Top five tourist attractions in the USA – Part 5

Every country in the World has a tourist attraction that they are proud to call their own. The USA is lucky to have hundreds of incredible tourist attractions. There are, however, five tourist attractions that rise above the others. These are, in no particular order, the top five tourist attractions in the United States of America.

1. The Black Hills of South Dakota. The Black Hills are most famed for being the home of Mount Rushmore, but many people do not realize that the Black Hills offers so much more. The Black Hills attract hundreds of thousands of visitor each year and always provides a World-class vacation that is memorable for the whole family. Other activities in this area include fishing, camping, panning for gold, touring numerous crystal caves, and touring animal refuges. This area of the country is very popular for road trips because of the winding roads and beautiful scenery. Within a half-hour drive of of Rapid City is Mount Rushmore, The Crazy Horse Memorial, The Historical town of Deadwood, Lead (the sight of the largest open pit gold mine), and Sturgis. The centralized location makes it a great place to take a road trip from anywhere in the US.

2. The Las Vegas Strip. The Las Vegas Strip is something that has to be seen to be believed. If you think that the pictures do the city justice, you are in for a surprise. The Las Vegas Strip is an amazing sight at any time of the year. Many people do not consider Las Vegas to be a great tourist attraction because they think it is only a hub for gambling and debauchery. This is a common misconception, and couldn’t be further from the truth. The truth of the matter is that there are literally hundreds of things to do in Vegas aside from gambling. There are far too many things to do in Vegas than can be named in this short article, but there are some great Helium articles devoted to all of the great activities available in Las Vegas.

3. New Orleans. The flooding is over and the city is being rebuilt. This tourist attraction is back in full swing, and is attracting people from around the World again. If you like to celebrate life, you will never experience anything else like Mardi Gras. There is no other city like New Orleans, and life in this city is so unique that it is an experience in its own. The food is another perk of this city, although alligator meat is not for everyone.

4. Hollywood, California. Hollywood is the center of the entertainment universe and offers a unique

Top five tourist attractions in the USA – Part 17

The United States has numerous tourist attractions designed to satisfy everybody’s interests. Here are my choices for the top five tourist attractions in the United States. I have personally been to all of these attractions.

1. Niagara Falls, New York. I realize that most of this natural wonder is located on the Canadian side of North America but there are plenty of attractions on the American side too. There is an aquarium, a haunted house, a family fun center that has mini bowling lanes, a video arcade and several other family oriented areas. Niagara Falls also has a wax museum, a casino and several museums dedicated to the history of the falls. If you have never been to Niagara Falls, you are missing an awesome sight. The website www.Niagara-USA.com offers plenty of information that is very useful for planning your visit.

2. Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis, Indiana. The birthplace of the Indianapolis 500, the Speedway is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. This race, held on Memorial Day weekend, brings thousands of motor sports fans and visitors to Indianapolis not only for the race but also for the parade held the day before. The Indianapolis 500 Parade features floats, bands, equine marchers and all thirty three drivers riding through downtown Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway website, www.indianapolismotorspeedway .com, can give you plenty of information on hotels, restaurants and shopping during your stay in Indianapolis.

3. Churchill Downs, Louisville, Kentucky. Home of the Kentucky Derby, the fastest two minutes in sports and the first race in the Triple Crown races. The Kentucky Derby is held on the first Saturday of May and is restricted to three year old Thoroughbreds, colts and fillies. Churchill Downs opened in 1874 and the first three races held were the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Oaks, and the Clark Handicap. All three races are still run at Churchill Downs with the Clark being held in the fall. The Kentucky Oaks is open to three year old fillies and is run the Friday afternoon on Kentucky Derby weekend.

4. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Nashville, Tennessee. This museum originally located at the corner of 16th Avenue and Division Street, opened on April 1, 1967 and closed on December 31, 2000. The museum offers visitors the opportunity to learn about the history of country music through several floors filled with numerous interactive exhibits. In addition to touring the museum, visitors are also offered the opportunity to visit the Ryman Auditorium, former home of the Grand Old Opry and Studio B, where legendary country music artists like Elvis Presley, Eddy Arnold, Waylon Jennings and Charley Pride all recorded some of their major hits.

