Archive for August, 2009
Make Peru Your Next Travel Destination
Inveterate travelers have a new destination to target since Machu Picchu was voted one of the 7 Wonders of World last year. Previously on the radar of adventure travelers and those with an interest in places of rich cultural history Peru has gone mainstream and it’s about time.
One trip will never do justice to this magnificent land and those who have the good fortune to spend a week or two inevitably leave with the promise of return on their lips. Any trip includes the majestic ruins of Machu Picchu where the experience is so much more than the ubiquitous photographs of green mountains and vast terraces can capture.
Walking the paths through the “Lost City” is a privilege and an unfathomable luxury when you consider that in most other countries this historical monument would be cordoned off and only available for viewing from behind carefully guarded ropes. Llamas roam the lower grassy areas lounging in the warm sun while guides at chosen vantage points explain the construction of the Incan walls made from tons of stone transported from miles below to build this fortress that was never discovered by Spanish conquerors.
Colonial cities were built by the Spaniards with a Plaza de Armas in the center of each. The beauty of these main squares with their soaring Cathedrals and stately City Halls is marred by the knowledge that they were often built on the foundations of Incan temples torn down to impose Colonial rule and replace the Incan worship of the Sun and the Moon with the religion of the Catholic missionaries. While modern Peruvians are proud of the beauty of their cities they also carry in their hearts a love for their true heritage.
When Colonial rule was established in Peru the choice of Lima as the Capitol City for the Viceroyalty brought with it many waves of immigration creating a melting pot not unlike that of the United States. This mix of cultures and races is most dominant in the exquisite cuisine of the country. Complex and varied the dishes range from seafood on the coasts to guinea pig and alpaca in the highlands. Stews sautes ceviches and soups with flavorings and techniques that represent fusion cuisine long before it became famous in the modern culinary world. A taste of Peru in the literal sense becomes a longing that lingers long after the vacation ends.
While the flavors of Peru are difficult to transport home the superior craftsmanship of the artisans is not from the rich textile traditions to the ancient traditions of silver jewelry artisans. A visit to the artisan markets in each of the small provinces in the country is a highlight of any trip. Unique treasures abound and a tourist with a discerning eye can gather a suitcase full to give as gifts or keep as a reminder of moments spent suspended in the magic that is Peru.
About the writer: Elaine Rojas is a writer entrepreneur and inveterate traveler who shops artisan markets around the world. To see some of her Peruvian artisan treasures visit her site Tikanchay.com which showcases Peruvian silver jewelry handcrafted by master artisans who produce only the highest quality silver jewelry.
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Learn How To Save Money When On A Cruise Holiday
For many of us we wait all year and save all year to go on holiday and when we do go on holiday we like to make it worth while which is why so many of us now opt to go on cruises. However with aspects such as the current economic climate there has never been such a need to find means of saving money whilst on holiday and cruises are no exception. So just how do you go about saving money whilst you are on a cruise?
Believe it or not if you are thinking of booking a cruise you can save money from the moment you book through to when you are actually on your cruise so lets start with when you are booking your cruise. Either book really early or very late as either way you could typically find yourself saving between 10 and 40 percent. When you are booking you may wish to think about enlisting the help of a travel agent as they will be able to gather information from you that they can use as a means of gaining you the best deal from a cruise line. What will help you on top of this is the fact that these cruise lines are always offering you discounts for particular things such as discounts for people on their honeymoon family reunions senior citizens and frequent cruisers as well as groups and military personnel.
Before you do decide to go on a cruise with one of these travel agents it is important that you look at the other options open to you to do this successfully you should get yourself on the Internet. This is a great place for you to shop around and gather tips etc. By doing this you will ensure that you are getting the best deal possible also you are more likely to discover deals that are operating at the moment so keep your options open.
When you are booking your cruise you should look into the different cruise lines to see who offers you the best options and deals. As well as this you need to take on board aspects such as your cabin. The cheapest cabins available will be those inside the ship i.e. the ones with no balcony or windows. This isnt exactly something that you should concern yourself with too much for the fact you will unlikely be spending most of your time in your cabin anyway. You probably wont be in your room unless you are sleeping so does it really matter too much what type of cabin you stay in?
