Bob Travel

The Bronx Borough in New York is a work of dichotomy.  Wildlife surrounded by ruins, an area that has produced world class athletes and artists, as well as the Mafia and the corrupt forces of law.  This has been a melting pot of all that is good and all that is bad.  There are those that canoe down the rivers, and those that use the Bronx as a location when shooting movies about war torn foreign countries.  American actor Chazz Palminteri grew up on the streets filled with gangster owned restaurants and hotels.  New York, USA has been the American location that myths and legends are made.  During the late 50’s and early 60’s Palminteri was growing up in a city that was becoming more crime ridden and deadly.  The Bronx was in moral and societal decay.  He had the opposing forces of a father that worked hard to make an honest living, and the wiseguys in his neighborhood making large incomes on such activities as gambling, drugs and prostitution.

However, there is one school in the Bronx, that has been attended by some of the greats such as Neil Simon, and Richard Rodgers, and is the school that Palminteri attended.  The school has a reputation for supporting artistic endeavours.  Palminteri created a play called aptly, “A Bronx Tale”, a story of a young man growing up in such an environment as the Bronx, just as he had.  And through mutual acquaintances Palmenteri got his chance.  A man, Peter Gatien, through interactions at a local disco in the 1980’s, came into contact with Palminteri, and agreed to bankroll his project of the play.   By 1993 the play had met with commercial and critical success, and enough backing had been made to turn the play into a screenplay.  Robert DeNiro signed on to direct the film and also to portray the hard working, honest father character.  This film continues to be acclaimed and is a comprehensive story, one of the legends of the great city of New York.

Barcelona is known for attracting both artists and tourists. It is an incredible global city located on the Mediterranean Coast of Spain. While its financial, entertainment and commercial trade industries account for its status as a global city, some of the incredible architecture of the city accounts for much of its fascination and attraction. Antoni Gaudi was a Spanish architect who designed many of the buildings in what is known as the Gothic quarter of Barcelona. He is known for his unique style and was part of the modernist era. While he is not the only great architect to have designed buildings in the city, he is certainly one of the most renown and honored. The city’s buildings represent its diverse history and tourists staying in a Barcelona Spain hotel are often positioned in one of the historic buildings.

Gaudi was born in 1852 into a family with a long history of coppersmiths. Some of his designs in Barcelona include the lampposts at the Placa Reial and the Casa Mila. His individual style gained him early recognition and remains one of the reasons for his standing out through history. He went through many phases during his career and his later works are focused on religious themes and creations. He was a devoted catholic and late in life he abandoned his secular endeavors. The Sagrada Famila is considered to be his masterpiece.

The Casa Mila is better known as La Pedrera, meaning the quarry, and was constructed between 1906 and 1910. It officially considered to have been completed in 1912. It is located in the Eixample District of Barcelona, at 92 Passeig de Gracia. The building was designed and built for the married couple Rosario Segimon and Pere Mila. There was some conflict between city officials and Gaudi regarding the design and it was not strictly followed during the building’s construction. The owners were fined after its construction due to its having violated some of the city codes, such as height restrictions.

While there are many interesting cultural aspects of the island of Ibiza, it is extremely well known for its club scene and one of the main reasons it receives the great number of tourists it does every year. Of the four major Balearic islands, Ibiza is the third largest in size. However, the Ibiza night club and party scene is by far the largest of all the islands. In addition to he party and dj spinning dance music clubs, there are bars that feature live music, and even dive bars with sparkly populated local patrons, and quite restaurant bars that offer a fine dinner and drinks. Whatever one’s personal interest and persuasion, Ibiza’s dynamic nightlife offers something for everyone.

Some of the bars on the island are considered to be warm up venues for an all night crowd that will move on to attend a party or dance club later in the evening. These bars also attract people that just want a happy hour drink or two after having spent a day sight seeing or engaging in one of the numerous water sports available right of the beautiful beaches. In addition, most of the resorts have a lounge that is suited for a night cap or even works as one of the warm ups for those who want to get an early start before they even leave their hotel.

Bora Bora is one of Ibiza’s legendary beach bars. While there are numerous bars, nightclubs and restaurants that are either directly on the beach, or just removed from it, Bora Bora is certainly one of the most popular and famous. It features great music and is open early in the day, so beach combers can stop in for one or two in between snorkeling, swimming and surfing adventures. There is no cover at this bar, which also makes it attractive and allows people to come and go easily.

There is no question that among all the world’s 5-star hotels, Mallorca is in a class all by itself.  One of the most luxurious islands in the world, and home to one of the world’s most fabulous tourist destinations, Mallorca is famous for its incredible beaches and enviable night life.  The hotels are a reflection of the place, with amenities to suit any traveler, and a sense of elegance that is only found here on Spain’s largest island.  Guests looking to hide from the world and rejuvenate their senses will be well-rewarded here.

