Archive for July, 2010
Lets Relax In New York City
New York City is perhaps the busiest city in the world. The people here are always running to and fro from work to home to meeting to school functions for their children to dinner you name it and most people in this city are constantly on the move. New Yorkers work hard and they play hard and for the most part you will not find a city full of couch potatoes.
As a result of the constant movement and often constant stress of keeping pace in the city that never sleeps there is a huge demand for spas massages and a service industry that is devoted to helping these over worked over played and over stressed people learn to relax. Of course there are other industries in New York City that are equally dedicated to keeping them awake and alert.
If relaxation is the order of the day you will be glad to know that there is a spa on almost every corner in New York City and if your vacation is one in which you wish to have a relaxing time of things then you may want to select a hotel with a spa on the premises and never walk outside. I can’t imagine being in New York City and staying in my hotel the entire time but for some getting away is the only way they’ll be able to leave work and responsibilities behind in order to truly relax and receive the full benefits of a spa treatment.
In addition to the many spas that are available there are also gyms and sports complexes that will allow you to work out your frustrations or aggressions through physical exertion in addition to the many parks scattered throughout the city that offer places to walk run jog ride bikes roller blade and participate in dozens of other physical activities as well.
If the physical activity and the spa treatment don’t help you reach your relaxation goals then perhaps an evening out is in order. You will find all kinds of ways to spend your evenings in New York City. There are bars lounges comedy clubs dance clubs and simple hotel bars where you can have a nice drink or two to lighten your mood and then head back up to your room without the worry of how you’re going to get back to your room.
Of course many believe that laughter without a doubt is the best medicine for whatever might ail you so the many comedy clubs around New York might be the best place to look for a night of fun and relaxation. Chances are if you’re standing in New York City pretty much anywhere you are kind of near a comedy club. If there’s doubt I can almost guarantee that a bellhop or concierge might be able to help you find one close by and rather quickly.
Then of course there’s the last resort. Well for some for me it’s the first thought that comes to mind for relaxation: hot tub and massage. Not necessarily in that order but either or both is a great way to spend the evening. If you are fortunate enough to have a loved one along with you it is a great idea to share both the hot tub and the massage. While giving massages to each other is nice there is something deliciously sinful about lying beside each other while receiving the royal treatment. You know you will be heading back to reality soon so enjoy this while you can.
About the writer: To learn facts about Florida and facts about Texas visit the US States Facts website.
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Land O Lakes :: A Friendly Florida Community
If there’s one word that personifies Land O Lakes Florida it’s community. Located in fastgrowing Pasco County Land O Lakes combines the friendliness and charm of small town living with the fun of Florida’s sunloving life and play style. Centrally located Land O Lakes is close to everything just a few minutes from downtown Tampa and less than an hour from the Gulf Coast beaches it offers a splendid plethora of activities from biking and boating to shopping and clubbing. With a population of about 20000 Land O Lakes is an unincorporated city in Pasco County one of the fastest growing counties in Florida.
A rural atmosphere and easy access to big city amenities have made Land O Lakes a very popular spot for new developments and there are plenty of homes available. They range from single family homes with up to four bedrooms to cozy studio apartments and townhouses in gated communities. Housing prices are still considerably lower than in many of the Gulf Coast communities even for lakefront property. If you’re looking for a great place to raise a family or enjoy the single life Land O Lakes has a lot to offer.
Recreation
Pasco County is home to thirty four state parks and recreational areas including three canoe trails and the Land O Lakes Recreation Complex which offers canoe and boat ramp access and a full community center. The lake fishing is spectacular and the numerous hiking trails range from comfortable walks to challenging hikes through some of the most beautiful wetlands and meadows in the state.
If your idea of recreation is more social Land O Lakes is a just a short drive from the glittering lights of downtown Tampa. Closer to home Land O Lakes has several annual festivals that sparkle with small town charm including the annual Famous Flapjack Festival the Jellybean Jamboree a Business Expo and Taste of the Towne Festival.
Homes in Land O Lakes
Land O Lakes is a unique and refreshing blend of old Florida architecture and modern construction. Home prices range from 100000 to 1000000 and more for homes that range from cozy lakefront cottages with stunning water views to fullfledged luxury resort homes with lakeside access. While housing prices have risen in the past five years as Tampa has expanded there are still many properties available in Land O Lakes at reasonable prices. Bring your family home to Land O Lakes and enjoy the tranquility of a sunny Florida hometown.
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Kham East Tibet
The news was shocking!
The ticket agent at the Shangrila bus terminal in Zhongdian Yunnan province was happy to tell me over and over in both Chinese and English that yes foreigners can now travel east through the Tibet Autonomous Region to Lhasa overland and without a permit! I really couldnt believe what I was hearing but rather than falling down in rapture I agonized over taking advantage of this new policy or continuing as planned on my alreadypaidfor governmentauthorized oneweek tour across Kham to Lhasa. Ultimately it would have been silly for me not to choose the latter.
