Avoiding getting robbed on vacation

Looking forward to getting away for a vacation?  Most of us do - it's a time of relaxation, rejuvenation and for making memories.  The one thing we don't want is to be coming home to a break and enter - with our possessions destroyed or stolen. 

Here are a few tips on how to prevent it happening:

1.  Make sure that you buy light timers for key rooms of your house.  Light timers can be pre-set to go on and off at certain times to make your home look lived in.

2.  If you have newspaper or milk delivery, ask them to stop delivering for the time that you will be away.

3.  For junk mail - which we all receive almost daily on our doorsteps - ask a trusted neighbour to pick it up and dispose of it in the recycling box.

4.  Ask your trusted neighbour if they would like to use your recycling bags & boxes and put them out & return them where they belong once per week while you are gone.

5.  Have a friend or neighbour drop by to pick up your mail or consider having a mail slot installed in your front door.

6.  Make sure that your children, if you have any, do not tell all their friends & acquaintences that you will be going away.

7.  If you have a FaceBook or other such social networking account, do not post information about your holiday in advance.  Security is not tight enough on these sites and you could end up being robbed.

I hope that these hints will help you to enjoy your vacation and not worry about what's going on at home while you're gone!

Taking Photos on Your Holiday

Almost everyone likes to take photographs of their vacation – to show to family, friends & co-workers when they return. Pictures taken on vacation take you on a trip back in time to a place where you may have seen unbelievable sights, done exciting or memorable things, celebrations, and time spent with people who are very important to you.

A good investment for your memory-collecting is to buy a good digital camera. A digital camera has the capacity of taking many more pictures than a regular camera and if you are planning on taking a lot of pictures, you can also purchase extra memory cards.

Since photographs are a part of your personal history, you need to take the best shots possible and prepare your camera and yourself for your holiday. One of the best ways to do this is to take some pictures before leaving home to check and make sure that your camera is in perfect working order.

Once you are on your vacation and taking pictures, you just need to take the usual precautions:

* Don’t take pictures directly into the sunlight


* Make sure you have your flash feature turned on in dark surroundings

* Take a look at what is beside, behind or in front of your targeted picture – you don’t want an object looking like it is sticking out of someone’s head or have litter & garbage showing in your picture

* Be sure to have a focal point for each picture

* Do try using the timer and getting into the picture yourself

Now . . . . go and enjoy making memories!

Museum in English & German, Museo in Spanish & Italian, Musee in French

The definition of the word MUSEUM ~ ‘A museum houses a collection, public or private, of items relating to one or more fields of art, culture, science and technology .’

With the summer weather here, many people are now taking their annual vacations. When visiting a different country, one of the most popular things to do is to visit a museum. It gives one a view of the culture and art of a bygone period or perhaps a part of the present and future. It can be a specific museum featuring a theme, such as a “Museum of Flight”, a Museum with some of the greatest art in the world, like the Louvre, or a Museum that covers an enormous array of artifacts, like the Smithsonian.

A wonderful museum to visit this summer is our very own Royal British Columbia Museum, in Victoria, B.C. This beautiful Museum is home to many galleries, such as the First Peoples exhibits, the Natural History exhibits and the Modern History exhibits. There are also ‘Visiting Exhibits’ from time to time, which are a special draw. Visiting Exhibits from past years have been ancient artifacts from the Royal British Museum of London, precious treasures & artifacts from Egypt, Dinosaur bones from China, historical items of beauty from Tibet, some of the recovered items from the Titanic and the amazing art & technology of Leonardo da Vinci. Coming in 2011 will be China’s famous Terracotta Warriors.

So . . . . where are you heading off to for your summer vacation this year? Think about touring the museums of the places you go to – it will give you a deeper feeling for the culture and art of the people of that country.

Fairy Tales & Vacations . . . .

Schloss Neuschwanstein ~

A difficult name to pronounce for many people and not easily recognized, but for Bavarians the name is appreciated as belonging to one of the most beautiful and interesting places to visit for those who live there and for the many tourists who wish to tour the schloss – up to several thousand visitors per day in the summer months. The actual English translation of the name is “Swan Castle” - a beautiful name for a very beautiful castle.  The surrounding area around the castle is also totally in form with the looks of the castle, taking you into the past to enjoy a most unique holiday experience. 

