I needed rest and recuperation, but not only that, due to my working life, I also need some kind of treatment that will give me more energy and motivation as well. That’s asking a lot of a spa in Pengang, but that’s exactly what they delivered. I was fortunate enough to be staying in one of the luxury hotels Penang for my rest and recuperation, when I was told about this very special spa. Apparently, they have a healing specialist who has created a massage style, named after some famous warrior (I can’t remember the name), but it’s a massage style designed for men. It uses a form of c movements during the massage. The massage oil has a red tinge to represent fire, life force, blood and the warrior spirit.

Afterwards, I was very uplifted and rejuvenated. I felt so uplifted, I felt like going out clubbing all night long. I was very impressed with this massage technique, I asked if they had other massage techniques that were as new and different as the one I was just given. They told me there’s one where they use bamboo sticks, and one where then incorporated Qigong. They talked about one that is truly on the cutting edge which has taken their spa to a whole new level. I asked them to show me.

They took me into a darkened room with a starlit sky roof. The colors of the lights changed at a hardly noticeable pace. I sat on a tatami rice mat and let them take me on a journey of awakening that included deep pranic breathing, vibrational and sound therapy, a letting go ritual, tasting sensations and the best back, shoulder and foot massage I’d ever received. I could tell that this special treatment was a transforming treatment. It was very powerful and definitely a personal journey I never expected to take, but one that was necessary.

I attended a healthcare conference in New York, where they were discussing and promoting the use of art as a gap between illness and health. I attended because I’m an artist and have witnessed first hand just how much art in necessary to enhance the healthcare experience for patients, their families and for caregivers. Organizations from the U.S. and Canada have projects to support and innovate artists to use art to advance healing and preventative health. There was an array of imaginative artists discussing just how theater, film, writing and music has given an un-quantifiable boost to patients that have benefited from all the art therapies. The conference also announced the recipients of its annual grant program. The structure of the grant has been revised to focus exclusively on organisations with evidence of prior success. They advised that the awardees of the grant will work to replicate their evidence-based models in underserved communities across the U.S. and Canada over a three year period. Then, a committee will convene at the end of the grant period to present the findings from the awardees programs; this will add to the growing base of research that shows that there are significant benefits when arts are incorporated into the healthcare system.

I was heading back to my room at one of the top New York City hotels, when it occurred to me just how I to could incorporate my art with inner-city homeless shelters which will involve not only the children, but the entire family structure. My healing art is about promoting balance and understanding how balance works and how to archive balance through art projects. When I got to my hotel room, I couldn’t sleep, I was so excited that awareness of just how important art is to our society is in every aspect of life, is becoming more and more prevalent. I immediately began to work on my proposal to become a recipient of that grant.

An extremely important consideration when traveling to Delhi, hotels are the center of the journey.  This is where you lay both your head and your hat, so it seems very reasonable that you would want choices, and want to choose the best.  We offer a splendid range of hotels to fit your budget, with economical choices along with five-star choices, each reflecting the best standards of the industry in their class.  There are also hosts of wonderful amenities offered, from exercise rooms to world-class restaurants, in order to keep you both rested and ready to enjoy all the wonderful things the city offers.   Each hotel is carefully designed to reflect the local styles, fusing the contemporary with the classical, so that your stay begins in elegance.

Delhi is one of the most unique places on the planet, and has attracted some of the world’s greatest minds for centuries.  Extremely cosmopolitan and diverse, it is one of the most exciting cities, with a wide array of attractions that will keep the whole family happy.  It won’t take long to see why the city is so popular as a business and tourist destination, and also why it acts like a magnet for so many writers, writers like Ajjet Cour.  Born in Lahore, Pakistan, and currently serving as the chairperson for New Delhi’s Academy of Fine Arts and Literature, she has also written a substantial body of fiction, with short stories that run the range from romanticist to realist.

With a strong reputation for an inner strength and tenacity, Ajeet Cour is one of the driving forces behind the SAARC Writers and Literature, an organization that draws links between India and Pakistan.  This is part of her life’s mission, and given more force lately after the attacks in 2008.  The organization honors creative work by writers in the region, making creative connections in an attempt to bring unity and compassion into light.  From a very difficult life under very difficult circumstances, Ajeet Cour has certainly forged a path where none existed, and thus makes the walking easier for her daughter, along with countless among the next generation.

There’s really nothing in the world like clubbing in Ibiza.  It’s the hot spot on the planet for parties that last all night, with pounding rhythms that keep the crowds dancing  until the sun comes up.  The beaches are fantastic, too, of course, set in a Mediterranean paradise that has attracted visitors for centuries.  The Castilian and Catalan languages are heard all over the island, reminding the party-goers that this has been home to a rich blend of cultures for centuries.  The old fishing villages that are now the party capital of the world add to the weight of history of the place, and the contemporary scene is evidence that this island is constantly evolving.

One of the main attractions here is the music, and some of the world’s hottest djs find their homes in our fantastic selection of clubs.  There are special events that go on all year, and the summer is when they really reach their peak, attracting rave fans and celebrities from all over the globe.  In the midst of the blur of the excitement, there is a keen sense of sound, and the crowds know when something is working.  This is why the work of the electronic music wizard Gavin Russom is a talent that even the most jaded Ibiza locals can appreciate.

