Rome in winter is no less interesting than in summer. Besides there’s no sticky heat which is a characteristic feature of the summer Rome. When chilly outside it’s much nicer to drop in at a café and have a cup of hot chocolate! After reading several guide-books a head is in a muddle: the Colosseum, the Pantheon, Piazza Venezia…But the experienced travelers and Rome-admirers say it’s better to get acquainted with the city leisurely, step by step looking round Rome. Firstly, one should find a green information booth and to take a city map. Secondly, it’s a good idea to get on the tram #3 or #8. They circle round the city so you have a chance to see the whole Rome through the glass windows. The tram will surely pass the Colosseum and after its examination you can turn to Fori Imperiali and take photos. Read more… »
Archives for the day Saturday, May 10th, 2008
10 May
Antarctic Trips - Travel Insurance Is Vital!
Posted on 2008 under Travel Insurance | No CommentIn November 2007 the MS Explorer, carrying over 150 tourists and crew hit an iceberg in the Antarctic and sank. Miraculously, no souls were lost or turned into human lollipops, but it was a terrifying ordeal and a lucky escape for those onboard. Perhaps it was a timely and sobering warning that this type of tourism should never be marketed like a Disney attraction. Let’s hope it also served as a warning to those who think travel insurance is an unnecessary expense!
Trips to the Antarctic have become very popular in recent years with tourists heading south in their thousands. Have our fears about global warming and climate change caused this massive migration to the Poles to see the magnificent glaciers and landscapes before they disappear? Al Gore has to be commended for his efforts, but is he to blame? Or should we blame all the cute penguin films, like Happy Feet?
At one time it was a place only visited by explorers and scientists and not looked upon as a tourist destination, but times are changing. Conservation groups are concerned about the impact of so much tourism on the environment and calling for limits on the number of visitors.
Most trips to Antarctica are made on ships departing from locations in South America. The routes are designed to take in areas where the largest amount of wildlife can be viewed. There are faster ways to see Antarctica though. For an aerial view you could take a tourist flight departing from Australia or New Zealand. It’s a round trip of about eight hours. Whichever way you do it you’ll be leaving a carbon footprint with your happy feet and stinking up the pristine air! This new type of adventure tourism seems here to stay. Like a penguin slithering down an icy slope to the sea - it can’t be stopped.
With the ice sheets melting at a frightening rate, sea levels look set to continue rising. Despite this, Antarctica holds the record for the world’s lowest recorded temperature at -129°F (-89°C) during 1983. You wouldn’t even be able to say ‘Brrr’. It’s hard to imagine. I experienced -28°F in Colorado and saw a cat frozen as stiff as a board. When you stood it up it looked alive with tail held aloft in a friendly but icy greeting. My friends stood it next to their mail box to greet visitors (sentimental they are not, those leathery ranchers). I’ve heard that freezing is the most painless way to die but I’d prefer not to test that theory personally - and it’s too late to ask kitty.
In case you’re unsure, Antarctica is located in the southern hemisphere, around the South Pole. The Arctic is north. (You’d be surprised how many people don’t know). All but about two-percent of Antarctica is covered with ice. Many people mistakenly believe there are polar bears in Antarctica, but they are only found north in the Arctic regions.
Antarctica has dormant volcanoes and an active one at Mt. Erebus on Ross Island. The highest peak is Vinson Massif at over 16,000 feet (approx. 4,890m). We are familiar with the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) but in Antarctica the phenomenon is known as the Southern Lights, or Aurora Australis. Antarctica has no government and belongs to no country, although various claims have been made on parts of it. It still belongs to the penguins and I vote they continue to rule! At least when a penguin makes a fool of itself it’s cute and funny - in contrast to most politicians.
Many brave explorers risked their lives in the hostile environment, icicles hanging from their grizzly beards. They had solid, masculine ‘don’t mess with me’ names like Sir Ernest Shackleton, Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen.
Nothing much can survive in such an environment in the way of flora and fauna, other than penguins, fur seals, whales, hardy varieties of algae and lichen and some ugly-looking bugs. There are several species of birds, including Skuas, Petrels and Antarctic Terns, but only a few are passionate enough to breed in those icy temperatures.
Not surprisingly, there are no humans living permanently in the Antarctic, although since the 1700s sealers and whalers have spent time in the area. The research stations run by various governments and agencies are staffed during the summer months, and many year-round. A wide variety of scientific experiments are carried out but the most talked about in recent decades has been the hole in the ozone layer - which is believed to have been caused by us messy humans.
The hole is also being monitored by NASA satellites, or are they really looking for the alleged missing Apollo 11 original Moon walk tapes? Many meteorites and craters have been discovered so who knows what might be uncovered down there. Perhaps they’ll find Amelia Earhart or the missing Child Benefit CDs which our government carelessly lost. Rumour has it the reason the government wants us to carry identity cards is as a back-up system for when they lose our personal data. At least we’ll know who we are, even if they don’t.
It’s not surprising that we want to see Antarctica ourselves but perhaps we should be content with staying in the warm and watching documentaries or films like March of the Penguins. In the animated film Happy Feet, the penguin ‘Mumble’ was unable to sing to attract his true love because he had an awful voice and so resorted to tap dancing to woo her. I didn’t see this particular film, but presume he got his girl in the end - fish breath and all. Whatever they have to do to survive, perhaps we should think more about their welfare and leave them alone. If the ice shelves keep collapsing there’ll be nothing left for them to tap dance their happy feet on.
10 May
Norwegian Cruise Line Reviews of Freestyle Cruising
Posted on 2008 under Cruise Holidays, Cruise Party | No CommentNorwegian Cruise Line Reviews of Freestyle cruising can help you to understand this new concept. Just a few years ago, Norwegian had ships such as The Norway that were all about tradition and formality. The Norway was a dying breed and had its farewell season in 2001, although it still cruised for a few years after that. Now Norwegian is trying to capture a broader passenger base.
Traditional aspects still remain.
One passenger traveled on the Norwegian Dawn, one of Norwegian’s newer ships. There was a focus on art all through the ship. Rather than using contemporary artists, the Norwegian Dawn’s art staff opted for work of master artists. From Van Gogh to Andy Warhol, this is not the kind of art you usually see on a cruise ship. However, it does go along with emphasizing the luxurious feeling of days gone by.
The woodwork and metals are made with the highest quality workmanship and materials. It gives you the feeling that you are in a well-kept mansion or grand hotel lobby. Nowhere in the public areas will you find less than top quality visual effects that signify a privileged lifestyle.
Freestyle Cruising
Cruise lines used to schedule nearly every minute of every day, including where and when to eat. Norwegian wanted to set itself apart by offering a way for passengers to have more choices in how they spent their time. This was a wise move for them because Americans are very inclined to go where they have the most freedom. It is a part of our national spirit.
One of the biggest changes in the way things are done is in the dining arrangements. No longer do you have to dine in the seat, at the table, with the people, at the hour you are assigned. There are many choices of where to eat.
All the different restaurants have different choices of what kinds of foods you like to eat and how formal you like to get. They are open for long periods of time, and with all these variables, you should be able to find a seat in one of them with no problem.
On older ships, and many ships of other lines, people had to get off the ship only when the cruise personnel allowed them to. With Freestyle cruising, you can still get off the ship later if you miss the time when other passengers debark. It keeps you from missing out on seeing the ports of call just because you are a little late.
Norwegian Cruise Line Reviews are filled with information about the Freestyle cruising concept, along with other aspects of the voyages. If you can take some time to find out more about this new type of cruise vacation, you may learn that it is just what you want.