New York City

New York City

NYC impressions

The Met, as the Metropolitan Museum of Art usually called, is the foremost museum in America. Its galleries take in over three-and-a-half million works of art and span the arts and cultures not just of America and Europe (though these are the most famous collections), but also of China, Africa, the Far East, and the Classical and Islamic worlds. Any overview of the museum is out of the question: the Met demands many and specific visits or, at least, self-imposed limits.

Housed over two floors in the Lila Acheson Wallace Wing, the Met's twentieth-century collection is a fascinating and compact group of paintings. The second floor contains European and American painting from 1945 to the present, opening with a room filled with the gigantic, emotional canvases of Abstract Expressionist Clyfford Still. Highlights on this floor include Jackson Pollock's masterly Autumn Rhythm (Number 30), Thomas Hart Benton's rural idyll July Hay, R.B. Kitaj's John Ford on his Deathbed, a dream-like painting of the director of western movies, and Andy Warhol's final Self-Portrait; hung alongside are works by Max Beckmann, Roy Lichtenstein (Painting Since 1945), Mark Rothko, and Gilbert and George.

The New York Public Library (Center for the Humanities) on the corner of 42nd and Fifth Avenue is the first notable building on 42nd Street's eastern reaches: Beaux Arts in style and faced with white marble, its steps act as a meeting point and general hangout for pockets of people throughout the year. The library boasts a collection among the five largest in the world: 88 miles of books stored in eight levels of stacks beneath this room and running the length of Bryant Park, which alone covers half an acre.

Houston Street (pronounced Howston rather than Hewston) marks the top of SoHo's trellis of streets, any exploration of which necessarily means criss-crossing and doubling back. Greene Street is as good a place to start as any, highlighted all along by the nineteenth-century cast-iron facades that, in part if not in whole, saved SoHo from the bulldozers. Prince Street, Spring Street and West Broadway hold the best selection of shops and galleries in the area.

Back outside, push through the crush crossing Fifth Avenue and walk east down Manhattan's most congested stretch to where Park Avenue lifts off the ground at Pershing Square to weave its way around the solid bulk of Grand Central Terminal. The terminal was constructed around a basic iron frame but clothed with a Beaux Arts skin. Since then Grand Central has taken on an almost mythical significance, and though with the insidious eating-away of the country's rail network its major traffic is now mainly commuters speeding out no further than Connecticut or Westchester County, it remains in essence what it was in the nineteenth century - symbolic gateway to an undiscovered continent.

If you are going to Brooklyn, begin by walking over the Brooklyn Bridge – it's not too long (less than a mile across) and it may hold the best views of Manhattan that you will get. The walkway begins at City Hall Park next to the Municipal Building and ends in Brooklyn either at the corner of Adams and Tillary streets or at the more convenient Cadman Plaza East staircase.

Out of all of America's symbols, none has proved more enduring or evocative than the Statue of Liberty. The statue, which depicts Liberty throwing off her shackles and holding a beacon to light the world, was the creation of the French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi in Paris between 1874 and 1884.

Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon HISTORY

The canyon was formed in the Quantenary Era, as a result of earth movements while the Alpes were "growing" upwards and from erosion of the Jurassic limestone by the Verdon river.

Through the 19th century, the deepest gorges were thought to be impenetrable. Only a few local woodcutters went down into the gorges on ropes, looking for box word (buis) stumps that they used for making boules.

The canyon remained unexplored until the 20th century. Armand Janet attempted a canoe exploration in 1896, but gave up because of the violent currents. In August of 1905, the speleologist Edouard Alfred Martel did the first complete exploration of the gorges on a 3-day expedition. Part of the Martel trail is still used, between Point Sublime to La Maline.

Grand Canyon impressions

The Grand Canyon is one of the greatest wonders of nature and belongs to the most stunning examples of erosion in the world. The magnificence and variety of colored, bizarre rock formations is simply overwhelming and incredible. Since about 6 to 10 million years the Colorado river together with other erosive forces has been carving this spectacular gorge, which is up to 60 feet (1800 m) deep, up to 18 miles (29 km) across and about 220 miles (350 km) long. The colourful strata of the Canyon walls contain fossils from the earliest living on our planet and reveal invaluable information on the earth' evolution and history over two billion years.

City of Miami

City of Miami

The City of Miami known as the “Magic City” is located in Southeast Florida, in Miami-Dade County on the Miami River, between the Florida Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean. Since its incorporation in 1896, the City has grown tremendously, transforming it into one of the world’s renowned centers where people can work, live and play while enjoying a high quality of life.

