Taking the Plunge at Niagara Falls

Taking the Plunge at Niagara Falls
By Herod Jacobs

Perhaps the most well-known set of waterfalls in the world, Niagara Falls is a sight to behold. Made up of three different falls (the Horseshoe Falls, the American Falls, and the Bridal Veil Falls) that move over six million cubic feet of water per minute, Niagara Falls is the most powerful waterfall in North America. Exceptionally wide, incredibly beautiful, and an important source of hydroelectric power, the falls are an invaluable resource and brilliant natural wonder. However, some people see them as something else: a challenge.

Everyones heard of it, although very few people attempt it: going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. This world-famous stunt was first performed in 1829 by Sam Patch, the first famous US stunt performer. Patch simply jumped off the edge of the Horseshoe Falls to the amazement of the huge crowd. It wasnt until 1901 that a barrel would be used to go over the falls. This attempt was also the first by a woman. Annie Taylor survived her attempt with only a few bumps and scratches, and since then, fourteen others have made the attempt. Some, like Karel Soucek in 1984, survived only to face still fines. Others have not survived their attempt to defeat the powerful falls. The most recent person to leap from the falls was Kirk Jones, who leapt from the edge without a floatation device in October of 2003. While Jones did survive, many speculate that he was attempting suicide, not a stunt.

All of the attempts at going over Niagara Falls, whether in a barrel or not, have been done at the Horseshoe Falls. This is because it has fewer rocks than the other two and a faster current, which propels daredevils farther out from the rocky edge. Because of the rocks and other dangers, it is now illegal to attempt to go over the Falls in any way. This hasnt stopped people from attempting it, although those who survive find themselves facing high fines and possible arrest.

Despite the small number of people to leap from Niagara Falls and the even smaller number to survive, the stunt remains one of the most well-known and amazing feats a daredevil can attempt. To jump from the top of the majestic falls and survive proves one has courage, bravery, and the ability to defeat one of natures most spectacular sights in the world.

http://www.onlineniagara.com

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Cruising the Popular Holiday Choice

Cruising - the Popular Holiday Choice
By John Gibb

Cruises are currently in the middle of a big resurgence in popularity. For a few years, it seemed like cruises might have been killed off by an age of ever-faster trains and cheap flights, but something about the romance and the luxury of the experience has managed to keep them alive. For most cruisers today, the cruise is no longer about a way to travel in style from one place to another instead, its all about enjoying your time on the boat itself, living the sea life and relaxing on the ocean waves. This has led to a shift in focus, from trying to make the ship go as fast as possible to it taking weeks for it to get anywhere.

The nice thing about cruises is that your holiday starts as soon as you get on the ship: theres no sitting around in departure lounges and on planes. Most big cities have a port somewhere nearby, and the chances are that there are cruises no more than a few hours drive away from you.

So what can you do once youre on a cruise ship? Modern cruise ships are basically like big, luxurious floating hotels, and are often truly huge, big enough to include a whole towns worth of facilities. The worlds largest ship is currently Freedom of the Seas, and listing everything on board would take a long time: it includes swimming pools and a water park, shops and cafes, an ice rink, a boxing ring, and more. The second-largest, the Queen Mary II, is arguably even better equipped, with restaurants and bars, a casino, swimming pools and a planetarium among other things.

The best thing to do, though, is just sit back and relax. Because cruise ships are open at the top, its no trouble for them to set sail down towards the equator and give you some real sun to enjoy. All you need to do is wake up, get out of your room and go up on deck, and youre set.

John Gibb is the owner of cruise guidance. For more information on cruises please check out http://www.cruise-extreme3k.info

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San Francisco Bay Charter's Handbook Suggested 2 Day Trip

San Francisco Bay Charter's Handbook- Suggested 2 Day Trip
By Bob Diamond

Suggested 2 day trip

South Beach Harbor at Pier 40 in San Francisco is a great destination for a first overnight cruise. It's a reasonable distance from Redwood City. At about 20 miles, it's only 4 hours away even at the stately speed of 5 knots. The harbor is easy to find, easy to get in and out, and easy to maneuver in. There are facilities such as heads and showers and lots of restaurants and other shops ashore.