For those of us who do not know the name, a picture of it is instantly recognizable as “Sleeping Beauty’s Castle” in Disneyland. It is indeed a fairy tale castle, which is why the Disney people used it for a model for the one featured in their park.

The castle was built in the 19th century, commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria. It is built high upon a hill close to the village of Hohenschwangau, which is located in southwest Bavaria.

If you intend to travel to Europe this summer, be sure to visit Bavaria and take the tour of Swan Castle – you will certainly enjoy it!

View from Swan Castle

Suitcase Strategy

It’s highly likely that at one time or another you have spent considerable time looking for your suitcase(s) at the airport or cruise terminal and found that the majority of travelers have black or the exact shade of navy blue suitcase as yours. If you’ve tied a ribbon or pompom on your suitcase for identification purposes, it is also likely that it has ripped off during the unloading process and so now your suitcase looks like everyone elses.

A friend of mine travels with two suitcases and to avoid the problem, she decided to purchase one very bright turquoise suitcase and one red one. As you can imagine, they really stand out and she is than able to get out of that airport in no time!

Bright colours such as lime green, royal purple and neon orange are starting to show up regularly in the luggage shops lately. Although bright yellow may clash with the outfit you are wearing, it’s worth it to be able to cut your time searching for your luggage at that cruise terminal after disembarkation.

You can purchase brightly coloured luggage in both soft and hard suitcase styles.

When was the last time you were on a cruise?

I don’t know about you, but for me one of my top choices for a vacation is to go cruising. I love having a vacation that leaves you free to enjoy yourself. By that I mean that your vacation is all arranged and taken care of – rooms, meals, entertainment - without having to worry about taxi cabs, trains, buses, planes or other modes of travel that have you sightseeing with one eye and with the other eye glued to your watch, hoping you don’t miss a connection.

 

Cruises feature some amazing entertainment, wonderful food and fascinating tours. The staff always treat you like royalty, your stateroom is immaculate and you are free to enjoy every minute of your time in the way you want.

 

When the ships dock, there are always a number of different tours to choose from – some of them are exciting, some of them are educational, some of them show you breathtaking scenery. There are tours that are filled with action and adventure, some that show you the country’s culture, and other tours which encompass the arts. The choice is yours as to whether you wish to stay onboard or go on a tour.

 

On the last cruise I took, I remember the wonderful feeling of relaxing on a wooden deck lounge with a comfortable cushion and dozing in the sunshine.

 

One of the things I really enjoy is the fact that you don’t hear any traffic noise when you are out at sea. The air is cleaner – it smells good when you are out on deck.

 

There is something for everyone on a cruise and it is also one of the perfect family vacations, as there are programmes available for children and teens.

 

The picture above is one taken from a cruise to Alaska that my son & daughter-in-law went on a couple of years ago. They had a wonderful time and hope to take another cruise soon.

 

Cruises are available in destinations all over the world. Think about spending your vacation on board this year – I’m sure you’d enjoy it!

Tips on Using Chopsticks

Here in Richmond, where ACTION TRAVEL is located and where my workmates and I live, we have many very fine Asian restaurants.

Since we are located in Canada, where we have residents from many different countries of origin, most restaurants will have forks, knives & spoons available. If you want to enjoy the whole Asian dining experience, it is a good idea to learn how to use chopsticks. Chopsticks are not that difficult to master – it just takes a little practice.

Directions:

* Take thumb and 4th finger to grip one chopstick

* Use forefinger and middle finger to grip the other chopstick

* 2 inches of chopstick should be below where your fingers & thumb grip

* Hold chopsticks at a slight angle

* The top chopstick should make the motions, the bottom chopstick should be held stationary

* Practice on large pieces of food first, graduating yourself to smaller pieces as you improve your technique

* It is a good idea, when you are a beginner, to lean over your dish to avoid messing your clothes up. When you have a little more experience you won’t need lean over

After a little practice you will be able to use chopsticks with confidence and truly enjoy your meal!

Kindness . . . .

"A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves."

