Visitors to Boston complain about the club and bar scene closing at 2am. This is due to an ancient, out dated Puritan law that states all Bostonian’s need to behave like prudes. It will be a very long time for this creed to change in Boston, but there are other interesting, safe and fun things to do after 2am.

Rise Afterhours located at 306 Stuart Street, between Berkeley and Arlington Street, is a steadfast afterhour’s club where you can immerse yourself, even if for a few hours, in a different and almost magical realm. It’s open on Friday and Saturday night at 1am to 6am. Most late night Bostonians go to Rise after a hard night of drinking to sober up as they dance, till the sun rises, to some of the hottest, latest club tunes.

Apollo Grill restaurant, located at 84 Harrison Avenue in Chinatown is a hidden treasure. It’s perfect for grabbing some food after spending all night at a bar. Apollo’s is open till 4am. It has consistently good Korean food.

New York Pizza, located on the corner of Tremont Street and Stuart Street, stays open till 3am on Friday and Saturday nights. The pizza is amazing and really helps to sober you up if you’ve had one-too-many drinks. During the summer, the joint is jammed-packed with the afterhour’s crowd ordering pizza by the box or by the slice. There’s a Boston hotel within walking distance and you’ll see many hotel guests ordering the pizza to take back to their rooms. Across the street is a 7/11 convenience store where you can get a cup of coffee or hot chocolate while you’re waiting for your pizza.

Have you ever wondered what went on in skiing towns when there was no skiing? If you’re looking for a place to stay among the luxury hotels Colorado provides, you might consider the St. Regis Aspen Resort in order to find out. In Aspen, when the snow is not piling up, you may turn to music, film, and even opera. Aspen is the home of the Aspen Music Festival as well as the Aspen Filmfest, and you don’t have to like opera to go to the Wheeler Opera House, because the house also provides rock singers, such as Sheryl Crow, to stand-up comedians, such as Jerry Seinfeld.

The Aspen Music Festival is thought of as a top level training and performing arena for the planet’s new and rising professional musicians. The festival presents to the public over 350 musical events in eight weeks and also operates as a summer retreat for some of the greatest musicians in the world. Focused on classical music, you’ll hear recitals featuring symphonic and chamber music.

The Aspen Filmfest arrives in the last part of September since 1979, receiving over 30,000 guests each year. But the Filmfest operates in other parts of the year, as well. Currently, the organization is about to hold the 19th edition of Aspen Shortfest, an event honoring short films, from April 6 to April 11. You may also arrange for tickets at their website for their 32nd festival later this year.

The Wheeler Opera House operates the full year, so even after skiing, you might come here to see a movie or a live show. Recent shows include Barrage, a kind of high-energy fiddle festival, with an international cast that performs with music, song and dance; the Crystal Palace Revue, which is an Aspen tradition of satiric cabaret-style performances and songs; the Asylum Street Spankers, one of the most distinctive groups in America, which features banjo picking and singing and gospel music in the first half of the show, and a wilder side in the second half of the show. This latter group formed after a party in Llano, Texas, and its founders come out of a country-blues revival act that used to play happy hours in bars in Austin. The band is comprised of about forty musicians.

This is the part of the story where there is nowhere left to swim, and there is only a sea of buildings as far as the eye can see. Sometimes the view of the perfect skyscraper is interrupted with people, and once in awhile a friendly face. Most of the time, it’s a sort of shadow theatre, where there are memories of her everywhere among the manhattan hotels new york is a living memory of the things that happen on skin, on palms, and stories written with fingernails in the middle of the dawn when no words are left to fall.

She would be a swimming metaphor, if she hadn’t been everything but a metaphor. On some nights here, I wish she were a metaphor, and on others it makes sense that this city is a place where people go to fall in love, where they return for a honeymoon, or where they go to find some solitude, and time away from the noise of the sea. Sometimes there are Scottish roots that come through the city streets, and carried along by the pieces of hearts that have been lost in the harbor. Despite the city that takes over everything here, it is still a place on the water.

