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By George | July 5, 2008 Pacific Marine Park in Puntarenas, Costa Rica Created in 2002 with the purpose of offering Costa Ricans Hotels and tourists an alternative recreational spot as well as a learning center, the Pacific Marine Park was built at the former train station in Puntarenas. Visiting the park is quite easy for tourists and locals as well. The Marine Park is located at just 500 meters from the dock and offers cruise ship tourists a chance to observe and learn about the region’s marine life. A number of Costa Rican public institutes maintain the Pacific Marine Park and encourage not only the exhibition of its species but also research and conservation of the pacific marine life. The park offers an outdoor and indoor exhibition. The outdoor exhibition consists of rescued animals that are under the care of the local Rescue Program. The program has rescued several land and sea turtles, crocodiles, pelicans and others. Visitors are able to observe these creatures as well as learn about the condition and how the program is helping them recover so that they may be set free. The indoor exhibition consists of around 22 fish tanks that display the pacific marine biodiversity. Some of the most popular species in display are the puffer fish, anemones, crabs, sea horses, starfish, nurse sharks and clown fish. On weekends, the park offers a unique experience for the kids (and grownups!). They open the ‘touch tank’ that allows for visitors to touch selected species. The Pacific Marine Park also has recreational areas and a kid’s swimming pool for extra enjoyment. The park’s facilities have unfortunately gone through a serious of financial and administrative setbacks and can seen by its frail infrastructure. Nonetheless, the spirit and drive of its keepers have maintained the park full of life and with a lot to show and teach its visitors. Topics: 128 Trip Blog | No Comments » |
Travelers TipsThe Boardwalk at Atlantic City.By Kiri Weller | July 5, 2008 You’ve heard all about it I’m sure, but don’t forget all the little parks and out lying towns that surround us. We have the only elephant shaped building on the East Coast in Margate a neighboring community just minutes from AC and Brigantine is a lovely little island with a great bird sanctuary. Climb Abscen Lighthouse for a fantastic view of the city. Visit historic Boardwalk Hall, ride the rides on the piers and party all day & night in our clubs. We are a 24 hour city! Stroll the world famous Boardwalk here in AC. Topics: Travelers Tips | No Comments » Freedom trail at Boston, MABy Austin Nuttall | July 5, 2008 Sixteen historic sites, all significant in this country’s early struggle for freedom, are connected by a 2.5 mile red brick line that not only links one place to another, but the past to the present. What makes the sites on the Freedom Trail so special is that they are not recreations or adaptations. They are real. Each one has a role in the beginning of a nation, each one connects us to the spirit of Boston’s early patriots whose hearts were ignited by the spark of liberty. Revolutionary Timeline 1630 1670 1761 1764 1765 1768 1770 1773 1775 1775 1775 1776 1776 1788 1789 1795 1797 1809 1822 1829 1843 Topics: Travelers Tips | No Comments » |
Travelers StoriesAloha, people.By Steve Aizlewood | July 5, 2008 Aloha! I stayed at Hawaii islands for a month and first I stayed for 2 weeks in Waikiki, which is part of Honolulu on Oahu Island. A very touristic place and heaps of hotels, souvenir shops and restaurants and even a decent beach. I had cut my toe in Fiji and had to relax and let if heal fully before being able to enjoy the place fully, but even slightly injured, Waikiki is a good place to be at. Big Island, also known as Hawaii, was my second island, since after 2 weeks of Waikiki it was really time to move on, hehe. 3rd island was Maui and stayed at a great hostel which had different tours every day of the week: http://www.mauihostel.com/tours.html So I got to snorkel with turtles, hike 20 km on a volcano, go to a red sand beach, watch naked people at a nudist beach, enjoy a bonfire on the beach, swim under waterfalls, eat raspberries in the jungle and lots of other fun stuff. Where do people who live in paradise of Hawaii go on vacation? … Las Vegas ! Topics: Travelers Stories | No Comments » Paris, ParisBy Peter Pan | July 5, 2008 Well I’ve finally left the UK for central Europe. Alas warmer