The Hotel Shelley

A Stylishly Different Miami Hotel
The Hotel Shelley is product of a flawless marriage between comfort and affordability. Located step from the ocean, the Shelley is a favorite to travelers who enjoy an unpretentious atmosphere and prime location at a good price. Our vibe is chill. We're talking bathing suites and flip flops...all day long.

The laid-back ambiance and gracious staff of the Shelley prove ideal to the casual traveler who's looking for a place where anything goes.

Earthy tones, lush lounge chairs and a nightly open bar make the Shelly's lobby and verandah the ideal spot to get a good night started. No attitude, no worries, just fun times.

Simple, comfortable and clean. Rooms at the Shelley feature uncomplicated designs and ultra- cozy beds. The King mini-Suite and Suite that includes in-room Jacuzzi offer ample spaces encouraged for guests to share.

About Us
The Hotel Shelley, located at 844 Collins Avenue in South Beach, Miami, was originally built in 1936. This luxurious bed and breakfast style hotel hosts 49 rooms: Standard two double beds, King mini-Suite and one Suite that includes in-room Jacuzzi and DVD player.

Our hotel has been revamped to include deco styled furniture, in-room safes, cable plasma LCD TVs with free movie channels, 82 stations, Stereo system, fully stocked mini-bars, and full marble bathrooms.

Spend some time in our lobby - Watch sports, listen to music or enjoy the "buzz" on Collins Avenue from our veranda. Stick around in the evenings for one of the few open bars on the Beach - every night!
Downtown Chicago Hotels

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Rafting

Rafting or whitewater rafting is a challenging recreational activity utilizing a raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on whitewater or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this activity as a leisure sport has become popular since the mid 1970s.

History

Rafting is one of the earliest means of transportation, used as a means for shipping people, hunting, and transferring food.
In 1842, Lieutenant John Fremont of the U.S. Army first journalized his rafting expedition on the Platte River. Horace H. Day designed the equipment he used in rafting. Day’s rafts were constructed from four independent rubber cloth tubes and wrap-around floor.
In 1960s, rafting was then recognized and paths like Grand Canyon were routed and whitewater rafting companies were established.
In 1970s, rafting marked its major development as a leisure sport when it was then included in the Munich Olympic Games.
In 1980s, as rafting continued to gain its popularity, many rivers were opened for rafting activities including rivers in South America and Africa.
In 1990s, rafting was included in major game events like the Barcelona Games in 1992, Atlanta Games in 1996, and the whitewater events of the Summer Olympic Games hosted by Ocoee River in Tennessee Valley. In addition, the International Federation of Rafting was instituted in 1997 and in 1999 the first Official International Championship was held.

Whitewater rafts

Rafts were originally the simplest form of man’s transportation in water and were then made of several logs, planks or reeds which were fastened together. Nowadays, inflatable boat were used as rafts which were later adopted by the military for beach assaults. It consists of very durable, multi-layered rubberized or vinyl fabrics with several independent air chambers. Its length varies between 3.5 m (11 ft) and 6 m (20 ft), the width between 1.8 m (6 ft) and 2.5 m (8 ft). The exception to this size rule is usually the packraft, which is designed as a portable single-person raft and may be as small as 1.5m long and weigh as little as 4 lbs.
Rafts come in a few different forms. In Europe the most common is the symmetrical raft steered with a paddle at the stern. Other types are the asymmetrical, rudder-controlled raft and the symmetrical raft with central helm (oars). Rafts are usually propelled with ordinary paddles and typically hold 4 to 12 persons. In Russia rafts are often hand made and are often a catamaran style with two inflatable tubes attached to a frame. Pairs of paddlers navigate these rafts. Catamaran style rafts have become popular in the western United States as well, but are typically rowed instead of paddled.