We suggest you plan your trip on a weekend when there is morning maximum ebb approximately between 9:00 and 10:30. This will give you a favorable current heading up to San Francisco in the morning and favorable current coming back in the afternoon the next day. If you leave Redwood City as late as the time of maximum current, you'll be arriving about the time the current goes slack. This would give you plenty of time to get to South Beach and may even give you enough time to sail past Pier 40 and the Bay Bridge to check out the North Bay, Alcatraz Island, etc. before settling in at South Beach Harbor.

Make your reservations with harbor office at (415) 495-4911. The overnight fee is $1.00 per foot. There is also a $50 key deposit, which can be done with an authorized credit card. The harbor master monitors VHF channel 16 if you need to call via marine radio.

Pac Bell Park is within walking distance and there are several restaurants in the area. Take advantage of the extra time the next day to explore the North Bay a little before heading back to Redwood City. Just allow about 4 hours of sailing time from the Bay Bridge for the trip south. It's likely you'll have the wind in your favor the whole way and if it's a normal spring or summer day there will be lots of it. What a way to finish a weekend sail!

For more information please visit our website at http://www.spinnakersailing.comFor this article in its entirety including links and photos go to: http://www.spinnakersailing.com/noframes/charters/sbcharterhandbook.htm

Bob Diamond has been head sailing instructor at Spinnaker Sailing since 1984.

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25 Lanzarote Attractions Teguise Golf

25 Lanzarote Attractions - Teguise Golf
By John Plumb

Before telling you about my particular day out at Teguise Golf, the more avid golfers amongst you will probably want to know what views they can expect to see and the technical stuff that goes with playing golf. For me it was simply a great opportunity to spend a morning with a former work colleague (Colin) and his son (David) as they were staying in a neighbouring villa on La Goleta, part of the wider Faro Park Development.

The course runs along the side of an old volcano (no surprise there given Lanzarotes landscape) and has inspirational views of volcanic lava, cacti and over includes over 3,000 palm trees and has superb views of the Atlantic Ocean throughout. A Golf course such as this one, is quite simply, in my opinion, nature at its best. Csar Manrique, the man who taught the people of Lanzarote to care for their natural habitat has clearly left his influence everywhere. If you are a Golf anorak, you might also want to read the next paragraph of technical data ? If youre not, simply skip over it.

The course measures 6041m (White) ; 5582m (Yellow) ; 5289m (Blue) ; and 4938m (Red). Generally, visitors play off the blue tees. The Slope Rating of the course is 127 (White) ; 127 (Yellow) ; 130 (Blue) ; and 124 (Red)

We played off Blue Tees. The course measures 5289 Metres (5791 Yards for the non converts) and is a Par 72 course.

Ive since found out that the course was designed by British landscape architect John Harris and built in 1978. It is a truly a fantastic course, not only because of its design but also thanks to the excellent condition in which it is kept all year round and at Easter (April 2006), it was in superb condition. Given its location, it benefits from a warm and pleasant climate all year round, tempered only by sea breezes from the islands almost constant trade winds. The course is designed to be smooth yet varied. It has more than your average number of doglegs, designed to test your ability (or lack of it) and allows you to bring all your clubs into play. It will test everyone from scratch players to those of us with more modest ability.

Address : Avenida del Golf, s/n. 35509 Costa Teguise (Lanzarote).
Telephone : (00 34) 928 59 05 12
Fax : (00 34) 928 59 23 37
Email info@lanzarote-golf.com
Webiste :www.lanzarote-golf.com

The Following services can be found at the Club - Club hire, trolleys, buggies, driving range, pro-shop and club storage. There are separate male and female changing rooms and you can hire lockers. There is a Bar and Restaurant. The restaurant offers a varied menu, based on Mediterranean cuisine. The prices vary according to season. In the Summer months (1st June to 30th September) it costs 53 Euros (for 18 Holes) and 36 Euros (for 9 Holes after 4pm). In the Winter (we played in Winter and it was scorching !), it costs 65 Euros (18 Holes) and 52 Euros (9 Holes after 3pm). The Course has discount agreements with most of the hotels on the island, so check at your hotel, or check out a nearby hotel if youre in private accommodation as you can often get a better deal than this by doing so.

