425

If you travel frequently to the same destination it may be wise to purchase a larger sum of money dependent on the current currency exchange rates.

The rates can fluctuate and if you become aware of a favorable rate it is a good investment to purchase more money at that time.

If you’re planning on traveling to another country you’ll find yourself wondering about current currency exchange rates. It’s important to know how far your dollars will go when you get to your des…

current currency exchange rates,exchange rates,exchange your money

If you travel frequently to the same destination it may be wise to purchase a larger sum of money dependent on the current currency exchange rates.

The rates can fluctuate and if you become aware of a favorable rate it is a good investment to purchase more money at that time.

If you’re planning on traveling to another country you’ll find yourself wondering about current currency exchange rates. It’s important to know how far your dollars will go when you get to your destination.

You simply need to conduct a search looking for current currency exchange rates. Once you’ve chosen a site the rest is very easy.

You put in the amount that you’d liked converted and then choose the country whose currency you have and the country whose currency you want to.

These sites have the current currency exchange rates and you’ll see exactly what your money is worth.

It can also be confusing if you try to exchange money at a financial institution in the country you are visiting. Although most foreign banks have English speaking associates who will explain the current currency exchange rates to you, some don’t.

If this is the case and you don’t speak the language of the country you are visiting it can be frustrating exchanging your money there.

One method of finding out current currency exchange rates is to visit your local bank. They will have the most up to date rates. Your bank can also exchange your money for you prior to your trip.

Many banks also offer this service over the phone. They will quote the current currency exchange rates in messages that are recorded daily. The bank’s customer simply calls an automated system and can listen to the current currency exchange rates at their convenience.

Many of these types of vendors actually charge a significant service fee for this. Therefore although the current currency exchange rates may be favorable the service fee could make your trip more expensive than you had planned.

Many people wait until they arrive in their destination country before exchanging their money. In many airports there are vendors who will do this for you. Although this is a very convenient method of exchanging money it can also be costly.

If you are traveling sometime in the future and want to ensure that you get the best value for your dollar you can check out current currency exchange rates on the internet. There are several websites that offer this information for free.

1014

A guide to the Chinatown Bus

The word is out-the cheapest way to get from one major U.S. city to another is on the “Chinatown bus? In recent years this has become transportation option of choice for budget travelers in New York, Washington DC, and Boston, and more recently on the West Coast. Students, backpackers, and an array of other savvy travelers have long loved the rock bottom prices that these bus companies offer. Despite the popularity of these bus lines it can st…

chinatown bus, budget travel, US transportation

A guide to the Chinatown Bus

The word is out-the cheapest way to get from one major U.S. city to another is on the “Chinatown bus? In recent years this has become transportation option of choice for budget travelers in New York, Washington DC, and Boston, and more recently on the West Coast. Students, backpackers, and an array of other savvy travelers have long loved the rock bottom prices that these bus companies offer. Despite the popularity of these bus lines it can still be difficult to find information on Chinatown bus service.

What exactly is a “Chinatown Bus? Read on and you will have the inside track on this great budget travel option.

Chinatown Bus history

The Chinatown bus phenomenon began in the late 1990s when an entrepreneur in New York’s Chinatown started running daily bus service from Chinatown in New York to Chinatown in Boston. The service was aimed at Asian immigrants who wanted to shop or visit relatives in either city and needed cheap and convenient transportation. The service was bare bones-no advertising, customer service, or bus stations. Customers simply went to the bus stop, waited for the bus (or van), and paid the driver upon boarding. For those willing to do without frills, they offered virtually the same service as traditional bus companies at a substantially lower price. Before long, the word spread and all kinds of people started using the service. It became especially popular with students, budget travelers, or people for whom the service was simply more convenient.

Soon more bus companies duplicated this model and started offering service in other cities. Now you can find this type of bus service in Philadelphia, Virginia, Baltimore Washington DC, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco. At this point the term “Chinatown bus?is used more loosely to describe this sort of low-cost/low-frills service. Many, if not most, of the companies do not have Chinatown as their main location and may not cater to the immigrant population at all. These operators are also sometimes referred to as “curbside?operators.

How can tickets be so cheap?

