Seeing all the typical New York City sights but by limo adds extra elements to your New York City experience. It adds class, sophistication, and comfort. But what shall you see? Here are just some of the sights you can visit and explore while you get around the city via limousine.

The Empire State Building is the ultimate New York City destination. Once the tallest building in the world, the building’s construction was completed in 1931. The building was the tallest until 1970. This building is 102 stories high and is designed in the style of art deco. Named one of the seven wonders of the modern world by the American Society of Civil Engineers, many of the spaces in the building were originally not rented out. Now, the building is filled to the brim with business offices and has observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors.

When sightseeing in a limo, it is absolutely necessary to see the sights along Broadway Avenue. More commonly known as simply Broadway, the most famous attractions along this route are the Broadway theatres. Some of the world’s best plays and musicals originate in the theatres that reside in this theatre district.

Macy’s Department store, Times Square (named for the New York Times’ former offices that were headquartered there), Greenwich Village, and Central Park can all be found along the path of Broadway, as well.

Central Park, open since 1859, is a beautiful place to explore while visiting in a limo. You can explore the park by either walking some trails or taking a carriage ride, or exploring it in the limo. But just make sure to do this before seven in the evening because automobile traffic is not allowed on the six miles of drives circling the park after that time.

Greenwich Village was once the center of bohemians, artists and their lifestyles. The rent there is now too expensive for the same crowd to currently reside. The Village is now inhabited by many celebrities and many artists that have already been established. A drive through this area will expose you to beautiful old houses, buildings, off-Broadway theatre troupes, many cute designer shops, smaller parks, and a sprinkling of some of the best universities in New York City.

The major intersection in New York City, Times Square, is second only Tokyo for its lighted advertising. Site of the now famous New Year’s Eve ball drop, Times Square is a sight to be seen if only for the visual stimulation it provides.

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• Chichen Itza

The most famous of the historic sites in the Cancun area of Mexico, Chichen Itza is a restored Mayan city, and contains a huge, spectacular temple among other attractions. This site is also home to the largest known Mayan ball court, and tours are given daily throughout the site or you can explore on your own. It is a day-long trip, as it is about 200 km from Cancun, but it is well worth the drive. You can either rent a car or take a bus. In fact, many hotels in the Cancun area offer guided bus tours to Chichen Itza. If you’re going to tour the site on your own, get there early to avoid the tour bus crowds.

• Coba Ruins

Also a famous ancient Mayan city, the Coba Ruins is the oldest of the Mayan sites in this area. This area is extremely remote, and only a few of the structures were uncovered and restored, leaving almost all of the six thousand buildings still covered by jungle. Here, you can see Mayan stone roads, as well as the tallest pyramid in the vicinity of Cancun. The Coba Ruins are also a bit of a drive from Cancun, but again, many Cancun hotels run tours to this destination via free or low-cost buses.

• Tulum Ruins

If you want to see some Mayan ruins without sacrificing an entire day to a tour, check out the Tulum Ruins, which are closer to Cancun. This location is unique because it is built along the coast, making the structures there almost lighthouse-like. A large wall surrounds the city, and the only way to explore inside is through one of the original tunnels. Be forewarned, however, that this historical spot is extremely popular for tourists and often quite crowded.

• La Destileria

One of the most traditional activities in Mexico is the making of tequila. La Destileria isn’t exactly a historic site like the ancient ruins listed above, but at this museum and restaurant you can explore the history of this liquor. Guided tours will teach you how tequila is made, and at the end you get to try samples of the tequila that they make right there at the restaurant.

• Xcaret

If you are traveling with people who are not as interested in seeing historical sites, you can consider a trip to Xcaret. This water park and activity center was once a place of Mayan ceremonies, and they have built a replica of a Mayan city to showcase the ancient culture. You will also be able to snorkel in the waterfalls, swim with the dolphins, and explore the environmental center in Xcaret. Don’t forget to stick around to watch descendants of the Mayans perform customary dances and musical shows.