And so, to our day out. We planned to set off at 7am from our home in Playa Blanca (the idea being not to spoil the day for others and Brownie Points for everyone !.

There was to be four of playing, but that quickly became three when Gary (The Rainman) decided he was on holiday and was not coming to Golf at 7am (given that he left the British Open on Faro Park at midnight the night before (to prepare for golf), I was very surprised to get the Dear John text first thing in the morning. Garys nickname is a long story, but basically when its cold he wants it hot and when its hot he prays for rain (and usually gets it, so Im not that keen on going on holiday with him !)The three of us (Colin, a work colleague, his son David and yours truly) set off around 7:30am and we drove along the LZ-2 and then headed towards San Bartholme and then into Costa Teguise (avoiding Arrecife !)

When we arrived we were told it was members day (Saturday !) and that they had no tee times for 3 hours. A quick bit of lateral thinking later, we asked if we could play 10-18 and then get a Tee time for 1-9 which they agreed to (something youd almost expect them to suggest in the UK, so ask if you need to).

We decided wed have a friendly game of singles (if there is such a thing) - Loser buys the beers at the 19th hole. We played stableford, off full handicaps (youll need them). To cut along story short (ish), Colin was flying, I was struggling to even stay in touch and David, well David was having a bad day (its just as well he hired his clubs !). Colin was five points in front with five to play before he decided to show us his impression of Devon Loch (hes the horse that collapsed of exhaustion 50 yards from the finishing line in the 1956 Grand National when leading by 20 lengths !) Going up the 18th Colin was one behind (but I did not rub it in, honest) !

Colin tells me his wife Jackie really enjoyed her first trip to the island and that they may return. Im sure if we ever go into combat again, David will have been the range beforehand to shake off the cobwebs and Colin will make sure that he does not sprint when its a marathon.

Me, well I had my day !

John Plumb, frequent visitor to Lanzarote, a place that is now my 'home from home' having taken the plunge into villa ownership on the island - See http://www.villa-rochelle.co.uk.John is also the administrator of the Lanzarote Villa Owners Club @ http://www.lanzvillaowners.com.

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Tips For Choosing The Best Cruise Vacations

Tips For Choosing The Best Cruise Vacations
By Paolo Basauri

How would you like your next cruise vacations to be? The single most important part when looking for the best cruise vacations is planning. And planning begins with choosing not only the right destinations but also the right cruise line.

It all depends on what your preferences are (weather, duration, comfort, etc) That picture may look nice on the brochure, but can you really stand the Caribbean Sun? You may also check in what type of cruise youre preparing to embark. There are many types of cruises available: family cruises, Christian cruises, all inclusive cruises, Christmas cruises, golf cruises, single cruises, luxury cruises and more, each one with their own particularities and activities within the cruise

As you see choosing the best cruise vacations is not that easy because then you have to pick the cruise line, and there is some heavy competition, among the cruise lines are Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Holland America plus a lot more. But dont despair, a good travel agent will definitely help you tailor the best cruise vacations you can have.

Here are some tips you should take in consideration when planning for the best cruise vacations:

Keep in mind your lifestyle. Does the cruise activities and fellow travellers feel right for you? Thinking about this will help avoid feeling uncomfortable during your trip. Some cruises even require you to have certain type of clothing if you want to attend their restaurants or events.

Plan ahead how the weather is going to be. Nothing is more frustrating that vacations going bad because of the weather, if you cant stand too much sun you should think twice going on a Caribbean Cruise.

Consider the itinerary. The pace of the itinerary is also important, some cruises spend more time at sea than others.

Be on the lookout for unnecessary charges.

