Travel and Leisure Articles

A suburb of Austin, the city of Round Rock is one of the hidden gems of Texas. Voted one of the 100 best cities for young people, and also one of the best cities for relocating families, Round Rock boasts some of the safest and most affordable communities in the nation. With an amazing satisfaction rating from its residents and a excellent scores in everything from education to unemployment rates, Round Rock is truly a place to call home.

History

Founded in 1851, the city of Round Rock was originally named for Brushy Creek, the body of water by which it was established. However, three years later the town was renamed for the round rock in the center of the stream that marked the point where water was low enough to cross in a wagon. This rock was later a landmark for those using the Chisholm Trail, which passed through the town and crossed the creek, to herd cattle into the Midwest.

Key figures from the history of Round Rock include Sam Bass, the notorious outlaw train robber. In 1878, Bass was captured and later died, following a shootout in town with the Texas Rangers. His grave can be found at the Round Rock Cemetery. At one time, Round Rock was home to Soapy Smith; a con man who was notorious for swindling citizens out of money in towns throughout the West and Midwest.

Economy/Jobs

As of 2006, the estimated median income for families in Round Rock was $81,521, substantially higher than most US cities. The unemployment rate sits at about 3.6 percent, as of March 2008; where the national average for that month was at 5.1%.

Major area employers include Dell Computers, which provides more than 9,000 jobs to area residents. Sears call center services are also based in the area, along with various manufacturing and retail establishments. School districts and hospitals also make up a large number of the available jobs in the city.

Real Estate

The median price for listed homes in the city of Round Rock is approximately $210,990 with new homes averaging around $287, 559. Round Rock was selected by “Business Week” as one of the best areas for real estate bargains in the country. The value of homes and number of real estate transactions has risen in the early part of 2008. Property taxes are very low within the city; as well, with citizens being taxed only 37.1 cents per $100 of land value.

Attractions

Local attractions in Round Rock include a minor league baseball team, named the Round Rock Express, owned by the legendary Nolan Ryan. The area features beautiful city owned and maintained parks and private golf courses, as well as many festivals throughout the year. Dubbed the “Sports Capital of Texas”, there are plenty of opportunities for those who love athletics. Shopping in the area includes a number of shopping centers, with major anchor stores, as well as a major outlet center with well over 100 nationally recognized retailers.

Slow-flowing and peaceful, the River Seine in Paris is one of the city’s most revered attractions. Beyond its curving banks, the city of light reflects as clearly as a looking glass, gently framing its history and treasures within the soft and dreamy waters. It’s no wonder that a stroll along the Seine is one of the must-do’s in Paris. For fans of the waterside, some short-term apartments in Paris take the form of a river barge rental, whereby it’s possible to relax on deck and watch the river mirror the starry night sky.  Paris offers many possibilities for enjoying its most dazzling assets, its River Seine, the lakes and canal waterways, during a trip to the French capital.

With a staggering 37 bridges over the Seine within central Paris, a stroll along the river will take on a remarkable journey through the city centre. Not to be rushed, there’ll be many a cosy café or interesting monumental thing to peruse on the way.

The evening river cruise in Paris is a typically touristic activity, but one that is well worth the stereotype, or the expense, if dinner is involved. The Baton Mouche or the Bateaux de Parisienne offer night cruises with dinner and music. The sights and sounds of Paris dazzle all around and the views from the water are some of the best. Dressing up is required.

For a more low-key approach, the Canal Saint-Martin is equally as pretty for walks and boat rides.  Set between Gare du Nord and République, this charming waterway boasts wrought-iron footbridges, and a more local social scene take up its little terrace bars and boutiques. In the summer months, the grassy banks and cafés are alive with the sounds of guitar, conversation and warm chatter.

A boat tour along Canal Saint-Martin passes through several lock gates and interesting tunnels which are overhanging with greenery. This makes a very relaxing journey by water.

Lazy Paris afternoons in the summer months are the objective for its temporary beaches, the location of which has expanded from Gare du Lyon and the Eiffel Tower, to include the canals. Established every year since 2002, this rather classily manmade beach attracts the Parisian bourgeoisie as well as visitors, who flock to the activities on the water and the summer vibe.

Those more energetic can head for a walk, or got boating, at the lakes in central Paris. The Luxembourg gardens have a miniature boat pond or the Parc Montsouris offers a life-size boating lake in a very tranquil setting, perfect for a picnic. Another lake which is not to be missed is the Parc des Buttes Chaumont, with its waterfall and several watery pools.

Wherever the route may lead, along the river Seine, by Paris’ lakes or at its canals, the experience will easily coin the phrase “Happiness is a journey…not a destination”.