• Mercado Coral Negro

Before you leave Cancun, you should also make plans to stop at one of the traditional Mexican markets. Mercado Coral Negro is a great choice. Like the tequila museum, this site in and of itself isn’t a place of ancient history, but here you can see (and buy) traditional craft items like embroidered clothing, hats, and decorative pieces. You can also find traditional Mayan food at these markets. Of course, there are the run-of-the-mill “Cancun” T-shirts for tourists as well, but this shopping opportunity is great for those wanting some historically significant items to take home without spending a fortune.

If you are interested in more great historical Cancun sites, your best bet is to ask the customer service representatives at your hotel for their opinions on local sites. You can also speak with taxi cab drivers and tour guides – providing they speak English or you speak Spanish! The best way to find historical spots off the beaten path is to talk to those who live and work in Cancun all year-round.

Cancun, and all of Mexico, is full of history. It is a wonderful place to experience modern beaches, water sports, and nightlife. While that part of Cancun can be great fun, make sure that you spend a bit of time exploring Cancun’s ancient ruins and other historical activities. You won’t be sorry!

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South eastern Tuscany meets its smaller neighbour Umbria, on Umbria’s north eastern border. The border area of Tuscany and Umbria in Italy is a wonderful place to stay as the visitor is able to visit the many cities and towns of the two regions while staying in one of the most picturesque areas the world has to offer and enjoying one of its greatest cuisines. The area is largely rural, the main crops are sunflowers, maize, olives, vines and tobacco which is being phased out. Modernity has been slow to reach this area and the atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, many visitors feel as if they had stepped back in time 30 or 40 years. Staying in this area you are within 90% of UNESCOs world art treasures: Rome and Florence are within two hours drive and one must not forget the important art works of nearer towns such as Arezzo, Siena, Perugia and Assisi. Apart from their art treasures these towns are places everyone enjoys visiting. All have their own architectural delights and meandering lanes and interesting shops and restaurants. Also worth visiting are the Tuscan towns of ; Cortona and Sansepolcro and the Umbrian towns of Gubbio,Citta di Castello, Todi and Orvieto. Lovers of ceramics will also want to visit Deruta which produces some of the finest majolica.

Wine lovers are also in for a treat as many great wines are found in this area. Although Chianti is not strictly on the Tuscany Umbria border it is only a short drive. The brunellos of Montalcino and Vino Nobile of Montepulciano are found in this area.

There is a wide choice of accommodation available for those wishing to come to this area of Italy. “Agriturismi” offering either self-catering apartments or B&B type accommodation have sprung up everywhere. A popular choice for the visitor to this area of Tuscany and Umbria is to rent a self-catering villa, farmhouse or apartment through a rental agency. With a rental agency one can be sure that the house or apartment has been properly scrutinised and is priced fairly to reflect its quality, situation and accessibility. Farmhouses, villas and apartments with or without swimming pools are all available. If one wishes to stay in a country property in this area car hire is almost essential. Public transport in the rural areas of Tuscany and Umbria although reliable, is sparse. Most villages have a bus service once a day, relying upon this creates a lack of flexibility. Many of the farmhouses and villas for holiday rental are on hillsides a good walk from a main road. Often vacation rental houses in Tuscany and Umbria are reached along gravel roads or “strade bianche” . City inhabitants are often alarmed at these gravel roads but after the initial drive along them the nerves are soon overcome.
Please visit www.tuscanyumbria.com to find a rental property for your holiday in the Tuscany or Umbria regions of Italy.

Technorati Tags: art, holiday, house, italy, road, vacation

It is best known as the town where Mahatma Gandhi spent the early years of his life when his father was a Diwan or Prime Minister to the king of Saurashtra. Today Rajkot is a city vibrant with business activities and one of the major cities of Gujarat.

Places to see in Rajkot :

Kaba Gandhi No Delo
Kaba Gandhi No Delo is the house where Mahatma Gandhi grew up. It now holds a permanent exhibition of Gandhian items. It is within the old city on Ghee Kanta Road.

