Archive for April, 2011
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The Burren by Car : Self Drive Tour of the Burren
Posted on April 3rd, 2011 by admin
This trip has to be at the top of your itinerary if you fly into Shannon International Airport, as this route is easily accessible from there. So, before you get your flight, hire a car, so that when you arrive at the airport you can beat the car hire queues and spend more time exploring the countryside!
This driving route is roughly about 140km (if you end up in Ennis town); you can also have the option of continuing onto Galway or coming back to Limerick city.
Once you collect your car at Shannon Airport, make for the N18 to Ennis, which is about 20km away. This is the main road to Galway city. If you’re making your way from the east, north or southwest, follow directions for Ennis.
Exit Ennis on the N85 and head for Ennistymon, which will take you half an hour’s drive through the beautiful rugged countryside of County Clare. Ennistymon is a picturesque town located on a river in a wooden glen.
Next, to the town of Lahinch one of the country’s best-loved seaside resorts with a golden sandy beach, a world championship links course and endless opportunities for outdoor activities and water sports especially surfing.
As you drive along on the R478 coastal road you’re next stop will be the majestic Cliffs of Moher , which are truly a sight to behold – so get that camera ready! As you stand at the edge of the cliffs about 214 metres above the raging waters and look out over the Atlantic Ocean, you can see the Aran Islands, Galway Bay and the Twelve Pins Mountain Range. To learn lots more about the ocean, rocks and nature of this area, visit the nearby “Atlantic Edge” interpretive centre.
Back on the R478 again and you’ll come to Lisdoonvarna a town famous for its annual Matchmaking Festival. It has plenty of pubs where you are sure to come across a traditional Irish music session and the town is also renowned for having Ireland’s oldest Spa, which uses mineral waters rich in iron, sulphur and calcium.
You are now in the Burren, translated as Boireann a rocky place. The Burren is a magnet for archaeologists, botanists and geologists and people from all corners of the globe who come to admire its unique karst surface. If this distinctive landscape has you intrigued you can go to Kilfenora (R476 from Lisdoonvarna), where you’ll find The Burren Centre.
Should you want to visit the Aran Islands, follow signposts for Doolin, where you can get a boat ride out to the islands.
The next part of your journey is a beautiful coastal drive from Lisdoonvarna to Ballyvaughan, which should take you just over half an hour. But you might be tempted to pull over quite a bit to admire the superb views of the Ocean and the Aran Islands. A good viewing spot on this stretch of the journey is at ‘Black Head’, which overlooks the breathtaking Galway Bay and the hills of Connemara in the distance.
A short drive from Black Head will bring you to Ballyvaughan, a picturesque little fishing harbour at the shores of Galway Bay. It has some nice traditional Irish pubs and some good seafood restaurants.
As you leave the town look for signposts for Aillwee Cave. It is just one of many caves under the Burren which was carved out of limestone during the Ice Age. You can take a guided tour through the passageway and even see the remains of Bear bones! When you are finished in the caves, you can visit the farm shop, the garden centre, take a mountain walk or see cheese being made. Another attraction to see not too far away is the Poulnabrone Dolmen, which dates back to about 3,200BC!
Continue south on the R476 and you’ll see Leamaneh Castle, which can be admired from the roadside. This ruined 15th century castle and manor house was the residence of the O’Brien Clan and is steeped in a very long and eventful history.
Back on the R476 again until you come to Killinaboy where you’ll find a Sheela-na-Gig over the door of a 12th century church.
Follow the R476 from Killinaboy and you will finish up back in the town of Ennis. Ennis is the county town of Clare, which developed around a Franciscan Friary as a market town. It’s a pleasant town to stroll around with its narrow windy streets and old historic buildings.
You are sure to have returned to Ennis at this stage, with the most fantastic photos and lots of unforgettable memories, be it standing at the Cliffs of Moher overlooking the raging waters of the Atlantic Ocean, or walking the lunar landscape of the Burren and admiring its unusual flora and fauna. It could be mingling with the locals and enjoying the ‘craic’ in a bar in Lisdoonvarna, or walking the golden sands of Lahinch. Whatever you get up to you are sure to enjoy this fantastic day out.
