четверг, 15 июля 2010 г.

Calgary Stampede

THE GREATEST OUTDOOR SHOW ON EARTH!
July 09 - 18, 2010
Nestled in the foothills of the majestic Canadian Rockies, the Calgary Stampede is a ten day, city wide celebration of western hospitality.
Calgary's most popular tourist attraction,
'the greatest outdoor show on earth' features a real rodeo, a midway (amusement park), concerts, chuck wagon races and more. The city of Calgary is transformed for 10 days into town celebrating the cowboy culture. Each year, millions of visitors from around the world come to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, to partake in the annual event, the Calgary Stampede and Exhibition.
The Calgary Stampede has a rich history. With origins as an 1886 Agricultural Fair of the world-famous attraction that it is today, the Calgary Stampede's past contains many colorful characters and significant milestones.
Annual Stampede attractions include Rodeo, World Champion Blacksmith's Competition, Animal and Agricultural Events, chuck wagon races. Watch saddle bronco and bareback riding, and the thrilling bull riding. See the crazy clowns, wild cow milking and wild horse races. Walk through an authentic Indian village and a recreated frontier town. Peak of each Stampede day is a must see Grandstand Show with fireworks that ends your day of fun with your family and friends.
Annual free Stampede Pancake Breakfasts are help every day through out the city of Calgary and near by communities like Cochrane.
Ask for more information and directions about The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth!
There is truly no better place to be during the Labour Day long weekend than Cochrane, where every minute is packed with events that are exciting, stimulating and, to be honest, just a little bit odd. There are not many towns where outhouse races take place right down the centre of the main street. The Lions Labour Day Rodeo, a fixture in town every Labour Day weekend since 1968. Come and join us for the weekend of family fun!
source by rockymountainview.ab.ca

понедельник, 12 июля 2010 г.

Hanoi VietNam travel information

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Vietnam’s capital city has to be one of Asia’s most fascinating cities offering a unique blend of oriental and western charm. It is a city of exotic brightly painted temples and pagodas, elegant ochre-washed colonial villas, bustling narrow streets and alleys, grand tree-lined boulevards and shaded lakes. First established as Vietnam’s capital in 1010,
when it was known as Thang Long, the city’s name changed several times before it eventually became Hanoi in 1831.

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Pho Hanoi
The Temple of Literature, the site of Vietnam’s first university, dates back to 1070 and its peaceful gardens and pavilions offer a relaxing respite from Hanoi’s busy streets. Today Hanoi is still a city that attracts many of the country’s intellectuals as well as artists and writers.
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Paintings by Vietnam’s new generation of artists can be seen for sale in the dozens of galleries that have sprung up in recent years in and around the city’s Old Quarter. It is here in the Old Quarter that Hanoi began life as a commercial centre over a thousand years ago. The original 36 streets that make up the Old Quarter are named after the goods once sold there such as silk, paper, silver, copper, herbs, cotton, fish and chicken. Nowadays the goods on sale are more likely to be t-shirts, sunglasses or embroidered table cloths but step back from the main streets and you will still find shops specializing in candlesticks, pagoda flags, engraved headstones and traditional musical instruments amongst others.
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Pho Hanoi
Just to the south of the bustling Old Quarter streets is Hoan Kiem Lake, an oasis of calm right in the centre of the city. Old men, students and weary tourists stop to rest in the shade on the park’s benches while local residents begin their day with a lakeside tai chi workout. Some of the capital’s finest colonial buildings can be found in the area of Hoan Kiem Lake including the magnificent Opera House, History Museum and the Metropole Hotel.
Hanoi travel informationA couple of kilometers west of Hoan Kiem Lake are the imposing granite structure housing Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum. The mausoleum overlooks Ba Dinh Square, the square where President Ho Chi Minh read Vietnam’s Declaration of Independence at the end of World War Two. Nearby is the lotus flower-shaped temple of the One Pillar Pagoda, first built in 1049, and the grand palace that was once the residence of the Governor-General of French Indochina.
Like Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi also has some great shopping, particularly in the Old Quarter where bargains include silk, embroidery, handicrafts and original works of art. There are some interesting day trip options from Hanoi including Hoa Lu, the site of Vietnam’s first capital, Tam Coc Caves, the Perfume Pagoda and Hoa Binh, the home of many ethnic minority groups.

