A Tourist Guide to Williamsburg and Hampton Roads Sights

Colonial Williamsburg, 101 Visitor Center Drive, Williamsburg, Virginia:

Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia's top tourist attraction and the state's second capital after Jamestown, is like entering a time portal to the colonial era. Founded in 1699, it had been conceived as a prestigious, sophisticated gathering place because of its chosen location next to the College of William and Mary.

As in any town, its citizens had pursued daily mercantile activities, providing functions, goods, and services in exchange for the salaries they themselves had needed to purchase those goods and services. Craftsmen had practiced their trades: blacksmiths, coopers, shoemakers, printers, gunsmith, cabinetmakers, and wigmakers had all made vital contributions to the community's continued existence, while the remainder of the people had engaged in military and governmental pursuits.

Transportation had been provided by horse-drawn wagons and carriages, as evidenced even today by ubiquitous clompings on the dirt streets.

Several buildings had been nucleic to life. The Peyton-Randolph House and kitchen, for example, had once been the home of one of Virginia's leading politicians and the scene of numerous social and political gatherings. Civil and criminal cases had been tried at the Courthouse. The circular, brick Magazine had served as Williamsburg's arsenal and had stored arms and gunpowder on its upper level. The Printing Office and Bookbinding shop had been instrumental in pre-Revolution information distribution. The James Anderson Blacksmith shop had repaired arms for American forces. In 1776, the patriots of Virginia had voted for independence in the Capitol and a new state constitution had been drafted there. The government had conducted war over a five-year period from this location and legislation had created the Republican party within its walls.

The Governor's Palace, the city's most opulent structure, had been the residence of several royal governors and the first two elected governors of the new sovereign state of Virginia, and today retains the appearance of the home of Lord Dunmore, the last British governor to have lived there on the eve of the Revolution.

As in the current day, men often met in taverns to drink and discuss business.

The town, associated with such names as Thomas Jefferson, George Mason, Richard Henry Lee, Patrick Henry, and George Washington, had offered little manufacturing, but instead had acted as the political and economic center of Virginia for 80 years, having been England's largest and wealthiest colony--the location of enacted laws and administered justice, and the site where the seeds of democracy and political independence had been planted in an ultimate attempt to separate itself from its source.

Williamsburg had thrived until Virginia's capital had been relocated to Richmond in 1780, whereafter it had declined to a backwater town.

The town's slow rebirth began in 1926 when the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation had been established to excavate buried foundations and reconstruct the crumbling buildings which had still stood, ultimately transforming it into the world's largest, 18th-century living history museum comprised of 88 restored structures and some 500 other reconstructed ones spread over 301 acres.

Colonial Williamsburg is once again alive: the buildings can be visited; the pounding of the glowing anvil can be heard in the blacksmith shop; cases can be heard in the courthouse; costumed interpreters reenact scenes from earlier life; soldiers march down Duke of Gloucester Street; meals can be eaten in four historic taverns; 18th-century goods are made and sold in the numerous shops; and horse-drawn carriages still clomp down the unpaved streets.

An extensive Visitor's Center, replete with gift shops, bookstores, and theaters where the introductory film, "Williamsburg: Story of a Patriot," is shown, provides the threshold to this colonial era, and is the departure point of the shuttle buses which periodically take visitors to the city's two entry points. At least two full days are needed to visit Williamsburg's significant buildings, observe its costumed "citizens" at work, witness their numerous reenactments, peruse the museums, shop for period items, eat in the taverns, and partake of the evening entertainment programs. A hefty entrance fee provides access to most of these sights and events, although "add-ons" are required for certain buildings and programs, and prices vary according to the number of days the passes cover.

Historic Jamestowne, Jamestown, Virginia:
Thirteen years before the Pilgrims had even set foot in Plymouth, Massachusetts, 104 English men and boys, representing the Virginia Company of London, had made the four-and-a-half month ocean voyage in three ships designated the Susan Constant, the Discovery, and the Godspeed from London, and landed on the banks of the James River in current-day Virginia, establishing the first permanent English settlement in North America. The date, May 13, 1607, can be considered "one small step for European-kind," but had ultimately served as the threshold to the United States of America.

In 1994, archaeologists had begun a search for the settlement's original location and two years later they had uncovered sufficient evidence to determine that the James Fort had been built on a small island on the banks of the James River originally separated from the mainland by a narrow isthmus. The site, designated Historic Jamestowne and administered by the National Park Service, can be visited.

Subdivided into Old Towne and New Towne sections, the former contains the site of the original, 1607, triangular-shaped fort whose foundation is roughly outlined by brick, and a 17th-century church and tower, while the latter, located past the Tercentenary Monument, sports brick replicas to mark excavation foundations of the expanded settlement.

Jamestown Settlement, Route 31, Off Colonial Parkway:
Jamestown Settlement, located a mile from the original site, recreates several key features of it. A huge, red brick Visitors Center, with reception, cafeteria, gift shop, interpretive galleries, and films, leads to the outdoor path which winds its way to the docks on the James River.

