At first it may seem like a strange idea to visit Disneyland Paris when you’re on an overseas vacation and experiencing things you could never find back home! However, what better way to placate the kids in between stops at the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and the Arc de Triomphe? Besides, there are some features that can only be found in Europe - like the enormous Val d’Europe shopping center, the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea walk-through or the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril rollercoaster!
One major difference of Disneyland Paris can be observed in the Haunted Mansion attraction. In France, the ride is called “Phantom Manor” and is designed differently, with Second Empire architecture to look more like Gaston LeRoux’s Phantom of the Opera novel. The storyline itself follows that of the abandoned Thunder Mesa town. Unlike the other Haunted Mansions at Tokyo Disneyland, Walt Disney World Orlando and Disneyland California, Phantom Manor was made to look derelict and decrepit with overgrown weeds and warped paint. Also unique to this version is the haunted ghost town scenes of ghastly pharmacists, saloon pianists and gun-toting cowboys.
In 2002, Disneyland Paris opened a secondary Disney park with a movie theme called Walt Disney Studios. The newest land is the “Toon Studio,” where guests can go behind-the-scenes of Disney animators, participate in a drawing course taught by Mickey and Donald and check out the film set of Finding Nemo via Crush’s coaster. One of the most popular rides is the “CineMagique,” which is similar to the The Great Movie Ride at Disneyworld. Guests travel through scenes from some of their favorite movies, including: The Magnificent Seven, Mary Poppins, The Hunt For Red October, Pinnochio, The Titanic, The Exorcist, Monsters Inc., Silence of the Lambs, A Fish Called Wanda and Robin Hood. Aerosmith’s thrilling Rock N’ Rollercoaster and Twilight Zone Tower of Terror are here for the extremely brave and adventurous too! Also, don’t miss Catastrophe Canyon, which gives you a back lot tour, putting you right in the middle of explosions, flash floods, fires, earthquakes and everything movie production teams have to offer!
For Paris Disneyland hotels, there’s the Davy Crockett Ranch camp sites for the budget-conscious outdoorsy types, but be aware that this is the furthest Disney resort from the parks. The Disneyland Hotel has been dubbed “European Hotel of the Year” by the British Travel Agents Association and offers castle-like accommodations, in addition to character breakfasts for the kids. Children also love the Western-themed Hotel Cheyenne where they can play in Indian forts and eat in “barns.” Adults prefer the New York Hotel with its swanky Manhattan Restaurant or Newport Bay’s yacht club atmosphere. Santa Fe and Sequoia Lodge are also available, but not recommended.
Get your big blue “oil can” of Fosters beer and your plate of shrimp straight off “the barbie” and get ready to read about the cities of Australia! You’ve heard about the surfing, the wildlife, the arts and the cultural traditions, but you may not know where to begin or where to find all these world-famous activities. While you’re visiting, be sure to try a vegemite sandwich, play a digeridoo or take a tour of the outback! Australian culture is rich and offers the adventurous a whole slew of new things to do! Whether it’s the Opera House in Sydney or the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland that you’re after, you’ll return home from Australia a new person.
Queensland Australia is a territory in the southeast corner of Australia that encompasses destinations like Brisbane, Cairns, Port Douglas, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine coast, the Great Barrier Reef and the outback region. The 70 kilometer stretch of Gold Coast City is sometimes called “the theme park capital of Australia,” housing Dreamworld, Movie World, Sea World, WhiteWater World and the Wet N’ Wild Water Park. Additionally, you can hang at Surfers Paradise, visit the behemoth Q1 tower, shop the bohemian markets, visit Australian wineries and eat delicious fresh seafood.
In the welcoming city of Cairns, you can snorkel the Great Barrier Reef, relax on the beach, shop duty-free, hike through lush tropical rainforests, see national parks of Green and Fitzroy Islands, ride on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway or Kuranda Scenic Railway, experience flora and fauna at the Flecker Botanic Gardens, or take a stroll along the Esplanade, which is bordered by cafes and the Coral Sea. In Port Douglas, you can get a great view of the Great Barrier Reef, shop at Macrossan Street and the Sunday Markets in Anzac Park, visit the sugar cane farms of Mossman, or hike through the Daintree Rainforest, where impressive flora and fauna prosper.