Born in Providence, Rhode Island in the U.S. and currently based in Berlin, Gavin Russom has had a rather remarkable career, considering his young age.  He honed his musical and performance art chops performing for all the right crowds at all the right haunts in New York City, when he worked with one of his long-time collaborators, Delia Gonzalez.  His early love for machine music, fueled with a remarkable musical sensibility (and sometimes working as a dj, bringing his particular wizardry to spinning), makes him a talent to watch.  His current release, Black Meteoric Star, gives a sense of the depth of his mastery of matching electronic beats to the rhythms of the body in shamanic trance, suggesting a direction for his own future as his audiences dance to their own shifting consciousnesses.

The history of the settlement and the population of the island of Mauritius is expansive, covering many years and many different occupations by many different countries and cultures.  This is one of the aspects that has contributed to the cultural diversity of the island today.  The modern times always reflect the past, and the evidence of this is seen in everything from the art and architecture, to the species of both plant and animal that now inhabit the island, to the people themselves.

And as such is the fact with cities or countries so steeped in culture, such is true on the island, and that is that there are a number of museums that are dedicated to exhibited the artifacts and relics of the historical times, as well as concerned with expanding the knowledge of the visitors that come to tour.  The National History Museum is one such place.  The art, the history and the culture is displayed at the museum through the fast collection of these artifacts.

The museum is located conveniently close to the Jardin de la Compagnie,  on the first level of the Mauritius Institute Building close to many luxury hotels.  Mauritius museums are maintained by Museums Council in the middle of the Port Louis city center.  The council is the corporate body of the Ministry of Arts and Culture.  The museums roots began in 1942, with the establishment of the Desjardins Museum, of which the History Museum has become the oldest museum on the island of Mauritius, as well as being one of the oldest in the entire region of South Africa.

The Institute Building was built between the years of 1880 and 1884 and is now on the list of the National Heritage Sites.  The design is taken directly from the Sri Lankan Colombo Museum.   The collection includes incredible examples of the artwork that has had so varied a cultural influence, and is one of the most popular sites for tourists with a penchant for history.

The Mayan calendar was calculated out till a date in December of 2012. According to Mayan stories this is the date that this world will end and the transition to the new world will begin. That is a big thought to wrap a mind around. The Cherokee have the same date marked as the end of this calendar. These traditions talk about the evolution of human kind through various ‘worlds’ these worlds relate to the chakras and their functions. The 1st world being the world of survival. IN the first world we are selfish and think and act for our own survival. The second worked is where we have accomplished survival. We are surviving and we can become creative. In the second world creativity began, shaping the physical world for the purpose of humans. The third world is where we begin to gain awareness. Awareness of others, that they are different, think differently and have different needs. In the third world we became responsible for our actions and receive consequences for those actions.  These traditions say that we are currently living in the 4th world. The world of the heart and compassion. Here is where we develop our love and respect for each other. IT would appear that something has gone wrong if this is the 4th world as compassion and love do seem to be lacking. So we sit here in this thinking on the cusp of the transition from the 4th to the 5th world. As a Cherokee elder once said I’m not sure how this will go. We are in the 4th world ready to transition into the 5th world and most of society is living out of the third world. This transition to the 5ht world is supposed to usher in an age of truth and transparency. How will this happen when most folks still function fr selfishness and greed, traits of the third world. This transition is likely to occurs weather prepared for it or not, so the change should be interesting! Now I have to decide if I will be cancelling those plans to reunite with my buddies at a Kerala resorts in January 2013.

There are many depths and levels to awareness. Awareness actually goes out in all directions form us as if we are in the center of a complex spider web. We develop awareness from very early on and can continue to develop all our lives. As children our awareness is kept in close. As babies we are only aware of pr needs and those closest to us. As we develop this awareness grows to more specifics around the needs ability to communicate them etc. Keep our focus on awareness in close as children is crucial as we are in need of being cared for, this keeping awareness to ourselves mainly makes us react and act is such ways as to remind those in care for us to come to our aid. As we get older though and more able to care for our selves and ultimate independent our developing awareness shifts, that is if it continues to develop as many seem to choose to closed down to this as they mature assuming they know all that is need to be known. IN this modern society this awareness not only goes for our relationships and surroundings bit deeper to where are things coming from, how did they get here. What is the impact of sing this vs. that or eating this vs. that. It is daunting to keep up if you continually think abort it. Again another one of these conversations I got into while sitting in the lobby of the best Bangkok hotel. Knowing no conclusion could be come to but the activity can become habit as the idea of gaining deeper awareness is ever more conscious. This awareness goes into how and what do we consume not only food consumption but everything from energy and products to goods and services. It also expand to speech and actions. How and what words do we choose to use, what do we choose to speak about and in what light. Are we aware enough of ourselves that we know we are being negative? Do we realize we are putting someone down? These are subtle levels of awareness that take practice to gain understanding and control over. The thought starts and then suddenly without awareness the action has occurred. The trick is to catch the thought before the action to be able to be aware if you want to continue or not. Not simply being a being that reacts without awareness in this world.

