Call it impersonal or call it a very private dining experience. In Nuremberg, Germany has opened a restaurant which is being billed as the world’s first waiterless sit-down restaurant.


The Mechanism

The restaurant has fully automated ordering and table service system. Orders are placed by typing on a touch screen. The whole restaurant has been connected by a real time computer network and hence there is no delay between placing the order and the kitchen receiving the same. This network includes a computer which keeps stock of inventory. When an order is placed the computer returns information like whether the particular item is available or not, and how much time it would take to deliver it.

Each table has been connected by metal rails to the kitchen. The order once ready, glides along the rails to customers, driven by gravity. To enable the mechanism to work the kitchen has been placed directly beneath the roof of the multistory restaurant

Will it be popular?
The restaurant may not appeal to people who like to discuss the house’s specialty with the waiters before ordering but otherwise it does make dining experience very simple. No tipping required and no chance of a miscommunication while ordering.

The owner Michael Mack thinks that the place charming because it’s so simple. However whether clientele find the system charming is yet to be seen. The bistro opened earlier this month and is getting mixed reviews. Mack has patented his dinner delivery device in Germany and hopes to license it to other countries too.

Dinner is served in the grand old African manner, under the stars in a reed enclosed boma, a MalaMala tradition for over 60 years. Seated around a log fire, under the starry African sky, enjoying superb food and outstanding South African wines is yet another highlight of the MalaMala experience.

* 18 luxury thatched bedrooms (including suites, family rooms, a disabled suite and a single rooms
* Separate “his” and “hers” bathrooms per bedroom
* Full range of guest amenities
* Heated towel rails
* Insect proof screening on all windows
* Mini bar and mini safe in each bedroom
* Hair dryers, Bath robes & Shaver plugs
* Insect repellent supplied in all bedrooms and on all vehicles
* Daily New York Times Fax
* Private verandahs overlooking the surrounding bush
* Purified water
* Maximum number of guests per game viewing vehicle is 6
* Internet access
* Complimentary bottled Mount Anderson Spring water in each bedroom
* Filtered swimming pool
* International direct dial telephones in each bedroom – 24 hour service
* Facsimile and e-mail facilities available
* 24 – hour electricity with standby generator
* 24 – hour air-conditioning and heating
* Room service
* Gymnasium
* Complimentary laundry service
* Safari Bar featuring an international selection of beverages
* Safari Boutique
* Wine Cellar
* The Monkey Club – Video Den/Library
* Tea and coffee making facilities in each bedroom
* Overhead fans
* Babysitting services available by appointmen

More info you can find here.

There are lots of lava fields on the island, which give great importance of botanical environment. Of special note are the lava fields in the National Park of Timanfaya, declared a national park in 1974. The whole island is a great volcanic structure built by successive eruptions on an instable base. In the past whole populations disappeared and were replaced by others.

The weather conditions are almost always favourable for doing a bit of exploring. Note the word ‘almost’. As with any place in the world, the weather is not something which can be guaranteed. For a while, in August and September, it can get very hot, whilst during the winter it can be cool and cloudy with spells of heavy rain (but, rest assured, this is the exception rather than the rule). The average weather that one can expect is ideal – around 17 degrees C during the winter months and 25 degrees C in August with sunshine on most days throughout the year.

How To Get Around The Island

By Hire Car
This is the way that the majority of tourists get around the island. Hire cars are easily available and cheaper than in the UK. The roads are good. One thing to remember, however, is to keep your passport, driving licence and hire agreement with you (as the law requires). Before you set out, do ensure that you know the telephone number of the car hire company (it’s unlikely that you will break down, but, if you do, just call the company and they will sort out the problem).

By Bus
Good bus services are becoming more available all over the island. There is a frequent service between the main towns of Arrecife, Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise. Playa Blanca is on the southern coast of Lanzarote and the bus service is less frequent, but still good. Currently, there are three or four regular services per day connecting the town with the rest of the island and more are to be provided soon.

By Taxi
Taxis, as in the UK, are strictly controlled and regulated. The standard of the cars provided is high and they are widely available. Prices are regulated and very reasonable. Most people hire their own cars or get around by bus, but tours around the island can be arranged by taxi. There are taxi ranks in all the main towns (or, you can ask the receptionist of your hotel or holiday complex to call one for you).

