Beach Holiday Guide

What to Do When You Are Alone for the Holidays

Being alone for the holidays is a major challenge for many people. Holidays often conjure images of family, of warmth and the sharing of special time. Loneliness can be overwhelming when you have no one with whom to share holiday time.

Many people, however, miss the point of what holidays are really about and what makes them special. Holidays are not about what you GET they are about what you GIVE. Many people are under the misconception that the joy of holidays is about what you receive rather than about what you share. Our hearts get filled with love when we give and share love, rather than from getting love.

This may seem like a paradox. Many people spend their time with others attempting to get love, attention and approval, thinking that this is what makes them feel happy and worthy. But getting attention from others to fill ourselves is like eating chocolate when you are lonely it works for the moment but then you need more and more of it. Eventually it becomes an addiction.

What really fills the emptiness is the giving of love. If you are alone over the holidays, the question becomes, How can I give love in ways that will bring me joy?

Below are some suggestions for sharing your love and caring over the holidays:

* Gather toys from friends and store donations and bring them to children who would not otherwise have toys. You can find these children through schools, churches and various other organizations.

* Find a battered womens shelter in your area and help to create the holiday there preparing food, decorating the tree, and just spending time with them. Last year a friend of mine organized a number of her local markets to donate food over Christmas to the local shelter that housed mothers and their children who had left abusive husbands. She got to know the mothers and children and received great fulfillment in providing them with an abundant Christmas.

* Spend time with old people in nursing homes, especially those who have no family. Spending time caring about another lonely person will go a long way toward taking away your loneliness!

* Volunteer to help with serving food to the needy over Thanksgiving and Christmas. Many churches and other charitable organizations welcome volunteers to help in food lines over the holidays.

* Locate a retreat center near you that has a special event over the holidays and share your time with other people who are also alone for the holidays. Last year a friend of mine, who had just left her husband and was alone for the first time with no family around her, went to a beautiful retreat center on the East Coast. Twenty people gathered there to share Thanksgiving together. There was a wonderful ceremony of gratitude that she said filled her heart, and she enjoyed sharing time with new people.

* Find a church, temple or 12-step group in your area that has special events for singles over the holidays. Go to these events with the intention of sharing your caring with others, which you can do just by being interested in listening to another person. We all love being listened to and understood, and all of us have the capacity to give this to another.

One of my all-time favorite movies is A Christmas Carol, the one starring Alistair Sim. I just love the scene on Christmas morning when Scrooge realizes that no time has passed and he has the opportunity to give. He feels such joy at the prospect of giving, that he can hardly stand it! He dances around and stands on his head and laughs and laughs with the joy of giving! In one night he went from being a miserable old man concerned only with getting, to a man now focused only on giving, and he became a joyful person.

While you might not have money to give, we all have caring to give. You have no idea how much you might enrich your own life as well as another persons life just by giving your time, your attention, your interest, your smile, your understanding. Whatever your life circumstances, you always have the opportunity to give your caring. You will discover that giving your caring to others, especially over the holidays, is a profound way of caring about yourself.

Tags: Abusive Husbands, Addiction, Battered Womens Shelter, Christmas, Churches, Donations, Eating Chocolate, Emptiness, Fulfillment, Hearts, Holiday Time, Local Markets, Loneliness, Misconception, Paradox, People Images, Special Holidays, Special Time, Spending Time, Warmth

Many people associate gift baskets with Christmas, Easter, housewarming or job promotions, and rightfully so. Gift baskets are wonderful gifts for these occasions and many others. Gift baskets also make a great gift for Valentine’s Day. With so many gift baskets available now for specialty gift giving, it’s no wonder people are starting to discover that Valentine’s Day is the perfect holiday for gift baskets.

If ever there were a “bigger is better” holiday, it would have to be Valentine’s Day. A dozen red roses are nice, but three dozen red roses with baby’s breath and an ornate vase is something really special. For this reason alone, Valentine’s Day gift baskets take the cake, so to speak. Most Valentine’s Day gift baskets are available in several sizes and can be sent with flowers, balloons, teddy bears, or just about any other expression of love. Best of all, Valentine’s Day gift baskets aren’t just limited to chocolates, although chocolate is one of the most popular products for Valentine’s Day.

