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Traveling can be quite an expensive hobby. There are many things to consider in your budget, like airfares or other cost of transportation, tour fees, entrance tickets, pocket money, and of course temporary lodging during you stay. Good thing that there are many hotels with quality accommodations while maintaining very affordable rates. It makes budgeting a little bit easier.
When one finds such a hotel, it is very likely that he will tell it to everyone he knows. And by word of mouth, it will be passed on to many people. This is how these hotels basically earn their good reputation. And this is how they become famous internationally. Some of these hotels are listed here.
There is JW Marriott Hotel Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This hotel has an impressive modern architectural design, having a glass facade that leads to the marble atrium lobby. It is located a few kilometers away from the waterfront, Dubai Museum, Ski Dubai and International Airport. The hotel is designed with modern Arabic touches and has state-of-the-art facilities and great amenities as well.
In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysai, the Hotel Imperial is very famous. This is a 38-story building, formerly known as The Sheraton Imperial conveniently located near the Convention Center and the Petronas Twin Towers. Their guests will enjoy shopping in luxurious boutiques and shops, dine in famous restaurants, and experience the thrill in several wine bars and nights spots. This hotel features a mixture of modern facilities and different architectural designs from different cultures. Lots of great amenities are also offered.
Another example is the Radisson Hotel Shimla in India. It is located in Shimla, a few kilometers away from Shimla Railway Station. This hotel features 59 guestrooms with breathtaking views overlooking the Himalayan Mountains. Amenities include high-speed Internet access, mini bars, and in-room safes. Restaurants boast delicious Indian and other International cuisines. Meeting rooms can accommodate up to 100 people. They guarantee first class service at cheap rates.
In Canada, the talk of the town is the Quality Hotel and Conference Center. This hotel is situated near the casino, the falls, and in the middle of the tourist district in Ontario. Guests can enjoy visiting to other local landmarks while staying in this hotel. Amenities included are whirlpool, wakeup service, safety deposit box (front desk), indoor and outdoor pools, and complimentary breakfast. Children 16 years old and below are free of charge. It is also near to the area attractions such the Butterfly Conservatory and many more. Quality Hotel and Conference Center is a smoke-free hotel.
The Berlin Marriott Hotel is in Germany. Although European vacations are generally expensive, your stay in Berlin Marriott is not so. This hotel offers first class accommodations at very irresistible rates. The hotel is also conveniently located near the famous attractions in Berlin. This makes your stay here a strike two in one deal.
Other hotels having international fame because of value for money accommodations are Sheraton Orlando Downtown, Radisson World Gate, Hotel Pointe Rivoli, Silver Springs Hotel, London House Hotel, Holiday Inn Central Plaza, Park Plaza Beijing Wangfujing, and Intercontinental Financial Street Beijing.
Also try Grand Angkasa Hotel (Medan), Best Western Anglo Swiss Hotel, Hotel Du Nord et de l'est, the Hotel Wolcott, Statler Hotel, Sutton Place Suites, and Lourdes Hotel Roissy.
If the hotel is being talked and widely raved about, chances are, the guests were really satisfied. And it will be worth trying it for yourself.
In 1889, the grand opening of Hotel Jerome in Aspen Colorado, established Aspen as a city of sophistication and culture. Since then, this Aspen hotel has indulged guests with the timeless experience of alluring elegance and tailored service.
A Leading Hotels of the World member, Hotel Jerome defines luxury with 92 distinctly appointed guestrooms and suites, inviting amenities, 24 hour in-room dining, twice-daily maid service and masterfully American cuisine. All of this, located in the heart of downtown Aspen.
For those who love the history and the breathtaking views of Rome we suggest the Hotel del Gianicolo. It’s situated on the Gianicolo’s hill, that is an enchanting place from where you can admire all the city. It is in a luxurious palace, supplied with all amenities. Near the hotel there is the famous cannone del Gianocolo that every day, for a hundred years at twelve o’clock it fires salvoes, so that all the bells of the city can set their time.
