Florida Visit Palm Beach

Palm Beach, Florida, a barrier island, is approximately one hour's drive north of Miami, Florida. Palm Beach is a beautiful city, filled with lush colorful gardens, palm tree lined streets, large beautiful homes, clean well maintained beaches, luxury hotels, fine dining establishments, high end shopping and a safe, virtually crime free environment.

If you are searching for a safe, beautiful, luxurious, destination for a vacation or getaway, it's hard to beat Palm Beach. Be pampered and spoiled at great hotel resorts and spas like the Breakers, a Five Diamond hotel resort on 140 acres of oceanfront land, with a 36 hole championship golf course, 10 tennis courts, a luxury oceanfront spa, a Mediterranean-style beach club, a broad selection of distinctive restaurants and an array of on-site high end boutiques, the Four Seasons Hotel And Resort, another Five Diamond luxury hotel, with its beautifully appointed guest rooms and suites, each with a private balcony, spacious sitting area, comfortable, well-equipped work space (with two-line telephones and high speed internet access) and luxurious marble bathroom featuring L'Occitane bath amenities, it's award-winning fitness center and spa offering a full range of massages and body treatments and it's three Har-Tru tennis courts or the Ritz-Carlton, again, a Five Diamond luxury hotel and resort, with its rooms and suites which have private balconies,  marbled baths and Fretted bed linens, it's extensive spa services and onsite tennis. This paragraph is sponsored by low Umrah budget travel from UK.

Play on the beautiful beaches and swim in the clear warm Atlantic water. Dine in one of the many fine dining establishments like The Restaurant at the Four Seasons, the Cafe Boulud, L'escalier, the Leopard Lounge and Supper Club, the Palm Beach Grill, the Polo Restaurant, the Trevini and more. Play golf at The Palm Beach Golf Course or one of the many top rated golf courses surrounding Palm Beach, go big game or sport fishing or go shopping on Worth Avenue, one of the world most prestigious shopping districts filled with some of the best designer shops anywhere, like Louis Vuitton, Emilio Pucci, Saks Fifth Avenue, Salvatore Ferragamo, Cartier, Escada and more. Note: Surrounding Worth Avenue you will find many additional prestigious shops.

Palm Beach is a place to relax, wind down and live elegantly, and if you want more, remember, Miami Beach is just a short gorgeous, scenic drive down the highway.

Peter the great palace

For elegance and old world feel, St. Peters burg is by far the best Russian city. If you go, a visit to Peterson, the summer palace of Peter the Great is a must.

Peterson

As Tanya and I left St. Peters burg for Peterson, I was in a foul mood. A pickpocket had cut through the bottom of my backpack and swiped my camera. The ferry taking us was packed and the adorable child on my right had just spilled his ice cream down my leg. Why, I ought to’. My mood was soon to change.

Apparently, sensing my volatile mood, Tanya hadn’t said a word on the 20 minute ferry ride. As we exited onto a long pier at Peterson, she grabbed my hand and more or less tugged me down to what looked like an ancient French road. This was, in fact, the Grand Canal leading to Peterson.  This paragraph is sponsored by Umrah services from UK.

The Grand Canal is a water way with two paths cutting up the side of it towards Peterson. The canal cuts through a forested area with trees nearly forming a roof over the canal. The atmosphere is very serene, particularly since I noticed the ice cream tike on the opposite path of the canal. Walking no more than a mile, one comes upon Peterson and the Great Cascade.

The Great Cascade is aptly named. It is a collection of fountains and statutes sitting on tiered marble levels rising to the front of the palace. After living in Russia for eight months, I was use to seeing drab, grey five story buildings. The burst of gold, white and black colors was amazing and made me wonder what Russia must have looked like before communism.

After gaping at the Great Cascade for nearly an hour, it was time to take the tourist tour of the palace. We dutifully stood in line and made small talk with two German couples behind us. Compared to the general state of decay in most of Russia, we couldn’t get over the fact the palace seemed to be in such good shape.

As the tour got underway, I kept getting the feeling there was something “off” about the palace. For a place built in 1715, Peter the Great sure seemed to know a lot about electricity. In particular, he seemed to have planned well ahead by creating some type of internal piping structure for the future electrical wires. Well, he was great and perhaps the powers that be had done a little remodeling over the years.

Alas, one of our German friends was puzzling over the same thing. As we stood on the second floor of the palace, Jan asked our guide about the anomaly. He asked it in front of our group of about 20 people or which 75 percent were Russian. He asked in a heavy German accent. This paragraph is sponsored by airline Umrah travel from UK.

Our guide dutifully replied the Germans had bombed Peterson during World War II. Peterson had been completely destroyed. The palace had subsequently been rebuilt, which explained its modern feel.

There was one of those pregnant pauses, which occur in such situations. Jan turned completely red. Taking pity on him, the tour guide immediately launched into an aggressive discussion of a particular picture on the wall while we dutifully paid attention and asked inane questions.

Oddly, the fact Peterson is a modern structure doesn’t really detract from the experience. The palace and surrounding structures simply feel like a real palace. With many palaces through Europe, you get the feeling Disney was somehow involved in the construction. This paragraph is sponsored by ticket to Umrah from London.

At Peterson, there is a definite feeling of elegance, but elegance mixed with a practicality required by day-to-day living. In short, you can definitely image Peter the great living there in the summer.