The first of the recreated scenes, a Powhatan Indian village based upon the archaeological findings of a site once occupied by the Paspahegh tribe, features hide-covered sleeping and storage houses, a ceremonial circle, hide-tanning frames, and planting fields.

The triangular-shaped James Fort, located further down the path, had been the first home of the original settlers and features recreated, wattle-and-daub, thatched-roof structures, a storehouse, a church, a guard court, and three bulwarks. Daily reenactments demonstrate carpentry, agriculture, rifle shooting, blacksmithing, and cooking.

The Riverfront Discovery Area offers insight into how water had provided the core of commonality for different 17th-century cultures, all of which had relied upon it for fishing, transportation, boat building, and trading.

The three ship replicas docked in the harbor represent the lifelines of the English colonists, the largest of which is the 110-foot-long, square-rigged Susan Constant. Crew had lived and worked on its main deck, while passengers and cargo had been accommodated below.

Jamestown Settlement complements Historic Jamestowne with visual, full-size replicas of excavations just rising from the ground at the original site.

Yorktown Battlefield, Route 238:
Jamestown had served as America's origin. Williamsburg had served as the pivot of governmental development, the cradle where the American Revolution's forefathers had been nurtured. One more location, however, would serve as the point where that Revolution had led to victory, separation, and independence.

While the French naval fleet had sailed southward toward the Chesapeake Bay during the latter portion of 1781, General George Washington had believed that the optimum opportunity for a decisive land-and-sea battle had been at hand and, in cooperation with French General Rochenbeau, had quietly relocated both American and French troops from New York to Yorktown, Virginia.

Intercepting British ships outside of the Virginia Cape on September 5, the French had succeeded in blockading them and causing their subsequent retreat. Arriving in Yorktown later that month, Washington and Rochenbeau seized the town, surrounding Lord Cornwallis' British troops.

In early October, Washington dug trenches from which to launch an out-and-out attack, American and French detachments subsequently cornering the two British redoubts on October 14, which had rapidly exhausted their ammunition supplies. Defeated, Cornwallis surrendered five days later, ending the six-year Revolution and effectively beginning a new nation and a new government.

The settlers who had put the first English footprint in Jamestown had now just put the first American one in Yorktown.

Yorktown Battlefield, the actual site of the historical event and reconstructed with the aid of 18th-century military maps and excavations, accurately depicts Washington's siege, pinpointing British and American troop locations. The nearby Moore House had been the location of the surrender term negotiations.

Yorktown Victory Center, Route 238:
Life during and after the Revolution can be gleaned from the Yorktown Victory Center, which depicts a recreated Continental Army encampment and a 1780 tidewater Virginia farm. The former encompasses commanding officer and regimental surgeon quarters and several soldiers' tents, while the latter features dwellings, a tobacco barn, a kitchen, a herb and vegetable garden, and an agricultural field where corn, tobacco, cotton, and flax are grown.

Yorktown, the third of the three locations after Jamestown and Williamsburg, forms an integral part of Virginia's "Historic Triangle" which is connected by the 23-mile, James and York River-paralleling scenic byway and is part of Colonial National Historical Park. Established in 1893 when the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities had acquired 22.5 acres on Jamestown Island, it had created the Colonial National Monument incorporating Jamestown, Yorktown, and the connecting parkway in 1930. The National Park Service had acquired the remaining 1,500 acres of the island four years later.

Busch Gardens, Route 60 East, Williamsburg, Virginia:
Aside from the Historic Triangle sights themselves, one of Williamsburg's most indicative attractions, and one which is the epitome of family fun, is Busch Gardens. Voted "most beautiful park" for the past 18 years, this bathing suit-necessary, European-themed complex, encompassing more than 100 acres, offers rides, shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues subdivided into areas representing England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, and Italy. Rides include world-class roller coasters; a 36-inch-gauge steam locomotive-propelled train which makes a 1.5-mile loop; the world's first, and floorless, dive coaster which plunges 205 feet at a 90-degree angle; and a vertically-diving log plume.

Water Country USA, 176 Water Country Parkway:
Aquatic thrills can also be experienced at Water Country USA, the mid-Atlantic's largest water park. Exuding a 1950's and 1960's surf theme, the complex offers more than 50 rides, attractions, shops, and restaurants, including the "Hubba Hubba Highway," an interactive river adventure whose free-floating ride plunges through water-sprouting coconut trees and geysers; a high-speed, twisting and turning toboggan plunge evocatively called "Meltdown," and the tunnel- and water curtain-penetrating "Aquazoid."

