Archive
Search

Monthly Archives: February 2012

My Romantic Travel   →  2012   →  February
Categories Travel

Hot Air Balloon Tours in Boulder

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on

Located in the American state of Colorado, the city of Boulder lies at the foothills of the breathtaking Rocky Mountains and offers visitors countless hours of exploration amidst stunning natural landscapes. This charming city is home to a variety of recreational spaces and nature preserves which are ideal for such activities as hiking and rock climbing. Those wanting a unique outdoor pursuit that can be enjoyed by the entire family can take part in hot air balloon tours in Boulder.

Due to the awe inspiring scenery that surrounds the city, hot air ballooning affords an ideal opportunity to take in magnificent panoramic views of the landscape. Offering the perfect backdrop for your aerial adventure are the Rocky Mountains which is one of the country’s main mountain ranges.

The history of ballooning goes back to the late 18th century when the Montgolfier brothers of France launched the first unmanned paper balloon. The manner in which this fascinating contraption works is due to the fact that the heated air inside the balloon has less density than the air outside and it is this difference that causes the balloon to rise.

Those embarking on a balloon ride can take in not only views of the nearby stunning mountain range, but also the area’s wildlife. The flight is on the whole a quiet one and it is common to heard bird calls while on this smooth ride above the tree tops and beyond. Flights usually take place early morning when wind conditions are gentle and ideally suited for such an activity. Certain companies also offer beverages and snacks and even champagne.

Since the balloon reaches high altitudes, the weather can get quite cool and it is recommended to wear warm clothing and bring along such items as sunscreen, windbreakers and a raincoat in case it rains. Hot air balloon tours in Boulder are not only ideal for a family outing, but also for such romantic occasions as a marriage proposal!

Those heading to the city and in search of a centrally located Boulder hotel can stay at Millennium Harvest House Boulder. Ideal for business and leisure travellers, this modern property also offers a variety of Boulder hotel deals on accommodation and more.

Categories Uncategorized

Romantic Beaches in Qingdao

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on

During the summer months there is no better romantic destination than the beaches of Qingdao. In the summer extended hours of sunshine, pleasant temperatures, delightful sea breezes and azure skies combine to create a truly enthralling ambience. The couple seeking romance will be delighted by the atmosphere at Qingdao’s beaches. Some of the most attractive of these are Shilaoren Beach, Jinshatan Beach and the Number One Bathing Beach.
Discerning travellers who seek a fine Qingdao hotel will be pleased by the Copthorne Hotel Qingdao. This attractive hotel in Qingdao offers well-appointed rooms and gracious hospitality.

Categories Weddings

Weddings in Maldives

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on

One of the most romantic destinations in the world, the Maldives is popular amongst couples looking to celebrate an unforgettable wedding. Instead of walking up the isle in a church, couples can take a walk along pristine beach sand and pledge their undying love to each other while in the backdrop the sun sets in all it glorious splendour. Weddings in Maldives can also involve a traditional island ceremony that features local costumes and drums. Those looking for a secluded Maldives resort that is ideal for couples can stay at Anantara Veli Maldives. Home to spacious Maldives bungalows, the resort also offers beach weddings and ceremonies on a traditional Dhoni (local boat).

Categories Uncategorized

Dubai Flower Centre, a specialized floriculture facility

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on

Conveniently located within Dubai International Airport, the well known Dubai Flower Centre has in recent times consolidated its position as a new focus of development for the floriculture sector. With tremendous growth in the international trade in flowers and other perishables, an ever increasing demand exists for specialized commercial solutions and logistics to enable industry players to improve standards of quality, minimize transit times and create sizable profits.

Accordingly the Dubai Flower Centre has specifically been created to meet these particular needs of the floriculture industry. The state of the art centre is focused on satisfying these requirements by providing increased storage capacity as well as shipment links to significant international trading hubs; brisk trans-shipment and consolidation; the finest cool-chain management on the globe; facilities and resources to make possible advantageous value addition; and the support facilities needed for effective commercial dealings.

The centre which exploits advanced technologies for automation and efficient functioning boasts a floor area of approximately 100,000 sqm. This includes offices and export chambers in addition to product build up and break down stations as well as automated areas for sorting. The centre’s handling capacity exceeds 300,000 metric tonnes of products a year, with temperatures being maintained at a steady 2-4 degrees Celsius.