The decadeold Land Cruiser was in surprisingly good condition having driven through Tibet 99 times. We set out through northern Yunnan to the crags of Feilaisi finding ourselves at a dizzying 4000 meters above sea level and nauseously breathless to stay overnight at a roadside pilgrimage site of sunbleached chortens windtattered prayer flags and a stunning view of Mingyong Glacier.
Bright a light so bright it was hard to believe and early the next morning we continued into undulating hills. Vistas of incomparable beauty revealed themselves with each bend. The forest was a tapestry of earthy shades in orange purple browns and greens both light and dark. With the iridescent blue sky and cottony white clouds above us we traced perilous dirt switchbacks whose collapsing shoulders threatened to toss us hundreds of meters below into the Mekong River; it looked peaceful enough from above its banks and farmland dotted with eyecatching whitewashed adobe homes that seemed to beckon us into Tibet.
Xizang! our driver called out. In fact we had been in Tibet for half a day but how could we know without having crossed any sort of border or being stopped by officials asking to see our papers? We had to remind ourselves that entering Eastern Tibet was now a permitless process and all the checkpoints on our maps and guidebooks were recently abandoned. We celebrated our unbeknownst entry into the TAR Tibetan Autonomous Region by spending the day in the small dusty city of Markham. Winding down from its weekend market the city was brimming with the splendor of the traditional Khampas population: goldenskinned women with their long striped dresses and colorful plaits and largesized men with lengthy braided hair woven with red Chamdo tassels and a solid jade hoop. We were greeted by dozens of redcheeked runnynosed children dancing around us. My European traveling companions were constantly surrounded by a crowd of curious adults who took turns running their fingers along the thick blonde leg hairs then letting out a collective fascinated murmur.
Traveling through Eastern Tibet can be compared with experiencing the four seasons in just a matter of days. While we started with clear skies and venerable forests the next morning took us into icy tundra. Ascending 99 bends into the Hengduan Range the mountains seemed to freeze over before our eyes. At 5008 meters we reached the highest altitude of our trip.
At the bleak Dongdola pass we encountered a settlement of nomadic shepherds drokpas living in black tents while herds of emaciated yakcows grazed the surrounding frozen pastures. These gentle people of an inhospitable land were dressed in simple handwoven attire but they were extravagantly accessorized in coral turquoise and silver jewelry. These shepherds had seen few white faces in their lifetime. One drokpa family had yet to see a digital camera and they were mesmerized by the sight of their own images on the LCD screen.
At Pomda a noisepolluted junction of logging trucks and tractors we met a bunch of international backpackers and hardcore cyclists sitting at the literal crossroads that connects the northern route of the busy SichuanTibet highway with the lesstraveled southern roads. From there our journey took us through and down into verdant terraced hamlets and patchwork plots of land fed by snow springs over the Salween River to the unbelievably mintblue twin lakes of Rawoktso. Dodging Khams morning traffic of goats lamb and yakcows yes crossbred we pressed on along the boulderstrewn road of the Sundzom Valley past the Parlung Tsangpo white water rapids and old avalanches of frozen snow to Tongmei where we encountered our first real obstacle.
Rumors had been circulating amongst the backpackers wed been meeting on the road about a downed bridge at the Brahmaputra and Parlung Tsangpo convergence which would prevent anyone from continuing on to Lhasa. It turned out the bridge was fine but a landslide on the other side had literally wiped the road off the sheermountain face. Anyone wanting to continue on had to either nimbly navigate a narrow footpath or wait a week or longer.
So it was here that we said goodbye to our Land Cruiser and crossed the bridge to meet another driver. The organizer of our trip told us via cellphone from his cozy office in Kunming that the new driver would be waiting just a short walk from the landslide. It turned out to be an arduous fourhour hike up a treacherous mountain path above the Rongchu gorge in the dark of night under the pouring rain of Tibets monsoon season. We braved the muddy slopes deftly crossing washouts and literally dodging falling rocks from above before finally arriving at a construction workers tent made from a giant nylon bag. The Israeli and British backpackers decided to stay while my companions and I trekked onward in search of our new driver.
With our new vehicle and driver we headed onwards toward Lhasa. Passing vivid fields of yellow youcai flowers we arrived at the famous Draksumtso an azure lake and lush Alpine forest which would have been breathtaking had it not been for the sea of baseball capwearing tour groups the isolated beauty of Eastern Tibet was behind us.
About the writer: TOM CARTER is the author of ‘CHINA: Portrait of a People’ a definitive 600page book of photography due out winter 2007 from Hong Kong publisher Blacksmith Books.