Ripley's Believe It or Not, 1735 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, Virginia:
Kid curiosity can be peaked at Ripley's Believe It or Not, whose more than 300 exhibits and artifacts, reflecting Robert Ripley's life philosophy of collecting and displaying odd, strange, bizarre, and, at times, unbelievable, items from ancient and exotic civilizations amassed during global travels, include prehistoric dinosaur eggs, 3,000-year-old mummified falcon remains from Egypt, shrunken heads from South America, golf balls once driven on the moon, locks of George Washington's hair, two-headed kittens, and 500-pound gorillas formed by nails. These strange effects are only exacerbated by the museum's 4-D theater.

Yankee Candle, 2200 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, Virginia:
Yankee Candle, a combination shopping and sightseeing attraction, appears to both kids and kids at heart. Aside from selling some 250,000 candles, 200 candle scents, toys, gifts, and holiday ornaments, its is a year-round winter wonderland. Its entirely indoor Holiday Park features a 25-foot, revolving Christmas tree; a color-changing ice pond; falling snow; Santa's workshop; a Christmas countdown clock; and an animated show, "Hickory, Dickory, Doc."

Haunted Dinner Theater, 5363 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, Virginia:
The Haunted Dinner Theater, another combination attraction, pairs a 71-item, all-you-can-eat dinner buffet at Captain George's Restaurant with a comedy murder mystery which incorporates audience clues to solve the nightly "whodunit." The winning combination has been running since 1994.

Air Power Park, 413 West Mercury Boulevard, Hampton, Virginia:
The outdoor Air Power Park, dedicated in recognition of the contributions made by NASA and Langley Air Force Base to aerial and space development and for their interest in community endeavors, features several unique aircraft designs, inclusive of the Lockheed T-33A T-Bird, an A-7E Corsair II, an XV-6A Kestrel V/STOL, a North American F-86L Sabre, the later-developed North American Rockwell F-100D Super Sabre, a McDonnell F-101F Voodoo, a Northrop F-89J Scorpion, and a Republic Aviation F-105D Thunderchief. Even rarer, perhaps, is its space-related collection, including an SM-78 Jupiter surface-to-surface intermediate-range ballistic missile, a Western Electric NIM-14 Nike-Hercules two-stage missile, a Jet Propulsion Lab M-2 Corporal Ballistic Missile, a North American Aviation Mercury/Little Joe Booster, and a Mercury Test Capsule.

Mariners' Museum, 100 Museum Drive, Newport News, Virginia:
Changing from air to sea, the Mariners' Museum, one of the world's largest and most comprehensive, displays more than 50 full-size boats and ships; authentic, hand-crafted ship models; and seafaring artifacts, subdivided into eight exhibits and galleries: the Chesapeake Bay Gallery, the USS Monitor Center, the Age of Exploration, Defending the Sea, the Great Hall of Steam, the Nelson Touch, International Small Craft Center, and the Miniature Ships of August and Winnifred Crabtree. Its award-winning gallery, the $30 million, 63,500-square-foot USS Monitor Center, houses a full-scale replica and actual remains of one of the Civil War's most important vessels. The experience is further heightened by walk-through, high-definition "battle theaters."

The conceptual design for the United States' first full, hull and protective plating ironclad ship, powered by steam and sporting a rotating turret, had been submitted to the US Navy by Swedish-American engineer John Ericsson, and the resulting vessel, the USS Monitor, had been launched on January 30, 1862 from Greenport, Long Island. Two months later, in March, it had been ordered to Hampton Roads, Virginia, in order to protect the federal fleet stationed there, but on the ninth day of that month, it had engaged in a four-hour battle with a Confederate ironclad, the CSS Virginia, although neither had sustained much damage.

During its New Year's Eve towing at the end of the year by the USS Rhode Island to Beaufort, North Carolina, however, it had been caught by a fierce storm off of Cape Hatteras and 16 crew members had been swept overboard and perished.

Today, most of the ship remains submerged off of North Carolina in the US's first marine sanctuary, which had been designated on January 30, 1975.

Virginia Living Museum, 524 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard, Newport News, Virginia:
While the Mariners' Museum focuses on the sea, the Virginia Living Museum showcases what lives in it, as well as on land, in settings such as a cypress swamp, a mountain cove, the Chesapeake Bay, and a limestone cave. Living exhibits include color-changing frogs, moon jellies, eyeless fish, loggerhead turtles, spider crabs, red wolves, otters, and coyotes. An extensive collection of native plants completes the flora and fauna experience.

Fort Monroe/Casemate Museum, Casemate 20, Bernard Road, Fort Monroe, Hampton, Virginia:
Fort Monroe, progressively constructed between 1819 and 1834 and located on the north side of the channel between the Chesapeake Bay and Hampton Roads, is the country's largest stone fort and only moat-surrounded, still-operating one. A Union stronghold during the Civil War, where both Robert E. Lee and Edgar Allan Poe had served, it had once sheltered thousands of slave refugees. Its present Casemate Museum, location of Confederate President Jefferson Davis's cell, displays uniforms, weapons, and artifacts collectively depicting the fort's history.