$15 between New York to Boston? $25 from Las Vegas to Los Angeles? It seems hard to fathom. Chinatown bus companies are able to keep prices low because they operate in a fundamentally different way from traditional carriers. Foremost, the service is very basic. There is little in the way of customer service or amenities. Most of these operators do not have formal stations, picking up passengers at bus stops instead. They eschew traditional advertising in favor of word of mouth. Further, many of the operators play a very hands-on role in the operation-you will not see idle executives at a small independent bus company. Finally, these operators make sure they fill their buses. That is why Chinatown bus operators usually only operate on heavily trafficked routes. Indeed some companies only run buses at peak times.

Are they safe?

When these companies first started operating, concerns were raised about safety standards. There is still controversy within the bus industry about whether these newcomers are complying with the same regulations as the traditional companies. However, a task force set up by the Federal government to look at safety issues found that Chinatown bus companies did not perform better or worse than other types of bus companies (ie. charter, tour buses). All bus companies operating in the U.S. must undergo the same inspection standards and must comply with the same rules. Realistically there is probably a range of quality among Chinatown bus carriers. Some are fly-by-night operators trying to make a fast buck, while others are legitimate entrepreneurs who plan to grow and operate a long term business.

What you should expect

 No frills service-the driver may be the ticket collector; there will not be a lot of customer service.

 Comfortable buses. Despite the low fares buses are usually quite nice. Most buses are comparable to Greyhound and many are actually more deluxe.

 Communication challenges. Drivers are legally required to speak enough English to help passengers in the case of emergency. In reality this is often adhered to rather loosely. At the very least, expect your driver to have an accent.

 Possible delays. Many of these bus routes are on highly congested roads. When the roads are busy, expect delays.

 Rest stops. Buses will have a lavatory on board but there is usually a 10 or 15 minute bathroom break on trips over 4 hours. Don’t be late returning to the bus, the driver will not count heads before leaving at the appointed time.

 Full buses. Buses definitely sell out at peak times (weekends and evenings). Book ahead or get there early if you want secure a seat.

 Plastic Bags. An odd little quirk on Chinatown buses is that every aisle seat usually has a plastic grocery bag tied to the arm. I guess they find this is the best way to keep the buses clean.

How do I find the Chinatown Bus?

Again, “Chinatown bus?is a term used to describe a type of operator and not an individual bus company. Many unrelated bus companies fall into this category. Since most Chinatown buses do not spend money on advertising it can be difficult to find out details about schedules and bus stop locations. Many of the carriers are becoming savvier about the Internet and quite a few have websites with information. Usually an Internet search will yield links to bus service to your destination. There are also several directories, such as chinatown-bus.org that include links for most Chinatown bus companies and the author’s employer, GotoBus.com, is a centralized booking site that has schedules and sells tickets online for most Chinatown bus companies.

The Chinatown bus is not for everyone. If you want an orderly system with American style customer service, you should probably stick to traditional carriers. However, if you know what to expect and come prepared with a sense of adventure and humor, you should enjoy the trip just fine. You will also enjoy the money you save!

562

Online Backpacker travel insurance will take care of you during your longer than usual travels…read on.

Cheap Travel Insurance, Travel Insurance UK, Worldwide Travel Insurance, Cheap Annual Travel Insurance, Cheap Family Travel Insurance, Travel Insurance Quote, Ski Insurance, Holiday Insurance

What is a backpacker travel insurance?

Backpacker travel insurance is not the same as annual holiday insurance, this is mistake many young travelers make when purchasing insurance. Annual holiday insurance is designed for your average holiday maker, who goes abroad a couple of times a year usually for a week or two at a time, and spends most of their time relaxing on the beach. This is very different to the habits of your average backpacker, if there is such a thing as an average backpacker. If you are planning on travelling for long periods of time annual holiday insurance usually doesn’t cover your stay out of the country for more than a few weeks at a time.

Backpacker travel insurance initially covers any travel period from a total of 90 days to a one year trip, with a pay as you go benefit enabling you to extend, as often as you want to, the duration of your travel insurance up to 18 months. Online Backpacker travel insurance will take care of you during your longer than usual travels, but will also give you the freedom to fill this time with exciting opportunities as you will automatically be covered for a huge range of hazardous sport that you may get the chance to try.

