tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-338049422024-03-18T21:20:52.414-07:00Vikram MalikUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-69701888830276823472012-12-24T03:51:00.000-08:002012-12-24T04:30:02.693-08:00Test<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /></div>
Look no further than <a href="http://beautystore4u.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=84_101" nanshy-foundation-brushes="nanshy-foundation-brushes" nanshy.com="nanshy.com" target="_new">120 Eye Shadow Palettes</a> for those drop dead gorgeous looks which you have always aspired for! Rest assured, the variety of <a href="http://beautystore4u.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=84_101" nanshy-foundation-brushes="nanshy-foundation-brushes" nanshy.com="nanshy.com" target="_new">120 Eye Shadow Palettes</a> is simply stupendous!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-53278190402072047432012-07-19T00:34:00.002-07:002012-07-19T00:34:14.328-07:00Azores – Tranquillity in the midst of the ocean!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Introduction<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Azores is a picturesque Portuguese
archipelago of nine volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean, situated about 1500
km from the Portuguese capital, Lisbon, and as many as 3900 km from the eastern
coast of North America. In fact, from
amongst these islands, the Flores Island, and more specifically, the Monchique
Islet on it is regarded as Europe’s westernmost point. Together with the
relative isolation that marks these islands, thanks to the distant location
from any of the major land masses, coupled with the scenic beauty of the area
as well as its development as an exotic yet vibrant tourist destination, Azores
has rapidly evolved into a premier and much sought after location for those
bitten by the wanderlust bug, from all around the world. If you are on the
lookout for a tranquil holiday, away from all the hustle and bustle of everyday
life in major cities or even in other tourist hotspots, there are few places in
the world that can even come anywhere close to Azores.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Getting to Azores</span></i></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By Air<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thanks to the relative isolation of
the islands, coupled with the fact that there is enormous distance separating
them from virtually any other location, air travel to Azores is seen to be the
most viable. That said you will find flights coming in to Azores from virtually
any global destination. Needless to say, flying in from Lisbon would be the
most feasible as Lisbon in turn has flights coming in from all the major
destinations of the world. In case you are in North America or continental
Europe and fancy visiting Azores, then the most feasible and suitable option
for you would be to first fly to Lisbon and then take a connecting flight to
Azores. Getting to any of the Azores islands by flight from Lisbon or other
destinations should not be a problem since all the 9 islands have their own
individual airfields.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By Ship<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Getting to Azores by ship is another
feasible option, provided time is not a constraint for you, not to forget the
cost factor! After all, most of the ships coming in to Azores with tourists are
cruise ships, in fact luxury cruise ships. Much of the traffic comes in from
Lisbon so you should actively check out the cruise liner options along with
dates and timings for these ships to set sail for Azores.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Travel within Azores</span></i></b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With the Portuguese administration
leaving no stone upturned in developing Azores as a primary tourist
destination, transport within Azores, once you are actually there, should be
the least of your concerns. There are varied options on offer, whereby whether
you are travelling on the same island or getting from one island to another,
you should not face any difficulty. In fact, if you are coming on a cruise
ship, most of the trips are scheduled in such a manner that they make spaced
out halts at each of the islands, whereby you can take in the exotic offerings
on every island and then move to the next one, on the same cruise ship that
brought you to Azores in the first place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That said there are many other travel
options available as well. Remember that a lot of tourists prefer to come to
the Azores on an unscheduled vacation whereby they are not looking at things
planned out at every stage. In fact, a lot of such trips are more fun when you
discover things by yourself – perhaps with a guide book or an informed local
inhabitant there for guidance when really needed! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">At the same time, if you are part of
a tour group visiting the Azores, you can choose from a wide range of jeep
safari tours, car tours, as well as regular coach tours. Additionally, when you
come as a tourist who is part of a package tour, it is quite likely that the
package would already include a veritable range of travel options such that you
would not have to be concerned about the same. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Things to see and do in Azores</span></i></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Rest assured, thanks to the exotic
appeal of the overall setting, there are destinations galore that you would
like to see, once you are in Azores.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That said it would be useful to first
understand the islands themselves which will in turn allow you to plan your
trip suitably (in case you are not part of a package tour). Even if you are, it
would give you a better sense of where you are headed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As we mentioned earlier, the Azores
are an archipelago of 9 different islands. These 9 islands are in turn divided
into three groups:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Western group
comprises of the islands of Corvo and Flores.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Central group
consists of the islands of Graciosa, Terceira, Sao Jorge, Pico and Faial. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Eastern group
comprises of the islands of Sao Miguel and Santa Maria.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Within these islands, it would be a
fallacy to state that there is one particular island that has more places to
see or has more picturesque locales than another. That is the reason we do not
recommend any one particular island over another. Instead, we vehemently
recommend that you plan your trip to Azores in such a manner that you are able
to suitably cover all the islands and see all that each one of them has to
offer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That said another thing that you need
to keep in mind is that the tourist potential of Azores has been recognized
relatively recently and as a result the locales and types of places that would
be recommended to you would also be more contemporary in nature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">That is the reason if you are out for
a vacation to Azores; keep your mind open to the possibility of a modern
vacation that involves indulging in activities that are more contemporary in
nature than otherwise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Thus your Azores vacation should
ideally comprise of numerous golf sessions, stay at some of the most beautiful
hotels in the world as well as indulge yourself on probably the finest, most
reclusive and yet completely picturesque beaches that you will find in
practically any part of the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As far as activities are concerned,
let us look at them island by island. This is one more reason why it makes
sense to have a good idea of the islands themselves that comprise the Azores.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If golf is what you are after, we
would actively recommend the Batalha Golf Course on Sao Miguel Island that
offers a pristine golf course amidst a simply breathtaking view of the ocean as
well as the surrounding hills. Other golf courses of immense significance on
the Azores would include the Furnas Golf Course, also on Sao Miguel Island as
well as the Terceira Golf Club on Terceira Island. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If birds of the feathered kind are
what you would like to watch, head straight to Sao Miguel Island which offers
views of some truly exotic birds, many of which you are unlikely to see in any
part of the world as they are endemic to this region. Pico Island also offers vibrant
bird watching avenues, thanks to the equally exotic species of birds that you
will find on the island. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Another activity that you simply <b><u>must</u></b> indulge yourself in, while
at the Azores, is fishing. Remember that when it comes to fishing for a wide
variety of game, there is simply no locale in the world as exciting as Azores.
Within the Azores Islands, you could particularly concentrate on fishing either
on Sao Miguel Island or on Faial Island. On Sao Miguel Island, you could easily
expect to catch game such as bluefish, bonito, mackerel, tuna, barracuda and
even shark! Imagine a day spent in catching this game and then the ensuing
evening amidst a barbecue of the same game that you caught, amidst your friends
and family – did anyone say Nirvana? This just has to be it! On Sao Miguel
Island, you could go on board the specialized Shanghai Hatteras boat which is
renowned for various deep sea fishing records that it has established in the
Azores. On the Faial Island, you could indulge yourself in coastline as well as
big game fishing, including trolling for coastal fish as well as the
traditional approach of hook and line fishing. Imagine the excitement when you
are able to get hold of a truly exotic fish on your hook!! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For a geographical tour of the
islands and its exotic composition, a tour of the Sao Miguel Island would
perhaps be the best bet. On the other hand, if you are game for some hiking,
then consider the Pico Island that offers both walking programs as well as
climbing the Pico Mountain which is in fact Portugal’s highest point. Of
course, being a volcano, you would not want to be anywhere near the peak when
it is in a state of eruption!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As for Jeep Safaris, again you would
probably like to go in for the same on Sao Miguel Island which offers jeep safaris
on both the eastern as well as the western side of the island. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With an abundant ocean surrounding
the Azores on all sides, it is no wonder that activities pertaining to the seas
take on centre stage on Azores. Thus, while you are there, you should
definitely indulge yourself in sailing which again takes place in a big way on
Sao Miguel Island. Other than sailing, you would definitely also like to take a
look at the whales that come by the Azores island seas; practically all the
islands, in particular Sao Miguel, Faial, and Pico islands offer tours of the
sea on fibreglass boats whereby you can easily steal furtive glances of whales
in the high seas. For a less threatening and in fact immensely thrilling
experience, you must also consider the option of swimming with dolphins on the
Sao Miguel Island.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Having described most of the diverse
things that you can do while at the Azores, it would probably be amply clear to
you that from amongst all the various islands, the Sao Miguel Island definitely
holds centre stage; therefore, if you are planning a trip to the Azores, you
must ensure that a trip to the Sao Miguel Island is definitely on the itinerary
else your trip will most definitely be rendered incomplete!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Food and Stay<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">With a variety of tourists coming in
to the Azores, the local administration has made sure that cuisine from around
the world is available here. At the same time, given the profile of tourists
which tends to be European in nature predominantly, coupled with the fact that
these are Portuguese islands, there is no surprise that Portuguese and
Mediterranean cuisine forms an integral part of the food on offer. Further,
given the relative isolation of the islands from other land masses, coupled
with the fact that these are islands surrounded by the seas, it is but natural
that sea food is a staple offering here. Thus you can easily expect a wide
variety of sea food here, be it different types of fish, crabs, lobsters of
unimaginably big dimensions and so on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Talking about stay, you can be assured
that you will in fact be spoilt for choice, with a plethora of hotels on offer.
Not only that, there is a wide range, from 4 star to 2 star hotels across each
of the 9 islands such that you will not find anything too bothersome on the
pocket, while not compromising in any way in terms of the service quality as
well as the amenities offered. On Sao Miguel Island, Antillia Apart-hotel, Hotel
Bahia Palace, as well as Hotel Avenida are just some of the more renowned 4
star properties. You will find similar hotels of varying costs across all the 9
islands, with no compromise on the service and amenities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Conclusion</span></i></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you are looking for a truly exotic
holiday, virtually in the midst of nowhere else but the high seas, then do
consider the Azores for your vacation. Remember that everyday life in urban
hotspots does take a toll on our overall wellbeing, even if we do not always
realize the same; a holiday to places such as the Azores, ensures that we have
ample opportunity to retune our mental and physical frequencies! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-64981609056931480272012-07-19T00:30:00.006-07:002023-04-03T05:19:27.668-07:00Amsterdam – Venice of the North!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Introduction</span></i></b></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Located in the western part of the country of Netherlands,
<a href="http://bit.ly/AmsCard" target="_blank">Amsterdam</a> is renowned the world over for its historic canals, the Van Gogh
museum, the (in)famous red light district as well as hundreds of cannabis coffee
shops dotting the city which together draw as many as 3.66 million visitors to
it, each year. Besides having a long history spanning well over six hundred
years, Amsterdam has a vibrant existence in the present, not only from a
cultural perspective but also from a business one, with seven of the Top 500
companies as listed on the Forbes Global 2000, being based in the city.