Amelia Earhart, Aviator

The Eye of Horus

The Wadjet is another name for the eye symbol which is very popular in Egyptian art, both in the long ago past and the present. It is also commonly called “The All-Seeing Eye” and is said to ensure the health & protection of the person who carries an eye amulet with them. It is also supposed to bring wisdom and prosperity to the wearer. In Egypt you can buy copies of the Wadjet in jewelry made of silver, gold, lapis lazuli, carnelian, porcelain and wood to wear or to hang from the rear-view mirror of your car. Besides promising safety to the wearer, the Wadjet is also a symbol of the forces of destruction, such as the searing heat of the sun, a powerful source in Egypt, represented by the god Ra. Ra’s daughter, known as the goddess Wadjet, is the source of one of the names for the All-Seeing Eye. The name, Eye of Horus comes from the legend of the god Horus, a hawk god, son of Osiris & Isis, and that is why the eye of the symbol has markings around it resembling those that are found on hawks.

Do you enjoy Egyptian art? Have you been to Egypt? Do you own an Eye of Horus amulet? I own some paintings done on papyrus, but I don’t have an Eye of Horus – maybe one day I’ll get one. A good friend of mine has one in her car to protect her from accidents. Whether you have a Wadjet because you believe in it’s power or whether you see it as a beautiful piece of art, they are a part of Egyptian history to be enjoyed in the present.

Easter Greetings!
This is the week leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. For practicing Christians this is the most important religious holiday of the year.

It is also the time of Passover for religious Jews.

For those people who have no religious affiliation, it is the time of the Easter Bunny, who gives children baskets filled with chocolates and other yummy candy। Many parents arrange Easter Egg hunts. It is great fun to watch children looking for brightly coloured hard boiled eggs that are hidden behind shrubs, flowers, trees and other outdoor hiding spots.

In Canada, Good Friday is a statutory holiday and many employers also designate Easter Monday as a paid day off for their employees. This means that there is an opportunity available to take a four day vacation – a ‘mini’ vacation – for many people. It is surprising how many vacation packages are taken during this long weekend.
Have any of you decided to go away for a mini-vacation this upcoming Easter?

On another note . . . .

One of my friends has a beautiful plant – check out the picture – that she has enjoyed for many years। Yesterday she put the plant out on her balcony to soak up some fresh spring air, as the temperatures have been quite warm for this area lately. Unfortunately, we had a heavy wind last night and the poor plant was blown off of the patio and smashed on the ground below.
During all these years, my friend has never been able to find another plant like this one, and she does not know the name of it।
I want to know if there is anyone out there who can help Jeanette out by letting her know what the name of the plant is, so she can order one from one of our local nurseries। I am posting a picture of it। Jeanette brought it into the office once so we could see the flowers in full bloom।
We appreciate you taking the time to look at the picture to see if you recognize the flowers। Be sure to post your answers, if you have one, on the Blog.
Thank you!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!

March 17th – the day when everyone is Irish! The day people enjoy a party, a parade, dress in GREEN, think about leprachauns & the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, and even drink green beer!

The Legend of St. Patrick

St. Patrick is known as the patron saint of Ireland. Although he was actually born in either Scotland or England, he spent many years in Ireland and his works & legends have become a big part of Irish heritage.

The story unfolds when St। Patrick was a young boy and captured by pirates, then taken to Ireland, where he was sold into slavery. While imprisoned, he had many dreams about God calling him to escape – which he did, making his way to France. Once in France St. Patrick joined a monastery and became a priest.

After many years in France, St. Patrick once again had dreams from God, this time telling him that the Irish were in need of religious teaching. With the Pope’s agreement and blessings, St. Patrick went to Ireland to spread the Christian message and to baptize the Irish people. He spent more than 20 years in Ireland, and was responsible for the building of many Churches and schools.

One of the legends of St. Patrick is the story of how Ireland was infested with venomous snakes. St. Patrick took his staff and drove them all into the sea, where they drowned. St. Patrick’s day is celebrated on March 17th as it is supposed to be the date of his death.

AN IRISH BLESSING
May you have A world of wishes at your command;
God and his angels close at hand;
Friends and family their love impart;
And Irish blessings in you heart.