Hopefully it’ll be an adventure of a life time, but you’ll be visiting strange places where you may not even speak the language. Don’t worry, you’ll no more feel like a stranger in an unknown world. Find all your information on travel insurance online. Avail of trip cancellation insurance and holiday insurance. Other features include temporary car insurance, health insurance, medical insurance and prescription services.It’s wise to have a good choice for all backpackers and people backpacking around the world, whether you have taken a gap year and taking time out from your studies, business or just a holiday, vacations, working abroad or studying abroad as a student. Get special covers on adventurous sports, skiing, and providing protection for activities such as scuba diving, paragliding, bungee jumping and winter sports.

Baggage and Possessions Cover. Ensure that your policy protects your possession or you will be unable to claim any compensation for stolen or lost items. Your policy should also cover any administrative costs incurred in the event that your passport is stolen and needs to be reissued.

Emergency Medical Cover. This will provide financial cover for any costs you have to make in the event that you need medical attention.

Holiday Cancellation. If due to unforeseen circumstances you have to cancel your trip early, you will be compensated for any monies lost.

Personal Liability. This is legal cover for any accident, injury or harm you might inadvertently inflict on another individual.

Rescue and Repatriation. In the event of a medical emergency rescue, all your costs will paid by your insurer. This should include helicopter rescue.

Travel Delay. Compensation for any money lost due to a delayed departure, though this will often only be paid after you have been delayed for a set length of time outlined in the policy wording.

Always learn to verify the terms and conditions of any insurance. Carry out research online, always compare the Backpacker Travel Insurance insurance package rate and be aware of the fact that a cheap insurance is not the best one. Comparing different insurance packages is quite essential.

901

Voici pour vous un petit guide de voyage pour decouvrir Berlin en toute intimite.

Berlin,mur de berlin,berlin divertissement,voyage berlin,verliebt in berlin,berlin shopping

Le mur de Berlin, appel?également le mur de la honte, fut érig?dans la nuit du 12 au 13 août 1961, démarquant ainsi la RFA ( République Fédérale ) et la RDA (République démocratique) sous le contrôle des puissances occidentales et communistes. Des milliers de personnes de la RDA ont alors tente de traverser le mur au prix de leur vie. Le Mur, séparant physiquement la ville en ?Berlin-Est ?et ?Berlin-Ouest ? est pendant près de trente ans le symbole de la guerre froide et de la partition de l’Allemagne ?l’issue de la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Mais qu’en reste t’il aujourd’hui et comment les berlinois ont-ils relev?ce défi de la libert?retrouvée?

Au niveau historique, Berlin est l’une des villes européennes les plus anciennes ayant ét?fondée en l’an 1200. Son nom actuel est probablement d?au mot slave berlen. Pour les touristes en nostalgie d’architecture ancienne, ne comptez pas sur Berlin. Les seuls endroits vous donnant cette chance de pouvoir ressentir son pass?se trouve au Nikolaiviertel (Quartier Nicolas0, près de l’hôtel de ville. Le touriste averti remarquera bien vite que Berlin ne laisse pas indifférent de par sa discontinuit?

C’est cette discontinuit?qui fait de Berlin une ville peu ordinaire, très convoitée par les touristes et la jeunesse.

Berlin est une ville passionnante et accueillante, sans cesse en mouvement. Classique ou moderne, venez retrouver avec plaisir une architecture unique au monde. Bien que moderne, il est possible au touriste de retrouver l’histoire de la ville depuis l’an 1200 jusqu’?nos jours en traversant des quartiers particuliers, ayant notamment conserv?l’architecture typique du communisme ou tout se ressemble ainsi que le style américano européen.

Mais dès la destruction du mur, le bloc est et Berlin en particulier, a vite combl?ce manque aussi bien au niveau architectural que culturel. On compte aujourd’hui dans tout le Berlin réunifi?près de 150 théâtres, 300 galeries, 180 musées et surtout, 3 des meilleurs casinos allemands.

La réputation des casinos berlinois n’est plus ?faire, les experts en jeux de cartes ou machines ?sous vous le diront. A ce niveau, Berlin se retrouve au deuxième rang national avec ses trois casino bien côtés parmi les 126 répartis sur le territoire.