My favorite assignment 2010


beirutfast-1 Saveur Magazine sent me on assignment late last year for a story they ran in their December 2008 issue. The assignment was a food feature on Iraqi refugees living and practicing their food traditions in Beirut. The situation was pretty intense for a photographer, let alone a western woman operating in a
Hezbollah-run neighborhood where journalists, especially foreign ones, were prohibited and detained. My access was limited and quick as we didn’t want to draw too much attention to the Iraqi men, which could have been very dangerous for them.
The few nights I spent photographing these gentlemen were amazing. Photographically it was terrible, no electricity, not able to use flash (draws too much attention through the windows, raising suspicion with watchmen patrolling the neighborhood). But when they lit candles for their evening meal signifying the end of their Ramadan Fast it couldn’t have been better. The orange glow from the candles lit their faces just enough to give it the right amount of detail and emotion and capture the moment There we sat on the floor, cut up garbage bags as our table cloth, feasting on spiced chicken stew with chic peas. As I scooped up every bite with flat bread it all tasted like heaven. It was the best meal and the best table I ate at the entire trip. It was one of those moments I’ll always remember because of what it symbolized. The customs and cultural traditions of these Arab Iraqi men don’t allow me to socialize with them , not as a woman, nor as a journalist/photographer. It was my camera that allowed me access to their world. It was a great reminder of how much food can bring us together and give us something in common if only for a few hours. It’s funny how the most incredible experiences can happen in the hardest of situations. beirutstreet-13
source by http://pennydelossantos.wordpress

Swallowing Clouds-Andrea Ngyuen’s new book


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This is an image taken from my most recent assignment, working on Andrea Nguyen‘s newest book due September 2009 (Ten Speed Press). I spent all of last week in San Francisco working with the Andrea and food stylist Karen Shinto photographing some 50 images for the book. Andrea’s first book “Into the Vietnamese Kitchen” was ground breaking for Vietnamese cooking in this country. In her dumpling
book she creates beautiful artisanal dumplings and makes the process of creating these bite size pockets of joy relatively easy. From the famous Shanghai soup dumpling to Malaysia’s onde onde, Andrea’s knowledge and writings about this food will be another first of it’s kind. On a personal note, the dumplings were incredible, I had a really hard time not eating my sets, seriously!dumpling2-1

среда, 7 июля 2010 г.

FishingGallery on March 2010

On March 29,
Offshore fishing has been UP AND DOWN, one day you could have a wonderful day and the other catch nothing. In other hand, inshore fishing has been better when we fish for full day. It let us reach fishing spots not reached on half days.

On March 27,

Bat island inshore fishing

- Jake Staser and his girl friend were inshore fishing aboard our Wahoo boat. They caught 3 very good sized dorados and one roosterfish.

Here a few words from Jake:

Genaro,
I just wanted to thank you for arranging our Trip on the Wahoo it was incredible. My girlfriend Jenna and I caught 3 Dorado (MahiMahi), 1 Rooster Fish, and 1 Jack Crevalle. Of course Jenna caught the two 2 40+ lb. Dorado, but I was pretty damn happy about the one I caught and the rooster fish.The captain and first mate both worked very hard to get us into some quality fish! Attached are some photos.
Pura Vida,

On March 26,
Flamingo beach deep sea fishing
- Lois Hartzog and her husband were fishing aboard our WAHOO boat out of Flamingo beach. They released one sailfish.

On March 25,
- Mike Yazurlo and other 3 friends from Tamarindo were deep sea fishing abord our LA CHILA-G boat with Adolfo Mendez capatain. They raised 3 sailfish, released one and a 400 plus pounds black marlin.
Tamarindo deep sea fishing
On March 21,
The Stanfill family were fishing aboard our LA CHILA-G boat, deep sea fishing out of Tamarindo. They raised 6 sailfish and released 3 of them.

Offshore fishing has been some slow lately, but captains have been reporting some sails and marlin released out of Tamarindo and gulf of Papagayo in last few days.