From luxury perfumes and spa products to gourmet foods and candies, there is no limit to the choices available when choosing a Valentine’s Day gift basket. Many gift basket retailers take great care to put together Valentine’s day gift baskets that are filled with products designed to make this very special holiday a memorable one.

Take it from me, gourmet food gift baskets with flowers are an exceptional gift to send to your significant other at his or her workplace. Flowers always score points on the “love scale”, especially in front of someone’s coworkers, but including a chocolate or gourmet food gift basket will be something the entire office can appreciate. There is no better way to turn them from envious to appreciative, and it will bring everybody by your loved one’s desk to stop and smell the roses.

Tags: Christmas Easter, Coworkers, Dozen Red Roses, Expression Of Love, Food Gift Basket, Food Gift Baskets, Gourmet Baskets, Gourmet Food Gift, Gourmet Food Gift Basket, Gourmet Food Gift Baskets, Gourmet Foods, Housewarming, Ornate Vase, Perfect Holiday, Spa Products, Teddy Bears, Valentine Baskets, Valentine Day, Valentine Roses, Valentine S Day

Here are the top selling holiday items according to MSN Shopping.

Couch Signature Gallery Pouch
This handbag from Coach is proving to be very popular this holiday season. This short-strap classic style handbag has a zip closure and inside open pocket. It has jacquard fabric with leather trim, is fabric lined, and comes in black, khaki, and red.

Diamond Bracelet Sterling Silver by Ashford
This piece proves you can never go wrong with diamonds. It has S-shaped links and diamond accents. Silver is a good addition to most styles of clothing and accessories.

iPod nano 2 GB MP3 Player by Apple
Unless you have been under a rock lately, you are familiar with the iPod family. This version is in between the small type and full-size iPod, but still holds 500 songs and is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

Satin Drapeneck Dress by S.L. Fashions
This is a gorgeous polyester satin pull-over dress which is available in black, almond, and jade. For any special occasion, it will wow whoever sees you. You can not go wrong with such classic beauty. Its stunning sleeveless design and drapeneck provides a sexy but sophisticated look.

Step 2 Ride-On Motorcycle
A great buy for your toddler, the Step 2 Ride-On Motorcycle will provide hours of amusement for your child, as well as you watching them play. Made of durable plastic, it has wide wheels for stability and easy grip handles.

Snack Attack by RedEnvelope
Food! This assortment includes sweet and salty goodies for all of those Christmas or Hanukkah munchies. With berry-nut mixes, caramel corn, gummy bears and much more, there is something for everyone.

Sony Playstation Portable (PSP)
The ultimate in gaming, this portable device allows for games, movies, playing music, and displaying photos. The great thing is that you have all of that at your fingertips.

Tealight Fountain by Innovage
This beautiful desktop fountain is perfect for the candle enthusiast. With a marble type finish, this piece holds three tealight candles and is calm and relaxing. It is also cordless, so you can set it anywhere.

4 Carat Trillian Cut Green Amethyst & Diamond 14k White Gold Ring by Ice.com
This is a truly breathtaking ring. With a large green amethyst stone, surrounded by diamond accents set in beautiful white gold, you are certain to get a smile out of this gift.

Tags: Caramel Corn, Classic Beauty, Classic Style, Desktop Fountain, Diamond Accents, Diamond Bracelet, Displaying Photos, Durable Plastic, Easy Grip, Gummy Bears, Palm Of Your Hand, Playstation Portable, Polyester Satin, Red Diamond, Signature Gallery, Snack Attack, Sony Playstation, Sterling Silver, Tealight Candles, Zip Closure

Do difficult relatives ruin your holidays year after year? I had a colleague, Traci, who proclaimed a few weeks before Thanksgiving that the family gathering would be ruined as usual because of her sister-in-law, husband, and meddlesome nephew. She had a defeatist attitude plus she figuratively put on full battle gear ready to go to war with these despicable in-laws.

I reminded her from previous conversations that you cant change the other person, but by changing how you approach this person, you could get a more favorable response. I explained that the minute they walked in the door they would sense her hostility and react accordingly. I suggested that she pretend this is the first time they are meeting. Welcome them into her home and as the hostess, keep the conversation light.