5. The Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom, Lake George, New York. This theme park was originally known as Storytown, USA and featured areas dedicated to nursery rhymes and children’s stories. Now this park is part of the Six Flags chain and offers visitors all kinds of roller coasters, thrill rides and entertainment. Some of the rides that were operating when it was Storytown, like Cinderella’s Coach, are still in operation today. Splashwater Kingdom offers a place for visitors to cool off during the hot summer months. I have also visited Six Flags New England in Agawam, Massachusetts and I prefer the Great Escape. In my opinion, The Great Escape is cleaner, prettier and the staff is much more friendlier.

Exploring the Tourist Attractions of Manhattan, New York City

When people talk of visiting New York City, more likely than not, they are referring to visiting Manhattan. Manhattan, an elongated island, is actually one of the five boroughs of New York City, albeit the most famous. It is the home of the skyscraper skyline that is so synonymous with New York City. Most of the tourist attractions are located in Manhattan. This article takes you on an online tour of the tourist attractions of Manhattan, allowing you to explore the sights from the comfort of your desktop. We shall start our journey from the south and work our way northwards.

Manhattan is bound by the Hudson River to the west, and the East River to the east. The island can be split into three main sections namely Lower Manhattan, Midtown and Upper Manhattan. The southernmost section is Lower Manhattan, and at the southernmost part of Lower Manhattan is the Financial District. This is where you find one of the densest concentration of skyscrapers. Facing the sea is Battery Park, a 21-acre park that got its name from the artillery battery placed there by the Dutch and later the British. The Dutch built a fort here called Fort Amsterdam. It is no longer standing. The Americans demolished it when they took over Manhattan from the British. In its place today is the Alexander Hamilton US Custom House, a National Historic Landmark.

When the American realised they needed a fort to defend Manhattan, they built one which is today called Castle Clinton. It was named after, not Bill Clinton, but Dewitt Clinton, the Mayor of New York City in 1815.

Going north from Battery Park, you pass another smaller park, called Bowling Green. The most famous item here is the Charging Bull Statue, an icon representative of New York City’s role as America’s financial capital. The statue was not commissioned: the artist created it using his own money, and had it placed in front of the New York Stock Exchange, NYSE, just a stone’s throw away, as a Christmas gift to the people of New York. The authorities seized
it, but the ensuing outcry from the public led to the Parks and Recreation department putting it in Bowling Green, “on loan” from the artist.

A short distance north of here is Wall Street, home to NYSE. The site of Ground Zero, where the famous World Trade Center towers used to be, is slightly to the west, and further on, are the towers of World Financial Center, built on reclaimed land using landfill from the World Trade Center site. Closed to Ground Zero is St Paul’s Chapel, which amazingly escaped damage during the September 11 attack, thanks to a sycamore tree on its northwest corner. Some of the oldest skyscrapers of New York City dot this part of Manhattan. Among them is the Woolworth Building, a 57-storey skyscraper completed in 1913, at that time the tallest building in New York City.

The main artery that runs right through Manhattan from the south all the way to the north, is Broadway. An institution in itself, it passes through many of the most important sights of the city. Going north, we enter TriBeCa, home to trendy restaurants. The name is a contraction of Triangle Below Canal Street. The habit of naming places in this manner repeats itself a little north of here, at SoHo, which is said to be derived from Soho in London, except that here, it stands for South of Houston Street.

You will notice that the roads in Manhattan follow a grid system devised by the Commissioner’s Plan of 1811, created to ensure an orderly development of the island. As a result of the plan, there are 12 avenues running parallel to Hudson River, and 155 streets crossing them. The avenues were numbered 1 to 12, with an additional A to D Avenues on the section of town now known as Alphabet City. Over time, as Manhattan developed, some of the avenues were given names. Fourth Avenue was renamed Park Avenue. Madison Avenue and Lexington Avenue were added later.

