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.
Visitors to Johannesburg will be at once electrified by the vast array of things to do. It is a city with a large, and complex, heartbeat, and there are more events happening in one night than any one person can experience. The overwhelming sensual impressions will take the traveler for an exciting ride through this, South Africa’s largest city. For luxury hotels, Johannesburg is well-positioned to help the world-curious guest find a lovely rest in the middle of an amazing cultural experience. There are fabulous amenities for guests to relax before they explore the cultural events in Johannesburg.
One of the most lively arts in Johannesburg is the music. The mix of styles and rhythms has long-established Johannesburg’s position as a global force in the music industry, and the past ten years have seen many evolutions and revolutions in the local music scene. Innovation and tradition are coupled here, as evidenced by the popularity of Bongo Maffin. This musical trio came of age under the generation of young musicians who got their chops in the post-apartheid era. They combine many forms, including reggae, rap, and hip-hop, but their main influence comes from the floors of dance clubs. This type of house music is known as kwaito, and Bongo Maffin are the unique world ambassadors. Their album, “Bongonation,” established them as a force who create music as a rallying cry, and an annunciation.
Using their bodies and voices to create rhythms, they pay honor to the last generation’s Ladysmith Black Mambazo, and highlight their position as unique entities and historical forces on the world music stage. They play at concerts and festivals all over the world, but the favorite place in their hearts is always their native Johannesburg. After one concert in Spain, the members of BongoMaffin were so homesick they left their luggage behind in a hurry to return home.
Golf is immensely popular in South Africa with many courses in major cities and tourist centers alike. In Sun City, northeast of Johannesburg, the Gary Player Golf Course is world class. The easiest way to travel to Sun City is by air from Johannesburg. It’s a short plane ride and local transfers are easily available. For a variety of luxury hotels, South Africa dominate in this fantastic resort area. The Nedbank Golf Challenge, formerly known as the Million Dollar Golf Challenge, is an annual event and is a highly anticipated competition. The tournament is played in December, which is summer in South Africa, and is attended by local and international golfing stars alike. Because of the unique course design, the challenge is serious. Fortunately for spectators, there is excellent viewing for most shots. The 18 hole golf course with a par of 72, offers a real challenge to both amateur and professional golfers. Because the course is flat, there are many cleverly designed water hazards and hidden bunkers that compensate for the lack of ascent and descent. The course, a manicured parkland is framed by many trees and wild kikuyu grass swaying in the breeze. There are steams and a bit of wildlife! It’s clear that South Africa has become one of the world’s top golfing destinations and deservedly so. The beautiful weather and the natural beauty of the African bush combined with the world class golf course, all work together to create an excellent golfers holiday.
The course is open seven days a week. Some of the services which make this course an excellent destination are, the driving range, a covered driving range, private Instruction, group classes, clubs and Cart Rentals. There is a restaurant and a bar, a pitching green, a putting green and a pro shop. On the course rest rooms s are conveniently located. There are many types of beverages available on the course as well. Back at the Country Club there is a spa that can be used anytime. There is good parking available. Naturally credit cards are accepted.
Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands that sit just off of the coast of Mainland Spain. All the islands together make up one of the most popular and most traveled vacation destinations around the world, and perhaps the number one for those living in the surrounding Mediterranean. Beginning in the 1960’s, development in the building industry was booming, with shopping malls, and apartment complexes and luxury hotels, Mallorca is being developed at a high rate. Most of Mallorca’s coastline is now lined with these buildings. Historical buildings such as the grand cathedrals and magnificent mansions are still prevalent in the islands capital city of Palma.
One of these buildings is the Castle de Bellver. The castle sits atop a small hill and was constructed in 1309. During the short time that Mallorca had Royal families, it was used by the kings for their summer castle. Proceeding that time period, it was used as a prison as it had fortified walls and was surrounded by two moats. Now, in current times it is an archaeological and historical museum. The only building that remains of the Moors in the capital is in the medieval district. It is an old bathhouse, with picnic tables and a garden terrace surrounding the grounds. And from the Gothic time period, the Cathedral el Seo stands and is one of the historical landmarks of Palma . The building overlooks the ocean and is dedicated to San Sebastian, the patron saint of the city. The construction of the cathedral began in 1300 and was not entirely finished until a large iron dome was built over the alter in 1909. So while there are many new buildings going up on the island today, there are still quite a few that represent the history of the city, and of the entire island of Mallorca.
Today, on March 28th in the year of 2009 history is being made. For perhaps one of the first times recorded the people of the world are actually coming together to ‘vote’ on an issue that far spans political ideology or religious differences. The people of the world will cast their vote tonight, for one hour, with the intent to bring to the forefront of thought and concern, the protection and conservation of the planet and her resources. This stands out, more so even than the last U.S. Presidential election, for just as the United States needed Barack Obama, the world and her inhabitants need this vote, this election.
