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Archive for November, 2009

Gazimagusa Famagusta

Gazima?ua today is a fascinating hotchpotch perpetually startling in its incongruities and juxtapositions. Here a Leeds steam locomotive stands in front of the Turkish police satation against the backdrop of skyscraper shells in front of the Turkish police station against the backdrop of skyscraper shells in decaying Greek Varosha.There a Crusader church appears in the garb of a cultural centre while another serves as caf. One tower built by Venetians holds a museum to Ottoman military might and another holds the ghost of Sahkespeares Othello.
In the main square the French Gothic cathedral topped with a misshapen minaret faces out at the facede of a Venetian palace supported by Greek marble columns from Salamis. Next door the Faisal Islamic Bank once an Ottoman school looks across at a Turkish bath now converted to a trendy bar and restaurant. Todays Turkish inhabitants have blended the citys relics so casually with their own daily needs that the preservation of these monuments is almost synonymous with the routine maintenance of their public and offices.I? is by no menas a beautiful city. The modern town has the extensive industrial sprawl that belongs to a bustling port. The old walled town in the centre scruffy and medival and still with some areas of bombsite wasteland seems sleepy and quiet in comparison.Gazima?usa has little of the sophistication of Girne or Lefko?a. Apart from the fivestar Palm Beach there are no hotels of tourist standard within the town. These all lie further north near Salamis. Good restaurants are few and far between especially inside the walls. The surrounding landscape is flat and featureless and the busy commercial port means that traffic is heavy with many noisy goods vehicles.
North Cyprus Holidays One full day should ideally be devoted to Gazima?usa to give yourself time to stroll in the streets of the old walled town seeking out the early churches and Venetian buildings and to explore the walls and bastions fully. These are really Gazimagusas most remarkable feature today and if you are limited to just a couple of hours the essentials could be reduced to a drive round the walls from the outside nothing especially the Land Gate with its drawbridge and the Martinengo Bastion; a walk round Othellos Tower; and a stroll round the St. Nicholas cathedral / Lala Mustapha Pasha mosque in the main squre. The ghost town of Varosha modern Greek suburb which is now a sealedoff no mans land also holds an eerie fascination and is worth a quick look from the car.Just outside the walls on the southern side is the tourist office open daily and very helpful.

About the writer:  Write about cyprus villageslove to write about cyprus visiting village and historical places lots of information for cyprus visitors.

From Ivanhoe To Disney: A Brief Look At Silver Lake In Los Angeles

Puccini and Toscanini were not only musical geniuses but were also the unknowing creators of pop culture. Their opera La Boheme introduced Bohemian Culture into mainstream if not stodgy society. The Bohemian designation has since become a category for the artistic minded and the edgy among us. The Silver Lake area of Los Angeles carries its Bohemian moniker with pride. But Silver Lakes cool and differently unique vibe hides an even more unusual history.

Silver Lake was founded by Hugo Reid a Scottish immigrant to the United States who in 1852 wrote a series of letters that were published in a local newspaper that described the culture and language of the local Gabrielio Indians Native Americans. He also admonished local officials and clergy for their harsh treatment of the Gabrielios under the Franciscan Mission system. Hugo Reid originally named the Silver Lake area and more specifically the manmade reservoir at its center Ivanhoe after the page turning 1819 Sir Walter Raleigh Scott novel of the same name. Interestingly some of the main streets in Silver Lake still carry the name of some of the characters in Ivanhoe such as Rowena and Herkimer. Also the chief elementary school in the area is named Ivanhoe.

The reservoir is divided into upper and lower sections. The upper part is still named Ivanhoe. However the lower part is named Silver Lake. That name brings lovely clear water images to mind. But the lower section of the reservoir was named after Herman Silver a member of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. He put the reservoir to use by supplying water to South Los Angeles. As the population north of Los Angeles increased in the twentieth century the reservoir began supplying water to the nearby area. In 2007 the Silver Lake reservoir was decommissioned due to high levels of bromate. Currently plans are underway to use an underground reservoir in Griffith Park to supply water to the Silver Lake area. The Silver Lake reservoir is also in the process of being converted from utilitarian to recreational. The area will be replete with a track and a dog park.

When the mission system ended and the twentieth century bloomed Silver Lake became a secondary home to the entertainment industry of Hollywood. Several studios and production companies laid down roots in the area including Walt Disney who built his first large studio on Hyperion. Also of note Laurel Hardys famous movie The Music Box filmed a critical scene in front of the staircase of a house located on Descanso Drive. The area is now home to such hip celebrities as Christina Ricci Rachel McAdams Kiefer Sutherland and Ryan Gosling among many others.