Mairead Foley writes for the Ireland travel and accommodation website http://www.GoIreland.com
Visit www.GoIreland.com for all you need to know before visiting Clare, like what to see and where to go. You can also view B&Bs, guesthouses and self catering, as well as Clare hotels.
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He Was There When I Needed Him!
Posted on April 3rd, 2011 by admin
I was feeling very down. But it was the season of celebration, and I cannot let my feelings spoil the joyous mood for the other members of my family. It was the 1st day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, a very auspicious day for the Chinese Community. This was the time when all the members of my family will gather together at my parent’s house for a family reunion to renew our ties and where we will exchange the latest news about the goings-on with cousins, uncles, aunts and so on.
Unfortunately for me, it was during this time that I was suspended from work. Some charges had been made against me by my Section Manager and I had to be suspended pending the outcome of the investigation by the investigating officer.
To me, all the charges against me were very minor, hardly the stuff that warrant suspension from work, domestic enquiry and termination from work. But all these were carried through by the Section Manager as a legal means to remove me from her job section.
She knows how it works. According to the local labor laws, in order to terminate an employee, the company must be seen to act reasonably towards the employee, giving him/her a chance to change before giving him/her the final boot.
I must say she was a very determined and creative person when she carried out her plan.
She started to monitor my every movement. And so the sequence started. At the very first opportunity that presents itself – when I left the worksite when a machine has developed a fault – she initiated a charge against me. The show cause letter that I was issued with requires me to reply within 2 days. I did reply to that letter giving my reasons.
As it turned out, she was not even aware that there were standby machines available when she made the charges against me. Naturally, the charges had to be dropped. But the damages had been done – a lot of time wasting paperwork and ultimately, negative comments added to my personnel file. She did achieve her target – to let the process run its course – from verbal warning, written warning, domestic enquiry, to finally termination.
So as time went on, the Section Manager did manage to pick up more incidents that she can creatively classify as violations. Everybody in the department was expecting this but nobody dared to say anything, because after all, we did sign a declaration on our Job Description with a catch-all phrase, “to follow all other instructions from the Superior that may arise”. This means she can charge me with “insubordination” whenever I did not follow her instructions to the letter. It was so easy for her to pick on me.
The day finally came when she managed to initiate a domestic enquiry, and I had to answer to her ridiculous charges. I was suspended from work. The date for the domestic enquiry was fixed and the end of my career at the company was drawing to a close.
At that time, I remembered our Lord Jesus at the Garden of Gethsemane, just before his passion, fully aware that His hour of suffering and death was approaching fast. Even though my experience was relatively mild, the feeling was sickening. I knew that there was nothing much I can do against the “authorities” – the appointed Domestic Enquiry Panel members who were managers themselves. I can only speak the truth and hope that they can accept my point of view, but I knew my chances of winning the case was slim – even my witnesses dared not speak up for me for fear of repercussions later on.
I can fully understand their concerns. I do have a family to feed too. But losing my job is frightening and worrying. But I trusted in the Lord that he will see me through, maybe not with this job, but others…
Back at my parent’s house, my relatives were beginning to sense that something was disturbing me. Then we received a telephone call. It was from my 4th aunt and she said she will be coming to visit us in a few minutes time.
That was a real surprise. She is staying overseas! Now she said she will be with us in just a few minutes!
I must confess that I have not been keeping in touch with her all these years and so I was not really close to her. I was not really excited when she said she was coming. I was expecting just a normal, boring “getting-to-know-you” session full of shallow polite conversations of absolutely no importance. But I was in for a surprise. The Lord had a mission for her!
My 4th aunt is strong in her Christian faith and the Lord used her to bring me some cheer. She was in her 70′s, but what I found was a dynamic person, full of energy, simple and humble, approaching me and sharing her own work experience. She shared about the difficulties she faced in her business, how a well-known professional responded positively to her business partnership, how her life was changed and so many other details of her life that made a difference, all because of her faith in the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ.
When the time came for us to bid each other goodbye, I felt that I had known her for a very long time. It was a very emotional moment of departure and I felt very sad.
I can recognize the Lord in her. His spirit was there. The Lord was leaving and I felt very sad. And yet, I felt thrilled that I have met the Lord and I have spoken to him personally and he has comforted me tremendously. I felt so full of awe at how the Lord uses his servants to encourage me to stand firm in times of trouble.
