2009 February | Holden Sydney

Archive for February, 2009

May Favourite Social Bookmarking Sites

Social bookmarking is all the range in 2009. It’s a proven method of drawing traffic to your web site and for gaining those valuable links that we all covet. Basically all you do is share your favourite web site links with others then other people vote your links up or down depending on how interesting or useful they are.

Most of the sites below use the very popular Scuttle or Scuttle Plus software. If you have any to add, please leave a comment.

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There is Only One London

flights-bus There is the United Kingdom, there is England, and then there is London. . Three are related, but strictly speaking, London seems to be a world apart from the rest of Britain, marching to its own, unique rhythm.

Everything in London comes across as new and different. Throughout history, its people, fashions, trends and street life have always expressed the very essence of city life. Like New York, London is a city that never sleeps. Millions of tourists arrive in London every year, many of them already half in love with the city. You see them in the London Underground (the tube), on red double-decker buses and stepping into taxis. The new central London traffic zone, where private transport is essentially banned, makes the sights of London more navigable than ever before. It is also possible, and very pleasant, to walk through the city on foot, or to rent a bicycle along the Victorian Embankment on the Thames.

The first City of London
What is today London was once a small, rather insignificant settlement called Plowida, a name that means “settlement on the wide river”. The Romans conquered the region in the first century and founded the fortified city of Londinium around 47 CE. The Roman city of London covered an area of approximately 1 km2. The Romans built a bridge over the Thames, and used its banks as a shipping port for minerals and agricultural products. Londinium grew very quickly in the second century, when it became the commercial centre of the Roman province of Britannia Superior.

The Anglo-Saxon city
In 314, London became a bishop’s see by order of Emperor Constantine. By that time, the Roman Empire was growing weak. Without imperial patronage, London settled into a long period of decline. By the time the Romans had officially departed from their colony of Britannia in 410, the city was essentially depopulated. After 150 years of near abandonment, the Anglo-Saxons arrived to take advantage of London’s strategically advantageous position on the Thames. They did not settle there permanently, however, until 604, and even they chose not to rebuild within the ruins of the ancient fortified city, but somewhat further west. The new city, named Lundenvic (”London Harbour”), was declared the capital of the Kingdom of Essex. Its centre lay to the east of Trafalgar Square’s present location.

The Norman invasion
The Normans defeated the Anglo-Saxons at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. After entering London, William the Conqueror had himself crowned king of Britain in Westminster Abbey, which had just been completed the year before. All British monarchs ever since that time have been crowned there. In order to discourage any remaining Anglo-Saxon warriors from revolting, William had three fortresses built. Of the three – Baynard’s Castle, Monfichet’s Castle and the Tower of London — only the last survives today. In the interest of gaining popularity and ensuring domestic peace, William openly adopted the same rights, privileges and laws that had governed London during the Anglo-Saxon period.

A city in its prime
The sixteenth century was probably London’s golden age. After the city of London annexed Westminster around 1600, it quickly became the centre of the British Empire. London was one of the most important European commercial cities on the North Sea, despite the fact that the city was located some 30 km away from the sea on the banks of the Thames estuary. During the late sixteenth century, London’s cultural renaissance was in full swing. A great many theatres were built along the south bank of the Thames, the most famous of which was the Globe, where many of William Shakespeare’s plays were first performed. The New London.

The Great Plague and Fire of 1665 and 1666 left London shaken to its very foundations. Over 70,000 people died of plague and nearly two-thirds of the city was consumed by flames. Architect Sir Christopher Wren was responsible for rebuilding London’s many destroyed churches, including St. Paul’s Cathedral. The destruction of residential buildings in the city led many residents to settle outside the city walls in new districts that became London’s first suburbs.

Most aristocrats never returned to their city mansions, preferring to build townhouses in the now prestigious West End. Dickens’ London. The nineteenth century saw the construction of many important buildings and squares, including Trafalgar Square, Westminster Palace and Big Ben, the Royal Albert Hall, the Victoria and Albert Museum, Tower Bridge and the University of London. Prosperous times, however, are often accompanied by a dark shadow. Millions of the less fortunate were forced to live in overpopulated, filthy slums and suburbs. This was the London immortalized by Charles Dickens in novels like Oliver Twist and David Copperfield. By the turn of the twentieth century, London was far and away the biggest city on Earth: a whopping 6.6 million people lived there in 1901. At the time, London was undoubtedly the most powerful city in the world.

