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Posts from ‘October, 2009’

Time to Stop Making “Carbon Copy Cities”: Jean Nouvel’s Approach to Architecture

Posted on Oct 21st, 2009

Famous French architect Jean Nouvel continues to argue against generalist architecture. Nouvel has presented in October 2009 one of his latest works, the Pavilion B at Genoa’s Salone Nautico. With an impressive lesson on aesthetics, Nouvel, who holds the Pritzker Prize 2008, has accounted for the basics of his accomplishment: he aimed to insert the edifice within the urban and social backdrop of the city of Genoa.

Certainly, from the vantage point of the sea, the edifice is in harmony with the water and the boats that are moored. An analogous idea can be felt by looking at other of Nouvel’s achievements such as the Muse Quai Branly in Paris, the Akbar Tower in Barcelona and the improvement of Colle Val d’Elsa in Tuscany. Nouvel affirms to be against the so-called “carbon copy cities” in an interview appeared in La Repubblica, Italy, led by Renata Fontanelli on October 12th 2009, and of which are some lines roughly rendered in English here:  Read more...

Why You Should Choose a Lightweight Stroller for Flying with a Baby

Posted on Oct 20th, 2009

If you have young children and you’ve gone traveling with them in the past, then you no doubt already know just how difficult it can be. Not only does it involve a considerable amount of extra luggage, but of course your kids certainly won’t be volunteering to carry any of it. This is why it’s so crucial to keep everything light weight wherever possible. The same thing applies to strollers if your kids are still riding in them. Let’s face it, you don’t want to be rushing about in an Airport carrying luggage and trying to hold on to your kids at the same time, and that’s why you should definitely take your stroller with you, but of course you need to have a lightweight stroller such as an umbrella fold stroller.

To make matters worse for those who are about to fly with a baby, airlines certainly don’t provide much information on their websites regarding the procedures for parents with strollers. However, here are some useful tips which should help you to avoid any unnecessary surprises.  Read more...

Enjoying a Vacation To Europe Without Spending Your Life Savings

Posted on Oct 19th, 2009

Nothing stimulates the fancy more than the mere mention of a Europe vacation. Who can ever hear the word without beginning to dream of tasting and rolling fine wine on the tongue and touring a warm vineyard? For some, the Europe spells slow gondola rides and warm lazy afternoons on French cafes, sipping the taste of only the premium coffee. Life cant get any better with a Europe vacation.

One thing is certain though. A vacation to Europe is never cheap. This is what can burst any aspiring tourists dream bubble. Do not fret though. It is not entirely impossible to explore the wonders of Europe at least once in your life. There are a number of ways to make a trip more in tune with your limited budget.

The first step is to begin with a plan. Obviously, you are more likely to be able to save if you followed a master plan rather than if you just hopped from one city to another on impulse. Be as detailed as possible. Include in your plan your exact destinations, flights, accommodations, activities and specific budget. When everything is plotted, make a commitment to follow your master plan.  Read more...

Enjoy A Great Holiday With Your Family In Santa Barbara Vacation Rentals

Posted on Oct 19th, 2009

Santa Barbara is a beautiful city that is situated in California in the United States. It is on the east-west part of the coastline, which is the only part on the west coast that is between the Santa Ynex Mountains as well as the sea. Due to the fact that they experience the Mediterranean climate, it is referred to as California’s South Coast or the American Riviera.

Santa Barbara is known for many things, but the Santa Barbara spa hotels are one of the many reasons that many people choose to visit the city. They have some of the world’s best spas, resorts, hotels and vacation rentals.

Beach front property is something that we would all love to wake up to. Luckily for us, Costal Hideaways offers a wide variety of vacation rentals that are right on the water. This is great for those who are traveling with a group of people and need more than one room. The rentals that you can choose from have magnificent views of not only the ocean, but the mountains as well. When it comes to the choice between spa hotels and vacation rentals, vacationers tend to choose a cost effective vacation rental.  Read more...

The Coral Princess Cruise Ship Explores The Panama Canal And Alaska

Posted on Oct 18th, 2009

Larger Princess cruise ships do not fit through the Panama Canal, but the Coral Princess cruise ships was specifically designed for this task, and helps her to navigate the Gulf of Alaska also.

The Coral Princess cruise ship is narrower, but just as long as the Grand Class cruise ships. This change in design permits her to fit through the Panama Canal. Although the Coral Princess cruise ship is narrower than most of the Princess Cruiseline, she is just as long, thus providing ample room for other amenities aboard this ship. Almost 85 percent of the rooms on the Coral Princess cruise ship are outside rooms and over 80 percent of these provide balconies. The Coral Princess cruise ship has less inside cabins, thus utilizing more of the space inside the ship for the Princess amenities we all love. This is the perfect combination when it comes to taking an Alaskan cruise or a Panama Canal cruise because you will certainly not want to miss a moment of scenery just because you are in your room.  Read more...