Footnote: As it turned out, I went through the domestic enquiry, and as I had expected, I was found guilty by this “kangaroo court”. But that was not the end of my career. Much to the surprise of the Section Manager, and everyone else, including myself, I was reinstated by the General Manager, who was somehow moved to take this unprecedented step! Praise be to God!
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Barcelona and Gaudi
Posted on April 3rd, 2011 by admin
The capital city of Catalonia and the second largest city of Spain, the city of Barcelona is located in the comarca of Barcelons, along the Mediterranean coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Bess.
Said to have been founded in the 3rd century BC by the Carthaginians or the Phoenicians, Barcelona was also ruled by the Romans and Visigoths later. Captured by the Moors in AD 715, Barcelona was retaken by the Franks under Charlemagne in 801, and was made the capital of the Spanish March (Catalonia). After Catalonia united with Aragon in 1137, Barcelona became a flourishing commercial centre and the rival of Italian ports.
Modern Barcelona is the industrial, commercial, cultural and, educational centre of Spain. It is the seat of the Generalitat de Catalunya and its three branches- the Executive Government, the Parliament of Catalonia and the Supreme Court of Catalonia.
Unambiguously a Mediterranean city, not only due of its geographic location but also because of its rich cultural, history and traditions, Barcelona has rich history and culture and it has wonderful museums, theatres, art galleries, nightlife of impressive high standards and beside that this art and design centre has a lot of interesting sights for its visitors.
Barcelona is one of the most popular tourist destinations widely known for its great, historic, and amazing architecture. One of the stylish and elegant cities of the world, Barcelona attracts volumes of tourists every year. Modern Barcelona is known for its handsome architecture, including buildings by Antoni Gaud. The city has a great treasure of unique, fine, and historic edifices. Barcelonas architecture is one of its major tourist attractions.
The city offers a great collection of versatile and antique architecture. There are a number sites associated to Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona. Antoni Gaudi i Cornet was a leading Catalan architect who belonged to the Modernisme (Art Nouveau) movement and was famous for his exclusive style and highly idiosyncratic designs. Antoni Gaudis work in Barcelona led to the creation of some of the city’s most notable landmarks.Gaudi studied at the Escola Superior d’Arquitectura in Barcelona and configured his first major commission for the Casa Vincens in Barcelona using a Gothic Revival style that set a precedent for his future work. Gaudi’s work is admired by architects around the World and his fantastic designs have greatly influenced the face of Barcelona Architecture.
Antoni Gaudi created a sumptuous, curving, almost bizarre design style that recognized him as the pioneering leader of the Spanish Art Nouveau movement. Visitors can enjoy Gaudi’s work all over the city. Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, Colonia Guell and Park Guell are most famous work of Antoni Gaudi at Barcelona.
Casa Batll is a wonderful building designed by Antoni Gaudi on Passeig de Gracia. The building was designed by Gaudi for Josep Batll, a wealthy aristocrat, as an upmarket home. From the outside the frontage of this building looks like as it has been made from skulls and bones and colors and shapes used for this building founded in marine life. This building showcases stunning and original work that convinces visitors to come again and again.
Sagrada Familia, a giant temple is a truly magnificent building that has been under construction since 1882 is Gaudi’s most famous works in Barcelona. The building is not yet fully constructed so be prepared to see a lot of work continuing when you visit. However this in itself is interesting, especially if you visit the museum inside the building. There you will see the stone masons at work carving stones to be used in the building.
Casa Mil, usually known as La Pedrera is the largest civil building designed by Antoni Gaudi. It is conceived as superb and overpowering like waves of lava. Wavy walls made of rough-chipped stone suggest fossilized ocean waves, while doors and windows look like they are dug out of sand. The most astonishing part is the roof with an almost lunar appearance and dreamlike landscape. In 1984, UNESCO recognized Casa Mil as a World Heritage site, and it is today used for cultural expositions.
Colonia Guell sited outside the western borders of Barcelona is packed with green areas, cultural centers, theaters, libraries, schools and leisure areas. Most prominent are the church and its crypt, an architectural masterpiece typical of Gaud’s modernista style. Colonia Guell can still be visited in the town of Santa Coloma. There is an exhibit at the visitor center with English translations, but the best way to get a feel for the place is to just stroll around and discover its beauties.