The centre has been developed as a hub for transshipment, with the principal product handling functions for export, import and transit being conducted on the facility’s ground floor. Efficient and rapid handling is supported by a fully automated system which assures the preservation of quality while maximizing shelf life.
The centre operates as a commercial free zone with many attractions for clients, such as nil personal income tax, 100% foreign based ownership, customs inspection, quality control capabilities, and an excellent transportation network to nations within the Middle East and other regions of the world.

The establishment has also put into practice an array of technological solutions to enhance visibility within the supply chain. To handle the monitoring and management of perishable items, a warehouse operation system with cargo handling is available.

Visitors to the Emirate may avail themselves of Dubai hotel offers from a quality Dubai airport hotel such as the Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai, a fine rest which offers excellent accommodations and impeccable service.

Categories Travel

History of Travel

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on
Wuxi is a city crisscrossed by many canals, most built during the Ming Dynasty, and even a more recent one built after 1949. Emperor Qin built the first canal 2,000 years ago to link northern China to its southern part. Known as the Grand or Imperial Canal the 1,720 mile waterway from Beijing to Hangzou is reputedly the world’s oldest and longest and  passes through many cities including a 14.6 km very scenic stretch that runs through Wuxi starting from the south gate of the old city to the north gate, bisecting the city. The canal was considered Wuxi’s cultural lifeline. It linked the city with the outside world for centuries. Visitors privileged to take a trip on the canal will be taken back in time when most of the commerce in the area took place on this canal and now old houses looming on the sides and ancient bridges arching overhead are what remain of the past. One of these typical Chinese bridges, the subject of many paintings and postcards and one in a reasonable state of preservation is the 16th century Qingming Bridge built during the Ming Dynasty. Parts of the canal are presently under a major renovation programme to preserve the ancient buildings lining the banks. While several spanking new modern developments are visible all along the canal, some of the more interesting may be the older attractions. These include the 7 storied 10th century Miaoguang pagoda standing next to the Nanchan Buddhist Monastery built during the Tang Dynasty, Longguang pagoda a 105 foot brick and wood structure built during the Ming Dynasty, the second highest of its kind in China, and the many examples of houses built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties down Yaochewan, Sibaoqiao and Xiaoluo lanes and the narrow cobblestone lanes of the old town.

While the canal is now one the city’s main tourist attractions, it is still an important trade route clogged at all times with everything from wooden boats carrying local freight to row boats and all kinds of tourist and leisure craft.

Wuxi is said to have been founded 3,000 years ago on the shores of Lake Taihu, the third largest freshwater lake in China and famous for its natural beauty.

In a busy new area of an ancient city, Millennium Wuxi is close to business, transport and commercial hubs of the city and is not far off from its many attractions. It offers a series of spacious, contemporary rooms and suites with facilities and amenities suited to a five star Wuxi hotel. These include a selection of restaurants serving, Chinese, Japanese and Western cuisine, up to date leisure and fitness facilities and elegant spaces to host receptions and business gatherings. As a key hotel in Wuxi guests are made to feel special and every effort is made to ensure that they have a memorable stay here.

Categories Destinations

A Sun Worshippers Paradise

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on
Visit beautiful Unawatuna which is one of the best beaches in the world. Just south of Galle and a three hour drive from Colombo it is a sun drenched, palm fringed, crescent shaped, golden stretch of sand curving along the calm waters of a cerulean bay, with headlands on either end. The relatively unspoilt nature of the area makes it a popular destination for holidaymakers. Protected by a double reef, the calm seas attract swimmers, surfers and snorkelers who spend their days revelling in the warm ocean, lazing on the golden sands working on their tan, playing beach volleyball or simply taking in the stunning views including red tinted tropical sunsets.

Some great diving sites are only a short boat ride away including a reef teeming with tropical fish and more interestingly three wrecks; one a hundred year old wreck known as the Rangoon still intact for the most part, another called the Tango lying close by and Lord Nelson a more recent wreck are all excellent dive sites. Excellent PADI certified dive schools nearby provide guidance and the latest equipment to intrepid divers. The best months for diving at Unawatuna are from October to April.

Stay at one of the quirkily named guest houses or hotels and home stays in the village of Yaddehimulla in Unawatuna. Visitors will find that it caters to their every want with restaurants and cafes, internet cafes, tuk tuk (three-wheeler vehicles) stands and village shops stocked with visitor necessities. Sample seafood and local dishes at beach cafes and enjoy partying all night. The laidback atmosphere and the lack of big hotels and crowds are amongst Unawatuna’s many charms.