Race Course
Race course has various sports facilities like Olympic standard Indoor Stadium, International quality Cricket ground, Football, Hockey & Volleyball grounds, Gym and swimming pool etc. Because of all these attractions, Race Course is the most common place to be visited by the “Rajkotians”. One very interesting fact about Race Course is that it provides an extremely large sitting arrangement of cement benches embedded with the outer border of the ground throughout its periphery, which is rarely seen in any other cities.

Watson Museum and Library
Located in the Jubilee Gardens, the Watson Museum and Library is a memorial dedicated to Colonel James Watson, who was a political agent of Saurashtra from 1886-89. Two imperial lions flank the entrance of the museum. Among the exhibits are copies of artifacts from Mohenjodaro, 13th-century carvings, temple statues, natural history exhibits, and dioramas of local tribal costumes and housing styles.

Alfred School/Mohandas Gandhi Vidyalaya
When Gandhiji’s father shifted to Rajkot as Diwan of the local ruler, the young Gandhi was sent to Alfred School in the town, now known as Mohandas Gandhi Vidyalaya. The famous incident of Gandhi not copying the spelling of “kettle”, despite his class teacher repeatedly prompting him to do so during the visit of a school inspector, took place here.

Excursions of Rajkot
Five kilometers from Rajkot, is a perfect picnic spot known as Lal Pari Lake and Randerda. The Naulakha Darbagandh Palace famous for its unique architecture is situated forty kilometers from the city in Gondal. About fifty kilometers from the city is the Wankaner palace, which has been turned into a hotel now. Its roman-gothic architecture is very appealing and beautiful. Two-hundred-and-fifty kilometers from the city are Ahmedabad, the capital of the state of Gujarat. 70 KMS from the city, is Jetpur where textile traders from all over the world come into this bustling town for its quality and rates.

Shopping in Rajkot
Rajkot is not yet a major metropolis, but it is has a number of quality malls, where you get all the popular brands. The city has many bazaars exclusively for silverwares and textiles, which are offered at fairly reasonable prices. Make sure to check out the Bandhani sarees, which are made in the city, and are very striking.

Climate
The climate of Rajkot is generally pleasant. The summer season extends from March to June with daytime temperature reaching a high of around 42°C. The monsoons are from July to September. Winter season sets in during October and extends until February. In association with cyclonic storms or depressions in the Arabian Sea in the post-monsoon months, and to a lesser extent in May and June, Rajkot experiences strong winds and heavy rain.

Thunderstorms occur in June and July. In the cold season occasional fog occurs. The summer temperature ranges from 24°C to 42°C and winter temperature ranges from 10°C to 24°C. The average annual rainfall is around 276 mm.

How to get there:

By Air
Indian Airlines connects Rajkot with Bombay and Vayudoot connects Rajkot with Bombay and Kandla. East West Airlines also operate flight from Bombay-Rajkot.

By Rail
Rajkot is a junction on the Western Railway broad gauge line.

By Road
Rajkot to : Bombay 798 km, Ahmedabad 218 km, Junagadh 98 km, Jamnagar 86 km, Dwarka 238 km, Porbandar 178 km, Bhavnagar 165 km, Sasangir 155 km. Bus connect Rajkot to all major cities of state.

Technorati Tags: art, house, month, road, travel

Tremendous winter activities have helped to give Keystone its sterling reputation as a place for everyone to have the time of their life. Four mountains, an eight month snow season, and diversions that reach beyond the realm of skiing will virtually guarantee a trip filled with constant moving, laughing, and invigorating exertion. The slopes range from novice level Keystone Mountain to the ultra-challenging Arapahoe Basin, so start where you feel comfortable and aim to make it to the next level for a truly rewarding experience.

An unusual and somewhat addictive bit of fun entails taking advantage of Keystone’s nighttime outdoor options. Night skiing, tubing, or “sno-hawging” will get your heart pumping as you race down the slopes after the sun has set and the timid have gone to bed. Participate in a full moon snowshoe tour if you’d rather take things slow, but either way, don’t miss out on the chance to prelude your dreams with some quality time in Colorado’s largest night park.

