Heidelberg, Germany

Heidelberg is a city in south-west Germany. The fifth-largest city in the State of Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, Mannheim and Freiburg im Breisgau, Heidelberg is part of the densely populated Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region. It is no secret that Heidelberg is a jewel among German travel destinations. Heidelberg is in the Neckar river valley right where the legend-rich Odenwald (Forest of Odes or Odin) opens up towards the plains of the Rhine Valley. Heidelberg is home to the oldest university in Germany (est. 1386). With 28,000 students, the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität (or Ruperto Carola, the Latin equivalent of its name) is one of Germany's larger academic institutions and boasts the full spectrum of an ancient academy, from Egyptian Studies to Computer Linguistics. The faculties for Medicine, Law and Natural Sciences are considered to be among the best in Germany. The university fostered the establishment of several other world class research institutions such as the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), the European Molecular Biological Laboratory (EMBL), Centre for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), Max Planck Institutes for Medicine, Astronomy, Nuclear Physics, among others. Generally speaking, Heidelberg is an academic city with a long and rich history and is similar in many ways to cities such as Cambridge or Oxford (Heidelberg and Cambridge, England are twinned).

Area: 108.8 km²

Founded: 1196

Weather: 14°C, Wind 0 km/h, 93% Humidity

Local time: Saturday 8:39 am

Population: 149,633 (2012) UNdata 

University: Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg

Source:http://wikitravel.org/en/Heidelberg

Titanic Beach Resort, Turkey

Titanic Beach Lara

Titanic Beach and Resort Hotel
The impressive Titanic Beach Lara has a tastefully fused maritime theme throughout the hotel, providing a high standard of accommodation with a relaxed holiday atmosphere. Whether you wish to sunbathe on the hotel's private beach, take advantage of the extensive range of all inclusive amenities, see a show or have a romantic meal in one of the à la carte restaurants. The Titanic Beach Lara offers an exciting retreat for couples and families alike. The hotel's close attention to detail and fantastic atmosphere will guarantee a truly fantastic holiday. What's more, the hotel has undergone a complete renovation for 2014.

The Titanic Beach and Resort Hotel will have you believing you’re on board a luxury cruise ship that’s firmly anchored in its own beachside oasis and is awash with stuff for all the family. Located on the golden sands of Lara Beach on the Turkish Riviera and is ideally situated for exploring the surrounding region such as archaeological ruins including Olympus and Perg and pretty medieval towns. The hotel offers a wealth of activities and entertainment with four pools, a spa and fitness centre, loads of sports, a kids’ club and a water park with slides and a playground that’s a copy of Columbus’ ship Santa Maria.

On the food front a large air conditioned serves meals buffet style along with three a la carte restaurants. Plus there are a number of bars for you to enjoy a cocktail or two plus themed evenings, live shows and music or simply strut your stuff in the submarine disco. Fill your days with water sports, including PADI diving or try your hand a tennis, squash or archery. And if you have time to sleep, the contemporary styled bedrooms come with air conditioning, satellite TV, hairdryer and feature a balcony or terrace.
Other Facilities

    Standard rooms sleep up to 3 with twin beds, a single sofa or fold up bed, air conditioning, satellite TV, mini bar, hairdryer, telephone, balcony or terrace, some with side sea view
    Standard rooms with limited sea view and double rooms with limited sea view are available at a supplement
    Family rooms sleep up to 4 adults with a double bed, 2 single beds and garden view
    Daily maid service and towel change, linen changed twice weekly
    No of rooms: 586
    No of floors: 9
    No of lifts: 5
    4 Swimming pools, 1 with waterslides, indoor pool, poolside Jacuzzi
    3 Children’s pool – 1 indoor
    International Buffet restaurant, Italian restaurant, Fish restaurant, Turkish restaurant
    2 Snack bars - 1 serving Turkish specialities
    Disco bar, bowling Bar, lobby bar, 2 pool bars
    Mini market, boutique, photo shop, jewellery shop, leather shop
    24hr Room service, luggage store, internet, concierge
    Dry cleaning
    Watersports, PADI approved scuba diving school, pedalos, canoes, 4 tennis courts, squash court, archery, table football, darts, ten pin bowling, billiards, basketball, and aerobics
    Health club, fitness centre, beauty centre, sauna, Jacuzzi, spa, beauty salon, beauty treatments, hairdressing salon
    Massage, Turkish bath, aromatherapy, body wraps, facials, Finnish sauna, hydrotherapy, manicure, pedicure, and vitamin bar
    Daytime activities programme, TV area, live music, live shows, disco, games room, card room, Turkish theme nights, cinema, amphitheatre, beach party (weekly)
    Children’s playground, activity programme, mini disco, children's games area, hotel run kids' club for 4-12 yrs, children's entertainer