Ainsi, si les Berlinois sont fiers de leur ville, c’est surtout en raison de ses activités nocturnes et de sa jeunesse que pour son pass?écorch?au cours du XXe siècle. Le touriste arriv?la veille au soir et ayant profitez de la vie nocturne berlinoise risquerait de manquer de courage de se rendre dans les lieux suivants, et passerais alors ?côt?de beaucoup de choses.

La première visite ?effectuer obligatoirement est le Palais du Reichstag, considér?comme le monument par excellence et le plus représentatif de Berlin avec la Porte de Brandebourg. Le Reichstag a traverse tous les événements historiques de Berlin pour n’avoir au final rempli sa fonction que pendant 40 ans.

Une fois remis de vos émotions, promenez vous sur la Unter den Linden, avenue correspondant aux Champs Elysées français s’étendant sur 1,4km et offrant ?elle seule plus d’histoire que la ville moderne puisse vous offrir. On y retrouvera avec délectation la Schlossbrùcke, le Zeughaus,l’édifice du Nouveau corps de garde ainsi que le théâtre Maxime Gorki,et le Palais am festungsgraben.

Mais Berlin c’est aussi sa cathédrale,sa tour de télévision,et l’Alexander Platz, sans oublier Friedrichstrass, Place Gendarmenmarkt : l’église française et l’église allemande, Charlie Checkpoint, Topographie de la Terreur, Le musée Juif, Potsdamer Platz, La Nouvelle Galerie nationale, Le Forum de la Culture, Le Parc de Tiergarten, La colonne de la victoire (Siegessäule), Le Jardin zoologique, L’église commémorative de Guillaume Ier, Kurfürstendamm, Les musées de Charlottenbourg : le musée égyptien et la collection Berggruen, Le château de Charlottenbourg, Le parc de Charlottenbourg et pour ceux ayant le temps: Les archives du Bauhaus, Le quartier Scheunenviertel : la Nouvelle Synagogue et les Hackesche Höfe, Les musées de Dahlem, Le musée d’Art Contemporain de la gare de Hambourg, Le Vieux Musée, La Maison de Brecht.

Déouvrez également tous les programmes culturels et sociaux proposés par Berlin tout au long de l’année. Tous les soirs, des opéras et pièces de théâtre sont mis en scène de façon somptueuse,sans oublier ses nombreux concerts.
Mais Berlin c’est aussi: dès le mois de janvier la nuit des musées, en février le festival du cinéma, pour continuer sur sa lancée avec la Foire du Tourisme et biennale de Musique en mars. Pour la Pentecôte, amusez vous lors du Carnaval des cultures ?Kreuzberg par la Love Parade – rendez-vous international incontournable des fans de techno en juin et le Festival des Musiques d’ailleurs au Tempodrom au mois de juillet,. Au mpois d’août sur Gendarmenmarkt bougez vous au Festival international de Danse afin de vous préparez en septembre au Marathon de Berlin et découvrir l’ Art Forum. Octobre, profitez de la fête du Jazz Fest. Au niveau culturel profitez du mois de novembre avec les Journées de la culture juive et les marchés de Noël de décembre.

855

One of the more popular ways to access a resort these days is through owning a timeshare at one. But there are many factors to consider. If you decide to get brave and go to a presentation, be sure to go with an open mind. But also be careful.

Often, the first exposure we receive to timeshare ownership comes from filling out a coupon to win a vehicle or receive a cheap or free vacation in the sun or at a ski resort. For some this happens at fairs, in restaurants or at car …

resort,travel,timeshare

One of the more popular ways to access a resort these days is through owning a timeshare at one. But there are many factors to consider. If you decide to get brave and go to a presentation, be sure to go with an open mind. But also be careful.

Often, the first exposure we receive to timeshare ownership comes from filling out a coupon to win a vehicle or receive a cheap or free vacation in the sun or at a ski resort. For some this happens at fairs, in restaurants or at car dealerships. For others first contact is through a (not-so-well-timed) phone call interrupting dinner and offering a free or inexpensive short hotel stay in exchange for a couple of hours of your time. Occasionally, some well-meaning or profit-motivated relative, friend or associate will give out your co-ordinates. On vacation in Mexico, it is not unusual to be stopped in the street of a coastal vacation city and offered a free day of island hopping on board a boat, with stops for horseback riding, meals and a “happy hour” in exchange for foregoing some time in the sun for a presentation.