When day breaks again, continue to enjoy yourself with more skiing, ice skating, and breathing in the crisp mountain air. Or, if you’d rather stay inside for a while, head to one of Keystone’s villages for some shopping or pampering. Spa options include massages, facials, and body treatments, and if it’s been a while since you’ve broken away from the daily grind, go ahead and treat yourself to the complete package. Kids will find amusement in some of the resorts’ organized activities and arcades, so the all-around appeal of Keystone will have made another day a success.

A not-so hidden quality about this vacation destination is that summer can be just as action-packed as winter. Hiking, balloon rides, boating, climbing, fly fishing, and mini golf are just a few of the diversions that will call out to you if you visit during the warm (but not uncomfortable) months. Take a nature stroll through the Snake River Valley or ride the chair lift for a spectacular view of the Continental Divide. Rent a canoe and paddle around Keystone Lake, or take a historic tour of an old sawmill.

Adventure lovers will be especially interested in testing their skills at the newly updated Keystone Bike Park. Ramps, drops, rock gardens, and G-Outs punctuate this playground for adrenaline junkies. Not quite sure what this entails? Ask a mountain biker, or strap on a helmet and give it a whirl. Avoid heading for the largest berm your first time out, but don’t be surprised if you catch some altitude before your time in the park is through. Returning to your regular routine after this confidence boost will make impressing your boss a piece of cake.

Award-winning restaurants, an abundance of bars and nightlife, an exemplary conference center, and typical necessities like grocery stores and a hospital complete Keystone’s crowd-pleasing image. This cluster of peaks and assortment of awe-inducing activities indeed means that there’s something for everyone at any hour of the day, so banish any thoughts of disappointment or boredom as you pack your bags for your Colorado vacation.

The only thing left to do is pick out a place to stay that will complement your trek to the mountains. Ensure peace and harmony by reserving a vacation rental that has all the amenities of home, if not more, as well as plenty of space for spreading out and kicking back after a day of exploration. Slope side condos with easy access to lifts will make life easier in the winter, and a secluded cabin in the woods provides the ideal romantic hideaway.

Whatever your plans are, be sure to venture away from the crowds without isolating yourself from all the fun. Go online to locate the Keystone Vacation Rental that will not only meet your needs, but exceed your expectations.

Technorati Tags: art, daily, month, river, road, trip, vacation

The Grand Staircase in southern Utah is an immense sequence of sedimentary rock layers that stretch south from Bryce Canyon National Park through Zion National Park and into the Grand Canyon. In the 1870s, geologist Clarence Dutton first conceptualized this region as a huge stairway ascending out of the bottom of the Grand Canyon northward with the cliff edge of each layer forming giant steps. Dutton divided this layer cake of Earth history into five steps that he colorfully named Pink Cliffs, Grey Cliffs, White Cliffs, Vermilion Cliffs, and Chocolate Cliffs. Since then, modern geologists have further divided Dutton’s steps into individual rock formations.

Visiting Utah can be quite an experience. If you’ve heard about slot canyons and canyoneering, then you’ve probably read about southern Utah. The major airports to fly into the region are normally Las Vegas for southern Utah or Salt Lake City for northern Utah. Researching your trip normally means selecting your areas of interest from the following regions.

• Northern Utah – Central Utah – Southern Utah

The Grand Staircase can be accessed from Southern Utah. It is vast and very diverse. Some of the activities people enjoy are:

• Hiking
• Camping
• Biking
• ATV
• Scenic Drives
• Horseback Riding
• Wildlife
• Rivers

What makes the Grand Staircase worldly unique is that it preserves more Earth history than any other place on Earth. Geologists often liken the study of sedimentary rock layers to reading a history book–layer by layer, detailed chapter by detailed chapter. The problem is that in most places in the world, the book has been severely damaged by the rise and fall of mountains, the scouring of glaciers, etc. Usually these chapters are completely disarticulated from each other and often whole pages are just missing. Yet the Grand Staircase and the lower cliffs that comprise the Grand Canyon remain largely intact speaking to over 600 million years of continuous Earth history with only a few paragraphs missing here and there.

Many people drive into the GSENM on Cottonwood or Skutumpah Roads and enjoy
the hikes listed below. These road are very close to Kodachrome Basin State Park, which is very colorful and interesting.