While in Australia, you’ll want to see Brisbane, which is the capital of Queensland. Here, you’ll want to catch some local music, since Brisbane was hailed by Billboard as one of the “Top 5 International Music Hotspots” in 2007. If art and culture are your cup o’ tea, then you can also visit The Queensland Museum, The Queensland Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), The Queensland Performing Arts Complex, The Brisbane Powerhouse, the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts and the war memorials in Anzac Square.
Adelaide is a highly esteemed city in South Australia, known for its history of British Lutheran colonization, its miles of green space, Rundle Street restaurants, Hindley Street nightlife, the Festival of Arts and the Fringe Festival, Barossa Valley Australian wine, the South Australian Museum, the Art Gallery of South Australia, the Central Market, and the Tandanya Aboriginal Cultural Institute. This epicenter of culture can entertain and amuse for days or even weeks of your trip to Australia.
Lastly, Perth, in Western Australia, offers visitors easy navigation around the high rises via motorized trams and courtesy buses. Situated in the city center is Kings Park, which is 400 hectares of natural Australian bush, providing you with a glimpse of Australia’s aboriginal past. Fantastic beaches and nightlife characterize this city that thrives by day and night. Some of the hippest art hotspots can be found in the Northbridge Neighborhood. To see all that West Australia has to offer, Perth is a great meeting point where you can travel to wineries, the ocean and port cities within 30 minutes.
London is one of the many fashionable city break locations in Europe and is probably in the top ten of the best selling international destinations.
London has everything any visitor could want. If you are looking for a huge assortment of shopping choices as a matter of fact London has the largest amount of retail premises in Britain. Shopping options extend from designer stores to used bargains on a marketplace stall. There are huge famous department shops in the bustling principal streets.
During a hard days browsing you could have a break in one of the many coffee shops or a glass of wine in one of the umpteen public houses. After you have finished shopping you can enjoy some food in one of the many eating places. In London you will find a restaurant offering nearly every kind of food you can imagine from every region of the world. London has a very diverse multi-ethnic population and this enables visitors to try out contrasting types of food.
After dinner why not enjoy one of the numerous world class performances in London’s West End. There you will find numerous famous actors and actresses performing in the newest shows. There are many companies that provide special theatre breaks packages, which include a top seat at a performance of your choice and a hotel.
London has a huge number of accommodation options of varied standards from a basic youth hostel to five star plus luxurious hotels. The cost of the accommodation you choose can be more expensive if you pick a hotel in a more popular part of London near the principal shops or theatres. A good idea for many people is to stay a bit away out of the center of the city. This could help save you money and you can use the tremendous underground network to get you around the city.
Getting to London is simple as there are London flights departing from most major cities in the world. You can ordinarily get to London direct or by journeying via another major airport. Within Europe London is serviced by the numerous cheap airlines offering seats as low as just 1 pound or cheaper plus airport charges. A simple search on the internet will help you find them.
For years, the Holy See has been linked to the world of the Vatican Church in Rome. However, it is not really the church. According to history, the See has been around long before the actual Vatican City church came into existence. Many do not understand the separation between the Holy See and the actual Vatican City state. However, history has shown the difference for years and one only has to do a little research in order to understand it for themselves.
The Holy See is the actual governing body of the Holy Roman Catholic Church and can actually trace its beginnings to the time of St. Peter. The See refers to the diocese of Rome. It is led by the Bishop of Rome, also known as the Pope. When the Pope sends out holy emissaries he sends them from the See and not from the Vatican City state. One interesting thing about the See is that it has been an official observer of the United Nations since 1964 but chooses not to vote in matters.
Vatican City on the other hand is the actual place where the See is located. This is where the tomb of St. Peter is located and where millions flock everyday to catch a glimpse of heaven’s messenger on earth, also known as the Pope. The current Vatican City state did not come into existence until 1929, when the Lateran Treaty was put into effect. With a population of only around eight hundred, this walled city-state is the smallest independent state in the world today.
The Holy See is not what many people think it is. Vatican City is where the Pope resides and the See is the governing body of this independent state. Oftentimes the two terms are used interchangeably, and this is very incorrect. By understanding that one resulted from Christ and his apostle Peter and the other resulted from a treaty, then a person can better comprehend what the Roman Catholic Church is all about. Power reigns supreme in most countries, but in Vatican City, God reigns supreme thanks to his emissary on earth known as the Pope.