Come experience Rajasthan - the land of kings. Explore regal landscapes drenched into different hues and rich history. Explore a land which depicts true essence of India. Explore a magical land which echoes its age-old culture and tradition in each and every aspect.

Rajasthan - the largest state of India - enfolds in its laps of diverse attractions to offer its visitors. Ranging form shimmering sands of vast Thar Desert to lovely landscapes of Mount Abu and Udaipur, Rajasthan is a diverse landscape. Its diversity has made it one of globally famous tourism destinations of India.

And diversity of the royal Indian state of Rajasthan can be seen in its each and every aspect. Cultural diversity and geographical diversity are mesmerizing features of the state - plus points to boom in tourism in the state. Whatever parts of the state tourists move in, they find something new and something extra on their every step. They find different culture and tradition. They find people wear different costumes and more.

Rajasthan is widely famous for its rich culture and tradition. There are several magnificent monuments majestically standing on the desert landscapes, depict rich cultural heritage of India. Fairs & festivals are celebrated in the state with full of mauz and masti, we mean full of zeal and zest. People of all ages participate in colorful and festivals of the state. Girls and women applying Menhadi on their hands, palms, and feet, look beautiful. Fairs & festivals provide visitors to see the rich culture and custom of the state by close.

Majestic monuments are not to be missed attractions of Rajasthan tours & travel. Monuments are asset of Rajasthan. They are asset of incredible India. Majestically standing on the desert landscapes, monuments narrate the saga of heroism and romance of their erstwhile rulers. City Palaces, Lake Palace, Amber Fort Palace, Samode Palace & Haveli, Mehrangarh Fort, Golden Fort, Chittorgarh Fort, Ranthambhore Fort, Pushkar Temples, Ranakpur Jain Temples, Dilwara Jain Temples, Ajmer Dargarh, etc are worth visiting monument attractions of Rajasthan India tours.

Cities like Jaipur - the Capital City (popularly described as the Pink City of India), Udaipur - the City of Lakes, Jodhpur - the Blue City of India, Jaisalmer - the Golden City of India, Bikaner - the Camel City, Mandawa - the City of Frescoed Havelis, Bundi, Kota, etc are worth visiting on Rajasthan tours. These cities provide opportunities to exploring majestic monument attractions of the state. Also these cities provide opportunities to shopping for exquisite handicrafts, beautiful jewelleries, etc. Rajasthani handcrafts are very popular among tourists from all over the world.

The state of Rajasthan is also famous for camel safari to explore its rustic charm. Tourists don’t forget to explore its traditional villages and shimmering sand dunes by camel safari. There also several wildlife sanctuaries and national parks rich in flora and fauna. Ranthambhore, Sariska, Keoladeo Ghana, etc names to few. There are several travel agents and tour operators who offer travel and tours package for Rajasthan to enjoy mesmerizing vacation and tourism. Book your package well in advance from any one of reputed Rajasthan travels agent and get ready to treasure delightful experiences of lifetime.

North Walsham is a market located in Norfolk between Cromer and Wroxham. Originally it was an Anglo-Saxon settlement that dates back to the 12 century. The town was very prosperous due to the Flanders weavers. They wove two different kinds of cloth, Walsham, a lightweight summer cloth, and Worsted, a heavier cloth. The wool church s are a testament to the prosperity of the local wool mills. The canal still follows the river which was the site of many mills. It is a privately owned canal by the North Walsham Canal company.

In 1381 North Walsham was involved in the Peasants revolt and the peasants leaders were defeated at the Battle of North Walsham. The famous naval hero Lord Nelson was educated in North Walsham at the Paston grammar School. The school turned into a college in 1984.

The church of St Nicholas in North Walsham is the largest parish church in the UK and contains a shrine to St Thomas of Canterbury. The ruined tower on the church is a famous landmark and is visible for many miles. The main historic building is St Nicholas Church and it contains the tomb of Sir William Paston, a telescopic Gothic font canopy, Royal Arms board, ancient iron bound chest, medieval painted screens and more. For the Millennium the town commissioned 10 mosaics to show local history scenes. These scenes included the Great Fire of North Walsham, the Peasant’s revolt and an allusion to the canal with a picture of the Norfolk wherry.

Some additional attractions include the Sutton Windmill, the Broads Museum, Norfolk Motorcycle Museum, Felbrigg Hall, Holkham Hall, Houghton Hall, Oxborough Hall, Sandringham House, Wymondham Abbey, Great Yarmouth, Norwich, and Cromer. You can also sail a wherry on the river and dine at one of the many cafes or restaurants found in town.