Mallorca has an amazing history, and some amazing people.  One of its current favorite sons is the young motorcycle rider, Jorge Lorenzo.  Although he just turned 21, the rider has already turned heads all over the world with his skill at riding on two wheels.  Born on May 4th, 1987, in Palma de Mallorca, Jorge Lorenzo began riding when he was just three years old.  He started competing at a young age as well.  In 1998, he won the Aprilla 50cc competition, even though he was only 11 years old.  The Spanish government gave him a special dispensation to compete in the 125cc race in 2000, which he also won, making him the youngest motorcyclist to win a European race.

He has since graduated to the 250 cc class in 2004, and 2006 and 2007 saw some of his most amazing wins.  He won world titles for both years, with nearly 20 pole positions to his impressive resumé, and in 2008 became the Rookie of the Year from MotoGP.  His reputation as a skilled rider is sometimes preceded by his reputation for spectacle, and a tendency to celebrate with an intense lust for life.  Jorge Lorenzo crashes well, and recovers spectacularly, and does everything with a panache that is unmistakably Mallorcan.

The city of Barcelona is home to many beaches, amazing architecture, some of the finest art museums in world as wells the top restaurants and night spot, and offers a variety of options for accommodation in the top Barcelona hotels.  The weather is temperate, with the Mediterranean offering relief when the summer temperatures get a little too warm.  If one is sensitive to the hotter weather experienced here, then the months of July and August should most certainly be avoided.  And while the humidity can tend to raise in a accompaniment to the raising temperatures, the beach breezes do offer relief and many of hotels are now equipped with air conditioning units.  Only one month during the year tends to cold in the winter and that is the month of February.  The rest of the year is filled with sunny mild days, and beautiful balmy nights.

Due to this fact, bicycling is one of the favorite past-times of the residents and tourists alike.  Many use the bicycle as their only mode of transportation.  Recently many of the roads and streets of the city have bike lanes added to the sides, providing more room and safer passage for those pedaling around town.  More plans are in the works for addition of bike lanes, as well as a project being undertaken to create more roads in general as the people of the entire country are taking steps towards healthier lifestyles, and environmentally friendly sets of wheels.  Paths run along the water ways for those wishing a more leisurely and scenic route, without the traffic and the noise, and a path the will lead one out of the city, for longer rides is just about completed.

For now, where the paths along the streets are not yet added, the cyclist must pedal with car and become adept at dodging the traffic on the busier city streets.  City planners have been taking additional steps to ensure that Barcelona becomes a more cycle friendly city.  During the weekday, commuters are allowed to transport their bikes on the Metro trains and during the weekend or holiday, and throughout the entire summer months of July and August, the commute is free from restrictions.  The city has also adopted the public bike share system that is becoming more prevalent throughout all the major cities in the world.  In all, similar to the towns with such moderate temperatures during the year, Barcelona is one of the best places for those that prefer and love to bike the streets instead of drive them.

While there many surfing locations along the Western and Northern coastline of the peninsula of Cape Town, some of the calmer waters exist to the South.  International surfers travel to this region of South Africa in search of the perfect wave, and the chance to sleep after that wave in some of the best hotels South Africa has to offer.  The waters of the Atlantic can be unpredictable as far as temperature is concerned, so it is best to have a wet suit on hand should the waters be a bit too cold.  Many surfers live as the Paskowitz family of the documentary “Surfwise” did, traveling from spot to spot, in search of the perfect wave, the perfect life in the water.  And this region of South Africa will not disappoint those in search of the that.  On the contrary, these are some of the best spots in the world.

Most notable surf locations along the southern coast are Muizenberg, Scarborough, Kalk Bay and Cemetries.  In Muisenberg, the long-boarder is in heaven as there are many flat waves, slow and easy surfing.  Short-boarders will have fun as well, but without the speed and the thrill found in other locations.  The rips on the southern shore at Scarborough require constant attention for the surfer.  Kalk Bay, just down the road from Muizenber, is perfect for the more advanced surfers.  Incredible breaks, combined with a reef that is shallow makes this spot best for surfing at high tide.  Cemetries is a bit dirty and the waves tend to be a bit hollow, but if the the conditions at Muizenberg are unacceptable, then this is a viable option.  In addition, this spot is not very crowded and offers up a slow, relaxing wave.  In all, there are many locations throughout the Peninsula for fun surfing and adventurous explorations.

There is no place like Singapore, and for luxury travel, Singapore offers internationally-recognized top-shelf delights. There is more to see in one hour than most places offer in one day, and the sites are as plentiful as they are welcoming. A place that has been in touch with the world at large for centuries, there is a long tradition here of making strangers feel welcome.

There is also a tradition of innovation, where the place’s access to culture and languages through trade has made it a unique center for art and ideas. There is an interesting artistic revolution going on on the island, and it’s something that’s made the international art scene stand up and take notice. There are scores and scores of new, local artists, who are finding their voices for expression here. There are also a number of internationally known artists who are finding galleries here to show their work. One of these is Chinese artist Zhou Chinya.