The City of Miami, known for its diverse culture and ethnicities is the largest municipalityin Miami-Dade County. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 362,470. By the year 2010 the population in the City is projected to rise to 390,191. Miami which is known as the Gateway to Latin America attracts a tremendous amount of foreign born people, resulting in a large Latin American population that includes Cubans, Nicaraguans, Colombians, Venezuelans, Puerto Ricans, Argentineans, Ecuadorians, Brazilians, Dominicans, Haitians and Mexicans. According to the 2000 U.S. census, the City has a 60 percent Hispanic population , a 22.3 percent African-American population and a 11.9 percent White/other population.

Recognized worldwide as an international hub, Miami successfully hosted the 4th annual Latin Grammy Awards show, the visit of the Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, the celebration of the Free Trade of the Americas Conference , FTAA and the MTV Music Video Awards.

Whether you are a resident, visitor or business owner, the City of Miami welcomes you to the shiny City under the Sun. Centrally located in a bustling urban area that is bursting with new developments, residential homes and eye catching attractions, Miami is truly a world class destination. Rich with history,Miami has 13 different neighborhoods that contain several historical locations and landmarks. Each neighborhood is fully equipped with full service parks,fire and police stations and a Neighborhood Enhancement Team center where residents and business owners can go to obtain answers to their questions and help with City services. The NET team works together with the various departments through the City to coordinate resources and resolve problems.

Miami - a few hotels

From £30
The San Juan Hotel has a great location on Collins Avenue, in South Beach Miami. The hotel is also just fifteen minutes from Miami International Airport, the sun-drenched beach is directly across the street, and the Miami Beach Convention Centre just 2 blocks away. In the direct vicinity of the hotel guests can find a wide range of shops, bars and restaurants.

From £32
The Casablanca on the Ocean Hotel is perfectly located in the heart of Millionaires Row on Miami Beach. Five minutes from the elegant and chic shops of Bal Harbour and the excitement and action of South Beach's Art Deco District. The Port of Miami, Downtown Miami and Miami International Airport are easily accessible within fifteen minutes or less.

From £183
The Delano Hotel is situated at the oceanfront. The Delano is just three blocks from the hustle and bustle of famous Ocean Drive and South Beach, and close to Lincoln Road Mall's trendy shopping and restaurants. The Delano offers an outdoor swimming pool with underwater classical music and areas for meditating.

From £139
The Shore Club is a destination resort ideally located on the oceanfront, but within walking distance or a short drive to South Beach's most popular attractions like; Lincoln Road, a variety of shopping, restaurants and nightlife. The resort features several restaurants offering delicious cuisine as well as several boutiques.

From £79
The New Deauville Beach Resort is located on the beach at 67th and Collins Avenue. Twenty minutes from Miami International Airport and thirty minutes from Ft. Lauderdale International Airport. The hotel is surrounded by water and is situated in the Art Deco District close to the shops at Bal Harbour.

The Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty - One Of The Most Visited Atractions

Located on a 12 acre island, The Statue Of Liberty is one of the most visited attractions in the USA. It was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886, designated as a National Monument in 1924 and restored for her centennial on July 4, 1986. Ellis Island is part of the Statue of Liberty.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas Sky View

Las Vegas, Nevada is a vibrant pulsating city and the largest adult playground in the world. It is a community that was created from the wastelands of the Mojave Desert in Nevada specifically to provide a gambling and entertainment oasis for the titillation seeking residents of post-war Los Angeles. Everything in Las Vegas has been done (or overdone) on a grand and spectacular scale. Along the Las Vegas strip, a black glass pyramid rises over a hundred meters above the desert with a larger than full sized replica of the Sphinx at its entry. Next to it, sits a larger than life castle with garishly colored turrets. Across the street, is a scaled-down skyline of New York City complete with a Brooklyn Bridge and a Statue of Liberty. Beyond that, you can see a half-sized replica of the Eifel Tower, a near full sized replica of the Piazza San Marco from Venice and a large volcano that erupts flames every thirty minutes. In Las Vegas, you often ask yourself, "Is this really a city, or am I visiting some futuristic amusement park on another planet?"

On any given evening in Las Vegas, you will find hundreds of entertainment events such as the renown Las Vegas stage shows, world class sporting events, performances by world famous entertainers plus music, dance and comedy at large and small venues throughout the city. This city never seems to sleep. The frivolity continues long into the night and the serious gamblers continue their pursuit of riches until well after the morning sun has risen on a new day.

The city was created by a reputed gangster

In 1931 gambling was legalized in the barren desert state of Nevada while it remained illegal in the more populous neighboring state of California. As early as 1940, the first hotel casino named El Rancho Vegas was constructed on the outskirts of a sleepy desert community in the Mojave Desert of southern Nevada known as Las Vegas. A second hotel casino named the Last Frontier was opened a year later. Both profited from their proximity to the large gambling population living in Los Angeles and other southern California communities. In December of 1946, Bugsy Siegal a reputed New York gangster, then living in Beverly Hills California, and managing various illegal gambling operations on the West Coast, built a lavish new hotel casino named the Flamingo. He dreamed of creating a whole new resort city in the desert dedicated to gambling and entertainment. Unfortunately, Bugsy was shot to death in his Beverly Hills home in 1947; so he never got to see his dream fulfilled; but the legacy of lavish hotel casinos controlled by gangsters persisted in Las Vegas for many decades to come.