The ravages of war
London was badly damaged during World War II. The German Luftwaffe thoroughly destroyed its once uniform cityscape of Georgian and Victorian buildings, leaving large parts of the city centre and most of the East End completely levelled. After the war, housing complexes were built cheaply and rapidly. London’s docklands never recovered economically from the effects of World War II. Ship traffic was rerouted and the old piers and warehouses fell further into ruin, until city planners rediscovered the district in the 1980s.

Redevelopment has made Docklands one of London’s hottest commercial and residential locations. A wonderland of things to see. There is a greater concentration of important sights and tourist attractions in London than anywhere else in Britain. Greenwich Park, Westminster Palace and Abbey, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Tower of London are all on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Many of London’s most popular museums offer free admission. Recent additions include British Airway’s gigantic big wheel. Known as the London Eye, it is actually a slowly rotating observation platform from which most of the city can be seen. Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, the changing of the guard at Buckinham Palace, a tour of the Tower of London, the Flower Market on Sundays, the bustle of Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square … the list is endless.

The finest entertainment
Those eager for culture will find that the British capital is full of variety. While the mostly modern cultural facilities may look like nondescript concrete blocks from the outside, world-class performances are underway within. The Barbican Arts Centre is a case in point. Opinions about the exterior are divided; although it has its fans, it has also been described as an architect’s nightmare. Still, there is no disagreement on the excellence of its presentations, which include performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company, the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Classical Orchestra. Visitors should not miss an opportunity to attend a performance here. Breath of fresh air in the city. London does have a number of tranquil oases amidst the hectic activity of the city. London’s numerous parks are popular destinations for those who like to stroll out in the open air. Hyde Park is located in west-central London. This spacious park was once a royal hunting ground, the scene of bloody duels and executions, as well as a venue for exciting horse races. During World War II, it was transformed into a gigantic potato field. Today it is a fresh-air getaway for sun worshippers, or for those who want to take a boat ride on the Serpentine, its sinuous lake.

One corner of the park, near Marble Arch, is known as Speaker’s Corner, where anyone can stand up and express his or her opinion before a more-or-less interested audience. In Regents Park, near London Zoo, the lovely Queen Mary Rose Gardens are a wonderful place to pause and reflect after a busy day of seeing the very many wonderful sights of London. Finally, the ambitious tourist may want to take a double-decker bus or taxi north to Hampstead Heath, another vantage point that offers a magnificent view of the entire city.

For great deals on flights to London, visit http://www.studentflights.com.au/london . Student Flights have a range of cheap holidays in London and Europe. STSF260209-3

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New York City – Visitors agree it has it all

new-york The fascination generated by New York city is hard to put into words. The sheer number of attractions within the largest city in the USA is simply overwhelming. As millions of visitors agree, New York city has it all.

New York, the city of superlatives, is much more than the island of Manhattan. For over a century New York was the gateway to the “Promised Land”, to an America of unlimited opportunity. Many people coming to New York today do so for different reasons than immigrants of yore.

Tourists come to experience the fast pace of this vast metropolis. Who doesn’t want to be part of the crowd in Times Square on New Years Eve, if only once? Artists and intellectuals flock to New York to partake of the creative energy of city life, stimulated by first-class cultural institutions and events.

Manhattan
When explorer Henry Hudson, for whom the Hudson River is named, sailed into New York Bay in 1609, his enthusiastic description of New York’s natural harbour sparked the interest of his Dutch sponsors. In 1624, they founded their first settlement on the island the Algonquin Indians called “Manahatta” (”hilly countryside”).

The city of Nieuw Amsterdam was born in 1626 when the Dutch bought the island from the Algonquins for 60 Dutch gulden, or roughly $24. New Amsterdam became a British colony on 24 September 1664 as part of a treaty ending a war between Holland and England. The British victors changed the city’s name to honour the Duke of York.

The young republic
During the American Revolution (1776-1783), the British occupied New York City for nearly the entire war, and the city burned to the ground twice. Undeterred, New York City grew steadily following American independence. In 1788, New York was named the capital of the United States, a role taken over by Philadelphia two years later.

New York developed into the economic centre of the USA instead. The establishment of the stock exchange on Wall Street in 1792 secured the city’s reputation as the financial capital of the New World. Its harbours and shipyards took in goods, and hardworking immigrants, from all over the world. War in the streets. Throughout the nineteenth century, New York was a great construction zone, with new homes and parks erected almost daily.