As long as you understand that accepting these offers can be the prelude to several hours (they usually tell you two hours – take that with a grain of salt) of presentations – slide and/or film shows, discussions, property-viewing and – in some rare cases – browbeating, there is a benefit versus detriment ratio to look at. You need to weigh the benefits of initiating the process required to receive the offer/prize against the cost in travel to and from the resort presentation site, time in the presentation and negotiation.

It may seem surprising that so many people with absolutely no intention of purchasing a timeshare property end up walking away the owners of an annual week of tropical heaven or cool skiing. But then, perhaps it shouldn’t be that surprising. The salespeople are usually chosen to be compatible with or complementary to the average timeshare client – they aspire to create a climate conducive to making a sale.

Even if you intend to turn down the offer (you only want to try for the prize!) the timeshare salespeople are trained in the best ways to turn your NO into a YES. In most instances, the salesperson will bring in a more senior person (usually the sales manager) either to use their superior persuasion skills, use psychology skills on you, try a different personality type, exercise fluency in making deals, fast-talking or merely utilize their ability to sweeten the offer. Sound like buying a car? Well, resorts and cars have that in common.

Usually there’s a meal provided at the presentation – more dangerous to the negative attendee perhaps being the champagne breakfast. Those little bubbles tickling the nose will often loosen the tighter pocketbooks and wallets. And what better than a good meal to move the prospective resort property owner into timeshare convert. It’s a poor salesperson that does not make a non-buyer feel badly for failing them! Few resort salespeople starve – the sales manager can often provide the addition purchase incentive – and there’s usually a free meal available until the resort seller gets consistent good results.

Where does the resort get the money to pay for the prize SUV, vacation dollars, delicious meal or tickets to Sea World? Well, obviously the resort company needs a marketing budget. This is derived from the eventual profits to be made from each sale. Actually, it’s the resort purchasers who pay for both successful and unsuccessful sales efforts. So, if you actually intend to purchase you should hold out for the best deal possible.

This means don’t accept the first, or the second, or even the third offer you hear from the sales team. Invoke every opportunity to have them make you a better offer. Don’t worry, as long as you are in some kind of negotiation – even if it looks like you are very negative on the value of the deal – there is someone on site who can improve the offer in some way. This can go on until the sales manager is reluctantly closing your car door for you after spending 4 or 5 hours of hard bargaining.

THIS IS THE POINT AT WHICH YOU SHOULD CONSIDER ACCEPTING THE LAST DEAL BUT WITH ONE MORE UPGRADE.

You have outstayed most all of the presentation attendees, the salespeople want to go home, and you have heard pretty much all the offers they have to make. The sales team is ready to go as far as they have ever gone before – maybe farther. Make your last pitch to hear their best and final offer – that last one-week stay in Atlantis in the Bahamas or that vacation certificate that can be used every year, which the sales manager was going to use to take his significant other for a sun-and-sea-filled week as a surprise.

Remember the power of negotiation. Resort owners are not used to dealing with hard bargainers. So take advantage of it. Get every penny out of it you can, then let it go and enjoy your new resort.

556

El Bacar?tiene el estilo elegante y sensual que acompaño al legendario James Bond desde los años 50 hasta su último estreno.

movies,film,movie,entertainment,James Bond,casinos,baccarat

El Agente 007 y su audacia con el juego continúan deslumbrando año tras año a sus sensuales compañeras en escena y derrotando a sus astutos enemigos.

El Bacara: El Juego preferido del clásico James Bond: Bacar?y el Agente 007

El Bacar?es el clásico juego de apuestas originado en Italia en el siglo 15 y es también característico del famoso espía 007. En cada escena lo identifican una elegancia y excelencia, que junto con su impecable Martini en mano y las apuestas en otra James Bond ha mantenido una leyenda desde su origen desde los años 50 hasta el presente. Es as?como el espía ingles domina la versión francesa del juego Bacar?llamada Chemin de Fer con gran talento y admiración.