Virginia Air and Space Center, 600 Settlers Landing Road, Hampton, Virginia:
The Virginia Air and Space Center, located in downtown Hampton on the waterfront, is a $30 million, 110,000 square foot, nine-story facility which had opened on April 5, 1992 and is characterized by its futuristic, interconnected, dual-building, gull wing roof-resembling architecture. Its more than 30 historic air- and spacecraft, which represent more than 100 years of flight, are exhibited in the recently completed, $9 million Adventures in Flight Gallery and the Space Gallery, and include such designs as the Apollo 12 Command Module which had made the journey to the Moon, an AirTran DC-9-30, a B-24 Liberator nose section, an F.84 Thunderstreak, an F-4E Phantom II, an N2S-3 Stearman, a Lunar Orbiter, an F-104 Starfighter, an F-106 Delta Dart, a YF-16 Fighting Falcon, and a P-39Q Aircobra. A new exhibit, "Space Quest: Exploring the Moon, Mars, and Beyond," had recently been introduced in the Space Gallery. Extensive, hands-on exhibits, featuring hot air balloons, noise abatement, a Boeing 717 glass cockpit fight simulator, aircraft flight surfaces, propeller efficiency comparatives, and Space Shuttle landing simulators, are complemented by the Riverside IMAX and Curtiss Jenny Century of Flight Theaters.

The museum also serves as the Visitor Center for both the NASA Langley Research Center and Langley Air Force Base.

Hampton Carousel, 602 Settlers Landing Road, Hampton, Virginia:
The Hampton Carousel, located downtown on the waterfront and housed in its own pavilion, had been built in 1920 and is one of only 170 antique wooden merry-go-rounds remaining in the US.

Miss Hampton II Harbor Cruises, 710 Settlers Landing Road, Hampton, Virginia:
Water-surrounded Hampton Roads cannot be fully enjoyed without at least one boat cruise on it. The Miss Hampton II, a 44-passenger, dual-deck boat with a snack bar, departs daily from the Hampton Marina, plying Hampton Roads Harbor; stopping at the 1819-built Fort Wool; and tours the Norfolk Naval Base, the world's largest naval installation. Adults and kids alike are often fascinated by the 1,098-foot-long, nuclear-powered Nimitz-Class aircraft carriers which weigh in excess of 100,000 tons and are manned by 6,000 crew members; the Wasp-class amphibious assault ships; the guided missile destroyers; the Los Angeles-class, fast-attack, nuclear-powered submarines; and the Ticonderoga-class missile destroyers.

A graduate of Long Island University-C.W. Post Campus with a summa-cum-laude BA Degree in Comparative Languages and Journalism, I have subsequently earned the Continuing Community Education Teaching Certificate from the Nassau Association for Continuing Community Education (NACCE) at Molloy College, the Travel Career Development Certificate from the Institute of Certified Travel Agents (ICTA) at LIU, and the AAS Degree in Aerospace Technology at the State University of New York - College of Technology at Farmingdale. Having amassed almost three decades in the airline industry, I managed the New York-JFK and Washington-Dulles stations at Austrian Airlines, created the North American Station Training Program, served as an Aviation Advisor to Farmingdale State University of New York, and devised and taught the Airline Management Certificate Program at the Long Island Educational Opportunity Center. A freelance author, I have written some 70 books of the short story, novel, nonfiction, essay, poetry, article, log, curriculum, training manual, and textbook genre in English, German, and Spanish, having principally focused on aviation and travel, and I have been published in book, magazine, newsletter, and electronic Web site form. I am a writer for Cole Palen's Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in New York. I have made some 350 lifetime trips by air, sea, rail, and road.

Maine Vacation Rentals

You may hear words pronounced a little differently (hint: baah haabah translates to Bar Harbor) and the deeply rooted traditions and influences of maritime, French, and Native American life might be a bit intimidating, but Maine is in fact one of the friendliest and welcoming places you can visit. Settle down for a spell during any season you please for a foray into this fun-filled and fabulous corner of the country.

One of the best ways to experience Maine is from the perspective of a vacation home guest. By renting a unique log chalet atop a hill that overlooks one of the region's famous bays or charming islands that hug the shore, you'll be seeing the countryside at its best. Maine is definitely a bit rugged and untouched by typical tourist trappings, so realize this and then embrace it. You won't exactly be roughing it by choosing to book a cottage or a cabin, but you will be setting off for a bit of an adventure.

By this, it is meant that you'll be breaking away from the usual hotel experience that just doesn't quite belong in this setting. Maine has mountains, hills, forests, beaches, and parks that are better enjoyed when you're in your most individualistic and free-spirited mood. Walk the trails, watch for moose and birds, marvel at the ancient arbors that tower above you, and realize that this is a one-of-a-kind experience that deserves more than just an average place to lay your head at night.

