Las Vegas

"Viva... Las Vegas!!!!" I'm sure you have heard of this. If you wanna elope and get married or gamble all night long, Las Vegas is the place and perhaps that's why it is also known as the Gambling Capital of the world or the Marriage Capital of the world. Vegas belongs to state Nevada, USA. Vegas is also world popular as a favourite holiday destination with lots of shopping places, hotels, chapels, casinos etc. With the neon/ helium lighting systems, all time crowded streets, Vegas is definitely a beautiful place in the world that everyone should take a chance to visit.

The city is located on a desert area yet the city has considerable amount of green and wild life. There is a bit scarcity of water though. Snow fall is not often but not at all unseen. Vegas' climate is subtropical desert climate. Vegas summers are usually hot and winters are considerably mild. 

Vegas economy is basically fueled by tourism, casinos, hotels, restaurants, gaming and conventions. Casinos and hotels in the area include La Bayou, Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel, California Hotel and Casino, Fremont Hotel and Casino,  Main Street Casino, Golden Gate Hotel and Casino, Golden Nugget, Plaza Hotel & Casino,  Amtrak,  El Cortez, Fitzgeralds, Four Queens, Gold Spike Hotel and Casino and the Las Vegas Club.

Other attractions of Las Vegas include the Neon Museum,  Las Vegas Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, Lied Discovery Children's Museum and the Old Las Vegas Mormon State Historic Park. Vegas also has a Zoo which is known as the Southern Nevada Zoological-Botanical Park and it is home for about 150 species of animals. Vegas also has numerous parks , golf courses, sport areas which include Las Vegas Springs Preserve, Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, Angel Park Golf Club, Desert Pines Golf Course, Durango Hills Golf Club, Las Vegas Municipal Golf Course, 5 dog parks, 9 community centers, 8 senior centers and 20 sports facilities including 9 skate parks and 6 swimming pools.

Travellers' Guide

Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas 

3960 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89119

1 (702) 632-5000

Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas 

3752 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, NV 89109

+1 (702) 590 8888

Platinum Hotel and Spa 

211 E Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89169

702.365.5000

Staybridge Suites Las Vegas 

5735 Dean Martin Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89118

877-859-5095

Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa 

11011 West Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89135

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The Burj al arab hotel

Well, it's not everyday that you can spend a good fine and a luxurious holiday in a grand hotel with all the quality services only a thought away. And not every hotel in the world can do that. And above all not every hotel in the world has the seven star rating (only some say so) but the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai. The hotel is definitely a five star rated Hotel anyways. With a unique architectural scale rising up for a height of 321m with 70 floors, the hotel is the most luxurious and the fourth tallest hotel in the world. It stands on an artificial island away from the mainland, Jumeirah beach connected by a bridge. 

As you can see, the shape of the building is a sail of a boat, a deign concept by the architect Tom Wright and the construction was by Rick Gregory. The artificial island's construction began in 1994 and the building was open to public since 1999. The island has to be a secure and a solid one to bear up the weight of the building. The constructors drilled 230m concrete piles into the sand and took more or less three years to complete the land area.

The hotel has 205 rooms whose price range is between $1000- $27000 and 8 suites namingly One Bedroom Deluxe Suite, Two Bedroom Deluxe Suite, Panoramic Suite, Club Suite, Diplomatic Suite, Presidential Suite, Royal Suite, Royal Deluxe Suite. Al Iwan, Al Mahara, Al Muntaha, Bab Al Yam, Culinary Flight, Juna Lounge, Junsui, Majlis Al Bahar, Sahn Eddar, Skyview Bar are the restaurants you can see inside the hotel. Al Mahara is accessed via a glass domed submarine voyage which has a seawater aquarium. 

Travellers' Guide

Jumeirah Beach Rd | P.O Box 74147, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
97143017777

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City of Prague

Well, obviously when we talk about beautiful places of the world, how can we forget Prague! But some would say it is just the Capital city of Czech Republic and what so cool about that??? So to those who know and don't know, here we go. Czech Republic was a centre of attraction since ancient times. It is clearly shown by being the capital city of the Holy Roman Empire. Spreading over 496km2, the city is home for many attractions like Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, the Jewish Quarter, the Lennon Wall, Petřín hill, its museums, galleries, theatres etc. 