By Walking
One cannot cover as much ground, of course, but the rewards are just as great – possibly greater. The views of the countryside and the islands across the sea are exhilarating. Guidebooks are available in the local bookshops.

By Cycling
Cycles are now easily obtainable in Playa Blanca. The local council is developing cycle routes to encourage this healthy way of getting around the island.

By Ferry
You may feel like venturing further afield – to another island. This is no problem. Ferries leave the Playa Blanca harbour at frequent intervals for the neighbouring island of Fuerteventura. The trip takes about 40 minutes.

If you intend going to Lanzarote you may be interested in visiting Lanzarote in 360 site, which offers you travel information, hotels, apartments, bungalows, country houses, car rentals, excursions and other cool stuff.

View in Google Earth – Lanzarote known as the island of 100 volcanoes

Coober Pedy has evolved in to one of the most unique places in Australia and perhaps the world. It is a cosmopolitan town with a population of 3,500 and over 45 different nationalities. The relaxed and friendly lifestyle of the town has made it a breeding ground for cultural tolerance, diversity and acceptance.

Coober Pedy is probably best known for its unique style of underground living. There is a range of underground accommodation (as well as above ground if you prefer). There are authentic underground homes to explore as well as underground museums, potteries, opal shops, an art gallery and, of course, opal mines.

The harsh summer temperatures and the dominant industry mean that most residents live in caves bored into the hillsides and work underground in mine shafts. A standard three bedroom cave home with lounge, kitchen, and bathroom can be drilled out of the rock in the hillside for a similar price to a house on the surface. It remains at a constant temperature, whereas surface living needs air-conditioning, especially during the summer months, when the temperature often exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). The relative humidity rarely gets over 20% on these hot days, and the skies are usually cloud-free. The average maximum temperature is 30-32 degrees Celsius, but it can get quite cool in the winter.

The first tree ever seen in the town was welded together from scrap iron. It still sits on a hilltop overlooking the town. The local golf course – mostly played at night with glowing balls, to avoid daytime temperatures – is completely free of grass and golfers take a small piece of “turf” around to use for teeing off.

Crocodile Harry
The highlights include a visit to the underground house of a man calling himself Crocodile Harry. This wonderful old lecher (his walls are festooned with the addresses of girls who he claims to have seduced) declares himself to be Arvid Von Blumentals, a Latvian Baron who was forced to leave his country after World War II. He claims to have worked as a crocodile hunter in Northern Australia before coming to Coober Pedy to fossick for opals in about 1975. Although his story seems implausible – a good piece of bush mythology – it is interesting to note that Roger Jose, the Hermit of Borroloola, who lived in a damaged 1000 gallon tank at Borroloola on the Gulf of Carpentaria in the Northern Territory until his death in 1963, reportedly sold his unusual accommodation to a crocodile hunter named Harry Blumental. Are these two one and the same person? And are all of Harry’s larger than life stories true?

Crocodile Harry’s underground house featured in Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome and before they left the crew created a singing sculpture out of metallic trash which they called ‘The Orchestra’. It rattles in the breeze.

Coober Pedy Underground Catacomb Anglican Church
At the eastern end of Coober Pedy is the town’s famous Underground Catacomb Anglican Church which is a unique expression of the materials and activities of the local area. The altar is made like a winch and both the crucifix and the lectern are made out of mulga wood. Behind the altar are two air vents.

The Big Winch and the Oldtimers Mine
Nearby are the town’s two overt tourist attractions. The Big Winch (a good quality gift shop) and the Oldtimers Mine which shows underground mining and some of the old equipment which was used. It also has an opal reef on display. When the door was being cut they came across a seam of opals in the wall.

The Underground Pottery
The Underground Pottery is another popular tourist shop. It has some superb photographs of the area for sale. But don’t be fooled. The pottery may be locally made but the clay comes from Melbourne.

Coober Pedy Golf Course
No visit to Coober Pedy would be complete without seeing the local Golf Course where there is not a blade of grass on the fairways and the greens are oiled sand.

