Travel Vacations tips

Archive for October, 2011

400 Year Old Quebec City PQ

Drove to Quebec City about ten miles. Today is the Feast of St John the Baptist a major holiday in Provence Quebec. Over 250000 people gathered the previous evening on the Plains of Abraham for a concert and fireworks display. The streets in the Old City were still filled with revelers and sanitation workers were cleaning up the debris left from the huge party.

With the temperature in the nineties we took our water bottles and started off on the walking tour of the old city. The old city vieux Quebec is surrounded by a wall with only a few gates to permit entry. Our first stop was the Jesuit Chapel built in 1817. This is a very simple chapel whose architect was a member of the Baillairge dynasty. They seem to have designed most of the churches in Provence Quebec.

Down the street next to the fortifications is Artillery Park a National Historical Site of Canada. The park has buildings you can visit. The most interesting of them is the Dauphine Redoubt. The lowest two floors were built by the French in 1712. The British added a third floor and the Canadians added a fourth floor when the complex was used as a munitions factory from 1902 until 1964. The park includes an officers quarters and a barracks which is the longest building built by the French in North America. Until then the soldiers were quartered in the homes of civilians.

From Artillery Park we walked the historic streets to the Cathedral of Notre Dame the oldest parish North of Mexico. Bishop Laval the diocese first bishop traveled most of the diocese which extended from Newfoundland to New Orleans LA. Remember that all of the land along the Mississippi once was claimed by France. Across the plaza is the City Hall and next door is the Seminary which eventually became Laval University.
A short three block walk is the luxury hotel Chateau Frontenac which dominates the Quebec Skyline. The tower was not part of the original hotel. When a fire destroyed the old hotel the tower was built and the hotel surrounded it. This seems to be one of the focal points of the city. Many people congregate around the hotel perhaps because of the numerous parks which surround it.

A walk down Rue St. Louis bring you to a tree with a canon ball in its roots a souvenir from the fall of Quebec in 1759 under a hail of over 20000 cannon balls.
Walking the streets is a real treat. Even though the sidewalks are narrow and the streets climb up and down the hills the experience is one of being in an eighteenth century French town.

The changing of the guard at the Citadel is a must see event. The Citadel erected on the original French site in 1820 to ward off attack from the USA is the home of the 23rd Regiment of the Canadian Army. Formed during World War I as the only French speaking Canadian regiment they have also seen combat action during World War II and the Korean Conflict. At 10:00 A.M. daily they hold the traditional changing of the guard complete with marching band and their goat mascot. Sixteen men plus their officers are on guard duty for twentyfour hour periods. The ceremony takes thirtyfive minutes and is then followed by an hour tour of the facilities.

The fortress is the largest fortification garrisoned by regular troops in North America. Star shaped in design the main defense faced the river the cannons having a two and a half mile range. While on the tour the commandants wife waved from a second floor window to the group and showed off her two year old puppy Chelsea. The Citadel overlooks the Plains of Abraham where Montcalm lost the battle to Wolfe. During the battle both lost their lives. There is free two hour parking inside the walls of the fortress. The entry is serpentine and the main gate is very narrow the original structure from the fortifications.

We drove around the Plains of Abraham. Here too is free parking the visitors center the fine arts museum and beautiful views of the river. Here the cliffs protecting Old Quebec fall way to sloping access to the river perfect entry for the army to attack.
Drove past the summit of Montmorency Falls. The falls have been dammed to harness electricity. A suspension bridge let people look down from the summit and a cable car takes passengers from the bottom to the top and vice versa. Since the falls are higher than Niagara Falls use of the cable car is better than climbing the steps.

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;John Pelley is a Geriatric Gypsy. He is retired from the rat race of working. He is a fulltime RVer who ran away from home. He began our travels on the East Coast and like the migrating birds seek the warmth of the seasons He has discovered volunteering with the National Park System. He has a CD he has recorded of Native American flute music. A Day with Kokopelli. For pictures links and more information visit http://www.jmpelley.org.

Burj Al Arab Acknowledged As The Best In The World

Designed to resemble a billowing sail the Burj Al Arab Hotel soars to a more than a 1000 feet dominating the Dubai coastline. At night it offers an unforgettable sight surrounded by choreographed color sculptures of water and fire. This allsuite hotel reflects the finest that the world has to offer. Guests are transported discreetly inside a chauffeurdriven Rolls Royce the hotel where check in is conducted in the privacy of the guest suite. At private reception desks on each floor a brigade of highly trained butlers provides aroundtheclock attention. At the Burj Al Arab Hotel guests are assured of a highly personalized service throughout their stay.

Burj Al Arab does not have rooms; it has 202 suites each one arranged over two floors. The spacious suites feature floortoceiling glass windows which offer simply breathtaking views of the Arabian Gulf. Decorated with lavish textures and exuberant colors each suite features a sumptuous living and dining area stateoftheart entertainment system and office facilities. Their sheer opulence in every tiny detail is underpinned with technology that does everything from controlling the 42inch Plasma screen TV to closing the curtains.

An extensive range of fullsize Hermes bathroom amenities a decadent bath menu with music and oils and an alternative menu offering a range of 13 pillows to choose from are also provided as standard in all the suites.

After conducting business shopping or exploring Dubai when it’s time to wind down nowhere instills a feeling of luxury pampering and wellbeing better than the breathtakingly beautiful Assawan Spa Health Club. In a setting on the 18th floor that would make a poet sigh tensions are eased in the spa’s crystal clear pools or by indulging in the finest treatments to invigorate and revitalize.