Bacara siempre fue popular entre la alta sociedad, especialmente en el siglo 15, cuando surgi?en Italia. Bacara significa cero en italiano y a lo largo de su expansión en diferentes países nuevas reglas y variaciones fueron inventadas y adaptadas como en Estados Unidos o en Francia el Chemin de Fer, o el denominado Juego de James Bond.

El juego consiste en el “Jugador” y la “Banca” el nombre que se la a las opciones de apuestas, estos son repartidos dos o tres cartas cada uno con el objetivo simple de llegar a 9 sin pasarse de el. Mientras tanto la banca decide según las reglas del juego cuando detener la jugada y los jugadores ya han debido apostar a cual de las dos Jugador o Banca ganara la mano. Los jugadores o el jugador apuesta y el que apuesta a la mano que gano el puntaje mas correcto, gana la mano. En la adaptación americana, el juego funciona en contra a la banca, mientras que en Chemin de Fer, los jugadores compiten el uno con el otro. Uno representa al jugador y el otro a la Banca.

En compañía del Chemin de Fer los libros de Ian Fleming junto a las adaptaciones en escena de James Bond, han deslumbrado por décadas las diferentes aventuras del espía, con ayuda de su impecable poder del juego y su atractivo estilo. Hasta su último estreno en el 2006 James Bond sigue disfrutando de la lujuria de las mesas verdes de los casinos junto a su cigarro y el su sensual compañera en acción. En el anio 1964, las novelas y capítulos de James Bond, fueron escritas por Kingsley Amis, John Pearson, John Gardner, Raymond Benson, y Charlie Higson. Tambien sus actores variaron comenzando con el conocido Sean Connery, siguiendo con Geroge Lazenby, Roger Moore, Tomothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan y Daniel Craig.

Si observas, es muy interesante ver la manera en que el Agente apuesta al juego y a su vez actúa y descubre los secretos que lo rodean con la misma rapidez, seguridad y astucia. Enlas películas de James Bond el juego Chemin de Fer transcurre en elegantes salas llenas de mujeres elegantes y hombres adinerados que detrás del juego tienen otros intereses por revelar. En la realidad el enlace entre el Bacar?y El Agente 007 es de un acompañante fiel de aventuras secretas y emocionantes de mas de cinco décadas que hicieron de el una leyenda inolvidable que resurge de generación en generación.

315

Finding cheap family vacation packages has never been easier with the information and speed of the internet. Family vacations can become expensive and even more so the larger the size of the family.

To search for cheap family vacation packages appropriate for you and your family, you can find results faster if you already know answers to questions like these:

1. What kind of trip do you want? Have you decided what city or destination you want? Will you travel to a singl…

cheap family vacation packages,cheap vacation package deals,cheap vacation packages,

Finding cheap family vacation packages has never been easier with the information and speed of the internet. Family vacations can become expensive and even more so the larger the size of the family.

To search for cheap family vacation packages appropriate for you and your family, you can find results faster if you already know answers to questions like these:

1. What kind of trip do you want? Have you decided what city or destination you want? Will you travel to a single destination or will there be more than one city involved in your vacation? Do you wish to have a family theme park vacation or a specific activities-related vacation such as hiking, skiing or wind-surfing?

2. What type of cheap family vacation package do you want?

a. Flights, car and hotel
b. Flights and hotel only
c. Hotel and car only

3. Where will you be departing from and when will you leave?

4. How long will your vacation stay be?

5. How many adults, children and/or seniors will be traveling?

With answers to the above questions, you will be able to quickly begin serious online searching for the best cheap family vacation packages available.

Another type of the cheap family vacation packages becoming more and more popular are the “Road Trip” family vacations. You enter your zip code and number of hours maximum you want to drive by car, then search for popular destinations within your specified number of driving hours and the vacation packages that are available.

From mountains and beaches to national and state parks, theme parks and destination cities – there are so many possibilities available with internet search capability. Years ago, it took a lot of effort and time to search and compare vacation packages. Not any more!

Don’t let finding a great vacation package price be the problem that keeps you from having that deserved vacation with your family.

