2010 July travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

Created in the 1920′s by the French painter Jacques Morelle, the Majorelle Garden is built around a small Art Deco workshop, painted a bright blue. A very special blue which is now a trade mark name. This workshop (studio) now houses the private collection of Islamic Art bequeathed by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé to the Trust who manage the domain.A lover of colors and Morocco, Majorelle collected rare species from all over the world. Bougainvilleas, palm, coconut, banana trees and bambous are found in the garden as well as other exotic plants. Around the long central bassin, the garden has different secluded corners, suitable for the meditation or just a shady corner to sit and talk.

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Planted with olive-trees, some of which are more than 100 years old,the Menara garden in Marrakesh, Morocco lies in its central part. Its large central lake was dug in the 12th century at the time of Almohade. On one side, there is a harmonious Saadian style pavilion that was built at the end of the 19th century.
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Whether you are looking to do everything or nothing at all, if you come with an open mind, Molokai will leave you with a smile on your face and a sort of peace that is normally unattainable.  Surf, dive, hunt, fish, hike, or just relax on a secluded beach – it doesn’t matter, time has a way of standing still in this place. 
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Ernest Hemingway made wild, colorful Key West his home.And you will want to do the same. Home to modern-day adventurers, artists and poets, the island’s charming Old Town teems with restaurants, bars and unique shops. Add pristine coral reefs, coconut palms and a laid-back attitude that’s truly contagious, and it’s easy to see why so many visitors to Key West, Florida never leave.

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Veranda Chiangmai located outside the city of Chiangmai and away from the hustle and bustle. Divided into 2 zones, on one side represented the cultural heritage of the north and the other the contemporary veranda style.
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This temple complex surrounds a large and venerable Lanna-style chedi (monument housing a Buddha) dating from 1441. It’s now in partial ruins, damaged either by a 16th-century earthquake or by the cannon fire of King Taksin in 1775 during the recapture of Chiang Mai from the Burmese. The Emerald Buddha, now in Bangkok, sat in the eastern niche here in 1475.

Continue reading Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai, Thailand

For about 100 years it kept Columbus body in Cuban mahogany wood tomb, then it was off to Sevilla with the mahogany wood tomb and all. It has been special for all Cubans ever since the day it was built, even today it a beacon of hope and a time that it was grand. A must see for any visitor to Havana.
Continue reading Catedral de San Cristobal, Havana

On coming toward the city, the first glimpse of the towering Phra Pathom Chedi is overpowering. lt is one of the largest pagodas in the world and in Thailand, by far the most holy of all Buddhist structures. The original pagoda was constructed more than 2,000 years ago in the stupa design of an upside down bowl shape. A replica of the original pagoda stands south of the present one. ln the year 1853, King Rama lV commanded the reconstruction of a new huge pagoda covering the original one. lt has a height of 120.45 metres and a total length of 234,75 metres around the base. A nearby museum contains a wealth of priceless relics and many of the stone carvings found in and around Nakhon Pathom. At the four points of the compass in the outer courtyard are four Wiharas (halls) containing images of Buddha in various postures.

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Since ancient times, Miyajima, the island itself, has been worshipped as a god. This belief, passed down from generation to generation, has protected Itsukushima Shrine, many other shrines and temples as well as the island’s unique culture, and its sacred nature. Renowned for being a world cultural heritage site today, Miyajima is an island where people and gods dwell together. Located off the coast of Hiroshima, the serene beauty of the island is an essential coda to that city.
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If Hemingway loved it, there’s gotta be something about Havana – and there’s plenty. This delightful, wicked, cosmopolitan city is a cultural powerhouse, renowned for its musicality, mojitos and proud intellectualism. Get behind the wheel and cruise through Havana Vieja, puffing on a Cohiba and marvelling at a city on the verge of international stardom.

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