weather. For the next six weeks I’m on my own, no more comforts of staying at Marco’s or on the go with tours - I’ll be hosteling it out most of the time until I meet up with family relatives in Zurich and Sicily. No other city comes close to France’s unmissable capital than Paris, with it’s world class museums, magnificent monuments, buzzing bars and street side cafes. This sexy, sophisticated city is spectacular by day as it is by night. It’s glowing lights reflected off the River Sein it truly the backdrop of romancing in Paris - but no romance to be found here for this intrepid traveller. Only the companionship of a new found friend from Mexico -Carlos, on his last leg of a six week stint across Europe, we met at our hostel and found ourselves together to explore Paris (meeting new people across the globe has it’s merits as by the end of our stay, I have an extended invitation, with free board in Mexico, well will just have to wait and see). I won’t bore you with all the details of our Paris sight seeing excursions, so I hope you will enjoy some of the many pic’s taken over the past week. PS. I’ll need to keep these blogs to a minimum (relief i hear) as Internet cafes aren’t cheap! and besides the keyboard is not your standard qwertry board……..so spelling errors = typo’s. Until next time…….au revoir Topics: Travelers Stories | No Comments » Such a beautiful place, SpainBy Celeste Hoffman | July 5, 2008 My second and last night in Spain. It’s been good. I like this campsite. The rooms are big, the bed doesn’t squeak, there are lots of showers, and they are hot! Plus there is the internet. I love reading the emails and admittedly right now I am missing home. I think mostly because so far I have not really bonded with anyone on this trip. Anyways, the day started at 6:30 when we woke up. We were off pretty early. Sandra and Carolyn took us on a quick bust tour of Barcelona. We got to hop off and take some photos. The panoramic view of Barcelona is exactly how I imagined- almost like building upon building. One of our stops was the Olympic stadium from…1992 I think. We also stopped and seen a church that is absolutely amazing!! It is called Sagrada Familia. Gaudi was working on it, and all of the plans were in his head until he got hit by a bus! So the other side of the church looks totally different. It’s very impressive! We walked through the Gothic Quarter and saw some really old buildings. We walked where Christopher Columbus ran up to the steps where he would tell the King and Queen of the new world. That’s pretty cool. We also seen big holes in the sides of a building where some people were massacred years ago. Spain has some amazing architecture. Everything seems so colourful here! I also seen the ocean for the first time!! The gates to the beach were closed though, but I could hear it and took photos. Kilie and I went shopping, which was cool. Most people spoke English. I bought a silver ring, a necklace, a beautiful black fringed shawl with pink roses, a hand painted fan, post cards, a key chain, and running shoes! My feet are so swollen. I have big hobbit feet. My calves are killing me pretty bad too so I figure some proper shoes were a good investment! We ate at a place, kinda fast food Spanish style I guess. I had some sandwich on foccacia bread with salami and cheese. It was good! We also later wanted a drink really bad so we stopped at the Hard Rock Cafe. We got nachos and some fruity alcoholic drinks in big glasses- that we got to keep! Sweet ass!! We went to see flamenco dancing tonight, too. It was a private show just for us and we got free sangria (mmmm) and some appetizer type food. I don’t know what it was. They made a lot of people go up and participate, which was so funny! At the end we had to all get up and do a group dance. That was A LOT of fun. After we went to Porto Olympico. The harbor is gorgeous! I’ve never seen a real harbor before. So many boats! We all had supper there. Carolyn surprised us with free appetizers and sangria at this one restaurant. I had chicken and fries for my main course. Kilie had fish that still had its head. There was a kind of chocolate cheesecake for dessert. Appetizers were shrimp and bruscetta. I caught the bus back here at 10:30 with a few others. Everyone else stayed in Barcelona to go clubbing there. I was feeling it. I came back, emailed, showered, and here I am. Tomorrow we are off to the French Riviera!! Topics: Travelers Stories | No Comments » |