• Willis Creek
• Bull Valley Gorge
• Lick Wash
• Hackberry
• Cottonwood Wash
• Wahweap Hoodoos

Unfortunately, the Grand Staircase is such a vast region of rock that no matter where you stand on its expanse, most of it will be hidden behind the curvature of Earth. Places such as Yovimpa Point and the north slope of the Kaibab Plateau are the exception where even a non-geologist can discern the individual chapters of this colossal history book–these immense steps of Dutton’s Grand Staircase.
The sections or steps in the Grand Staircase are named for the dominant color of rock. You are standing on the top step known as the Pink Cliffs. The entire Pink Cliffs of Bryce are but a single step in the much larger Grand Staircase. Directly below you are the Grey Cliffs. As you look into the distance you can see Molly’s Nipple which is part of the White Cliffs. Looking down into distant canyons near the horizon, you can just make out some red rock underneath the White Cliffs. This red rock makes up the Vermilion Cliffs. Hidden from view but directly under the Towering Vermilion cliffs are the comparatively diminutive, Chocolate Cliffs. The tree-covered hills that meet the horizon belong to the Kaibab Plateau — the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Some of the source content of this article was obtained from the National Park Service.

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I just got retired but when I was still working I used the airport dozens of times for business and pleasure trips to domestic as well as several European destinations. I had the option to check out every available car park at the airport complex. My friends and acquaintances always ask my advice regarding the various parking services as they know that by now I’m an expert on the subject. Usually I went away for a day or three and the short-term parking was the best choice for me. However, I also used the airport (and still do) the airport for my long family holidays. I think I used all the different methods of parking by now. The majority of the available parking companies provide similar levels of services with adequate security measures and friendly and professional staff.

The Secured Car Park Award was won by the two facilities providing short- and long stay parking at Leeds-Bradford airport. Short-term car park spaces are situated within just a short walk from the terminal building. This facility is most convenient for picking up and dropping off persons. For those wishing to park for just a couple of hours, this facility provides the best option. You do not have to pay a fee for the first 30 minutes.

When you need to park your car at the long-term car park you will be transferred to the terminal building. The coach which operates the transfer service departs every 10 minutes and is every day of the week available from 06:00 to 22:00. You have the option to pay for the parking service when you return from your trip at a pay station. Several of these pay stations can be found in the arrivals hall. After paying the price a validated exit card will be given to you. There is a minimum duration of five days. Drivers who book their car park space at the long-stay parking lot ahead of time can enjoy the special cheaper parking rates.

In Yeadon approximately one mile (1.6kms) from Leeds airport you can find the off-site amenity which is operated by Sentinel Security Car Park. They offer reasonably priced parking with a straightforward check in procedure. The trip between the parking site and the terminal building has a five-minute travel time. AGS offer the same kind of services. However, their parking facility is located a little bit farther away from the airport terminal.

If you rather not wish to shop around at the airport for car parking prices and info about the various parking options I strongly advice you secure your parking space before you arrive at the airport which easily can be done in advance online. It will save you a couple of pounds and is significantly less time consuming. All experienced fliers know that parking rates are quite pricey and therefore a discounted fee is most enjoyable. Also pre-booking through the internet is secure, fast, efficient, reliable and easy. For your benefit I will mention some of the better websites which offer the best deals on airport car parking at Leeds-Bradford International Airport.

Technorati Tags: art, Destinations, holiday, river, road, sign, travel, trip

From the 14th to the 16th century, Lavenham was at the centre of England’s cloth making industry and it was exporting its famous broadcloth as far as Russia and North Africa. In 1524, it was named the fourteenth wealthiest town in the country, however heavy taxation in the mid 1520’s and disrupted export markets through war on the continent brought a rapid decline in the industry. All this helps explain why most timber-framed buildings here date from about 1460 to 1530 since there was no wealth left to build anything of quality later in the century. Many reminders of its industrious past still remain, including the beautiful 16th century Guildhall which dominates the market square. Once a meeting place of wool traders, a prison, workhouse and almshouse, it is now owned by The National Trust and has a beautiful garden where dye plants are grown, including Woad which was used to dye various shades of the famous Lavenham Blue Cloth.