There is an excellent book on the town by Kerry E Medway titled Coober Pedy: Opal Wonderland of Australia which covers both the modern town and the history of the place from the first discovery of opal.

View in Google Earth – Coober Pedy is truly the Opal Capitol of the World

10) $46,500,000 – Kauai, HI

A palace in paradise. Tara Plantation, owned by Hollywood producer Peter Guber, is a 171-acre estate perched on the northeastern coast of Kauai. The property hugs a crescent-shaped private beach, and includes a 15,000-square-foot main house and two large guest cottages. The swimming pool is spring-fed, the master suite has his-and-her living rooms, and there is a yoga studio, beach cabana, caretaker’s home, stables and corrals. It is listed with Barbara Sloan at Coldwell Banker Bali Hai

This sprawling estate is possibly the shiniest property on the aptly named Star Island–Shaquille O’Neal and Gloria Estefan also own homes on the man-made lozenge of land. The architecturally diverse buildings encompass a total of 13 bedrooms, with the main house alone totaling 6,650 square feet. It has a brick kitchen and library walls covered in Scalamandré silk, as well as a 10,000-bottle wine cellar and a gun safe/safe room, both protected by fingerprint scanners. The swimming pool features custom mosaic tile, views of Biscayne Bay and an outdoor air conditioning unit that can create a concealing wall of mist. Information is available through Timo Khammash at Engel & Voelkers Naples Real Estate

All right, so it’s not on the beach. The “White House” occupies a prominent corner of Main Street in East Hampton, and includes nearly three acres of land. The colonial mansion has seven bedrooms, a wine cellar and a media room. The grounds include a gunite pool, pool house, tennis court, fountain and guest cottage. Joseph Caravetta at Allan M. Schneider & Associates has the listing

It’s not the most expensive home in the country, but it is the most expensive townhouse in New York. The Duke Semans mansion is still owned by the family that bought it back in 1901, when it was a Fifth Avenue spec home. Situated across the street from Central Park and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the 19,000-square-foot building has been split into pricey rental apartments, but could easily become a single-family home again. The Beaux Arts brick-and-limestone façade has been restored, and many of the original touches, including bay windows and bathroom fixtures, are intact. It is listed with Sharon Baum at The Corcoran Group and Paula Del Nunzio and Shirley Mueller at Brown Harris Stevens

Little Jennie Ranch is far more than just a home. Situated 35 miles from Jackson Hole, Wyo., the working ranch includes 3,000 acres of land and supports more than 1,400 cow/calf units. However, it also has a nice residence attached. The 4,000-square-foot, rustic-style main house is furnished with Native American rugs and handcrafted furniture. The ranch includes four guest cottages, a large swimming pool, staff quarters, barns and other outbuildings, and the sale includes cattle, furniture, fixtures and most of the equipment, plus grazing, water and mineral rights and permits. The property is listed with Bob Graham at Real Estate of Jackson Hole.

Over the years, the price of the Robert Taylor Ranch has been rising like a hot song on the Top 40 charts. Once owned by the actor who starred opposite Greta Garbo in the 1937 film Camille, it’s now the property of Kenneth Roberts, former owner of Los Angeles radio station KROQ. At various times, he’s asked $29 million, $35 million, $40 million and $50 million–obviously, he’s in no rush to sell. The Ranch totals 112 acres in the Santa Monica Mountains, with seven buildings offering a whopping total of 70 rooms. Designed by Robert Byrd, the main house has stone fireplaces, a wine cellar and a screening room. The grounds include a tennis court, swimming pool, stables and riding trails. It is listed with Joyce Rey at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Beverly Hills

A veritable playground on pricey Lake Tahoe, this 4.25-acre compound includes nearly 340 feet of shoreline. But water isn’t Sierra Star’s only amenity: If you add the 11,000-square-foot contemporary main house and the two guesthouses, you get a total of 18 bedrooms and 19 baths. The 16,000-square-foot “carriage house” has a 60-foot-long elevator that can accommodate large vehicles. The sod on the grounds has rubber matting beneath, so it doesn’t get ruined by all-terrain vehicles. And the two piers have remote-controlled lifts for easy boat launching. Kent Symons at Coldwell Banker Incline Village Realty has the listing.

