Sunday, April 12, 2009

New attractions at Disney World Orlando

It's easy to forget how massive Walt Disney World Orlando actually is. Even the most frequent of visitors to Disney World are impressed by what changes each year when they return to the parks. If you think about it though with the scale of Walt Disney World, with it's host of theme parks, water parks, hotel resorts and restaurants it isn't really that surprising.

So where has the most change taken place recently. I think you don't have to look any further than Disney's Hollywood Studios to see a park being rejuvenated. Formerly known as MGM Studios has a number of new rides and shows that have been added to in the last year. The biggest introduction has to be the opening of Toy Story Mania. This is an exciting 3D ride where you take part in shooting arcade from your car as you make your way around a Toy Story themed shooting arcade. The ride has been opened within the Pixar Place area of the park, so we can expect more Pixar themed attractions in that area. Parades and shows have also been introduced, including Block Party Bash which is a parade featuring characters from the Toy Story movies. Another movie franchise is a High School Musical show which also takes part in the park. Another permanent feature is the Jedi Training Academy. Originally only at the park during Star Wars Weekends, this is now a full time attraction at the park.

On the resort front, the Contemporary Resort has been going through one of the biggest remodelling phases since it opened. The Contemporary is one of the original Walt Disney World hotels, opening along with the Magic Kingdom back in 1971. A recent addition to the hotel is The Wave restaurant, which is focusing on the healthy-eating conscious visitors to the resort. Another resort that has gone through a lot of change is the Animal Kingdom resort, with the addition of the up market Animal Kingdom Villas.

Newcastle City guide, including Newcastle Hotels

Newcastle is often referred to as Newcastle upon the Tyne and situated in Northern England. Newcastle’s climate is moderate, making it an ideal place to visit any time of year. Established in the Roman Era by the Emperor Hadrian and formerly named Pons, Aelius, Newcastle upon the Tyne is a place rich with historical sites to see and recreational activities to engage in. Whether you are seeking fine dining or interesting activities to enjoy, there is no finer place to visit that Newcastle.

Places of interest:

The cultural enthusiast will find no end to the historical sites of interest situated in Newcastle. One of England’s most incredible cities, tourists find themselves longing to return to Newcastle time and time again. Not only is Newcastle full of exciting sites to see, it is conveniently situated near many of England’s popular cities and attractions. Nearby cities surrounding Newcastle includes Bath, Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Nottingham, Oxford, and York. Further, tourists will find Newcastle filled with galleries, museums and historical sites to visit during their stay.


ALDERMANS FENWICKS HOUSE: located at 98 Pilgrim Street, is a historical mercantile town house in the North of England. Its origins are found in the medieval era and prove completely entertaining for the history enthusiast. The Aldermans Fenwicks House is open during regular office hours and tourist can book night time tours if they call in advance.

BESSIE SURTEES HOUSE: situated at 41-44 Sandhill in Newcastle is open to tourists all year round and were originally the homes of wealthy merchants. Existing since the 17th century, the Bessie Surtees House currently stands as the as the site for the North East Regional Office of English Heritage.

DISCOVERY MUSEUM: the Discovery museum at Blandford Square is situated near the Central station, so transportation is available. This museum offers free entrance and shares with tourists England’s rich maritime history in addition to its scientific and technological advances.

MILITARY VEHICLE MUSEUM: found at the Exhibition Park Pavilion, just off of Claremont Road, holds well over 50 wartime vehicles, from WWII and after, as well as antique bicycles, armour, and historical documents on exhibit.

MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES: located at The Quadrangle, just off of Kings Walk in Newcastle, has a number collections, including collections from the Palaeolithic period through the 1600’s. Entry into the Museum of Antiquities is free for both children and adults.

BROWN’S ART GALLERY: Browns Art Gallery at 15 Acorn Road, Jesmond, is filled with gorgeous paintings and pottery, sure to please any tourist. The gallery holds limited editions and offers a picture framing service to the public.