Get all the help you need from your travel agent. Ask all the questions you have. Trust me, it is better to find out about some things before taking the cruise.

Final tip, just have fun! This should be the top priority on a vacation. If you feel you will spend more time in your vacations worried, take another cruise.

Paolo Basauri, is an expert author who writes for Best Cruise VacationsA site specialized in cruise travel all over the world.

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You Don't have to be 1830 to Enjoy a Holiday in Mallorca

You Don't have to be 18-30 to Enjoy a Holiday in Mallorca
By Michael Hanna

Jump in a taxi, hire car or bus and you can get far away from the popular south coast resorts which target the profitable 18-30's market. From Palma, you can explore the varied countryside that the island has to offer. Fight your way past the tan-seeking tourists, and you can discover Gothic architecture, hilltop villages, olive groves and hidden beaches.

Little more than an hours drive from Palma and the Son Sant Joan International airport the Tramuntana mountain range plunges down to the north coast of the island and pine groves extend as far as the Mediterranean. These steep mountains surround and shelter Puerto Pollensa with its luxury yachts and colourful local fishing boats. Puerto Pollensa has been a tourist destination since the 1920's so hotels on the sea front are not the concrete blocks that can be found in most other towns on the island. The town is little more than an hours drive from Palma and the Son Sant Joan International airport and is popular with families and middle aged couples looking for something more than the popular south coast resorts. You can find walks into the mountains where views back over the bay are stunning.

Alcudia on the north coast is also an easy drive from Palma. The original old town of Alcudia is just two miles inland and well worth a visit. Parts of the town date back to around 1300 and in the 2nd century the Romans made Alcudia the capital of the island. The clean sand of Alcudia Bay and variety of water sports make the town popular with families who have young children.

Should you want to escape even the quiet resorts of Mallorca then explore some of the beaches that are off the beaten track; Es Trenc is one of the best unspoilt beaches in Mallorca with no hotels just pine forests, the occasional wooden beach bar, miles of white sand and gorgeous turquoise water.

The best way to get around the island is by car or bike. Car hire in Mallorca is made simple with car hire companies based in Palma and at the Son Sant Joan International airport. If you'd rather use public transport, a regular bus service connects the airport with Palma, where you can get buses to the rest of the island.

With unattractive resort developments spoiling much of the coast it is refreshing to see some of the islands natural beauty that hasnt yet been lost to concrete.

About the Author:

Michael Hanna is a keen writer, and internet marketer living in Scotland:

Contact details:
E-mail: samqam@googlemail.com
Phone: 0131 561 2251
Michael's Website: Belfast Taxis

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Mexican Waves

Mexican Waves
By Sumit Sharma

Temples and cathedrals along with fully equipped beaches are attractions worth looking forward to on a Mexico tour. Lively and colorful is how one will describe the tourist attractions of Mexico.

Mexico City, the capital city is replete with many green spaces and quiet back streets which lend a special charm and atmosphere to the attractions. Next only to the Red Square in Moscow in size, is the Zocalo in the center of the Historic Center. Tourists can visit this place any evening to witness the Mexican army take down the giant Mexican flag flying in the middle of the square with grand ceremony. To the north of the square is another attraction, the Catedral Metropolitana which exhibits a surplus of architectural styles. A tour of the cathedral prominently figures the Kings Chapel and its altar. If you move a little east of the cathedral, the excavated site of the Aztec Templo Mayor (Great Temple) is an attraction in ruins. Keep a visit to the prettiest colonial villages Coyoacan and San Angel for the weekend. This is the time when you will find its attractive squares and streets come alive with an influx of students, artists, musicians and can purchase some fine good quality handicrafts and artworks.

An attraction you would not like to miss is Teotihuacn in South-central Mexico and known as the city where the Gods are born. Here, you can view the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, the citadel with the Temple of Quetzalcoatl (the plumed serpent) and the Palace of Quetzalpapalotl (the plumed butterfly).

http://www.stayresmexico.com/mexico-tourist-attractions.html

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