Central Park, laid out in 1858-1866, was one of many public works projects of the time. Beloved by New Yorkers as well as tourists, Central Park is still a popular place to stroll, have a picnic and especially to people-watch. In the nineteenth century, the newer parts of New York were laid out in its characteristic grid system; only Broadway and the older part of the city south of Washington Square lie outside the checkerboard pattern of streets. As the century proceeded, more and more emigrants from Europe arrived in the fast-growing city. Violence and unrest came with them.

Most newcomers had to settle, at least initially, in slums like the infamous Five Points and Bowery. In July 1863, at the height of the American Civil War, the so-called Draft Riots broke out, violent confrontation between long-time New Yorkers and recent immigrants. The bloody street fights led to at least 120 deaths over four days of chaos. Over 100 buildings were destroyed, most of them burned to the ground. The Martin Scorsese movie Gangs of New York is a memorable recreation of this unsettled time.

If you are planning a holiday and you are looking for cheap international flights or cheap domestic flights, make sure that you check out the hottest fares from Student Flights. STSF240209-2 http://www.studentflights.com.au/flights/

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Helping Aussie businesses with online advertising during hard times

While times are tough, online advertising spend has increased “Online advertising is surpassing $1.7 billion for the 2008 calendar year, representing an increase of $364.25 million or 27% year-on-year growth according to figures released today by IAB”. Clickfind is the first Australian business directory to help fellow Australians out in a time of need by offering free online advertising accounts to promote their business online for a limited time.

Clickfind is helping out by completely removing its already low monthly fee and allowing any Australian business who is experiencing hardship to advertise online for 3 months at no cost at all. Contrary to other business directories, a clickfind listing also allows advertising of products and services online.

To sign up just email free-2009@clickfind.com.au and we’ll send you further instructions via email, if you make a donation to the Victoria Bush Fire appeal http://www.redcross.org.au/default.asp let us know and we’ll provide a 12 months listing. This promotion is valid for 2 months.

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Linux Training – Running Linux from a Live Bootable CD

One of the easiest, fastest and fun ways to get Linux training, and get experience working with Linux, is to use a Linux live CD / DVD. This is just a single CD or DVD that contains the complete Linux operating system!

You just put the Linux live CD / DVD in your drive, start your system, and the entire Linux operating system boots and runs automatically.

You can work on a Linux desktop, run Linux software programs and go to the Linux command line to run Linux commands – the way the real pros do Linux administration.

There is no Linux installation required!

To run a Linux live version, you need to be able to boot from CD or DVD, but that shouldn’t be any problem. Lots of systems are set up to automatically boot from CD or DVD and you may not need to do anything. But on some systems, you need to change a system setting or hold down a key, like the letter “c” to boot from a Linux live CD / DVD.

Another great thing about Linux live CDs / DVDs is that they’re real cheap! So you can try lots of different Linux distributions (versions) to see which one you like the best.

Linux Tip: To get a Linux live CD or DVD, do an Internet search for “linux live cd”. Look through the list to see which Linux distribution you want. You may even want to get several! You can get them mailed to any place on the planet for a very reasonable price.

Experiment away and have fun trying out lots of different Linux live CDs / DVDs. See which Linux versions, desktops and programs you like. This is an excellent way to learn Linux and get hands-on Linux experience at the same time. Just put the CD / DVD in the drive and boot! — Clyde Boom, Author and Expert Trainer with 20+ Years of Training Successes.

Watch Free Sample I Learn Linux Video Tutorials now at http://www.iLearnLinux.com/ and get over the steep Linux learning curve (tra).

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Exciting Singapore Home of the Merlion

MERLION The Merlion, the heraldic animal of Singapore, spouts a powerful stream of water into the Singapore river. This mythical creature has the head of a lion and the body of a fish.

The Merlion’s origins are a combination of the magical and mundane. Toward the end of the thirteenth century, a Buddhist prince from the Indonesian island of Sumatra founded the Kingdom of Temasek near what is today Singapore. One day, he arrived at a large island, where he saw a terrifying beast. He thought it was a lion, although no lions had ever been seen in the area, nor have they been sighted since. The city founded on the island was named Singha Pura (”Lion City”) as a result. The Merlion’s tail connects it to fishing, the traditional occupation of the local population.

