BLOGGER TEMPLATES - TWITTER BACKGROUNDS

Friday, October 30, 2009

Italy

-Tourism in Italy-

The origin of the term Italia, from Latin :
Italia, is uncertain. According to one of the more common explanations, the term was borrowed through Greek from the Oscan Víteliú, meaning "land of young cattle" (cf. Lat vitulus "calf", Umb vitlo "calf"). The bull was a symbol of the southern Italian tribes and was often depicted goring the Roman wolf as a defiant symbol of free Italy during the Samnite Wars.


Milan Italy

Milan is divided into 9 distinct zones that radiate out from the Historical Center (Zona 1) to the periphery. They are identified numerically by the local council, but also have names, and each zone includes many different neighborhoods and quarters. Although every area is not listed here, each plays its own special role in the history of Milan; from the importantissimo historical center to the modern "dormitory quarters" of San Siro.


Genoa Italy
GENOA ( Genova in Italian) is "the most winding, incoherent of cities, the most entangled topographical ravel in the world." So said Henry James, and the city is still marvellously eclectic, full of pace and rough-edged style. Sprawled behind the huge port – Italy's largest and an increasingly popular stopoff for international cruise liners – is a dense and fascinating warren of medieval alleyways, a district which has more zest than all the coastal resorts put together.


Verona Italy

With its wealth of Roman sites and streets of pink-hued medieval buildings, the easy-going city of VERONA has more in the way of sights than any other place in the Veneto except Venice itself. Unlike Venice, though, it's not a city overwhelmed by the tourist industry, important though that is to the local economy. Verona is the largest city of the mainland Veneto, its economic success largely due to its position at the crossing of the major routes from Germany and Austria to central Italy and from the west to Venice and Trieste.


Milan Italy
Milan is divided into 9 distinct zones that radiate out from the Historical Center (Zona 1) to the periphery. They are identified numerically by the local council, but also have names, and each zone includes many different neighborhoods and quarters. Although every area is not listed here, each plays its own special role in the history of Milan; from the importantissimo historical center to the modern "dormitory quarters" of San Siro.


Naples, Italy
Naples is the kind of city that is laden with visitors' preconceptions, and it rarely disappoints: it is filthy, it is very large and overbearing, it is crime-infested, and it is most definitely like nowhere else in Italy – something the inhabitants will be keener than anyone to tell you. In all these things lies the city's charm. Perhaps the feeling that you're somewhere unique makes it possible to endure the noise and harassment, perhaps it's the feeling that in less than three hours you've travelled from an ordinary part of Europe to somewhere akin to an Arab bazaar.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Taj Mahal


The mausoleum of the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal (also "the Taj") is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture , a style that combines elements from Persian, Indian, and Islamic In 1983, the Taj Mahal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was cited as "the jewel of Muslim arts in India and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage." architectural styles.

While the white domed marble
mausoleum is its most familiar co
mponent, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures. Building began around 1632 and was completed around 1653, and employed thousands of artisans and craftsmen. The construction of the Taj Mahal was entrusted to a board of architects under imperial supervision including Abd ul-Karim Ma'mur Khan, Makramat Khan, and Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. Lahauri is generally considered to be the principal designer.

Taj Mahal mosque or masjid


The Great gate (Darwaza-i rauza)—gateway to the Taj Mahal

Arches in the Taj Mahal Mosque interior

The Taj Mahal was built on a parcel of land to the south of the walled city of Agra. Shah Jahan presented Maharajah Jai Singh with a large palace in the center of Agra in exchange for the land. An area of roughly three acres was excavated, filled with dirt to reduce seepage, and leveled at 50 meters above riverbank. In the tomb area, wells were dug and filled with stone and rubble to form the footings of the tomb. Instead of lashed bamboo, workmen constructed a colossal brick scaffold that mirrored the tomb. The scaffold was so enormous that foremen estimated it would take years to dismantle. According to the legend, Shah Jahan decreed that anyone could keep the bricks taken from the scaffold, and thus it was dismantled by peasants overnight. A fifteen kilometer tamped-earth ramp was built to transport marble and materials to the construction site and teams of twenty or thirty oxen pulled the blocks on specially constructed wagons. An elaborate post-and-beam pulley system was used to raise the blocks into desired position. Water was drawn from the river by a series of purs, an animal-powered rope and bucket mechanism, into a large storage tank and raised to a large distribution tank. It was passed into three subsidiary tanks, from which it was piped to the complex.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Sipadan Island

-Welcome to Sipadan Island-


The Sipadan diving legend has passed through the world's dive community to the extent that all divers with an interest in visiting the best sites in the world, have a resort stay at this small island near the top of their wish list.

Pulau Sipadan Island was at the top of Rodale's Scuba Diving Magazine Gold List for 'The Top Dive Destination in the World'. In fact the island shared its top spot with 2 other destinations known for the amazing diversity of their marine life - the Galapagos Islands and Truk in Micronesia.

The list of attractions is quite staggering and all the more exceptional as it involves plenty of big fish encounters - barracudas, large schools of trevally and marauding bumphead parrotfish. This is one of the big fish capitals of the world.


The Sipadan Kapalai Dive Resort provides a host of facilities for you the diver, non-divers and your family. See a real life Finding Nemo saga unfold beneath your feet!, land on the beach for a game of volleyball, or simply relax in the resort watching satellite TV.

Resort facilities include: restaurant and bar - pool table - board games - darts - table tennis - beach volleyball - sea canoes - international telephone and facsimile - internet access including personal laptop connectivity - baby sitting - sun deck - gift shop

Sipadan Kapalai Resort