Things to do:
Along with all the terrific historical sites, museums and galleries to visit, tourists will find that Newcastle is chockfull of recreational activities. From theatres to comedy clubs, from cinemas to casinos, tourists travelling thorough Newcastle are bound to find many enjoyable recreational pursuits.


BUDDLE ARTS CENTRE: Buddles Art Centre at 258B Station Road, Wallsend, was established in 1981. Tourists will find a number of events, workshops, and exhibits being hosted at the theatre and should call for a schedule before visiting. The Buddle Arts Centre is open during the hours of their events and other offerings.

THEATRE ROYAL: Theatre Royal at Grey Street, is the perfect stop for all fans of Shakespeare as the theatre frequently hosts the Royal Shakespeare Company.

THE HYENA CAFÉ: is located at Leazes Arcade, Leazes Lane, Haymarket in Newcastle, and tourists will find that this comedy club is loaded with visitors every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If you’re looking for some comic relief while staying in Newcastle, the Hyena Café is the place to be.

ODEON: located at The Gate Complex, Newgate Street in Newcastle is an excellent site to stop in and catch your favourite film.

THE SIDE CINEMA: is located at 5 - 9 The Side, Next to Side Café in Newcastle and is open from Tuesday until Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm.

ASPERS CASINO: is located at The Gate, Newgate Street in Newcastle, and is a Las Vegas style casino and bar that consists of well over 40,000 square feet of gambling entertainment.

Food & Drink:

After a fun filled day of site seeing and enjoying your favourite recreational activities, you are bound to stir up an appetite. Not to worry, Newcastle is filled with fantastic dining locations and you’ll have no trouble pleasing your palate.


KUBLAI KHAN: 22 The Side in Newcastle, is a Mongolian Restaurant offers visitors a banquet. No reservations are required, so the Kublai Khan is an excellent choice if you’re looking to simply walk into a location and grab an excellent bite to eat.

CHIQUITOS: Chiquitos is located at Warner Brothers Complex in Newcastle and serves Mexican delights. Just opposite the Manors Metro station, Chiquitos serves salsa, nachos, salads, chilli, enchiladas, fajitas, and chimmichangas.

HOT BOX CAFÉ: located at St Mary's Place in Newcastle, offers some of your favourites from burgers and fries to kebabs and pizza. The Hot Box Café is an excellent place to visit if you’re looking for fresh, cooked to order dining.

BIMBI’S: located on Nelson Street, is one of the best fish and chips locations in Newcastle. Offering an array of fish entrees, and a variety of pies for dessert, BIMBI’s serves your craving for seafood while visiting Newcastle.

NEWCASTLE PIZZA BEACH: is situated on the waterfront, and serves as a fantastic place to grab a slice of pizza while on the water.

Newcastle Hotels & Accommodation:

Newcastle offers visitors a number of different accommodations to choose from. With over 25 gorgeous hotels to choose from finding a place to stay in Newcastle is a breeze. What’s more, every hotel offers its visitors and array of amenities to make their visit both enjoyable and memorable.

Percy Arms Hotel
Express by Holiday Inn Newcastle Metro Centre
Holiday Inn Newcastle
Copthorne Hotel Newcastle
Waterside Hotel
Royal Station Hotel.
The Vermont Hotel
Hadrian Lodge Hotel
Cairn Hotel
Whites Hotel
Jesmond Hotel
Swallow Imperial Hotel
Best Western New Kent Hotel
Britannia Hotel Newcastle Airport
Gibside Hotel
Caledonian Hotel
Carlton Hotel
Village hotel and Leisure Club Newcastle
Jurys Inn Newcastle
Premier Apartments Newcastle
Express by Holiday Inn Newcastle City Centre
Horton Grange
Quality Hotel Newcastle Upon Tyne
George Washington Golf & Country Club
Thistle Newcastle
Grey Street Hotel

Entertainment

There is no question that tourists can easily find entertainment in Newcastle. When not touring historical sites or engaging in recreational pursuits, visitors to Newcastle will find that the nightlife in Newcastle is equally inviting. Casinos, bars and nightclubs are readily open and accessible in Newcastle and visitors will never be without something to do in this fine English city.