Overall, if you are looking to have a truly exhilarating time, whether all by
yourself or in the company of your friends and family, you can be assured you
won’t be disappointed!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJ2tPn_6tz01HYSHtLAaKDm_DYz5NsRqAvtBbuKvnpuEz07zgNydz9gmuNuBr16gjZtJSp_5DR_7uFt21g3ctLSzEdA8gIfGQewjOMBmZ7ahqOPwBRnUGjh6x7a0crcGS5N-k0g/s1600/I-amsterdam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJ2tPn_6tz01HYSHtLAaKDm_DYz5NsRqAvtBbuKvnpuEz07zgNydz9gmuNuBr16gjZtJSp_5DR_7uFt21g3ctLSzEdA8gIfGQewjOMBmZ7ahqOPwBRnUGjh6x7a0crcGS5N-k0g/s400/I-amsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I amsterdam!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Getting to Amsterdam</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">By Air<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Amsterdam is served by <a href="http://bit.ly/AmsCard" target="_blank">Schiphol airport</a>, one of the
busiest airports in the world. Flights connect Amsterdam to nearly all the
major cities of the world, so getting to Amsterdam by air should not be a
problem for anyone. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64-VIF9GOZl-JdCgrQA4CVP95KdWKl-8Qh20W06BkVBvWSrArE2nQYvfB2e5fxwXRWO2CO2wv0xceDP8p-p6MmTEhOzfUQeo3SRWsU6ELRVkzDNCkuYwfAdxRtRlurDGvppkeEg/s1600/SchipholAirportAmsterdam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh64-VIF9GOZl-JdCgrQA4CVP95KdWKl-8Qh20W06BkVBvWSrArE2nQYvfB2e5fxwXRWO2CO2wv0xceDP8p-p6MmTEhOzfUQeo3SRWsU6ELRVkzDNCkuYwfAdxRtRlurDGvppkeEg/s400/SchipholAirportAmsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">By Train</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If you are traveling from destinations from within Europe,
you may very well consider the option of traveling by train. In this regard,
you might want to keep the city’s main train station, Amsterdam Centraal in
mind, as that station functions as an international one, with connections to
all major European destinations including faraway Poland or even Russia.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOLCenzY6reWj_ypokUpGWjlkNOAqlMW9qzVTuyplCtC4opUnDvc0I5VszbiXjaAkspmTfQFn7mPyDfrybo5ZMX0Z27QGD90hFCrBXAW8ZgNfsw07juc1mxXrA6mpKZTZMVHryQ/s1600/amsterdam_centraal_01.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOLCenzY6reWj_ypokUpGWjlkNOAqlMW9qzVTuyplCtC4opUnDvc0I5VszbiXjaAkspmTfQFn7mPyDfrybo5ZMX0Z27QGD90hFCrBXAW8ZgNfsw07juc1mxXrA6mpKZTZMVHryQ/s400/amsterdam_centraal_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amsterdam Centraal Train Station </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">By Bus</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Companies such as Eurolines connect Amsterdam to virtually
all the major European cities so getting to Amsterdam from there, by bus,
should not be a problem either. Most coaches run from the Amsterdam Amstel
railway station, to destinations across Europe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_kM6QZ9NpRAEgu7KQpnouqdB-2R5xsbxeJzamkbhrcrPT1r8KsFvFciMIFJqZ57TKsKldNSnXlytYZ0x0qqnq8I18s1msyyrs-XmeYSghh53tcDEtXbRwpLil4d6zmvJQmrfC4g/s1600/4243975831_924bf3a05e_z.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_kM6QZ9NpRAEgu7KQpnouqdB-2R5xsbxeJzamkbhrcrPT1r8KsFvFciMIFJqZ57TKsKldNSnXlytYZ0x0qqnq8I18s1msyyrs-XmeYSghh53tcDEtXbRwpLil4d6zmvJQmrfC4g/s400/4243975831_924bf3a05e_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Eurolines bus to Sarajevo at Amsterdam Amstel railway station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Driving into Amsterdam</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Amsterdam is very well connected by road, with all major European
destinations, especially neighboring Germany and Belgium. Driving into the city
from any other European destination would ideally not be a problem at all,
though you would perhaps be advised to forego your private vehicle once inside
the city and use its plethora of public transport options. Further, with
bicycles being the preferred mode of travel within Amsterdam, you would in fact
be best advised to use them to the maxim.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9v4zokwaI5E18YGJgL4M22MmnOczmacARueJqXKjUuflaHLbuK13pWvr59_Idn46cvLUAqlgXyTtNdwG8amqMkhYbMnpp2Gr9RB0vy-ak_kTeFN4yi7QBAvY7814q_wskjXxYhA/s1600/driving-amsterdam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9v4zokwaI5E18YGJgL4M22MmnOczmacARueJqXKjUuflaHLbuK13pWvr59_Idn46cvLUAqlgXyTtNdwG8amqMkhYbMnpp2Gr9RB0vy-ak_kTeFN4yi7QBAvY7814q_wskjXxYhA/s400/driving-amsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plush highways make driving into Amsterdam an absolute breeze</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Transport within Amsterdam</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Once inside Amsterdam, there is a whole host of public
transport options to choose from, which virtually negate the need for private
transport vehicles, especially cars which the city administration seems to
particularly disdain. Taking a car to the city center is something that would
be particularly taxing for you, with parking being a major issue, besides the
heavy fee that you will have to pay for the same.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It is in the light of these factors that other transport
options such as trams and buses come across as much more feasible options for
transport within Amsterdam. That said bicycles are perhaps the best way of
traveling around the city. In fact, bicycle culture, as witnessed around the
world, is best exemplified in Amsterdam which had as many as 465,000 bicycles
back in 2006.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5M10Eko-QvMJBBy5-S9XfFmFOejXRaILhArRj89TM4u6WzSbc2xfiAeLXSCDvwsaD01wv9cuUKG_R9nOVLBqgzs2x_DcVLJbVUk7vi0yY1T829TyMje5Woo0D6azaPqtGJM6Dw/s1600/amsterbikes.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5M10Eko-QvMJBBy5-S9XfFmFOejXRaILhArRj89TM4u6WzSbc2xfiAeLXSCDvwsaD01wv9cuUKG_R9nOVLBqgzs2x_DcVLJbVUk7vi0yY1T829TyMje5Woo0D6azaPqtGJM6Dw/s400/amsterbikes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where else but in Amsterdam would you see so many bicycles together in one place?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Besides bicycles, the four metro lines of the city, with a
fifth under construction, should amply serve your purpose, while traversing
through the city. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZydXkGN8y0pHxEOIT_7R1aCGnCnRH6C2B4hVP0pCkJd1ThsuwnqAuLUzHJkzqNye4kGqCtkhGRD8QCuDYGlf7mAVGtDXiM8b-YRGQ5ezbjZOZapjRMYpvuK63qwwq4G0fGgYXg/s1600/Amsterdam_metro_LHB(2).JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCZydXkGN8y0pHxEOIT_7R1aCGnCnRH6C2B4hVP0pCkJd1ThsuwnqAuLUzHJkzqNye4kGqCtkhGRD8QCuDYGlf7mAVGtDXiM8b-YRGQ5ezbjZOZapjRMYpvuK63qwwq4G0fGgYXg/s400/Amsterdam_metro_LHB(2).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amsterdam Metro</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Ferries are also an equally feasible option, for traveling to nearby places in and around Amsterdam, along the city’s waterways.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPDirPOupuRrlMqAKjfDfY5b1bEK1gc7ueG3V6BkNo-2r5RfncgM5liCpoustJRL0vZd2QiP3_IVEEmtRNv3tDFyHwgipXefFJfJ5q1hDompKrWoBu6a2Mye2-P3twszyd_nhqw/s1600/1273704-Flying_Ferry_Amsterdam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPDirPOupuRrlMqAKjfDfY5b1bEK1gc7ueG3V6BkNo-2r5RfncgM5liCpoustJRL0vZd2QiP3_IVEEmtRNv3tDFyHwgipXefFJfJ5q1hDompKrWoBu6a2Mye2-P3twszyd_nhqw/s400/1273704-Flying_Ferry_Amsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A "Flying Ferry" in Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Things to do</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">While in some other cities, you might face the problem of
deciding what to do while you are there, since the options at hand would be
relatively few, you will face the same situation in Amsterdam as well, but for
completely different reasons – Amsterdam offers simply too many options in
terms of things to do, that it becomes a difficult choice as to what activities
to pursue and what to forego!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">That said there are a few things that Amsterdam is
particularly known for; one of these certainly is museums. In fact, Amsterdam
is well known as the museum capital of the world, with numerous museums dotting
the landscape of the city. Some museums in particular, which you would
certainly not want to miss, are mentioned below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Van Gogh Museum</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Located in the Museumplein part of the city, <a href="http://bit.ly/AmsCard" target="_blank">Van Gogh Museum</a>
houses the world’s largest collection of paintings and drawings made by Vincent
Van Gogh. Apart from the obvious draw of the museum, viz. Van Gogh’s creations,
you are quite likely to be enamored by the attractive design of the museum
building itself, which was conceived by renowned Dutch designer, Gerrit
Rietveld.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi443TpUZsL2i1dREUp1rVohN3s7QhqwyFJ4MhFHaD_FapyvzkuSMOSb0UsvMBbYqVh4W2iPMz_Th5YZhzVPXyXrg_QC7wKy6aAQpK1e9JJtGD2cV43YJBbwtxuj1cbq9QAZDnuOA/s1600/amsterdam_van_gogh_museum.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi443TpUZsL2i1dREUp1rVohN3s7QhqwyFJ4MhFHaD_FapyvzkuSMOSb0UsvMBbYqVh4W2iPMz_Th5YZhzVPXyXrg_QC7wKy6aAQpK1e9JJtGD2cV43YJBbwtxuj1cbq9QAZDnuOA/s400/amsterdam_van_gogh_museum.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Rijksmuseum Amsterdam</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Also located in Museumplein, the <a href="http://bit.ly/AmsCard" target="_blank">Rijksmuseum Amsterdam</a> is the
Netherlands’ national museum, housing a whole host of arts and crafts from
around the world. Amongst its formidable collection, paintings from the Dutch
Golden Age sure occupy center stage. Dutch artists whose works you will find
displayed in the museum include Rembrandt, Jan Steen, Frans Hals as well as
Johannes Vermeer. Further, the museum also contains the Rijksmuseum Research
Library, which is in fact the Netherlands’ largest art history research
library, for the common public.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFODKB-fZ_fqkX7-nF6rwGIpIxzok7YIiSv4J4WmQwJToB-ammUiBt8D0DBfy4S38AYJlknslMVaVk-i8d0VnVMSvl3VSk1Aq2LtbT6M48jfq3M5DUqhNSIQY2BZ_ffIuCXdNuhQ/s1600/Rijksmuseum+Amsterdam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFODKB-fZ_fqkX7-nF6rwGIpIxzok7YIiSv4J4WmQwJToB-ammUiBt8D0DBfy4S38AYJlknslMVaVk-i8d0VnVMSvl3VSk1Aq2LtbT6M48jfq3M5DUqhNSIQY2BZ_ffIuCXdNuhQ/s400/Rijksmuseum+Amsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rijksmuseum Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Anne Frank House</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://bit.ly/AmsCard" target="_blank">Anne Frank House </a>is a building first built in 1635 and
subsequently restored as a museum in 1960, which housed Anne Frank, a Jewish
wartime diarist, who escaped Nazi persecution by hiding in the rear of the
building. The museum is worth a visit, not only because it served as a hiding
place for Anne Frank, but also because, today it symbolizes and is
representative of apathy towards any kind of discrimination or persecution,
especially along racial or religious lines. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8vIbHV2cLiQxOIC9PCxPkRUWY4hexM0ZMqXAbq4y3B0-jTfbFp5GpWgV_Ku1Z2KwcdkAM4IKKJTzrpT2np5U9ISv1ueD1Z2hRJvB4LgwUkFpMr5SnCGp2T4XAR5RA13ckAzUAQ/s1600/Amsterdam-Anne-Frank-House.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii8vIbHV2cLiQxOIC9PCxPkRUWY4hexM0ZMqXAbq4y3B0-jTfbFp5GpWgV_Ku1Z2KwcdkAM4IKKJTzrpT2np5U9ISv1ueD1Z2hRJvB4LgwUkFpMr5SnCGp2T4XAR5RA13ckAzUAQ/s400/Amsterdam-Anne-Frank-House.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anne Frank House in Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Besides the above mentioned museums, there are many others
which should also form a part of your itinerary, depending on the time and
opportunity that you have. Take for instance, the <a href="http://bit.ly/AmsCard" target="_blank">Nemo museum</a>, right next to
the Amsterdam central station. Besides being the country’s largest science
center, which makes it an attractive destination by itself, it is the shape of
the building, in the form of a sinking ship, which in turn draws tourists to
it, by the droves. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_j_lr6_dukW_tJJ7zM8o1-zBNDdMzmF2wCP0iaEnirG370sROe-p-CgflHzpkUF7-yoS_Nuq5WDbjHxEDZhcOzxI5bGmuXK7RwIlXyXDSnYPwqNtaahXUBfCebJz9J8i4qto3sA/s1600/Nemo+Museum+Amsterdam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_j_lr6_dukW_tJJ7zM8o1-zBNDdMzmF2wCP0iaEnirG370sROe-p-CgflHzpkUF7-yoS_Nuq5WDbjHxEDZhcOzxI5bGmuXK7RwIlXyXDSnYPwqNtaahXUBfCebJz9J8i4qto3sA/s400/Nemo+Museum+Amsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nemo Museum in Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Similarly, the Joods Historisch Museum or Jewish Historical
Museum is certainly worth a visit, to gain a firsthand perspective on Judaism
in the Netherlands, which had been prevalent since the sixteenth century till
the Second World War, wherein Nazi persecution led to a virtual annihilation of
the majority of the Jewish population of the country. Today, the museum has
over 11,000 varied objects in its collection, each of which is representative
of Jewish culture and tradition.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFD-55Mwbqa-iEMIrhR15ZUDOwNcyFkrTP4AbKwcJnsldPKpQoroH7LxeD8TI7Hx7WmH-UjYAPbJu-AL21NgrE1K-HS0UFX5oV2fzdPSWI3FW5gyjlquD_RYtM65gwe-CMk4AKGQ/s1600/joods-historisch-museum.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFD-55Mwbqa-iEMIrhR15ZUDOwNcyFkrTP4AbKwcJnsldPKpQoroH7LxeD8TI7Hx7WmH-UjYAPbJu-AL21NgrE1K-HS0UFX5oV2fzdPSWI3FW5gyjlquD_RYtM65gwe-CMk4AKGQ/s400/joods-historisch-museum.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joods Historisch Museum</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Apart from museums, Amsterdam has a lot of other draws for
tourists as well. Religious monuments and buildings certainly are foremost
among them. For instance, one of the most significant churches in the country –
the Oude Kerk or the </span><i style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">old church</i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> is
located in Amsterdam, in the De Wallen part of the city, which also happens to
house its infamous red light district. The roof of the Oude Kerk is said to be
the largest medieval wooden vault, across the whole of Europe. Today, the Oude
Kerk is also a venue for various religious and cultural activities of national
and international significance, including the World Press Photo awards.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUGPHPDvgYFKlMfbDPStwkXNiNwGTE8_guojq0oNw-wy174UYBr3OBe38q-ebpNbW-4hWCijCWdfDgD1ER-70fOylCcr0Z1HbGFVixVkv7Bi9BdzXcQ66tmXSlFf84JrnAeUCNA/s1600/Oude_Kerk.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjUGPHPDvgYFKlMfbDPStwkXNiNwGTE8_guojq0oNw-wy174UYBr3OBe38q-ebpNbW-4hWCijCWdfDgD1ER-70fOylCcr0Z1HbGFVixVkv7Bi9BdzXcQ66tmXSlFf84JrnAeUCNA/s400/Oude_Kerk.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oude Kerk in Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Considering the Netherlands’ relatively large Islamic population,
estimated at about 5 percent of the total population of the country, mosques
dot the landscape with as many as 400 of them, across Netherlands. Among them,
the El Tawheed Mosque in Amsterdam is one of the most significant.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8QynYLfBeGRsXS91L1s7geZjuKXMMk5qrEirH_PS9XCww2QY0P_IkaLaLvqOONhX57NS9d6l5ZdCpry_d0ukV_DR8OWzKffNfaF-G7HdqczlGDUghj2nuRCjjDmte1npI21t-g/s1600/moskee_zaandam.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8QynYLfBeGRsXS91L1s7geZjuKXMMk5qrEirH_PS9XCww2QY0P_IkaLaLvqOONhX57NS9d6l5ZdCpry_d0ukV_DR8OWzKffNfaF-G7HdqczlGDUghj2nuRCjjDmte1npI21t-g/s400/moskee_zaandam.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">El Tawheed Mosque in Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">From a Jewish perspective, the expansive Portuguese Synagogue
in Amsterdam is one of the most significant Jewish buildings in the country.