Classes of Whitewater

Class 1: Very small rough areas, requires no maneuvering. (Skill Level: None)Class 2: Some rough water, maybe some rocks, might require maneuvering.(Skill Level: Basic Paddling Skill)Class 3: Whitewater, small waves, maybe a small drop, but no considerable danger. May require significant maneuvering.(Skill Level: Experienced paddling skills)Class 4: Whitewater, medium waves, maybe rocks, maybe a considerable drop, sharp maneuvers may be needed. (Skill Level: Whitewater Experience)Class 5: Whitewater, large waves, possibility of large rocks and hazards, possibility of a large drop, requires precise maneuvering (Skill Level: Advanced Whitewater Experience)Class 6: Class 6 rapids are considered to be so dangerous as to be effectively unnavigable on a reliably safe basis. Rafters can expect to encounter substantial whitewater, huge waves, huge rocks and hazards, and/or substantial drops that will impart severe impacts beyond the structural capacities and impact ratings of almost all rafting equipment. Traversing a Class 6 rapid has a dramatically increased likelihood of ending in serious injury or death compared to lesser classes. (Skill Level: Successful completion of a Class 6 rapid without serious injury or death is widely considered to be a matter of luck or extreme skill)

Safety

Whitewater rafting can be a dangerous sport, especially if basic safety precautions are not observed. Both commercial and private trips have seen their share of injuries and fatalities, though private travel has typically been associated with greater risk. Depending on the area, legislated safety measures may exist for rafting operators. These range from certification of outfitters, rafts, and raft leaders, to more stringent regulations about equipment and procedures. It is generally advisable to discuss safety measures with a rafting operator before signing on for a trip. The equipment used and the qualifications of the company and raft guides are essential information to be considered.
Like most outdoor sports, rafting in general has become safer over the years. Expertise in the sport has increased, and equipment has become more specialized and increased in quality. As a result the difficulty rating of most river runs has changed. A classic example would be the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, which has swallowed whole expeditions in the past, leaving only fragments of boats but is now run safely by commercial outfitters hundreds of times each year, with relatively untrained passengers. [2]
Risks in whitewater rafting stem from both environmental dangers and from improper behavior. Certain features on rivers are inherently unsafe and have remained consistently so despite the passage of time. These would include "keeper hydraulics", "strainers" (e.g. fallen trees), dams (especially low-head dams, which tend to produce river-wide keeper hydraulics), undercut rocks, and of course dangerously high waterfalls. Rafting with experienced guides is the safest way to avoid such features. Even in safe areas, however, moving water can always present risks -- such as when a swimmer attempts to stand up on a rocky riverbed in strong current, risking foot entrapment. Irresponsible behavior related to rafting while intoxicated has also contributed to many accidents.
To combat the illusion that rafting is akin to an amusement park ride, and to underscore the personal responsibility each rafter faces on a trip, rafting outfitters generally require customers to sign waiver forms indicating understanding and acceptance of potential serious risks. Rafting trips often begin with safety presentations to educate customers about problems that may arise.
Due to this the overall risk level on a rafting trip with experienced guides using proper precautions is low.[citation needed] Thousands of people safely enjoy raft trips every year.

Issues with rafting

Like all wilderness sports, rafting has to balance the conflict between nature protection and nature use. Because of frequent problems in the past, some rivers now have regulations restricting or specifying the annual and daily operating times.
Conflicts have also arisen with environmentalists when rafting operators, often in co-operation with municipalities and tourism associations, alter the riverbed by dredging and/or blasting in order to eliminate safety risks or create more interesting whitewater features in the river. Incongruously these measures usually are only temporary, since a riverbed is subject to permanent changes.
On the other hand, rafting contributes to the economy of many alpine regions which in turn may contribute to the protection of rivers from hydroelectric power generation and other development. Additionally, white water rafting trips can promote environmentalism. By experiencing first hand the beauty of a given river, individuals who would otherwise be indifferent to the environmental concerns of an area may gain a strong desire to protect and preserve that area because of a positive outdoors experience.