A British crown colony.
In Singapore, drivers still follow the British practice of keeping to the left side of the road. British influence began in the early nineteenth century when Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles founded the first branch office of the British East India Company here in 1819. Raffles is a difficult man to forget in Singapore, where statues, streets and the Raffles Hotel all bear his name.

Before Raffles arrived, the island had been a desolate place, occupied by only a few fishermen and the occasional Malaysian pirates. Singapore was a British crown colony as well as a commercial port belonging to the East India Company from 1867 to 1963. During those years, the city developed into one of largest commercial ports in South-East Asia.

Since independence in 1964 Singapore has grown into a modern metropolis. More than just business. Though Singapore enjoys a worldwide reputation as a hyper- successful economic powerhouse, “Lion City” is not usually listed among anyone’s favourite tourist destinations. Many travelers only make a brief stop here en route to somewhere else. This is not really far to Singapore, a city that has a great deal to offer.

Its Chinatown Quarter, Arab Street and Little India have been tidied up and polished until they shine. Even the modern areas of city centre have numerous places worth visiting. The cultural life of the city is diverse, and one runs into it at every turn. Singapore has never been more colourful or inviting.

Esplanade Park.
A new cultural centre has sprung from the banks of the river delta in Singapore’s Esplanade Park. Along with the Merlion, this facility is emblematic of Singapore, possibly in part because the complex is shaped like an enormous durian melon. This is a fruit with a famously awful smell, as many travelers to South-East Asia have learned from personal experience, but “stink fruit” is very popular with the locals.

Drivers license by auction.
Owning a private car in Singapore is a rather costly proposition. Once all the expenses are tallied up, owning a car can cost more than twice as much in Singapore as it does in Europe. Among the additional costs is the purchase of a license “at auction”. This license is valid for ten years, and is linked to the specific vehicle with which it is registered. If the owner purchases a new car, the whole process has to be started all over again. This method has so far proven very successful in keeping Singapore from being overrun with traffic jams and smog, the fate of so many other big cities.

A stroll through Singapore.
Singapore has a rich array of historical buildings. A walk through Singapore should begin in the city centre with Chinatown. The colourfully decorated stores, restaurants and cafes invite a short stopover. Wandering to the other side of Cross Street brings one to the Lau Pa Sat Festival Market. A short detour to the river promenade, where the Merlion statue can be seen in action, is also recommended. Along the promenade, visitors can relax under an umbrella and get away from the bustle of the city. Later, the nightlife at nearby Boat Quay may prove more tempting.

Looking for cheap holidays and cheap airfares? Student Flights have a range of package deals for the young and young at heart.
Visit http://www.studentflights.com.au/cheaptrips/ STSF190209-1

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Nairobi – Cool and Comfortable

kenya Nairobi, whose name means “cool river”, is the largest and fastest growing city in east Africa. Founded as a railway workers encampment, the city is now home to over 3 million people.

This city of millions has an impressive skyline incorporating several important buildings, including the striking Kenyatta Conference Centre. From the observation deck on its 28th floor, visitors look out on a marvellous panorama of city and countryside. Nairobi is the cultural, economic and communications centre of Kenya. The country’s most important institutions of higher learning are found here, and its tourist industry continues to grow.

The role of the railway. Kenya’s history is closely connected to Britain’s colonial railway projects in Africa. The site for the railway encampment that became Nairobi was carefully chosen. Nairobi lies at an altitude of 1,700 metres. This elevation keeps Nairobi’s average temperature too low for malarial mosquitoes to survive.

When workers were hired for the Uganda Railway project to connect Lake Victoria with the coastal port of Mombasa, they were housed in Nairobi, which grew in importance after the railway was completed in 1900. It is no surprise that there is a Railway Museum in Nairobi today. It includes a diverse collection of objects from the history of the railway, including wonderful old photographs.

An international city. The modern city of Nairobi is the economic linchpin of East Africa. International businesses and organizations base their operations here, among them UNO (United Nations Environment Program, UNEP) and UN HABITAT (United Nations Human Settlements Program). With so many international residents, it’s little wonder that the restaurants in Nairobi rival those in major European and American cities.

Rich and poor.
There are few places in the world where the contact and contrast between extreme wealth and extreme poverty is as glaring as in the Kenyan capital, though the severity of the situation is rivalled in South African Johannesburg. Cynical commentators call the city “Nairobbery” because of its high crime rate. Accordingly, tourists are well advised only to leave central Nairobi, where it is relatively safe to walk around, if they are going on an official safari tour or driving back to the airport.