Today, Lavenham is the country’s finest example of a Medieval town. With over 300 Listed buildings and a labarynth of small narrow streets, it has changed little since the 15th century. The Church of St Peter and St Paul, dating back to 1486, dominates the town, with its tower standing at 141ft high. Its significant size reflects the prosperity of Lavenham at the time.

The best way to explore this historic town is by hiring a guided walk from the Chemist in the High Street, just up from The Swan. Alternatively, Lavenham Tourist Office is situated near to the rear entrance of The Swan in Lady Street. For more information, contact 01787 248207. It is open seven days a week from Easter until end of October: 10am-4.45pm, weekends only in March and November: 11am-4pm and closed from December until February.

Nestling in the centre of the town is the Swan Hotel, perhaps one of England’s most iconic hotels and an ideal choice for a short break to explore this beautiful corner of England.

The Swan dates back to the 15th century when it played a key role in Lavenham’s wool trade. Today it is a quintessential English country hotel and restaurant, proud of its achievement of an AA four star 81% rating and two AA Rosettes. Ancient oak beams and inglenook fireplaces blend beautifully with rich furnishings and fabrics to create the perfect ambiance for rest and relaxation. The historic Old Bar boasts a wonderful collection of memorabilia including a wall signed by British and American airmen stationed at Lavenham Airfield during World War II.

Each of the Swan’s 49 en-suite bedrooms boast a mix of rich fabrics and contemporary furnishings co-ordinated in soft and mellow colours while pure linen sheets and feather pillows ensure a good nights sleep. Named after local Suffolk villages many of our bedrooms are original in style. From standard double rooms to mezzanine suites and fours poster beds, they are sure to delight. Oak beams and original medieval wall paintings abound and you will take great delight wandering through corridors and discovering the truly original character of The Swan.

Each bedroom has an en-suite bathroom, plasma TV screen, a DVD/CD player and tea and coffee making facilities. Suites and feature rooms provide use of bathrobes.

Staying at this heritage hotel in Suffolk is a delight. Whether as a short break hotel or touring hotel, the Swan Hotel at Lavenham will give you a warm welcome.

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The internet links you to other people and gains you access to worldwide information within seconds, so if you’re going to join a study abroad program then you need to make sure that you have an international internet access provider to keep you up-to-date with your host country, as well as with what’s going on back at home.

Accessing the Internet at Your Host School

If you walk onto a college campus, it would be strange if you did not see students taking notes with their laptop, professors using the internet as part of their daily lesson or entire groups of students researching their latest paper on a computer in the library. The internet is just too important, and college life would be impossible without it!

What is amazing is how the use of the internet transcends across the globe to international universities. Almost every university around the world offers internet access to their students, whether it’s located in a computer lab or through a wireless service for students with laptops.

It is especially important for you as a study abroad student to have internet access while on campus if you have not brought your own personal computer. That’s because the only way for you to search the web or to contact people back at home would be while you are at your host school’s campus.

You should always check with your host school to see if they have some kind of facility set up for you to gain access to the internet. Some university study abroad programs even provide laptops to their study abroad students for the length of their stay, so you should always ask the study abroad program director about this incentive.

Staying in Touch on Your Own

You will definitely need international internet access if you’re going to study abroad for a semester, but even if you just do a summer study abroad program for a couple of weeks, you will still need the internet to help you find the hot spots in your host country, to help you translate beyond any language barriers and to communicate with anyone back in the U.S.

So if you’ve brought your own personal computer, such as a laptop, you want to make sure that it has wireless Wi-Fi capabilities so that you will have international WiFi internet access no matter where you go. That means you will be able to take your computer to cyber cafes, bookstores or other public places and access the internet without any problems.

In order to gain access wherever you go in your host country you need to have an international internet access provider, such as MaGlobe, which provides internet access around the world.

MaGlobe and other international internet access providers offer a prepaid service that you can access no matter where you travel, and the service often comes with a free email account and easy setup instructions. If you’re going to have your own personal computer with you while you study abroad, you must have an international internet access provider plan in place before you leave.