On March 15,
Offshore fishing has been slow lately; however inshore has been good and boats have been catching rooster, mackarel, jurel, tunas and other inshore species.

On March 13,
Roosterfishing charter from the Hilton Papagayo
Hilton Papagayo inshore fishing
- Eric Luthman from the Hilton Papagayo was inshore fishing at the Bat islands. He released one rooster, 3 jack jurel and 3 bonitos.

On March 08,
Rooster fishing charter
- Dave Harger from the Grand Papagayo was inshore fishing aboard our Albatres boat. He released 3 roosterfish and caught other inshore species.

On February 21,
Playa Conchal Deep sea fishing
Playa Conchal offshore fishing charters
- A canadian couple (Alex and Key) fishing out from Playa Conchal aboard our LA CHILA-G boat released a 200pounds blue marlin and kept a 30 plus pounds Wahoo.

- Marck Salesman, his wife and other couple from the JW Marriott in Tamarindo were fishing offshore aboard our CORMORAN boat. They released a 250 plus blue marlin and also caught 2 bull dorados/mahi.

On February 17,
Four Seasons Papagayo, Rooster fishing charter
- Marc Chields from the Four Seasons Papagayo was fishing inshore aboard our LA CHILA-G boat. He released a good sized roosterfish.

- David Baldwin and 3 friends were inshore fishing aboard our CORMORAN boat. They released 3 big rooster fish.

On February 15,
Roosterfishing charter from Playa Hermosa Guanacaste
Rooster fishing charter out of Playa Hermosa Guanacaste
Playa Hermosa Fishing for rooster
- Mike Jacoby and 3 friends from Playa Hermosa were fishing aboard the WAHOO boat for a full day fishing charter. They released 7 roosterfish and caught one 30 pounds barracuda and some tunas used as bait.

On February 14,
rooster fishing charter out of Playa Panama
- Geroge Rudacille from Playa Panama was fishing for a half day aboard our ALBATRES boat and released a 60 pounds roosterfish.

On February 13,
fishing charters out of the Riu Guanacaste resort
- Papagayo Marlin fishing: Paul Michael from the Riu Guanacaste was fishing aboard our CORMORAN boat with Jesus Mendez captain. They raised one sail and one marlin which is in the picture above.

On February 09,
- Two couple from Playa Grande, Tamarindo were deep sea fishing aboard our LA CHILA-G with Adolfo Mendez captain. They released one sailfish and caught two big dorado.

On February 05,
- Nicke Brune and 3 friends from Tamarindo beach were fishing aboard the CORMORAN boat. they raised 10 sails and released 6, also caught one dorado for dinner.

On February 04,
- 3 people from the Ocotal beach fishing aboard the WAHOO boat raised 2 sails and released one and caught two mahi-mahi.

On February 02,
- Brenda Euker and her husband were fishing aboard the LA CHILA-G boat. They rised one sail and released a rooster and caught two dorados.

On January 30,
- Two groups in a shared fishing charter from the Riu Guanacaste and Playa Conchal were fishing aboard our CORMORAN. They released one sail and two dorados.

- George Zertopouli and 3 friends were fishing from Tamarindo beach were fishing abord the LA CHILA-G and released one sail and caught two dorados/mahi.

On January 25,
fishing charters out of the Riu Guanacaste resort
fishing charters out of the Riu Guanacaste resort
- Rob Corley and a friend from the Hilton Papagayo resort were fishing aboard our CORMORAN boat with jesus Mendez captain. They released a nice Blue marlin and one sailfish.

- All Reed and a friend from the Hilton Papagayo resort were fishing inshore aboard our LA CHILA-G boat with jesus Mendez captain. They released two roosterfish, 4 big needlefish and caught other inshore species.

On December 31,
fishing charters out of the Riu Guanacaste resort
- Michael Sambrooks from the Riu Guanacaste resort was fishing with us aboard WAHOO boat. He caught two nice dorado/mahi and released one roosterfish.

On December 25,
fishing charters out of the Riu Guanacaste resort
- James Smith and his wife from the Riu Guanacaste resort where fishing aboard our SEA-SNAKE boat for a half day. They caught two nice dorado/mahi.