The best of Nairobi.
The majority of tourists who visit Kenya see very little of Nairobi. They usually go straight from the airport to the countryside to set off on safari. In addition to stopping by the popular Railway Museum, those who are interested in getting acquainted with the city should definitely visit the National Museum. Everything worth knowing about Kenya is on display, from its abundant flora and fauna to the lifestyles and cultures of its native peoples, in particular the Massai. The museum also houses a delightful. exhibit of works by the artist Joy Adamson (1910-1980). Adamson is best known for her book Born Free about her rescue of the lioness Elsa. Her deep love for Africa is vividly expressed in the exhibit.

Green Nairobi.
Moi Avenue begins not far from the Railway Museum and leads directly into the centre of Nairobi. The central business district is punctuated by two large green spaces, Uhuru Park and Central Park. Both invite people to rest and relax under their shady trees, sit on a bench or stroll along a gravel path. Uhuru Park even has a small artificial lake. Environmentalist and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai saved Uhuru Park from development by organizing a series of locally and internationally supported protests in 1989.

At safari’s end. Anyone who returns to the Kenyan capital after a week or two of the hard life on safari will appreciate the amenities of Nairobi’s full service, Western-style hotels. Nairobi is ideally suited as a starting point for day trips and tours to the country’s spectacular national parks. Nairobi National Park, the nation’s first, is located only 8 km from Nairobi. Founded in 1946, it has an area of approximately 120 square kilometres.

For cheap flights to Africa, book your Qantas flight through Flight Centre. Qantas airlines is one of Flight Centre’s key travel partners. STFC180209-3

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Bangkok – City Profile

Bangkok If New York is the city that never sleeps then Bangkok, Thailand’s garish assets city, comes a very close second place. The city was founded in 1782 by the first monarch of the award Chakri rule. today it’s the country’s spiritual, commercial and educational hub, home to approximately ten million people or more than 10% of the Thai population.

Bangkok (or Krung Thep in Thai which means “city of angels”) is an exciting, high diverge melting pot of east meets west. It is a dynamic city that has embraced technology and current living with its active expressways, bold skyscrapers and designer name packed shopping centres. Yet underneath it all, it ashes a traditional sanctuary of urbanity, memoirs and time-honored customs, where elders are respected and family forever comes first.

As you move from the airport you’ll see heaps of examples of present architecture dotting the cityscape and with them all, durable proud, are glittering Buddhist temples such as Wat Phra Kaew and The revered Palace. windy through the real jungle, you’ll spy remnants of the “old Bangkok” below you – olden canals and waterways that are well value exploring on a ferry stumble.

Every Thai household and edifice, even the most recent, has a traditional heart house built outside for good fate and to tribute the essence of the land. Each day, small offerings of fruit and water are laid out, regularly with arrangements of flowers. If you’re an early riser, keen to make the most of your break time in Bangkok, don’t be astounded when you see Buddhist monks in saffron robes making their morning “alms” rounds accepting food and donations from citizen people, immature and old.

Thailand has a steamy climate with an yearly norm temperature of around 75 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit, so drove light clothing for your stumble. actual fibers like strand and linen are regularly more comfortable when you’re walking and touring in hot toughen. Practically everywhere you go in Bangkok you’ll find you some relief from the reheat, with blasts of icy cold air conditioning in retail outlets and hotels.

From demo to May it’s the newest time, with the maximum temperatures and moisture. From June to October is monsoon period, so recall to take an umbrella. November to February is cooler and fewer moist. recollect that the monsoon spice varies throughout the country and can affect the climate you experience.

You’ll find all types of accommodation in Bangkok – from lavish 5 star international names to minor backpacker hostels, superior by juvenile tourists. Book online and see what unusual charge you can find to become your mood and that all-important funds. You’ll locate everything from peaceful luxury escapes with spas to exciting hotels right in the concern of the action.

One of the first terms you’ll learn in Bangkok is “Rot tip” or “rot tit” which exactly means “cars that stick”, in other terms passage jam. But the everyday snarls and gridlock have been greatly better by Bangkok’s cosmopolitan vehicle system.

You can now jaunt the subway, the Hua Lamphong – Bang Sue line has 18 stations along the 12 mile send. It’s speedy, stillness and modern.