Newcastle: it’s one of the most splendid places in England. Fine dining, entertainment and a rich history make Newcastle particularly inviting to tourists and visitors return every year to enjoy all that Newcastle has to offer.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Most Important Travel Tips

Experienced travelers the world over know the tried and true saying: Less is more. Who wants to schlep around heavy, bulky bags when you’re far from home, most likely running from place to place, trying to make sure all of your belongings continue to be your belongings? The trick of the trade, according to seasoned travelers, is to consider packing only one bag. What’s more, to consider making that bag the size of a carry-on bag. That’s right, the size of a bag that fits, or mostly fits, in the overhead compartment on today’s commercial airlines.

Consider the following reasons to travel light:

1. Safety
Simply put, one bag is easier to keep tabs on than two bags, or three, or... You get the idea. You don’t have to check your bags and risk losing them altogether as you travel.

2. Efficiency
One bag means less to carry, which means you don’t have to pay someone to help you or pony up for one of those Smarte Cartes at the airport. Also, with one bag, you won’t be as tempted to buy as many useless souvenirs you’ll never need, because there won’t be room for anything extra in your bag on the return trip.

3. Flexibility
With only one bag, you don’t have to worry about getting to the airport so early or sticking around so long after your flight lands. You can run through train terminals more speedily and shove yourself more quickly into the backseats of taxi cabs. And customs inspections? No problem.

So, now that you’re convinced you should limit your travel bags to one, you may well be wondering how on earth to fit all your necessaries into a single satchel. Plan carefully what you will need for your trip and take only those thing: If you think, “I might need this” then it’s probably safe to assume that you won’t. If you think “I can’t live without this,” then into your travel bag it goes.

Other tips:

* Plan to do laundry while you’re traveling (even if that means doing them in your hotel room sink!). This way you won’t feel as compelled to take as many clothes.

* Take clothes that you can mix and match.

* For your toiletry items, use travel-size products. Even if they’re not easy to find, you’ll be glad you took the trouble. And remember that most of them can be refilled and reused—even toothpaste tubes can be refilled with enough patience and manual dexterity!

* Pack underwear, socks, and other small cloth items inside larger items, such as shoes, to maximize all available space.

* Check the weather of your destination ahead of your departure time so you can plan your wardrobe accordingly.

* If you’re the type of person who can’t resist a good—or a bad—souvenir, take one or two items of clothing that are mostly worn out. Wear them once, toss them, and fill up the space they occupied with that plastic replica of Mt. Rushmore that you just can’t live without.

And, of course, the most important travel tip of all: remember to have fun, wherever you go and however you get there.

New2Spain - Live and work in a Spanish city!

Thinking of living, studying or working in Spain? Here you will find everything you need to know about the joys and pitfalls of living in a Spanish city. This site is dedicated to assisting English speakers find their feet in Spain as from our own experience we know about the problems one can experience when they find themselves in a foreign land without the ability to speak the language. From looking for accommodation or work to learning Spanish, you will find everything you need on here. Advice, information, city guides, language assistance and much more..

Why This Site?

The purpose of this site is to create an information and resource centre for people like me who are thinking of either living or working in a Spanish city where free advice can be gained on many aspects and problems you might encounter based on our own experiences. On top of the free advice and info you will find on this site we also offer a range of services that will hopefully allow you to settle here as quickly as possible.

Who are we?

We arrived in Spain with the intention of learning the language and then finding work once the language was up to scratch. Initially the plan was to stay for around 6 months and then head back home to England. As our destination I selected Valencia as I wanted to go to a big city but wanted to avoid Barcelona and Madrid as the cost of renting is quite high in comparison (although still cheaper than most places in England!!). Valencia turned out to be a great choice as it is fast becoming one of the most up and coming cities in Europe. There is so much to see and do here and for the moment prices on property remain fairly cheap (but expect to see prices rise as the city becomes more popular).