Built more than 300 years ago, in 1675, the building maintains its opulent
façade from the exterior, even today.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXUHZTrvdguulXvFTwCxibzyoHXUgrQt5YlUgAAjOHOwJODVyh3oUfmj5Mkg9ZDkd4mfzNyZJNJXzlMV2AYxoFPPFeBvExl74sFae9mF-iXfgplq9Jchg4Ycz495X3qqlVdGwtA/s1600/Portuguese+Synagogue+in+Amsterdam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhXUHZTrvdguulXvFTwCxibzyoHXUgrQt5YlUgAAjOHOwJODVyh3oUfmj5Mkg9ZDkd4mfzNyZJNJXzlMV2AYxoFPPFeBvExl74sFae9mF-iXfgplq9Jchg4Ycz495X3qqlVdGwtA/s400/Portuguese+Synagogue+in+Amsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Other structures and buildings you wouldn’t want to miss
seeing, while in Amsterdam: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Royal Palace, built in 1648; </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Zh7W7vZy8fGEAhsoqhJB_Pus81Ibf84hmcDB34xALfPeuQ9jXsG_NmOZ9OfeSwRWhyphenhyphenqivm3RYBcRya6WCCpuThyphenhyphenJmvlSTGR2YYEj_XEjgsp14OBg4x5-Vjfz3JuS09_8vVoJFg/s1600/Royal+Palace+at+the+dam+square+in+Amsterdam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Zh7W7vZy8fGEAhsoqhJB_Pus81Ibf84hmcDB34xALfPeuQ9jXsG_NmOZ9OfeSwRWhyphenhyphenqivm3RYBcRya6WCCpuThyphenhyphenJmvlSTGR2YYEj_XEjgsp14OBg4x5-Vjfz3JuS09_8vVoJFg/s400/Royal+Palace+at+the+dam+square+in+Amsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Royal Palace in Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Concertgebouw which is in fact home to the Concertgebouworkest, a world
renowned symphony orchestra; </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEYz63nafkvSnwGQZam2s8WCcgkwpCypDF44YxOLrAM80z4OqmNMBkptWEBOSQ6Ja83yWNmoYAJO0euhTGsETQlTNtzn4dEhP-OhhBoUzRvmff7VjL7g62j-uHMR4m0xEA_XhcQ/s1600/Concertgebouw.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsEYz63nafkvSnwGQZam2s8WCcgkwpCypDF44YxOLrAM80z4OqmNMBkptWEBOSQ6Ja83yWNmoYAJO0euhTGsETQlTNtzn4dEhP-OhhBoUzRvmff7VjL7g62j-uHMR4m0xEA_XhcQ/s400/Concertgebouw.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Concertgebouw in Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Magere Brug, which is Amsterdam’s best known
draw bridge; </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHc_Ujc1dNHgDJXyiy_psWeF6OUuKJGsp3xoOmLUcMg3otuYlTPLuDhHtRYkvghEGrbVLTXQlhry6gd8wplqCGrLJ8_D5DLDo1oHcJA41wthoPtmIXDw73tkxr5fPiu4v4YSYkw/s1600/Magere+Brug+Amsterdam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLHc_Ujc1dNHgDJXyiy_psWeF6OUuKJGsp3xoOmLUcMg3otuYlTPLuDhHtRYkvghEGrbVLTXQlhry6gd8wplqCGrLJ8_D5DLDo1oHcJA41wthoPtmIXDw73tkxr5fPiu4v4YSYkw/s400/Magere+Brug+Amsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magere Brug in Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Rembrandt Tower; </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZ8rbD1tx6WsT-MOH0IEqOpYniv4fdDQkipjTO62TJ9UfqrJ7lwRAh1LQPitbs669mvKTttGKK8CPJKgFvJraPpdkKgywBZACswzOW59o0ZgyUgA8HboyEpNIHx4Qu_NqbMmY7Q/s1600/Rembrandt+Tower+Amsterdam.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZ8rbD1tx6WsT-MOH0IEqOpYniv4fdDQkipjTO62TJ9UfqrJ7lwRAh1LQPitbs669mvKTttGKK8CPJKgFvJraPpdkKgywBZACswzOW59o0ZgyUgA8HboyEpNIHx4Qu_NqbMmY7Q/s400/Rembrandt+Tower+Amsterdam.png" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The iconic Rembrandt Tower in Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Millennium Tower; </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiL956lwX31gHNyTzgjau7elNbVX6e9PkZWrYdxIDrzXiZ84jxJpqpoRWk9FSyD2zplLierSe-k1q0uQ_aKPGzEvpa-RM4-IpwSUjqSAY9TUvm8Sy4hiUMe_pVMJdIw3SNMWIulw/s1600/Millennium+Tower+Amsterdam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiL956lwX31gHNyTzgjau7elNbVX6e9PkZWrYdxIDrzXiZ84jxJpqpoRWk9FSyD2zplLierSe-k1q0uQ_aKPGzEvpa-RM4-IpwSUjqSAY9TUvm8Sy4hiUMe_pVMJdIw3SNMWIulw/s400/Millennium+Tower+Amsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Millenium Tower in Amsterdam - this is the North West side view of the building</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Olympisch Stadion
which was the main stadium of the 1928 Summer Olympics, as well as, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIq0t70g_HS9tge7GE6FCohSIkQMiADTspgbmnb7A2_ZW0W6vrJ_yD-HchKEGPIkW5LYXTOx9Q9DnURT3W-3suHABuBAqZzs2B_DxUjwlht_liXbmKo7isGaH-eDXWgyq25FlcoA/s1600/Olympic_Stadium_Amsterdam_1928.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIq0t70g_HS9tge7GE6FCohSIkQMiADTspgbmnb7A2_ZW0W6vrJ_yD-HchKEGPIkW5LYXTOx9Q9DnURT3W-3suHABuBAqZzs2B_DxUjwlht_liXbmKo7isGaH-eDXWgyq25FlcoA/s400/Olympic_Stadium_Amsterdam_1928.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Olympisch Stadion, as it looked back in 1928</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
<a href="http://bit.ly/AmsCard" target="_blank">Homomonument</a> which is a memorial located right in the centre of the city,
dedicated towards all homosexuals who have been subject to persecution, simply
because of their differential sexual orientation and preference.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjpj4iwe-nzv0Far4SjTIhqCdsCdU-SHxsOSknHgPUkVlnpFFW_kPUqa5RmbX5gZKEOFqDiiJJ5M3P1JDHgHo5gvvwsjfbxV-ku6mEjxEGAkScoMHwOYdSTN2R_Ldp7UwvMB9eQ/s1600/homomonument+Amsterdam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzjpj4iwe-nzv0Far4SjTIhqCdsCdU-SHxsOSknHgPUkVlnpFFW_kPUqa5RmbX5gZKEOFqDiiJJ5M3P1JDHgHo5gvvwsjfbxV-ku6mEjxEGAkScoMHwOYdSTN2R_Ldp7UwvMB9eQ/s400/homomonument+Amsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Homomonument</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="background-color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">De Wallen – Amsterdam’s largest and most well-known Red Light
District</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">No mention of Amsterdam as a tourist destination can be truly
complete without mentioning the infamous red light districts of the city. Among
them, <a href="http://bit.ly/AmsCard" target="_blank">De Wallen</a> holds center stage as not only the largest but also the most
frequently visited of all red light districts in the city. Located in the
centre of the oldest part of Amsterdam, De Wallen is located just south of the
Oude Kerk church and comprises of hundreds of small cabins that prostitutes
rent out to offer their sexual services. Typically, the prostitutes solicit
customers from behind glass doors or windows, which are in turn lit up with red
light, quite literally reminiscent of a red light district!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphennM27Hn4aK0oufF6UFz9S9y_EDjMYI5wDACzNPJ7BJ9UZNzMAgcW1kNY3VYAG10xcWiXS9QSiKadW60bU-eEmnD0IhyphenhyphenMjILwpeBwHF2uC73i5Kr32HfmVeyD-CQEij117uE24w/s1600/red_light_district_Amsterdam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghyphenhyphennM27Hn4aK0oufF6UFz9S9y_EDjMYI5wDACzNPJ7BJ9UZNzMAgcW1kNY3VYAG10xcWiXS9QSiKadW60bU-eEmnD0IhyphenhyphenMjILwpeBwHF2uC73i5Kr32HfmVeyD-CQEij117uE24w/s400/red_light_district_Amsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">De Wallen, the Red Light District of Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Eating out in Amsterdam</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When it comes to foodie options in the city, you sure will be
spoilt for choice, as there are just too many pickings, including more than a
thousand restaurants! Further, you would be surprised in case you are expecting
only Dutch cuisine, as food from around the world is very easily available in
Amsterdam. From Spanish to Italian to French to Indonesian to Indian and even
to Japanese, no cuisine should be hard for you to find. Additionally, even as a
vegetarian, you really should not have a problem in the city, as there are
numerous restaurants that serve only vegetarian fare, besides the fact that all
the other restaurants also happen to have ample vegetarian dishes on offer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzPRp_-a6nzpjl_vnxS1U0BHGF0TLVrzIL3wZCs0X99YUd6vPYa9Zs3Ot1xMqy83leqXmeK-MRSV4aVsjP9zbN0Vpt6v8K3LGSUl3Q75iNLDcqpZwAXyqYottk_6hBGWa46J-CA/s1600/Memories+of+India+Amsterdam-restaurant_interior.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMzPRp_-a6nzpjl_vnxS1U0BHGF0TLVrzIL3wZCs0X99YUd6vPYa9Zs3Ot1xMqy83leqXmeK-MRSV4aVsjP9zbN0Vpt6v8K3LGSUl3Q75iNLDcqpZwAXyqYottk_6hBGWa46J-CA/s400/Memories+of+India+Amsterdam-restaurant_interior.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside 'Memories of India' Indian restaurant in Amsterdam, <br />
often considered one of the finest Indian restaurants in Europe</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Most places commonly serve alcohol, so finding the same
should not be a problem for you, irrespective of where you go. One interesting
aspect with regard to eating out in Amsterdam is that you pay the same, whether
you eat on the terrace or outside or anywhere else within the confines of the
restaurant.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Nightlife</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Amsterdam has a vibrant nightlife which again will leave you
spoilt for choice. Areas like the Rembrandtplein as well as the Leidseplein are
rampant with discotheques of varying shapes and sizes, playing a varied
assortment of dance music. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypdlLSBk6V85N9OIhRCTqQoIbxgHQ23xBQrvOe0QXqZ2jkfhmdSE9KgJSFCYNrMJyJrMrIQu9qLI5RaS1SSyeUng5inWftOdhg3x4i87o-Wug5yMQJZtd5i5Vh6djpyTWx4vkzw/s1600/Leidseplein+Amsterdam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjypdlLSBk6V85N9OIhRCTqQoIbxgHQ23xBQrvOe0QXqZ2jkfhmdSE9KgJSFCYNrMJyJrMrIQu9qLI5RaS1SSyeUng5inWftOdhg3x4i87o-Wug5yMQJZtd5i5Vh6djpyTWx4vkzw/s400/Leidseplein+Amsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have the time of your life in areas of Amsterdam such as Leidseplein, <br />
showcased above</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In case you are looking for something specific to
the lesbian and gay community, then you might want to head towards the Reguliersdwarsstraat
which is a street loaded with activities pertaining to the above mentioned
community.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4Sdvv4HmJ9wFV8OQJYmwf0kM4vAMJa_vpUjfGE1Lf1FZvybkHMCrXbDxvwtA5V9yhFIV9yU5rREHEmtfGlty9JWcxzYMTK3ekruFEWOr0cUxBUTQ49Fi2v_s9ao5JdhDX2ocgw/s1600/Reguliersdwarsstraat.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE4Sdvv4HmJ9wFV8OQJYmwf0kM4vAMJa_vpUjfGE1Lf1FZvybkHMCrXbDxvwtA5V9yhFIV9yU5rREHEmtfGlty9JWcxzYMTK3ekruFEWOr0cUxBUTQ49Fi2v_s9ao5JdhDX2ocgw/s400/Reguliersdwarsstraat.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Musical Event at Reguliersdwarsstraat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Shopping</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Amsterdam offers a wide array of shopping options, from those
akin to street bazaars as well as departmental stores, housing some of the
world’s finest brands. The main shopping areas that you would definitely not
want to miss, while in the city, include Leidsestraat and Kalverstraat.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfamqzPPFUylKvcNb3Jl6fCuE2aKfvFBe-zdAfkkH1umXnEObYiYzCvmdSvxnh_csv3G-HhAsNfsTLa6p6kZp1_ts9IaEq5REquE0UtgJa1LbiUM2Pe2q56ON7_M3C8kgutERavA/s1600/Leidsestraat+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfamqzPPFUylKvcNb3Jl6fCuE2aKfvFBe-zdAfkkH1umXnEObYiYzCvmdSvxnh_csv3G-HhAsNfsTLa6p6kZp1_ts9IaEq5REquE0UtgJa1LbiUM2Pe2q56ON7_M3C8kgutERavA/s400/Leidsestraat+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leidsestraat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">You
will also find major departmental stores near the Munt Tower as well as at the
Dam. For knickknack and curio shopping, you would be advised to look around the
Jordaan while for more chic shopping of hi-profile items or brands, you would
perhaps be better off looking at the <a href="http://bit.ly/AmsCard" target="_blank">PC Hooftstraat</a>.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHPpoP-wN_48unGgVRCIZoiTmqvvGw4MmHe2cSFuR1PN-zXn-FvI93YLYF52CdUZ2aOeJg3ONFnKtyI6Huv9iYzlFJVvr1xmE2vgGwQvWLjRSavBjizT6IsZCG7uruvTbXMTrZg/s1600/P-C-Hooftstraat.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguHPpoP-wN_48unGgVRCIZoiTmqvvGw4MmHe2cSFuR1PN-zXn-FvI93YLYF52CdUZ2aOeJg3ONFnKtyI6Huv9iYzlFJVvr1xmE2vgGwQvWLjRSavBjizT6IsZCG7uruvTbXMTrZg/s400/P-C-Hooftstraat.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High Street Shopping comes alive on PC Hoofstraat </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Events</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Considering the large number of events that take place in the
city, you might want to consider the option of timing your trip in such a manner
as to attend any of these diverse events. For instance, a trip in June would
assure you an opportunity to attend the Holland Festival, which entails a full
four weeks of diverse cultural activities. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQgTwvTfC6QBuDICyn-ulp-EygBHmh1E4q-1W-_GEMYXe4VvjNKDL8AwROnMeM8OO4r5Op591EtHp3oWNFNzga2pfWWM3TgaDmrGAYbJNjHsodNRaE00cMWTfPEGBpGYGbAmA3Lg/s1600/Amsterdam+Holland+Festival_560x350.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQgTwvTfC6QBuDICyn-ulp-EygBHmh1E4q-1W-_GEMYXe4VvjNKDL8AwROnMeM8OO4r5Op591EtHp3oWNFNzga2pfWWM3TgaDmrGAYbJNjHsodNRaE00cMWTfPEGBpGYGbAmA3Lg/s400/Amsterdam+Holland+Festival_560x350.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Signage for the Holland Festival in Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Similarly, <a href="http://bit.ly/AmsCard" target="_blank">Amsterdam’s Gay Pride</a>
parade takes place early August, each year. Queen’s Day which takes place on
the 30</span><sup style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 115%;">th</sup><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> of April each year is a day you would definitely not want
to miss, while in Amsterdam. In fact, if you already happen to be in the city
at this time, it is impossible you will miss it as the whole city gets into a
mood of complete revelry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWs9AzTeCDFOK_hRfDY8uA6H9lT6-v4fybNxbsdTiLBEoUMgCa9vtqHPtFvVvk7QIUGCqITDxNe6XEhp9ZqQyLXbYIhE_6xsEVgtYzNAq36C3vzE9ozqEutO5MPAP6nQACccyUdw/s1600/Gay-Pride-Amsterdam.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWs9AzTeCDFOK_hRfDY8uA6H9lT6-v4fybNxbsdTiLBEoUMgCa9vtqHPtFvVvk7QIUGCqITDxNe6XEhp9ZqQyLXbYIhE_6xsEVgtYzNAq36C3vzE9ozqEutO5MPAP6nQACccyUdw/s400/Gay-Pride-Amsterdam.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gay Pride Parade in Amsterdam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Conclusion</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Amsterdam has a lot to offer to people from all walks of
life. Irrespective of where you come from, just leave your inhibitions behind
and go ahead and make the most of your time in the <a href="http://bit.ly/AmsCard" target="_blank">Venice of the North</a>; life