Though much is made about the emotional effects that alcohol can have on abusers on the people who know them, just as serious effects occur physicality.  No where are these effects more evident than on the brain.  Memory impairment, disrupted speech patterns, balance problems in walking, and distorted vision are just some of the short term problems that alcohol can cause, especially in those who are addicted to the substance.   Though the exact long term effects are still being debated today by researchers in the field, they can all agree on one thing: it can cause permanent and many cases irreparable damage to the brain if an intervention and residential drug treatment is not sought earlier enough.

Simpler problems to deal with among the long term effects include minor slips of memory and other cognitive abilities to such damage that a person require 24/7 care for the rest of their life.  What researchers are trying to accomplish is a determination of what kinds of behavior patterns construct what kinds of effects and in what kinds of people.  Because so many factors go into figuring out these results, researchers still do not have definitive answers to provide people, especially as opinions and research keep altering.

Some of the  causes that go in to determining how much alcohol damages the brain include: when the drinker initially started to consume alcohol and for what period of time; the state of their health; prenatal alcohol exposure; how much alcohol is consumed at a sitting and how often; gender, education level, family history, age, and socioethnic background.  Other researchers focus solely on how alcohol abuse intervention might be improved.

Two of the most common  effects that are short term are blackout and memory loss.  Blackouts, as the name suggests, means a person cannot completely or not at all recall what they did when intoxicated.  Recently, researchers have found blackouts are actually found more and more among allegedly social drinkers.   Long term damages often show up in the form of liver disease.  Perhaps more disturbing is that liver cirrhosis can develop from liver disease and is often fatal as it can cause hepatic encephalopathy.

While professional opinions vary widely among the medical community here in the United States and certainly in the rest of the world about the definition, treatment, causes, and effects of alcoholism, one things has always remained the same: abuse of alcohol without the hope alcohol or drug rehab always has long lasting effects even into sobriety.  That is why early detection, as is the case in so many diseases, is so important.

I was told to imagine if I had the power, the knowledge and the ability to not only heal myself, but others, then imagine how my life would change, how empowered I would feel and how much money I’d save not only for me, but for others. I was told this at a weekend healing retreat my friend dragged me to because she was interested in becoming a healer, but didn’t want to attend the retreat all by herself. Actually, I think she wanted me with her so I would become a partner with her and we’d start up a wellness center together. But I didn’t believe in any of this stuff, but I did believe in her and her abilities to do what she put her mind to.

What I didn’t expect was to become a believer myself. Even on the very first day, after we got settled in our room at one of the Sydney five star hotels, I felt something strange happening to me. The only way I can describe the feeling is like I could sense every part of my body all the time, not just when I focused on my body, but all the time, I didn’t have to focus, I was just aware. So, I think I was being prepared to absorb the information this seminar was about to teach.

They taught us that understanding energy is easier than one would think and it can lead to absolute healing and happiness in every aspect of our lives. That we didn’t need to understand the underlying principles, just like how we (the general Joe on the street) don’t understand electricity, but we can still use it and gain the benefits of its use. They gave use three basic energy levels. The first was Maximum energy, this will change our lives by getting access to boost energy which will aid in removing stress and pain like migraines in minutes. Then the second energy is the hassle free energy which accesses the infinite universe of what’s called the Life Force. They told us once we learn this technique, which draws on the infinite source, we will be able to apply the technique anywhere, anytime on anyone. It’s kind of a tool kit that we’ll learn to use for all aspects of life, like just zap someone on public transport, or a co-worker, or even or loved ones at home, and no one’s the wiser that they received a healing. The third and last technique is called the Fast technique where we’ll be able to remove pain, increase our energy levels and help not only ourselves, but our loved ones. This last technique, they told us, we’ll be able to master on our first day of the retreat.

Well, if how I’m feeling right now is any indication of putting these technique’s into play, then I’m a believer. I really can not describe just how energized I am and how wonderful I feel, and the retreat hasn’t even started yet.

I believe Singapore is blessed with a rich diversity of religions. Owning to the assimilation of various cultures through the centuries. But, prominent among these religions is Buddhism and Taoism. I didn’t think this was surprising when I considered that the Chinese from the majority of the population in this medical tourism destination. When Sir Stamford Raffles established his trading port in the Singapore Marina, thousands of Chinese immigrants began to pour in looking for business and employment opportunities. The immigrants brought with them traditional Chinese beliefs and a strain of Buddhism known as the Mahayana sects.

Traditional Chinese philosophies influenced everything in Singapore, like medicine, business matters and interior design. Taoism is the major principle behind Feng Shui which involves the removal of bad or negative energy and fosters positive energies in the home which improves the health and wealth of the homeowner. Acupuncture, which involves insertions of needles into a body to cure various ailments, is also based on the positive energy, negative energy premise. In places like Chinatown, medical tourism visitors, such as myself, can see remnants of Toaist healing and design practices.