At the same time, she can make wise decisions based on their experience with the misbehaving nephew. She has a right to set boundaries and enforce them if the parents dont. What could she do differently this time since he didnt listen previously to not touch the computer? Traci decided to remove the keyboard from the computer. She also denied him access to the hot tub, which he had damaged the previous year.

I asked Traci why she went along with the suggestion that she have Thanksgiving at her house each year when both she and her husband had to work the day before and after the holiday. Her explanation was that her relatives expected it. Does that mean she is stuck in a rut forever? No! I asked if she had considered going out to dinner. There are plenty of places now where you can have a tasty turkey dinner and more. Traci agreed that the concept sounded like a great solution.

Well, Traci did succeed in letting go of her battle gear and having a good time. The in-laws responded favorably to her relaxed body language, and having to control the obnoxious nephew was much easier because both Traci and her husband enforced the boundaries. They turned a deaf ear to his constant whining.

However, the next year, Traci and her husband decided to recapture the pleasure of the holiday by announcing to the family that they were not going to have Thanksgiving dinner at their house. They were going out to eat. Eventually someone else volunteeredthe in-laws she disliked! All she had to do was bring a dessert. The nephew was happy because he was in his own house and everyone had a good time.

Here are specific examples of how hot buttons are pushed based on the four perceptual styles: Audio, Feeler, Visual, and Wholistic. In each instance the person is operating through his or her Limiting Tendencies rather than Empowering Tendencies. Therefore they are reactive and hope to get a reaction from you. Following each example is a remedy for defusing the situation.

Audio: Uncle Bob is always argumentative. He claims he is just playing the Devils Advocate. But eventually it triggers a shouting match because he is also sarcastic. Uncle Bob wants to evoke a reaction because simmering beneath the surface is anger and hes looking for a way to vent. Once you react, hes won! He now has an excuse to shout to intimidate you. He uses his temper to control others.

Remedy: When you start seeing red, take a deep breath and assess the situation. If you can leave the room, do so to calm down. There is always a reason to go into the kitchen, whether its to check on the food or to get a glass of water. If you feel you would be deserting the guests if you got up and went into the kitchen, change the subject. If appropriate, tell a jokegetting everyone laughing is a great way to defuse the situation.

Feeler: Aunt Jane enjoys being the martyr. The driving force behind her indignation is, After all Ive done for you and this is all the appreciation I get? So she will tell you her tale of woe or all of her worries. Her subconscious goal is for you to feel sorry for her and maybe even wallow with her in her self-pitymisery does love company!

Remedy: Sometimes just quietly listening to her is all she needs. She wants to pour out all her problems and worries. Then steer the conversation to things she has been doing. Sincerely compliment her on her accomplishments, no matter how small. She just wants to feel needed and appreciated. If she offers to help, by all means accept it!

Visual: John is frustrated with his life. Its just not turning out the way he had envisioned it. Subconsciously he wants you to feel as frustrated as he is. He might attack ideas with No, itll never work. Or he might slip into a funk and use the silent treatment: If you dont know whats bothering me, Im not going to tell you. Either of those actions can frustrate you!

Remedy: Realize its a game to control you. Keep that smile on your face when you say, Im really sorry, John, that you arent having a good day. Hope you feel better soon. Then walk away. If its at the dinner table, change the subject or turn your attention to someone else.

Wholistic: For years Chris has expressed resentment that she hasnt gotten her just rewards. She should have gotten that promotion, but then what do you expect? There is a glass ceiling for women! This resentment triggers irritability and moodiness. So sometimes Chris goes off and sulks. With a sour look on her face she withdraws from the others. She secretly likes the thought that others might be wondering whats her problem. Good, let them wonder. When she joins the others for the holiday dinner, she manipulates the conversation so she can impose her opinion about why life isnt fair.

Remedy: Let her sulk. Its not your problem! Otherwise when she becomes negatively opinionated, you can quickly defuse the situation by saying, You are entitled to your opinion. You brought up some points that I will have to think about. End of conversation! Even though you disagree, dont get into an argument with her. You will not win!

If you believe certain relatives will ruin the holiday again because they always do, youre setting yourself up for failure. Youll get what you anticipate. So throw away the battle gear and bring out the good cheer. It is possible to have “Happy Holidays.”