could never have seemed any better!</span></div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-43478578083199588862012-06-22T15:01:00.000-07:002012-07-12T00:33:52.864-07:00Welcome to World of Vikram!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hello and Welcome to World of Vikram!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My name is Vikram Malik and it gives me great pleasure in welcoming you to my own little corner in cyberspace!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1849082508"><img alt="Vikram Malik - World of Vikram, in Pattaya, Thailand" border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBAn2SDz7f9fHBpj109c1BRIi4-VnLfGlXFsBiOTjv7uh88er9TBRD6ljHtAQOr1Xz5ki_XLCzRYdjTCdZ8Gb_pJLRYOf2HunE5mFZepiI0hsSpE6NhnYd-DZRa4Nw0Y75UrJVng/s200/Topiwala+Me+Small.jpg" title="Vikram Malik" width="200" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/worldofvikram" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small;">Yes, that's me!</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here you can gain reasonable insights into the professional side of my personality, in terms of the work that I do as a freelance custom content developer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have tried to make this web-log as comprehensive as possible whereby you obtain all the necessary information pertinent to my credentials, which can in turn help you make an informed decision towards hiring me for your next content creation and development project.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please feel free to explore the links above which will give you a very good idea of the kind of work that I offer, the charges for the same, and indeed the various ways in which we can together add value to our lives...mutually!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Cheerio,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Vikram!</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-69815207243352123422010-02-01T10:36:00.000-08:002010-02-01T10:38:45.326-08:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Choosing the best Auto Insurance Coverage for yourself</span><br /><br />While you are out in the market for auto insurance coverage, you definitely need to keep in mind the fact that there are various kinds of policies on offer. And by obtaining knowledge about all these different kinds of policies, you can be reasonably certain of making the most suitable choice of auto insurance coverage for yourself – one that suits your requirements the best.<br /> <br />The ways of doing so can be varied; to get started, your best bet would definitely be the Internet; apart from the websites of all the various auto insurance companies, third party websites are likely to provide you a lot of objective information that will help you make a well-informed decision in your choice of a particular auto insurance coverage policy. <br /><br />Insurance brokers are also an excellent source of quality information on all the various auto insurance coverage policies. Being in the business themselves, often with varying degrees of experience, they know all the nuances in and out, and can definitely recommend the most suitable policy for you, as per your needs and requirements. <br /><br />Making the best choice also mandates keeping the costs in check; remember that a lot of very similar auto insurance coverage policies are offered at significantly varied prices and therefore, you definitely need to have the cost aspect in mind so that you get the best deal for yourself. While shopping for auto insurance coverage, you also need to check for any discounts that may be on offer; quite often, auto insurance companies do offer promotional, time-bound discounts on their offerings, in addition to other discounts that can possibly be availed only by select individuals based on their overall profile, as per various pre-defined criteria. <br /><br />While looking at the costs of all the various policies, you should also look at your own requirements; perhaps you already have a Comprehensive insurance policy which covers you as well as your children, on your own vehicle, while the same is actually driven only by you! In such a scenario it makes sense to remove your children’s coverage on that vehicle, and thus save yourself some of your hard earned money! <br /><br />The corollary is just as important and you should never lose sight of that fact; there is always the possibility that you have installed additional functionalities or even an expensive music system that is hitherto not covered by your existing auto insurance coverage; you must make sure that you suitably upgrade it, so that it is covered now. <br /><br />Whatever be the case, and whatever the choice that you make, remember that not opting for insurance coverage on your vehicle is NOT a choice that you have; auto insurance coverage is a must by default, made legally binding in virtually all parts of the country, as indeed most of the rest of the world. So, effectively, you will never have a situation of actually having to consider whether to have an insurance policy or not; you just have to have it!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-31346622637312419332009-09-13T14:08:00.000-07:002009-09-13T14:12:52.345-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Scratch-proof your expensive electronic devices</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">ScratchGard launches revolutionary range of screen protectors that keep your phones, cameras and MP3 players looking like new</span><br /><br />September 2009. You have just spent a fortune on your new mobile phone, camera or MP3 player. Now, ScratchGard has launched an innovative range of screen protection films that will keep your expensive gadgets looking like new, for years to come. What’s more, ScratchGard will also protect your device’s screen from harmful UV Rays, further extending it’s life. Usable on a wide range of electronic devices, including mobile phones, digital cameras, video cameras, iPods and other MP3 players, PDAs, as well as PSPs and gaming devices, these unique screen-protection films come as ‘exact-fits’, custom-designed for the screens of each of your devices as well as their model variants. Very reasonably priced within a range of Rs. 75/- to Rs. 350/-, ScratchGard’s screen-protection films serve as absolute value-for-money, particularly for your high-end electronic devices. ScratchGard is available at over 1000 mobile phone retail outlets across Delhi. You can also securely purchase ScratchGard, online, at www.scratchgard.in.<br /><br />ScratchGard is virtually invisible when installed. It has even been tested in hot, cold and humid conditions with equally great results. ScratchGard’s 99% UV resistant screen-protection films use a unique adhesion technology that can be repeatedly removed, washed and reapplied without leaving any marks on the original screen.<br /><br />Each ScratchGard package includes the ScratchGard screen protector, a Micro Fibre cleaning cloth and instructions on how to apply the screen protector.<br /><br />ScratchGard comes custom-designed for practically the entire range of mobile phones available in India including those offered by Nokia, Sony Ericsson, O2, Samsung, LG, Panasonic and Motorola. The digital camera range includes those for Sony, Canon, HP, Kodak, Nikon, Olympus as well as Panasonic. The range for video cameras includes those offered by Sony, Canon, Panasonic and HP. MP3 devices include Apple’s IPod as well as Sony’s range of MP3 players. The wide range of PDAs and Smart Phones that ScratchGard scratch-proofs, include those of Blackberry, O2, Palm, Krome Spy, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Casio, HP and Imate. Both Game Boy and Sony Play Station are covered in the PSPs and gaming devices category.<br /><br /><br />About ScratchGard Overseas Private Limited<br /><br />ScratchGard Overseas Private Limited is a fully owned subsidiary of ScratchGard UK Ltd. ScratchGard Screen Protector kits represent the leading quality of screen protectors available globally that are designed and manufactured using propriety technology, laser cut process and design innovation by a dedicated team of specialists. <br /><br />The company has operations in the UK and India for distribution in Europe, Asia, UAE and American markets.<br /><br />___________________________________________________<br /><br />For product samples; more scratch-less information on this revolutionary product, as well as to speak to the visionaries who have brought in this revolution to India, feel free to get in touch with:<br /><br />Vikram Malik, <br />Accord PR,<br />+91-9810434837,<br />vikram@london.comUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-27178906474111723452009-09-13T14:06:00.000-07:002009-09-13T14:07:47.496-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Stuart Broad</span><br /><br />Son of legendary English cricketer, Chris Broad, right-arm fast bowler Stuart Broad has had one too many forgettable experiences during his T20 career. The biggest of them would of course be the day Yuvraj Singh of India smashed six sixes in one over of his, in the last edition of the T20 World Cup, in South Africa. On another occasion, Broad was in the thick of things in the recent T20 match against the Netherlands, which England lost most unexpectedly. With the Dutchmen requiring 2 runs off the last ball, even after managing to capture the ball hit at him, Broady failed to hit the stumps and the batsmen scampered to a victory on which bookies had put odds of 500-1! These unremarkable happenstances aside, Broad has had a reasonably successful stance in the national English cricket team, in both ODIs and test matches, where he has performed not just as an effective fast bowler, but also as a quality batsman. It remains to be seen if his T20 prospects will brighten any further, in case domestic teams such as those of the IPL take him on board.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-91671692010772026792009-09-13T14:03:00.000-07:002009-09-13T14:05:40.000-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Ravi Bopara</span><br /><br />Puppy Ravi Bopara or “Paapey” as he may better be referred to, considering that he is of Indian Sikh origin, has reposed the faith placed in him by the English selectors, very well. Apart from displaying his batting prowess, with some glorious innings right at the start of his international career, Bopara has come good as a medium pace bowler as well. With three test centuries to his credit, in only six appearances in the national test team, Bopara has made an indelible impression for himself as a quality test batsman, inside out. In the T20 format too, Bopara has displayed pugnacious tenacity. Although he has played only 5 matches for the English T20 side till date, he shone in the recently concluded IPL tournament held in South Africa, as a member of the Kings XI Punjab squad, fully justifying his USD 450,000 price tag. In the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore held at Kingsmead, Durban, on April 24, 2009, Bopara singlehandedly led his team from a difficult position to that of victory, with a swashbuckling 84, off just 59 deliveries. His efforts rightfully earned him the Man of the Match award. Bopara is continuing from where he left, in the T20 World Cup, with a well made 46 off just 34 balls in the inaugural match against Holland. Looks like Bopara has a glorious T20 career ahead of him!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-17154644108181891022009-09-13T13:59:00.000-07:002009-09-13T14:01:39.989-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Golden Tips for Buying the Perfect French door curtains for Yourself</span><br /><br />French doors have this wonderful aspect about themselves of adding aesthetic beauty to your office or home or wherever else you decide to have them put up. But at the same time, French doors end up allowing significant amount of light to enter into the house – sometimes more than as much as you may wish to. That is where French door curtains come truly very handy.<br /><br />French door curtains not only control the amount of light that comes inside through the French doors, they actually in turn add immense aesthetic appeal and beauty to your property as well. Having said that, there are various factors that you should keep in mind while purchasing French door curtains for yourself. Otherwise, you might just end up making a wrong and fruitless investment. The tips enlisted below will guide you immensely while making your acquisition.<br /><br />Before we even get into these factors or tips, be aware that French door curtains are themselves of various kinds. Some of these varieties include solid color fabric panel doors, white sheer fabric door panels, soft stripe leno panel doors and unique sheer fabric door panels. You even have special themed curtains which are generally meant for a particular occasion. Last but not the least; you have French door curtains meant for specific parts of your premises, for instance the kitchen or the bathroom. Before you make your purchase, please do keep this fact in mind. The schematic designs that you choose should complement the design of your French doors as well as the blueprint of the room and premises where you intend to have them. That is where the overall appeal of your premises will truly come forth.<br /><br />The first and probably the most crucial tip is to have your own French doors known to you very well, in terms of their dimensions – both their exact vertical length as well as horizontal width. This way, you will get just the right dimension of French door curtains, lest you get an inappropriate size, and the investment goes waste. Additionally, knowing the dimensions, you can pick up just the right pattern you want, as per your taste and preference.<br /><br />The second important aspect to keep in mind is the overall getup and décor of your room. Remember that the French doors and French door curtains must gel well and blend in, with the overall décor of your room. This includes the existing furniture as well as the upholstery that has been used. Keep in mind the fact that French door curtains are almost always white in color so that they reflect heat while allowing light to enter the premises. So make sure that the colors and overall look and feel of your house is such that these curtains would easily blend in.<br /><br />The key word above is blend in – not necessarily match. There have been many customers of French door curtains who end up doing their entire place in white, just to match with their French door curtains. Remember, that color balance is about blending in or gelling well, and not necessarily matching completely. Therefore, as long as the color combination that you choose blends in and gels well with the décor of your room, it should be fine. <br /><br />One other very important aspect to consider while getting your French door curtains is their fabric. Ideally, while making your choice, consider practicality as your guiding light, as you do not want fabric that would be expensive to wash as well as cumbersome to take off or put back on. Therefore, choose a fabric that can be easily washed at home. Fabrics that compulsorily require to be dry cleaned would not only prove to be expensive, they will also take up that much extra time of yours, in terms of trips to the dry cleaners.