Rumassala the headland to the north west of Unawatuna beach has its own legend as to how it came to be. This legend has its roots in the Ramayana epic and is a way of explaining the abundance of medicinal plants found on the hill, a rare phenomenon in the area. Visit the temple on the hill, from which there are uninterrupted views of the adjacent areas and of fiery sunsets. Some sixty species of endemic birds such as egrets, herons, sandpipers, kingfishers, whistling ducks and more can also be spied from Rumassala.

If it is the right time of year, lucky visitors can see turtles come up on the beach to lay their eggs. However, visitors can also visit turtle hatcheries located about a fifteen minute bus ride away. Unawatuna is also a convenient location from which to visit Galle and the other coastal cities nearby. Take a tuk tuk to these sights and enjoy a very special experience.

With a modern fleet of vehicles to suit any occasion, Malkey Rent A Car, has been a well known Sri Lanka car rental company for over thirty years. With its emphasis on customer care and safety coupled with its fair pricing policy, the company is a natural choice among Sri Lanka travel options for visitors and locals alike.

Categories Uncategorized

Memorable Underwater Wedding Ceremonies on Valentine’s Day

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on

Everyone planning to tie the knot wants their special occasion to be an unforgettable one and to celebrate it in the best possible way so that it will be narrated in tales through generations to come! Therefore, many couples all over the world go the extra mile to make their day special in a variety of ways. However, those looking for something truly unique need not look further than Thailand. Those who are planning to celebrate their nuptials in the month of February can head to Thailand since that is where the underwater wedding ceremonies take place every Valentine’s Day.

Thus, every February a large number of couples dressed in their wedding attire dive to the bottom of the sea to get married and what better time than Valentine’s Day to celebrate this special event! These underwater weddings have even entered the world famous Guinness World Book of Records and it keeps on attracting more and more happy couples who are not just tying the knot, but also those looking to renew their marital vows during a holiday in Thailand.

The brides and the bridegrooms and paraded around the city in decorated vehicles and taken to the site in a beautiful boat. After diving several metres under the turquoise water around this shore and swimming along with schools of fish in all the colours of the rainbow, the couples can officially get married in front of a minister who awaits them at the bottom of the sea!

There are beautiful coral reefs and a wide variety of marine life and what better place to celebrate your special day. Since Thailand is also well known as a honeymooner’s destination it is a great place to go to celebrate your wedding.

One can easily find a Krabi resort hotel that caters to couples looking to enjoy the everlasting memories of an underwater wedding. Krabi resorts are beautifully appointed close to the beach and provide all the luxurious comforts to pamper newly wedded couples. Anantara Si Kao Thailand with its private beach and contemporary comforts offers a wonderful setting to spend some of the best days of marital bliss.

Categories Honeymoon

Spend a memorable honeymoon in Maldives

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe Posted on
Maldives has long been known as a perfect honeymoon destination because of its white sand beaches, blue waters, tranquil nature and magical sunsets, perfect for a romantic getaway for newly married couples. For honeymooners who come to these archipelagic islands there are special packages available to choose from that can be customized according to their needs.
For those who come to this country on dreamy holidays there are a large number of things to do such as scuba diving in the deep seas or snorkelling in the shallow waters around the island. Most of the hotels that cater to couples are located right on the shore or at least along the coastline making it possible for one to enjoy the seclusion of a private beach during a vacation in this island nation. What is more, some of the suites that are typically for honeymooners have private balconies from where couples can watch the sun set and even enjoy a candle lit dinner for two under the stars.

Most of the rooms for newlyweds are decorated with exotic flowers and have contemporary comforts and conveniences within them. There are also spas, clubs, live music and other entertainment options to enjoy making it a grand experience that couples will surely cherish for the rest of their lives.

What is more, for those who are outgoing and keen to soak up the culture and the sights and sounds of these tropical islands, there are crafts bazaars and markets, traditional and folk music and dance festivals and trips to traditional fishing communities. All these activities and excursions help make ones stay in this island paradise a truly a memorable one.

There is many a Maldives resort that caters to couples on vacation in this romantic country. Accommodation can be found in Maldives bungalows that are both chic and simple at the same time providing all the luxuries that a couple on a holiday will need. The water bungalows at Anantara Veli Maldives is one such accommodation set amidst an amazing location overlooking turquoise waters with colourful fish swimming below. A stay here will indeed make for a memorable honeymoon that will be fondly remembered and treasured forever.