WINTER OLYMPICS
Well, we are nearly at the end of the second week of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, and the weather today is sunny and clear. It has been a fantastic experience and we have enjoyed hosting the games – welcoming people from all over the world.
Almost everywhere you go there are people wearing the distinctive red mittens. My hubby & I took a drive through Stanley Park last Saturday and even the statue of the scuba diver on the rock at Stanley Park had a set of the mittens on a string draped around her neck. Someone would have had to take a boat out to reach her but you know, it did show the extent of our patriotism here in Canada.
I try to get out for a walk at lunch hour each day and I’m always looking at car license plates to see where some of our guests come from. One day last week I went across the street to Brighouse Park to have a look at the fantastic display of Olympic Rings filled with cranberries. These delicious berries make a very colourful display.

NOW FOR AN UPDATE ON CANADA HOUSE WITH PICTURES . . . .
On my earlier blog I told you all about CANADA HOUSE, the wonderful hotel going up in Cairo. I have some more pictures that will show you the various stages of the building. Much care and cost is going into this 4 star hotel and it will certainly be one of the premier places to stay when taking a tour of Egypt.

The first picture shows CANADA HOUSE in the building stage

The second picture shows scaffolding on the front of the building


The third picture shows some of the intricate windows –

an impressive feature of CANADA HOUSE

The fourth picture shows the lovely windows from the inside of the hotel

FEBRUARY IS A BUSY MONTH . . . .

WELCOME TO RICHMOND!
Actually, it should be Welcome to Canada! We are celebrating the Winter Olympics and it is taking place in beautiful British Columbia. Just last evening the Olympic torch passed by my Aunt’s apartment building – an exciting moment – a once in a lifetime moment for most of us.
Here at the Richmond Oval, our new ice rink, there will be several events taking place. More events take place in other locations, such as Whistler, which is world famous for skiing & snowboarding.
We truly do welcome our global neighbours to our beautiful city and we hope that they enjoy the games, the entertainment, our gorgeous scenery, our pretty & functional cities and most of all, our friendly, multicultural population.

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!
Roaring into the metro-Vancouver area this February 14th is the Year of the Tiger – a wonderful celebration full of excitement and pageantry. Here in Richmond we have a large Chinese population and so we know how to really welcome the New Year! There will be many celebrations throughout the lower mainland – parades, fireworks, and our Asian malls here in Richmond have everything you need to dress up and decorate your home.
There are 12 animals/creatures in the Chinese Zodiac, 鼠 Rat, 牛 Ox, 虎 Tiger, 兔 Rabbit, 龍 Dragon, 蛇 Snake, 馬 Horse, 羊 Sheep, 猴 Monkey, 雞 Rooster, 狗 Dog, 豬 Pig. The cycle repeats itself every 12 years, for example, 2010 is Year of the Tiger, and so 2022 will be the next Year of the Tiger.
Everyone has fun with the Chinese Zodiac horoscopes, so here is a description of the TIGER personality, for anyone born in this category:
Tigers are in the 3rd position on the Chinese Zodiac ladder. Tigers are brave, generous, intelligent, charming, competitive and also unpredictable. They perform best when they are in the lead, and they can be very stubborn when they find out that they are not in charge of a project. Tigers generally have an outward calm, but don’t be surprised when they pounce, which they will do when they feel it is necessary.
Gung Hay Fat Choi!

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
Once again the holiday for lovers is here – St. Valentine’s Day. A popular time for showing that special loved one how much you care by doing something special.
Chocolates, dinner at a good restaurant, jewelry, flowers – these are just some of the nice ideas you can act on for celebrating Valentine’s Day. If you want to do something really special, try going for a mini-vacation. This year Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday, which makes it really easy for a short vacation. You can book a weekend get-away at a fancy hotel or even head off to a romantic location by plane. We have lots of ideas to help you decide, and you can call us at 604-278-8286 or e-mail at action@actiontravel.ca .
Join the celebrations for the Winter Olympics and Chinese New Year – then take some quiet time to enjoy the company of your loved one on Valentine’s Day.

Post a message on my blog because I’d like to know what you plan to do during “Busy February”.

Hi Everyone!
Today I’d like to tell you about something very exciting! My employers, Avril Betts and Khaled Azzam are close to completion on the building of their four star luxury hotel in Cairo – CANADA HOUSE. This hotel promises to be an Egyptian hotel that operates like a quality Canadian hotel. I have some very interesting information about it for you, and also some pictures of the hotel at various stages of the building.