Islam is the dominant religion of the Malays, so therefore, has a long standing in Singapore. Muslims, approximately 16 percent of the total population and immigrants from the Middle East also boost the number of Islamic followers in this island nation. Muslim practices in Singapore are relatively liberal compared to most Islamic countries.

Hinduism, India’s most commonly practiced religion arrived in Singapore with the hundred or so Indians who were a part of the party that came with Sir Stamford Raffles’ arrival at Singapore harbor. The early Indians were largely from Tamil Nadu, and their presence resulted in the construction of some of the most beautiful temples in Singapore. All of which is good for the tourism of Singapore.

Thai healing techniques are becoming more popular as people are coming disenchanted with Western allopathic treatments. There appears to be a global movement towards a more holistic, a more natural approach to healing. The activities such as Yoga, meditation, Reiki and Pranic Healing are now not perceived as a one time hobby, but now are increasingly becoming mainstream. Herbal medicines and natural intentional heeling’s have also re-emerged as alternatives to what now many see as an ever growing impersonal, drug driven Western approach to healing.

Many centers, even a Phuket hotel are now set up to accommodate visitors from around the world. Thailand is now know to many as having many branches of traditional medicine equally as all the traditional Chinese medicines. Thailand has become a natural draw for practitioners of alternative approaches. The last few years alone, Thailand has become the ideal place for a visitor to explore the alternative approaches currently offered. Like Integrated medicines, detoxification, natural healing and spiritual centers.

Thailand’s Spas are fast becoming healing and spiritual spas that focus on spiritual health. They encourage visitors to pursue a spiritual journey of introspection and reflection by participating in the activities that are available during a spa visit, such as the techniques for mental meditation and physical relaxations to trauma repair and relief. The techniques include Tai-chi, yoga, chi-gong and sitting meditations. Before visiting a spiritual spa, be sure to figure out which spiritual activities the spa focuses on. A spa for spiritual relief or healing should be chosen carefully. Individuals interested in visiting a spa where they can learn Eastern methods of relaxation are not going to be satisfied with reading the Bible for a week. Spiritual spas can offer spiritual growth possibilities, so keep you eyes and heart open, because you might miss an opportunity to grow.

Any successful Las Vegas law firm will understand through intuition, business savvy, and an incredible program, the importance of surrounding themselves with not only a staff of skilled and talented employees, but surrounding themselves with a diversity of operating mechanisms, meaning people who go about attending to challenges and problems in a variety of manners.  What is necessary for the success of any court case, any business, any company, or any aspect of life really, is the ability to adapt to an ever changing environment. 

When a lawyer begins to put together their team, they must become aware to the fact, that while like attracts like, different is necessary.  In order to successfully solve any problem, linear thinking must converge with creative ideas.  Machiavelli made observations in the 1400’s about human behavior, noticing that while a problem may be easy to cure, it may be difficult to diagnose.  Much like taking an aspirin for a headache…sure the headache may disappear, but what caused it may remain, under the surface and ready to emerge again at any given moment.  

One way we all go about become diverse, is to learn a new skill.  There are workshops in drawing for writers, and writing for draftsman.  This brings one in touch with different coping mechanisms and ways in which one will find options and solutions when confronted with the ups and downs, not only of the world of litigation, but of life in general.  Logical skills include effective time management and the assessment of short versus long term goals. 

Also included is in one’s ability to learn new skills in areas in which they may not be familiar.  One perfect combination is intuition and data.  Gut feelings are accurate, as long as emotions are not involved.  Intuition is best backed up with data, and vice-versa.  It is a delicate balance, but one that is easy to attain.

We thought a nice place to start our tour of Jakarta would be the National Museum a wonderful cultural outpost featuring of carved objects, instruments, and statues made of bronze. There are over 100,000 objects in the museum, so we were told, and one can visit an exhaustive collection of historical relics. Many Jakarta hotels advise starting here. I really enjoyed the Prehistory room which explores ancient fossils of man, dating back almost one million years. Many of the artifacts in this part of the museum were found in human burial sites, which adds to their significance. Some are ceramic, others carved from wood and from bronze. Large numbers of people emigrated from the Asian mainland around two thousand BC, were they were able to build structures and raise cattle and rice and settled into villages where they were able to develop their culture.

The museum also has an incredible Treasure Room where they keep gold artifacts along with precious stones and other metals. A recent discovery is on display here, one in which farmers discovered valuables in a field. These are on display along with 2000 other objects. There are also many stone sculptures, many discovered in Sumatra. Many of the carvings are of religious significance, and carved of sandstone and limestone.

Many rare and valuable coins and and foreign currencies are on display in the Numismatic section. the coins eventually were replace by paper currency, and currency from former kingdoms like Jambi and Banten had their own money and that can be seen here too. During the colonial period, the colonizers including the Dutch and the British and the Portuguese and the Japanese all had their own currency. This was during the sixteenth to twentieth centuries. It;s hard to think that coins were once actually made of gold!