Jump on a BTS Sky string. BTS sky trains ply along Sukhumvit, Silom and Phahonyothin roads. The routes attach Bangkok’s primary hotels and chief shopping areas such as Siam upright, Silom, Ratchaprasong and Chatuchak Weekend promote.

Of course, you can’t go to Bangkok without a ride in a tuk-tuk. These rapid three-wheeled open-air powered taxis are prevalent for suddenly journeys. Fares must be bargained in advance, it’s part of the fun.

The complete Palace: the number one attraction. Every visitor to Bangkok should see the magnificent buildings within the respected Palace compound to get a feeling of this grand architectural form. because the founding of Bangkok as the Nations capital by emperor Rama I, The grand Palace has been the chief architectural emblem of The Thai imperial Family. The splendid Family actually resides at Chitralada Palace while The respected Palace is worn for ceremonial purposes.

Wat Pho: probably the most interesting temple in Thailand. It combines chronicle, remedial science and is a spotlight for meditation and traditional massage exercise. Have a rubdown while you’re here, at a very circus value.

Chatuchak Weekend Market: with over 9,000 shops and stalls you’ll be tempted over and over. Close to everything that is for deal in Bangkok is here, including antiques, Buddha amulets, handicrafts, clothes, plants and furniture. (You’ll sight that some maps spell it “Jatuchak”. Many English language have manifold spellings, so if you’re in query, ask the lodge caretaker to write it in Thai for the taxi driver.)

Vimanmek house Museum: the world’s leading yellow teak edifice located in the compound of the Dusit Palace on Ratchawithi path. The three-storey imperial hall has 81 rooms, halls and ante-chambers containing matchless memorabilia.

Jim Thompson’s House: this sharp Thai house and buildings viewpoint as a museum to the man who recharged the Thai silk business after the instant World War. The group he founded, Jim Thompson Thai Silk, is recognized worldwide for its brilliant fabrics, home accessories and mold items. The gardens are regularly impressive with a grassy stifling jungle imitating nature’s slapdash beauty right in the axis of the city.

Shopping in Bangkok is not partial to one or two streets. You’ll find dozens of malls, markets and luxury retail outlets throughout the city. The most admired are located around the Ploenchit-Ratchaprasong zone, Sukhumvit Rd and Silom-Surawong-Patpong, with the fantastic Patpong night souk where you can pluck up your souvenirs, fashion and Thai handicrafts. Don’t be shy to bargain in the sell (nicely) as your buck can go a long way.

Bangkok’s foremost brook, the Chao Phraya is the place to be. envisage a regal flotilla stretching as far as your eyes can see. A flotilla of superbly impressed noble barges leisurely sail into picture, manned by the splendid Thai armada dressed in early ceremonial uniforms. Each sailor rowing in complete unison, perfected through months of intense ritual.

Thailand has a well deserved reputation as the “The Land of Smiles”. You’ll receive a cordial pleasing and feel the frank friendliness of the locals. One thing’s for steady, the memories of a vacation here will deferment with you for a time.
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If you are traveling overseas, it’s important to consider travel insurance. For the best value travel insurance and wonderful Fiji Holidays, talk to Flight Centre: http://www3.flightcentre.com.au/travel-extras/insurance/ STFC170309-2

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Tokyo – a Different World

tokyo Tokyo is not a city for the hurried tourist making a quick stopover en route to other destinations in Japan. Tokyo comes as a real surprise to most travelers. Much more than a city, it is a completely different world.

When visitors to Japan first arrive at Narita International Airport, they often experience immediate culture shock. Signs point the way in Kanji (Japanese characters), but most tourists can’t read them. Without a few helpful signs in English, it would be easy to get quite lost.

At first sight, Tokyo itself is crowded, loud and not especially beautiful. The air quality is not particularly good. Men wearing white gloves shove people inside the regional transit cars in order to fit more people inside, and most Japanese respond with a blank stare when spoken to in English.

Tokyo can be hard to negotiate and travel around town can be stressful — but it is also a unique and exhilarating experience.

Kagemusha, the Shadow Warrior.
Prior to 1456-1457, there is very little salient knowledge available about the city of Edo, Tokyo’s predecessor. With the building of the Edo Fortress during these years in the mid-fifteenth century, the city on Hibiya Bay gained in importance.

