vines. With these magnificent and amazing views, fragrant and delicious delights, the Valley is a magnificent place for the tourists. With plenty of attractions, the children can enjoy also the amazing view of the valley while the adults can taste some unforgettable wines or can relax at the health around the area.

These famous tours start from San Francisco Ferry which is the home to ferry plaza farmer market. In California different areas offer wine travel related services, but Napa Valley is definitely the best. Napa Valley tour is an extraordinary way to travel to art galleries, museums and wild life historic sites. Hot air balloon flight is the best option to get to the mentioned historic sites. The tour is full of surprises for visitors which can entertain themselves by visiting the Skyline Wilderness Park, taking a ride with the Napa Valley wine train, going to the Geyser Mountains and to the Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, or by visiting the Sharps teen Museum.

Inspiring young people

Inspiring young people

The Cooperative Membership Fund is a grant scheme, which helps local communities like clubs, community groups or charities throughout the UK. The funds are given by generous members by donating some of their share of profits, which is then given away in the form of small grants. For example, this year the members have donated £1.2 million to local community groups across United Kingdom. To qualify for a grant, the projects must address a community issue, provide long term benefit to the community, support the Cooperative values and principles and also be innovative. In this sense, it has to be mentioned that the Cooperative has real values and true commitments, not just empty corporate mission statements, trying to make the real difference. 

What I liked most about this initiative was the program dedicated to young people ment to inspire them to volunteer in their community. They are supported to become active citizens, and at the same time ways for them to change their world for the better being opened through education or various opportunities. The entire work is set to direct benefit of 250,000 young people across the UK, but the vision is far higher: bringing a cultural shift in the way that young people are viewed and treated. To this end, from gaining qualifications, experience and self-belief, to bringing effectively the change in their communities, the Cooperative Community Fund offers the opportunity for young people to make real differences to their lives. More specifically, the young people are encouraged to enjoy sport, including kitting out 60,000 budding football stars with strips, and sponsoring the Netball Superleague and Activate Sport academies. It is also encouraged their passion for music through the sponsorship of the British Music Experience at the O2 Arena which is enabling 15,000 young people to visit this venue for free.

In conclusion, when you commit to change, you have to make it happen. There are some other great stories behind this project. In order to find something about them, all you have to do is to visit their website.

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Shopping places in Delhi

Shopping places in Delhi

A shopping paradise, Delhi has a lot to offer for the buyers. For instance, the arts and crafts from all the states of India are available in the emporia at Baba Khadag Singh Marg near Parliament. Crafts Museum on Mathura Road offers shawls, pottery and paintings. There are antique shops in Sunder Nagar while Chandni Chowk has had its hold in commercial activities for more than three centuries.

If you are a lover of antique and traditional goods, then you are in the right place. There are shops in Delhi dealing in traditional art and crafts items, precious stones, pottery, brassware, wood work done in rosewood and sandalwood. Delhi's old and traditional shopping market lies in Old Delhi's Chandni Chowk and Central Delhi's Connaught Place. However, there are also new trendy markets in Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar and Karol Bagh where you will find goods ranging from antiques to the latest fashionable items.

Ansal Plaza. A part of HUDCO Place built on 35 acres of land, Ansal Plaza is a shopping complex situated near South Extension, one of the posh markets in New Delhi. The Plaza complex competes with the best international shopping complexes in the world in its architectural splendor, aesthetic details and shopping experience.

Palika Bazar. the underground market in Connaught Place is famous for electronic goods, leather and apparels. There are so many small shops in the markets that you have flexible options to choose from. Bargaining is very much a common feature of this market.

Chandni Chowk. The various markets of Delhi are interesting for having their own distinctive ambience and flavor. In Old Delhi, the congested and most densely populated market of Chandni Chowk has survived for more than three centuries. Strewn richly with historical landmarks, this shopping area has shops, which are more than 100 years old.

Connaught Place. Connaught Place, the horseshoe-shaped market of New Delhi, was designed by Robert Tor Russell and W H Nicholls. It was named after the Duke of Connaught, a member of the British royal family. It was the largest of its kind in India at that time.

Sarojini Nagar. It is located in the posh South locality of Delhi. Also known as SN, Sarojini Nagar, it is one of the most sought after places in New Delhi, from where you can buy clothes and fabrics. The biggest attraction of the place is that here can be found the most stylish outfits in India, at unbeatable prices.

