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Visiting Parliament Buildings in Ottawa

May 20, 2014 by admin 1 Comment

The most notable and famous site to visit is probably the Canadian Parliament Buildings.  Parliament Hill, or “The Hill” as locals call it, is a scenic spot on the banks of the Ottawa River on Wellington Street in the downtown area.

The architecture of the Canadian parliament buildings is impressive in its Gothic Revival style, and the suite of buildings has served as the home of the Parliament of Canada since 1857.

Three Parts of Parliament Buildings

The best known building is the Centre Block with its national symbol of the Peace Tower.  This building houses the House of Commons and the Senate.

Visitors can watch either chamber in action from the visitor galleries at the Canadian parliament, take a tour of the building, or go up the Peace Tower for a spectacular view of the city.  The Peace Tower also houses the Memorial Chamber which honours Canada’s war dead.

The East Block of the Canadian Parliament Buildings looks much the same now as it did in the time of Confederation.  You can tour the restored offices of Canada’s first prime minister, Sir John A. MacDonald, and other early statesmen, and you can interact with historical characters from that period.

The other building of the Canadian parliament buildings, the West Block, which houses offices for members of parliament is closed to the public.

When to go to Canada Parliament Buildings

One of the best times to visit Parliament Hill would be on Canada Day, July 1st, where many activities take place, including street parties, live music, performing and athletic shows, an air show performing aerial manoeuvres over Parliament Hill, the RCMP Musical Ride, and a major fireworks event.

There are children’s activities from face painting and crafts to poster competitions, as well as cooking demonstrations, art shows and comedy reviews.  It is a fun grand event that is well worth attending.

From the Ottawa airport it is a short drive to downtown Ottawa and then the Canadian parliament buildings are just a short walk from downtown. Give yourself lots of time to look around, picnic and hopefully even see parliament in session.

Filed Under: Canada Travel

Travel Photo Tips

May 19, 2014 by admin 1 Comment

Travel Photos are some of the hottest selling pieces of tourist souvenirs. It appeals equally to experienced travelers and first-timers. These can be both a source of sweet memories and also a profitable venture to be involved in.

However, not all travel photographers are equally successful. While some know how to do it right and cash it big, others only seem to get more frustration out of it. If you are planning on being like the former, here are a few tips for you that could greatly change the way you approach and handle this.

How To Be a Travelling Photographer

Choosing the Right Place: Not all places are created equal. This is a fact every tourist will confirm. As a result, when choosing the right place to shoot your travel photos, you should make sure that it is a “saleable” place. In other words, choose a location with some very popular and easily recognizable tourist attractions. Don’t worry if your pictures are blurry or not exactly how you wanted them, you can easily get help with photo restoration so your photos end up looking amazing.

Billy ButterflyWhere do the Statue of Liberty and Times Square remind you of? How about the folding bridge? Yes, these are the kinds of places that you want to spend your time photographing. Your most scenic pictures of some obscure place probably won’t fetch you much, if anything at all (unless you already have an established reputation in this field.)

Choosing the Right Time: Selecting the time to shoot is just as important as where you are shooting. Some places like beaches would definitely require, of necessity, that you select a clear weather, because nobody wants a picture of a Caribbean beach during winter. Other places may require totally different seasons, but you get the idea.

Doing your Research: Before you set out to a place to shoot travel photos, you should do some preliminary research about the appeal of the place. You can visit the sites of popular tourist companies, photo companies and local tourist websites. If they have certain places continuously featured in their picture galleries, that is a good indication that it is a hot travel spot and has a lot of potential for salable pictures.

Planning a Shooting Schedule: Normally the icons that you are photographing will either be inside or outside, with most being outside. If it is inside, you should plan on taking your pictures during the day when you will have some sunlight streaming in through the windows and other openings. However, if the are outside, it will be best to shoot your pictures either at dusk or at dawn. These two have been proven to be the best times to get very scenic and picturesque travel photos of your icons. You could then plan your shooting schedule accordingly.

Save some Money: If you are planning on visiting more than one place in a region, it may be a good idea to see if the travel companies have some deals (they usually do) for multi-destination travelers. These packages will enable you to get low airfares while at the same time being able to visit the places that interest you the most.
Travel photos can be a lucrative business if you know how to approach it right. However, following the above tips may just be the edge that you need to boost your productivity and fun.

Filed Under: Travel Tips

La Jolla San Diego

May 17, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

A sparkling jewel of San Diego, the La Jolla area is a picture perfect post card with several beaches along more than seven miles of coast against an array of rolling hills known as Mount Soledad.

Being a part of San Diego, La Jolla is only 15 minutes from the downtown district. Along with beautiful scenery, the area also offers many fine restaurants, art galleries, hotels and resorts, and many other attractions such as the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Birch Museum La Jolla

The Birch Aquarium is also a part of La Jolla, giving you the chance to enter the exciting world of sharks, living coral reefs, and many other undersea exhibits. This aquarium showcases the mysteries of the ocean and what actually lives there.

