exciting experience

Please posts any exciting experience during the easter occasion.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is the most extravagant monument built as a symbol of eternal enduring love. It is India's most famous tourist attraction, situated on the banks of river, Yamuna. Taj Mahal is a mausoleum known as a finest example of enchanting architecture and aesthetic beauty. Completed in 1653, it was built by the Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal. If one wants to capture the beauty of the Taj, the epitome of love, one should visit it at dawn or dusk. The glittering Taj in the moonlit night entices the viewers.

The Taj Mahal is basically a symbol of feminine elegance. The main gate symbolises the veil that covers the face of a beautiful woman on her wedding night. The beauty is slowly unravelled as one moves forward. Inside the Taj, the delicate designs on the arch would draw the attention of the viewers. Standing on the banks of the Yamuna, the Taj, one of the seven wonders of the world, overlooks the Agra Fort. Shah Jahan used to view the Taj from the windows of the Agra Fort in his last days when he was imprisoned by his son Aurangazeb. The beauty and elegance of the Taj cannot be expressed in words alone. Although the corpses of Shah Jahan and his better half lie silent, the Taj speaks loud and clear of their immortal love story.

http://www.mapsofworld.com/travel-destinations/taj-mahal.html

The 100 most beautiful places in the world

1 -The inca city of Machu Picchu, country : Peru, place : near Cuzco.

2-The Iguazu waterfalls, country : Argentina - Brazil, place : borders between the two countries.

3 -The Tadj Mahall, country : India, place : Agra, south-west of Delhi.

4 -The pyramids and the sphinx, country : Egypt, place : Giseh, south-west of Cairo.

5 -The great canyon of Colorado, country : United States , place : south-west of the country, Arizona.

6 -Migrating animals in the Serengeti park, country : Tanzania, north of the country, east of Victoria lake.

7 -The Nabatean city of Petra, country : Jordania, place : south-west of the country.

8 -The big wall of China, country : China, place : north-east of the country, along Inner Mongolia.

9 -The Victoria waterfalls, country : Zimbabwe - Zambia, place : border between the two countries.

10 -The great coral reef, country : Australia, place : offshore, north-east of the country

11 -The city of Angkor, country : Cambodia, place : Siem Reap, north of the Tonle Sap lake.

12 -The amazonian virgin forest, country : Brazil - Peru, place : around the Amazonia river and its affluents.

13 -The Niagara waterfalls, country : Canada - United States of America, place : Niagara, near Toronto.

14 -The salar of Uyuni, country : Bolivia, place : south-west of the country.

15 -The Abu Simbel temple, country : Egypt, place : south-west of Assuan, at the shore of the Nasser lake.

The remaining can be founded in http://terre.sans.frontiere.free.fr/page_a_voir_a_faire/top_100.htm

The Pyramids

The ancient Egyptians built pyramids as tombs for the pharaohs and their queens. The pharaohs were buried in pyramids of many different shapes and sizes from before the beginning of the Old Kingdom to the end of the Middle Kingdom.

There are about eighty pyramids known today from ancient Egypt. The three largest and best-preserved of these were built at Giza at the beginning of the Old Kingdom. The most well-known of these pyramids was built for the pharaoh Khufu. It is known as the 'Great Pyramid'.

tickets-to-europe.com technological components assessment

Search/ Transaction mechanisms.

• Search engine powered by Odysseus.
• On-line Booking engine powered by Odysseus
• Security mechnisms-SSL Digital Certification- full 128-bit encryption security-.
  
• Knowledge management tool
• Credit card payments
• Sophisticated database management system.
• CRM
• Special Tours/Events search engine Powered by Amadeus
• Special Tours/Events on-line booking engine Powered by Amadeus

Other Assets

• Hybrid payment system.
• Well design web page- Easy To be navigated.
• Personal web site for registered customers.
• Plenty of useful travel information

Innovation:

• Hybrid Payment verification method.
• Sophisticated Customer relationship management platform.
• Human interaction through the MSN button
• Plenty of tools useful to travelers
• Portal for registered customers, Powered by Amadeus, to view and change (whenever applicable) their travel itinerary online.