When I arrived here I spoke very little Spanish and knew nobody. I came armed with a very heavy suitcase and the intention of finding an apartment but initially I began my adventure spending a few nights in a hostel (there are many in Valencia). The hostel was great as the place was full of travellers most of whom were able to speak English so I managed to get some advice of where to begin my quest for finding an apartment. It seemed that the best way to find somewhere was to take a wander along the streets and take note of some of the adverts that people had stuck to trees and lampposts so this is what I did..

The best place to look was around the student area of the city, however usually you will only find notices advertising rooms in flats to share whereas I needed a flat to myself. The other option was to head for an estate agent but straight away you will cost yourself a months rent in estate agent fees so unless you are desperate avoid this course of action. In the end I did manage to find somewhere. Through sheer fortune I met an English student who was leaving her flat the next day but if it wasn't for her I don't know what I would have done. I expect I would have had to go bite the bullet and gone through the agents but even this would have been difficult with my very limited Spanish!

So hopefully travellers to Spain will see this as a useful resource. Check out the site here... www.new2spain.com

Newcastle City guide, including Newcastle Hotels

Newcastle is often referred to as Newcastle upon the Tyne and situated in Northern England. Newcastle’s climate is moderate, making it an ideal place to visit any time of year. Established in the Roman Era by the Emperor Hadrian and formerly named Pons, Aelius, Newcastle upon the Tyne is a place rich with historical sites to see and recreational activities to engage in. Whether you are seeking fine dining or interesting activities to enjoy, there is no finer place to visit that Newcastle.

Places of interest:

The cultural enthusiast will find no end to the historical sites of interest situated in Newcastle. One of England’s most incredible cities, tourists find themselves longing to return to Newcastle time and time again. Not only is Newcastle full of exciting sites to see, it is conveniently situated near many of England’s popular cities and attractions. Nearby cities surrounding Newcastle includes Bath, Belfast, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Nottingham, Oxford, and York. Further, tourists will find Newcastle filled with galleries, museums and historical sites to visit during their stay.


ALDERMANS FENWICKS HOUSE: located at 98 Pilgrim Street, is a historical mercantile town house in the North of England. Its origins are found in the medieval era and prove completely entertaining for the history enthusiast. The Aldermans Fenwicks House is open during regular office hours and tourist can book night time tours if they call in advance.

BESSIE SURTEES HOUSE: situated at 41-44 Sandhill in Newcastle is open to tourists all year round and were originally the homes of wealthy merchants. Existing since the 17th century, the Bessie Surtees House currently stands as the as the site for the North East Regional Office of English Heritage.

DISCOVERY MUSEUM: the Discovery museum at Blandford Square is situated near the Central station, so transportation is available. This museum offers free entrance and shares with tourists England’s rich maritime history in addition to its scientific and technological advances.

MILITARY VEHICLE MUSEUM: found at the Exhibition Park Pavilion, just off of Claremont Road, holds well over 50 wartime vehicles, from WWII and after, as well as antique bicycles, armour, and historical documents on exhibit.

MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES: located at The Quadrangle, just off of Kings Walk in Newcastle, has a number collections, including collections from the Palaeolithic period through the 1600’s. Entry into the Museum of Antiquities is free for both children and adults.

BROWN’S ART GALLERY: Browns Art Gallery at 15 Acorn Road, Jesmond, is filled with gorgeous paintings and pottery, sure to please any tourist. The gallery holds limited editions and offers a picture framing service to the public.

Things to do:
Along with all the terrific historical sites, museums and galleries to visit, tourists will find that Newcastle is chockfull of recreational activities. From theatres to comedy clubs, from cinemas to casinos, tourists travelling thorough Newcastle are bound to find many enjoyable recreational pursuits.