Emulating the luxurious standards set by the hotel Assawan Spa Health Club at Burj Al Arab is a haven of serenity and extravagance. The beautiful mosaics used stylishly throughout the spa create an atmosphere of tranquil escapism enhanced by the breathtaking views over the Jumeirah coastline and Arabian Gulf.

A harmonious balance of wellbeing and relaxation is the essence of the spa. This underlies the choice of pampering treatments as well as the assortment of fitness options available. Guests can bask in the quiet ambience of the wet areas consisting of separate ladies’ and gents’ saunas; steam room; Jacuzzi and a choice of the mixed or ladiesonly infinity swimming pool.

For a more active approach the spa’s personal trainers tailor sessions based on individual goals ability and availability. Yoga nonimpact aerobics and other fitness classes are scheduled. The latest high tech training equipment and a squash court a mixed gym and dedicated ladies only area are set aside for use by members and guests.

The alluring treatments at the contemporary spa where meditative music and gentle hands melt away all signs of stress are specially designed to provide the ultimate in luxurious relaxation. From the decadent massages to the finest facials the treatments from worldrenowned houses such as La Prairie ESPA and Aromatherapy Associates truly are a delight. All products used in the spa are of the utmost quality and can be purchased in the Spa Boutique.

A signature Assawan treatment the Tuina Massage is a traditional Chinesetype of massage based on the use of the Chinese principles to bring the body back in balance. The therapist uses a series of pressing tapping and kneading techniques with palms fingertips and knuckles that help the body to remove blockages along the meridians of the body and stimulate the flow of qui and blood to promote healing.

The pricey Extreme Indulgence is a luxurious ritual comprised of a caviar facial and caviar body treatment designed to have an immediate firming effect and the leave the skin with a youthful allover glow.

Totally focused on naturally improving the condition of the skin and enhancing its appearance all ESPA facials include a ritual of specialized double cleansing techniques gentle exfoliation acupressure facial massage and a deep cleansing and intensive face mask.

This is followed by a deep oriental head massage to clear the mind and bring harmony and tranquility. Totally exclusive and unique to the Assawan Spa therapists have been chosen by ESPA to offer these specialist rituals such as these.

About the writer:  Geologix Inc. manufactures products using a proprietary formula featuring 34 natural minerals contained in the ancient sea water from the famous Michigan Basin a concentration of minerals higher than that found in any known body of water in the world. Mineral Essentials focuses on spa skin care and massage products to moisturize and provide antiaging protection for great skin. Mineral Essentials

Using Self Storage To Store Your Boat In Tennessee

Many people don’t think of self storage as a good option for truly large items but using self storage to store your boat in Tennessee is a great option if you’d like to keep your boat safe and secure somewhere away from your home. Self storage is a popular flexible and costeffective method of storing things away from our homes and offices so why not a boat?

Using self storage to store your boat is a clever way to finally have room for that boat you’ve always wanted or the one that’s been taking up valuable space in your yard or garage for years. Your neighborhood may not even allow you to have a boat parked anywhere visible from the street. This can pose problems for people short on space.

Many people only think of self storage when they think about moving and need a place to store certain things during the transition or if they need a place to temporarily store things. And sometimes people use self storage just to get clutter and stored items out of their house while they decide what to do with them.

But self storage can be used for large items that we might not really have that much room for in our yards or garages. People store not just boats but motor homes recreational vehicles trailers and motorcycles. People even park cars in self storage units these days.

Self storage is wonderful because you can access your stored items whether a boat a huge room full of furniture or a smaller room full of boxes or whatever you want to store at any time the facility is open. You don’t need to let anyone know what you’re taking out what you’re putting in or any personal and private details like this though you may have to sign into the facility for security purposes.

Using self storage to store your boat in Tennessee may even be a more secure storage option than keeping it on your own property. Most self storage facilities especially those that have enough room for and allow items like cars RVs and boats have general security systems and procedures in place to further protect your stored items.

You’ll want to find a self storage facility that has special units for vehicles and boats that are covered if they don’t actually have storage space much like their regular indoor storage but larger for these items. Some self storage facilities cater to customers who want to store large items like boats in Tennessee and offer boatrelated services like cleaning and storage preparation for additional fees.

If you’re thinking about using self storage to store your boat in Tennessee you’ll want to make sure the boat is properly prepared for storage. If you’re not sure how to do this it’s well worth it to pay the extra to the storage facility or someone who’s familiar with how to care for a boat to prepare your boat for storage.

You’ll need to do basic mechanical things like tightening anything that might be loose lubricating the moving parts flushing the fuel line and the cooling system and making sure that all water is drained from the engine. New oil and filters as well as a good cleaning are essential too.

And if you’re using self storage to store your boat in Tennessee don’t forget to take extra items off the boat before storing like life preservers anything electronic fire extinguishers or anything you don’t want subjected to extremes in weather or that you might use elsewhere. Especially if the storage is outside be sure to tarp the boat.

You might find self storage options for storing your boat in Tennessee that allow you to store the boat inside. These might be the more expensive options but they probably offer extra security and your boat is protected from the elements. As long as you properly prepare the boat and remove all possible sources of moisture from the mechanical parts indoor storage is ideal.

But you might choose to opt for facilities that offer outdoor storage. These are a more costeffective self storage option and the facility probably will have enough security measures in place to protect even those items like cars RVs and boats that are stored outside. Just make sure you properly prepare dry and cover your boat and check carefully to make sure your storage spot is wellcovered and you can save a little money while using self storage to store your boat in Tennessee.

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;Simply Self Storage What Could be Easier than Simply?
Simply Self Storage is the largest privately owned self storage company in the United States and Puerto Rico. We own and/or operate over 228 facilities with over 16.1 million square feet of storage space.