IF YOU ARE GOING TO SAN FRANCISCO

One of the most vibrant and picturesque cities in the United States, San Francisco attracts a lot of tourists every year. San Francisco offers a significant number of cultural attractions and world famous landmarks, all in the surroundings of impressive natural beauty.
The first settlement here was built in the end of the XVI century by the Spanish conquers and received its name in honor of Saint Francisc.
Now San Francisco is called the pearl of the Western Coast. It’s a unique mix of the old architecture (of the Victorian period) and the modern buildings. The city lies on the hills surrounding the ocean. San Francisco is on of the most poetic cites in the United States, the city of bohemia with its special fleur and atmosphere. The city has its nickname – Frisco.
San Francisco is known for its wonderful food, intensive nightlife and its glorious views. Golden Gate Bridge is one of the world-known symbols of San Francisco and the view of the sunset is the best here. The bridge is 210m high.
Every month of the year there is something interesting happening in San Francisco – festivals and different cultural events are carried out throughout the year. As for climate and weather, of course, summer months are the best choice for visiting this city, but you won’t mistake if you choose another season for traveling. San Francisco isn’t a cold city anyway. The closest in time events – Holiday Festival: Great Dickens Christmas Fair, Celebration of Craftswomen, Holiday Festival of Lights, Marin Art and Garden Center and Macy’s Union Square Tree Lighting Ceremony. All they take place in December.
So, what else is worth to see in San Francisco?
Except the above-mentioned Golden Gate Bridge another world famous symbol of the city is Alcatraz. It’s the rock with the former prison, which can be called the best-known prison on earth. This prison is situated on an island in the middle of San Francisco Bay. Now it’s a museum exhibiting objects made by notorious inmates, historic photographs and documents, escape materials and inmate artwork; items used by officers including correctional materials when Alcatraz was a federal penitentiary from 1934-1963; military prison period materials from 1859-1934; and the American Indian occupation of 1969 -1971.
Aquarium of the Bay is also a very interesting place for visit in San Francisco. It was opened in 1996. Now it’s a unique educational and entertainment facility dedicated to the rich and diverse aquatic life of the San Francisco Bay and its surrounding waters.
One of San Francisco’s main retail and cultural centers is Union Square. Set aside as a park in 1850 and named before the start of the Civil War as a tribute to the frequent demonstrations in support of the Union troop, the park got a major renovation and restoration in 2002.
Another sightseeing in San Francisco is Coit Tower. It’s 210ft (60m) high and crowns the top of Telegraph Hill. The tower was built as a monument to the firefighters of San Francisco.
To confirm the reputation of the intellectual city it’s enough to name Berkeley – one of the most prestigious Universities of USA is located near San Francisco.
So, there is enough to see and to take part in San Francisco – just don’t miss it!

THINGS TO ENJOY IN SAN FRANCISCO

San Francisco offers a wide variety of attractions for the locals, visitors and tourists. The possibility of things to do in the city seems to be endless. However, the “Top Things to do” in San Francisco involves visits at the waterfront, around town, and on the city’s ocean and bay fronts.
One spectacular sight at the Waterfront of San Francisco is the “Golden Gate Bridge” the most photographed sight in the world. It stretches 4,200 feet with a towering height compared to a 65 story building. A walk at the bridge is one of the most enjoyable things to do.
Another popular sight of San Francisco’s Waterfront is the Alcatraz, a former prison for the notorious criminals. The interesting part to do at this place is the self-walking guided tour through the aid of headphones that narrates the whole story of about Alcatraz.
Half a dozen blocks along the Waterfront are the Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier39, and Ghirardelli Square. Simply walking along the streets, your attention will be caught by some entertaining performers. The street also has plenty of tempting souvenir shops and great seafood restaurants.
Around the town of San Francisco is Union Square – the third largest shopping area in the United States. It is a fabulous place to shop for clothes, art works and items for your home – but make sure that you have enough money because prices are quite expensive.
A must see attraction in San Francisco is the “Crookedest Street in the World” or simply Lombard Street. Watching the vehicles make their curves as they go down the crooked street is a great a attraction and a marvel to the eye. Others have said that it is much more interesting to experience the crooked section of the street by riding or driving a car.
San Francisco also has many places for antiques that you can visit. One of these places is the Cliff House where you can find the Camera Obscura that was invented by Leonardo Da Vinci. The Cliff House is also a very nice place for a drink because it offers excellent views of the Pacific Ocean and Seal Rock.
The place in San Francisco where there’s always something to do is at North Beach. North Beach is full of activities, but most involve eating. The area has tons of cafe’s, restaurants, delicatessens, and bakeries for you to choose from.
There are other plenty of things that you can do in San Francisco…the possibilities here are truly endless.