If you prefer to stay near the center, the shops and the locals we suggest the hotel Domus Tiberina, right in the centre of Trastevere. Our tourists told us about this hotel for its price and quality that are very good.
Trastevere is a very characteristic district of Rome and here we find the Hotel San Francesco, whose terrace takes advance of this and offers a view of all the historic centre. Our tourists recommend this hotel for the beauty of its position and also because is very convenient to go around Rome from here. The Hotel provides a meeting room that can accommodate thirty people
School vacations
During this period, the schools prepare for the next academic year so they undertake cleanup and maintenance exercises which cannot be done during normal class hours. Also, this period offers an opportunity for teachers to seek further education themselves, advancing their knowledge and skill levels for future endeavors.
Students
In some countries, students participate in programs such as organized sports, summer camps, and attend summer schools.They may also hang out with friends. High school students sometimes visit college and university campuses. It is also typical for teenagers to get a job during the summer vacation in order to raise some money to spend at their leisure. Many parents take time off work, in order to go on a family vacation during the summer. In general adults tend to use their vacation time during the summer months more than any other time of the year. These activities are far less common in the UK[citation needed], and when present, the clubs are run privately and charge a fee.
[edit] Criticisms and support
The concept of summer vacation has been criticized because students supposedly forget large amounts of information learned in the past year (See: Summer Learning Loss)[1][2]. Alternatives to summer vacation, such as year-round school or Winter Vacation are used by some schools.[1]
In the United States, any discussions or news stories about schools going year-round have included the claim that what is now summer vacation was originally given as time for kids to work on family farms for spring planting. This seems to be at odds with the facts of spring planting which comes long before summer vacation, and fall harvest which comes long after.
Other education reformers believed that children were overstimulated in a system which required 48 weeks of schooling. They believe that over-schooling could lead to nervous disorders, depression, and insanity[3]. They believe that children need the 2-3 months off to relax and also to take a break from other childhood stresses associated with school such as peer pressure, cliques, and bullying.
Some critics of summer vacation point out that American students spend approximately 180 day per year in school, but Asian students are in school of 250 days. This is consistent with the conclusions of researchers[4] who suggest that advanced abilities are in proportion to the time spent learning.
[edit] By country
In the United States, summer vacation lasts for almost 3 months. Most schools take summer vacation from early to mid June to Labor Day or from late May to late August. These dates vary depending on the location of the school district.
In Australia, the Summer season officially lasts from December to February, and therefore coincides with the Christmas and New Year holidays. The dates of Australian school holidays (the term used, rather than "vacation") are determined by each state's Department of Education, the Summer (also known as Christmas) holidays being the longest in duration. Typically Christmas or Summer holidays in Australia last approximately six weeks, usually from around December 20th (depending on school year, see below) to the last few days of January. While significantly shorter than the North American Summer vacation, Australian schools also break for two weeks at Easter, and in June and September, giving students and teachers a total of twelve weeks of annual holidays .In many public schools, years 10 through 12 will finish before December 20th, allowing time to complete exam marking and results. Year 10 commonly finishes at the end of November, Year 11 at the end of October, and year 12 also at the end of October after 3 weeks of end-of-year exams. This can bring the normal 12 weeks of vacation to 20 weeks of vacation. The intervening periods of school operation are called "School Terms", each term lasting approximately ten weeks. All Australian states have relatively similar holiday periods, but there is the ability for this to change around, such as for the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth games, when the first term in Victorian schools was shortened to 6 weeks and the other subsequently extended to 12 weeks each allowing people to attend the events. Most private schools in Australia have up to four weeks additional holidays, due to their longer teaching hours during term.
In New Zealand, the summer holidays for primary school students typically starts around 20 December, and ends around 7 February. For junior secondary school students (Years 9 and 10), school holidays typically start one week before primary school students. Senior secondary school students (Years 11, 12, and 13) officially start their summer holidays at the same time as the junior secondary school students, but the summer holidays for them start in mid-November, in the week before the first NCEA exams.