Copyright 2006 InfoSearch Publishing

669

Review of the most famous cases of art thefts in history including the stealing of the Mona Lisa and The Scream.

art theft,art thefts,art fakers,art,Mona Lisa,Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum,art thieves,Edvard Munch,The Scream,arts,painting,paintings,drawing

Art theft is an ancient and complicated crime. When you look at the some of the most famous cases of art thefts in history, you see thoroughly planned operations that involve art dealers, art fakers, mobsters, ransoms, and millions of dollars. Here you can read about some of the most famous cases of art theft in the history.

The First Theft:
The first documented case of art theft was in 1473, when two panels of altarpiece of the Last Judgment by the Dutch painter Hans Memling were stolen. While the triptych was being transported by ship from the Netherlands to Florence, the ship was attacked by pirates who took it to the Gdansk cathedral in Poland. Nowadays, the piece is shown at the National Museum in Gdansk where it was recently moved from the Basilica of the Assumption.

The Most Famous Theft:
The most famous story of art theft involves one of the most famous paintings in the world and one of the most famous artists in history as a suspect. In the night of August 21, 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen out of the Louver. Soon after, Pablo Picasso was arrested and questioned by the police, but was released quickly.

It took about two years until the mystery was solved by the Parisian police. It turned out that the 30?1 inch painting was taken by one of the museum employees by the name of Vincenzo Peruggia, who simply carried it hidden under his coat. Nevertheless, Peruggia did not work alone. The crime was carefully conducted by a notorious con man, Eduardo de Valfierno, who was sent by an art faker who intended to make copies and sell them as if they were the original painting.

While Yves Chaudron, the art faker, was busy creating copies for the famous masterpiece, Mona Lisa was still hidden at Peruggias apartment. After two years in which Peruggia did not hear from Chaudron, he tried to make the best out of his stolen good. Eventually, Peruggia was caught by the police while trying to sell the painting to an art dealer from Florence, Italy. The Mona Lisa was returned to the Louver in 1913.

The Biggest Theft in the USA:
The biggest art theft in United States took place at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. On the night of March 18, 1990, a group of thieves wearing police uniforms broke into the museum and took thirteen paintings whose collective value was estimated at around 300 million dollars. The thieves took two paintings and one print by Rembrandt, and works of Vermeer, Manet, Degas, Govaert Flinck, as well as a French and a Chinese artifact.

As of yet, none of the paintings have been found and the case is still unsolved. According to recent rumors, the FBI are investigating the possibility that the Boston Mob along with French art dealers are connected to the crime.

The Scream:
The painting by Edvard Munchs, The Scream, is probably the most sought after painting by art thieves in history. It has been stolen twice and was only recently recovered. In 1994, during the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, The Scream was stolen from an Oslo gallery by two thieves who broke through an open window, set off the alarm and left a note saying: thanks for the poor security.

Three months later, the holders of the painting approached the Norwegian Government with an offer: 1 million dollars ransom for Edvard Munchs The Scream. The Government turned down the offer, but the Norwegian police collaborated with the British Police and the Getty Museum to organize a sting operation that brought back the painting to where it belongs.

Ten years later, The Scream was stolen again from the Munch Museum. This time, the robbers used a gun and took another of Munchs painting with them. While Museum officials waiting for the thieves to request ransom money, rumors claimed that both paintings were burned to conceal evidence. Eventually, the Norwegian police discovered the two paintings on August 31, 2006 but the facts on how they were recovered are not known yet.

397

I’m making an assumption that at want point in your life you’ve been a tourist. You’ve carried a map, a camera, maybe even had a tour guide. You’ve traveled to different destinations, relaxed on remote beaches, climbed stairs in buildings you see on television. You’ve done all of these things but some how when you get arrive home, all your left with is a short memory, and a few photographs.

Vacations are nice every once in a while, but it doesn’t make sense to me why we will travel

Are you a Traveler?

I’m making an assumption that at want point in your life you’ve been a tourist. You’ve carried a map, a camera, maybe even had a tour guide. You’ve traveled to different destinations, relaxed on remote beaches, climbed stairs in buildings you see on television. You’ve done all of these things but some how when you get arrive home, all your left with is a short memory, and a few photographs.