Other Modes of International Internet Access

Computers are not the only way to gain international internet access. If you decide to take your cell phone with you to your host country as a means of international calling , you might be able to use it to gain access to the internet.

Your phone needs to have GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) technology, which is a type of wireless system that transmits frequency bands to give your cell phone access to the internet in over 200 countries such as Europe, Africa and Asia.

Over 600 millions people around the world use this new global system, so if you do plan to study abroad you should make sure that it is installed in your cell phone.

You also need to make sure that your cell phone plan includes international calls. It’s much more convenient to gain international internet access through your phone rather than carrying around a big laptop computer.

PDA’s (Personal Digital Assistants) are great if you’re a college student on the go. These devices, which are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, allow you to store personal contact information, to track appointments and to take notes, and many also connect you to the internet.

You can either connect them to your personal computer to transfer files and gain access to internet, or if they already have wireless capabilities, you can use them to gain WiFi internet access wherever there is wireless networking. You can use the prepaid internet provider MaGlobe to access the internet on your PDA.

When you join a study abroad program it’s very important to have international internet access. With the internet you’ll be able to easily access your host school’s web site if you need to find a number to contact someone, and you can even look up information about places to visit in your free time.

Most importantly, it’s the best way to connect to your friends and family back home.

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Spirituality is at the centre of the Ayahuasca experience. Purification and cleansing of body, mind, and spirit in a shamanic ceremony can be the beginning of a process of profound personal and spiritual discovery and transformation. This process can continue indefinitely even if one never drinks Ayahuasca again. One thing is sure, and that is that every person gets a unique experience. We believe that by seriously looking at the way Ayahuasca is used we can improve our life experience and benefit more from this medicine.

Ayahuasca is the jungle medicine of the upper Amazon. It is made from the ayahuasca vine ( Banisteriopsis Caapi) and the leaf of the Chacruna plant (Psychotria Viridis). The two make a potent medicine, which takes one into the visionary world. The vine is an inhibitor, which contains harmala and harmaline among other alkaloids, and the leaf contains vision-inducing alkaloids. As with all natural medicines, it is a mixture of many alkaloids that makes their unique properties. For example, Peyote, the cactus used by the North Native Americans, is said to contain 32 active alkaloids, so when one of those alkaloids, mescaline (LSD) is synthesised in a laboratory, contrary to popular opinion, the result is not at all the same.

The oldest know object related to the use of ayahuasca is a ceremonial cup, hewn out of stone, with engraved ornamentation, which was found in the
Pastaza culture of the Ecuadorian Amazon from 500 B.C. to 50 A.D. It is deposited in the collection of the Ethnological Museum of the Central
University (Quito, Ecuador). This indicates that ayahuasca potions were known and used at least 2,500 years ago.

Ayahuasca is a name derived from two Quechua words: aya means spirit, ancestor, deceased person, and huasca means vine or rope, hence it is known as vine of the dead or vine of the soul. It is also known by many other local names including yaje, caapi, natema, pinde, daime, mihi, & dapa. It plays a central role in the spiritual, religious and cultural traditions of the Indigenous and Mestizo (mixed blood) peoples of the upper Amazon, Orinoco plains and the Pacific coast of Colombia and Ecuador.

The plants are collected from the rainforest in a sacred way and it is said that a shaman can find plentiful sources of the vine by listening for the ‘drumbeat’ that emanates from them. The mixture is prepared by cutting the vines to cookable lengths, scraping and cleaning them, pounding them into a pulp. Meanwhile the Chacruna leaves and picked and cleaned.

So what, perhaps, is the advantage of ayahuasca over other disciplines? In the words of Padrino Alex Polari de Alverga of the Santo Daime Community in Brazil, “Daime (ayahuasca) is basically a shortcut, it’s as if we had been travelling down the same highway as the rest of humanity, but then, in order to arrive at our destination more quickly we took a side road. When taking such a shortcut, however, we must be very careful and clear-minded. It is a shortcut that leads us to truth, but only if we follow in the footsteps of the Masters who have preceded us.”