BUDDLE ARTS CENTRE: Buddles Art Centre at 258B Station Road, Wallsend, was established in 1981. Tourists will find a number of events, workshops, and exhibits being hosted at the theatre and should call for a schedule before visiting. The Buddle Arts Centre is open during the hours of their events and other offerings.

THEATRE ROYAL: Theatre Royal at Grey Street, is the perfect stop for all fans of Shakespeare as the theatre frequently hosts the Royal Shakespeare Company.

THE HYENA CAFÉ: is located at Leazes Arcade, Leazes Lane, Haymarket in Newcastle, and tourists will find that this comedy club is loaded with visitors every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. If you’re looking for some comic relief while staying in Newcastle, the Hyena Café is the place to be.

ODEON: located at The Gate Complex, Newgate Street in Newcastle is an excellent site to stop in and catch your favourite film.

THE SIDE CINEMA: is located at 5 - 9 The Side, Next to Side Café in Newcastle and is open from Tuesday until Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm.

ASPERS CASINO: is located at The Gate, Newgate Street in Newcastle, and is a Las Vegas style casino and bar that consists of well over 40,000 square feet of gambling entertainment.

Food & Drink:

After a fun filled day of site seeing and enjoying your favourite recreational activities, you are bound to stir up an appetite. Not to worry, Newcastle is filled with fantastic dining locations and you’ll have no trouble pleasing your palate.


KUBLAI KHAN: 22 The Side in Newcastle, is a Mongolian Restaurant offers visitors a banquet. No reservations are required, so the Kublai Khan is an excellent choice if you’re looking to simply walk into a location and grab an excellent bite to eat.

CHIQUITOS: Chiquitos is located at Warner Brothers Complex in Newcastle and serves Mexican delights. Just opposite the Manors Metro station, Chiquitos serves salsa, nachos, salads, chilli, enchiladas, fajitas, and chimmichangas.

HOT BOX CAFÉ: located at St Mary's Place in Newcastle, offers some of your favourites from burgers and fries to kebabs and pizza. The Hot Box Café is an excellent place to visit if you’re looking for fresh, cooked to order dining.

BIMBI’S: located on Nelson Street, is one of the best fish and chips locations in Newcastle. Offering an array of fish entrees, and a variety of pies for dessert, BIMBI’s serves your craving for seafood while visiting Newcastle.

NEWCASTLE PIZZA BEACH: is situated on the waterfront, and serves as a fantastic place to grab a slice of pizza while on the water.

Newcastle Hotels & Accommodation:

Newcastle offers visitors a number of different accommodations to choose from. With over 25 gorgeous hotels to choose from finding a place to stay in Newcastle is a breeze. What’s more, every hotel offers its visitors and array of amenities to make their visit both enjoyable and memorable.

Percy Arms Hotel
Express by Holiday Inn Newcastle Metro Centre
Holiday Inn Newcastle
Copthorne Hotel Newcastle
Waterside Hotel
Royal Station Hotel.
The Vermont Hotel
Hadrian Lodge Hotel
Cairn Hotel
Whites Hotel
Jesmond Hotel
Swallow Imperial Hotel
Best Western New Kent Hotel
Britannia Hotel Newcastle Airport
Gibside Hotel
Caledonian Hotel
Carlton Hotel
Village hotel and Leisure Club Newcastle
Jurys Inn Newcastle
Premier Apartments Newcastle
Express by Holiday Inn Newcastle City Centre
Horton Grange
Quality Hotel Newcastle Upon Tyne
George Washington Golf & Country Club
Thistle Newcastle
Grey Street Hotel

Entertainment

There is no question that tourists can easily find entertainment in Newcastle. When not touring historical sites or engaging in recreational pursuits, visitors to Newcastle will find that the nightlife in Newcastle is equally inviting. Casinos, bars and nightclubs are readily open and accessible in Newcastle and visitors will never be without something to do in this fine English city.

Newcastle: it’s one of the most splendid places in England. Fine dining, entertainment and a rich history make Newcastle particularly inviting to tourists and visitors return every year to enjoy all that Newcastle has to offer.