On December 23,
fishing charters out of the Allegro Papagayo
Allegro Papagayo fishing charters
- Jason and his wife from the Allegro Papagayo were fishing aboard our CORMORAN boat with Jesus Mendez captain. They released one sailfish and caught a nice mahi-mahi.

On December 20,
- Fishing from the Grand Papagayo resort, Jordan Smidth and his wife aboard the CORMORAN were fishing offshore in the gulf of Papagayo. They released one sail and caught two dorados.

On December 19,
fishing charters out of the Grand Papagayo resort
- Leah Eaton and his friend from Flamingo beach were fishing aboard our LA CHILA-G boat with Arnaldo Mendez captain. They released one sail, also caught 3 dorados, 2 yellowfin, 3 bonitos and one red snapper.

- Nelson Mendez aboard the TUNA-FISH boat took Mr. Bobbeck and his family from the Riu Guanacaste resort fishing out to the Catalinas islands. The mate took the first mahi they caught and prepated a fresh "ceviche" what Mr. Bobbeck and his family enjoyed. They also raised 2 sails and released one, also caught 2 yellowfin, one more mahi and 3 bonitos.

December 18,
fishing charters out of the Grand Papagayo resort
- Jesus Mendez aboard the Cormoran boat took 3 guys from the Grand Papagayo inshore fishing for a half day. They released one sailfish and caught one dorado for dinner.

On December 12,
Hola, fishing has been up and down lately, we can go offshore one day and catch nothing and the other day catch a marlin or sails and dorados/mahi. Such as yesterday, December 11th, Jesus Mendez aboard the CORMORAN boat took a couple from Allegro Papagayo offshore fishing, out from Catalinas islands, they released a 300lbs Blue marlin, one dorado and one sailfish. In other hand, on Thursday, December 10th, Arnaldo Mendez took 4 guys from the JW Marriott offshore fishing at the same place fished Jesus and they caught nothing. So, we hope things change soon, however there is no guarantee for a great fishing.

- Mike Liederman and his wife from the Four Seasons Resort were fishing for a half day aboard our CORMORAN boat. They caught 6 dorados/mahi.

On December 03,
- Ron Whaley and his wife from the Four Seasons Resort were offshore fishing aboard our LA CHILA-G boat. They caught 6 dorados/mahi and one sailfish.

- Mike Liederman and his wife from the Four Seasons Resort were fishing for a half day aboard our CORMORAN boat. They caught 6 dorados/mahi.

On November 20,
- Cindy Hintz and her husband were fishing out from the Grand Papagayo resort aboard our LA CHILA-G boat with Arnaldo Mendez captain. Deep sea fishing in Tamarindo 10miles from the Catalinas islands they caught 5 dorados and released 3 sailfish.

- The Adriana Martinez friend, from the Ocotal resort was fishing aboard the CORMORAN boat with Adolfo Mendez captain. Offshore fishing out of Tamarindo caught 2 dorados and released one sailfish.

- Wesley Poth and a friend were fishing aboard our WAHOO boat with Lino Guido captain. They don't had a lucky day but caught 2 dorados for dinner.

November 19,
Riu Guanacaste deep sea fishing charters
gulf of Papagyao fishing charters
- David Davis from the new Riu Guanacaste resort where fishing aboard the CORMORAN boat. He caught one Mahi, raised two sails and released one of them.

- Kevin Stone and his girl friend, from the Ocotal beach, where fishing aboard the WAHOO boat with Lino Guido captain. They caught 2 dorados for dinner and released one sail.

November 15,
Deep sea fishing charters out of Tamarindo beach
Fishing charters out of the Grand Papagayo resort, deep sea fishing in golfo de Papagayo and Tamarindo region
The Jo-Anne Dusseault party from the Grand Papagayo Resort was fishing in Tamarindo aboard our two boats: LA CHILA-G and CORMORAN. From CORMORAN boat reported 3 dorados caught, from LA CHILA-G reported 1 dorado caught, two sailfish and one 200 pounds Black Marlin released.