Medicines like ayahuasca can help us along our path but we still have to do the work ourselves. My experience is that these kind of allies can help us open the doors of perception, but what we do when we get there is entirely our own challenge.

To understand ayahuasca in the local context, one cannot avoid taking a look at the ecological environment, such as the forest, cultural environment and indigenous cultures. This has structured the cultural content of ayahuasca.

There are many legends and myths about ayahuasca, one the more romantic is from the Shipibo people who live up the river in the heart of the jungle in the Peruvian Amazon.

This tale is centered around women, more so than men, as they look after the children and their health, whilst the men are out hunting and fishing. Men are more interested in plants that aid their inner spirits whilst hunting. Women are more interested in plants that will allow their children to grow.

There was one particular woman who was very interested in plants, who liked to pick the leaves of different plants. She would then crush the leaves into a pot and soak them in water over night. She would then take a bath every morning before sunrise (the way to find out about various plants and their effects is to bathe in them). She bathed in them every morning until she had a dream. In her dream a woman came and said, “why are you bathing every day?”

She answered, “I am doing this as I want you to teach me.” The other woman said, “You must seek out my uncle, his name is Kamarampi. I will show you where to find him”. The woman led the other woman to her uncle. The uncle showed her how to mix the leaves of the chacruna, which was a bush she had taken leaves from to bathe in. He showed her how to prepare the brew of Ayahuasca, he told her to go and tell the people the knowledge of how to use the brew. The Indigenous people past and present have taken Ayahuasca to enable them to focus on other dimensions. One example: – To enable them to be more successful on a hunting trip they would contact the Mother spirit of certain species, through the Ayahuasca. The hunt would be more successful.

One of the many mysteries surrounding Ayahuasca is how the vine became to be used with the Chacruna leaves as although they both come from the same soil but always grow apart otherwise the ayahuasca winds around the Chacruna and kills it. No one knows this but we get a clue from how the shamans interact with the plant. Javier Arevalo a shaman from the Peruvian Amazon told us “ in the old days his grandfather and uncles used to sit around after taking ayahuasca and he said that ayahuasca was originally taken alone and in the visions they saw that Chacruna was missing. Ayahuasca would say I am the doctor that gives the vision. His grandfather responded, how can we find this plant? The response in the vision was, you can find it by turning two corners. So they went around two corners and found a bush which attracted them which was Chacruna i.e. the ayahuasca showed them.

This is a fundamental principle, in the visions it is the spirit doctor of ayahuasca which tells them what is wrong with their patient, what medicine they need, or who has caused the illness or malaise.

The Icaros

Integral to the ceremony are the chants that the shaman sings. These are known as Icaros, and the chant will direct the nature of the ceremony or visionary experience for the group and for individuals as the shaman during the ceremony will chant specific Icaros for that person’s needs.

The words of the chants are symbolic stories telling of the ability of nature to heal itself. For example the crystalline waters from a stream wash the unwell person, while coloured flowers attract the hummingbirds whose delicate wings fan healing energies etc. You might see such things in your visions but the essence which cures you is perhaps more likely to be the understanding of what is happening in your life, allowing inner feelings to unblock so that bitterness and anger con change to ecstasy and love. To awaken from the ‘illusion of being alive’ is to experience life itself.

There are several different kinds of Icaros, at the beginning of the session. Their purpose is to provoke the mareacion or effects, and, in the words of Javier Arevalo, ‘to render the mind susceptible for visions to penetrate, then the curtains can open for the start of the theatre’.

Other Icaros call the spirit of Ayahuasca to open visions ‘as though exposing the optic nerve to light’. Alternatively, if the visions are too strong, the same spirit can be made to fly away in order to bring the person back to normality.

There are Icaros for calling the ‘doctors’, or plant spirits, for healing, while other Icaros call animal spirits, which protect and rid patients of spells.

Healing Icaros may be for specific conditions like manchare, which a child may suffer when it gets a fright. The spirit of a child is not so fixed in its body as that of an adult, therefore a small fall can easily cause it to fly. Manchare is a common reason for taking children to ayahuasca sessions.

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