<br /><br />A very important tip that I can offer you on French door curtains, pertains to their purchase. While buying them online could save you a great deal of time, effort and money, remember that without an actual touch and feel, you might just end up buying something inappropriate or simply unsuitable for the place you intend to have them. So, if you have the option, and a suitable store lies within your reach, consider making a physical trip at least one, to be sure of exactly what you are getting. Having said that, there are online stores that actually send samples of their fabric, before you actually buy the same. If buying offline simply does not seem possible, at least request to have a sample fabric sent across to you. Lastly, irrespective of whether you purchase online or offline, make sure that the retailer offers you a money back guarantee. <br /><br />As far as styling of French door curtains goes, consider tying them from the middle. This will give them an hourglass shape, which will in turn make them look both contemporary as well as stylish. Additionally, also consider having your French doors installed in your inner rooms. This will surely give a perfect and complete French look to your property. With this, if you can combine real or even replica wrought iron curtain rods and put them together with the curtains, you can very well say Au Revoir to any other look that you may have contemplated and Bienvenue to the perfect French look! <br /><br />At the same time, if you are looking forward to an extremely elegant and stylish look for your room, consider sheer French door curtains. These, when put together with smaller and thinner curtain rods, certainly make your premises look extremely stylish, contemporary and elegant, giving it an edge of finesse which you would certainly be very proud of.<br /><br />Summing up, you can clearly see that French door curtains make a world of difference to your premises. Simply keep the above mentioned golden tips in mind while making your French door curtains acquisition, and you will be assured of a truly blissful and magical experience, all the way!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-35256779463899356762009-09-13T13:56:00.000-07:002009-09-13T13:58:49.647-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">French door blinds – the magical remedy to home privacy and light screening</span><br /><br />French doors are one of the most beautiful and aesthetic kind of doors that one can use to beautify a house. For some they might already be a part of their beautiful interiors while for others, this can be an additional feature they can look up on while renovating their house or when moving in to a new one. The best part is that for each different kind, there can be various treatments to give a different look to the same door. Depending on your taste and style you can have many options like French door blinds, shades or curtains. The best ones certainly are the French door blinds. With different shades and styles, these can bring a complete change over for the door itself and for the surroundings at large. French door blinds are not only a good means to beauty but are also very utilitarian by nature.<br /><br />Before we start with the actual treatment, let us get a sense of what really a French door is (for those who don’t know), the different kinds, their utility and finally what kind of blinds can be used to beautify them.<br /><br />A French door as defined as “a door that has multiple windows ("lights") set into it for the full length of the door”. For a lay man though, these are doors with a full length (may be assembled or one piece) of glass spread across them. Traditionally, these doors were set to open in the centre but with years of change they now come in various moulds. Today sliding and folding French doors are getting increasingly popular due to more utilitarian purposes.<br /><br />French doors bear their origin to the 17th century and were used to allow maximum light in to the room (imagine, there was no electricity then!). But today their purpose is more of beautification than anything else. In the past they were used more towards the exterior to enable light in to the building but in the present times, they are used everywhere, right from a bathroom to a patio to a bedroom. So depending on where you intend to put them up, the doors can be different kinds like sliding, hinged, double-door, multi-panel or folding type.<br /><br />Now some people do question the usage of French doors because of the lack of privacy they offer. But for those who really want to beautify their homes, there is no better way. With a good cover up like French door blinds, one can use them even while having an open look at your beautiful lawn in the front, or the blue sky ahead or to bring a cheerful look to your room and even as an alternate to a wall!<br /><br />Even as we learn the beauty of French doors we also ought to know how to adorn them further. Some people are wary of putting up curtains on these doors, quite rightly so because what then is the purpose of having a French door if you are going to cover it up. So a more interesting and useful way would be to use blinds. French door blinds are a fashion statement for your home in the present times. They add glamour and a few hundred extra dollars to your asking price for a house if you plan to sell it. These can be of many kinds including micro blinds, mini blinds, vertical blinds, and wooden blinds. But what you need to remember essentially is that with blinds you can control the amount of light coming in and creating the ambience, so a proper assessment must be made in that regard.<br /><br />Micro blinds seem to be best suited for French doors as their small slant size makes them look attractive. Some may even prefer Mini blinds. While mini blinds are horizontal blinds made with 1" wide aluminum blind slants, Micro blinds are made with ½ " wide aluminum slants. There is another option in the form of Vinyl mini blinds. These are a good practical solution for high-humidity places like a bathroom or a kitchen. While aluminum ones blend well with modern interiors, vinyl blinds may seem a little out of place. So make sure you read the surrounding first before mounting any of these.<br /><br />Meanwhile Vertical blinds are also a popular option among French door blinds. These essentially are simpler and cheaper choices available to you. These collect less dust and in fact can be cleaned even while left hanging. These are easily available everywhere and in fact you can find one in your neighborhood home-improvement store also. But one major negative with these is that they can be pretty noisy because they have a lot of movement. So take that into consideration while installing these.<br /><br />Also if you want a classic, royal look you can go for wooden blinds. These can come in many shades and hues depending on the type you select. Most popular come in Basswood while bamboo is also gaining popularity increasingly. While many may go for bamboo blinds owing to their cheap price, yet most will contend that there is nothing as versatile as a bamboo product. Also with growing demand for eco-friendly home products, bamboo takes the top slot. It is closer to nature than any other product available in the same category.<br /><br />Now before you decide on the kind of French door blinds you want to use, keep some other factors in mind. First of all remember that horizontal blinds need good space when open completely. Choose an appropriate size. If the standard ones don’t suit your purpose, some manufacturers provide you the option of custom made blinds called ‘cut-outs.’ These can take in to consideration the blind size and also space for the door knob. <br /><br />Also make sure that you have enough mechanisms in place to control the flapping of vertical blinds in case the door is left open. Wood Venetian blinds though can work well in this situation due to their weight. Also if a door knob is causing a problem, go for the low profile head rail and a device that keeps the blinds to remain closer to the door.<br /><br />Go ahead and set your blind date with French door blinds today!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-82095323992880083352009-08-25T12:02:00.000-07:002009-08-25T12:05:07.890-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">You Can Make Money Online, Without Spending Anything!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">You don’t necessarily need to have a website or products to sell, to make money online</span><br /><br />The days of yore meant having products to sell or at least a website of your won, in order to make money online. But those days are easily behind us. Today, simply with the help of the things that we know, or even the people that we know, good amount of cash could be made online.<br /><br />Of course, it is important to sift the wheat from the chaff. Searching online, using terms such as “make money online” or “making money online”, reveals that a lot of the supposed “golden” opportunities are simply words of hype from Internet Marketers. More than anybody else, it seems to be these people who are actually making substantial amounts of money, online.<br /><br />Having said that, there are legitimate companies out there, giving out real money to real people. Moreover, they do not require any major hard-selling or require you to have your own domain or even your own service. Listed below are some of these companies.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Job Referral Sites</span><br /><br />Sites like Bohire, Who Do You Know For Dough, and Zyoin connect prospective employers and employees together. A lot of these employees already have jobs, because of which they are not active on full-fledged job sites such as Monster. The aforementioned sites help in bringing employees and employers together, using the power of networking. As and when you refer such employees, the referral amount you stand to earn for yourself could range from a paltry $50 to many thousands of dollars. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Getting Suppliers and Buyers Together</span><br /><br />Not there in the past, now there is a way of tracking referrals on online merchant sites. For every sale that is generated by you, a certain pre-determined referral amount is credited to your account. Sites which specialize in these kind of referrals include uRefer, InnerSell, and Salesconx. Sites like uRefer let merchants to pay even for introductions or meetings that you may have set up for them, and not necessarily for sales.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The written word gets you cash!</span><br /><br />Unknown to many, you can actually write your way online to cash, that too, loads of it. Sites like Helium and Associated Content pay you a reasonable amount for just about any topic that you may choose to write on. In case you write on a topic assigned by them, the payout is even higher, sometimes as much as $200. Many blogs are also on the lookout for freelance writers to fill in the content for them. The initial payout may not be much, but with time, the payouts increase.<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">How about your own blog?</span><br /><br />If you are already into writing, why not write for yourself, that too on your own blog? If you think that making your own blog requires you to know complex web designing, think again. Sites like Blogger can set you up in minutes, without knowing any element of web designing. Moreover, they can set up Google AdSense on your blog whereby ads would be displayed on it, and money would be credited to your account whenever people clicked on them. In order to maximize revenues, you could consider adding affiliate links on to your blog from merchants such as Amazon.<br /> <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Create Resource Hubs</span><br /><br />If you are an expert at compiling pertinent information from diverse sources and putting it all together, you could do so on sites such as Google Knol, Squidoo and HubPages which pay you through a combination of revenues from advertising and affiliate fees. The pay-out rate may be lower than if you did it on your own, but the traffic that these sites manage to bring in is much higher, thus squaring things up eventually.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Advertise other’s products</span><br /><br />In case you already have an existing web site or blog, you could look towards monetizing it by advertising products or services offered by others. These could be related to the products or services that you have on offer on your own website, yet may not necessarily compete with the same. You could do this by placing textual or graphical content which serves as advertisements, or you could put them up as hyperlinks within your textual content. You could even append links to discussion forums.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Photography</span><br /><br />You don’t need to be a proficient and professional photographer to have your images sold online. Moreover, do not write off any image that you might have taken – you would never know who in this world would require just the image that you have. Sites that you could look up for this include iStockphoto, ShutterStock, Dreamstime and Fotolia. <br /><br />Listed above are only representative samples of the possibilities that lie in front of you for making money online, without having a specialized presence there, or having any specific skill sets. If you dig deeper, you will find that there are many more opportunities waiting to be tapped for making money online.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-61356512965575418942009-08-25T11:52:00.000-07:002009-08-25T11:57:38.938-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">The day I saw my future!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Real life story of the day I foresaw what was going to happen to me later in the day</span><br /><br />Clairvoyance and clairvoyant readers are aspects that I had foregone and believed to be hogwash for most of my living life. This was till the day, more than ten years back, that I was actually able to foresee what was going to happen to me later in the day.<br /><br />I remember everything vividly, as though it was only yesterday. I was getting ready for work. While having my sumptuous breakfast of Kellogg’s cornflakes, and my wife’s opulently prepared bacon and eggs, I had this vision that I would meet with an accident on the way back from work. The location of the accident was also visible to me – a particular traffic signal that I traverse daily, to and fro my office.<br /> <br />While I was visibly disturbed, I said nothing to anyone, and dismissed the thought in my mind as mere gibberish. The day at work passed by pretty much as usual without anything untoward. I had even forgotten my vision of that day’s morning, and got it into my car for the journey back home, around 6 pm.<br /><br />At the particular traffic signal in question, I was in front of other vehicles and had stopped for the red light. It had been only about 10 seconds since I had stopped that a vehicle from the other direction jumped the red light and was hit by a vehicle coming from the side that had the green signal to legitimately cross over. The car that had jumped the light was hit with such an impact that it toppled over and swerved on to my car, smashing against the windscreen. Glass from the windscreen along with small metal fragments and splinters hit against me with vehement force, leaving me bleeding profusely from the face and neck as well as my arms. <br /><br />A paramedic’s team rushed me to the hospital; the driver of the ill fated vehicle that had jumped the red light was unfortunately dead already.