Today, this desert gambling oasis is a thriving city with more than one million inhabitants and over 38 million visitors a year. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the USA, with up to 5,000 new residents settling there every month. It has fourteen of the fifteen largest hotels in the USA and over 130,000 rooms available to visitors. Gambling and entertainment are still its biggest attractions and its largest industries. Supposedly, all the mafia gangsters have been removed from the Las Vegas gambling scene, only to be replaced by large corporate owners. (Is that an improvement?) In 1999, Oscar Goodman, the flamboyant lawyer whose spirited defense of many reputed gangsters and criminals earned him the unofficial title of "mouthpiece for the mob", was elected mayor of Las Vegas. He seems to be a most appropriate character to lead the government of "Sin City" USA.

Las Vegas Boulevard is "the Strip"

Las Vegas is located in the southwestern corner of Nevada near the borders of California and Arizona. It is 275 miles (450 km) from Los Angeles and less than a four-hours drive on excellent interstate highway. The city is situated in a broad flat desert valley surrounded by barren arid mountains. It receives only about 2 inches (5 cm) of rain per year; yet the city is an oasis of green grass, flowers and palm trees all subsisting on imported water. A vast checkerboard of low suburban homes sprawls across the valley floor for dozens of miles in every direction with new tracts of houses eternally sprouting like fields of cactus in the surrounding desert.

Las Vegas Information

Climate
While it is hot in the summer, Las Vegas has one of the best climates in the United States. Our summer heat is easier to deal with than the summer heat in most other places including parts of the midwest, east and south. Las Vegas enjoys an average of 289 days of sunshine per year. Since this is a 'night-time', 24-hour city, the warm, dry summer nights are outstanding for visitors and locals.

Location
Las Vegas is centrally located in the Southwest quadrant of the United States. Partly because of this, Las Vegas was destined to become a distribution and transportation center. Easy access to California, Arizona, Utah and many other places in the west has helped to make Las Vegas a primary warehousing point for several large nationally based corporations.

Transportation
Las Vegas is a hub for airlines, railroads, trucking and highways. Major and regional airlines find Las Vegas to be one of their most popular destinations. McCarran International Airport is the 8th busiest airport in the US. Las Vegas was founded as a railroad city. Because of its central location, it is still a principal on-route destination for the railroads.

Setting
Las Vegas is the closest major city to more internationally famous parks than any other city in the United States. Las Vegas is the gateway to the Grand Canyon. More people visit the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas than from anywhere else.Lake Mead National and Recreation Area is only 20 minutes east of Las Vegas. Lake Mead has over 10 million visitors a year. Hoover Dam is only 30 minutes from Las Vegas. Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon, in Utah, are only a few hours away from Las Vegas. Death Valley gets more visitors from Las Vegas than from anywhere else. Yosemite is also only a few hours away from Las Vegas. There are several 'local' parks that are just as outstanding as these. The Valley Of Fire is a state park which has over 200,000 visitors per year.Red Rock Canyon is a favorite of the locals. The Spring Mountains with forests, skiing, snowboarding and camping are also a local favorite. The Great Basin National Park is very new. Once people find out about this park, it will receive a LOT of visitors. Most of them coming through Las Vegas.

The Las Vegas Valley is surrounded by mountains. To the west are the Spring Mountains. To the south is the McCullough Range made up of extinct volcanoes. To the east is Frenchmans Mountain which exhibits, in widely variegated colors, about 600 million years of earths history. To the north is the Sheep Range whose limestone strata swirl and shift in so many directions geologists disagree as to the interpretation of their geological record.

Las Vegas Tourism
The robust economy of Las Vegas has its source in the over 30 milion visitors a year.The principal attractions are entertainment, gambling, climate, proximity to national parks, gorgeous hotels, 24 hour atmosphere, cheap lodging and food, major sporting events, and hundreds of other diversions.

Tourism started slowly in Las Vegas with the legalization of gambling in the 1930's. Since then, the industry has gone through several evolutions. From Mob ties in the early days to the Howard Hughes era, the industry has constantly renewed itself. Currently, Las Vegas is in the 'mega-resort' phase of its development. Huge, billion dollar resort complexes are now the norm. Each of these meg-resorts are so impressive as to become destinations in themselves. The one thing that has not changed about the resorts in Las Vegas is that they still like to base themselves around some kind a appealing theme. Caesars Palace has a Roman theme. The Luxor has an Egyptian theme.