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Hotel Aiken

1/1/2009 · Kategori: OTELLER

Hotel Aiken is the perfect place for both leisure and business travelers alike. Check out our rates and see that we offer something unique in Aiken at an attractive price.Why not get away from the “cookie-cutter” Hotels for once and give us a try? We are sure you will enjoy the experience.Originally built in 1898 the Hotel has gone through many changes and the original building has gone through a series of major and continuous renovations since 2001, with the accent on retaining the historical feel of this landmark building whilst providing all the modern amenities one would expect from a contemporary Hotel, such as free use of hard-wired HSIA in all rooms. The rooms and bathrooms have been completely overhauled and tastefully appointed. Our main bar, The Polo Tavern, is one of downtown Aiken’s most popular watering holes. We have live entertainment on Wednesday, Thurday, Friday and Saturday nights and are open seven days a week. The recently added Tiki Tavern on the back patio has already been awarded the title of “Best New Bar” in Aiken for 2006 by readers of the prestigious Augusta Magazine. ** Don't forget to check out our newly opened ultra-hip wine bar, One Hundred Laurens! **Due to the popularity of both our bars it should be noted when making reservations that we are very much “party central” in Aiken and if you’re looking for a lively, fun and busy venue,especially on weekends, then you should stay with us. Located on Richland Avenue, we are the only Hotel in town that is truly in the heart of downtown and therefore we are walking distance from all of Aiken’s many other excellent restaurants, bars and stores.
* Rooms booked through our website are GUARANTEED the BEST AVAILABLE RATE *

Hopelands Gardens
Given to the City of Aiken by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin, Hopelands Garden was opened in 1969 to the public. The garden spans 14 acres, shaded by 100 year old live oaks and magnolias. A pleasure for guests of all ages. The gardens also plays host to many private functions, such as weddings and a summer concert series. Hopelands Gardens is open 7 days a week from 10:00AM until sunset. No admission cost. Located at Whiskey Road and Dupree Place, approximently 1 mile from the hotel.

Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame & Museum
For equestrian enthusiasts, the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame & Museum celebrates Aiken's contributions to the equestrian sports. Enshrined in the Hall of Fame are Aiken-trained horses who have gone on the become National Champions, such as, Kentucky Derby winner - Pleasant Colony, Preakness winner - Summer Squall, and 5-time Horse of the Year Champion - Kelso. Also on display are photos and trophies from the careers of some of the best known equestrian athletes. The Hall of Fame is open Tuesday-Sunday, September through May and Saturday & Sunday, June through August (weather permitting). The hours are 2:00PM-5:00PM. No admission cost. Located within Hopelands Gardens, approximently 1 mile from the hotel.
For additional information on Hopelands Gardens or the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame & Museum call (803) 642-7631 OR go to http://visit.aiken.net

The Aiken Center for the Arts
A showcase for local artists, the Center hosts a variety of events, such as, exhibits and classes. Their gift shop offers one-of-a-kind gift items. Located in the heart of downtown Aiken on Laurens Street, less than a block from the hotel. Check out their website for upcoming exhibits!
For information visit: www.aikencenterforthearts.org or call (803) 641-9094

The Aiken County Historical Museum
A former college campus and public library, the Museum is located within Banksia, a historical estate home built by Richard Howe in 1931. The Nature Room, the Ergle Log House, and the Miniature Circus are just a few of the historical exhibits. The Museum hosts special events and art shows including photography, painting, quilting, and sculpture. Guided tours available. The Museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 9:30AM-4:30PM and Saturday & Sunday from 2PM-5PM. Closed Mondays and National Holidays. Located at 433 Newberry Street, less than a mile from the hotel.
For more information call (803) 642-2015 or visit www.aikencountysc.gov/tourism/aikencountymuseum.htm

Farmers Market
One of downtown Aiken's historical landmarks, the Market is open year-round Monday through Saturday from 7:30AM-4:30PM (or until farmers are sold out.) The Market sells fresh produce, including corn, tomatoes, beans, fruit, and more. Located at the crossing of Richland Avenue and Williamsburg Street downtown, less than a mile from the hotel.
For more information: call (803) 642-7761

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Pekin ( Beijing )

27/12/2008 · Kategori: OTELLER

Pekin, Beijing ya da Peking. (Çince: 北京市, pinyin: Běijīng Shì), Çin Halk Cumhuriyeti'nin başkentidir. Ülkenin kuzeyinde yer alır.
Pekin, Çin'in gelişmesinde her zaman büyük rol oynadı. Diğer şehirlerden ve diğer ülkelerden çoğu insan Pekin'e daha iyi şartlara sahip iş fırsatları aramak için geldi.

