Posts under ‘Americas’

The Hoover Dam

About 30 miles from Las Vegas on the border of Nevada and Arizona you will find the massive Hoover Dam Hydroelectric Powerstation holding back Lake Mead. Completed in 1935 it was the largest electric power station and largest concrete structure in the world. with enough concrete to pave a two lane highway from New York to San Francisco. Tours of the power station are available daily where visitors can see and hear first hand the amazing engineering and construction feats accomplished to build this mighty structure. The power generated serves not only the glittery lights of Las Vegas but much of Arizona, Nevada and most of Southern California. Interestingly the power station dosn’t store power it just generates what is needed at the time.

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Air Force One

Ronald Reagan was the 40th President of the United States who had 8 years in office between 1981 and 1989. Regan was in office during some huge changes in the world including the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War. His legacy is remembered in a magnificent library and museum in the ruggered Simi Valley about an hour of of Los Angeles in California. Here visitors can recal the life of a Hollywood movie star who became the most powerful man on Earth. As well as learning about this man you can see many of the gifts and artifacts which were part of his life, you can visit a recration of the White House’s Oval Office which has actual furniture and artifacts from his time as president. Probably the most amazing item in the museum is Airforce One, the actual 707 which was used by Regan and many other President’s as their “Flying White House”. For those after a refreshment there is also the Ronald Regan Pub which is a pub that Regan drank at on a visit to Ireland which has been shifted to California. Regan died a few years back and he is also burried at the library overlooking the valley. Read the rest of this entry »

Bewitched Statue

Salem Massachusetts USA is the home of the witch, being home to the witchcraft trials in 1692. Many women were thought to be witches and were hanged at public hangings. Today Salem is cashing in big time on the whole which thing especially around Halloween. There are witch everything, haunted houses, wax museums, witchcraft stores and plenty of places to have spells created and fortunes told. Salem was one of the most important seaports in early America and has a magnificent historic waterfront. The town itself has many historic buildings and is a great day trip for anyone visiting nearby Boston which is less than an hours drive away. Read the rest of this entry »

Gondola ride in Vegas

You no longer need to travel to Italy to see the wonders of Venice they are all available in Las Vegas- there’s the Grand Canal complete with gondola ride, the Rialto Bridge, St Marks Square- the statues the artwork and even St Mark’s Campanile and Doge’s palace. The detail is just amazing and inside are just spectacular. As for the casino and hotel it is one of the biggest on the Las Vegas Strip. There are over 4000 suites and a new tower is under construction. The gaming halls have over 100 different games and there are 17 dining experiences, and we mean experiences with some of the world’s best chefs cooking up a storm. If it’s entertainment you want, well the Blue Man Group and Wayne Brady have shows and Andrew Lloyd Weber’s classic musical Phantom of the Opera also shows at the Venetian performed in a theatre to resemble the famous Palis Garnier in Paris. There’s nightclubs, bars, 5 acres of pools and decks and huge spa club and if that’s not enough there is nearly 2 million square feet of convention and exhibition space. An amazing building for an amazing city. Read the rest of this entry »

The CN Tower - Toronto Canada

The CN Tower in Toronto is the tallest structure in North America standing at a huge 553 metres, and was the tallest structure in the world for 31 years until the monstrous Burj Dubai building went higher last year. The tower is basically a communications tower used for broadcasting TV and the like and opened to the public as a the world’s highest lookout in 1976. The tower has two visitor levels one at 346 metres and another one 100 metres higher at 446 metres offering amazing views of the surrounding city and lake, and on a good day you can even see into the USA and Niagara Falls. One highlight of the tower is a glass bottom floor where brave people can see nothing below their feet- it really is a weird feeling. The tower is a member of the Federation of Great Towers and was declared one of the Seven Wonders of the World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

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Staten Island Ferry New York

You don’t get much for nothing in this world without a catch- well here’s one and the the catch is one of the best views in the world. The ferry carries some 20 million people a year between Staten Island and lower Manhattan, which is about 60,000 a day. The ride takes about 25 minutes and you get a very good look at the majestic Statue of Liberty and the amazing skyscrapers of New York City and New Jersey. Weekdays there are over 100 trips a day with a few less on weekends, avoid the peak hours for the journey. Bus and Train are easily available from both ferry terminals to explore more of either Manhattan or Staten Island. Read the rest of this entry »

If you are looking for one of the hottest Las Vegas shows to see on the Strip, look no further than those of Cirque du Soleil! Famed around the world for their amazing feats of athleticism and talent, Cirque du Soleil is a true show stopper. In Las Vegas there is not just one Cirque performance offered, but SIX! Choose from LOVE , Zumanity, “O” , KA, Mystere, or, the newest show, CRISS ANGEL Believe . They are all great shows and each offers something different for its viewers!
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When Halloween rolls around in Orlando, all of the amusement parks tend to get a little bit scary and gory for little eyes and ears. So, you can find it comforting to know that there are numerous activities that aren’t SO scary throughout the Orlando and Central Florida area for your family to have fun with! Walt Disney World, and SeaWorld Adventure Park, are just two of the parks offering Halloween options for little ones and those not wanting to get scared. Read the rest of this entry »

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Halloween Horror Nights seems to be this country’s best kept secret when it comes to Halloween festivities. It is a huge local event at Universal Studios Orlando, as well as Universal Studios Hollywood. Thousands of horror fans are drawn in to this annual event. Now in its 18th year, it is said to be scarier than ever!

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This is ANYTHING but your typical waterpark! Who could create a waterpark better than SeaWorld? SeaWorld has created its first waterpark with Aquatica in Orlando, Florida. It really is something to see! At Aquatica, SeaWorld has taken their sea-life theme to a whole new level. Aquatica is located right across the street from SeaWorld on International Drive, only 15 minutes from the Orlando International Airport. Read the rest of this entry »