Picture yourself, and your traveling companions of course, unlocking the door to a cabin that oozes charm and authenticity. The walls are solid and look like they were built by lumberjack, and the faint scent of pine greets you as you enter. Instead of fighting over who gets stuck on the sofa bed, the kids will be running around to each of the bedrooms, gladly realizing that they'll all have plenty of space this time. After unpacking your bags (into actual closets), meet in the family room to discuss your trip and all that you plan to do during these few privileged days. They're sure to fly by, so hang on tight.

You might begin with something simple, like taking a stroll around the area. Your property blends right into the wilderness, but you don't feel isolated due to the fact that several towns are just a short drive away. Take a load off on the deck while you transition into vacation mode, and then pile in the car for a visit to Bar Harbor, Southwest Harbor, or Northeast Harbor (there are lots of harbors here). Have a seafood dinner, grab an ice cream cone, and get a feel for this whole new world.

Your subsequent days will be filled with choices; Acadia National Park is just a few miles away, and will interest everyone in the group with its sheer beauty alone. Maine is enamored with the sea and with its many freshwater lakes, as you will be too after chartering a boat or setting off on a cruise of the coast. The salty air has a certain energy to it that is found no where else, and you'll even feel its benefits from your vacation rental.

You may find it a good idea for your family, and your family's budget, to stop by a local grocery store and pick up a few staples. The kitchen in your chalet is modern and well-laid out, and has amazingly inspired you to whip up a special meal. The grill out back and the patio chairs will make a party out of your culinary efforts, and everyone will eat, drink, and be merry with Maine as the backdrop. Lobster will become everyone's favorite meal, thanks to the unbeatable freshly caught samples that beat out the offerings of the fanciest restaurants back home.

When darkness falls, the sleepy heads can retire to their beds, shutting the door behind them until it's time to enjoy another day. For the hyper ones not yet ready to slow down, a game room will allow for a fun outlet and will encourage interaction that normally takes a back seat to the television and real world responsibilities. There's a TV and DVD player here too, but try to keep those turned off as you focus on the things that are really important. Like a boys vs. girls game of charades. (Or whatever it is that gets everyone riled up and laughing).

Your Maine vacation will be as busy or as laid-back as you want it to be, especially when you have a convenient and amenity-filled place to call your home away from home.

Visit CyberRentals.com for all your vacation rental needs.

Explore all the options so as to make your trip as successful as possible, and don’t rule out the possibility of perusing the selection of Maine Vacation Rentals and stumbling upon the one that you were meant to experience.

Best Southern California Beaches

Southern California is known for its laid-back atmosphere, the friendly people, and, most importantly, the beaches. From the surf breaks to the beautiful white sand, Southern California beaches have a lot to offer.

Family

The best family beaches are found in safe areas, with bathrooms for the kids, as well as snack options if they get cranky. Coronado's Municipal Beach, located on the charming Coronado Island just a few miles from the international border is a favorite among tourists and families alike. This beautiful stretch of white sand is flat and welcoming. There are no restrictions on surfing and swimming, but it does not offer too much for the surfers in the area, so the kids will be safe. There are plenty of shops and restaurants in the area, with a great little diner and a small community park.

Surf

For wave aficionados, Southern California has some of the best surf breaks in the country. Black's Beach is located in La Jolla, and many say it has the best surf in all of California. You have to trek down a steep cliff in order to access it, but that's a small price to pay for what lies below. The beach isn't great for sunbathing, as the cliffs have falling rocks on a regular basis, but if you head north up the beach for a while you will actually enter into a nude beach area. Windansea is another famous surf beach in Southern California. It spurred the sixties surf revolution and is known for having some of the most colorful and progressive characters in California surf history.

Sun & Swim

If you are more interested in soaking up some rays and cooling off in the water, Mission Beach is probably what you are looking for. This beach is full of college-aged kids playing volleyball, Frisbee, and just laying around in the sun. There is a full strip of restaurants and bars, complete with a touristy shopping area and a Ferris Wheel. During the season the tourists flock to this hot spot day and night. The music cranking from the bars extends onto the beaches for that spring-break feel, and the nightlife is just as colorful.

For more information about what beautiful Mission Beach has to offer, visit http://www.missionbeach.com.

Pattaya Thailand Travel Guide

The town of Pattaya is located just an hour from the Bangkok International Airport and is a popular weekend getaway for residents of the capital city. The lively, fun, and exciting town offers tropical beaches, some family-friendly activities, and value shopping. Dining options are inexpensive, plentiful and feature some of the best Thai fusion food in the country. Hotel prices and packages vary depending on the budget and the exquisite beachfront destination never tires in attractions and sightseeing opportunities.

Some of the more popular activities available in the seaside town of Pattaya vary from parasailing in the bay, deep sea fishing, elephant riding, strolling through tropical gardens, and tai chi on the beach. The area is full of adventure activities that can be self-guided or accompanied by a trusty and informative tour guide. Pattaya is known for its diving options and is one of the oldest areas in all of Asia for Scuba diving. The diving season runs year-round and the water temperature is perfect for this activity. Diving centers and companies boast offices along the waterfront as well as Walking Street and feature certifications and classes for diving students. The rich marine life and coral that surround the reefs make the area one of the most scenic diving places in the world.