Park Gell is a wide garden complex with architectural constituents located on the hill of el Carmel in the Grcia district of Barcelona. Gaudi was strongly influenced by natural shapes and also used them in his work. Guell Park encompasses astonishing stone structures, dazzling tiling and enthralling buildings. At the top of Guell park is a terraced area where visitors get a wonderful view of the park and of Barcelona City.
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Do the Dragon Dance at the Feast of the Drunken Dragon in Macau
Posted on April 3rd, 2011 by admin
The Feast of the Drunken Dragon has an interesting history. Legend has it that during the Qing Dynasty, villagers of mainland China were attacked with a plague. They called upon the Buddha to protect them, by parading a large statue of the Buddha through village streets. During the procession, a python (believed to have been sent from heaven) blocked their way. A drunken monk is then said to have cut the python into three pieces, and dancing in glee, threw the pieces into the river.
The river water turned red from the pythons blood and then the python is said to have re-emerged from the river and flown in to the skies. This was assumed as a sacred omen, since the python was believed to be a sacred dragon sent from heaven. After this the villagers discovered that the weeds growing in the river had accrued certain medicinal values that could cure plague.
Since then, the Feast of the Drunken Dragon is celebrated in the Chinese cities of Macau, Zhuhai and Zongshan where people dance the drunken dragon dance, in processions, while drinking and spitting out Chinese rice wine.
In Macau, the Feast of the Drunken Dragon has been regularly held for the past fifty years, on the eight day of the fourth month of the Chinese Lunar calendar. This day also coincides with the birthday of the Buddha and the feast of God Tam Kung. It begins with the traditional Chinese custom of eye-dotting which takes place at the Kuan Tai Temple in Senado Square. After this, the procession progresses to every fresh food market in Macau.
Another tradition during the Feast of the Drunken Dragon involves giving out longevity rice in lunch boxes (for free of course). This rice is supposed to give a long life and many offspring to the eater. Such lunch boxes are given out at Iao Hon, Holland Garden, Toi San and Patene along with Red Market and Sao Domingos Food Market.
If you stay at a luxury Macau hotel you can enjoy the festivities of this event first hand. The hotel will arrange all your itineraries if you so require, even allowing you to participate in the celebrations. The Sands Macao Resort Hotel is especially recognized for its concierge services, besides the luxury accommodations and ultra-modern conveniences.
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A Guide to Holidays in Matagorda, Lanzarote
Posted on April 3rd, 2011 by admin
On the south coast of Lanzarote is Matagorda situated on the quieter, more peaceful side of the Puerto Del Carmen. Matagorda is a low-key resort that is connected to its busy neighbour by a scenic promenade. So when those quiet bars just wont do, Puerto Del Carmen is just a short walk away!
Matagorda has its own commercial centre with a wide range of shops, bars and restaurants to cover all your needs! Matagorda is favoured amongst holiday makers because aside from the lively bars and superb restaurants, most places dont have those annoying touts outside, although this means you cant swindle a free drink!
Matagorda is home to a Blue Flag beach which is one of the best sports in Lanzarote to go windsurfing because of the stiff sea breeze. With silken sand, sultry seas, scorching sun and striking scenery, theres a lot to be said for the Matagorda beach! If too much sun-bed rest begins to grate then Timanfaya National Park is nearby with its lunar-like volcanic landscape. Lanzarotes other attractions such as the underground caves are worth a trip too!
Matagorda has some of the loveliest apartments and hotels in all of Lanzarote, the relaxing atmosphere and absence of high rise hotels making them the perfect getaway! A popular place to stay is the Hotel Beatriz Playa Matagorda because of its central location to the main areas of Matagorda. The Beatriz Matagorda has wonderful facilities such as a nightclub, a salon, restaurants and luxurious big pools. Expect quality if you go to Beatriz Matagorda
Another popular place to go is the Las Gaviotas Apartments. Las Gaviotas has a swimming pool to each block of apartments, a walkway directly to the beach which is great for night-time strolls and lush gardens so the scenery is terrific!
If you feel a yearning to go to Lanzarote, then Matagorda should be first on your list! The atmosphere is relaxed and excitement is never too far away!
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