The shoreline of La Jolla consists of rocky headlands seperated by pristine coves and sandy beaches. All along the beach, you can find many different hotels and resorts, designed to make your stay a little bit better.

La Jolla Beaches

La Jolla Beaches
La Jolla Beaches

The North Pacific Beach extends to La Jolla, traveling from the Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach. If you travel north of this area, you’ll find yourself on the beaches of La Jolla.

By going to the south end of the La Jolla shoreline, you’ll find Windandsea Beach. Windandsea Beach has long had a reputation for surfers paradise, although the steep beaches and rocky cliffs can be very dangerous if you aren’t aware of them.

Traveling along the La Jolla shoreline, you’ll find the tide pools. These pools are great to look at, although you shouldn’t touch them. You should visit during low tide and be sure to wear rubber soled shoes, as they can get quite slippery.

The cove in La Jolla is very beautiful, although one of the smaller beaches in San Diego. On either side of the cove, there are sandstone cliffs. This helps to add an isolated feel to the cove.

Throughout La Jolla, the Shores Beach is the widest and longest beach. If you look off to the distance on the beach, you can see the Scripps Pier. Also on the beach, there are novice scuba classes held throughout the summer months.
Close to downtown La Jolla, there is an area called Casa, which used to be a children’s pool. Now days, the area has been taken over by seals and sea lions. Although children can’t swim here anymore, it’s a great pastime to lay on the beach and watch them play.

With plenty to offer you and your family, the beaches of La Jolla are among the best in San Diego. There’s plenty to do and see here, with dining and swimming. For a great visit to the beach, La Jolla seems to simplify the best of life in California.

Filed Under: San Diego

Seaport Village San Diego

May 15, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

The Seaport Village of San Diego combines the very best of waterfront shopping, dining, and overall family entertainment. As the Marina Park is here now too, nearby may be the small but popular San Diego public park.

What is Seaport Village

Seaport Village San Diego
Seaport Village San Diego

In Seaport Village you will find 14 acres of enjoyment using more than 75 shops and art galleries, restaurants, and eateries around the pavement. Despite the fact that the region is mainly specific towards site visitors, local people obtain the the best using the restaurants as well as their on vacation company.

The San Diego Pier Coffee shop can also be here, which is among the most widely known restaurants in the region. Situated around the bay, the coffee shop provides sea food with breathtaking sights.

The Seaport village provides an excellent place to see Coronado and also the Coronado Bridge, because it overlooks the harbor. Only a short stroll in the village, you will find the San Diego Convention Center, Petco Park, and also the Gaslamp Quarter.

Supplying plenty to complete and lots of items to see nearby, Seaport Village has everything happening. A trip here’s unlike every other, because the town of San Diego will invariably have something unique to provide as well as your entire family.

Filed Under: San Diego

San Diego Harbor Bay Tour

April 14, 2014 by admin 1 Comment

As vast as the San Diego harbor is, a simple walk around it doesn’t do it justice! To partake in the beauty that is San Diego Harbor, you need to take a tour of the bay. San Diego Harbor Excursion can help you do that, as they are the most established tour company throughout the bay. If you are looking to get out of the area, like into another country, then you should definitely consider signing up for these guatemala tours for a great experience

As a guest, they will treat you with as one of them, helping to bring your cruise to life. There are a few parts to the tour, ensuring that you get the most out of your time on the cruise.

Tour of the North Bay

San Diego BayOn your tour of the North Bay, you’ll see the North Island Naval Air Station, Shelter Islands, and even the Naval Sub Base. If you look closely, you’ll also be able see the Cabrillo National Monument as well.

The tour of the North Bay is around 12 miles in length and lasts about an hour. This is a fine tour for anyone interested in the Navy as well. During your tour the guides will explain everything to you as you see it. This way, you’ll always know what’s going on.

Tour of the South Bay

Your tour of the South Bay consists of the Star of India, the Naval surface fleet, Coronado Bay Bridge, and the shipyards. This is a very busy and hectic area, which makes a tour excellent to see everything that this area has to offer.

The tour of South Bay is roughly 12 miles in length and also lasts around an hour. The guides will explain things here to you as well, ensuring that you know exactly what you are seeing.

Tour of the Bay

Those of you who are looking to see it all should go for the deluxe tour of the entire bay. You’ll see everything covered in the North and South Bay, along with everything else the bay has to offer. The tour is around 25 miles in length and lasts around 2 hours.

To get started on your tour, all you need to do is contact the Harbor Excursion. The price for the tour is very reasonable, considering everything you’ll be seeing.

If you happen to live in San Diego, taking the tour is easier than ever. Those of you who are visiting or on vacation should give the tour a shot as well. This way you’ll get to experience everything that San Diego Bay has to offer you without having to walk around. And best of all – tour guides will explain the sights to you – so you’ll never miss a second.

Filed Under: San Diego

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