In the Republic of Ireland, most secondary schools get off for Summer on the last week of May or first week in June and don't return until the first or week in September. They also receive around two weeks for Easter and around another two weeks for Christmas and New Year, as well as another week around Halloween (called "Mid-Term") and another few days (usually 1 or 2) for St. Patrick's Day. Most schools also get every Bank Holiday off. Students doing exams (Junior Cert and Leaving Cert) have to come in some days during June to sit their exams but otherwise have the same break as those not doing exams. Primary schools in the Republic of Ireland follow the same pattern, though only get off for Summer at the end of June. All schools in Northern Ireland also follow the same pattern as primary schools in the Republic of Ireland, except students doing exams (GCSE and A-Levels), who get off at the start of May on "Study-Leave" and do the exams sometime in June, but still have the same Summer as those not doing exams.
In Canada, the first day of summer vacation is the Thursday before the last Friday of June. The last day of summer vacation is Labour Day.
In Scotland, school summer holidays start around the end of June and last for about seven weeks, with most schools returning in the middle of August. In addition to summer holidays, Scottish schools have one or two weeks in October, two weeks at Christmas and two weeks at Easter. A bank holiday in May, and one in September wraps it up for school holidays. Scottish schools get the fewest days off in the whole of the United Kingdom.
In state schools in England and Wales, summer holidays usually start in mid-July, and last until the first week of September - normally a duration of about six weeks. In addition, schools have three one-week-long half-term breaks (one at the end of October, one in mid February and one in late May) as well as two weeks off for Christmas and two weeks off for Easter - bringing the total number of weeks off per year to 13. Dates in the independent sector are likely to differ in that schools typically offer an extra week's holiday at the beginning and end of each of the long vacations - i.e. four weeks for Christmas and Easter and eight weeks in summer.
In Estonia, summer holidays start in the beginning of June, the date ranging for different grades. School begins every year on September 1.
In the Philippines, summer holidays for kindergarten, elementary, and high schools typically start on the third or last week of March and ends in the first week of June. This coincides the country's tropical summer months which span from March to May. Colleges and universities, however, offer summer classes for students who wants to take advanced subjects or those who fail to pass the prerequisites for the next school year. School year begins in the second week of June, the start of Philippines' wet season.
In Pakistan, summer vacation starts from May 31st, as annual examinations or semsters in schools, colleges and universities of the country end during the month, and last till the end of July owing to extreme summer.
In Israel,summer vacation for the middle school and high school (7th-12th grade) start at June 20th and end at September 1st. Lower grades are off to vacation on the 30th to June and ends at September 1st.
In India,summer vacation for schools start at April second week and ends at June first week.
In Malaysia, final term examinations begin in October, at times in September. The term ends usually around November 15, this marks the beginning of the vacation. A new term begins a day or two, sometimes a week after the New Year. This applies to kindergarten, elementary and high schools.
In Russia, summer vacation starts on the last week of May (for 1st-8th and 10th grades) and usually end on the 1st of September. For 9th and 11th grades, due to exams (EGE), the vacation starts in the middle (9th grade) or in the end (11th grade) of June.
In Saudi Arabia the summer vacation starts at the end of June than it ends in the middle of October.
The Indian Premier League (also known as the "DLF Indian Premier League" and often abbreviated as IPL), is a Twenty20 cricket competition created by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and chaired by the Chairman & Commissioner IPL, BCCI Vice President Lalit Modi. It is now the most watched domestic Twenty20 competition in the world[citation needed]. The first season of the Indian Premier League commenced on 18 April 2008, and ended on 1 June 2008 with the victory of the Rajasthan Royals against Chennai Super Kings in the final at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai.