We found an Internet cafe and we were able to send some photos back to friends of our day at the beaches of Ibiza. Then we gathered up and had a light lunch and a lot of water and returned to our room for a quick nap, getting ready, we giggled, for a night of Ibiza opening parties. We rousted up and had a shower and went to Cafe del Mar to watch the incredible sunset. We had paella with lots of prawns and sausage and red wine and a small dish of house made ice cream for dessert then went for a walk down the beach, then to the harbor. We then went to the old historic part of the city. We had clubbed it for a few days now and looked forward to a quiet and serene evening, just missing one of the Espuma parties at a club called Amnesia where the club becomes  filled with foam and people get soaked. We thought though tonight we’d investigate a few of the fifty beaches on the island and we watched the moon come up in the Mediterranean Sea, just out of earshot of the throbbing nightlife of Ibiza.

The next day Sally had hurt her foot so we grabbed a couple Segways and made our way up the cobbled street. We were both familiar with their operation so we didn’t need lessons on how to operate them. Lean a bit forward and there you go forward, lean back and you go back. Handlebars right you go right and left to correct back again to the left. It’s easy. It was easy on our feet too as the machine smoothed out the bumpy scenic street and took them all the way to the top of Dalt Vila, the old town of Ibiza.

Tucson, Arizona is host to two gem shows a year. The main one that has been going on for more than 60 year is held in February annually. More recently there has been a smaller second show that i now taking place in mid-September. The winter show is much larger and goes on for a longer period of time then the fall show. The winter how begin the lat weekend in January with the opening of some ‘early’ shows. The subsequent weeks more shows open as other shows close with the majority of the shows being open the beginning to the middle of Feb. The show fall off in number and size however do continue until the end of the month. The convention center show in downtown Tucson is the ‘event that started it all’ so to speak. Over 60 year ago the city hosted an international gem and mineral show. Only natural considering all the mining in Arizona. The event was small and modest by today’s standard. Over the years other shows developed in conjunction with the convention center show in hotels and conference centers around town. Today nearly every hotel, convention center and vacant lot becomes a market for gem, minerals, fossil specimens, imported art and craft and almost anything else you can think of in the line of import good. Hotels rent out rooms to vendor who use them to sell their wears. Lawns around pools, court yards, parking lot all go to the use of marketing good. The vendors come from all over the world representing mining concerns from every continent. Specimen and people come in from everywhere to by as well. I have met folk from all around, people buying for Australia spa resorts looking for message stones to collector filling out their collections to buyer for retail location stocking up on inventory. There are rock crystal specimen taller than a 6 foot man to fine faceted sparkling gem stones. The quality range is just a vast from the finest to industrial grade.

Can we actually create our own reality? Some say that our thinking is what shapes the reality we live in. It effects our jobs, relationships, our wealth or lack of. It is all based on our thinking? For me I have been focused on simplifying my life for a long time. I have downsized the places I live in lessened my mortgage all of this while in a society going crazy on upgrading, getting bigger houses, cars and more and more of everything tangible. I am not sure what the goals of these folks are. Perhaps they are mistaken in the belief that happiness and contentedness are come from being in control of a lot of possession? The Buddhist philosophy of more you possess the more you are possessed it so real. Your possessions possess you! Your possessions must be maintained, protected, perhaps stored, insured, cleaned, moved around and on and on. For me possessions are a weight simply weighing me down. Now don;t get me wrong I have things and as far as I am concerned too many things. However I posses far less then the average American and am constantly thinking about what I can do with out. I also give thought to new purchases. Will I really use the item, is it necessary or not? If it isn’t necessary why do I want it? After all these questions it doesn’t mean I never acquire, but when I do acquire something new I have a better perspective on why I want it. Also a deeper appreciation for having it as the thinking that went into acquiring it. While having dinner with a friend at a 5 star Mallorca hotel I was asked why I choose this way of living. I answered simply – I am happiest when things are kept simple and clear.

Savvy world travelers know that five star Barcelona hotels mean a heavenly trip in a fantastic city.  Our hotels are distinctive in their attention to detail, detail in our decor, and detail in your comfort and satisfaction.  The sumptuous accommodations will help to rejuvenate the body and mind, so that the city can be truly enjoyed with all the senses sharpened.  We have all the usual excellent amenities that meet or exceed the highest standards in the industry, and one can certainly expect amazing food served by our top chefs, splendid exercise facilities to keep the body in tune with the spirit, and a warmth and hospitality that is peculiar to Spain.

Barcelona is one of the largest cities in the country, and all of Europe, and has a reputation for being one of the main centers for art and commerce in the world.  It has attracted great minds for centuries, and this is no different today.  Interesting new movements in performance and visual arts speak to a local and global audience here.  Valentin Torrens brings visual art and performance together in his eclectic and fascinating body of work.  He is not only an artist, but Torrens is also working as an educator, compiling materials to teach performance to the next generations.

Born in 1951, he has been an active participant in the performance art world since the 1980s.  Based in Barcelona, he performs all over the planet, provoking and engaging audiences with his complex and intriguing vision.  He also works as an installation artist, and as an organizer, bringing together performance artists from all over to participate in group works and festivals. In one particular performance in Spain, Valentin Torrens used card tricks to lure audiences into his work, which challenges perception and the notion of realness.  This combined with other radical actions, and was then layered with projection work which all worked to give a complexly-layered evening, where multiple versions of reality conflicted with each other.  It is highly evocative work, and anyone spending time in Barcelona should seek out work by this artist.