<br /><br />After a three week period of rest and recuperation, I was ready to get back to my normal life, albeit with thirteen stitches across multiple locations in my body. <br />Life has been pretty much incident free since then.<br /><br />But the power of clairvoyance has smitten me since. I have even subscribed to various online clairvoyant and over the phone clairvoyance services, and I am confident that they all hold me in good stride. <br /><br />I truly believe in the power of the psychic clairvoyant medium now, and I am sure you will too, once you hear of astonishing real life stories like mine!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-2347347053430345122009-08-25T11:39:00.000-07:002009-08-25T11:42:18.377-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Review of Yahoo! Personals </span><br /><br />Yahoo! Personals is one of the oldest players in the online dating business, having been around for more than 10 years, since 1997. An offshoot of the world renowned and immensely popular Yahoo! Network, Yahoo! Personals gives you just the perfect singles connection that you have been actively scouting for. Moreover, with over 10 million active members, by far among the largest of all the various online dating and personals services, Yahoo! Personals sure has a solid reputation backing it.<br /><br />Recently redesigned with a brand new, elegant interface, Yahoo! Personals boasts of numerous dynamic features that ensure a totally rejuvenated online dating experience, as opposed to most of the other online dating and personals websites. These include personalized video greetings which help you get a closer look at potential dates before they make contact as well as private emails that allow you to know more about potential dates while simultaneously maintaining your own anonymity until the time you are absolutely ready to meet.<br /><br />There is a lot that is on offer, even to free members of Yahoo! Personals. You can start off by searching through Yahoo Personals’ vast database of profiles. That done, you can send them a free Icebreaker message to get things started. Doing this would imply readiness on the part of you as well as your prospect to communicate anonymously, through secure and discrete channels. This capability is enhanced with the help of private emails and instant messaging features offered by Yahoo! Personals. <br /><br />Region-wise, Yahoo Personals! offers its services in 13 different countries across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific. Relationship types catered to by the service include the everyday heterosexual type as well as both gay and lesbian.<br /><br />Before you consider taking up paid membership on Yahoo Personals!, you may want to try out its free full membership 7 day trial which incorporates all of the features that Yahoo Personals! has on offer to paid members. Paid membership on Yahoo Personals! has three different kinds of slabs – 1 month for $29.99; 3 months for $19.99 a month, at a total of $59.97, translating to 31% savings; and 6 months for $15.99 a month, at a total of $95.94, translating to 46% savings.<br /><br />With so much on offer at really so little, it is assured that your dream match would be waiting for you on Yahoo Personals!. So don’t keep him or her waiting!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-73645339681628958512009-08-25T11:13:00.000-07:002009-08-25T11:38:36.244-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Review of Match.com</span><br /><br />Certified by the Guinness World Records as the world’s largest online dating site, Match.com is definitely the destination of choice, when you are well and truly serious about love. <br /><br />In terms of worldwide reach as well as the number of international sites that cater to the local populace of various countries across the world, Match.com certainly has no match! <br /><br />Whether you are looking for a serious relationship or a casual fling or even a life partner, Match.com will certainly help in hooking you up with the most prospective match. For doing so, it has a wide array of tools at its disposal, including but not limited to innovative search tools, most advanced matching technologies, and secure communication channels.<br /><br />The search tools on Match.com are themselves very varied and diverse. You can perform different kinds of searches including one-way searches, two-way searches, and Match.com by Mail. While one-way search allows you to search based on zip code, age, and gender; two-way search brings up the profiles of only those members in its search results, with whom mutual compatibility is deemed probable. On the other hand, Match.com by mail is an automated system where Match.com delivers your most compatible matches straight to your inbox. For those with a really hectic lifestyle and routine, this is a virtual godsend!<br /><br />On Match.com, the ways in which you can connect with other potential suitors are both varied as well as interesting. You could send him/her a wink, a private email message, or even an instant message. You can also send out innocent smiles or playful gazes, as the case may be. <br /><br />Although Match.com offers a considerable number of features even to free members, to derive maximum mileage out of your Match.com membership, consider taking up premium membership at a reasonably fair and industry standard rate of $24.95 per month. This will ensure the provision of unlimited means to connect with millions of singles as well as the ability to discover your special someone online, that too on your own terms.<br /><br />Happy Matching!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-70487974276842683782009-08-25T11:04:00.000-07:002009-08-25T11:11:29.324-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Review of Passion.com</span><br /><br />If real passion is what you are looking for online, look no further than Passion.com!<br /><br />One of the pioneers of the online personals niche, Passion.com started off in 1996 and has since grown to a network of 16 different websites within this niche with over 8 million active members worldwide. <br /><br />The heat on Passion.com gets particularly turned on, in any of its varied adult chat rooms. Firstly, you will always find diverse members from all across the world logged in, anytime of the day. Additionally, not only are the chat rooms classified as per geographical regions, they are also categorized as per preferences, so whether your kink is BBW, Ebony, Mature or Interracial, you will always find likeminded persons to talk to. <br /><br />The overall security and surety of the genuineness of persons whose profiles you will encounter on Passion.com remains a question mark though; Passion.com does not ask for more than a genuine Email address at the time of registration. Therefore, while interacting with persons on the website, do use your discretion. Do not give away your personal details at the very first instance. Instead, take time in assessing the person and try and ascertain his or her genuineness as well as intentions. Unless it happens to be a person you know from before, do not jump to meet him or her, all too quickly.<br /><br />Membership on Passion.com is both Standard (free) as well as Premium (paid). Paid membership on Passion.com does not cost much – as little as 25 cents (or less!) a day, and the benefits of this membership far outweigh the costs. The payment options for taking up membership on Passion.com are also quite varied, ranging from a cheque or money order to even your credit card. <br /><br />On Passion.com, one does not just benefit as a dating member; as an affiliate too, you can stand to gain immensely, simply by driving traffic to the website. The site is known to make monthly affiliate payouts to the tune of $500,000 and successful affiliates of the site make as much as $30,000 per month.<br /><br />So if you are passionate about sex or money (or both!), look no further and log on to Passion.com now!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-931734563912006442009-07-04T08:31:00.000-07:002009-07-04T08:36:12.434-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Cherry Red Casino Review</span><br /><br />One look at the Cherry Red Casino website is likely to be enough to leave all its competitors cherry red in their faces! Such is the compelling design and the breathtaking visuals and captivating graphics that are standard across the entire site. The blonde in red, featured prominently on the website, would alone prove to be too hot to handle for the competition, while patrons will find her too good to resist!<br /><br />Built on the industry standard Real Time Gaming (RTG) software, Cherry Red Casino features a plethora of games such as huge jackpots, a multitude of assorted table games, video poker, video slots, 3 reel slots, specialty games, and much more. Suffice it to say that Cherry Red Casino provides all that an online casino enthusiast would be looking out for, and much more!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Promotions</span>: There are promotions galore on Cherry Red Casino, kicking off with a stupendous $777 free welcome bonus. This is made up of a 100% match bonus up to $377 on the first deposit and another 100% match bonus up to $400 on the second deposit. <br />The promotions at Cherry Red Casino get bigger with special 200% match bonuses of up to $1,200 on Blackjack games. These are valid, irrespective of the mode that you choose to make your deposit – be it Credit Card, UseMyWallet, eWalletXpress or Click2Pay.<br /><br />It’s a virtual bonanza on Slots with a very special 400% match bonus of up to $2,400 on the first deposit. <br /><br />On Video Poker too, there is a special 200% match bonus of up to $1,200 on the first deposit.<br /><br />There are fantastic Weekly Bonuses on Cherry Red Casino as well, including 20 coupons worth $10,000 each. 50% would be received on 10 deposits every Tuesday and Thursday. Of course, while redeeming, one has to be careful about the specific codes to be filled in to the ‘Redeem Coupon’ which are separate for games such as Slots, Video Slots, Keno and Scratch Cards on one hand, and Blackjack and Video Poker on the other.<br /><br />The weekends are just as delightful on Cherry Red Casino with incredible Weekend Bonuses. These kick off with a 150% match bonus of up to $750 which can be used to play Slots, Scratch Cards and Keno. This is followed up by a 100% match bonus of up to $750 on BlackJack and Video Poker which can be availed through deposits made by any of the following methods – Credit Card/Gift Card, UseMyWallet, eWalletXpress or Click2Pay. <br /><br />Oh, we aren’t done yet! Cherry Red Casino also features Faxback Cash Bonuses. This mandates making five deposits into Cherry Red Casino and submitting the Faxback form within a month of the first deposit. As soon as it is approved, you would be entitled to 10% of your last five deposits, that too in cash! <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Banking</span>: The options for depositing and withdrawing money, both into and from your Cherry Red Casino account, are fast, convenient, varied and simple. Whatever be the mode that you choose, a delightful experience is guaranteed. The options for making deposits into your Cherry Red Casino account include:<br /><br />Credit Cards which could be Visa, Amex, MasterCard or even Diner’s Club<br />Wire Transfer<br />Echecks<br />Moneybookers<br />eWalletXpress<br />Click2pay <br />Ecocard<br />UseMyWallet<br /><br />The equally varied withdrawal options at Cherry Red Casino include:<br /><br />Wire transfer<br />Checks/Banker's draft<br />UseMyWallet<br />Click2pay <br />Moneybookers<br />eWalletXpress<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Customer Support</span>: Customer support and service is integral to Cherry Red Casino. The highly trained staff there can be reached 24/7, using any of the following methods:<br /><br />Canada/US Toll-free<br />1-800-495-1089<br /><br />UK Freephone<br />0-800-047-0486<br /><br />International<br />+1-212-359-1629<br /><br />Fax<br />+1-888-237-2880<br /><br />Customer service can also be reached via email on support@cherryredcasino.com.<br /><br />Deposit queries can be addressed to deposits@cherryredcasino.com while withdrawal queries can be addressed to withdrawals@cherryredcasino.com.<br /><br />Technical queries can be addressed to tech@cherryredcasino.com.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-54415538758663761732009-07-04T07:38:00.000-07:002009-07-04T07:45:35.853-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Aladdin’s Gold Casino Review</span><br /><br />The name Aladdin’s Gold conjures up mystical and magical images of the Arabian world of yore, and Aladdin’s Gold Casino fully lives up to the numinous aura perceived to be actively present around it. The Arabian Nights theme of Aladdin’s Gold Casino is distinctly recognizable with the numerous shades of purple hues on the website, and the magic lamps and other characters and caricatures of the Arabic world that are displayed prominently.<br /> <br />Built on the well-established and widely used Real Time Gaming (RTG) software platform, Aladdin’s Gold Casino assures patrons a plethora of over 100 exciting games that are destined to keep them hooked for eternity! All these games are offered in a dual downloadable as well as Flash interface format; either way the excitement does not diminish, though given a choice, the downloadable format would be that much more enjoyable, given that the games tend to be that much more in number as well as have an increased functionality.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Promotions</span>: The promotions at Aladdin’s Gold Casino kick off with a fantabulous $900 welcome bonus. This is broken down into a 100% bonus of up to $500, a 75% bonus of up to $200 and a 50% bonus of up to $200.<br /> <br />Aladdin’s Gold Casino also has a unique Comp Points promotional scheme. This essentially implies 1 comp point that is allocated to your account against every $10 that you wager. At the same time, there are special games and events that give double or triple the number of comp points! Every 100 comp points in turn converts to $1 cash, without any wagering or cashout restrictions whatsoever. The Jackpot comps alone definitely imply double the standard rate of comp points.<br /><br />Additionally, there are Slots Tournaments galore which allow you to use Aladdin’s Gold Casino’s special coupons to claim tournament chips and brace yourself for some fantastic cash-in prizes.<br /><br />There are also V.I.P. Rewards for all players, irrespective of the stakes that they play with. These rewards are both daily and monthly. The best part of this is the fact that inclusion is automatic – no additional effort to be put in on your part, no coupons to be filled in or forms to be submitted. Simply check your email from time to time for updates from the Aladdin’s Gold Casino folks about special free chips as well as VIP deposit coupons.