It’s a nice home–but is it a $65 million home? With seven bedrooms and 11 baths, this house is large, though not over-the-top. But check out the land that accompanies it–nearly seven flat acres, a rarity in Malibu. The property has panoramic ocean views, as well as a private road to the beach, riding ring, swimming pool, tennis court and guard house. It is listed with Jan Horn and Chris Cortazzo at Coldwell Banker-Beverly Hills North

The apartment that tops The Pierre hotel is more than a penthouse–it’s a mansion in the sky. The top three floors were converted into a residence in the late 1980s; they include the hotel’s original ballroom–now a stupendous salon–and 360-degree views of the city. The penthouse has five master bedrooms, seven full baths, three half baths and four terraces. It is graced with Versailles-patterned oak floors, a black-marble staircase and 18th-century English paneling. And if the price seems a bit steep, the penthouse is available in two parts–one at $59 million and the other at just $11 million. It is listed with Elizabeth Lee Sample and Brenda Powers at Brown Harris Stevens, an affiliate of Christie’s Great Estates.

For the ultimate price, you can have the ultimate in luxury–60 acres of coveted Hamptons farmland transformed into an uber-estate. There is the grand main house, which totals more than 25,000 square feet and has a great room with a 28-foot-high domed ceiling. The 14 gardens include vegetable, hydrangea and butterfly plantings, as well as a rose garden modeled after the one at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. And how could a home be considered complete without its own U.S. Golf Association-rated course designed by Rees Jones? The grass tennis court, 75-foot pool and three large ponds are just extras. Three Ponds is listed with Susan Breitenbach at Allan M. Schneider & Associates

Read the article below

Starchaser industries has been awarded a study contract from the European Space Agency for the detailed assessment of their Thunderstar / Starchaser 5A space tourism reusable launch vehicle to verify its technical feasibility and ability to meet future space tourists expectations. The study will also refine the Starchaser Business Plan to demonstrate that space tourism can be sustained in a wholly commercial environment.

This 150,000 euro contract is part of ESA’s Survey of European Privately-Funded Vehicles for Commercial Human Space Flight, which was designed to identify European space tourism ventures, evaluate their feasibility, and assess their associated technologies.

“Everyone at Starchaser has worked hard to secure the awarding of this contract” commented Steve Bennett, CEO Starchaser Industries, “Starchaser are determined to ensure that Europe doesn’t miss out on the potentially huge space tourism industry” he added.

The reusable Thunderstar / Starchaser 5A space tourism vehicle could begin regular flights from New Mexico’s Spaceport America as early as 2009. Thunderstar / Starchaser 5A has been designed to carry one pilot and two passengers to sub-orbital altitudes in excess of 100 kilometres before returning them safely via parachute. Starchaser astronauts are guaranteed an exciting but comfortable acceleration profile, breathtaking views of the home planet and several minutes of weightlessness.

The Starchaser Astronaut programme features centrifuge, microgravity and skydive training together with high altitude decompression and hypobaric work. Starchaser astronauts will also receive their own personal spacesuit which they may keep as a memento of their experience.

I hope these guys to make their work perfectly and get a step ahead to Space Travel.

At the official website you can see pieces of amazing computer animation simulation of what some of the larger islands are going to look like once completed.

Impressive!!! Isn’t it?

* Annapurna Circle – The 330 km (205 mi.) long mountain walk from Dumre to Pokhara around the Annapurna massif is famous for both its spectacular scenery and its cultural diversity. Accordingly this classic route is walked relatively often, especially the more simple walk around Annapurna in a clockwise direction. In addition to the two weeks for walking three to five days should be added on for acclimatising and resting. The lowest point is Dumre at 480 m (1574 ft) and the highest point is the Thorong La Pass at 5416 m (17,769 ft).