Anais Nin a remarkable French writer mentioned Silver Lake in her Journals Volume Six. She was once a resident of Silver Lake and penned these words in the Fall of 1961 the mountains on the east side of the lake looked like a Japanese screen. As the sun set every evening presented a spectacle equal to a Russian ballet all gold and trailing saris or the Chinese opera all red and smoky incense or the opal coral islands of the South Seas the flaming spill of Mexican sunsets.

Poetry aside Silver Lake is home to a bustling Greenwich Village vibe. In this midst Creative Environments of Hollywood Inc. www.creativenvironments.net has built the Westmoreland Lofts on the edge of the area. The Westmoreland Lofts is ideally positioned within reach of Hollywood Downtown LA and of course the energy of Silver Lake.

The Westmoreland Lofts www.westmorelandlofts.net industrial character pays tribute to its past as a fabric dyeing factory and warehouse. A far cry from the machine laden factory floor the renewed interior is a perfect marriage of aesthetics and functionality. Spacious units feature polished concrete floors and 24′ exposed structural wood beams. Original factory windows and skylights deliver sweeping city views and generous natural light. The effect is an inviting retreat fit for both work and play.

About the writer:  Risa Peris is a freelance writer who resides in Los Angeles.

Florida – The Ideal Holiday Destination For The Whole Family!

Still wondering why Florida is one of the best holiday destinations for the entire family? Just go through all that America’s Sunshine State’ has to offer and you’ll understand.
Starting with its climate so warm and continuing with its clear blue water and tropical coral islands going through the nature reserves worldfamous beaches to theme parks and the Kennedy Space Centre Florida offers entertain to the whole family.
Orlando became one of the top vacation destinations in all of the United States since 1971 when Disney Land opened its gates. This entertainment mecca is worldfamous as the home of Disney World but even without Disney Orlando would be a magical kingdom. SeaWorld Cypress Gardens and Universal Studios are just a few of the attractions. Orlando naturally blessed with a climate that is rivalled only by the temperate conditions of southern California is proud of the Walt Disney Resort that spans more than 47 miles and is home not just to one but to several Disney Resorts. The family of Disney Resorts that collectively make up Orlando’s Walt Disney World include the Magic Kingdom the Epcot Center the DisneyMGM Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. At the Magic Kingdom Resort it’s the famous members of the Disney movie family that are center stage. This park’s famous attractions are “It’s a Small World” “Peter Pan’s Flight” the “Cinderella Castle” the most recognizable of Disney’s icons the Jungle Cruise” and “the Magic Carpets of Aladdin”. Universal Studios is a place where you can live out your dreams of being a film star is a combination of working movie studio and theme park. Sea World’s Wild Artic will lead you through the world of polar bears and beluga whales. DisneyMGM Studios’ Twilight Zone includes a 13storey plunge in the Tower of Terror. Science and the spirit of exploration are the name of the game at Disney’s Epcot Center. Popular attractions here include: “Mission Space” “Test Track” and “Turtle Talk with Crush”. This is a great place to take the kids in order to fuel their interest and childlike curiosity for the mysteries of science.
A holiday in Orlando is something special for a variety of reasons not only the surrounding theme parks. Orlando is dominated by Lake Eola and is an excellent centre for shopping and eating. The trendy boutiques of Thorton Park antique shops on Orange Avenue 150 challenging golf courses within a 45minute drive and plenty of nightlife prove Orlando caters to grownups too. The most famous downtown icon is Church Street Station a collection of restaurants bars and shops which really comes alive at night as the air cools and the music bars get going. The Orlando Science Center and the Orlando Museum of Art will provide you findings about Mayan civilisation.
If you want to discover the Real Florida’ go to Ocala National Forest a delightful nature reserve with several natural springs and lakes and fantastic hiking canoeing fishing and swimming or visit the Blue Spring State Park which for hundreds of years was home to the Timucuan Indians. You shouldn’t miss the manatee’s home at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge where migrating birds stop on their way to and from South America.
Palm Beach and Miami Beach are probably the most famous beaches on the Atlantic Gold’ Coast. The golden beaches warm and clear sea the fine sand sea is are making this area of coastline ideal for children. The atmosphere on the streets the food the music and the spirit in Miami are vivid due to the Hispanic population. The Art Deco Historic District a collection of bright pink lavender and turquoise buildings dating from the 1920s is one of the most spectacular parts of town.

About the writer:  Please visit James Villa Holidays for a wide selection of amazing villa holidays to Florida and villas in Orlando.