The Cayman Islands : Dive into a Beautiful Vacation

If you are planning to travel to the Caribbean for you next vacation, you have many islands from which to choose for you destination. On such island that makes a beautiful place for a vacation is the overseas territory of the United Kingdom known as the Cayman Islands. If you love diving, this is an especially great place to visit, since is the world’s leading underwater diving tourist destination.

The Cayman Islands are made up of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. These islands are located in the western portion of the Caribbean Sea. The Cayman Islands are about 150 miles from Cuba and about 480 miles from Miami, Florida. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are sometimes known as the “Sister Islands” and are about 90 miles east of Grand Cayman Island, which is about 75 square miles. The islands are made up of large coral heads and is home to a number of exotic birds, fish, and land animals, including the endangered Blue Iguana, as well as The Grand Cayman Parrot and Cayman Brac Parrot, which are found only on these islands.

Tourism accounts for most of this island’s revenue, so while you are visiting these islands, the people there will surely cater to your every needs. World famous scuba diving is found here because of the clear waters and the proximity to the Cayman Wall. You can swim beside string rays and number of other amazing sea creatures while traveling in the Cayman Islands, as well as explore shipwrecks.

Outside of the water, you can check out popular spots like the black limestone fields, hiking trails, lighthouses, and museums. Cayman Sea Salt Co is also located here, as well as a number of financial institutions. In fact, many business men travel to the Cayman islands because this location is one of the world’s leading offshore financial centers.

Before you head to the Cayman Islands, it is important to understand a bit about the islands and make sure your paperwork is in order. You’ll need a passport to fly there, and maybe a visa, depending on where you live. Camping is illegal in the islands, which many do not realize when leaving, and if you are caught camping, you will spend time in jail. It is also important to make sure that you can show a return flight ticket. Visit the Cayman Islands can be lots of fun if you’re ready!

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10 Must-Dos When In Brussels

At the hub of European politics – Brussels is the cosmopolitan capital of bureaucracy. But when freed from the shackles of red tape, this compact capital of Belgium is a fascinating fusion of profound historical curiosity and contemporary living.

1. The Grand-Place
Brussels’ central square is the focal point of activity for locals and tourists alike. The heaving markets are bursting with souvenir-seeking bargain hunters. Look out for the town hall (Hotel de Ville), a magnificent example of 15th century architecture.

2. Manneken Pis
This sacred 17th century bronze statue of the small boy urinating is a Brussels landmark. Several legends exist as to the origins of this statue. One says it depicts a young boy urinating on a burning charge destined to blow up the city walls when under siege from a foreign army, thus saving the city from invasion. Whatever the truth, he is undeniable cute and has over 500 outfits, one for every occasion.

3. St Nicholas Church
Constructed in the 11th century, this fine example of medieval architecture is the oldest church in Brussels. If you are lucky, you may even catch one of the occasional services given in English.

4. Royales Galeries Sint-Hubert
Europe’s oldest glass arcade was designed by JP Cluysenaer and built in 1847. Home to fashionable boutiques and cool cafes, it was renovated and reopened in 2000. The arcade is worth visiting if only to experience the magnificent architecture.

5. Belgian Chocolate
No visit to Brussels is complete without experiencing the world famous Belgian chocolate. It has a quality all of its own and is the obvious choice for gifts to take back home.

6. Avenue Louise
If you crave a shopping fix then the Avenue Louise is the place to be. Designer shops aplenty provide ample opportunity to flex your spending power. Popular purchases include diamonds and antiques.

7. Waterzooi
This local Belgian speciality is a kind of fish stew and very popular with the locals. Other appetising native dishes include mussels, waffles, and sweetbreads.

8. Pistes de Lancement
If you are travelling with children, be sure to catch this clown festival during March. The Saint-Gilles region is awash with circus acts entertaining children and adults alike.

9. Flower Carpet
Throughout August, the Grand’ Place is subjected to a sea of colour as thousands of flowers are laid out in stunning patterns.

10. Christmas Market
The festive period is a flurry of activity as traditional Christmas stalls suddenly emerge. The effervescent displays keep you entertained between purchases as jugglers and musicians perform amongst the festive shoppers.

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An Indian Vacation and a Pilgrimage

A rich cultural heritage, varied wildlife, magnificent mountain ranges, picturesque beaches, exquisite temples and monuments, rejuvenating hill stations, that’s India for you, a premier vacation destination. However, aside from these attractions and the varied destinations, India is also famous for one other thing: pilgrimages. Quite an increasing number of visitors have found out that having an Indian vacation and a pilgrimage is quite an interesting and rewarding experience.

India is a practically a country that is very diverse. Almost all places in India offer its own attractions which draws a yearly influx of tourists and pilgrims from around the globe. Some of the more popular and notable pilgrimage destinations include the Golden Temple of Amritsar, the Dilwara temples of Mount Abu and the Palitana in Gujarat, Meenakshi. The Rock Fort in Tamil Nadu, the Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, Sabarimala and Guruvayur in Kerala and not to mention the Badami Caves in Karnataka are also targets of pilgrimage tourism.

Being the land of Gods and Goddess, India is at the very center of spiritual and religious activities. Pilgrims flock to holy towns and temples to have religious enlightenment or experiences may them be absolute believers or just tourists interested in India’s rich culture, heritage and spiritual beliefs. Nowadays, travel agencies and tours are packaging special pilgrimage packages for tourists who are looking at India as their next vacation destination.

Pilgrimages are as varied as the religions in India themselves. For example Christian, Jainism and Sikh pilgrimages are now commonly packaged as tours for vacationers in India. Places of worships, shrines, churches and locations where these religions began, flourished or even saw their demised in India are the prime destinations of such tours. For example, the cities like Calicut, Trivandrum, Madurai, Goa and Mumbai are famous for Christian churches which stand in testament to the unique and magnificent architectural feats of olden times. Similarly, the serene worship halls and shrines of Jainism believers offer yet another look at Indian architectural splendor.

Other pilgrimage destination sites include the revered Badrinath temple which is dedicated to Shri Badrinathji and was said to have been constructed by Adi Guru Shankaracharya. The Kedarnath in the state of Uttarakhand, one of the holiest pilgrimage destination in the country, houses the 12 holy Jyotirlingams. Another revered temple is the Vaishno Devi Temple in Katra. The place is so revered by Hindus that those residing in Northern India would make it a point to visit the temple once in their lifetime.

Tirupti Balaji temple which is situated on the seventh peak of the Tirupati hill is said to be richest temple in the country and perhaps even in the world. It has a rich history behind which spans for centuries. Another temple which perhaps rival the popularity of other pilgrimage sites is the Haridwar Temple which is considered the gateway to other sites in Uttrakhand region.

It is said that Haridwar Temple was blessed by the trinity of Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. The temple is said to purify the mind, the body and the soul of pilgrims. It has become the center of spirituality in the region and incidentally also of arts, science and culture.

We can go on citing pilgrimage sites in India and we will run out of space before we run out of sites to mention. The richness of India’s spiritual and religious traditions is truly an experience worth trying. An Indian vacation and a pilgrimage is something that should never be set aside.

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