E-business development:

• Hybrid Payment verification method.
• Human interaction through the MSN button.
• Special Tours/Event search/booking engine.
• Tours/Events Seperate site
  
• Sophisticated data base management platforms

Pamediakopes.gr technological components assessment

Business Needs regarding to technological components

• Search & Transaction Cost Efficiency:

Technological components that enable the site to gain added value and provide useful and qualitative information.

• Secure payments,
• Credit / debit cards,
• Knowledge management
  
• CRM modules,
  
• RDBMS for Real time reservations.
• Complementary Assets:

Components provided by the site in order to integrated the overall services and provide a complete solution to the end customer.

• Real time reservations,
• E-portal for reservations,
  
• Personal web site for partners,
• Affiliates and Blogs marketing,
• Useful information,
• Reliable world wide search engines for On-line reservation purposes

• Novelty – Innovation:

Components that produce new, of high value services, that are differentiated by the majority of the competitors and gain an important share of the market as well as the customers' reputation.

• No data storing process,
• CRM modules,
• Tapi Line service provision,
• .Net 3.0 Framework,
• Easy browsing,
• Personalized Services,
• Useful information

• E – Business improvements:
  

Key factors that improve the overall quality provided by the site and prepare it to meet the continuous needs of tomorrow.

• Secure payments,
• E-portal for reservations,
• Collaborative commerce,
• Knowledge management
• CRM module
  

lastminute.com technological components assessment

many of the technological components where deployed in the lastminute.com website to assist in it's
usability in such a way that site users can find what they're looking for quickly and efficiently.

• Search site engine:The cumulative information that is the real value – both to the business and to readers. So it’s important that give readers every opportunity to access it.


• Flights/Hotel … booking engine: Provides real-time reservations facility. This allows guests to browse through available rate packages and special offers, and instantly convert traffic to business.


• Personalization: Enabled registered customers to customize their personal homepage (“mylastminute.com”) using technology that stores personal preferences and prompts the display of products and services that are relevant to an individual’s needs and lifestyle


• Free subscribing : To receive by e-mail e-newsletter and details of other special offers which think may be of interest to customer.


• Customer support: To provide answers for all questions that the customer think about it.

Evaluation Time!!

The time has come for our blog to be evaluated based on your input. Please feel free to drop a line commenting anything regarding our travel blog. Wat would you change, what did you or did not like? Anything at all...?
Thank you.

Tripadvisor.com technological components assessment

The most distinctive web technologies that tripadvisor.com uses, followed by their need are the following:

1. Search Engine - Efficient and exact information retrieval.
2. AJAX - Fast information update and retrieval.
3. Newsletter - Keep in touch and inform the web page visitors.
4. Peronalized Ads - Increase the pay per click rate by providing ads corresponding to the traveler’s needs.
5. Latest events on the page - Makes the page user friendly and easy to navigate.
6. Forums -Travelers share unbiased information regarding hotels, destinations and travel services in general.

To evaluate the above technologies you can just visit the website: http://www.tripadvisor.com

Petra, Jordan’s Wonder of the World

" Treasury "

The giant red mountains and vast mausoleums of a departed race have nothing in common with modern civilization, and ask nothing of it except to be appreciated at their true value - as one of the greatest wonders ever wrought by Nature and Man.Although much has been written about Petra, nothing really prepares you for this amazing place. It has to be seen to be believed. Often described as the eighth wonder of the ancient world, it is without doubt Jordan’s most valuable treasure and greatest tourist attraction. It is a vast, unique city, carved into the sheer rock face by the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled here more than 2000 years ago, turning it into an important junction for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome.

Entrance to the city is through the Siq, a narrow gorge, over 1 kilometre in length, which is flanked on either side by soaring, 80 metres high cliffs. Just walking through the Siq is an experience in itself. The colours and formations of the rocks are dazzling. As you reach the end of the Siq you will catch your first glimpse of Al-Khazneh (Treasury).This is an awe-inspiring experience. A massive façade, 30m wide and 43m high, carved out of the sheer, dusky pink, rock-face and dwarfing everything around it. It was carved in the early 1st century as the tomb of an important Nabataean king and represents the engineering genius of these ancient people.www.visitjordan.com.