Going north of SoHo, we enter Greenwich Village, often simply called The Village. Once a hamlet, the Village is home to the New York University’s main campus, and has a popular public space in the middle called the Washington Square Garden. The streets in the Village do not follow with the formal grid of the 1811 Plan, nor does Broadway, which often cuts diagonally across the grid. As a result, there is an odd shaped skyscraper erected to conform to its odd-shaped plot. Due to its shape, the building was called the Flatiron Building.

As we approach Midtown Manhattan, we come upon a high concentration of tourist attractions. Madison Square Garden is here. It was named after Madison Square, which in turn was named after James Madison, the fourth President of the United States. Madison Square Garden, however, is no longer located on Madison Square. Although it retains its name, it is neither a square nor a garden, but rather a sports and concert arena. For shoppers, there’s Macy’s Department Store, one of the largest department stores in the world. Also within the neighbourhood is the Empire State Building, once again the tallest building in New York City.

Following Broadway northwards, we reach Times Square, one of the most famous intersections in the world. Many of New York City’s theatres are concentrated here. Eastwards on 42nd Street are other landmarks including the Grand Central Terminal and the Chrysler Building, and towards the banks of the East River, the United Nations Headquarters. Chrysler Building, regarded as one of the finest examples of Art Deco skyscraper, was built at a time when there was an intense race to build the tallest buildings in New York City. Today it still holds the title of the second tallest building in the city, after the Empire State, which was completed less than a year after Chrysler.

Going north along Fifth Avenue, we arrive at Rockefeller Center, one of the biggest private commercial complexes in the world. Built by John D Rockefeller Jr, the richest man in the world during his time, it comprises 19 skyscrapers, the biggest of which is GE Building. The observation deck at the top of GE Building offers one of the best views of New York City along with the Empire State Building in the middle. Within Rockefeller Center is Radio City Music Hall, and across the street from it is St Patrick’s Cathedral, the largest Neo-Gothic style Catholic Cathedral in North America. A short distance north is MoMA, the Museum of Modern Art, founded by Abby Alrich Rockefeller, wife of John D Rockefeller Jr, and her two friends. To the east side of town is another architectural wonder, the Citigroup Center, a 59-storey skyscraper that stands on four massive legs. Also within the vicinity are two of New York City’s most luxurious hotels, the Waldorf=Astoria on Fifth Avenue and the Plaza on Grand Army Plaza, facing Central Park.

Central Park is the most important park in New York City, so much so that any apartments with view of it fetches a higher price than those without. Created in the mid 19th century, it is home to the biggest museum in New York City, the Met, or Metropolitan Museum of Art. Along the roads bordering Central Park are a few more museums, the most important includes the American Museum of Natural History, with the Hayden Planetarium within it, and the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum.

As we continue north, we pass through Columbia University, a renowned Ivy-League institution. On the east side is the neighbourhood of Harlem, with its substantial population of African Americans. The main road going north is Broadway. On the northern tip of Manhattan is Inwood Hill Park, one of several parks lining the Hudson River side of Manhattan.

What we have covered so far is just a quick run through of the tourist attractions of Manhattan. To visit each of these sights, one would need a few days, if not weeks. There is much to see and discover. Much of what has been written is documented more thoroughly on the New York City section of my website, EarthDocumentary, http://www.earthdocumentary.com/new_york_city_usa.htm, where there’s also a point-and-click map, to show you the location of each sight.
Visit it and explore Manhattan from the comfort of your desktop.

Catch a performance of Evita in London’s West End this spring!

If you’re looking to take a theatre break in the UK, London is likely to be among your top potential destinations. And why shouldn’t it be? With countless performances being staged year-round, from every genre, there’s always an exciting show to catch! Moreover, London has plenty to offer in addition to theatre culture – so you can look forward to an experience that stretches far beyond a terrific performance.