BEST AUSTRALIAN FASHION SWIMWEAR OF 2011

The summers are in and making you crave for a dip in the ocean. But wait, you got to wear the perfect swimwear to look fine and dandy. Australian women are known for their passion for swimwear and why not, they got a body to show and the tan to flaunt. However, the most important aspect one should consider is the fit and style that complements your personality. Choose a style you are comfortable with: one piece swimwear is more conventional and assures coverage and if you are one to dare-to-bare go for a two pieces or Tankini swimwear. Even a two piece with a sarong can set heads rolling. The choice is entirely yours. Also choose your fabric well; as nylon and Lycra can help you evade rubbing and chafing.
Let’s go through the Best Australian Swim wear to have this season:
Seafolly Swimwear
Seafolly is one of the biggest names in the business of best Australian Swimwear. The brand provides all kinds of swimwear but specializes in sportswear.  They believe in comfort and style. So if you are a fashion diva and love to wear strings then this might not be a perfect choice for you. Their latest collection Avant Garden is among the top favourites on the runaway. If you are petite than this range of swimwear will definitely suit you as their La Vita is especially designed for smaller women. Try frills, ruffles etc. which will highlight your assets well and add a little volume too. Seafolly also offers a Kids’ swim suit range for your little one.
Baku Swimwear
Baku Swimwear is one of the leading companies in Australia. The brand is all about style, sophistication and comfortable fit. Their aim is to make women feel sexy and stylish. And indeed they have succeeded in their mission. The collection is young and vibrant with bold colours and patterns. Definitely the creators want every woman to feel at ease and confident at the same time. Their range offer elegant triangle tops, padded swim wear, one pieces, trendy separates and body flattering shapes. You can’t get enough of them. Grab one of their Best Australian Swimwear and feel foxy in it. Go girl show off your new acquired tan lines.
Amanzi Swimwear
The word itself means ‘water’ in Zulu and is the brand which every teenager wants. Amanzi swimwear is designed especially for athletes, professional swimmers and surfers. They take great pride in providing a range of swimwear which is long lasting, operational and chic. No matter who you are-a subtle beauty or a rock star, Amanzi is sure to enchant you with its innovative design and fabulous patterns.
Marcuse Swimwear
Designed to perfection, this brand offers a product that has been stitched only for you. Using high quality Ultra Violet fabric, chic design, well cut to suit most body types, available in a variety of colours, make you feel inhibited and carefree; this unique swimwear definitely comes well recommended.
There are many brands that offer slimming styles to hide your heavy waist, bulky thighs, over taut bottoms by offering a range of colours and designs to make you look the most voluptuous woman on the beach. So before you buy your Best Australian Swim wear, make sure you select a foxy and ravishing fit.

Getting your money’s worth in business class

Typical business class airfares may seem shockingly expensive to travellers used to hitting the skies on cheap economy fares.

But when companies want highly skilled and compensated employees travelling across oceans or continents to arrive well rested and ready to work, they don’t mind paying those stifling $5,000 to $10,000 round trip fares.

The problem is that the quality of the business class seat you get for that fat fare varies widely among airlines, but the price does not. Most airlines charge the same business class fare no matter what type of seat you get.

Currently, there are three types of business class seats. True lie-flat, slanted or angled lie-flat and recliners.

The very best type of seat is the true lie-flat seat. This latest generation seat folds down into a 180-degree surface that is parallel with the floor of the plane — just like your bed is parallel to the floor of you bedroom. Most business travellers who’ve enjoyed a true lie-flat sleeper seat find it difficult to accept anything less on subsequent flights.

Second best is what’s known as “slanted” or “angled” lie-flat. This is a seat that reclines into a 180-degree flat surface, but is tilted at a slight angle to the aircraft floor, so your feet fly at a lower altitude than your head, a position many business travellers find slippery and uncomfortable.

Third is the least desirable old-school “recliner” or “cradle” type business class seat that allows you to recline and prop up your legs on a footrest, but that’s about all. It’s easy to doze in a recliner, but nearly impossible to get really good sleep because you can’t turn onto your side or stomach.