For a little less adventure, tourists may witness beautiful sunsets along the outskirts of the city or relax at a day spa or beauty treatment center. Horseback riding can be enjoyed at one of the area's stables such as the Horseshoe Point Riding Academy. There is also a polo club that lies at the edge of Pattaya and is often frequented by members of the Thai royal family.

Travelers longing to spend the day touring other areas near and around Pattaya have their choice of day trip options to choose from. Visits to area temples, the Sri Racha Tiger Zoo, or the Elephant Village can all be arranged. Motor coach buses pick tourists up at their hotels and transport them to the various destinations. Most day trips last all morning, all afternoon, or both. In some cases, lunch and a light snack may be provided. The highly sought after Elephant Village day trip allows guests to witness a large elephant show featuring the world's most majestic animals.

Shopping in Pattaya offers a unique experience and includes trips to shops, boutiques, and smaller scale open air markets. Fashionable boutiques provide silk garments, gemstones, and jewelry that tourists can, at times obtain a good deal on. Shops in the area also sell unique paintings, handicrafts, and plenty of souvenirs.

Gourmet Thai cuisine can be found throughout Pattaya. Depending on the palate, visitors can sink their teeth into genuine Thai dishes or a fusion of flavors that combine Thai with German, Russian, Mexican, Korean, or even Indian fare. Many of the gourmet restaurants are found in the heart of Pattaya while the resorts also offer four and five star quality meals.

When the sun goes down in Pattaya, the nightlife comes alive. Known internationally as the naughtiest city in the world, Pattaya offers entertainment for the tame or raucous at heart. North Pattaya's nightlife is quieter than many of the other locations throughout the city. Restaurants, bars, and pubs are scattered throughout the area and provide casual drink and dining atmospheres to topless go-go girl venues. Taking a walk down the Pattaya Bay Promenade after hours offers a colorful display of the people and culture of Thailand. Many tourists are accosted by the occasional bar girl but the sights can be interesting and picture worthy.

If it's a wild nightlife scene or beachfront paradise you are looking for, Pattaya will meet your needs and then some. Pattaya is a great place to get away from everyday life and experience a look into Thailand like no other.

Alex Smith maintains and manages the Cheap Thailand Travel website at http://www.cheapthaitravel.com

Thai Lady Boys

Born as men, these girls are generally up for sleazier and more experimental practices. They are found in abundance in areas in Pattaya like Soi 6/Yodsak, Pattaya Beach Road and Walking Street but you may be surprised to find out that they also hang out in the straight bars too. In fact, quite often, they are the best looking females in the crowd. Don't worry though, Thai lady boys are not looking for any confrontations from you being surprised so they are traditionally really good about being upfront regarding their sexuality.

Spotting Them

You will find that lady boys are usually over-the-top or exaggerated in pretty much every area. They are overly girlish with their actions, especially their walk and they tend to really overdo it where makeup and glitter are concerned.

Lady boys are much louder than real Thai girls and they can be a bit raunchy and extremely pushy. If you're still having a hard time determining the sex of someone you're talking to in the bar, you can check out their feet and hands, which are larger as well as their shoulders which are broader. You will also notice that they are usually taller and may have an Adam's apple. If you're still stumped, just ask! There are very few people in bars in Thailand who would be offended by such a question.

Variations

Katoeys - These are the boys that have had a full sex reassignment so while they may have been born male, they are now female in every way.

She-Male - You'll find a lot of she-males in Thailand. They are male from the waist down and female on top due to breast implants and Adam's apple removal surgery. They offer the best of both worlds and are very popular with foreign visitors.

Transvestites - Since plastic surgery is expensive in Thailand, most Thai Lady Boys are simply dressed up like women but are still 100 percent male

Here is a great resource on Bar Girls in Thailand

Top Three Strategies to Get a Girl to Like You

It absolutely amazes me that there's so much bad advice on dating that goes around in the Internet nowadays. I absolutely feel compelled to overcome these myths, especially when it comes to appealing to the females and getting them to like you.

Warning - these could seem highly unconventional to you, and they do not look pretty - but they work, period. Read on to discover the three best strategies on how to get any females to like you...

Strategy Number One - "Leave Her". First, here is the necessary mindset you must have in order to be good with women. You must always be ready to LEAVE her. The ability to 'walk' is one of the biggest attraction traits in a man as seen by women - so use it to your advantage.

Strategy Number Two - "Stop Being Yourself". The advice to 'be yourself' is bad - it will sabotage your chances to be successful with women. Here's the thing - if the woman does not like you for who you are, then how would 'being yourself' going to change her mind? It's total insanity.

Strategy Number Three - "Be a Challenge". When you interact with a girl, you will be sized up based on your 'value'. Therefore, you must come from the frame of 'high value' when you talk to a girl. One easy way to do this is to be a challenge. Make it difficult for her to make you like her - and in turn she will be the one who will be hopelessly attracted to you.