Tags: Body Language, Boundaries, Colleague, Conversations, Deaf Ear, Defeatist Attitude, Favorable Response, Great Solution, Having A Good Time, Hostess, Hostility, Hot Tub, Keyboard Computer, Nephew, Previous Year, Relatives, Sister In Law, Tasty Turkey, Turkey Dinner, Wise Decisions

When you are shopping for holiday gifts, timing is very important. If youre like a lot of people, you wait until the last minute to do your holiday shopping, which as you’ll find out, is not very good idea. This may pose a number of shopping headaches. First off, all of the other last minute shoppers are going to be doing the same thing as you, so the stores are going to be crowded. Secondly, though most stores may be having holiday sales, the prices arent as low as they may have been had you done your holiday shopping a couple of months in advance. Finally, last minute holiday shoppers will also find that the most popular items have already been sold out, and they may have to visit a number of stores to find a specific item, only to find the price highly inflated. So, if you have a pretty good idea about what you want to purchase ahead of time, its advisable that you go out and start shopping as early as possible.

The Advantages Of Shopping Early

When you do your holiday shopping early, you will not only find that the prices are generally less expensive, but you are almost guaranteed to find the items you’re looking for in stock. Many times, when you shop for holiday gifts as the holiday approaches, the products fly off the shelves and it can be hard to find exactly what youre looking for. You are then forced to either settle for an alternate holiday gift or you have to shop at another store altogether, but youre still not guaranteed that the item will be in stock there, either. If you want good deals and the guarantee that the merchandise you want is in stock, then start your holiday shopping at least two months in advance.

If you have to shop at the last minute, in the case that someone just came into your life and you want to buy them a gift, then you may be forced to fight the crowds and may end up being disappointed in finding that the items you’re looking for are no longer in stock. However, online shopping is also an option you may want to consider. You can peruse various online stores and have your order shipped to you in one or two days. Be prepared though, it is going to cost a lot more for rush shipping, but at least you know your holiday gift will get there in time.

Shopping Early Reduces Stress

If the reasons mentioned so far aren’t enough to convince you to do your holiday shopping early, then maybe you’ll be more inclined to shop early for health reasons. If you do your holiday shopping early, it will be a lot less stressful on you. Two of the top stressors in our life are time and money. By doing your shopping early, you can reduce these stresses because youll probably spend a lot less money than you would if you wait until the last minute. Also, you’ll save time because you won’t have to wait in long lines at the checkout, or run from store to store searching for a specific item that is sold out. You also don’t have to worry about fighting over the last item on the shelf and youll also have the peace of mind in knowing that you can gradually shop throughout the year instead of spending all your money at one time. Unfortunately, most of us are procrastinators by nature. Try shopping early one year, and find out what it’s like to get it done early. You’ll be amazed at the difference.

Tags: Ahead, Crowds, Fly, Gifts Products, Good Deals, Guarantee, Headaches, Holiday Gift, Holiday Gifts, Holiday Sales, Holiday Shoppers, Holiday Shopping, Last Minute Holiday, Minute Shoppers, Online Shopping, Popular Items, Shelves, Shopping Gifts, Stock

Tiny Teterboro, New Jersey is situated just south of Hackensack at the edge of the Meadowlands only twelve miles from midtown Manhattan. This Bergen County borough is mostly known for its airport, as the residential properties in the town are few. Indeed, recent census figures put the towns population at just 18 souls! Meanwhile, business dominates the town and the airport, named for the town, is the chief job generator in the town as well as in surrounding communities.

At just over one square mile, Teterboro certainly is easily missed. Bordered by state highways 46 to the north and 17 to the west, the town would certainly be overlooked unless you failed to notice the regular flow of general aviation traffic entering and leaving the airport. Indeed, Teterboro Airport {TEB} ranks as one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country serving Piper and Cessna owners all the way up to Gulfstream V charter operators.

In 1917, a Mr. Walter C. Teter purchased what is now known as Teterboro from North American Aviation, who had operated a plant on its site during the first world war. Over the years, the airport changed hands several times until, finally, in 1949 the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey purchased the airport. Since then the authority has operated the airport through contractors or has managed it directly; vast improvements to Teterboro Airport have been made since the authority assumed control.