Home Renovations DIY

Posted on Oct 17th, 2009

It appears that there has been a decline in consumer confidence in the building and construction industry of late. This may be because of the scams highlighted on television or the bribery and corruption endemic in the corporate sector, but it is almost certainly the same motivation why so many are now carrying out home improvements by themselves.

And why shouldn’t they? A little knowledge of the technical aspects combined with an eye for creativity is often enough to complete the home improvement on your own.

Why are people turning to DIY home improvements?

There are many people attempting to pass themselves off as construction workers, although they do not have a lot of experience in construction or home maintenance and they are literally are out there right now practising, learning their trades on homes like yours and mine around the country.

As a result, homeowners are finding that the jobs are not being finished to their liking. At times they are even pre-paying for services that do not get done or were not part of the arrangement.

You do not have to trust and pay someone to enhance your home. Why not have a go yourself?  Read more...

How To Possibly Get Flight Upgrades From Economy To Business Class

Posted on Oct 16th, 2009

How often do you hear stories from people who actually bought a flight ticket under an economy class, but then were moved to the business class section of the plane? Not very often but there sure are stories of such nature.

There are so many travelers who have been dreaming to someday fly via business class, but the reality of having to pay huge amount of money for that is just one big challenge to go through. There is hope though for those who have stronger desire and faith than others. Did you know that there are quite a few very generous airline companies that would actually offer the chance of upgrading passengers from economy to business class flights? Yes, this kind of offer does exist.

So, if you are one of the few who have that pretty strong desire to fly via business class, then read carefully as I divulge to you some techniques that could qualify you for such an opportunity.

Now, I want you to read the rest of this article carefully as the following information will answer most of the questions you have in mind and give you an unfair advantage towards other travelers wanting this.  Read more...

Are You Paying Too Much For Your Hotel Room?

Posted on Oct 15th, 2009

Are you paying too much for your hotel room? The short answer is, most likely. If you are like most travelers and only shop at one of the leading online travel sites you are probably paying too much.

Yes, its true that Expedia or Travelocity may offer the best rate for a specific hotel in a specific destination. However, if you do not comparison shop, you wont know if you are getting the best rate possible. Travelocity and Expedia can be very valuable, but if you were buying a car would you only go to one dealership? Let me answer that for you. No, you wouldnt and thats because you know you save money when you create competition. The same holds true for hotel rooms.

Visiting only one travel booking site before buying travel products is typical behavior. Travelers become loyal to that one site or may not know that other options exist. However, recent data released by hotelicopter.com shows that if you book your Thanksgiving holiday hotels at one of those sites, you will pay on average 23% more than if you comparison shop through a hotel search engine.  Read more...

Affordable International Student Insurance

Posted on Oct 14th, 2009

When students travel abroad to further their education, they battle not just culture shock, they are also not prepared for the high rate of medical care, especially in the United States. study abroad insurance plans offer options that are especially geared toward the low-cost, low-risk student group.

In the United States, several universities require that a student have insurance prior to registering for courses. With low costs and a range of deductibles, international student health insurance plans are especially tailored toward international students studying at U.S. universities and colleges students on F1 visas, and their dependents, on F2 visas. The plans, however, can also be purchased by students in study abroad programs in other countries.

Students can choose the plan best suited to their requirements, from several available plan options. Deductibles can range from $0 to $2500, and the plan duration, five days to three years. The plans can usually be extended until the plan holder remains a student, and otherwise eligible for coverage.

Coverage for dependents can be purchased if done along with coverage for the student. Most plans cover visits to the physician, hospitalization, prescription drugs, and medical evacuation, in case of emergency. Many of the international student insurance plans also cover pregnancy and pre-existing conditions.  Read more...

Lanzarote: the Best of the Canary Islands

Posted on Oct 13th, 2009

There is a saying in Lanzarote: Visit Lanzarote once, and love it forever. It is certainly true that this most northerly of the Canary Islands engenders huge loyalty amongst its visitors. Many return to the island year after year with their children, who in turn grow up, marry, and then bring their own children back every year. And so it goes on…

But what is about Lanzarote that excites such a sense of loyalty? Well, the weather is consistently great, for a start! This is a place where the daytime temperatures rarely drop below 20 Celsius, but where cooling Atlantic breezes still keep the air comfortable, even in the hottest months when temperatures can reach 32 Celsius and higher.

The breathtaking scenery, is so spectacular that Lanzarote has often been used as a photoshooting, and feature film location. The most recent of these was Pedro Almodovars Las Abrozas Rotos (The Broken Embraces) in 2008, starring Penelope Cruz. The first popular film that most people remember being made here was in the late 1960s, when the rural volcanic terrain of Lanzarote was chosen for the film One Million Years BC, starring Raquel Welch. In your memory goes back further than this, you may even remember Moby Dick in 1956! The combination of high volcanic mountain peaks, the dramatic and lonely timelessness of the malpais (vast fields of eroding volcanic rocks and lava that cover large areas of the island), and beautiful views of the surrounding Atlantic Ocean, is truly awe-inspiring.  Read more...

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