Despite myself, I still can’t shake the idea that when we swim far enough so that the land disappears then we’ll have a better idea of who we’re supposed to be. For now, I’m in a city, reinventing myself, looking for clues about my own identity. On 14th street and looking at all the shops selling hair ties and wind-up toys, I’m always running past mirrors. At one time I would have kept walking, because there are moments when reflections should be hidden from the reflector, but these days I suspect I will see clues, but only see her face, and that might be the most important clue I ever had.

After my visit to Snoqualmie Falls, which is located about 40 minutes away from Seattle by bus, I wanted to go see the Jimi Hendrix memorial. Getting there took a lot longer than expected, I had to change buses 3 times, but it was well worth the trouble. (Thank goodness for the travel directory!) The memorial, which is located in Renton, is very impressive. I could see lip marks on Jimi Hendrix’s image of his face. There were a lot of messages written around the monument commending Jimi for his work to promote peace, love and freedom; it seems that a lot of people not only loved him for his music, but for his beliefs.

I returned back to downtown Seattle and headed to some bars. I really like how many Microbreweries are here, their pub like qualities made me feel at home. I stopped off at the Pike Brewhouse, which is located underneath the Pike Fish Market, it was just like being in an English pub and the beer was really good. I walked back to my hotel, which I booked online just before I arrived here, I found my Seattle hotel, at this site and I got a great deal on my room because I booked it online. I took a quick shower and grabbed a short nap, then headed back out to Seattle Central.

There are a few museums there, the Space Needle and the Experience Music Project. I bought tickets for the EMP and that place is wicked cool, I loved it. Especially the Jimi Hendrix exhibit, which was very extensive and informative. Plus, they had a great collection of Hendrix memorabilia, like the costumes he actually wore on stage, his smashed guitars and many other items. I also liked the exhibit that showed the evolution of the guitar, there were hundreds of models showing the changes since its inception.

My ticket to the EMP also got me into the Science Fiction museum, which is right next door, but I’m not much for science fiction, so I wasn’t to interested in the exhibits. Needless to say, I didn’t stay long. The Space Needle was next to that, so I thought I’d check it out and maybe get some lunch. The revolving restaurant is at the top of the Space Needle and since I purchased a ticket for the observation deck, I also got to have lunch. The view would have been amazing, I’m sure, but it was a pretty cloudy and foggy day, so I really couldn’t see much. My lunch was good though.

It was time to go back to my hotel and pack, I’ll be catching a flight to San Diego at 7pm.

Fifteen miles to the Northwest of Atlanta and South of the North Georgia mountains, you’ll find the town of Marietta.  Founded in 1834, one hundred and seventy-six years ago, the town enables travelers to take a look at the Civil War and the Confederacy through a number of sites, such as the Marietta Confederate Cemetery, the Marietta Museum of History, and the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park.  However, a quick check of the area will show any prospective visitor that Marietta is also the home of a number of amusement theme parks, such as Six Flags White Water and American Adventures Park and Mountasia Family Funcenter.  For classic movie lovers, though, one of the most interesting places to see in Marietta must be the Gone with the Wind Museum.

Most people have seen the film, Gone with the Wind, and some have even read the Margaret Mitchell novel.  James Cameron’s Avatar may now be the record holder for the most money ever made by a film (somewhere in the range of two billion and climbing, at the time of this writing); however, Gone with the Wind still holds the record for the most tickets sold; in a time of inflation and recession, isn’t that a more reliable method of determining the success or popularity of any given film?  In 2003, the Gone with the Wind Museum was established to give people a place to celebrate this beloved work of fiction.  It features primarily the collection of one man, Dr. Chris Sullivan.