Teterboro is the home to numerous aviation companies including Atlantic Aviation, Million Air, Jet Aviation, First Aviation Services, and Signature Flight Support. All five companies operate what are known as Fixed Based Operations {FBOs} which provide essential airport services including aircraft fueling, passenger processing, and more. In addition, aircraft hangars occupy key sections of the airport for operators to house their expensive business jets within.

One of the most famous landmarks in the Teterboro is the Aviation Hall of Fame & Museum of NJ. Located on the airport grounds the museum, which opened in 1972, was the first state aviation museum in the nation. Aviation pioneers Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhardt both flew in and out of Teterboro.

Towns bordering Teterboro include: South Hackensack, Little Ferry, Moonachie, Wood-Ridge, and Hasbrouck Heights. Indeed, the entire lower third of the airport actually falls within the boundaries of Moonachie.

Tags: Aircraft Hangars, Aviation Airports, Aviation Companies, Aviation Traffic, Business Jets, Census Figures, Cessna Owners, Charter Operators, Chief Job, Famous Landmarks, First Aviation Services, First World War, General Aviation, Jet Aviation, Midtown Manhattan, North American Aviation, Port Authority Of New York And New Jersey, Signature Flight Support, State Highways, Teterboro New Jersey

Auckland: Sailors paradise
On the North Island of New Zealand youll find Auckland, a large city set around stunning inlets and bays. Not surprisingly, most of the Auckland’s most celebrated activities are to do with water. These include dinner cruises in the harbor and swimming with dolphins.

Transport: how to get there and around:
New Zealands main international airport is situated in Auckland. This makes it accessible to direct flights from the US, Australia, Asia and Europe. Flights also run domestically from the South Island to Auckland.

Auckland city covers a wide area so it is recommended to get around using a bicycle or taxi. To reach other towns and attractions, there are bus and rail services.

Weather
Owing to its location in the southern hemisphere, summer in New Zealand is from November to April. In summer temperatures are around 20 C and the winter is fairly mild as it doesnt usually freeze.

Accommodation: Luxury to budget stays
The internet can offer some of the best information on the cost, range and location of hotels in Auckland.

Attractions & Events
There are events held all year in Auckland, although the city really comes to life in the summer time.

*Sports fans can enjoy January with the Open Tennis Championships and the Captain Hobson Anniversary Day Regatta.

*In March, Western Springs holds the Pasifika Festival with Polynesian music and performances.

*Auckland Botanical Gardens have a show in November called the Ellerslie Flower Show.

Wellington: Attractive city of views
The capital city, Wellington is surrounded by hills and offers some splendid views of the Harbor. Home to the main government buildings, Wellington also has a bustling cafe and entertainment culture.

Transport: how to get there and around:
Domestic flights from Auckland and Christchurch as well as other destinations connect with Wellington airport. A ferry also makes it possible to reach the south island town of Picton.

A major bus route runs from Auckland to Wellington. To get around in and around the city itself there are local train and bus services, as well as taxis.

Weather
Situated on the coast, Wellington can suffer from windy weather.

Accommodation: Luxury to budget stays
The internet can offer some of the best information on the cost, range and location of hotels in Wellington.

Attractions & Events
Many sporting and cultural events take place in the capital city, here are just a few.

*During January, the city hosts Wellington Cup Week with fashion, live music and of course horse racing.

*The Arts Festival is held in January with International artists taking part.

*The Jazz festival and Fashion Festival are both during October.

Christchurch: Have fun with nature
From Christchurch you can access nature and have fun on New Zealands plains, lakes, mountains and beaches. Being the largest city in the Southern Island, there are always attractions for visitors such as the Antarctic Centre, wildlife showcases, gondola trips and more.

Transport: how to get there and around:
The international airport of the South Island is in Christchurch, connecting with Australia and several other destinations. Air New Zealand serves other domestic locations. Getting around is simple with the citys cost effective bus service and reliable rail network.

Accommodation: Luxury to budget stays
The internet can offer some of the best information on the cost, range and location of hotels in Christchurch.

Attractions & Events:
*An international festival of flowers is held in Christchurch during the month os February.

