Taj Mahal

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org

The Taj Mahal has always been a main vacation attraction for its fine architecture. Built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal, in 1647, many see the mausoleum as the finest example of Mughal architecture, indeed it is. Combining the styles of Islamic, Persian, Ottoman Turkish and Indian architectural traditions, many regard Taj Mahal as the finest example of Mughal architecture.

Go inside, and you’ll find the interior of the building just mesmerizing. A lapidary of precious and semiprecious gemstones beautify the 25-meter walls that are enclosed by a “false” interior dome decorated with a sun motif. Eight pishtaq formal gateways define the space at ground level.

As for the exterior, four central upper arches form balconies that have an intricate screen, or jail, cut from marble on each window. Light also enters inside through chattris the corners. The walls are highly decorated with dado bas relief, intricate lapidary inlay and polished calligraphy panels, to reflect in small detail the design elements seen throughout the exterior of the mausoleum. Meanwhile, the remaining surfaces have been inlaid with semiprecious stones in delicate detail to form twisting vines, fruits and flowers.

Mumtaz Mahal's marble cenotaph is placed right in the center of the inner chamber and is covered with precious and semiprecious gems, both the base and the casket. Showing further admiration for Mumtaz Mahal, Calligraphic inscriptions praising her are written on the casket. Shah Jahan's cenotaph is beside Mumtaz's. Calligraphic inscriptions of The Ninety Nine Names of Allah ("O Magnificent, O Unique, O Glorious…) can be found on the sides of the actual tomb of Mumtaz Mahal".

The garden of Taj Mahal has raised pathways that divide the garden into 16 large patches of flowerbeds. Meanwhile, a pool creates a clear reflection of the mausoleum. The Hawd al-Kawthar, a water tank sited in the center of the garden, refers to the "Tank of Abundance" that Prophet Muhammad once foretold. Avenues of trees and fountains further beautify the garden. The charbagh garden symbolizes the four flowing rivers of Jannah and reflects the Persian paridaeza (walled garden).

But you have to there yourself to actually witness Taj Mahal’s splendor. The Taj Mahal is located Agra, India, sitting there waiting splendidly for you to visit. It has been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.

Dragons do exist and it’s no kidding

Kewords: Komodo, travel, tropical, island, indonesia


Komodo Dragons or monitors are real life dragons. They are fascinating ancient gigantic lizards that can easily reach 2 meters in length and can weigh up to 90 kilograms. These endangered species can only be found in the Komodo National Park in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

Located in the eastern region of Indonesian, the park consists of three major islands, Komodo, Rinca and Padar, plus numerous smaller islands. Up to 2,500 Komodo Dragons live in the park, so there’s no chance of you going home disappointed from park because you didn’t see a Komodo Dragon.  Komodo Dragons are estimated to have lived when dinosaurs ruled the earth. The tropical island itself looks like it is living in the Jurassic period.

But the amazing Komodo Dragons is not what the park only has to offer as it is also home to many extraordinary species of Marine Life. The park is a habitat for more than 1,000 species of rare fish, 260 species of coral and seven species of sponges. There are also dolphins and the now-recovering giant turtles.

Furthermore, in the park you are also invited to enjoy the beautiful panoramic views of rain forests, white beaches, beautiful corals, savannas and clean blue seas. So, the Komodo National Park will be something that will be in your mind as one of the best places you vacationed for a very long time, if not forever.



To reach the secluded island, it is possible take a cheap and short everyday flights from Denpasar, Bali. The available airlines include Indonesia Air Transport (IAT) and Trans Nusa. You can also sail there via Labuan Bajo in the west Flores area or Bima, eastern Sumbawa.

Looking for a site that offers great sightseeing places and fun gambling places for your vacation?

Consider Macau, an island nested on the western side of the Pearl River Delta across Hong Kong. Macau offers you to experience the oriental traditional Chinese culture and Western Portuguese baroque buildings at the same time. Every aspects of life in the city show the blend of people, culture and history. Macau is a highly cultured city, proven by the fact that it houses up to 25 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 
Gambling enthusiasts also find Macau a great place to vacation. Indeed, Macau is also renowned as the Mecca for gamblers. Here are some of the places to visit in Macau. 

The Historic Centre of Macau

Ama Temple
Source: http://en.macautourism.gov.mo/

Moorish Barracks
Source: http://en.macautourism.gov.mo/


Lilau Square
Source: http://en.macautourism.gov.mo/


Casa Garden
Source: http://en.macautourism.gov.mo/

Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2004, the Historic Centre of Macao is a a collection of over twenty locations that is witness to the hundreds of years of unique and beautiful assimilation between the oriental traditional Chinese and the Western Portuguese cultures and architectural styles. 
UNESCO describes the site: "with its historic street, residential, religious and public Portuguese and Chinese buildings, the historic centre of Macao provides a unique testimony to the meeting of aesthetic, cultural, architectural and technological influences from East and West...It bears witness to one of the earliest and long-lasting encounters between China and the West, based on the vibrancy of international trade.