Sullivan saw the film when he was in sixth grade and from that moment on he began collecting artifacts, such as a 1936 printing of the book signed by the author.  He’s collection hundreds of items related to the film and book, including the bengaline gown that Vivien Leigh wore as Scarlett O’Hara.  Sullivan decided to display his collection in order to share the items with the rest of the world.  The museum draws in international patronage, with visitors from all fifty states and forty-one countries finding their way to the museum.  In the last seven years, the passion of this endocrinologist from Akron, Ohio, has given the fans of one of the great movies of the twentieth century a place to call home.  To experience it yourself, come to Marietta, stay a few days and see all that the town offers.  For the best places to stay, click here.

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.

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.

Mumbai, formerly known as Bombay, India is the legislative and financial capital of the Indian State of Maharashtra. It lies at the mouth of the Ulhas River on the west coast and with over 14 million residents is considered the second most populated city in the world. There seems to be two distinct seasons, one humid the other dry. Both appealing, both attracting different types of tourists looking for different activities. Mumbai has become an exotic world mixture of cultures, traditions and beliefs. The entertainment industry is abundant here with the numerous festivals throughout the year. Theatre is very prominent and in the forefront with The International Film Festival and the awards ceremony for the Filmfare Awards, which is the oldest and most renown in the Hindi film industry. The Wadala neighborhood boasts the world’s largest IMAX theatre. Marathi, Hindi, English and other neighboring languages are spoken in the theatres, making it very easy to attend a performance you will understand.

Whatever your needs, select a Mumbai Bombay hotel where you will be pampered and spoiled by the ever attentive and friendly staff. The many fabulous restaurants, both in hotels and on their own offer the finest cuisine where you can experience savory and mouthwatering local dishes. The nightlife is exciting and plentiful with the many nightclubs and bars located throughout the city. You can party and dance all night as you take in this side of what to do. There are beautiful gardens, museums, art galleries, water parks, and the zoo all offering hours of entertainment and pleasure. In February, the Elephanta Festival is held, highlighting the many talented musicians and dancers. This annual event attracts participants from all over India and spectators from all over the world. The beautiful architectural designs of the ancient and modern buildings are drawn from many time periods. You will never be lacking for something to do when visiting Mumbai.

When looking for a hotel, Madras, known as Chennai these days, should come to mind as a place with excellent luxury accommodations.  In a city with an excellent music scene, as well as the heart of South India’s film industry, there is much to see and do.  Inside the hotel, however, you are in for a lovely experience in hospitality and style.  The design is excellent, with a flair for the local and a heavy dose of international tastes.  The service is excellent, and you can depend on top quality any hour of the day.  The people at the desk are very friendly and knowledgeable, and can make recommendations to your particular tastes.

There are excellent sight-seeing opportunities here for the whole family.  There are plenty of sites that are rich in history and culture, architectural landmarks, as well as star-gazing.  Because Madras is the home of the Tamil film industry, or Kollywood, the city is rich in movie culture.  One of Kollywood’s stars who is crossing over into Bollywood and Hollywood is the fascinating and scintillating Shriya Saran. Born September 11, 1982, her native tongue is Hindi, and as her film credits are showing, she has a wonderful ear for languages.  Her entry into entertainment happened when she was a student in Delhi and she was asked to be in a music video.  Her background is dance, which is where she likes to get lost when she is feeling overwhelmed, as well as acting.

Some of her blockbusters have been Tagore and Sivaji, The Boss, where she starred opposite Rajinikanth, as the elusive girl who eventually would become his wife.  She has also appeared in the English What’s Cooking, Stella? and a long list of films in Telugu and Hindi, along with the Tamil films.  This versatile and rather prolific actress has caught the attentions of filmmakers since she began, and she has been working steadily all over the world.  This quirky and philosophical Shriya lists her mother, a school teacher in Delhi, as one of her greatest influences, and it will be interesting to watch her career develop as she starts working more often in India’s other cinemas.

There is much to see and do in the Australian city of Canberra.  There are many fine resorts and hotels as well as some of the finest in seafood restaurants.  Canberra sites worth noting are the Old and the New Parliament Houses, the Tent Embassy of the Aboriginal communities, the War Memorial and the Burley Griffin Lake.  There is also spectacular architecture located throughout the city, and most have exhibits and museums that are open to the public on a regular basis.  One of the favorite destinations of travelers in Australia, and international tourists is the Burley Griffin Lake.  The lake provides the great respite of fun and water, for those suffering through the intense Australian summers.