* Annapurna Sanctuary – The walk to the Annapurna Sanctuary is a classic walk in the middle of the heart of the Annapurna massif. Destination is the Annapurna base camp, a moraine surrounded by 6000m to 8000 m (19,685 ft to 26,246 ft) high peaks. This land is sacred to the Gurungs, the inhabitants of the surrounding area. According to their tradition women and members of lower classes are forbidden to enter this region. Unclean foods such as meat, eggs and garlic are not allowed, neither is slaughtering nor hunting. Naturally the sanctuary, which was only ever visited by shepherds for short periods, was a paradise for animals and plants.

* Bhaktapur – Unlike Kathmandu and Patan which are situated close together, the third of the “Royal Cities”, Bhaktapur (pop. 70,000), lies some 14 km (81/2 mi.) away, “outside the holy hollow of the Valley” on the old trade route to Tibet. For Bhaktapur the trade route was both arterial link and major source of wealth. Its relative remoteness allowed the city to develop independently and in ways which distinguish it from the other two. With farmers – some of the best in the Valley – numbered heavily (60 per cent) among its inhabitants, the city is self-supporting.

* Chitwan National Park – The Chitwan National Park lies south-west of Kathmandu close to the Indian frontier and is included in the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage sites. Protected within the park are remnants of the jungle which once covered the Indian sub-continent from the Indus in Pakistan to the Burmese border. Chitwan is located in the Rapti Valley, largest of the flat “dun” valleys of the inner Tarai separating the Siwalik hills in the south from the mountains of the Mahabharat chain to the north. The northern section of the park takes in the floodplains of the rivers Reu, Rapti and Narayani, a flat region of grassland, swamps and lakes 150 m (500 ft) above sea level. To the south Chitwan extends into the hills of the Siwalik range (600 m (1970 ft)).

* Chobar Gorge – The picturesque Chobar Gorge is spanned by a small suspension bridge, ordered by the Ranas from a manufacturer in Aberdeen (Scotland) in 1903. The bridge had to be transported piecemeal across the mountains from India before being put in place, something of a technical miracle at the time. The rocky cliffs of the gorge are pierced with caves, ideal retreats for meditation. An underground passage is reputed to run from the caves via a subterranean lake to the Adinath Lokeshwar Temple in Chobar. On the south side of the gorge the bank of the Bagmati River has been paved to make ghats, steps used for ritual ablutions and cremation. People also come to the ghats to wash and launder clothes while buffalo bathe near by.

* Daman – The village of Daman lies on the Tribhuvan Highway mid way between Hetauda and Kathmandu. The 2322 m (7620ft)-high ridge affords the most spectacular view in all Nepal of the Himalayan chain with peaks from Dhaulagiri to Sargamatha (Everest) visible through the telescope on the viewing tower.

* Janakpur – Janakpur (pop. 72,000) is situated in the south of the Tarai 22 km (131/2 mi.) from the Indian border. The town is the heartland of the ancient Maithili culture which gave birth to its own language and script. Janakpur is also a popular pilgrim center; it was here that Sita (also known as Janaki), the heroine of the Ramayana, was born and where Rama was married.

* Kathmandu – At the crossroads of the great civilizations of Asia, seven groups of Hindu and Buddhist monuments, as well as the three residential and palace areas of the royal cities of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, illustrate Nepalese art at its height. Among the 130 monuments are pilgrimage centres, temples, shrines, bathing sites and gardens – all sites of veneration for both religious groups.

* Langtang National Park Trek – On a clear day Langtang Lirung (7245 m (23,769 ft)) is visible from Kathmandu. It dominates the surrounding area of the same name which stretches from the north of the Helambu to the Tibetan border. The one-week walk through the Langtang National Park leads to the glacier at the foot of the mountain, then to near the base camp and back. On the way there are good views of the Ganesh Himal chain. The countryside is quite thinly populated but it is possible to spend the night in village guest houses. From the lowest point in Trisuli Bazar at 541 m (1775 ft) to the Kyanjin gompa at 3800 m (12,467 ft) the walk cuts through various climatic zones.