Pekin, Jin hanedanlığı'ndan bu yana Yuan, Ming ve Qing hanedanlıklarında başkentlik yaptı. Bir çok tarihi esere sahip: Yasak Şehir,Yaz sarayı,Gök tapınağı (天坛), Yeşil duvar.
Pekin'in anlamı Çince'de kuzeydeki başkent anlamına gelir. Bir zamanlar Ming hanedanlığı döneminde güneyde başkentlik yapan Nanjing'e karşılık bu isim verildi.
Olimpiyat tarihinin en katılımlı organizasyonu olan 2008 Pekin Olimpiyatları'na ev sahipliği yapmaktadır.
Çin'in merkezi M.Ö. birinci milenyumda kuruldu.

Peking is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the four municipalities of the PRC, which are equivalent to provinces in China's administrative structure. The municipality of Beijing borders Hebei Province to the north, west, south, and for a small section in the east, and Tianjin Municipality to the southeast Beijing is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China.
Beijing is China's second largest city, after Shanghai. Beijing is a major transportation hub, with dozens of railways, roads and motorways passing through the city. It is also the focal point of many international flights to China. Beijing is recognised as the political, educational, and cultural center of the People's Republic of China while Shanghai and Hong Kong predominate in economic fields. The city hosted the 2008 Olympic Games.
Few cities in the world besides Beijing have served as the political and cultural centre of an area as immense as China for so long. The Encyclopædia Britannica describes it as, "One of the world's great cities," and declares that the city has been an integral part of China’s history for centuries, and there is scarcely a major building of any age in Beijing that doesn't have at least some national historical significance. Beijing is renowned for its opulent palaces, temples, and huge stone walls and gates. Its art treasures and universities have long made the city a centre of culture and art in China.

People native to urban Beijing speak the Beijing dialect, which belongs to the Mandarin subdivision of spoken Chinese. Beijing dialect is the basis for Standard Mandarin, the language used in mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore. Rural areas of Beijing Municipality have their own dialects akin to those of Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing Municipality.
Beijing opera, or Peking opera (Jingju 京剧), is well-known throughout the national capital. Commonly lauded as one of the highest achievements of Chinese culture, Beijing opera is performed through a combination of song, spoken dialogue, and codified action sequences, such as gestures, movement, fighting and acrobatics. Much of Beijing opera is carried out in an archaic stage dialect quite different from modern Standard Mandarin and from the Beijing dialect.[Siheyuans line hutongs (胡同), or alleys, which connect the interior of Beijing's old city. They are usually straight and run east to west so that doorways can face north and south for Feng Shui reasons. They vary in width — some are very narrow, enough for only a few pedestrians to pass through at a time.
Once ubiquitous in Beijing, siheyuans and hutongs are now rapidly disappearing, as entire city blocks of hutongs are leveled and replaced with high-rise buildings. Residents of the hutongs are entitled to live in the new buildings, in apartments of at least the same size as their former residences. Many complain, however, that the traditional sense of community and street life of the hutongs cannot be replaced. Residents, however, have limited control over their own property, as the government usually owns it. Some particularly historic or picturesque neighbourhoods of hutongs are being preserved and restored by the government, especially for the 2008 Olympics.Mandarin cuisine is the local style of cooking in Beijing. The Peking Roast Duck is perhaps the most well-known dish. The Manhan Quanxi ("Manchu-Han Chinese full banquet") is a rare traditional banquet originally intended for the ethnic-Manchu emperors of the Qing Dynasty; it remains very prestigious and expensive. The Fuling Jiabing is a traditional Beijing snack food, a pancake (bing) resembling a flat disk with filling, made from fu ling (Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf, or "tuckahoe"), an ingredient common in traditional Chinese medicine. Teahouses are also common in Beijing. Chinese tea comes in many varieties and some rather expensive types of Chinese tea are said to cure an ailing body extraordinarily well.
The cloisonné (or Jingtailan, literally "Blue of Jingtai") metalworking technique and tradition is a specialty of Beijing's cultural art, and is one of the most revered traditional crafts in China. Cloisonné making requires elaborate and complicated processes which includes: base-hammering, copper-strip inlay, soldering, enamel-filling, enamel-firing, surface polishing and gilding. Beijing's lacquerware is also well known for its sophisticated and intrinsic patterns and images carved into its surface, and the various decoration techniques of lacquer includes "carved lacquer" and "engraved gold".
Younger residents of Beijing have become more attracted to the nightlife, which has flourished in recent decade, breaking prior cultural traditions that practically restricted it to the upper class.[