*Fine music, food and wine can be enjoyed during Augusts International Jazz Festival

Tags: Asia And Europe, Attractive City, Capital City Wellington, Captain Hobson, Dinner Cruises, Direct Flights, Domestic Flights, Ellerslie Flower Show, Entertainment Culture, Europe Flights, Flights From Auckland, New Zealand Auckland, Open Tennis Championships, Pasifika Festival, Southern Hemisphere Summer, Splendid Views, Summer Temperatures, Swimming With Dolphins, Time Sports, Wellington Airport

In the 40 years since the first Super Bowl was played between Green Bay and Kansas City, Super Bowl Sunday has grown into an unofficial national holiday that has shopping and economic effects rivaling Christmas, Thanksgiving and other major official holidays. Whether it’s a casual get together with a few friends or a lavish, catered party, 125 million Americans celebrated the Super Bowl in some fashion in 2006. Even those with little interest in football get in on the craze, if only to watch the commercials.

Understanding this unique opportunity, advertisers spare no expense to showcase their products and services during the Super Bowl. Advertisers paid up to $2.5 million dollars for each 30 seconds of advertising during Super Bowl XL in 2006. Agencies work on their advertisements all year, and the Super Bowl has become the unofficial Academy Awards of advertising. There are almost as many websites and television programs analyzing the advertisements as there are analyzing the game.

The food and beverage industry also profits from Super Bowl Sunday. Super Bowl Sunday is second only to Thanksgiving in the amount of food that Americans prepare and consume. In the weeks leading up to Super Bowl XL, Americans spent $55 million dollars on food for their Super Bowl parties and spent ten million hours preparing it. Since it is estimated that an average of 17 people attend each Super Bowl Party, these figures are not surprising.

The king of Super Bowl food is the avocado. More avocados are sold in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl that at any other time of the year. It is estimated that 12 million pounds of avocados are purchased and turned into guacamole for Super Bowl parties. Since guacamole requires chips, 15,000 tons of chips are consumed as well. All that food needs washing down and soda and beer sales also top out during the weeks preceding the big game.

It’s not just food and beverage manufacturers who profit. Millions of dollars are spent on party supplies like paper plates, cups and plastic cutlery. Electronics stores also benefit. After all, you need that big-screen TV in order to properly appreciate the game. Even sales of antacids spike on the Monday following Super Bowl Sunday. There’s a good reason for that. The estimated total time that party-goers take to consume all that carefully prepared food: 15 minutes.

Tags: Academy Awards, Avocado, Avocados, Beer Sales, Beverage Manufacturers, Big Game, Bowl Food, Christmas Thanksgiving, Economic Effects, Food And Beverage, Food And Beverage Industry, Guacamole, National Holiday, Official Holidays, Super Bowl, Super Bowl Advertisers, Super Bowl Xl, Television Advertisements, Television Programs, Unofficial Holiday

For the ultimate beach vacation there is no better location than that of Jomtien Beach in Thailand. Which is just a two hours ride in a taxi from Bangkok Airport.The Jomtien Beach is located about two kilometers from its busy counterpart resort of South Pattaya.

Jomtien Beach and the area along its beach road have now become more and more popular for swimming, water sports and activities because it has a long straight coastline and theyre being less boats anchored in its waters. There are very many good quality hotels, bungalows and guesthouses. A wide range of small and large condominiums is also available for short or long term rental and many good restaurants serving a wide variety of fresh seafood with a full range of Thai cuisine and International dishes.

Many tourists come to this area to just enjoy the scenery and the beach. Chairs are available to sit with a table to have food and drink served directly to you as you soak up the sun or simply lay back and listen to the waters lapping on the sand. Go swimming or enjoy water sports such as wind surfing, ride a water scooter, parasail or take a speed boat ride, even water skiing is possible.

The Jomtien Beach has good quality white sand and a very long coastline to enjoy. The beach is much more peaceful here than its counterpart of Pattaya further up the coast. The beaches are always kept in a pristine condition by the many vendors who are there to look after all your needs.

Along the early part of the straight beach road you will find many souvenir shops, international restaurants, food stalls. But at the far end of the beach road there are very good seafood restaurants and it is where you can find yourself at times the only person soaking up the sun.