Distances

    5km from the centre of Lara
    The historic city of Antalya is 15km away
    Distance from airport: 20 – 30 minutes

Lara Turizm Merkezi, Lara, 07230 Antalya, Turkey
+90 242 352 0202

Newcastle Quayside Baltic

The Quayside is an area along the banks (quay) of the River Tyne in Newcastle upon Tyne (the north bank) and Gateshead (south bank) in the North East of England, United Kingdom.

The area was once an industrial area and busy commercial dockside serving the area, while the Newcastle side also hosted a regular street market. In recent years as the docks became run-down, and the area has since been heavily redeveloped to provide a modern environment for the modern arts, music and culture, as well as new housing developments. The NewcastleGateshead initiative now lists the Quayside as a top ten attraction.

Along the Newcastle side is an area that houses restaurants, bars and night clubs as well as housing and the Newcastle Law Courts. Quayside is also the name of the street running along the Newcastle riverside.

The Gateshead side of the river is designated and sign-posted as Gateshead Quays. It is the site of the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and The Sage Gateshead performing arts and conference centre. Also moored on the Gateshead side from 1984 until 2008 was the Tuxedo Princess (replaced for a time by sister ship Tuxedo Royale), a floating nightclub, beneath the Tyne Bridge near The Sage.

One of the Quayside's main features is the pedestrian Gateshead Millennium Bridge, opened in 2001, which spans the river between the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and the Newcastle Law Courts. The other bridge which allows direct road and pedestrian links between the two banks is the low level Swing Bridge, built in 1876, and located nearer the two respective city centres. Using the two bridges, the Quayside is the venue for the junior course of the annual Great North Run.

Public Transport

While most commercial bus services do not serve the quayside directly, there is however a Nexus contract with one bus company. The current bus company is Go North East, formerly it was Stagecoach North East-with part funding from councils for electric hybrid vehicles, Design Olymbus.

QuayLink connects most of the main attractions and destinations in Newcastle-Gateshead serving those who live, work, study, or those just visiting the area.

The buses run frequently, from early until late, 7 days a week. There are two QuayLink routes: Q1 serves Central Station, Monument, the Quayside, The Sage Gateshead, Gateshead College's Baltic Campus, BALTIC and Gateshead Interchange Q2 serves Haymarket, Monument, the Quayside, Ouseburn Valley and on to St Peter's Basin Both services travel between Newcastle Quayside and Monument via Dean Street and Grey Street

Royal Liver Building, Liverpool, England

Royal Liver Building, Liverpool, England

The Royal Liver Building is one of Liverpool's iconic Three Graces. Built in 1911 it sits majestically on the Liverpool waterfront. 

The Royal Liver Building is a Grade I listed building located in Liverpool, England.At the top are two towers and on top of each there sits a Liver Bird statue, a Liverpool icon in itself. The story goes that if these Liver Birds every fly away then the city of Liverpool will fall. I even have a plush Liver Bird which was bought for me about 25 years ago. The birds are apparently a cross between an eagle and a cormorant, a bird which is a sign of good luck to sailors.

The Liverpool liver building has two clocks which are 25 feet in diameter.Each tower also has a clock face larger than those on big Ben. These clocks started moving at the exact time of King George's coronation.  They are the largest electronically driven clocks in England.

The Royal Liver Building was England's first skyscraper and stands 13 floors tall. It was the first building to use reinforced concrete in its construction.

The building itself is still in use today, most notably by Royal Liver Insurance which has always had it's offices here.

It is a stunning building which is definitely worth a visit.

Address: Pier Head, Liverpool, Merseyside L3 1HU, United Kingdom
Construction started: 1908
Opened: 1911
Owner: Royal Liver Assurance Group
Phone: +44 151 236 4859
Architect: Walter Aubrey Thomas
Architectural styles: Baroque architecture, Byzantine architecture