At the heart of Beijing's historical center lies the Forbidden City, the enormous palace compound that was the home of the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties; the Forbidden City also hosts the Palace Museum, which contains imperial collections of Chinese art. Surrounding the Forbidden City are several former imperial gardens and parks, notably the Beihai, Houhai, Shichahai, Zhongnanhai, Jingshan and Zhongshan, all of which are accessible for tourists except Zhongnanhai, the headquarters of the Communist Party of China. From the Tiananmen Square, which is located right across the Forbidden City, there are several notable sites, such as the Tiananmen, the Great Hall of the People, National Museum of China, Monument to the People's Heroes, and Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. The Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace both lie at the western part of the urban city of Beijing; the Summer Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site displays a comprehensive collection of imperial gardens and palaces that functioned as the summer retreat for the Qing Dynasty emperors.
Perhaps among the most well-known religious sites in the city is the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan), located in southeastern Beijing, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties made visits for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest; located in the opposite direction of the Temple of Heaven at the northern part of the city are the Temple of Earth (Ditian), and the Temple of the Sun (Ritan) and Temple of the Moon (Yuetan), both respectively located in the eastern and western parts of the urban area. Other well-known temple sites located in Beijing include the Dongyue Temple, Tanzhe Temple, Miaoying Temple, White Cloud Temple, Yonghe Temple, Fayuan Temple, Wanshou Temple and the Big Bell Temple. The city also has its own Confucius Temple, and a Guozijian. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was built in 1605, and is the oldest Catholic church in Beijing. The Niujie Mosque is also the oldest mosque in Beijing, with a history over a thousand years old.

Beijing contains several well-preserved pagodas and stone pagodas, such as the towering Pagoda of Tianning Temple, which was built during the Liao Dynasty from 1100–1120, and the Pagoda of Cishou Temple, which was built in 1576 during the Ming Dynasty. Several historically important stone bridges are also located in Beijing, including the 12th century-built Lugou Bridge, the 17th century-built Baliqiao bridge and the 18th century-built Jade Belt Bridge. The Beijing Ancient Observatory displays pretelescopic spheres dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Fragrant Hills (Xiangshan) is a popular scenic public park that consists of natural landscape areas as well as traditional and cultural relics. The Beijing Botanical Garden exhibits over 6,000 species of plants, including a variety of trees, bushes and flowers, and an extensive peony garden. The Taoranting Park, Chaoyang Park, Haidian Park and Zizhu Yuan are all popular recreational parks that consist of a variety of natural landscapes. The Beijing Zoo is a center of zoological research that also contains rare animals from various continents, including the giant panda of China.
Beijing is also known for its siheyuan (courtyard houses) and hutong (alleys), although they are increasingly disappearing due to the growth of city constructions and are giving way to high-rises. The city has several well-preserved neighborhoods of shiheyuan, including some of the more grand courtyard houses, such as the Prince Gong Mansion. There are over hundreds of museums in Beijing, and aside from the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City and the National Museum of China, other major museums include the National Art Museum of China, the Capital Museum, the Beijing Art Museum, the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution, the Geological Museum of China, the Beijing Museum of Natural History and the Paleozoological Museum of China.Located at the outskirts of urban Beijing but within its municipality are the Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty, the lavish and elaborate burial sites of thirteen Ming emperors, which have been designated as part of the World Heritage Site "Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties".The archaeological Peking Man site at Zhoukoudian is another World Heritage Site within the Beijing municipality, and it contains a wealth of discoveries, including one of the first specimens of Homo erectus, and an assemblage of bones of the gigantic hyena Pachycrocuta brevirostris. There are several sections of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Great Wall of China [96] that are on the outskirts of the municipality, most notably Badaling, Jinshanling, Simatai and Mutianyu.

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