Wow, Perth is a long way from anywhere, located, as they say, on the other side of Australia, and it took a couple flights to get here. Once there, however, and stay at any of the hotels Perth offers, it will feel like a wonderful, comfortable city. We immediately went to the beach that morning and swam for the first time in the Indian Ocean! We got cleaned up and went to Fremantle taking the train and hung out on the pier for coffee and fish and chips. We went down to the ferry terminal and watched the boats and fed the birds.

At King’s Park there’s essentially a botanical garden and park for the public with nice city views and and you can see the Swan River. We saw many beautiful plants including the Kangaroo Paw. Apparently they are very popular with home gardeners. We spent the rest of the day catching up on museums in Freemantle, and we really liked the shipwreck museum, also known as the Western Australia Museum-Maritime a collection of shipwrecks from that part of Australia. Looks there’s some treacherous water around here given all the exhibits along with a submarine called the HMAS Ovens. When I saw ovens and submarine, I immediately thought of the sandwich and got hungry. There seemed to be a lot of Dutch ships here (some timbers from Dutch ship from 1629! Man, that’s old) and a restored steam engine that sat underwater for over a hundred years and has been restored.

Back downtown, the city is laid out in grid fashion and the Wellington Rail Station and nearby is the entrance to London Court that’s made to look like England from the Tudor period, with jousting knights and bonging clock chimes. There’s beautiful theaters here too, and churches in this beautiful city.

When considering the perfect vacation spot in a boutique hotel, Ibiza certainly comes to mind.  This lovely Balearic island has a long reputation for its incredible beaches and lively surf life.  Although there are a stunning array of dance clubs, with some of the most vibrant night life in all of Europe, there is much more to Ibiza than the parties.  There is a fascinating history to the place, and an emerging arts culture that embraces the best of the new and celebrates the achievements of the past.  Our boutique hotels are a wonderful place to begin this adventure, and jump into the cultural scene in style and comfort.

One sign of life in any place is a solid film community, who actively watch, make, and discuss new works of cinematic art.  Ibiza is entering this field with its own Ibiza Film Festival.  Its now in its third year, and has had a very impressive beginning, with some of the industry’s most interesting names connected to the festival.  This is part of an initiative to begin showing Ibiza’s other sides to the world at large, and as far as film culture goes, this is a rather auspicious start.  With an impressive list of events, guests, and of course, film viewings, the festival follows the usual format of other festivals.  However, it is Ibiza, and the pace is different here, so the events can often go into the wee hours of the morning.

The film selection is excellent, showing works from all around the globe, with emphasis on local work, film in Spanish from the Americas and Spain, and classic films.  The list of patrons is exceptionally well-chosen, with names like Bigas Luna, Antonio Isasi, John Hurt, Nacho Cano, and Angela Molina.  This past year saw the likes of Cuba Gooding presiding over the jury selection.  In an interesting twist of cinematic double-take, the Ibiza Film Festival created the Vicente Ribas Prize, an award that goes to another film festival for its work in promoting world cinema.  This last year’s award went to the Berlinale Festival, and Berlin’s Dieter Kosslick was on hand to collect the award.  This is a remarkable show of solidarity with the film community, in recognizing excellence in global cinema while also creating another space for it.

Opportunity to help abound at home and abroad abound. What could be more rewarding than volunteer service in another country. The opportunity to experience another culture, language and customs while helping out our fellow man. Not simply the obvious and well known organizations like the Red Cross or the Peace Corps offer international service, but there are lesser know yet powerful organizations like Heiffer International which has progrms and training to prepare someone for an over seas volunteer service experience. In Kerala, India you can help care for a mentally challenged child while getting in some relaxation in at Kerala resorts. If traveling isn’t for you there is always Kiva where no interest loans can be extended to entrepreneurs in third world countries thus aiding in their ability to grow their business. With Kiva you can select the entrepreneur to loan to by geographic locals, by gender or by the type of business the loan is to be used for. The gratification of this type of giving specifically when done selflessly goes beyond any amount of money. This type of giving is the First Paramita, paramita is Sanskrit for perfect or perfection. The paramita refers to the perfection or culmination of certain virtues. The First Paramita refers to the perfection of giving or generosity. This perfection is characterized by unattachment and unconditional generosity. Dana can be a religious act focusing the giving on to the monastic community or a spiritually developed person. In Buddhist thinking it has the effect of purifying past karma. Perfecting dana brings auspicious rebirth into happy states and material wealth. The reverse leads to unhappy states and poverty. The idea being the more we give, without any expectation for return, the more will be available to the giver. Thus creating a life free from the worry of need

We booked our first few nights, as we were unfamiliar with hotels in Mumbai and we felt great having it all set up for us. We had taken a crazy ride from the airport by taxicab and opted for a fast nap to power us up. We went out to check out the markets. Tiny wanted to feed the cows, so we bought some grass and meal balls to feed them. One very dark cow caught our eye (I’m sure it knew) and Tiny fed the cow with its long eye lashes. We got hungry now as since no cows were going to feed us we settled in to a little place that was nothing more than a shack really and had a plate of lentils, naan bread and some chutney and some rice. Yum.