For instance, Evita, one of the world’s greatest musicals, has returned to London’s West End after twenty-one years. Directed by the award-winning Michael Grandage, and featuring lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Evita tells the gripping story of Eva Perón – the second wife of Argentine dictator Juan Perón, and one of Argentina’s most powerful historical figures. The musical features a number of classic songs, including ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’ and ‘Another Suitcase in Another Hall’. London’s West End production will also feature the Oscar-winning song, ‘You Must Love Me’, as an onstage debut performance. Written especially for Alan Parker’s 1996 film adaptation of Evita starring Madonna and Antonio Banderas, the song instantly became a top-ten single upon its release alongside the film.

While you’re in London, you’ll also want to take advantage of the city’s host of tourist attractions, ranging from iconic sights, such as Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Big Ben and the Tower of London, to London’s numerous museums. For a bit of retail indulgence, head to Bond Street or Oxford Street, which claims to be the longest shopping street in the world. And don’t forget to pay a visit to the British Museum, the Tate Modern and the Natural History Museum, among other fantastic galleries and exhibits.

If you’re thinking about booking a London theatre break, you’d be best off making arrangements with a short-break specialist. That way, you’ll have your accommodation and performance tickets coordinated ahead of time. Theatre packages will also usually include added extras – such as city guides, CDs and discount vouchers for London’s top attractions – ensuring you make the most of your short break. Moreover, theatre break packages often enable you to pick from the best seats in the house, so you’re guaranteed a worthwhile performance!

London’s West End performance of Evita closes on 26 May 2007 – so book a short theatre break today, and don’t miss out on one of the world’s greatest musical comebacks!

Tourist Attractions In Agartala

The major interest of the town is the Ujjayanta Palace, which was built in the Indo-Saracenic style in 1901 by Maharaja Radhakishore Manikya. It is a two-storeyed mansion, with 28 hectares of parkland, and now houses the office of the State Legislative Assembly. In the grounds, there are two temples-Umanneshwar and Jagganath-both of which are ochre in color. Another important attraction is the Kunjaban Palace built in 1917 by Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya. It is located about 1 km away from the Ujjayanta Palace on a hillock. The Palace is the official residence of the Governor of Tripura. The southern part of the Palace is open to public and has been named as Rabindra Kanan. Situated about 55 km from Agartala is Neermahal, Tripura’s major tourist attraction. It is a summer resort built in the middle of a lake named Rudrasagar, with a total area of about 5.35 sq. km. It is the only lake palace in Eastern India and has been built in a mixture of Hindu and Mughal styles.

PLACES AROUND AGARTALA

Near this capital city, there are few places known for the rock cuts and carvings. These include Debtamura, Unakoti and Pilak. Debtamura is situated at 75 km away from Agartala, on the banks of the river Gomati, between Udaipur and Amarpur. These are carved with images of Hindu Gods like Shiva, Vishnu, Kartik, Mahisasur, Mardini Durga and other deities. These images date back to the 15th and 16th century.

Unakoti is located at a distance of about 178 km from Agartala and is a pilgrimage site for Shiva worship. It dates back to the 8th and 9th century. It is surrounded by waterfalls on all sides. In the center is a 30-feet-high statue of Lord Shiva who is called Unakotishwara Kal Bhairava. The main attraction of this place is the Ashokasthami festival, held every year in the month of April. Pilak is located at a distance of about 100 km from Agartala and is famous for its carvings in stone and terracotta plaques.

These belong to the 8th and 9th century and are spread within an area of 10 sq. km. There are mammoth stone images of Narasimha and Avlokiteshwara to be seen here. An important pilgrimage point for the Hindus is the Mata Tripureshwari Temple, which is among the 51 pitha stalas according to the Hindu mythology. It is situated at a distance of 58 km from Agaratala. It houses the statue of Goddess Kali.