These three strategies may offend you - but hey, I am here to give you the cold, honest truth, and nothing else. Now here comes the 'killer' strategy - but only if you can take it. The best (and surest) way to make a girl to like you is to hypnotize her.

One such hypnosis 'trick' is Fractionation, which is considered as a 'dark art' tactic which is the basis of hypnosis-based seduction. While controversial, it is known to be one of the most effective tactics ever invented by underground seductionists.

It is described in a step-by-step system in the Deadly Seduction Manuscript (http://www.DeadlySeduction.com)

These psychology tactics are highly unconventional techniques that are used by the secret elite in the seduction community. Use at your own risk. I personally vouch for the effectiveness of these tactics, but care must be taken as they could be outright dangerous in the hands of the unscrupulous.

But if you're ready to get girls without breaking a sweat, then do this. Click on this link for an easy step-by-step system that will get you instant attraction from any girl you meet, guaranteed, and for free: Deadly Seduction Tactics

Barcelona Bike Tours: Enjoy Adventurous Ride in Night

Barcelona has diverse activities for the daytime, but for the nightlife, you head only to the bar for that is where all the action is. However, for those who want to remain sober, Barcelona has other things to offer; a bike tour of Barcelona under the moon.

Bike tour at night

The night bicycle tours star at around 7:30 pm. There are various tour companies in Barcelona that offer guided tours and hence it is perfectly safe to ride in the night. Though some of the visitor's attractions will be closed by the night, you can enjoy the surreal feel only in a night tour. Unlike what you imgine, the nights are just as buzzing as the day with people flocking around the bars, restaurants and bike tours.

The sunset bike tours are just as enjoyable. These rides typically last for 3-4 hours. There will be regular stoppages for drinks at beach side pubs and canal side cafés. The streets are calmer, though not deserted, and the breeze is cool. The cycling is thus easier. The multilingual guide keeps giving you descriptions of the various places of interest that fall your way, talking and taking you through the Barcelonan heritage.

These rides interest new tourists the most, though there are people who never miss a chance for the bike tour whenever they visit Barcelona. The cost for renting the bicycle for half a day is a maximum of € 24.

If you want to experience the Barcelona's night beauty in style, then order a limousine for a ride around the city. Costs are € 200 to € 500. Maximum of eight people can be catered for.

Nightlife in Barcelona

Barcelona and fiesta are synonymous. There are pubs open all through the night. There are Irish and British pubs here that are stag and hen friendly. Some of the bars do not entertain large groups of men or women and the bars will make it very clear by not serving drinks. Hence, respect it and avoid such places.

Barcelona being a very popular and cheap foreign vacation spot is flocked by tourists during seasons. Hence, the bars and pubs will be jam- packed. Reservations for stag and hen party groups we be an ideal thing to do.

The Las Ramblas is the heart of the action with many famous nightclubs and themed bars. Some of the city's best drinks and best bites are located around this square. For more exclusive nightclubbing, Gothic square is the place to be visited. This is excellent for bar crawl with chains of bars that can be covered in foot. Raval is another glamorous district of the city and comprises of more hip bars than the traditional ones back at the square.

Enjoy the Barcelona weekend with gourmet food along the beach side restaurants, night bike tour, night limo tour and happening nightclubs.

For more information on barcelona weekends, check out the info available online; these will help you learn to find the barcelona night!

Read This Before Dating a Thai Bar Girl

Thailand is world renowned for their red-light districts. Many Western men visit the country every year on business or on vacation and visit some of the many go-go bars in many parts of the country. While the bar girl scene in all actuality is a very small part of the countries culture, it is often widely talked about in Western cultures.

Some men visit a bar and fall in love with one of the beautiful Thailand bar girls and attempt to date them. These men quickly find out that dating one of these women is not as simple as dating a regular Thai girl. In fact, I highly recommend you leave your heart at the doorstep of these establishments and find a real Thai girl to date. But in case you are adventurous, here are five things you should know before dating Thailand bar girls.

1. Most Thai bargirls have little to no education

Many of the ladies you see in Bangkok red-light districts such as Patpong or along the beachfronts in Pattaya or Patong Beach on Phuket are not locals. Many of them are from the Eastern part of the country known as Isan. Other girls come from the North and are often not even Thai citizens but residents of Burma, Cambodia or some of the hill-tribe regions between countries. These women likely have little education and in many cases, cannot speak much English.

2. Thai bar girls have a very street smart.

Formal education aside, Thai bar girls have a very keen street sense. Never underestimate a woman that's worked in a Thai go-go bar. She will look sweet, beautiful, sexy and innocent but she may also have anterior motives in the relationship.