The greatest advance, however, came in 1653, when the shogun Tokugawa leyasu established his centre of government here. Director Akira Kurosawa staged the life and work of this prominent, powerful shogun in his 1980 film Kagemusha — The Shadow Warrior. George Lucas did not shoot the backdrop of the film, but he spun the threads, so to speak.

In his novel Shogun, writer James Clivell also painted a portrait of the most imposing figure in Japanese history. Ieyasu is considered the founder of modern Tokyo, even though the city did not take its official name or become the “Capital of the East” until the emperor moved there in 1868.

Beginnings of Western influence.
The population of the city is said to have already exceeded a million at the beginning of the eighteenth century. Edo was not only the capital city under the Tokugawa shogunate, it was also the economic centre of Japan. The end of the shogunate is closely connected to the history of Edo, and by association, Tokyo. The balance of power changed under the Meiji emperors. Shogun Yoshinobu Tokugawa, who was rather weak with regard to the West, especially the United States, abdicated in 1867 and left Edo to the emperor.

But the actual goal of sealing Japan off from the West was never implemented by the shogun’s adversaries, headed by the emperor. In fact, just the opposite occurred: a very active period of modernization based on the Western model began.

Destruction and rebuilding.
In Tokyo, European-style houses were built right in between traditional wooden houses. Some of the most famous examples are the houses on Ginza Street, which were built from red brick in order to create more European surroundings for foreign residents of the capital. In spite of everything, such changes were mainly superficial. The city plan and homes of the native Japanese remained closely tied to the Edo tradition of the Shogun Era. But that changed in 1923, the year of the Great Earthquake, measuring more than 8.0 on the Richter scale.

The earthquake itself and the fires that resulted from the it reduced nearly all of Tokyo to ruins. However, destruction has always represented an opportunity for change in Japan. Tragically, the Second World War came quite soon after the earthquake, signaling yet another period of devastating destruction.

The new development of Tokyo began after the end of the Second World War, and literally began on top of debris and ashes. On the basis of new technologies, a modern Tokyo cityscape consisting of skyscrapers, steel and concrete emerged. Special construction methods had to be used, because Tokyo lies in one of the most active earthquake zones in the world. Earthquakes are nothing out of the ordinary here, and smaller tremors can be felt in the city almost daily.

Traveling to Japan? Flight Centre has a great range of cheap airfares and cheap holidays. Go online and browse through some of the world’s best holiday bargains. STFC160309-1

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Awnings – Purposes and types

Most awnings work as exterior awnings, protecting windows, entries and floorspace from the elements and providing privacy. In residential buildings, awnings are usually found in backyards for entertaining guests, covering parking spaces, and on windows along the side of the home. Awnings are also installed on the exterior face of the buildings, above either doors or windows, or on top of areas along footpaths. You will also often find awnings installed outside restaurants to increase the usage floor space in poor weather.

Awnings installed in the backyard protect people from the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays on hot sunny days. They also provide protection from rain, hail, and other elements during bad weather. Awnings are also mounted over open balconies and patios to offer relief from the elements. Awning can also be used as temporary or permanent car parking shades in open areas to protect the interior of the cars from fading.

Small sized lightweight exterior awnings are usually made from aluminum or hollow galvanized iron sectional frames and tough fabric or canvas roofs. More recently awnings have been made from high-tech polycarbonate materials. These polycarbonates can be tinted to keep out UV light but allow in light. They are also very tough and shock resistant.

Larger awnings can have roofs made of aluminum slats. They are designed to be durable, strong, and have the ability to withstand winds and storms. They are an ideal choice for those who wish to cover a relatively large area and prefer a heavy-duty structure. However, the disadvantage to awnings with metal slat roofs is that it can get noisy as a drumbeat during rain and storms. Also, aluminum awnings offer only limited sizes for selection and are usually difficult to customize.

Awnings made from cloth and canvas, on the other hand, are available in countless colors and designs. They can be easily customized to the required size and shape, so consumers can always find one that matches the exterior of the home. These types of awnings are cheaper than awnings with metal slat roofs. They are also relatively less resilient to adverse weather conditions and the color of the material will gradually fade over time due to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Also, awnings made from vinyl, canvas, or cloth require more maintenance and have to be regularly cleaned to avoid permanent stains and mold growth.

Sunstate awnings is Queensland’s leading supplier of patio awnings and canvas fabric awnings. For a great deal on awnings, call or e-mail Sunstate today.

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