The lake was built during 1963.  The Molonglo River Dam was constructed and the name of the lake, is also the designer of the dam.  Burley Griffing grew up in Canberra and his creation now attracts many to the area for recreation and relaxation such as boating and other various water sports.  There is a boardwalk surrounding the almost thirty miles of shore and many will rent roller blades or bicycles, or simply walk and run around the banks.

There is monument located on the southern side of the Lake, honoring Captain Cook and his travels throughout the regions.  Also in honor of the Captain is fountain that shoots more than six tons of water into the air, over one hundreds miles high, and is open to the public on a daily basis.  Many find this a perfect photographic opportunity, must as Old Faithful is in Yellow Stone National Park in the United States.  The National Museum is located at Regatta Point, along side of the lake, and offers tours and information regarding the planning and the development of the entire city as well as information regarding the construction of the dam.  Another interesting site is that of Blundell’s Cottage.  Built during 1860, this is one of the many structures that existed before the entire country existed as we know it today.  Admission is minimal and those visiting will learn of the early farming techniques and about life in Australia throughout history.

The Royal National Park of Sydney, Australia is location in the region of New South Wales, in the city of…Sydney.  This was the first established Park in the country, and the second in the world following the United States park, Yellowstone.  The name was changed from the original, simply National Park, after a visit during 1955 by Queen Elizabeth the II.  The park is conveniently located close to the city, easily accessible to the locals as well as the international tourists staying in the five star hotels.  Sydney is the perfect city to relax in as there are many activities to take part in as well as many locations, such as the Park that located withing a short distance to the center of the action.

When one wants to escape the hustle and bustle, the National Park is the best spot, as the walking and hiking trails are numerous and offer something for every level of fitness buff and outdoor explorer.  There are ten different walks, that make up more than one hundred and fifty miles of trails and hikes.  The times also very, from the short little breath of a thirty minute walk to two day treks through the rain-forest jungles.  Weather conditions should always be checked on the day one sets out, and maps, maps are a very good addition to ones pack, especially on the longer hikes.

One of the shorter walks offers those with just a few minutes to spare, stunning views and lush landscapes is the Bungoona Track.  One will see views of the Hacking River and of the entire park, on this short thirty minute excursion.  If one is looking for a bit more of a work out and has the time, the five hour walk on the Palm Jungle Loop Track will serve that purpose.  This is a longer hike, rated on the upper end of the scale of difficulty.  However this excursion will offer one with the panoramic, expansive views of the entire coast of New South Wales.  One can choose at this point to continue on through the wooded forests, or to another stunning platform titled the Otford Lookout.

Okay, so, as I was saying to my friends visiting here and staying at one of the Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Hotels, that I could take them to Bora Asmara which has a nice chill ambiance in the one of the busiest part of town, but that I’d like to check out Subak. I’ve heard lots of good things about the cuisine and what a better way to check it out then to take my friends out to dinner there.

Subak is found straight under the flyover if you’re on the route heading towards Bora Asrama. We arrived around 7:30 pm and there was still a bit of sunlight left. We found the staff to be quite attentive and genuinely friendly. First off, when we were ushered inside, I noticed the place wasn’t as big as Bora Asmara and had fewer tables, but the ambiance felt nicer. I’m not really sure if it was because it was dark inside that I had missed a page on the menu, but I found the Western/Asian items to be less expensive than Bora. The drinks were okay, I’ve had better smoothies. My friends enjoyed their drinks, saying that the bar was definitely not stingy with the alcohol.

For starters, I ordered my favorite soto, I really wasn’t too hungry and soto fit the bill. Compressed rice, shredded chicken, vegetables with potato cutlets in a thick rich chicken consomme that was a great taste sensation from first bite to last. My friends ordered the Ibu Yati’s Gado Gado, a vegetable salad served in crispy popiah skin bowl. It came with a peanut sauce which I could smell it’s aroma at my side of the table. I has a taste, and it was delicious.