How to choose the best web hosting service

How to choose the best web hosting service

If you are looking for a hosting service, then you will have to take all the necessary time out to choose the right one since there are many different features available when it comes to web hosting. Certain features come standard with web hosts, but others don’t (such as spam-protected email addresses etc). If the last thing you want is an email account that will get flooded with spam, you might want to consider getting this feature when you are choosing your web host.

You will also want to choose how many email addresses you need, because the more you have, the more money you will end up paying. Since this is definitely an important aspect, consider exactly what you need before laying down any money for webhosting services. The amount of disk space will also be an issue, so make sure you know how much you need before you choose a certain package.

There are packages for people who are just starting off, which gives all of the basic tools that are needed in order to successfully launch a website, including the necessary disk space, email accounts etc. There are also hosting packages for more experienced website builders, people who know what they are doing and need some serious features to make their site run efficiently. In conclusion, you will also have to catch up with the latest news, and read related articles in order to be aware of all the available options.

But if you expect to profit from your website substantially, maybe you will have to pay for unlimited features such as email addresses and spam-protected mailboxes. It will be an investment that will ultimately be worthy in the end. The more money you invest, the more you can expect to get back, as long as you use the correct strategy. This starts with figuring out exactly what you will need for your website to run the way it should. You will need to determine how much data needs to be transferred and how much space you will need to do it. After answering all of these questions, you will be able to choose the best web hosting service for you.

Making iced mocha

Making iced mocha

Having a hot coffee on a sunny hot day is actually not so tempting, but that is certainly no need to dismiss the pleasure of enjoying a taste of coffee. The solution is, of course, the iced coffee. Maybe you have tasted it in a coffee shop, but how about preparing it in your own home comfort. Below, I will highlight some great tips to prepare a refreshing iced mocha, which happens to be also my favorite drink.

The beauty of iced mocha is the fact that there are various ways to make it, every way revealing a different taste. Just by including whipped cream and chocolate garnish will certainly add an extra touch on your iced mocha.

For the specific recipe (which should be enough for 4 drinks) you will need some ice cubes, but these will be included at the end. First, you will have to make 4 double espressos and mix them with brown sugar until it melts. Then, take the espresso, add 3 spoons of chocolate sauce and mix it accurately. Put it away for a while and let it cool down, then put it in the refrigerator to make it ice cold.

Right after it became cold, add half a spoon of vanilla and two cups of cold milk. Add everything in a blender and mix it. Put the coffee into 4 tall glasses, then add half cup of crushed ice to each glass. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle a little bit of chocolate garnish. Add a straw and you're simply ready to enjoy it!

Sydney: something for each visitor

Sydney: something for each visitor

Continuously ranked as one of the most popular and desirable tourist destinations, Sydney is known for its ocean beaches, famous landmarks and beautiful harbors. There are a lot of staying options in Sydney: from cheap and affordable to luxury and highly comfortable, your choice depending only on the budget. Sydney, an important hub for entertainment, celebrations and businesses offer everything to makes your trip a memorable one. From special tourist attractions of the city to the beaches like Bondi and Manly and the beautiful harbor front located in the North Shore and Eastern Suburbs, Sydney has something for each visitor.

The hotels can be found in different parts of the city, making its exploring very easy. Tourist guides and car rental services are offered, thus making your visit a relaxing one. In addition, hotels offer spa and massage services as per your budget and requirements.

Popular tourist destinations located in and near Sydney include: Sydney Harbor Bridge, Darling Harbor, Sydney Aquarium, Opera House, Circular Quay and Sydney Wildlife World. The Museum of Contemporary Art, State Theatre, Art Gallery of New South Wales and Sydney Theatre are located right in the heart of this cultural city. The exquisite park lands of the Hyde Park, Centennial Park and Royal Botanic Gardens represents also a must visit and the harbor-side tourist attractions of Watsons Bay, Nielsen Park and Balmoral Beach are the perfect picnic spots.

Becoming a Star

Becoming a Star

So you want to be a star? You have the charisma, the looks and the talent, all combined? Maybe people respond to you, because you simply have that special something needed to make it in the entertainment biz. So how do you get there from where you are?

Even though you will not actually living the life of a celebrity, HP will help you feel like a star. How is it possible? By experiencing the instant fame of a star in your own paparazzi video. They came up with this new interactive video that allows you to embed photos from your computer or your Facebook account in order to see what it would be like to live the highs and lows of the celebrity lifestyle. With all that this implies: giant limousine, crowded parties, picture and name on the cover of the magazines, and everything else that make you feel very popular.