3. To bar girls, money is very important.

In many situations, the money that a Thai bar girl brings in for a nights work is many times sent home to take care of parents or their own children that they have. So unless you have a decent amount of money and are willing to support her family, she'll likely not be interested. This fact is something that has plagued real Thai ladies in the past. Note to Western men, NOT ALL THAI WOMEN THINK THAT MONEY IS IMPORTANT!

4. Thai bar girls like their line of work

It's true! And that is the most difficult about getting into a serious relationship with a Thai bargirl. You want to "save" them from their line of work, but they don't want to be saved. They make very good money compared to other things they could be doing. This gives the bar girl a great amount of personal freedom. This personal freedom will be difficult for the lady to part with if asked. If a man tries to take a Thai bar girl out of the bar, he'll find it to be very difficult unless she's truly done with that scene and ready to settle down.

5. It is rare, but there are success stories

There are some success stories of Western men dating and sometimes happily marrying a bar girl he met while on the job. Unfortunately, I don't personally know of anyone that has been successful in settling down with one. But I'm certain it has happened a time or two.

The best advise I can give is to go and enjoy your time in Thailand however you wish to spend it. Just be careful when dating Thai bar girls and remember to heed my advise.

If you are looking for a Thai woman to be your girlfriend or just someone to spend time with while in Thailand, this blog is for you. The site discusses how to meet beautiful Thai women online or while traveling through Thailand on vacation. You can read about how to meet and date Thai women.

Black and White Party Ideas

Black and white party ideas go hand in hand with more formal affairs. Anniversary parties, dinner parties, engagement parties, and ballroom dance parties to end a semester of learning the art, are all reasons to go all out in the romantic splendor of formality.

A way of doing up your home for a formal dinner party is having a fire and ice party. Decorate your space with wreaths of white flowers and bits of gold and silver sparkle. Fill cut glass containers such as large candy dishes and serving bowls with water that has been tinted the color of glacier water (blue and green food coloring will do, but make it very pale) and float white candles in them.

Candles in candle holders set on glass works very well, too. Think of fresh winter snow at night with the moon light on it and fill your space with it. Dress your table in white, white cloth, white cloth napkins and wine glasses, even if no wine is served, because they look fantastic. Use formal place settings and plan a four or more course meal.

Silver is traditionally allowed at a black and white party theme, so use any silver accents you have available, such as candle holders or serving dishes. You can create your own accents out of silver paper, including stars and the moon to hang from the ceiling (use fishing wire or black thread) and spread around the floor and on the tables.

Don't hesitate to borrow dishes or glassware from friends to make your evening perfect. This kind of decoration can also be adapted to a large room for ballroom dancing. Think romantic and don't be afraid to watch some old movies to get ideas for decorating.

For more black and white party ideas and theme party plans, visit www.fun-theme-party-ideas.com/black-and-white-theme-party.html for tons of popular theme party ideas, including decoration, costume, game, and party drink ideas, as well as printable invitations.

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The Best Sunday Sessions In Brisbane - The Normanby Hotel - Review

The perfect Sunday Brissie experience is at the Normanby Hotel. Situated just outside the CBD on Brisbane's northside, and renowned for its laidback vibe, every local has enjoyed an iconic Sunday Session here singing along to old favourites with the legendary Tuffy. With multiple happy hours boasting cheap as chips Coronas and basic spirits, this is the best spot in town to sit back and watch the sun go down on another week.

Attracting punters young and old (though the majority tend to be 18 to 20-something), The Normanby never disappoints. With a relaxed dresscode (you're quite welcome here in Havaianas) expect to see students, backpackers, tourists and locals a-plenty.

This historic and iconic building is a place to see in itself (built in 1872, the building is heritage listed.) With multiple levels and bars, there is something for everyone. Upstairs is where you'll find the dancefloor with a DJ mixing beats you can bust your best moves to. And with a bar right in the middle, you can set up camp here if this is your scene. The beer garden is always bustling with energy, and you're sure to make a new friend or two. The favourite spot to hangout though is by far the lower level, with tables and chairs so you can chill out with mates and really unwind. Come dusk it sure packs a punch here, and you're sure to have a great time listening to the music and watching sporting event coverage on the big screen. They aren't known here for mixing great cocktails, but the friendly bartenders will give you anything you ask for. Just be warned, with such cheap drinks on offer expect to wait for service during happy hours!

Visit The Norms - as it has fondly been nicknamed by locals - on a long weekend, and the car park is transformed into something closely resembling a huge house party, filled with hundreds of young and excitable revellers. With a couple of makeshift bars set up, on these weekends you'll be lucky to set foot inside the hotel itself!

Boasting an undercover outdoor function area upstairs, The Normanby is a great place to host a chilled out affair, where you'll even have access to your own private bar. Both inside and out, this place is quintessentially old school, maintaining the great pub vibe it became famous for. It's been renovated, but hasn't lost its charm. The traditional pub grub food is still some of the best in town - it's a must to try one of their legendary steaks. Rich in history and good times, and with an unpretentious atmosphere, what's not to love about The Normanby Hotel?

By Julia Roscoe