As the second season of the IPL coincided with multi-phase 2009 Indian general elections, the Indian Government refused to commit security by Indian paramilitary forces. As a result, the BCCI decided to host the second season of the league outside India.[3] All 59 matches of the second season, abbreviated as IPL 2, are taking place in South Africa. BCCI blamed the attitude of the UPA-led governments at the centre and in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh for the decision.[4]
The Taliban (Pashto: طالبان ṭālibān, also anglicised as Taleban; translation: "students") is a Sunni Islamist, predominately Pashtun fundamentalist religious and political movement that governed Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001, when its leaders were removed from power by Northern Alliance and NATO forces. It has regrouped and since 2004 revived as a strong insurgency movement[3][4] fighting a guerrilla war against the current government of Afghanistan, Pakistan, allied NATO forces participating in Operation Enduring Freedom, and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).[5] It operates in Afghanistan and the Frontier Tribal Areas of Pakistan.[6]
The Taliban movement is headed by Mullah Mohammed Omar. Mullah Omar's original commanders were "a mixture of former small-unit military commanders and Madrasah teachers,"[7] and the rank and file made up mostly of Afghan refugees who had studied at Islamic religious schools in Pakistan. The overwhelming majority of the Taliban movement were ethnic Pashtuns from southern Afghanistan and western Pakistan, along with a smaller number of volunteers from Islamic countries or regions in North Africa, the Middle East and the former Soviet Union. The Taliban received valuable training, supplies and arms from the Pakistani government, particularly the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI),[8] and many recruits from Madrasahs for Afghan refugees in Pakistan, primarily ones established by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam JUI.[9]
Although in control of Afghanistan's capital (Kabul) and much or most of the country for five years, the Taliban regime, which called itself the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan," gained diplomatic recognition from only three states: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
The Taliban implemented one of the "strictest interpretation of Sharia law ever seen in the Muslim world"[10] including the complete ban of education for girls.[11] [12] and is widely criticized internationally for its treatment of women.[13]
The All Pakistan Muttahida Student Organization (APMSO) is notable for being the student organization that created its mother organization, the Muhajir Qaumi Movement, now called the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
In 1978, even before the formation of APMSO, Pakistani students were clearly split along ethnicity. In one of Pakistan’s well known universities, Karachi University, there were at least ten different groups of students. This included the Pakhtoon Student Federation, Baloch Student Organization, Punjabi Student Association, Punjabi Medico Organization, Sindhi Medico Organization, Jiye Sindh Student Organization, Sindhi Student Action Committee, Saraiki Student Organization, Kashmiri Student Federation, Balochistani Student Association, and the Islami Jamiyat-e-Talba (its not an ethnic student organization but an ideological one which calls for establishment of Shariah Law). Taking this into consideration one can determine that the only group that did not have proper representation was the Muhajir population. Knowing that the Muhajir people needed their own group to voice their needs, a group of Urdu speaking students of Karachi University, led by Altaf Hussain created the APMSO on June 11, 1978.APMSO is not connected with violence of ethnic nature in educational institutes in Pakistan, especially in southern city of Karachi, where it is predominantly strong.
[edit] Muhajir identity
Muhajirs had never liked the idea of identifying themselves on the basis of race or nationality and were always supportive of "Pakistani nationalism" instead of "regional nationalism." But circumstances forced them to seek their identity on ethnic lines.[1] The Muhajir sense of isolation came into being through a series of events. The three most important being the 1964 presidential elections, the 1972 language riots, and the post-1985 ethnic clashes between Muhajirs and non-Muhajirs in Karachi. "During the December 1964 presidential elections, the Muhajir population of Karachi experienced a wrath of a Pathan backlash when Gohar Ayub Khan, son of President Ayub Khan, launched a series of attacks on Muhajir communities because of their support for Fatimah Jinnah, the sister of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, against Ayub Khan.".[2] At this time Ayub Khan moved the federal capital from Karachi to Rawalpindi, causing further anger amongst the Muhajir community.
The 1972 language riots were caused by the passage of a language bill by the Sindhi Assembly declaring Sindhi to be the provincial language along with Urdu.