Most major international airlines now realize that to compete for the coveted business traveller, they must offer the new generation, true lie-flat seat. But while many have grand plans to eventually offer true lie-flat seats across their fleets, the reality is that most aren’t there yet.

The futurist: Heathrow’s personal transit pods

This week, Heathrow Airport introduced a new form of transport that will look familiar to fans of mid-century science fiction: emission-free, battery operated personal transit pods.

Instead of waiting for an airport shuttle, Heathrow passengers can hop in one of the pods that arrive every 34 seconds and travel along tracks between the terminals and car parks.

Passengers use a touch screen to choose their destination and the 21 pods, which carry up to four passengers and their luggage, are laser-guided and take an average of ten minutes less than the airport buses, mainly by avoiding traffic on the roads around Heathrow.

Designed and manufactured by ULTra (whose president is a former NASA engineer), the personal rapid transit (PRT) system cost £30 million and is expected to eliminate 50,000 bus journeys. While this is ULTra’s first working system, they are in talks with the Indian state governments to bring a similar system to Delhi and Amritsar. PRT systems may also be constructed in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina and at the new by Norman Foster-designed Apple campus in Cupertino, California. Foster + Partners also designed the eco-tropolis Masdar City where PRTs have been proposed. According to an ULTra spokeswoman, the company will be announcing the location for the next PRT system in early October.

Daily deal: Getaway to Santa Fe

Art is long and life is short, even if you live to be 98 years old like Georgia O'Keeffe.

Visit the area that inspired her most famous work on this week's picture-perfect escape to the Inn at Santa Fe for $119.

Upon your arrival, join in on the manager's reception at El Café for appetizers and a glass of complimentary wine or beer. Stay for a light dinner at the on-site restaurant, and—using your $40 food and beverage credit—choose an entrée off of the unique menu, which lists everything from quesadillas to pasta.

Take a dip in the poolside sauna, then, when you're ready for bed, retreat to your quaint room—complete with a queen-size bed, sitting area, flat-screen HDTV and wireless Internet.

Each morning, rise like the desert sun for an included full American breakfast for two. Your day may start as a blank canvas, but Santa Fe has plenty of local colour to paint it with. Don't settle for the still life—make a splash in the hotel's heated pool or exercise in its 24-hour gym.

Make an advance appointment to board the free shuttle, and explore picturesque downtown Santa Fe. The 400-year-old Santa Fe Plaza contains some of the nation's oldest buildings and hosts the world's largest Native American market each year.

For authentic Mexican food, grab a table at The Shed—a half-century old cantina housed in a 1692 hacienda. Its famous spicy green chilli and blue corn tortillas will add a pop of colour to your palate.

Take a scenic drive along the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway, "a major trade route since at least 2000 BC," says BBC Travel. "Today it is... lined with quirky communities. Sights along the way include Tinkertown (an animated miniature village) and gorgeous desert scenery."

Your artful vacation wouldn't be complete without a visit to the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, which houses more than 1,100 of the legendary painter's works and is the world's largest repository of her art. The museum also opened a research centre to study American Modernism.

Get away to a world of artful landscapes with this week's masterpiece escape—at an intimate little inn that's the portrait of perfection.

Travelwise: Update on Alaska’s national parks

Alaska is home to 23 national parks, which make up two-thirds of the United States’ 83 million acres of national parkland. In 2010, those parks attracted more than 2.2 million visitors.

Unfortunately, due to climate change, Alaska is warming at a faster rate than the rest of the United States, and some of the consequences within the national parks are cause for concern. Glacial melting has led to flooding and thawing permafrost has led to mudslides. Rising temperatures have also resulted in vegetation sprouting up in unexpected places along the tundra.

In order to preserve Alaska’s parkland, the National Park Service has developed a Climate Change Response Strategy to increase scientific data collection, manage adaptation efforts and promote public awareness about those efforts.  

“Alaska’s still going to be here, and it’s still going to be a vast wilderness,” said Jim Stratton, senior regional director for the National Parks Conservation Association’s Alaska office. “It’s just going to be changed… we can’t really say how good or how bad it [will be].” And it’s too soon to say how those changes will affect tourism.

Thus far, Alaska’s tourism industry is doing fine. Visitation during the 2010 to 2011 fall/winter season went up by 3% from the 2009 to 2010 season, marking the first autumn/winter increase in four years, according to Alaska’s Office of Tourism Development.

But since conditions are ever-changing at the parks, here’s a quick roundup of what to keep in mind before visiting.