Begun as a simple statement in Sydney, Australia in 2007 and very quickly spreading to cities such as Manhattan and San Francisco, this simple idea took on world proportions, with Singapore luxury hotels and those in Paris, Dubai, Tokyo and Los Angeles taking part. And yes, perhaps it is fashionable to be green. Well, if now is the time, better late than never. From the time of 8:30pm to 9:30pm, citizens around the world are encouraged to participate, by simply turning out the lights. Many cities are providing entertainment as a celebration of this global coming together. In Singapore, the Esplanade is hosting a party, with food and concerts to last through the night, far surpassing the one hour without electricity.
Expected participation of the world-wide one hour blackout, is to exceed one billion, far surpassing the the original 50 million taking part in 2007. In the early years of the 2000’s, those living in the Los Angeles area experienced ‘brown-outs’. A last resort to combat over-used and over-taxed energy companies. Left in the middle of a twelve lane intersection, at Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive during rush hour in July is not a comfortable position to be placed in. Tonight, that blackout will be in each individuals’ control. In order to fix and maintain, control must be felt from within. For not only is it a bit more predictable and less dangerous than submitting to governmental control in the middle of an intersection in one of the world’s largest and most congested cities, it promotes a sense of responsibility. To each of us that pass each other on the street, as well as those we affect throughout and around the world.
Singapore has had a growing tourism industry for many years. Rates of immigration and visitors wanting to be involved in the business sector alone have brought millions to the city. Last month, however, preparing for the global trend of consumers, travelers and big businesses tighten spending, the Board of Tourism for the Island proposed a program that would insure the continued growth and strength of tourism for the city. Times in all sectors of all businesses world wide have been feeling the economic crunch and of the public and their concern and lowered spending on all items and services the past few years. In February the Board held a conference discussing the fact that more hard times are ahead and are likely to remain difficult for some time. Wishing to preempt the economic losses and wanting to help the people of Singapore secure the jobs that they still hold, their proposal will put Ninety Million dollars into the sector of tourism. In hopes of providing secure futures for the service industries such as restaurants, convention centers and Singapore luxury hotels.
The convention drew a number of participants, over 450 members of the various companies that provide services to the the travelers coming to Singapore for vacation or for business trips. Their goal for 2009 is to so insure that jobs will be saved and that the industry remains a viable and successful one. Part of this is to remain one of the regions top entertainment cities and continue the draw for international interest in the philosophy and the dedication to the Singaporean work ethic. The people of Singapore have had one of the top lifestyles compared to other cities of their caliber, for along with big business the people enjoy some of the best school systems, public health care and are living in a city that while the population is growing the crime rate is falling. For the people living and working there, this is good for as the hard times of this economic crunch has not drastically affected that life style, no one is sure about what the future holds. Still, this is a city that is not waiting for disaster and massive job losses, they are finding solutions for these times before the problems actually arise.
Kermit the Frog, the icon created by Jim Henson, once sang that “it ain’t easy being green”. Well, Singaporeans are discovering that that is true to a certain extent. The Economic Development Board of Singapore recently released a statement that there are over 1,000 jobs available right now in the industry of clean, or green, technology, however there is a shortage of qualified Singaporeans to fill those jobs. Most of the jobs are at the wind energy and solar panel plants.
The main company looking for talent is Vesta, who now employs people from over twenty different companies. The desire is to fill the positions with people from Singapore. The economic recession of the United States is affecting all corners of the world, affecting the production of new plants and new endeavours in the quest for alternative energy sources. But various government programs and specialized bank loans may come to the rescue. For now, the research and development divisions locally invested financially and environmentally, are hiring like crazy, for the days when the funding is available. The clean technology industry is the fasting growing industry, perhaps due to the fact that it really is a life or death situation. From the conversion to water saving devices and solar panels by luxury Singapore business hotels to the individual businesses themselves, all sectors of Singapore have begun to take part in the attempt to save the planet.
According to the New Energy Finance group, the one sector wherein investments are actually up rather than down in this economy, is the energy aware and sustainable resource sector. Singapore has long been known and admired for their savvy business interactions and the dedication of the workers in various business and industry ventures, so it’s no surprise that they are noticing a niche here that needs to be filled. Not only for financial rewards, but environmental rewards as well. More than 650 billion dollars have been invested in the research and development to date. International businesses are beginning to relocate to Singapore, a trend that has happened in the past in regards to the world of marketing and finance, but now is environmental. The advanced technology from past endeavours only serves to enhance and expedite discoveries in the eco-friendly business and development. Singapore is the right place, and this is the right time for such developments to take place. As the world and all her inhabitants are depending on new ways, green ways, lives are depending on it.
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