On November 12,
Deep sea fishing from the Riu Guanacaste Resort
On this Riu Guanacaste Fishing Charter, Allan Mielke and two more people where fishing in Tamarindo aboard the LA CHILA-G boat. In the morning they caught 4 dorados and released one sailfish.
Inshore fishing from the Riu Guanacaste Resort
In the afternoon, Arnaldo Mendez, the captain took them inshore fishing and released on roosterfish.

On November 08,
On a shared charter one person from the Riu Guanacaste and a couple from bahia Brasilito where fishig aboard the CORMORAN boat, they caught 5 dorados.

On November 02,
Rooster fishing charters from Paradisus Playa Conchal
Edward Ford and his wife from Paradisus Playa Conchal, fishing aboard the Sea Snake boat for a half day inshore charter caught 3 dorados/mahi and one roosterfish in the nearby Catalinas islands.
source by roosterfishing.net and fishing.tv

Finding in Canada

Depending on whether you like cooler weather or warmer weather, there are a few diverse and affordable Canada vacation packages suited best for your needs. There are rocky mountain adventure packages, kayaking, hiking, and white water rafting packages that come as Canada vacation packages. There are Canada vacation packages to fill everyone’s needs. Planning a trip to Canada using a travel agency that have Canada vacation packages included would make planning your trip a lot easier. Getting Canada vacation packages will have multiple nights taken care of, activities and other services needed to provide you with a great vacation.
Whether you’re planning to go to Canada for your honeymoon, for your birthday party skiing trip,
or for a business trip requiring a conference room and warmer weather, there are Canada vacation packages to fulfill your needs. Call a few weeks in advance to your planned vacation time to get better prices on your Canada vacation packages. As with any vacation, calling and getting tickets and lists of scheduled activities way ahead of time makes for better decisions in choosing Canada vacation packages.
Choosing a travel agency to help you find the perfect Canada vacation package is a great idea.
These are trained professionals there to guide you through the likes and dislikes of everyone included in your Canada trip and hook you up with Canada vacation packages suited to all your family’s needs. The places to go in Canada are nearly limitless. Canada vacation packages that include sightseeing at Niagara Falls or having dinner inside a quaint restaurant in Nova Scotia. No matter what or where you want to go, there is are Canada vacation packages to fit.
Some agencies offer Canada vacation packages for no one but skiers. Some packages are for bike riders and some Canada vacation packages are for the laid back and just want-to-get-away type person. Whatever the personality to decipher, Canada vacation packages await you. Maybe it’s just a cabin in the woods you desire or motel room suite, the lodging in a Canada vacation package can be altered to fit your needs. Depending on the nature of your trip, Canada vacation packages can be customized to ensure that your Canada experience is a good one.
If ou are planning a trip to Canada, make sure you start planning your trip as early as you can possibly can. Don’t wait until the last minute because it will end up costing you much more far your Canada vacation packages. Another plus of planning earlier is it gives you time yo think and rethink what you want to ask for in an agency’s vacation packages. Many adventures await you in Canada . You can ski to your heart’s content or go sailing in Newfoundland. Exploration hiking and camping are great Canadian attractions. The Canadian wilderness is something to behold while camping there. That first deep breath of air in the morning will be all the convincing you’ll need!
source by http://www.discounttraveletickets.com

пятница, 2 июля 2010 г.

Banff National Park of Alberta

About the Park

Banff National Park - Lake Louis, Banff National Park
Lake Louis, Banff National Park
Canada's First National Park System