For the main course, I ordered the Moo’s Curry Mee with Fresh Water Prawns and my friends both ordered the Pan Fried Medallion Cod with Butterflied Prawns. Both our meals were absolutely delightful, a taste sensation. We didn’t have desert, my friends were tied from travelling and I was a bit under the weather, so we ended the night early. All in all, I liked Subak.

There is no question that when it comes to five-star hotels, Spain holds an esteemed place.  In a country where European elegance mixes with old-world traditions of hospitality and chivalry, there is a feeling here that is unlike any other place in the world.  Luxury and charm are in excess here, and the hotels are a perfect reflection of these ideals.  The amenities are cutting-edge, offering the best in technology and design, and still maintaining an excellence that comes from centuries of fascinating history and tradition.  There are incredible beaches, urban centers that define the modern city, and a vivacious culture that is infectious.  With its amazing museums and dizzyingly exciting night life, Spain has something extraordinary to offer members of the whole family.

Then there are the people of Spain.  With some of the most interesting personalities in the history of the world, Spain gives birth to artists and intellectuals who are true individuals.  This is certainly the case with one of the 20th centuries most visible artists, Salvador Dali.  Born in Figueres, in Catalonia, in 1904, the artist often said that he was the reincarnation of his brother, who died nine months before his birth.  This colorful figure would come to stand for one of the most interesting art movements in modern times, surrealism.  Dali experimented with other schools of art, such as cubism and futurism, he landed in surrealism with a large and unmistakable crash.  His iconic paintings made him one of the grandfathers of the style, and his unique visions serve as some of the most recognizable representations of the art of the subconscious.

Salvador Dali’s political leanings got him booted out of the surrealist camp by the founder, Andre Breton, yet his work still remained fiercely grounded in the world of dreams.  His melting clocks, tigers coming from pomegranates, and the numerous mystical portraits of his wife, Gala, are some of the most reprinted works of art in the world.  He also had a definite flair for the flamboyant, with his long and slender physique walking through the streets of New York City with his waxed mustache and elegant cane.  His appearance on the Tonight Show, with a leather rhinoceros, made him an instantly-recognizable celebrity of the bizarre.  There is a museum in his hometown Figueres,  the Dali-Theatre Museum, where some of his most peculiar objects are on display, to stand as a tribute to an eccentric and extremely influential Spaniard.

I found a nice small quiet beach in Phuket. Believe it or not, Laem Ka is not a very well known beach, apparently it’s main visitors are the locals. I found it just North-East of Rawai beach, which is in between Rawai and Chalong. I think since Laem Ka isn’t well marked with signposts, none really, is the reason why it’s not known. I must have driven by it countless of times going to the Rawai beach area and back to one of the many Luxury Phuket Hotels were I was staying and never noticed it before.

The beach seems to be undeveloped and basically off the tourist radar. When I got back to my hotel room, I did find it on Google Earth. There it was, unassuming and un-noticed by thousands of tourist. I also Googled the meaning of Laem Ka, which means Cape or Headland. I took a small unmarked road which goes across the headland and found a very nice area full of coconut trees. It seems to be private land, but owned by whom, I do not know.  Whomever it is though, put up a funny looking dilapidated scarecrow at one point to make it very obvious not to go any further. Just above Laem Ka beach I found a small parking lot and one small vendors shack selling drinks and BBQ pork served with sticky rice. I had to go down a few steps to reach the beach. There were some sandy areas, but mostly that was separated by rocks stretching out for about 400 meters. I and a few other people were the only ones there! Fantastic, really. A beach in Phuket with only a few people on it.

The view across the clear inviting water was of some islands just offshore. I saw a sailing boat racing along the Chalong. I just came here for a quick look before I headed back to my hotel, but I found myself playing in the water and splashing about in my regular clothes. Next time, I’ll know to always have a swimsuit with me just in case I run into another unknown beach.