<br /><br />Aladdin’s Gold Casino has another unique promotional scheme up its magical sleeve, and that is Alakazam. This essentially implies an incredible 300% bonus or more on your initial deposit. So, even if you deposit $250, you could bag for yourself a whopping $750 amount for slots!<br /><br />With its unique Arabian Nights and Delights theme, there are bound to be mystical games on Aladdin’s Gold Casino as well. One such promotion is Steal the Magic Lamp. This requires you to help Aladdin steal the magic lamp by guessing the six letter password to the treasure chest, and if guessed correctly, you could walk away with a huge cash prize.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Banking</span>: Banking at Aladdin’s Gold Casino is an absolute delight, with numerous deposit and withdrawal methods as per your preference. Deposit options include:<br /><br />Credit / Debit Card<br />UseMyWallet<br />ECO Card<br />Click2Pay<br />eWalletXpress<br />Wire Transfer <br />eCheck<br />NETeller<br />MoneyBookers <br /><br />The equally varied and diverse options for withdrawing your earnings include:<br /><br />UseMyWallet<br />ECO Card<br />Click2Pay<br />eWalletXpress<br />Wire Transfer <br />Cheque<br />NETeller<br />MoneyBookers <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Customer Support</span>: Aladdin’s Gold Casino is totally committed to providing its patrons with the very best customer services. Keeping this endeavor in mind, it has set up a dedicated support team that is on call 24/7, providing proficient and responsive service through a variety of modes.<br /><br />Telephone:<br /><br />US Toll-free<br />+1-866-465-7285<br /><br />France<br />0-805-111-375<br /><br />Italy<br />800-986-549<br /><br />Spain<br />800-992-03<br /><br />Germany <br />0-800-101-3183<br /><br />UK Toll-free<br />0-800-230-0920<br /><br />Fax:<br /><br />US Toll-free<br />+1-866-728-5443<br /><br />UK<br />0-870-166-8803<br /><br />You also have the option of Chatting Live with the online casino support team of Aladdin’s Gold Casino. Simply click on the Live Chat icon on the website to initiate the chat.<br /><br />There’s also the option to write to the customer support team directly using the Email form on the website.<br /><br />In case you prefer to correspond via Postal mail, the address for that is:<br /><br />PO Box 416<br />Salford<br />England<br />M6 6XHUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-50192495518197376342009-07-04T07:34:00.000-07:002009-07-04T07:37:42.031-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">The Choice of Programming Language for Linux isn’t an Easy One!</span><br /><br />Among all the myriad choices that one has to constantly make in life, one would imagine that choosing a programming language for developing an operating system would be a relatively easy one, especially if the OS in question happens to be Linux. Surprisingly, that is not the case at all. Unknown to many, Linux too can be developed using a variety of programming languages. Herein, we consider some of those and look at all theirs pros and cons.<br /><br />C and its variants of course continue to remain some of the most popular programming languages for developing any Operating System, be it Linux, Windows or any other. It doesn’t matter whether the language in question is C, C++, C# or Objective – C, your work will still be done fine. What is important to keep in mind though, is the fact that C is pretty much a straightforward sort of a programming language, especially in this context. So, if you are looking at building up a more tweaky and customized version of your Linux, you may well consider other programming languages in the anvil.<br /><br />One such language would surely be Python. It definitely allows a greater degree of customization and flexibility, in comparison to C. On the whole, Python’s design philosophy itself epitomizes the ease with which code can be read. Python’s flexibility comes from the way it has been designed ground up – as a multi-paradigm programming language, implying that programmers are free to choose their own individual style of programming, be it object-oriented, structured or any other including functional programming as well as aspect-oriented programming. Due to the fact that Python follows an open-source, community based development model, Python is in fact often shipped as a standard component of numerous Linux distributions, be it Red Hat Linux or Fedora. They both feature the pythonic Anaconda installer. Gentoo Linux also happens to make use of Python in its package management system, Portage. On the flip side, many programmers find Python’s rather unconventional indentation system rather quirky and bothersome, but in the face of a decent text editor, that should not be an issue at all.<br /><br />Java is another programming language that is getting groovy among the Linux programming community. The biggest plus point would be the fact that Java does away with some of the rather difficult and unstable aspects which Linux is prone to, while ensuring that the underlying code base is left rock solid. Using Java to build Linux also brings in a certain element of robustness wherein multiple applications can be made to run on manifold platforms. Java in fact, has many positives going for it to be a Linux programmer’s language of choice. It is fast, extremely portable, well-supported, can scale up very well as per the need of the hour, offers superb IDEs, and is backed by a large body of libraries and sample code, not to forget the fact that Java itself is open source!<br /><br />So, what’s the verdict? If you ask me, the choice is a very difficult one. Knowing C for developing Linux is surely a given, and Python offers numerous advantages, but considering the plethora of features that Java has on offer, I would give Java the thumbs up!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-24088254488392131212009-07-04T07:29:00.000-07:002009-07-04T07:33:52.027-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Difference between Fedora and Windows</span><br /><br />Before we even get into the differences between Fedora and Windows, it might be appropriate to understand the twain and also to identify the similarities between themselves.<br /><br />Fedora and Windows are both Operating Systems (Oses), implying that they both work towards being the interface between computer hardware and the users. Both Fedora and Windows function as hosts for applications that run on computing machines. Beyond that, the two are quite different from each other, and those are the aspects we will now look into.<br /><br />Fedora is an RPM-based, general purpose operating system that has been built on top of the Linux kernel. The OS has been developed by the community-supported Fedora Project and sponsored by Red Hat. Windows, on the other hand, is an OS that has been developed from the ground-up by Microsoft Corporation. Between the two, Windows clearly dominates with approximately 90% of the world’s machines estimated to be running on the Windows OS.<br /><br />The biggest difference between the two would surely be philosophical! To elaborate, the development of Windows has largely remained a close-knit activity profusely guarded and controlled by Microsoft Corporation. Fedora on the other hand, promulgates open-source software development vehemently, and therefore, has been built in such a way that programmers and users from around the world can tweak the OS around, and even customize it to their personal preferences.<br /><br />Between the two, Windows has had a much longer legacy than Fedora. The first version of Windows, Windows 1.0 was released way back in November 1985. On the other hand, Fedora Core 1, the first version of Fedora, came out only in November 2003, full 18 years later. Subsequently, Fedora has seen much more frequent release versions than Windows. Virtually every 6 months see a new version of Fedora being launched. Windows on the other hand had Windows Vista released commercially at a retail level in January 2007, with the next version, called Windows 7, slated for a 2009 holiday season release. This is again to do with the source model of the respective Oses; because Fedora remains open-source, rapid changes and frequent, new releases are inevitable.<br /><br />Security aspects are key to both the Oses but the way the same are executed vary. Broadly, one can safely conclude that Fedora has been more upbeat on the security front than Windows, in spite of the latter’s long legacy. In fact, security is key to Fedora. One of its primary security features is Security-Enhanced Linux, which is a Linux attribute that implements an array of security policies, including obligatory right of entry controls, through the use of Linux Security Modules (LSM) in the Linux kernel. Windows, on the other hand, has been prone to numerous security breaches from time to time, and its reaction to the same has been more reactive than proactive. The fact that it is vastly popular and in use most frequently, make it a recurrent target of computer worms and virus writers. <br /><br />In conclusion, one can safely state that the two differ in terms of philosophy, cost, ease of use, flexibility and firmness with each seeking to perk up in their professed feeble areas.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-34353293452665435322009-06-05T12:26:00.000-07:002009-06-05T12:29:53.856-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Maruti Suzuki Does a Waltz on Indian Roads with the Ritz!</span><br /><br />India’s foremost car maker, Maruti-Suzuki India Ltd., has sizzled Indian roads this summer by launching its first Bharat Stage-IV compliant passenger car Maruti-Suzuki Ritz on May 15, 2009. It is the eighth new model launched by Maruti in the last four years after Swift, Zen Estilo, SX4, Swift Diesel, Grand Vitara, Swift Dzire and A-star. Ritz is placed in the premium Hatchback segment which is now already congested. In fact, even Maruti has two models in this category: Swift and A-Star. The launch of Ritz after the success of A-star will definitely strengthen the position of Maruti-Suzuki in India. The Ritz with a contemporary European design has been positioned in the premium A2 market and compact car segment. The company already holds the largest market share of 58 percent in the A2 segment. Built along the lines of the Swift, Ritz shares plenty of components with the smashing hit. So, how is Ritz unique?<br /><br />Although Swift has pleased and drawn customers of all age groups, it was basically meant for the youthful, sporty and vibrant crowd looking for an ultimate driving experience whereas Ritz is a more sensible car focusing on space, comfort and driveability.<br /><br />Since, it has been launched as a family car, special attention has been given in the area of seating comfort. The rear seat has been designed to comfortably seat 3 passengers.<br /><br />Some people might say that Ritz is a clone of “Splash” running in the international markets but there are some special features in this car that makes it more suitable for the Indian market. Small changes here and there make Ritz quite different from Splash. Notable alterations on the exterior have been made keeping in mind the Indian mindset that includes a redesigned rear bumper that holds Reflectors and RR Fog Lamps. In addition to this, a modified Gear-Box uses gear ratios to match its driveability in Indian traffic conditions. It has a taller body-design which gives a feeling of spaciousness in the cabin and proves to be its biggest achievement.<br /><br />One more feature of this car that makes it unique from the rest of the Maruti-Suzuki collection is its K12M engine. It is an advanced version of K10B that powers the A-Star. So, it carries the same vital quality of being light-weight. Overall, it is being expected to be fuel-efficient, high on performance, have less noise vibration and harshness. Maruti-Suzuki MD and CEO Shinzo Nakanishi is very optimistic and all praises about this engine and says “K12M engine is another example of Maruti-Suzuki’s commitment to take engine technology in India to the next level.”<br /><br />The car will come in a total of six variants, three in petrol and three in Diesel. The power specifications for the petrol and diesel variants will be, for Petrol - 85bhp/114Nm and for Diesel-75bhp/190Nm. It will be available in two different engine options: a new K-series 1.2 litre, four cylinder, 85 PS petrol engine and a very successful 1.3 litre, 16 valve DDiS, 75 PS diesel engine.<br /><br />Keeping in mind, the requirements of the target group the car has been designed with style, design, comfort, space and savings. The ground suspension clearance of 170mm has been tuned to Indian road conditions. <br /><br />Detailed attention has been given to the designing of the Ritz. Comfort and convenience has not been put at stake. Ample leg room has been provided for rear seat passengers. The car also comes with power windows and AC climate control as standard. Also, the styling of the car is very elegant. There has been no concession on the safety feature. These include - Air bags, Fog Lamps, Electronic Brake Distribution, Anti Lock Brake System and Power Steering. <br /><br />The price of the Maruti Suzuki Ritz is close to that of the A-star, around INR 400,000 to 570,000 (approx. USD 8,510 to 12,128) which will compete with Hyundai’s i series. <br /><br />The key features of Maruti-Suzuki Ritz can be summarized as:<br /><br />Fuel efficient K12M engine<br />Dual Airbags<br />Attractive looks<br />ABS Brakes<br />Fog Lights<br />Well-designed Tail lights<br />Bharat Stage IV Compliant<br />Power Steering and Windows <br />Central Locking<br /><br />Technical Specifications of Maruti-Suzuki Ritz:<br />ENGINE<br />ENGINE TYPE: Petrol and Diesel engines available in 1.2 and 1.3 litre types, respectively<br />CYLINDERS: 4<br />DISPLACEMENT: 1197cc Petrol and 1248cc Diesel<br />MAX. POWER (Ps at rpm): 85ps @ 6000 rpm (Petrol) and 75ps @ 4000rpm (Diesel)<br />MAX. POWER (Nm at rpm): 113 Nm @ 4500 rpm (Petrol) and 190 Nm @ 2000 rpm (Diesel)<br /><br />TRANSMISSION<br />TRANSMISSION: 5 speed manual<br />BRAKING-SYSTEM: Anti-Lock Braking system (ABS)<br />BRAKE FRONT: Ventilated disks<br />BRAKE REAR: Drum<br />STEERING SYSTEM: Power Steering<br />WHEELS: Alloy Wheels<br />TYRE SIZE: 165/80 R 14 on Lxi, Vxi, Ldi, Vdi. 185/70 R 14 on Zxi<br /><br />BODY<br />BODY: 4 Door and 5 Seater<br />DRAG COEFFICIENT cw: 0.30<br /><br />OUTSIDE DIMENSIONS<br /><br />LENGTH (in mm): 3715<br />WIDTH (in mm): 1680 <br />HEIGHT (in mm): 1620<br />GROUND CLEARANCE (in mm): 170<br /><br />WEIGHTS <br />KERB WEIGHT (in kg): Lxi-1005, Vxi- 1015, Zxi- 1030, Ldi- 1100, Vdi- 1110<br />TANK CAPACITY (in litre): 43Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-20619213495897200802009-05-06T08:15:00.000-07:002009-05-06T08:23:41.347-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">It’s never too late to Date!</span><br /><br />Love knows no age, and that is true of dating too! Often, life gets the better of us during our youth wherein career, family and other responsibilities take up center stage, robbing us of the opportunity to date. Fortunately, what is important is to realize that it is never too late; after all, just like you, there are thousands out there who never dated in their prime, and would like to grab the opportunity now. The tips below will guide you on effective dating when you’re past your prime physically, yet the quest for youth and frolic remains in your heart!