We met a couple from Australia and they told us to be very careful what we ate and to drink bottled water. Bottled mineral water is inexpensive. They were careful andcautious, reminding us to take the Larium we had for Malaria prevention. We popped into an Internet cafe and then walked a bit more, taking in the heat and the honking horns. We all agreed to have dinner at Leopolds and had large pitchers of beers. Our Australian friends from Brisbane were going to show us how to drink! Place was nice with a unique ambiance on the heart of the tourist district of Coloba. It feels like being back in colonial days as it opens onto the street. And our friends got fish and chips! Lots of backpackers here, it must be in many guide books. Great gin and tonics too! My chicken korma was good, the chapati hot and we all had a rocking good time! I hope if we go to Australia we don’t have hamburgers, I kidded our new friends!

Prayer beads or mala in Sanskrit, have a long history of use in the subcontinent of India. Buddhist prayer beads have their roots in Hinduism where the followers of Shiva would carry rudraksha seed bead malas for counting the repetition of their mantras or prayers. Malas are used by more than half of the worlds religions and from about five hundred BCE. Buddhist mala beads have been traditionally made from Bodi seeds. The Bodi tree, a type of fig, is said to be the tree the Buddha sat and meditated under for seven years. Sandalwood and other material were used as Buddhism spread. While wood is traditional material, stone, shell, glass and plastics are used today. Buddhist and Hindus use malas to this day, frequently the malas are so decorative that people not of those religions choose to wear them as adornment. Today malas can be seen everywhere from gift shops in five star hotels in Deli to the smallest and most humble villages and towns. The use of the mala not only aides in the counting of the prayer but the concentration of the energies conjured up in the process of the repetition and meditation on the sentiment of the mantra / prayer. It is believed the mala will embody the essence of all these energies thought time and use. The etymology of mala beads goes back to ancient India. Mala or Japa Mala is a Sanskrit word that was adopted into other Asian languages as the use of the beads spread. When the Romans invaded India they mistook the word japa for jap, the Latin word for rose. Upon returning to Rome, mala beads were referred to as rosarium and latter English rosary. Today people of many traditions and backgrounds use malas in their practice or simply for adornment.

I live in London, but travel to Birmingham because it is a veritable festival hotspot. Birmingham, being a core city and the second biggest city in the United Kingdom, it’s not surprising more people come here to party, festival and chill.  It’s a festival frenzy which focuses on music, arts and my favorite, food festivals. The Birmingham Hotel that I book all the time, now gives me special discounts and special treatment because I’m virtually here at least one weekend a month. That’s how many festivals go on in Birmingham!

Here’s just a list of the ones I’ve attended so far: The Bass Festival, The Jazz Festival, The Hip-Hop Festival, a Graffiti exhibition. I even attended a DJ Masterclass. Of course, the BBC Good Food Show which lasted 5 days and was absolutely astounding because I got to meet Gordon Ramsay and James Martin. I’ve gone to the New Generation Arts Festival hosted by Birmingham University; venues were sprawled all over Birmingham and that one lasted 15 days, of course I only stayed for the weekend, so I’m sure I missed some very excellent art, films and I did miss the creative writing presentation. Well, who can stay for 15 days? Really!  They need to whittle it down to a long weekend. I did enjoy the music festival and the International selling artists. Now, that one ensured that all of the Birmingham hotels were busting at their seams. I barely got my into my room, my hotel was over booked!  Many people during this festival camp because the hotels can not handle the thousands who attend, it’s that big.

I know for a fact that all of Birmingham Hotels are thriving due to all the festivals happening here. I wonder if London hotels are thriving as well? I don’t really know, I’m too busy travelling to Birmingham.

An exhibit began in Newmarket on April 7 and will run through November 1, 2009.  This is an exhibit which outlines the history of Thoroughbred horses in this horse-racing capital of the United Kingdom.  The Tattersalls is the location to be for those wanting to purchase one of these incredible animals.  It is not only the leading, but the largest of auction houses throughout all of Europe.

Those traveling to the region for the purposes of attending the auctions, often choose to stay in a Newmarket hotel, where the history of the sport and of the incredible beasts is found in the paintings on the walls, and in the stories told in the pubs and the lounges of said hotels.

The exhibit will high light some of the old film footage of historical races, as well as paintings and photographs that account the time line of some of the most famous races throughout time.  Located in the city of Newmarket, is the Welfare Council on Racing.  This is one of the largest charities of its kind, which provides support and assistance to all those involved in the sport, from the current to the retired employees–the groomers, the jockeys, who may have been injured throughout their years by accidents on the courses, or who suffer illnesses and the affects of old age or situations of misfortune.

This organization has supported those involved in the horse racing industry for many years, and a major focus of the exhibit is to illustrate this fact, and to give due credit for the help they have provided over the years.  The miles of green hillsides and tracks, combined with the sounds of the pounding hooves of the majestic animals, are aspects of the city that one will notice upon a first visit, and are aspects which stay with those who grew up in the region.