Vacations are nice every once in a while, but it doesn’t make sense to me why we will travel thousands of miles to sit in hotel rooms and watch movies, or lie on a pool deck and catch some rays. These are all things that we can do where we are from, I want you to think about being a traveler not a tourist. You want to soak in as much of the new country and culture that you can rather than bring as much of your culture to them. It’s really quite simple. In one step you need to forget about your way of live, and adopt theirs.

It’s simple things like the mindset that we have when we go abroad, and what we bring. Don’t bring all of the things that we depend on in America. Bring what it is that you are going to need to survive and stay healthy during your visit. The more comforts you have, the more you will depend on them, and the less you will step out to become the traveler you ought to be!

Put yourself out there. Locals are always interested to interact with foreigners, and it’s best to take advantage of this. Meet people that you can share life with while you are in their country. Immerse into their culture and be open to new idea’s. A lot of times we are closed to new idea’s and we miss out on opportunities for better things to come along. Be open, willing and accepting.

If you want to be changed, and to experience you need to leave the tourist at home. Bring out the inner traveler in you and see the world in the way that it was meant to be seen.

Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the following caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.

521

Andalucia, which is Spain’s southernmost autonomous community, is a place of unrivalled natural beauty. The state, which consists of eight provinces, each unique in its own offerings is rising up meteorically on everyone’s chart of the best tourist destinations in the world due to its varied and till now, untouched and undiscovered beauty. Andalucia’s natural beauty is unique in itself because it is one of those rare places on earth that offer mankind all the treasures of nature at one place. So

costa tropical, andalucia, almunecar, salobrena, granada, motril, castell de ferro, alpujarras

Andalucia, which is Spain’s southernmost autonomous community, is a place of unrivalled natural beauty. The state, which consists of eight provinces, each unique in its own offerings is rising up meteorically on everyone’s chart of the best tourist destinations in the world due to its varied and till now, untouched and undiscovered beauty. Andalucia’s natural beauty is unique in itself because it is one of those rare places on earth that offer mankind all the treasures of nature at one place. So while the region boasts of sandy beaches and untouched countryside villages on one hand, it is complemented by snow covered peaks and lush jungles on the other. Excellent weather, more than 3000 sunny hours an year, beautiful natural ports, awe inspiring historical monuments and inhabitants who are full of life and hospitality have made Andalusia one place where everybody wants to go.
No wonder then, that the eight provinces of Andalucia– Cadiz, Cordoba, Almeria, Jaen, Granada, Huelva, Malaga and Seville-boast not just of a large number of tourists at any time of the year, but also of a varied cosmopolitan environment created by thousands of expatriates who have made this beautiful state their home. However, the people of this community, instead of taking away from the natural beauty of this place, have added to Andalucia’s charm because of their extremely tolerant, exuberant and fun loving nature.
Andalucia’s untouched beauty has something to offer to everyone. While the coastlines of Cadiz and Huelva boast of Atlantic beaches and seas that are perfect for water sports, the coastline from Almeria to the Strait of Gibraltar offers a smooth sailing climate that perfect for nature and animal lovers. If you want more action then you can head towards the tourist centers of Costa del Sol, Costa Tropical, the Costa de la Luz and Costa Almeria along the region’s 900 kilometer coast line. There are a large number of places on the coast where whale Andalucian tourist spots are famous not just for their natural beauty, but also for their hip and happening social scene, discos, nightclubs and a large amount of celebrity population that keeps frequenting them. Sports lovers can have fun skiing on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range on indulging in a wide variety of water sports on the coast.
On the other hand, if you want to experience the peace and quiet of the countryside, you can turn towards the famous “white villages?in the provinces of Seville, Cadiz, Granada and Cordoba, which transport modern day travelers to almost medieval villages where life seems to have stopped at a perfect point in time. The villages?old world charm is peppered by scenes of natural beauty —lush green mountains, meadows and fields that reassure you that yes indeed, Andalucia is paradise on earth. If you are an adventure or nature lover, then a trip to at least one of the famous national parks is a must for you. Not only will you be able to see a large number of endangered species and other wild animals, the trek itself is an unforgettable adventure.