<br /><br />First things first, remember to maintain your composure. This implies aspects such as being truthful about your age as well as not being conscious about it. Retain your confidence. Do not have a laid back attitude, as there is no room for one, in the dating game. <br /><br />Additionally, do care for your health and appearance. Remember, that you are past your prime, and a lot many things that you could do thirty years back may not be possible for you to do now. However, the quest to remain healthy should ensure that you are able to at least do those things that you are expected to be able to, as per your age. Some basic exercise would be a must for you, in order to retain your fitness. Also, maintain your appearance. Of course, nobody would expect a completely toned body or rippling muscles, but at least basic grooming MUST be in place. A disheveled look is a complete no-no.<br /><br />Be emotionally strong – this is very important, especially if your date is considerably younger than you. Remember, that there is every likelihood that your date might just walk out on you, even without a strong reason. So make the most of everything and enjoy till the hilt, till things last. Of course, if matters continue forever, and your date remains stable with you, then there is no real cause for concern. Yet, be prepared for any unforeseen eventuality.<br /><br />While dating, make the most of various benefits that you could garner as a senior citizen. For instance, many retail chains offer additional discounts to the older populace. Capitalize on these offers, by taking your date along with you to these stores. It will be a combined shopping cum dating experience, which at the end of it, will only give you a great deal of pleasure.<br /><br />Having mentioned the above, it is also important, especially for senior citizens, to choose their dates wisely. Remember that a younger date may be drawn to you only for the prospective monetary benefit that they foresee, once you are no more in the horizon of existence. So judge your date’s motive behind being with you, well, before making any long-term commitment.<br /><br />Lastly, don’t be disheartened if success doesn’t come easy to you. Remember that dating is no child’s play even during our youth, so in old age, it becomes that much more challenging. Just play your cards right, and be patient, and soon your dream date will be with you, right by your side!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-65614018451613559412009-05-06T08:04:00.000-07:002009-05-06T08:09:41.463-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Get the Man of your Dreams – in Reality!</span><br /><br />Just as men intensely desire women, the vice versa is equally true. In fact in many cases the longing of women for men has been seen to be far more intensive in nature than that of men for women. Now, as a woman, if you are desperately seeking a dream man in your life, stop dreaming and start doing, as time’s a wasting! The simple tips enlisted below will ensure your success as a feline predator in your quest for masculine gratification…<br /><br />First things first, just don’t be too easy to get. From Adam’s time, men have been tuned to work hard for their longings, women included, so don’t give in too soon. Play hard to get. Having said that, don’t play TOO hard to get, or the men will simply give up and take flight. So maintain distance, yet keep the men interested, and keep up the tempo of flirtatiousness; together, these would be potent ingredients to ensure that your men simply go crazy!<br /><br />Care for your looks; this is really important. Remember, that men love you as a person just about as much as they love and long for your body. So give it the attention that it well and truly deserves. Pamper yourself with some of the hot-off-the-shelves cosmetics, and treat yourself to some magic at the spa; rest assured, the efforts will definitely pay off. Also, keep yourself clean and fresh at all times; remember that this has a positive effect on your own self confidence as well. In addition, the occasional trip to the gym (on a routine basis!), will not only work wonders on your dating prospects, it will also do a lot of good to your body, keeping it toned and attractive.<br /><br />Learn to kiss; I really cannot overemphasize the importance of this aspect. Bad kissing is a surefire way of ‘kissing’ your date goodbye forever, while good kissing is an assurance of your date’s perpetual interest in you. Practice in front of the mirror till you seem to get it right. You could even take help from your girlfriends, at least the “good kissing” ones from amongst them.<br /><br />Avoid a mistake that many girls often tend to make – discuss past boyfriends with their date. Get it straight – men DO NOT like to hear about your past relationships. They are with you, only because they visualize the two of you together as a couple, not because of some other guy you were with, in the past. Simply steer clear of any discussion pertaining to your past relationships and affairs, and your date will be smooth.<br /><br />Avoid the ‘sticky tape’ kind of guys; the type who tend to cling on, no matter what. These are generally the kind who tend to be extremely possessive, and will be loathed to even imagine you in the company of other men. Remember that a relationship, for it to thrive, requires space, which these types tend to take away, so learn to first identify them and then avoid them completely.<br /><br />Happy dating!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-15987653042412529142009-05-06T07:59:00.000-07:002009-05-06T08:03:26.109-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Online Dating Really Works & it can for you as Well!</span><br /><br />The doomsayers of online dating be damned; let me assure you, and pronounce with complete confidence that online dating really works. It has worked for me, my neighbor and also his dog, so why the hell shouldn’t it work for you? After all, the key aspect to understand in this context is that the Internet is simply a medium, a platform for the two of you to meet. After that, if the sparks are to fly, they would do so only in the real world. And the online world, just like the offline one, primarily consists of real people like you and me, not aliens from out of space. The stray zombies that you are likely to stumble upon, while in cyberspace, are more an exception than a rule.<br /><br />The first step to successful online dating is having a catchy and interesting profile. For all the women out there especially, that does NOT imply nude pictures or lewd text, coz with that, it’s only the “zombies” mentioned above whom you’ll draw to your profile (unless that’s your preferred ‘draw’!). A good online dating profile is one which has clean pictures and clear, descriptive text about you. Be truthful, without being boring. Be lucid, without being verbose. Be humorous without being cocky. Like I always say, “Strike a Balance!” Also, while your pictures need not expose you in the flesh, they need not have you covered from head to toe either. Again, the key is to strike a balance, and at the same time, ensure that the photo album in your online dating profile has ATTRACTIVE pictures of yours. This would involve different pictures of yours, in different settings, which together would bring forth various hues and shades of your personality. Your primary profile picture should ideally be one which has your face most prominently visible, and you have a warm and attention grabbing smile on it!<br /><br />Before you even get down to making your online dating profile, perhaps a wise move would be to evaluate the various online dating sites which are available on the Internet. Remember that there are thousands of them. A lot many cater to specific niches, say divorced men or women looking for a prospective partner, or individuals looking for dates from a particular region or community and so on. So, be clear in your head about what you are looking for. If sex and passion is not your priority, registering on a site like AdultFriendFinder.com would only be a costly (and if I may add, DANGEROUS) mistake.<br /><br />A tip that I give to every online dating prospect, is NEVER be in a rush to personally meet the person you’ve just met online. Give yourselves time. Always remember, that it is easy to fake online, and it is only through numerous interactions, including personal conversations, both over the phone as well as the Internet, that you will get to know and judge the other person better. Give yourself adequate time for that. <br /><br />To reiterate, online dating can be an absolute blessing, if undertaken properly, while also a curse, if carried out irresponsibly.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-19404634882278316922009-05-06T07:54:00.000-07:002009-05-06T07:57:59.404-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Dating Ideas that won’t cost you a Bomb</span><br /> <br />Who doesn’t love to date? Man or woman, we all enjoy the attention and company of the opposite sex. And if you think dating is always a costly affair, think again. Dating can be fun, and at the same time, inexpensive. After all, dating is supposed to WARM up your heart, not BURN a hole in your pocket. So if you happen to be HIGH on LOVE but LOW on CASH, simply follow the dating tips below for cheap yet powerful and effective dating.<br /><br />You find the museums boring? Well, perhaps your love interest digs them! As a matter of fact, he or she could well be majoring in history, or has an enormous passion for the arts. Oh, by the way, a visit to the museums is indeed very cheap too. So, there you go, with an inexpensive yet extremely effective date setting, which could very well set your date’s heart pulsating! You save on money, and also get the complete attention and inclination (towards YOU!) of your date. Tip – it would do you a world of good, to develop some interest in the museums, or at least the arts, so that intelligent conversations can take place, during the date.<br /><br />Nothing like home-sweet-home, eh? So, how about a “home-date”? Will be minimalistic on your pocket, yet reap huge rewards for you. To make it even more effective, why not make it a family affair? The two of you could cook dinner together for both the respective families. That way, you will get a lot of time to spend closely with your date, and know various nuances of his or her personality. Also, remember that acceptance and praise from the family almost always translates to acceptance from your prospect. Surely, there couldn’t have been an easier mode of cooking your way, straight to your date’s heart!<br /><br />Extending the home-drawn idea, why not the usual movie date, but with a twist – a movie date which involves seeing a movie at either of your respective homes? To make it even more interesting, how about building a theme around the spectacle? Perhaps, it is a movie which the two of you really like, or it has an actor that both of you really adore, or even a movie that both of you truly despise, or just some such aspect. Imagine a setting wherein the two of you are warmly curled up in bed, watching your favorite (or loathed!) flick…sparks are bound to fly! It has been my own personal experience, that movie dates at home are really effective. Especially in the case of romantic and/or passionate movies, wherein one thing simply lead to another between us, and soon we found ourselves ensconced together!<br /><br />Ever thought of the beaches? After all, they cost absolutely nothing, and yet can be an awesome dating experience. Imagine the two of you snugly together in skimpy clothes, with the waves gently splashing by…ah, sparks are simply bound to fly!<br /><br />Whoever said that dating was always a costly affair?!?!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33804942.post-16608330300728881872009-05-06T07:45:00.000-07:002009-05-06T07:51:17.286-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Get that Gal you Always Desired…Go Grab her – Now!</span><br /><br />Ah, how much you covet other men with beautiful women around them, failing to realize that you too could have such women around you! After all, are those men really special? Do they come from another planet? The answer is a loud and clear NO! Simply follow the dating tips enlisted below, to make sure that next time, the hottest chick around town is seen only with…YOU!<br /><br />First things first, prepare yourself. Remember, girls don’t want to hang around with a guy who just doesn’t care about his appearance. This is not the 60s anymore when the unkempt look was in, and scruffy was cool. This is the 21st century my friend, and old-age tactics won’t work. If you desire a really hot date, make sure that you too generate at least some heat! If it has been long since you pampered yourself at one of the men’s beauty salons around town, now is perhaps a good time.<br /><br />Having said that, I would also like to emphasize that do not over-prepare yourself. Remember, this isn’t a battle you’re waging for which you need to be totally geared up. It’s a date for God’s sake! So, if you smell like you’ve been soaked in Eau de Cologne for 48 hours, your prospective date could very well take the first flight, away from you, as far away as to Cologne itself! So, I hope you see what I am getting at – strike a balance. And this matters even more to the way you carry yourself, than your appearance. So be confident, without being overconfident. Shower compliments without being obsequious. Be genteel and care for her, without ending up being a sissy yourself. I hope you get the drift…<br /><br />Most men I know of, fail to impress in their very first move with unknown women, and that’s where success eludes them. Remember that the first impression is indeed the last impression, so give it your best shot. In this regard, smart-alecky pick-up lines almost always work their charm. You can be cheesy, but avoid being sleazy. Smart, innovative, unique pick-up lines help in grabbing the much-needed attention that you desperately require, to stand out from amongst all the other men looking to grab her attention. After that, it’s all about confident interaction. Eventually where that leads the two of you is something that is in fact in your own hands.<br /><br />Also remember that each new date will be a learning experience for you for future dates. After all, as unique and different women may be, they are also very similar. It is OK to make mistakes, especially during your first few dates, but it is almost CRIMINAL to repeat those mistakes. You should ideally learn from mistakes that you commit, and eventually banish them from your very stratosphere. Take each date as a preparation for your next one. Remember, in this game, there really is no final. But play every game, like it is the final!<br /><br />Wish you absolute success always! Good luck!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0