* Lumbini – Lumbini, a town in the Tarai about 22 km (131/2 mi.) west of Bhairawa, is famous as the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama the historic Buddha, known as Buddha Shakyamuni. Situated well off the tourist track, almost 250 km (155 mi.) from Kathmandu, Lumbini is a worthwhile detour from the route from Pokhara to the Chitwan National Park. In this pilgrimage town there is no tourist hustle and bustle – it is visited mainly by Buddhist pilgrims from Japan, Thailand and Tibet retracing Buddha’s footsteps through the stations of his life. Lumbini is remarkable only for its tranquility, undisturbed by major celebrations and largely devoid of sights. Only a few relics from the excavation site remain to bear witness to the importance of the town and these have come within the framework of the Lumbini Development Project. Lumbini has been nominated for inclusion on the UNESCO list of world cultural sites. Archaeologists hope for major discoveries both here and at Tilaurikot (27 km (17 mi.) west), once the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kapilvastu. At the present time excavation work is under way.

* Mount Everest Trekking Route – The route first leads through the mountainous countryside of Solu before reaching the higher Khumbu region. Unlike in the Annapurna region it does not follow river valleys but runs vertically. As it is constantly up and down the walk to the base camp actually covers a climb of 9000 m (29,527 ft), so to speak, the total height of Everest above sea level. The route goes through regions with sharply contrasting topography and climates, from the hot Tarai to the glaciers of Khumbu. In between are the Siwalik Hills and the Mahabharat chain with the valley of the Sun Kosi. The walk continues through the Sagarmatha National Park.

* Muktinath – A renowned pilgrim site, Muktinath is located in the heart of the Himalayas in the northern region of Mustang. Sacred to Hindus and Buddhists alike its shrines are perched on a mountain ridge 3700 m (12,143 ft) and 3980 m (13,062 ft) above sea level. In Hindu tradition Muktinath is known as Muktichhetra (”Place of Salvation”). Here Brahma lit fire upon water and reconciled the contradictory elements thereby. An eternal flame still burns, reputedly sustained by nothing more than water, stone and earth. Muktinath became hallowed ground for Buddhists when Guru Rinpoche, passing through on his journey to Tibet, left a footprint in the rock. The 84 siddhas dropped their wooden staffs, which grew into a poplar grove, a miracle in an otherwise treeless land.

* Muktinath Route – The Muktinath route mainly follows the valley of the Kali Gandaki, which makes its way from the dry rain shadow area of Annapurna to the sub-tropical jungle. The valley of the Kali Gandaki is the deepest in the world, on the western side Dhaulagiri (8167 m (26,794 ft)), on the eastern side Annapurna (8091 m (26,545 ft)) both only 30 kilometres apart. The river has carved itself several thousand metres deep into the mountains. An ancient trading route follows the Kali Gandaki to Tibet. However after the Chinese invasion relations came to a standstill. The flourishing trade has been replaced by tourism. Guest houses and restaurants are extremely comfortable. Tourists, with their expensive equipment, bare footed sadhus and pilgrims on their way to Muktinath all mingle side by side.

* Mustang Trekking Route – The route to Lo Manthang is the continuation of the walk to Muktinath and can easily be combined with it. The small principality of Mustang is an enclave of Tibetan culture which until recently had only been entered by a small number of foreigners. Among them were the Englishman David Snellgrove and the Frenchman Michel Peissel. At the beginning of 1992 the region was opened up to tourism with only groups being legally allowed to enter. Mustang is interesting for its own individual culture and its local breeds of horses and dogs. Not too much interest should be shown in these giant dogs as they fulfil their duty as guard dogs with a passion one would do better not to experience.

* Narayanthan – Budha Nilkantha – This delightful small town (pop. 23,000) near Banepa remains relatively untouched by the changes taking place elsewhere in the Banepa Valley. Large and prestigious temples are the only reminders of past glories when Panauti enjoyed a prime position on two trade routes and even boasted a palace. Situated at the confluence of the Rivers Rosi and Punyamati, the town occupies a sacred site. A third river, called Lilamati, visible only to the wise, is said to flow into the others from the Gorakhnath Shrine on the hill above the town.

* Panauti – This delightful small town (pop. 23,000) near Banepa remains relatively untouched by the changes taking place elsewhere in the Banepa Valley. Large and prestigious temples are the only reminders of past glories when Panauti enjoyed a prime position on two trade routes and even boasted a palace. Situated at the confluence of the Rivers Rosi and Punyamati, the town occupies a sacred site. A third river, called Lilamati, visible only to the wise, is said to flow into the others from the Gorakhnath Shrine on the hill above the town.