You can also swim late into the night along a large part of the beach as the sands are floodlit which makes for a very safe environment to swim after the sun has gone down. May be you only want to simply find a quiet bar for any drink of your choosing. Many are available and the prices have to be seen to be believed.

Jomtien beach simply has it all without having to travel long distances. But if you fancy a more adventurous evening and want to enjoy a full range of nightlife activities Pattaya is just a few minutes down the coast. Transportation around the Pattaya and Jomtien area is simple. The open pick up cars (Baht buses as they are locally called) are running all the time. Just hail one down and climb aboard.

Jomtien is one place in the world where a good quality beach vacation is simplicity itself.
How do I know these things I live there.

Author Barry Hooper can be contacted at basthehoop@hotmail.co

Tags: Bangkok Airport, Beach Chairs, Boat Ride, Choosin, Food Stalls, Fresh Seafood, International Dishes, International Restaurants, Parasail, Pristine Condition, Quiet Bar, Sea Sand, Seafood Restaurants, South Pattaya, Souvenir Shops, Speed Boat, Sun Sea, Thai Cuisine, Water Scooter, Water Skiing

Of course Istanbul! With the strait of Bosporus in between, its itself divided by the Golden Horn (Halic) into the Old City to the south, and Beyoglu and other modern districts to the north. Istanbul throughout the year offers many events and entertainments to its visitors and citizens. Of course, if youve got limited time, the Old City is where you should go first as it features all the main sights of the city.

Here we would like to mention some of the most important for which is worthy to get a flight ticket right now and go!

In April the International Istanbul Film Festival features events and projections in many cinemas in Beyoglu. Almost 200 films running in competitive and no-competitive sections from fiction to documentary or animations will animate Istanbul and your nights!

In May and June if you happen to be around, dont miss the exciting International Theatre Festival at its 16th edition organized by the istanbul Foundation for Culture and Arts. Different venues will host international artists and various sections dedicated to French theatre also. Tickets can be easily purchased at the internet website Biletix. It is important to notice that tickets purchased on-line can be obtained upon presentation of the credit card at the venue at least two hours before the performance begins. Also, in order to avoid queues on the performance night it is advisable that customers get your tickets from one of the BILETIX retail outlets at least one day before the performance. Upon request, tickets can be delivered to address at the expenses of the addressee. You can also see the official website: iksv_org.

In the same period between May and June the Fujifilm World Music Days and the International Istanbul Puppet Festival are organized. This one in particular for 8 days at various venues hosts many famous national and international puppeteers from literally everywhere. Past editions saw puppeteers from Germany, Austria, Brazil, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, Russia and Taiwan!

If you wish to combine entertainment, culture and a relaxing holiday on the Turkeys splendid beaches, June is the perfect period away from the touristy season!! The International Istanbul Music Festival and the International Bosphorus Festival kick off in June. The three-day H2000 Festival is also held in June. If music is irresistible then Turkey summer season doesnt have to be missed!!

The world renowned International Istanbul Jazz Festival is held every July attracting hundreds of renowned performing artists and musicians from all over the world! So the Efes Pilsen Blues Festival with a story of 10 years now, the intercultural Akbank International Jazz Festival and not least he Yapi Kredi Art Festival, featuring Rock and Roll, pop to classic music and jazz spread throughout the year!

Apart from summer season, where prices are relatively high, during other periods Turkey is very affordable. It wont be hard to find cheap accommodations to meet all budgets especially if you are ok with a Youth hostel accommodation where they provide you with a bunk bed and a clean international friendly environment! There are many youth hostels for backpackers or travellers featuring Turkish interior designs, mosaics and Turkish baths at affordable prices. There are many on-line bookers also that will make your life much easier allowing you to compare prices, choose your destination, your lodging and book directly throu the web! We found some on this website (Flashbooking) where many hostels and hotels feature restaurant views over Istanbul Old City.

Tags: 16th Edition, Addressee, Biletix, Culture And Arts, Entertainments, Features Events, Festival Features, Flight Ticket, French Theatre, Germany Austria, Golden Horn, Halic, International Artists, Internet Website, Performance Night, Puppet Festival, Puppeteers, Russi, Strait Of Bosporus, World Music Days