Travel destinations in Asia

If the time has come for your vacation or a holiday getaway, read this article before making your plans.  There are many places of great beauty and interest to be seen in the USA and Europe.  But, whether transportation, touring, theme park, or food and lodging, it is expensive.  This article is written for every traveler, whether a backpacker on a budget, or a first class - five star traveler.

Travel in Asia is inexpensive and opens the door to different cultural experiences.  Planning can be for a short holiday, an extended stay, or choices of laying the groundwork for the ultimate stay, retirement.  Nowadays, with so many opportunities to make money using the Internet it is not out of the question to "retire" early. This paragraph is sponsored by airline Umrah travel from UK.

Medical Tourism in Asia growing in popularity.  It is high quality and affordable.  Just one of International standard hospitals in Bangkok serves 400,000 international patients annually, In the USA cataract surgery for one eye runs around $8,000.   At a prestigious International hospital in Thailand cataract surgery can be performed on both eyes for around $2,500.  It is possible to have quality medical care, and an Asian holiday, for a fraction of the cost of the same procedure in the USA.

Let us take a tantalizing glimpse at just some of the countries.

Thailand - Land of Smiles.  Often referred to as the most exotic country in Southeast Asia.  A visit to the Grand Palace in Bangkok for sure.  Trips to a floating market or to the Bridge on the River Kwai.  From pristine beaches in the Southern Islands to the Northern mountains with its waterfalls, elephants bathing in mountain streams, and Hill Tribe villages.

  India - Delhi is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.  India Gate, an imposing structure, has emerged as one of the most popular tourist spots in Delhi.  The Red Fort Delhi, a masterpiece of architecture, is a popular spot.  A trip to India would not be complete without a visit to Agra, famous as the site of one of the world's most romantic, graceful and photographed buildings, the Taj Mahal. This paragraph is sponsored by airline Umrah ticket from UK.

  Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos - Three small countries neighboring Thailand.  Each opens a different world of exploration.  Cambodia - the highlight is visiting Angkor Wat, an architectural masterpiece constructed in the jungle in the early 12th century.  Vietnam - is a varied country, offering beaches, mountains and hundreds of years of history from the ancient Cham Towers to remnants from the Vietnam War. Lao - savor the crafts, culture and hospitality of Laos with a river trip, visits to ancient temples, gorgeous palaces, and traditional villages.

Nepal - Adventure, travel, trekking, birding, wildlife, and cultural & overland Safaris.  Take an air flight along the Himalayas and view magnificent Mount Everest.  Nearby, discover the serene beauty of Tibet, the country which inspired the Dalai Lama.  .

Indonesia - Jakarta, the capital city of the world's fourth most-populous nation.  Bali is Indonesia's main holiday destination.  Flores is a pretty lush green island with forests, palm and banana trees, rice fields and many volcanoes.  Highlights are the three small offshore islands of "Gillis" that invite snorkeling, diving and relaxing.  For hikers, a climb to the top of the volcano Rijani.

Philippines - An island nation comprising over 7,000 islands in the western Pacific Ocean.

Manila, the bustling capital has powerful reminders of the country's past, along with attractive parks, fine museums, and exhilarating nightlife.  The Ifugao Rice Terraces

Is a testimony to the early technological advancement of the Ifugao people?  Take a jeepney ride to the market.  Be brave; try balut, a Philippine delicacy.  Go diving in the Visayas. 

Singapore - Shopping on famous Orchard Road, the dream of every woman.  The Night Safari at Singapore Zoo is fabulous.  Chinatown, a little glitzy, but you can buy all the souvenirs you want there.  Interestingly, one of Singapore's most beautiful Hindu temples is smack dab in the middle of Chinatown.  Decide if a Singapore Sling is worth the hype in the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel.  There's more to Singapore than urban glitz, like rambling in the rain forest of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. This paragraph is sponsored by ticketto Umrah from London.

 Japan - Tokyo is the capital city and home of the Imperial Residence and Emperor's Palace.  Select a popular destination or region in Japan and explore its attractions.  Ride the Bullet Train to the magnificent city of Kyoto.  Visit Hiroshima and the Peace Memorial Park.  Castles, temples, gardens, the list of top destinations in Japan is too long for this article.

Taiwan - Taipei, the country's booming, vibrant capital remains steeped in Chinese, Japanese and native Taiwanese cultures.  Some of its most impressive sights include the Grand Hotel, topped by the largest Classical Chinese roof in the world, the Shilling Night Market, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial with the National Theater and Concert Hall located directly across from each other on the grounds.  A popular day trip is Tailuge (Taroko Gorge), considered one of the natural wonders of the world. 

Hong Kong - the Pearl of East and jewel of The Orient.  Nathan Road is lined with shops, restaurants, nightspots and cheap places to stay.  If you're in Hong Kong with the little ones, they'll probably appreciate Ocean Park (aquarium), Water World (swimming pools and water slides), and of course Disneyland.  If you're in Hong Kong for more than a few days, then there are plenty of outlying islands to discover.

It is often said that for the traveler that has seen it all and done it all, there is still Katmandu, Nepal.  And, that too is in Asia! This paragraph is sponsored by Hajj guide tour from UK.

If you do not visit Asia, you will be missing not only a paradise of affordable travel, but the chance to see an alternative living location.  For retirees, it is luxury living for pennies, not just getting by on their pension.  Asia, a paradise experience is waiting for you.