Slow Journey to Nationhood His regime's policies denationalized banks, insurance companies, and other big businesses. Initially, two banks were transferred from government to private management. Soon the government had earmarked 125 industrial units for privatization.[3]
In June 1978 the All Pakistan Muhajir Student Organization formed and took on the task of uniting the Muhajirs and demanding their rights. From the APMSO, in March 1984, was created the Muhajir Qaumi Movement. Now called the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), its ideology is based on Realism and Practicalism. "Acceptance of reality with an open heart is Realism, a concept based upon the philosophy of its Founder and Leader Mr. Altaf Hussain. Based on Realism positive achievement made through ideologically supported pragmatic programs is called Practicalism." [4] Because of its ideology, MQM was not welcomed by any part of the government, any political party, or any bureaucratic elite.
[edit] Karachi University & youth politics
Karachi University has been the hub of student political activity for many decades. "Student politics were born with the formation of Islami Jamiat Talba (IJT) and the Democratic Students' Federation (DSF) in 1948." Since then, numerous student political groups have emerged throughout the country representing different races, ethnicities, cultures, and ideologies.
"In the first few decades of Pakistan's existence, student politics was a symbol of the students' socio-political awareness." But change was quick and drastic, especially in the 1980s and 1990s. "Karachi University, like its host city, has always been a melting pot for students from all over the country. Its grounds have seen the spirited expression of various socio-political schools of thought, the gradual desensitisation of students after the military takeover of 1979 as well as the violent military crackdown on the APMSO-PSF conflict in 1993 that was followed by the indefinite deployment of Rangers on campus."[5] In April 1984 General Zia Ul-Haq imposed a ban on all student organizations throughout the country, which prohibited the "formation and continuance" of student unions and stipulated a punishment of violators of the regulation by rigorous imprisonment up to five years, by a fine, or by both.
Although political parties still exist on campus, authorities deny their presence. Because of the constant rise in violence, the number of student political activists has dropped tremendously. Today parents "fearfully raise their children to mind their own business, study to build careers, not ideologies and lead safe, peaceful lives in sheltered cocoons. While student attendance may be full at academic, entertainment, or sports events organized by these parties, for any other events, students hesitate.
Despite constant condemnation by university administration, media and even the general student body, these parties maintain that they still have a role to play in society. Some students attribute this intolerance to the intolerance of university authorities for students' expressions against injustice. Nabeel Husain, Incharge of APMSO's KU wing, adds to the case for political restoration of students, "We propose the restoration of a student union that has equal participation from all students. What we want is a students' parliament accommodating all the students in a peaceful, free environment."
According to the APMSO's KU Organizer Nabeel Husain, the alleged party workers had in fact nothing to do with APMSO, and that there have been numerous cases of students belonging to certain ethnic groups using the APMSO name to get out of attending classes. He insisted that his party strongly condemns students' missing classes for any reason. However, Nabeel does agree that security threats are indeed an issue and that the party has in the past requested the administration to provide security to some workers threatened by rival parties persisting to destroy the peace of the university.
To further the programme of national development and a nation-wide campaign against feudal domination, Mohajir Quami Movement was formally transformed into Muttahida Quami Movement on 26 July 1997. MQM led by its founder and leader Mr Altaf Hussain is the third largest political party of Pakistan and the second largest political party in the southern province of Sindh.
Violence erupts after 2 MQM workers slain, Daily Times
At least 23 people, including MQM political workers, were killed and several others wounded on Wednesday, as violence erupted in the city after two MQM workers were allegedly killed by some Pakhtoon members of the land mafia in North Karachi...More | Photographs
ALTAF HUSSAIN’S COMPASSIONATE APPEAL TO
THE CITIZENS OF KARACHI TO BRING CALM
Mr Altaf Hussain, founder and leader of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) addressing the people of Karachi particularly youth said that he is profoundly saddened, dismayed and in despair over the killings of more than 2 dozen citizens of Karachi as a result of unprovoked firing by the terrorists of land mafia, drug cartel, hardened criminals and Taliban and further said that every citizen of Karachi must be tearful. Mr Altaf Hussain compassionately and strongly appealing to the angry crowd asked them to exercise total restraint over this great tragedy and not let their patience run out while endeavour for the God sake, to save further lives from being lost. Mr Altaf Hussain also appealed to the leaders of all the political parties based in Karachi to play a positive and proactive role to bring peace in the areas under their influence.