The market town of Macclesfield, Cheshire, England lies in the northeast of the county, while the county itself lies in the northwest of the country. It has a current population of around 51,000 people as of the 2001 national census. It is thought this number is still fairly accurate. In England, people from the town are sometimes referred to as ‘Maxonians.’

Macclesfield has a documented listing in the 11th century property survey commissioned by William I, the Domesday Book. The origins of the town’s name remain slightly obscure, but it is thought that its name comes from “Michael’s field.” This refers to the Catholic Saint Michael. Macclesfield was first granted a borough charter by the future King Edward I (”the Longshanks”), when he was Lord Edward.

The town’s parish church - the aforementioned St. Michael’s - was built in 1278. An interesting note is that at one point in the town’s history it was the world’s biggest producer of finished silk. To commemorate this achievement, there are no less than 4 museums in the town dedicated to the silk industry as it once existed in Macclesfield.

The town sits on the banks of the River Bollin. It also plays host to one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. A bit of modern music history is that Macclesfield is also the hometown of famed bluesman John Mayall, of John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, to name just one of his musical groups. In a happy occurrence, the borough and the town were also named the 5th happiest of over 273 districts in the country in 2008.

The ceremonial county of Cheshire, in which Macclesfield resides, has a current population of about 1 million people. It is largely rural in character, with many small towns and villages spread throughout the county. Its main industries revolve around agriculture and tourism. Both the town and the county are illustrative of the best of English life.

Sarasota is a great place to take a few days and just relax. The west coast of Florida is known for it’s waterways and sunsets and Sarasota is the best of all Florida’s west coast has to offer. The Sarasota area consists of not only the city of Sarasota but the Island communities of Longboat Key, Lido/St. Armands Circle and Siesta Key, these are some fabulous vacation destinations. The beaches here are constantly being rated among the nations finest and there are 35 miles of white silky sandy ones to enjoy. Sarasota is culturally elegant, laid back and tranquil yet have adventure for those who seek it. This sun-drenched island community offers the chance for you to make unlimited discoveries of natural treasures starting with an unlimited number of trails both in and out of the water plus there are many water birds, land and water mammals to watch or take pictures of.

Longboat Key is between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and it is north of Lido Key, the town has a total area of over 17 square miles and most of the gulf side is comprised of beaches. Much of Longboat Key is privately owned and developed land but there is still a good stretch of beach. Some of the people who live on Longboat Key are known as “snowbirds,” meaning they only live there during the winter months, some people who vacation there or own second homes there. The earliest vacationers on Longboat Key were the Timucuan and Caloosa Indians and in 1539 Hernando DeSoto is thought to have visited here with his scout, Juan Anasco, manning the “longboat” as it went through the north pass, this may be how the key got it’s name.

Lido Key is a beautiful little spot right near Sarasota. This is a place where you can shop in trendy St. Armands Circle, find fabulous Florida seafood, go fishing or boating or if you choose simply relax on the vast expanse of white sand beach. The beach here is divided in to three sections, North Lido Beach, Lido Beach and South Lido Beach all greta places to spend a day.

St. Armands Circle is one of the main attractions on Lido Key and has more than 130 shops, boutiques, salons and restaurants of St. Armands Circle, this location has been compared to world famous Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, you’ll find many fine jewelers there along with Brighton and Fresh Produce shops just to drop a few names. In 1917 John Ringling, of Ringling Brothers Circus fame, bought the property and planned to build the circular shopping center and homes there. The real estate of St. Armands is still some of the most desirable to this day and homes there sell for well over a million dollars.

Siesta Key is a barrier island eight miles long just offshore of Sarasota. There are three main beaches on the island Siesta Beach is one the other two are Crescent Beach and Turtle Beach. Siesta Beach runs from a site named Point of Rocks north to the Siesta Village region. It covers 40 acres of land making it one of the biggest beaches in the area. Siesta Key’s Siesta Beach has accumulated numerous awards in recognition of its soft, clean, pure-white sand and is consistently rated among the top ten beaches of Florida, the U.S., and the world. Unlike most beaches that are made up of crushed shells, rocks or lava, this sand is pure white and has a finer texture than most refined sugar and has been tested and found to be 99% pure quartz. This sand has been described as “dazzling” and it has been said that it never feels hot, which is amazing for summer sand in Florida. After a morning of building sand castles and playing in the surf, discover what gives Siesta Key it’s name, stretch out on the powder soft sand and try not to succumb to the urge to nap….