If you are one of the rich and famous, if you drive a Rolls Royce or Ferrari, if you own an obscenely decked out yacht, if you have the paparazzi following you or if you just wish that were your life, then you know where Marbella, Spain is. If on the other hand, you are none of the above, then let me tell you. Marbella is part of the Spanish region, Andalusia on the Costa del Sol by the Mediterranean Sea and has less than 100,000 residents. However, it has the highest per capita income in Europe. Back in the 1940’s it was just another small fishing village with a very ancient and documented past dating back to the 7th century BC.

Something happened and it became the in place for the in crowd and everyone that was anyone wanted to live or vacation in Marbella and the surrounding area. Antonio Banderas and wife Melanie Griffith have homes there, as does Joan Collins. Sean Connery was at one time a Marbella property owner. The Golden Mile is a stretch of beach for the very wealthy and their expensive toys and tastes. Bling is everywhere…money is here and it is spent here. The luxury hotels Marbella offers has the same amount of bling, the same richness, the same lavish display of wealth with the staff and service to match. Talk about paradise, you find it when you walk through the doors of one of these fabulous hotels. And of course there is the average population that is hoping to spot a favorite movie star or sports celebrity, maybe shake their hand or get an autograph.

There is a very popular, less expensive area in Marbella, which is delightful, and that is Orange Square in Old Town. With the superb restaurants offering mouthwatering local cuisine and quaint shops nestled among lush foliage and lots of trees, you can have a tremendous experience without the hefty price tag. Whatever the depth of your pockets, Marbella is a definite experience.

The island of Singapore may be small, but the outdoor activities are limitless.  Just three of the many sites that combine nature, galleries, and even a Singapore restaurant or two are the Sentosa Nature Discovery, the Singapore Zoo, and Night Safari.  Located on the island of Sentosa, the Nature Discovery is just one of five outdoor centers that focus on the natural world and all of its splendors.  It was opened in 1982 and has been a popular tourist attraction ever since.  This is a hand on park of discovery, with indoor exhibitions which are interactive, fun, and educational.  The outside of the park is filled with plants and habitats, birds, mammals and insects that are native to the region.  Originally the building was constructed as a train station, but was revamped and redesigned to house the gallery.  Surrounding the park are nine other attractions that are fun for the entire family.  And the nature tours do not stop there.

The Singapore Zoo is located in the rain forest on a wildlife reserve, and it is also the location that wounded animals and birds are taken to for rehabilitation and care.  The environment created by the open air concept creates inspiration, and a different way to experience the natural world.  More than twenty five hundred specimens from three hundred and fifteen different species of birds, animals and insects are housed at the Zoo.  Sixteen percent of which are on the endangered species list.  The Zoo became a world leader in 2006 when they included a veterinary research and health-care center.  Their reputation exceeds excellence in terms of programs for the breeding of animals as well as their attention to conservation and protection of the environment and the wildlife populations.

Night Safari is the first park of its kind, not only on the island of Singapore, but throughout the world.  As with the Zoo, the Night Safari is set in a wildlife reserve and is also a wildlife rescue location.  More than one thousand animals are housed in the park, thirty percent of them on the endangered species list, and the aspect that makes this park special is that they are all nocturnal species.  Many tourists and residents of Singapore venture to the park in the night time hours, where they can find gourmet cuisine in the restaurants and on the safari boats.  There are walking tours throughout the park as well as tram tours.  One of the restaurants is on such a tram, wherein while one dines they are taken through eight different geographical and environmental zones.  Any one of these three locations offer the wonders of the natural world, and are great fun for the whole family.

The art, the culture and the history of Johannesburg is evident in just about every aspect of the city.  Some of the buildings of the finest Johannesburg boutique hotels are covered on the outside by murals, and on the inside with the paintings of local and national artists.  Music is played on many of the street corners, often accompanying dance performances, as well as in the market places and in the venues. The history of the struggle for freedom and the fight for democracy is seen in it all, in the music, the dance, the artwork, and the people themselves.  When one visits the city, one experiences this as they walk down the street, as well as in some of the finest museums of concepts and historical references in the world.  The strength and the determination throughout history is highlighted in many of the museums, such as the Mandiba Museum which celebrates the life of Nelson Mandela in a very unique way.  This museums holds a very large collection of the gifts that were bestowed upon the leader during his years as the President of South Africa.

Another museum, dedicated to the right of all citizens to freedom is the Kliptown Open Air Museum.  This is in the Johannesburg township of Soweto.  The museums details the history of the ANC Youth League.  This organization sprung out the response to the amount of indignity many experienced during the times of Apartheid.  This countered repression as passive resistance was advocated.  The visions for the league was kept in check and kept clear by the leader, ZK Matthews.  This was set in Kliptown in 1955, as this area of Johannesburg was known for the multi-racial culture.  The significance of this site was in jeopardy as the area became very run down by the mid 1990’s.  But the Greater Kliptown Regeneration Development provided the financial means and support for an urban renewal project.  The area was transformed and became the Open Air Museum, which supports shops, a hotel, trading markets and art galleries.