10 reasons to visit Orlando!

Why more than 45 Million tourists visit Orlando every year...

1. Constantly warm weather makes it an eternal summer city in the Sunshine State of Florida.
2. The world's largest Disney World complex (4 theme parks and 2 water parks)
3. Touch stingrays and dolphins at Seaworld.
4. Experience the two Universal Studio's theme parks.
5. Tens of different dinner shows.
6. Shop in the Orlando Premium outlets and the rest of the wonderful malls.
7. Surf and swim in the world's famous Cocoa beach.
8. Visit Kennedy Space center and learn all there is to know about space missions.
9. Experince the real nightlife in downtown Orlando.
10. Look for gators on an airboat adventure.

Accomodation information(based on budget)
High budget: Gaylord Palms, The Peabody.
Upscale budget: Sheratton Vistana Villages.
Moderate budget: Hampton inn, La Quinta Suites
Low budget: Ramada Inn, Comfort Inn

Santorini Accomodation

One of the most visited accomodation around the world is the volcanic island of Santorini.


The huge selection of accomodation and the relatively high prices make it difficult to decide where to stay. A small suggestion based on personal experience is the "Thea Studios" in the village of Oia (the most beautiful scenery in the island).


Moderate prices and breathtaking views make is a decent combination.
For more information:http://www.greekhotel.com/cyclades/santorin/oia/theastudios/home.htm

Sailing in Greece

Greece has now become the principal cruising area for sailing vacations in Europe. Indeed, the concept of sailing vacation Greece is becoming more popular each year despite the equally beautiful sailing grounds of the Turquoise coast of Turkey directly to the east of the Aegean Sea. The Greek cruising grounds are divided into two main areas: the Ionian in the west of Greece and the larger Aegean sea in the east. When this will be your first sailing vacation in Greece the Ionian - especially out of Lefkas island - has a lot of advantages. The distances between the ports and anchorages are smaller than anywhere else in Greece. Moreover, this area is not affected by the Meltemi but by the gentle and reliable Maistro wind. Note, however, that in season (especially August) the Ionian islands serve as the perfect sailing vacation location for thousands and thousands. Needless to say that it can get a bit crowded in the ports. The second easy place for a sailing vacation in Greece is the Saronic gulf as well as the adjacent Argolic gulf, both in the vicinity of Athens.
The more remote and tranquil areas where you can enjoy a superb sailing vacation in Greece are the Southern Cyclades, the Dodecanese and the Northern Sporades. The Northern Cyclades can suffer from too many tourists as well in August, primarily due to their closeness to Athens (indeed, many of these tourist will be the Athenians themselves!).
Therefore, the sailing vacation Greece concept is best appreciated outside the main season, preferably in April, May and June and in the late season in the last weeks of September and October.
In April and May also has a second advantage: the colourful flowers due to the spring rains in the previous months, this is especially true for the Cyclades which can be rather dry and barren in the main season. Downside could be the colder water temperatures in April and early May. If you love swimming and snorkelling the second or third week of May (that is very close ) really should be the start of the season.

Any one that would like to share past experiences from these amazing holidays or any hints 'n' tips for the newbies ... please do no hesitate!

Traditional Easter in Karpathos

Olympos is a village climbed at the highest mountain of Karpathos in the southern Aegean sea, and is becoming more and more popular especially in the Easter and the summer time, because of the old fashioned way of living of the local people.

The residents of Olympos Of the Dodecanese island of Karpathos do not pretend to live with their tradition
ways but they really live in a way that it is dead in most parts of the world. What if telephony is an innovation for the village of Olympos (telephony was installed less tha 15 years ago) and what if National Geographic has done a full report of one of the most isolated villages of Greece (the report was published under the title: Eternal Easter in a Greek Village) that stands at the edge between the Aegean and the Libyan Sea, the ways of the people haven’t changed a bit, and visitors come from all around the world to see them. People of Olympos still talk using the archaic Dorian dialect, following the rhythm of the old Byzantine music and hymns and everything that is being seeing in the holy week springs out through their memories and their heritage which still stands strong, resisting in the passing time and it is passed from generation to generation intact. For centuries now, time has respected this incredible beauty of a place and its unique traditions as well as the village architecture, which have made the village into a living folklore museum. It is characteristic that even today most of the women residents are dressed with their local-traditional costumes.