Don’t think you have to be a millionaire to be welcomed here, tourists and residents alike can be seen at the side walk cafes, boutiques and ice cream parlors because they have all uncovered the quiet charm of this area. So come and see what the locals know, this is one of the best places in the country not only to vacation but to consider either taking up permanent residence or escape the cold cruel northern winters.

Have you ever looked up the great places in the world? We have not only looked them up, but we have received the chance to visit many of them. If you are interested in those wonderful places and would like to know more information about them, then you are covering one right here. We are going to tell you about Saffron. To start with, Saffron can be found in Essex, which is between London and Cambridge.

There is some evidence that has proved there was both Bronze and Iron Age tribes that lives in this area. Along with a castle, there was a stone church constructed after the Normal invasion. This town was not always known as Saffron. During those middle ages, it was called Chipping Waldan. The primary trade was woolen goods and wool. During both the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, saffron crocus was grown and harvested in this town.

The extract that came from the saffron crocus flowers was used for condiments, especially yellow dye and medicines as well. The town had great success with this plant and that is why the name was changed to Saffron Walden. This town is historical, not to mention beautiful. It has not been touched by war or fire. War and fire did some damage on a lot of the historical towns throughout the world. The streets, buildings and municipal fixes are years old.

During the summer months, there are a number of different concerts going on. These concerts during the summer months are done in combination with the BBC Proms in the area. This town has maintained the character of being a medieval town as the people in the area are living a modern lifestyle. From this area, it is easy to get to both Cambridge and London, which gives the inhabitants the pleasure of going to the big city. What’s not to enjoy about Saffron?

For the tourist and sightseer, exploring classic Bridgend, in Bridgend, Wales offers a glimpse into both classic and modern Welsh culture. This town of about 40,000 people gets its name from the bridge which originally crossed over the River Ogmore, which is also one of two waterways that wind their way through the Bridgend environs.

The town has an ancient place in history. There is evidence of prehistoric activity in the vicinity of Bridgend, where several prehistoric burial mounds have been found. It also hosted a Roman fort during that empire’s dominance. Concerted activity seems to have begun after the Norman conquest in 1066, when local rulers sought to tie their fortunes to William the Conqueror (William I).

The area carried on much as ever through the centuries until the discovery of coal in the valleys north of Bridgend in the 17th century. Though Bridgend itself was not a site where coal of any amount had been found, it benefitted from its central location near to the coal fields. As a consequence of that fact, the town’s population increased from 6,000 in 1801 to over 61,000 by the start of the 20th century.

Bridgend also played an important part of the Allied effort in World War II. It was home to a large prisoner of war camp, in addition to a munitions factory and several storage facilities. These military-industrial entities were responsible for creating employment for over 40,000 workers at their peak.

Bridgend’s fortunes waxed and waned in the post-War years, for the most part. It has lately begun to see success in the retail services sector, in addition to continuing activity in light and medium industrial manufacturing processes. The County Borough of Bridgend, in which the town of Bridgend resides, has a population of about 134,000 people. It is notable for sitting in the geographic heart of the ancient and venerable region of historic Wales.

We’ve been fortunate to have traveled around the globe. In fact our daughter has pointed out that we’ve been on every continent except Antarctica. With all of that travel, one of our favorite adult destinations remains Las Vegas, Nevada.

Why Vegas? We love the atmosphere, the buzz, the activity and the many options one has in the way of things to do. Vegas isn’t only about gambling although boy do we love that part of it! It’s also a place to see world class shows, enjoy fine dining, and an area that is surprisingly close to some terrific outdoor activities.

First, the gambling, there is no doubt that Vegas is a town built on wagering. We aren’t much for table games or slot machines we love sports betting and to be more specific betting on American (need I say that) football. If you enjoy betting on Football the absolutely best time to go is Thanksgiving weekend. Why? It’s simple, there are just so many games to choose from in one weekend that your chances of finding your ‘game of the year’ are never better. We’ve been fortunate enough to have won big the past 3 years by analyzing the full schedule, determing the ‘best bet’ and then going with it. Not only do you have an entire pro schedule but of course you also have the college schedule spread out over 4 days - a terrific betting opportunity.

When it comes to entertainment we haven’t found any place better than Vegas. The shows while certainly not inexpensive (which is why you need to win big) are definitely worth seeing. We particularly enough the Cirque du Soleil shows and have seen several in Vegas including “O”, “Zumanity” and “Mystere”. Of these we’d rank them in terms of best to worst as follows:

1. “O”, an awesome show that combines water with ‘land’ based acts

2. “Mystere”, the more traditional Cirque show, very good

3. “Zumanity”, we were disappointed, this is suppose to be the ’sexy’ version of Cirque but we simply didn’t enough it as much as the others.