 Leal Senado


Source: http://en.macautourism.gov.mo/
The Leal Senado has been the center of Urban Macau since the Portuguese colony era in Macau. The square is packed with neo-classical buildings painted in soft Portuguese colors, where some trade clothes and electronics of high-end brands.
Meanwhile, the Leal Senado Building (Loyale Senate in Portuguese) functioned as Macau’s government office. The building was built in 1784, but it adopted the plain style of the 14th to 15th Century Portugal rather than the baroque style that was popular back then. Since the handover of Macau to China in 1999 – Macau had been a Portuguese colony since the 16th century – the Leal Senado Building became the the Institute of Civic and Municipal Affairs. It has become part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Centre of Macau since 2005
This is the location of most visits to the historical centre of Macau. The popular trips include the surrounding streets to Senado Square and the Ruins of St. Paul.
Ruins of St. Paul's Cathedral

  
Source: http://en.macautourism.gov.mo/
This is Macau’s most famous landmark and is another Historic Centre of Macau location inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. The Ruins of St. Paul's features a spectacular façade with complicated decorations carved by Japanese monks.
Constructed in 1580, St. Paul's Church may be the most unfortunate church. Destroyed by fire in 1595 and 1601, the church was rebuilt in 1637. But a violent typhoon struck in 1835 and the church caught fire for the third time.  
Now, the front façade and the grand stone stairs appear gloriously before tourists, showing a perfect fusion of western and eastern cultures.

The Venetian Macau Casino

Source: http://www.macautourism.gov.mo/
The luxurious 4-storey Venetian hotel, casino and amusement resort is sited on the Cotai, a 5.2 square kilometer piece of reclaimed land on the Seac Pai Bay between Taipa and Coloane. 
As for the hotel, the resort has up to 3,000 suites, 111,000 square meters of convention space, 149,000 square meters of retail space, including a canal lined with shops, where you can also take a gondola ride and 51,000 square meters of casino space. The casino features more than 3,400 slot machines and 800 gambling tables, making it probably one of the busiest casinos in Macau. And with 550,000 square feet of floor space, it is also probably the biggest.

City of Dreams 

Source: http://www.macautourism.gov.mo/
The City of Dreams is a property sited in the Cotai Strip reclamation area and most famous for its world-class shows, including the the House of the Dancing Water at the Dancing Water Theatre. The City of Dreams is a popular place among vacationers to spend both at daytime as well as at night. The House of Dancing Water" won a 2012 Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement for a Live Show Spectacular.

Grand Lisboa Casino


The loftus shaped Grand Lisboa Hotel is a 58-floor hotel that was only opened in December 2008 and situated just of Avenue D’Amizade. The hotel boasts 430 hotel rooms and suites, 12 restaurants and a large casino consisting of 800 gaming tables and 1,000 slot machines. It is the tallest building in Macau.
The Star of Stanley Ho is on permanent display at the Casino Grand Lisboa. The 218.08 carats diamond is the biggest cushion-shaped internally flawless D-color diamond in the world. 

Keywords: Macau, vacation, travel, hotels, restaurants, UNESCO

About hand, foot and mouth disease

Keywords: health, disease, ‘hand, foot and mouth’, virus, enterovirus, symptoms

Children, especially those less than 10 years old, are more to infection that adults as their immune systems are yet to fully develop. Hand, foot and mouth disease infection is one such infection.

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a contagious infection that can cause an epidemic. The outbreak can be so severe it can force schools to close until the epidemic subsides.

The disease is a common infectious illness among children and the symptoms are mild fever, rashes accompanied by blisters and sores in the mouth. The illness generally begins with fever, accompanied by poor appetite, a feeling of being unwell and, usually, a sore throat.

The virus behind the disease is those that belong to the enterovirus group. The most common viral strain that cause hand, foot and mouth disease is Coxsackie A16. Hand, foot and mouth disease should not be confused with the foot and mouth disease of cattle. They are not related and are caused by different viruses.

This disease can be highly contagious. It spreads through direct contact with the mucus, saliva, fluid from blisters or feces of an infected person. Contact with unwashed, virus-contaminated hands, facilitates the spread of the virus. A person is most contagious in the first week of the illness.

Be cautious, the virus can remain in an infected person’s body for weeks even after the symptoms are gone. Thus, a child who was previously infected will become a carrier and still infect other children even if he or she appears well. Humans cannot be infected from animals.

Some may not manifest the symptoms, but may still transmit the virus to others. And although a person can develop immunity after being infected, he or she may suffer the infection again because there are other strains of the virus.

There is no specific treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease yet. The only treatments available only provide relief from the symptoms. You can reduce your risk of infection by practicing good hygiene, such as washing your hands often. Antibiotics are not effective against this disease as it is caused by virus. People who have hand, foot and mouth disease usually recover within 7-10 days. Complications are uncommon.