Zhou Chinya, whose work has an interestingly classical focus, graduated from Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts in 1982, and has another degree in experimental art from Kassell, Germany, in 1988. Ever since, has been painting elaborate landscapes that have a rhythm and poise that are startlingly dense. His work has been extremely well-received in the Asian art world and the world at large. It has also undergone a very interesting metamorphosis in the past ten years. He has been painting his German Shephard, his favorite dog, apparently, rather obsessively. Zhou Chinya’s green dog paintings are attracting a lot of attention, and not just because the dog is always green, and the tongue is always red, but because it also signals a change in direction in Zhou Chinya’s work. This is perhaps reflective of the large cultural changes not only in the Asian art world, but in contemporary culture, and leave an expansive sense of ambiguity that only a walk into the future might clarify.

In the city of romance, the French Open schedule is set for May 24th thru June 7th. This tournament is considered to be the most challenging of all the Grand Slam events. The French Open 2009 will be filled with riveting competition and glorious victories.

On the famous Philippe Chatrier Court at the spectacular Roland Garros venue, the tennis greats will come out to battle. If you plan on attending, it’s smart to purchase tickets early. In these last few weeks before the event occurs, many people are rushing to buy tickets, so plan ahead and book your hotel in advance.

Featured at the tournament is the ‘King of Clay’ himself, Rafael Nadal. He is considered to be one of the greatest in French Open history after he matched the legendary record of Bjorn Borg last year – four consecutive titles! Ana Ivanovic, 2008’s women’s singles title winner, will be fighting to retain her title at this year’s event.

The Roland Garros stadium is named after the World War I fighter pilot who gave his life for ‘King and Country’. His memory is celebrated every year on the courts, when the tennis greats come out with bravery to demonstrate their prowess, just like Garros did in battle.

The courts have a slightly controversial history. Many tennis champs have been denied the achievement of winning all four Grand Slam tournaments because of the Rolland Garros clay, such as Pete Sampras, Jimmy Connors, Maria Sharapova and Martina Hingis represent this unlucky bunch. Wimbledon is the next tournament on the Grand Slam agenda. The Wimbledon results are always nail biters, and the matches are just as thrilling as the French Open.

Business travel from India to Thailand got a boost last week when Cathay Pacific airlines began non-stop flights to New Delhi from Bangkok. This will be a boon for Indian business travelers as well as for hotels in Bangkok Thailand and other Thai businesses that cater to tourists.

The airline, based in Hong Kong, began flights on the new route on March 28, 2009. They are offering numerous promotional discounts to encourage travelers to take advantage of the new route. Currently three other airlines offer similiar flights, but they have a smaller load factor than the 85 percent that Cathay Pacific is showing on forward bookings.

New Delhi is the prime air hub in India and is one of the country’s most frequented destinations. Thailand has become a premiere destination for Indian business as well as for leisure travels. Thailand is also growing as a wedding destination for Indian brides and the airline hopes to capitalize on that market as well.

The Municipality of Dubai is gaining a reputation as a premiere destination for international sports competition. Over the last ten years the region, which is more famous for its stifling desert heat and the many luxury hotels Dubai UAE, has committed itself to building state-of-the art facilities, such as those in Dubai Sports City, and to attracting international talent with large appearance fees and some of the richest purses in sports.

In 2008, the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon became the world’s richest long-distance running event. Organizers offered $250,000 for both the men and women winners. There was an additional offer of $1 million for setting a world record. The race is held each year in January.

Golf is popular sport in the UAE. Both the Dubai Desert Classica and the Dubai World Championship tournaments are held each year. In 2009 the European Tour is hosting a “Race to Dubai.” A record $1.66 million will go to winner of this points race between the top 60 money winners that culminates at the Dubai World Championship in November. The total purse is a record-setting $10 million.

The richest horse race in the world has consistently been the Dubai World Cup. Held in March each year, the 2009 World Cup $6 million prize was won by Well Armed. Six other races, some with total prizes of over $21 million are held on the same day. These include the Dubai Duty Free, the Dubai Sheema Classic, and the UAE Derby.

Tennis stars gather in Dubai in February for the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championship. This is a hard court tournament featuring both men’s and women’s events. The Legends Rock Dubai tournament is part of the Outback Champions Series. It is held each November and has featured senior tennis players such as Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Michael Stich, Peter McNamara, ang Guy Forget.

Rugby is another popular sport in Dubai. In earl March 2009, the city was host to the 2009 Rugby World Cup Sevens. This included the first ever Womens’ World Cup Sevens which was won by Australia

Dubai Sports City has partnered with the International Hockey Federation (FIH) to create the World Hockey Academy. The Academy will provide local hockey leagues, school tournaments, and coaching programs.

Construction of the academy is entering the final stages of completion. Restaurants and hotels Dubai UAE are eagerly anticipating the academy’s opening as they forecast an increase in business during special events and programs that is much needed in the current economic climate.

Courses in umpiring coaching will feature some of the world’s most respected coaches. the FIH hopes that the classes and programs will encourage the growth of the sport throughout Dubai, the UAE, and the rest of the Middle East.

The facilities include two water-based pitches that are built to international standards and are FIH-certified. They are being fitted with broadcast standard floodlighting in anticipating of attracting major matches and tournaments to the site.

Dubai Sports City is home academies in football, tennis, golf, rugby, cricket, and swimming. It includes some of the best sports facilities in the region as well as a world-famous sports medicine and rehabilitation center.