Besides the various Cirque shows in Vegas (we have yet to see “Ka”) there are some terrific acts in magic ‘Lance Burton is our favorite’, comdey ‘Rita Rudner’, and variety shows to choose from.

One high brow show that we wouldn’t recommend is the ‘cirque like’ show ‘Le Reve’ at the Wynn. While the staging is pretty amazing the show itself disappoints, we’d rank it just above Zumanity. If you decide to check it out splurge for the VIP seats where you are treated to a bottle of champagne, chocolate covered cherries, and monitors at your feet that allow you to ’see the action’ behind the scenes and under the water (which is actually pretty cool).

For dining, we have a tradition of going to ‘The Eiffel Tower’ at the Paris casino for our ‘big night out’. We always select one evening to dress up (Tux) and do a combo of a dinner and a show. The food at the Eiffel Tower is fantastic, ask for a table by the windows and you can enjoy the ‘Dancing Fountains’ show across the street at the Bellagio while you dine. The Eiffel features French food (surprised?) has a terrific wine list, top notch servers, and an awesome selections of suffles that you can around for dessert.

As for places to stay, it is entirely up to your tastes and desires. We actually stay off the strip at the Orleans casino which surprises some people. Why do we choose to stay their? First and foremost is value, the Orleans offers very nice rooms with terrific views of the strip and/or the mountains. The Orleans has a very nice work out / fitness center, a very nice pool area and offers spa services and massage. The rooms are inexpensive relative to the strip and we generally spend very little time in our room anyway. The Orleans has a very good Sports Book where we place all of our sporting wagers and a nice lounge where you can watch the games on a number of big screen TV’s. The Strip is less than 5 minutes away from the Orleans and we don’t have to fight all the congestion and traffic on the Strip. We’ve tried other casino’s, last year we actually booked Treasure Island but after one night’s stay we checked out. We found everyting to be much more expensive at TI including a ridiculous $20 / person charge to use the fitness center (which is included in your room fees at the Orleans). In the end, we’d prefer to free up our cash flow for gambling, shows, and dining as opposed to spending it on a room.

Vegas is not for children, a few years ago they tried turning the town into a ‘family friendly’ resort, it isn’t! This is definitely an adult Disney world but having said that it is a great place to have fun. Enjoy Vegas, the happiest place on earth - for those with winning bets!

The imposing walled city of St. Malo greets many a British holidaymaker on their arrival - via the busy ferry port - in France.

With many miles of driving ahead of them, most simply pass through the city without a second glance en route to their gites or campsite.

But like much of Northern Brittany and particularly surrounding Ille et Vilaine and Cotes d’Amor, St. Malo rewards those who stop and spend time exploring its heart.

Many an hour can be whiled away with a walk around the city walls and narrow streets, interspersed by a stop at a creperie and a salon du the. And if the weather is good there are a number of small beaches where you can relax and kick off your shoes.

Evening sees St. Malo come alive. The streets throng with people popping in and out of boutiques, restaurants and bars. Fish restaurants dominate as you’d expect for a port city.

From St. Malo, if you follow the route of the river Rance inland you will arrive at the well-preserved medieval town of Dinan.

The town’s river-front is overlooked by the tall arches of a road bridge, which is also a good place to go for impressive views of the surrounding area.

The narrow cobbled street leading down to the river front is home to a number of artists only too pleased to show-off their wares, while the river front itself is the best place to find something to eat. Dinan hosts a market day on Thursday, which can be interesting but is best avoided if you want to steer clear of the crowds.

Dol de Bretagne is not worth an excursion in itself, but if you are in the area it is a pleasant town to spend an hour or two. It also keeps up the French tradition of having an impressive but unseemingly large cathedral for its size.

Traditional Breton dancing takes place on the street outside the town hall in the high season and with plenty of cafes nearby, you can pull up a chair and soak up the atmosphere with a few drinks.

A couple of hours can also be spent in nearby Combourg, where the main attraction is a well-preserved castle - although it is not worth paying to see the grounds alone.

There are plenty of uncrowded beaches along the Cotes d’Amor in the resorts of St. Cast, La Luniare as well as Dinard and St. Malo.

St. Jacquet de la mer is a small, largely uncommercialised town with a few beaches, also worth a visit.

The area’s best beaches, however, are at Sables d’Or des Pin and the road leading to Fort la Latte - an ancient fort on a small island off the headland.

A small modern village with creperies, restaurants and a casino, Sables d’Or’s large unspoilt beach does not get crowded even in peak season.