* Patan / Lalitpur – Patan is one of the major cities of Nepal. The official name of the municipality is Lalitpur and it lies in the district with the same name (inside Kathmandu valley). Patan is often considered to be the oldest and most beautiful among the three royal cities (Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur) in the Kathmandu Valley. It is best known for its finest tradition of arts and crafts and its rich cultural heritage.

* Phewa Valley – Although Pokhara is commercialized and at times suffers from a surfeit of tourists, it actually has a great deal of charm. The delightful Phewa Valley is one of its principal attractions. In the mornings a veil of mist floats over the lake, behind which the mountains form a magnificent backcloth. The water of the lake is only 19 m (62 ft) deep and is very dirty. An invigorating swim is only possible in the middle of the lake or from the opposite bank. Rowing boats can be hired but any breeze is usually too light for sailing or windsurfing. Boats go to the Vahari Temple on Lake Phewa’s small island. On Saturdays in particular – Saturday being an auspicious day for sacrifices – boatloads of folk clutching billy-goats and cockerels are ferried across the channel between the island and the shore.

* Pokhara – Pokhara, situated at the base of foothills 200 km (125 mi.) west of Kathmandu, represents for many trekkers the gateway to the Himalayas. It is the starting point for treks to Jomsom and the Annapurna group. With more than 146,000 inhabitants Pokhara is the third largest town in Nepal after Kathmandu and Biratnagar. People coming from the Kathmandu Valley notice the much cleaner air and pleasant climate. Lake Phewa, with its cluster of lakeside hotels, restaurants and shops, is ideal for seekers after relaxation and for day excursions. Pokhara consists of many different parts and lacks cohesion: airport, bazaar, Lakeside, Pardi, as well as the shopping centers of Mahendra Pul and Chipledhunga are far away from each other, also the long connection road is difficult to reconnoiter on foot. Happily there are now taxis with meters, whereas previously very high taxi fares were charged. However, for the visitor with sufficient time, it is better to hire a bicycle.

* Tansen – Tansen (pop. 14,000) lies 1400 m (4595 ft) above sea level on the south side of the Mahabharat range, just off the Siddharta Highway from Pokhara to the Indian frontier (Bhairawa). The combination of a pleasant climate, mountains and escape from the tourist throng make Tansen and its surroundings a delightful area for trekking. The town is a good base for shorter treks such as the route from Pokhara to Tansen via Dhorpatan or along the Kali Gandaki from Beni.

According to the Suda, before being known as Aphrodisias, the city had three previous names: Lelegon Polis (city of the Leleges), Megale Polis, and Ninoe. The city was later renamed Stauropolis (city of the cross) in the Christian era. The similarities of the goddess Aphrodite to Artemis of Ephesus and other Anatolian mother goddesses are evident in cult statues found at the ruins. In Hellenistic times, she took the form of an ancient nature goddess who was sovereign on the earth, in heaven, and in the oceans and the underworld.

During the Roman period of the 1st to 6th centuries AD, Aphrodisias became a rich and important city, known as a thriving trade center and for the excellence of its school of marble sculptors. Despite the advent of Christianity and the establishment of a bishop in the city, paganism still lingered for some centuries at Aphrodisias because of the great popularity of the cult of the goddess.