Since it is in the form of a tortoise, it is also called the Kurma Pith. At a distance of about 14 km from Agartala is located the Chaturdas Devta Bari Temple. The famous tribal festival of Karachi is a major attraction of this temple and is held in the month of July annually. Maa Bhubaneshwari Temple was built on the right banks of the Gomti River by Maharaja Govinda Manikya in the 17th century. The Buddha Vihar on Airport Road is in the North of the city and houses the Burmese statues of Lord Buddha.

important temples of Agartala are Lakshmi Narayan temple, Jagannath temple, Uma Maheshwari temple, and Durga temple. Jampui Hills are located at a distance of about 200 km from Agartala and is famous as the land of the permanent spring. It is at a range of about 300 ft above sea level. The place is known for its natural splendor and serene atmosphere.

Located 55 km south is the city of lakes, Udaipur, which is known for its Mahadev temple and Tripura Sundari temple. Also nearby Agartala are the Sepajhila wildlife sanctuary and Krishna wildlife sanctuary. Dumboor, a locale of abundant natural gaiety, is 100 km from Agartala and is famous for its lake and Sankranti Mela held in January. In the vicinity, one can find the temple of Lake Kamlasagar.

FAIRS & FESTIVALS

The Durga Puja season is generally the busiest time of the year and one can then experience the richness of Indian cultural extravaganza. Agartala is also known for its tribal festivals like Karachi, and Garia Puja.

WHERE TO STAY

We offer excellent accommodation facilities in and around Agartala.

HOW TO REACH

BY AIR – The Airport is 12 km to the north and leads on to Agartala via the Ujjyanta Palace. Agartala is well connected with Guwahati, Silchar, Udaipur, Melaghar and Unakoti.

BY RAIL – The nearest railhead is at Kumarghat.

BY ROAD – We would provide you all India tourist permit vehicles for the local transportations and also for the intercity drives too

London just oozes history

The twentieth-century history of London is not a happy one. While the city was bombed during the First World War, it suffered relatively little. London was still rapidly expanding out into the suburbs, but it was hit hard by the worldwide depression of the 1930s, and then again by World War II.

Of all the British cities, London took the heaviest bombing in the Blitz. Children were evacuated to the countryside, and the people who were left in the city had to take shelter in the tube stations almost every day. East London was worst hit, starting a decline that has only just started to turn around today.

After the war, a number of things happened to damage London. The first was the establishment of the Green Belt and New Towns to halt London’s rapid expansion, with businesses and residents being given financial incentives to move far out into the suburbs. Secondly, air and road transport took off in a big way after the war, and so there seemed to be little point in rebuilding London’s ports – they were simply left to fall into disuse and disrepair, and

However, at the same time, London’s pollution problem was finally solved by the Clean Air Act of 1956. This law banned smoky coal from use, ending the smog that had sat over London constantly for years. London gradually started to shake its reputation for being dirty and polluted, and young people started moving there again.

Today, London is a big city, governed by its own Mayor since 2000. The Green Belt has successfully contained its outward growth, but its population is growing every day. Modern London has two main industries: finance, which has been important in London for centuries, and tourism. Tourists come from all over the world to see London’s amazing history, and the city itself is considered one of the biggest tourist attractions in the world.