Something that is worth noticing is the food that is consumed in Karpathos during the holy days, that it is different from the one in the rest of the Greek mainland. In Karpathos, instead of spit roasting the Easter lamb, the custom is to stuff it with rice, split grain, and intestines. It is prepared in this way on Holy Saturday. It is then put into the traditional Karpathos oven, which is sealed with mud and clay. On Easter Day, the oven is opened and the lamb is eaten accompanied by local wine and traditional dances and sounds of lyra.

Olympos will fully repay those visitors that will choose it, to spend their Easter vacations, and is a well worth it place to choose for those holy days.

Easter is the greatest celebration of Greece. Most people desire to spend their Easter vacations in traditional places, far away from the city light and noises. Any more Ideas?

The Burj Al-Arab Hotel

The World's Tallest - and only "7 Star" - Hotel, A symbol of Dubai.

by Michael Lundell

You arrive at the airport, blinking in the sweltering heat of the Dubai desert, not looking forward to either finding a taxi or looking for the phone to call the hotel you are staying at. If luck (and dollars) will have its way though, you have reservations at the Burj Al-Arab (Arabian Tower) Hotel. You either find a chauffeur waiting for you to whisk you and whoever you are staying with away to cruise the streets in style (a Rolls Royce Seraph kind of style) or a pilot, ready and waiting to avoid traffic congestion by shuttling you to the hotel's helipad via helicopter. And that's just the beginning...

As you approach the hotel, its distinctive features cut a sharp edge through the tan sandy surroundings. Standing on a manmade island just 180 feet shorter than the Empire State Building - and being the tallest hotel in the world - the main structure appears to billow in the wind. It is a white, sail (as in boat) shaped building standing 54 commanding stories above the Arabian Gulf.

Each of the 202 duplex suites are an architectural dream. Details such as stone (granite) from Brazil, and marble and glass from Italy, and the finest Irish linens are painstakingly gathered here to paint a picture of luxurious excess. Each suite comes with its own butler, wall to wall views of the gulf, and the latest in television and technological additions (Internet access, an outside video monitoring system which allows you to both see who is at the door and open the door without ever leaving your bed). There are 164 one-bedroom, 28 two-bedroom, and six three-bedroom suites available for your comfort. And that's just the low end.

The Burj Al-Arab also has a higher (if possible) standard of comfort in rooms available. Two Grand Suites and Two Special Suites top the Everest of comforts found throughout the world's hotels. Each suite is spread over 2340 square feet, and each of them contain two floors connected with elevators. The perks include rotating beds, private cinemas, private Mosques, and bedroom sized changing rooms. The most expensive room runs in the ballpark of $7,000 a night.

For those not staying in the hotel, you can pay an entrance fee (somewhere around US$75) which can be applied toward a dinner in one of their world class restaurants. The hotel offers the Al-Mahara underwater seafood restaurant for diners wary of heights. The seafood restaurant is accessed by a 12 seater submarine taken from the lobby and features a shark filled aquarium running along the walls.

Or, if one chooses, you may dine amongst the stars at their Al-Muntaha restaurant. At 600 ft. above sea level the restaurant offers stunning views of the Arabian Gulf and the night sky. The hotel also includes five other world class restaurants ranging in themes (ballrooms) and prices.

Another attraction of the hotel is their Assawan Spa on the 18th floor. Facilities include two swimming pools with views over the Gulf, two diving pools, 18 treatment rooms, hydrotherapy baths, oriental massage, standup solarium, sauna, steam rooms and Jacuzzi. Many of their facilities have a women or men only policy, meaning there may be specific times when only one of the two sexes are allowed in an area (though they also have men and women centered themed spas).

Needless to say, the hotel has become a main attraction for the city. People lucky enough to stay overnight will never feel the same about comfort again. For more information and to make reservations and check the latest prices, go to their web site at http://www.jumeirahinternational.com/ or contact your local travel agent.