In the fall of 1883, three Canadian Pacific Railway construction workers stumbled across a cave containing hot springs on the eastern slopes of Alberta's Rocky Mountains. From that humble beginning was born Banff National Park, Canada's first national park and the world's third.
Spanning 6,641 square kilometres (2,564 square miles) of valleys, mountains, glaciers, forests, meadows and rivers, Banff National Park is one of the world's premier destination spots. Visitors can tour our historic sites, soak in hot springs, stroll along the shores of Lake Louise, spend a night in the historic Banff Springs Hotel, and drive the Icefields Parkway into adjoining Jasper National Park.
Banff National Park is a hiking wonderland, containing over 1,600 kilometres (1,000 miles) of trails, more than any other mountain park. Hikers can find anything from a one-hour jaunt up a mountain to a month long backcountry excursion into the lonely wild regions of the park.
Banff is home to a number of outstanding geological and ecological features. In addition to the hot springs, the Castleguard Caves in the remote northwest corner of the park are Canada's longest cave system. The park also contains Alberta's southernmost herd of the endangered woodland caribou.
The park is in the Rocky Mountain natural life zone, with terrain divided into three separate eco-regions: the montane, the sub-alpine and the alpine. Each eco-region is characterized by a different plant and animal regime, as well as a different climate and elevation.
The Trans-Canada Highway, the Banff-Radium Highway, the scenic Bow Valley Parkway and the awe-inspiring Icefields Parkway are all major travel routes that bisect the park, enhancing visitors' chances of seeing the abundant wildlife inhabiting the mountain regions. Lucky travellers may see elk, deer, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, moose, black bears, grizzly bears, wolves and a host of other large and small mammals.


Lake Louise


In 1882, guided by a Stoney Indian, Tom Wilson became the first white man to discover what native Indians called "Lake of Little Fishes". He named his discovery Emerald Lake, but it was later changed by the Geographic Board to Lake Louise in honour of Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria.

Lake Louise, with its blue-green water set against the stark backdrop of Victoria Glacier, is probably the most beloved and most photographed scene in the Canadian Rockies.

There are trails for walking, skiing and horseback riding. Interpretive displays, fine dining at local hotels, a heritage railway station, and a short drive to Moraine Lake awaits.


Icefields Parkway

The Icefields Parkway is a spectacular route that travels past unforgettable scenery through both Banff and Jasper National Parks. The parkway was named for the icefields that spread through the Rockies, and it is considered to be among the world's most scenic highways. Trailheads and wildlife, as well as many other sights abound including Bow Summit, Saskatchewan River Crossing, Lake Louise, Sunwapta Falls and Athabasca Falls.
source by members.virtualtourist.com

Banff hotel in alberta

Banff Hotels

The key to finding a spot in one of the Banff Alberta hotels is simple: book far in advance! With up to 50,000 people passing through the Canadian Rocky National Parks a day, and with strict growth regulations in the parks, hotel rooms are a challenge to find. This is especially true during the summer, when many of the hotels in Banff have 80-90% of their rooms booked for pre-booked tours. Don’t even think about trying to find a room in one of the landmark hotels in Banff without a reservation well in advance.
As you may have guessed, prices in Banff hotels are very high because of the great demand. During the high season hotels in Banff can pretty much name whatever price they want, knowing that rooms will fill up anyway.The difference between top-end and mid-range Banff hotels isn’t all that great, price wise, so if you’re going to splurge, you might as well go all the way.
A bit of good news for the thrifty and spontaneous—it is possible to find great Banff hotel deals with a little searching and a computer. Discount hotel websites often post discounted rooms in hotels where there was a last-minute cancellation. In some cases you can get up to 50% savings on a room, but you have to consider the possibility that there may be nothing available. If you don’t mind the risk, this can be a great way to find your way into one of the world-class Banff Alberta hotels.
To find more Banff hotel deals, another option is to visit the park during the off-season. Prices can be as low as half of what they are during peak times. During ski season hotels in Banff offer ski/ hotel packages that can be a good deal.
If you do plan to be in Banff during high season, camping is a great option for affordable accommodation. The park has dozens of campgrounds, many with good facilities like hot showers and fire pits. Camping in Banff can allow you the views and close proximity to Banff attractions without the big price tag. Another alternative to expensive Banff hotels are hostels. Hostelling International has a several hostels in the Canadian Rockies, open to people of all ages.
If you have the money and time in advance, book a room at the famous Chateau Lake Louise. This Chateau is the most famous of the Banff Alberta hotels, in an unparalleled location between snow-capped mountains and the shining green Lake Louise. Even if you aren’t lucky enough to stay at the Chateau Lake Louise, at least take a look around inside at the variety of shopping, dining and recreational options.
souce by destination360

 
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