London Calling Travel To London And Discover Ten Breathtaking Places

If you are planning on spending a vacation in London, make sure you take full advantage of this gorgeous city with all that it has to offer. The city of London is full of an exciting Array of places to go and things to do and see, for people of all cultures and ages. Being one of the biggest cultural capitals in the world, this city offers sightseeing opportunities and tourist attractions like nowhere else. Travel to London involves experiencing the city in all its splendor and fantastic sightseeing. Here are ten of the best sightseeing places in the city of London:2. The London Eye: Drawing nearly four million visitors each year, the London Eye has become one of the most popular sightseeing attractions in the world today. This gigantic wheel stands almost 135 meters over the entire city of London and is presently considered to be one of the tallest observation wheels in the world. This wondrous creation of modern engineering permits tourists to view all of London with an entirely new perspective, allowing them to see parts of the city that are generally not visible from the ground. Visiting the London Eye has been described as an enchanting and inspiring experience and no vacation to London is complete without visiting this monument.4. The National Gallery: Situated in the very center of Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery is home to some of the finest works of art in the world. Some of these pieces date back to the 13th century. Construction of the gallery commenced in the year 1832 and ever since it has collected many great pieces of art, which include works by Monet, Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Renoir and many more. A visitor can probably spend days trying to view all of the contents inside the gallery.6. Tate Modern: One of Londons most contemporary galleries, the Tate Modern consists of great collections and diverse exhibitions of modern art. Appealing to both, children as well as adults, connoisseurs as well as novices, the Tate Modern houses grand collections of artists like Matisse, Andy Warhol and Bacon.8. The Natural History Museum: An enigmatic gothic building that is home to some of the largest collections of dinosaurs in the world, the Natural History Museum consists of exhibitions that dominate the huge halls and tower.10. Westminster Abbey: It is a medieval work of monumental significance and the burial ground for some of the most famous kings, statesmen, musicians, scientists and poets since the 11th century. The Westminster Abbey offers some of the most intriguing literary works and artistic talent in the way of paintings, murals and tombs.

Beijing Less Well Known Tourist Attractions

When you visit Beijing as a tourist, the capital city of China, you will inevitably be taken sightseeing by your tour guides to view monumental and historical attractions like The Great Wall of China, The Forbidden City and The Ming Tombs amongst many others.

However, more and more of the residents of Beijing are saying that there are many less well known tourist attractions that you must visit and these lesser known places, on their own accord also have many charms and delights for tourists.

For example, Cui Jian, a famous Chinese rock star who performed on a Rolling Stones act in Shanghai in 2006 was known to have said, “I am not at all interested in all that historical kingdom culture, stuff that shows this was once the greatest kingdom or something like that”.

Cui recommends that tourists when visiting Beijing should also soak up the atmosphere in the 798 art district in Beijing’s eastern Dashanzi instead. This1950s period factory zone has been transformed into a bohemian community of art galleries, cafes and bistros, outdoor sculptures, colorful graffiti painted on factory walls among many other interesting features.

Another Beijing resident, Wu Jianxin, who is an owner of a private wine club, grew up near Houhai, which was once a quiet lakeside village, which is now being overrun by noisy bars and boat rentals for tourists. Wu likes to take leisurely strolls in Baiyun Guan or White Cloud Temple.

This Taoist temple ground has a certain mystical charm about it and without the tourist crush like those in the major attractions,is a wonderful place to just enjoy a leisurely paced sightseeing. A sight to behold when you are in the 800 year old Baiyun Guan are regular traditional ceremonies and rites being performed by Taoist monks. This ancient temple is also the headquarters of the Chinese Taoist Association.

Li Jing, who is a designer by profession, prefers to take his walks in the Nanluoguxiang area. This area has well preserved stretch of backstreets although situated in downtown Beijing, is almost unknown to many tourists. These backstreets are home to many local bars, hostels and boutiques. The area exudes the ambience of old Beijing when contrasted against the city’s modern superstructures.

For tourists who like to bring home unconventional souvenirs should visit Jindian Consignment Shop. Here, you will not find the usual replica dragons or jade chopsticks which you can find in souvenir shops all over Beijing. Instead, you will discover unusual and remarkably quaint souvenirs to bring home, such as old bus passes, Chinese antique clocks and flying pigeon bicycles (whatever that is).

Having visited Beijing on a number of occasions myself, I have to disagree with the locals who only recommend the less well known tourist attractions. My recommendation is to see everything Beijing has to offer including the major tourist attractions many of which will leave you awestricken.

A visitors guide to todays Globe Theatre, London

The tourist attractions of London, England are richly rewarding for fans of history, literature and theater. Visitors can get a concentrated dose of all three by visiting the new Globe Theater: a living, functioning replica of Shakespeare’s original Globe in the Southwark, Bankside area.