One of the biggest ways to save money when it comes to a cruise however is through the destination you choose and the time of year you choose to go. With cruises a lot of people automatically think that they can only go to places such as the Caribbean or Alaska etc this however isnt the case. Most if not all cruise lines now operate trips such as European River Cruises and Transatlantic Cruises. These are cheaper alternatives that offer you the same stunning views and scenery as well as ensure that you can still partake in activities you would on larger cruises. If however you have your heart set on a destination such as Alaska all is not lost. Opting for the early or late season months such as May early June or September will offer you some huge savings in fact you could be saving as much as half the money you would pay to visit places such as Alaska in July or August.
Another major saving comes within sightseeing/excursions. With shore excursions chances are you could have eight to eleven hours to explore. However depending on how close the port is to the city you could end up spending hours travelling and this could have cost you a lot of money when you booked the tour. This is why in many cases you shouldnt book your shore excursions as part of your cruise; you should make the arrangements yourself. By doing this you can use a variety of modes of transport getting you to the city quicker instead of using whatever the cruise line/travel agent laid on also you will find that you enjoy the experience a lot more.
By organising your shore excursion yourself you can go wherever you choose and decide how you want to spend your time. You will be saving yourself money doing this but you will also be providing yourself with a much more authentic experience as well.
If you are hoping to book a cruise in the near future then my advice to you is to keep aspects such as the above in mind. The more ways in which you can save money the better and by doing it in ways such as the above you wont be taking away any of the fun or enjoyment out of your holiday but you will have peace of mind knowing you havent overspent.
About the writer: Carla Prosser is an experienced cruiser and regularly writes articles for www.idealcruising.co.uk
Komodo Diving Liveaboard
Located 200 nautical miles east of Bali Komodo National Park nestles between the large islands of Sumbawa and Flores all of which are part of Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Islands Nusa Tenggara on current maps.
It transgress some islands when cruising to Komodo. Diving liveaboard komodo with Sea Safari Cruise start from Bali and will layover in Moyo Island Tora Longkoy Rinca Satonda and Nusa Kode. All of island s have amazing underwater habitat.
Komodo Island and national park reserve offers just about every type of tropical diving imaginable from calm and colourful shallow reefs alive with hundreds of colourful reef fishes and crammed with invertebrates to currentswept deep water sea mounts walls and pinnacles patrolled by sharks tuna and other big fish.
The variety of marine life for scuba diving in Komodo rivals the world’s best dive destinations. This is the world’s epicentre for marine diversity and you’ll see loads of stuff here on a diving cruise that you just won’t see anywhere else in the world From whale sharks sunfish mantas and eagle rays to pygmy seahorses ornate ghost pipefish clown frogfish nudibranchs and blueringed octopus all at home amongst a spectacular range of colourful sponges sea squirts tunicates and corals a macro enthusiast’s heaven.
Geologically Komodo and Rinca are part of Flores separated from Sumbawa to the west by the Sape Strait. In the middle of the strait the bottom drops to almost 300 metres. The many islands and relatively shallow seas between Flores and Komodo’s west coast mean very fast currents at tidal changes especially when the higher tidal waters of the Pacific in the north flow through into the Indian Ocean to the south. The upwellings from the deep surrounding seas bring nutrients and plankton to keep the Komodo waters rich and wellfed.
Unlike other parts of Indonesia the reefs around the south of the islands have suffered relatively little damage from dynamite fishing. Much of the area now lies within the protection of the national park. The shallow reefs between Flores and the northern region however were bombed in the past but are now recovering their former splendour. The affected area covers around 15 of the archipelago and even here steep dropoffs and currentswept points offer excellent Komodo diving.
The island is also famous for its Komodo dragon monitor lizard the largest lizards in the world. An alert and agile predator and scavenger that can reach 2.5 metres in length and 125 kg they are known locally as ‘Ora’ and now about 1100 inhabit the island and about half that live on nearby Rinca Island.
About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;I’m 28 years old webmaster in cruises company and manage Diving Sea Safari and Sea Safari Cruises I live in Bali the paradise island in Indonesia.
Your travelling nit complete before you go to Bali and Indonesia archipelago. Explore all in my sites for more dive and cruise informations.