If we explore through the history of Czech and Prague, it was said that Libuše and her husband, Přemysl, found the city Prague. They were the first to built a fort in the area which now is the Prague Castle. A cathedral was founded there in 1344 and by those times and earlier Prague was a place of slave market. Prague became an imperial capital under the guidance of Charles IV. Among his creations are the Charles Bridge, the New Town, Gothic Saint Vitus Cathedral and Charles University. In 1576, Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II selected Prague as his home. His reign was fair and well and famous people like astronomers Tycho Brahe and Johann Kepler, the painter Arcimboldo, the alchemists Edward Kelley and John Dee, poetess Elizabeth Jane Weston lived there during his time. 

Prague was selected as the capital city for Czechoslovakia at the end of World War 1. During the times of World War 11, Prague witnessed many assassinations and destruction by Adolf Hitler. In 1993, Czechoslovakia was split and Prague became the capital of Czech Republic. 

Prague can be identified as a city full of artistic inspirations. Fine examples like its national museum,  Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Prague State Opera, Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague, National Gallery show that very well. And it is guessed that due to presence of such beauty with a touch of art is the reason for many film makers, singers to choose Prague as their location. The famous city attractions are, St. Vitus Cathedral which store the Czech Crown Jewels, Old Town Square, The Astronomical Clock, The vaulted Gothic Old New Synagogue, Wenceslas Square, Malá Strana, The Lennon Wall, Písek Gate, The New Jewish Cemetery in Olšany, The Metronome, The Dancing House, The Mucha Museum, The Prague Zoo, The Nusle bridge with tube for underground.

Travellers' Guide

If you planning to visit Prague, don't forget to visit these hotels too.

Arcadia Residence
Hostivitova 3, Prague 128 00, Czech Republic
+420724027525
Unitas Hotel 
Bartolomejska 308/9 | Old Town of Prague, Prague 110 00, Czech Republic
+420 224230533
Aparthotel City 5
Vltavska 11/667 | Praha 5 - Smíchov, Prague 15000 , Czech Republic
+420602495529
Aria Hotel
Trziste 9, Prague 118 00, Czech Republic
00420225334111
Golden Well (U Zlate Studne)
U Zlate Studne 166 / 4 | Praha 1-Hradcany, Prague 11800, Czech Republic
00420257011213
Alchymist Residence Nosticova
Nosticova 1, Prague 11800, Czech Republic
+420 257312513
Alchymist Grand Hotel and Spa 
Trziste 19 | Lesser Quarter, Prague 11800, Czech Republic
+420 257286011
Santini Residence
Nerudova 211/14 | Prague 1, Prague 118 00, Czech Republic
+420 257195111
Hotel General
Svornosti 1143 / 10 | Smichov, Prague 150 00, Czech Republic
00420 257 318 320

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Hermitage winter palace

Tell me how many of you can afford a Winter Palace??? Not many I guess. But the Russian Monarchs earlier in the 19th century had the privilege though. Yes, that's the Hermitage winter palace which is actually the fourth of its kind located in St. Petersburg. Palace of such grandeur and size cannot be the creation of one so as to say many architects took involvement but Bartolomeo Rastrelli was highly regarded considering his style used in the palace. An exquisite feature we see here is the elongated rectangular shape of he palace almost 250m long with a height of 30m.  It was constructed in 1732, was home for royalty until 1917. The Duchess of Courland was the first owner who ordered Rastrelli to rebuild the neighbouring Apraksin Palace into today's masterpiece. It contains 1,786 doors, 1,945 windows, 1,500 rooms and 117 staircases. 

The Duchess of Courland was not the only one who guided architects to enlarge and add parts to the palace. Catherine II during 1762–1796, headed architects Starov, Giacomo Quarenghi, Jean-Baptiste Vallin de la Mothe and architect Yury Velten to enlarge the palace. She was the reason to call the palatial complex Hermitage. Catherine II made sure she had the best art pieces at her eye so she sent ambassadors in search of such. She however accomplished in gaining six collections which included the works by Rembrandt, Rubens, Titian, Raphael, Tiepolo, van Dyck and Reni. Catherine II was also responsible for the creation of Hermitage Theatre, French taste in the Russian Court.After Catherine II, Tsar Nicholas I was responsible for the complete restoring of the palace which was damaged by the fire in 1837. 