HISTORY OF SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE

William Shakespeare (1564-1616), a man known to history for assessing the spirit of the day in which he lived, sensed an important opportunity when the existing public theater space became too small to meet demand. He partnered with several other theatrical entrepreneurs to construct The Globe Theater, which was constructed in 1598. The Globe had a few glorious years, hosting plays that are still to this day numbered among the best ever written.

But it wasn’t to last long. In 1613, as a result of state-of-the-art special effects (a cannon shot during a performance of Henry VIII), the theater burned to its foundations. It was reconstructed the next year, but in an uncertain atmosphere that soon included Shakespeare’s own death in 1616 and and recriminations about theater’s unsavory reputation. Plague and Puritanism conspired to make the theater business rough going for the next few decades. During Oliver Cromwell’s civil war the theaters were suppressed, and The Globe was dismantled in 1644.

TODAY’S GLOBE THEATER

Recent history has seen a new patroness of Elizabethan theater in London – herself named Elizabeth II after the monarch that reigned over theater’s golden global age. In 1997, after painstaking research into the appearance of the original structure, including excavation of the foundation and pictures of similar theaters, the New Globe was completed. Today modern fans of Shakespeare and other great theatrical works can get a sense of what motivated this flurry of public theater house building and play writing in the yet unmatched day of Elizabeth and Shakespeare. Not only is today’s Globe rich in history, giving information about Shakespeare and his works, the theater is functional, meaning that visitors to London can see actual performances as those in Shakespeare’s day would have seen.

VISITING INFORMATION

Today’s Globe is valuable as a tourist attraction for its two main offerings: tours and theatrical events.

1. Tours of Today’s Globe.

A newly-refurbished exhibition space nearby the theater functions as the premiere destination for those interested in Elizabethan theater. The exhibition, in Bankside, contains

Bali Island Tourist Attraction

Bali, a beautiful island paradise in the Indonesian archipelago made international news when the island was rocked by suicide bombings in 2002 and 2005. However, the island is better known as an excellent vacation holiday destination and a major tourist attraction.

Tourists who have visited this South East Asian island will tell you that Bali exudes a certain magical charm and that is why, some people call Bali, the Island of Gods. After all, gods live in paradise don’t they?

You will be pleasantly impressed by the many stunningly beautiful tourist attractions and the charming local people. If you are a scuba diver, you will be pleased to know that Bali is one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world.

Bali presents itself as a modern paradox because its ancient and traditional culture is still very much alive amidst modern living. While the basic conservatism of the Balinese people has enabled them to preserve many of their ancient customs, culture and religion, it has never hindered the acceptance of the new and innovative modern technological advancement.

The island is indeed a feast for the eye for tourists on holiday vacation in Indonesia. As the island is situated near the equator, it has almost equal amount of time for rain and sunshine making its environment very suitable for human inhabitation and as a result, Bali has been inhabited and civilized since ancient times.

Bali is also the only island in “middle Indonesia” that has more or less uninterrupted cultural continuity for hundreds of years. It is of this reason, Bali is the only part of Indonesia that remains “Hindu” and is still retaining elements of fusion of ethnic and Hindu cultures of more than a thousand years of cultural tradition.

When the island was colonized by the Dutch at the beginning of last century, the Dutch colonial masters were so impressed by the traditions of the Balinese that a concerted effort was made to preserve the island’s mystical culture.

The Balinese society is a strong and cohesive one because the local people promote communal and family values. Feelings of alienation from parents and friends which are common in the western world are almost unheard of in Bali.

Children are carried everywhere or strapped to their mother’s back until they are at least three months old. Religious rituals are performed regularly to keep the children safe, healthy and to protect them from harmful spirits. Every aspect of village life is organized in such detail that the individual’s responsibilities and rights are meticulously defined by the Balinese tradition.

The Balinese are emotionally strong people and take the unfortunate incidents in their stride. The people are eternal optimists and believe that their Island of Gods enjoys a special place in the grander scheme of things. This is another reason why the local population can bounce back from the tragic terrorist attacks so quickly. Want to visit paradise? Then include Bali as your next holiday vacation destination for its many tourists attractions.

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