The most impressive monument in Aphrodisias is The Temple of Aphrodite. Located in the northern section, in ancient times the Temple of Aphrodite formed the centre and nucleus of the city. All that remains of the ancient temple consists of fourteen of the over forty Ionic columns that once surrounded it and the foundations of the cella section. Although the cult centre dates back to earlier times the temple whose remains we see today was begun in the 1st century B.C. and is thought to have been completed during the reign of Augustus. The temenos (temple precinct) was completed in the 2nd century during the reign of Hadrian. The building would appear to have been what is known as an octastyle temple with thirteen columns on each side and eight columns at front and rear. On some of the columns are inscribed the names of the donors who presented them to the temple. The discovery of several mosaic fragments belonging to the Hellenistic period indicate the existence of an older temple on the same site, but with the conversion of the temple to a church in the 5th century all traces of the older building were erased. At the same time, the walls of the cella containing the cult statues were removed and the building enlarged by moving the side columns outwards. Walls were added at the front and rear of the building to form an apse and nave. An apse and an atrium were added on the east and west. No cult statue was found in the cella but in 1962 a statue was found immediately outside it bearing all the characteristics of a cult statue. This statue, which is now exhibited in the museum, displays a stiff, hieratic stance closely resembling the Artemis of Ephesus. The goddess is wearing a long garment. One of the arms is stretched forward. The reliefs carved on the bands of the garment are very interesting. The sun god and moon goddess, the Three Graces with Aphrodite in the middle, Aphrodite and three Cupids seated on a goat with the tail of a fish are all symbols which frequently appear on various copies of the cult statue.

The available evidence indicates a construction date in the Antonine or early Severan period (late second or early third century A.D.). The scaenae frons (stage front) was certainly put up at this time, as the style of both sculpture and architectural ornament suggest. Statue bases terminating the retaining walls of the auditorium bore the names of two brothers, senators in the early Severan period, and two inscribed bases placed symmetrically against the exterior facade held statues of Aphrodisian benefactors, Claudia Antonia Tatiana and her uncle Lucius Antonius Dometinus, who were active at the end of the second century (Sculptures of the Bouleuterion). Tatiana is known to have had close ties with Ephesos and it is possible that the striking similarities between this building and the Bouleuterion on the Civic Agora there, dated by inscription to the mid-second century, are due to some initiative on her part. We do not know what stood here before the second century A.D., but it is likely that the present building replaced a smaller one contemporary with the laying out of the Agora in the late first century B.C.

The Bouleuterion at Aphrodisias remained in this form until the early fifth century, when a municipal official had it adapted as a palaestra, recording his achievement on the upper molding of the pulpitum (stage). This term usually refers to a wrestling ground, but in the fifth century it could be used to describe a hall for lectures, performances, and various kinds of competitive displays, as suggested by a number of factional inscriptions carved on the seats. Numerous additional cuttings in the surviving seats, probably for poles supporting awnings, suggest that by this time the building had lost its roof. The orchestra was lowered and provided with a marble pavement, reused, perhaps, from the earlier phase.

There are many other notable buildings, including the stadium which is said to be probably the best preserved of its kind in the Mediterranean. It measured 262 by 59 m and was used for athletic events until the theatre was badly damaged by a 7th century earthquake, requiring part of the stadium to be converted for events previously staged in the theatre.

The Sebastion is a most remarkable discovery, not only as regards the excavations in Aphrodisias but in the whole context of classical archaeological excavation. When the building was first unearthed in 1979 it appeared to have no relation to any other building but, as excavations were carried down to deeper levels, it became apparent that this consisted of a temple dedicated to the cult of the Emperor Augustus (Sebastos is the Greek equivalent of the Latin Augustus) and its surrounding complex.

Of the temple only the foundations now remain, together with a few column bases, Corinthian style capitals and architrave blocks. In addition to the damage inflicted by the earthquakes in the 4th and 7th centuries, the remains of the temple also suffered from the use of the area for settlement in the Byzantine and Turkish periods. The temple, which was located at the eastern end of the Sebastion, consisted of two porticoes 80 m in length composed of half columns and a ceremonial way 14 m wide. At the western end there was a gate or propylon opening on to the street. Excavations both inside and outside the porticoes yielded a quite extraordinary quantity of reliefs and decorative panels. The most remarkable of these included depictions of the birth of Eros, the Three Graces, Apollo in Delphi, Meleager, Achilles and Penthesilea, Nyssa and the child Dionysus. There are also reliefs of some members of the imperial family and mythological figures. Those identified include Augustus, Germanicus, Lucius, Gaius Caesar, Claudius and Agrippa, together with Prometheus and Aeneas fleeing from Troy. There is also a particularly interesting group of reliefs symbolizing Claudius’s conquest of Britain and Nero’s conquest of Armenia.