CANADA HOUSE IN EGYPT

A-Z Tours sends numerous clients annually on tours to Egypt. We are aware that there is a huge gap in the standards between 3/4 star and 4/5 star hotels, particularly in Cairo. – the 3/4 star are very basic, more like our 1/2 star Hotels and tend to be in noisy locations. The 4/5 star are mainly International Chains with varying standards and higher prices - there is nothing in the middle.

This is where CANADA HOUSE comes in – this project will be a 4 star (by Canadian standards) hotel strategically placed in Giza in the greater Cairo area, just 10 minutes from the Pyramids.

Khaled and Avril, as well as having a strong travel background with A-Z Tours, Action Travel and Euro World Travel, are well able to build and develop this project.

Khaled is a Civil Engineer, Egyptologist and Archaeologist who has worked extensively overseeing the development of many large new buildings throughout Egypt, particularly with Marble projects. As a native Egyptian (now living in Canada) he is very familiar with all the Egyptian rules and regulations, building standards and the intricacies of building in Egypt.

Avril has previously developed, owned and operated a Country Inn in Nova Scotia, and she has the CHA (Certified Hotel Administrator) an International Designation for Hotel Management.

A-Z Tours has a large tour office and tourism staff in Cairo servicing Tourism Programmes to Egypt। They are familiar with the level of services and standards needed for international clients. Khaled and Avril have a thorough knowledge of Tourism and Hotel requirements to be able to build and operate this project.

YUMMY HUMMUS

Did you know that Israel now holds the Guinness World Record for the largest serving of hummus? It’s true! The village of Abu Ghosh, which is near Jerusalem has broken the world’s record which was previously held by Lebenon. The world’s biggest dish of hummus weighed in at 8,992 pounds. A 20 foot satellite dish was used to display the food.
Ancient Egypt is the originator of hummus, which is one of the world’s oldest foods.
Hummus is an Arabian recipe which is called “hummus bi tahini”, which is a chickpea paste made with sesame butter (tahini). Often other ingredients, such as olive oil, garlic and lemon juice are added to the chickpea & sesame butter to add to the flavour.
Since hummus is such an internationally enjoyed dish, you will often see recipes calling for ‘chickpeas’, ‘garbanzo beans’ or ‘cece beans’ – all of which are translations of the ingredient ‘hummus’.

RECIPE FOR HUMMUS
Ingredients:
One 15 ounce can of chickpeas
Two cloves of minced garlic
Juice from one lemon
½ teaspoon salt
Two tablespoons of sesame butter
Two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
Drain can of chickpeas and place in a blender or food processor along with all of the other ingredients. Puree to the consistency of paste. You may need to add a small amount of water.
If you desire to have a middle-eastern accent to your hummus, try adding some fresh parsley and a ½ teaspoon of cumin.

Aloha!
For those of us who are enduring the cold weather of winter, the lure of the Hawaiian Islands is something to dream about.

The blue, blue water, sandy beaches, gentle breezes and of course those swaying palm trees make Hawaii one of the most popular vacation spots. The Big Island, Maui, Lanai, Molokai, Oaku and Kauai – each one different, each one a prime vacation spot.

Because of the wonderful weather, you can arrange your visit to Hawaii at any time of the year.

Hawaii is one of the favourite holiday destinations for people all over the world, and with the culturally diverse population, everyone feels welcome.

Over 1500 years ago the Polynesians arrived to the Islands and a half century later the Tahitians arrived. The English arrived with Captain James Cook in the late 1700’s. The famous Hawaiian King Kamehameha united all of the Hawaiian Islands under his rule in 1810. In 1898, Hawaii became a U.S. Territory and in 1959 it became the 50th State of the U.S.A.

Hawaiian sunsets on the beach are the epitome of romance where many proposals take place. One of my aunts was married in Hawaii as was one of my nieces and I can guarantee you that they have beautiful memories of one of the most important occasions in their lifetimes.

There are also many beautiful things to see in Hawaii besides the beaches – volcanos, rainforests, waterfalls, botanical gardens, and more. Aqua sports such as surfing, boating, snorkeling & scuba diving are very popular.

Have you ever been to Hawaii? Is it one of the places you daydream about on cold winter days? One thing for sure – once you’ve been to Hawaii, you want to go back!

Lets talk about Hawaii – what is your favourite island? When did you last go there? Would you share some of your experiences with us?