The first flow of the palace is the Piano Nobile which has the tallest windows. The palace also has parts named Great Church, St George's Hall,  Military Gallery,  Battle Galleries, Palace Square façade,  private Imperial apartments, Jasper Room, Malachite Drawing Room, Gold Drawing Room, Imperial staircase, servants' quarters etc.

On 5th February 1852 the first Art Museum  of Russia was opened here as  Imperial Hermitage Museum. The last royal to reside here was Alexander II whose assassination took place at the palace too. On 22nd January 1905 the Bloody Sunday massacre took place in front of the palace which drove the winter palace into darkness after then. Since 1917, the palace was heir-less but was controlled under the Seat of the Provisional Government. With its failing also the the Bolsheviks who revolted against them took over the palace. At the present the Hermitage Winter Palace is seen as a part of the museums open to public. 

Travellers' Guide

If you are planning to visit the palace, you can locate it at 34 Dvortsovaya Naberezhnaya, St. Petersburg 190000 , Russia. T.P. (812)110-90-79. It is open daily except Monday from10:30 am to 5:30 pm and on Sundays till 5 pm. Ticket-office closes 1 hour before closing time.

And make sure you visit these hotels in St. Petersburg.

Admiralteyskaya Hotel 

Ulitsa Aleksandra Nevskogo, 8 | Kolomna, St. Petersburg 190121, Russia

Crowne Plaza St. Petersburg-Ligovsky

61 Ligovsky Prospekt, St. Petersburg 191040, Russia

Nevsky Contour Hotel 

Nevsky Prospekt 88 - 72, St. Petersburg 191025, Russia

Helvetia Hotel 

Marata 11, St. Petersburg 191025, Russia 

Crowne Plaza St. Petersburg Airport 

Startovaya 6, St. Petersburg 196 210, Russia 

Hotel Ibis St. Petersburg Centre 

Ligovskiy Pr 54, St. Petersburg 191040, Russia 

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Baalbek

Whenever we find evidence of highly advanced civilizations from all over the world, that reminds us how important it is to study and understand them. One such civilization is clearly shown by the colossal ruins Baalbek. The site is located at the Beqaa Valley of Leaonon which has many ruins of the ancient Roman Empire. Some excavation evidence show that the site Tell Baalbek belongs to the Neolithic or Iron age. Earlier this was known as Heliopolis which means the city of the sun. City is mainly served as a religious sanctuary with beautiful temples which now stand in ruins.

The city has a complex which is complete with the temples dedicated to gods Jupiter, Bacchus, Venus and Mercury built by the Romans. The city was colonized in 193 by Septimius Severus. If we look into the temples again, the main temple was for the Heliopolitan Zeus aka God Jupiter. There are columns standing surrounding the temples. There were 54 Jupiter columns that raised up to a height of 19m or so. The sloppy condition of the area made the Romans built retaining walls at the cardinal  directions spreading over 19m with 4.3m in height. 

It became likely a customary among other rulers of the Roman Empire to add few things to the sanctuary. The tower-altar opposite the Temple of Jupiter was from Nero in 54-68 CE. The forecourt to the Temple of Jupiter is by Trajan. Temple of Bacchus was from Antoninus Pius while Septimius Severus built a pentagonal temple of Venus. Emperor Philip the Arab added the hexagonal forecourt. 

Baalbek went under an Islamic reign also. Abu Ubaida ibn al-Jarrah in 637 CE got hold of the city which was fortified and renamed as al-Qala. In 1517 it became part of the Ottoman  Empire along with the Syria. The city was also shaken by three earthquakes. 

Travellers' Guide

If you are planning to visit Blaabek, don't forget forget to visit these hotels.

Hotel Jupiter
Rue abdel halim hajjar,
Baalbek , Lebanon
Telephone+961 370 151
Hotel Pension Jammal
Rue abdel halim hajjar,
Baalbek , Lebanon
Telephone+961 370 649
Hotel Shouman
Ras al-ain blvd, Town centre,
Baalbek , Lebanon
Telephone+961 3 796 077
Palmyra Hotel
Rue abdel halim hajjar, Town centre,
Baalbek , Lebanon
Telephone+961 8 370 230

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