Below, of course, you will see my HP- Be A Star video. And therefore, for a few moments, I’ve lived the celebrity lifestyle in its entire glory. I’ve shined in my own light, followed my own path, and didn’t worried about the gossips, or paparazzi.

 

So, in order to have some harmless fun wasting just a few minutes all you have to do is to make your own video and then share it. You can start by leaving a comment to this post with your direct link of the video in order to let me know how your instant fame experience was. Visit also the HP Facebook fanpage in order to socialize and win VIP products. You will definitely ‘Like’ it!



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Discover Tunisia

Discover Tunisia

Tunisia is ranked by each tourist in accordance with their priorities: some will come for the sea, others for Sahara, and others to discover the secrets of ancient Carthage. But, anyway, more and more people choose to vacation in this country. The main resort area of Tunisia is located along the Mediterranean coast of Hammamet to the island of Djerba. These tourists are attracted by the beaches covered with soft sand, opposite from the capital Tunis side coast until Tabarka, which is practically on the border with Algeria, which is not so popular, due to the beaches driven by rocks.

The options for excursions are not so many, having the opportunity to choose from a set of tours which will be available no matter where you stay: the ruins of Carthage, the largest Roman Coliseum in North Africa at El Jem, Kairouan holy city of Islam, with the oldest mosque and mausoleum on the continent. Besides this, directly in the sand, there are some other entertainment options waiting for you: air balloon, camel racing, horse riding, jeep safari. You can even leave the high dune on a snowboard.

Hammamet is one of the most popular resorts among foreign tourists. Last but not least is the fact that here is the fourth largest thalasso therapy center in the world. Besides this, Hammamet or the garden city of the country of sand, as it is called, has another special value: here it can be found hotels for every taste and price.

If you take the road from El Kantavi to Sousa, at only only 5 km, you will find the town of Sousse. This is not only a major resort, but also the third largest city of Tunisia, older than Carthage. Here should not be missed the museum of mosaic art, the Christian catacombs, or the old fortress. As for shopping, even if in Tunisia you will find mostly small shops with souvenirs and beach items, in Sousse there are a lot of shops, including fashion boutiques.

Fishing for Fun

Fishing for Fun

Fishing is a lot of fun. Actually, fishing with my kids is the best family time we spent. Just getting outside and hanging around by the lake are the best moments we spend together. In the beginning, my kids used fishing as a way to get them to the lake on a nice day. Which is ok, since it gets me outdoors where I bond with nature. There's nothing more relaxing than sitting on the lake in my boat and leaving the stress of everyday life far behind. It soothes the soul, and in this fast world, it's a lot cheaper than a therapist. Also my kids discovered that they love to fish, once we've been out a few times.

When we had first in mind to start go fishing, I had to select the boat wisely. A boat that meets the requirements and objectives on what I want to do with the fish caught are the things to look at when selecting it. Then it comes the selection of the appropriate place that meets the desired duration of the trip. And don’t forget about the tackle, bait, ice and fresh water. The tackle is really a set of pulleys and ropes assembled to facilitate the mechanisms for hoisting and pulling. Bait is for luring the fish. Ice is for keeping fresh the fish caught during the journey. Lastly, the fresh water is for thirst quencher during the fishing trip. Wear comfortable clothes that are suited for a hot summer day. T-shirts and shorts are the greatest clothes to have in mind when you go fishing. Keep in mind that an additional t-shirt will also be helpful. Also, I don’t have to forget about the baseball caps for my kids. This is efficient in shielding the hot rays in the sun during the journey. Bring with you polarized sunglasses to see the fish inside water. After all that preparation, we are ready to go fishing. When we see the variety of fish that can be caught on the lake we go, it feels very good.

And after a couple of hours, when we are all hungry, we get back to the town in order to enjoy a pizza. Since the best place to do that is Pizza Hut, we are always anxious to get there. And they have also this offer of letting kids under 12 years eat free which was available all summer, and which have been extended until January 9, 2011. More specifically, it means that for every adult main course purchased, an accompanying child can choose from either a free 2 course kids meal or a free kids lunchtime buffet which includes pizza, pasta and salad. More details about this offer can be found at http://bit.ly/a1DhgJ.

Besides the Kids Eat Free offer, on the bottom of the receipt you will find also a code, which if it is entered at their website can get you great deals on a wide range of family activities and adventures including holidays, theme parks, zoos and more. In conclusion, it is a pizza to be enjoyed!

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