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Sonoma Valley Travel Guide
May 4th, 2012 at 4:56 amSonoma Valley is the birthplace of the California wine industry and frequently known as The Valley of the Moon. Sonoma Valley is residence to some of the earliest vineyards and wineries in the state, some of which survived the phylloxera epidemic of the 1870s and the impact of Prohibition. Its wineries are normally well prepared for receiving tourists, and Sonoma Valley offers a wide range of year round festivals and events, such as the prestigious Sonoma Valley Film Festival. Today, this modest valley’s wines are protected by the US federal government’s Sonoma Valley and Carneros AVAs (or American Viticultural Areas).
The valley is located in southeastern Sonoma County between the Mayacamas Mountains and Sonoma Mountains. It stretches from San Pablo Bay in the south to the city of Santa Rosa in the north. Sonoma Creek flows down the valley to the bay. It includes the incorporated city of Sonoma and part of the City of Santa Rosa, as well as several unincorporated communities, including Kenwood and Glen Ellen near Santa Rosa and, near Sonoma, El Verano, Boyes Hot Springs, Fetters Hot Springs, and Agua Caliente.
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Top 5 Japanese Travel Destinations
May 3rd, 2012 at 1:28 pmJapan’s mix of traditional and modern high tech attractions entice many to these isles. With your flight, travel insurance and accommodation organised, excitement awaits!
Tokyo
If one wants to experience the buzz and excitement of a major world megalopolis, look no further than Tokyo. One could spend considerable time just sitting and people watching, taking in all the movement of this thriving city. Not only is Tokyo teeming with people, it’s also teeming with things to do. Riding the subway can be quite an experience, particularly in peak hour. Platform attendants with special apparatus help to wedge every last person they can into the brimming train. The busy Shinjuku is abuzz with flashing lights, sounds and shopping. Ginza is the upmarket shopping area, while Akihabara is the place for the latest Japanese technology gadgets. Don’t forget Mickey Mouse and friends nearby at Tokyo Disneyland!Kyoto
You won’t have trouble filling in a day of temple visits in Kyoto. Planning ahead might be a good idea, to see what can actually be packed in! Kinkakuji (the Golden temple) and Ginkakuji (the Silver temple) are a couple of standouts. One can dress up in traditional attire, for a photo shoot as a Geisha (or Maiko, as the young Geisha are called). You may possibly see the real thing over a sundowner, as Maiko make their way by carriage to visit clients as dusk approaches. -
Kokyo the Imperial Palace of Japan
May 2nd, 2012 at 11:02 amThe Imperial Palace in Tokyo is the formal residence of the Emperor of Japan and his family.
The website on which the current Imperial Palace stands was once where the majestic Edo Castle stood. This castle was at 1 point the largest castle in the world and belonged to a feudal lord. Following its abandonment, Tokugawa Ieyasu converted it into his palace and there it remained until the Meiji Restoration. This palace was in turn destroyed by bombings throughout World War II.
The present Imperial Palace known as Kokyo, was completed in 1968 and is mostly a mirror image of the Meiji Imperial Palace. Following in its predecessor’s style, the palace is surrounded by stout walls and moats and includes a double bridge.