Archive for the ‘History’ Category

Tampa Girl Scouts Celebrate Anniversary

History | Posted by admin
Mar 18 2010

March 12 was the 98th anniversary of Girl Scouting in the United States.Troops all over the United states celebrated the day their founder, Juliette Gordon Low, gathered 18 girls at her home in to start the movement that teaches millions of young girls nation wide leadership skills every year. Girl Scout Week is celebrated every March, starting with Girl Scout Sunday and ending with Girl Scout Sabbath on a Saturday, and it always includes the Girl Scout’s official anniversary. Today’s values of self-discovery and community service remain just as solid a part of the organization, as they were when the movement began. Girl Scout Sunday gives girls an opportunity to attend their place of worship and be recognized as a Girl Scout. Girls often perform a service for a place of worship if it is the group sponsor during these festivities. These are also days girls can use as an excuse to learn about and explore other faiths.

The SunTrust Financial Centre in downtown Tampa had green lights lighting it’s building March 7-13 to commemorate Girl Scout Week. Stiles Property Management, the building’s manager, agreed to light up the tower after Girl Scouts of West Central Florida contacted the company in February. The GSWCF spokeswoman had seen the 36-story office tower lit up for other special events and felt it would be a good way to draw attention to Girl Scout Week.

Don’t forget to support your local troops the next time you see them selling those delicious, and some what addictive, cookies; the proceeds go toward sending those girls on the camping trips and field trips the organization is famous for. In April the Girl Scouts of West Central Florida have many spectacular activities lined up. They will kick the month off with space camp and even go swimming with manatees at Crystal River.

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Anne Frank House and Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam

History, Travel | Posted by admin
Dec 28 2009

Amsterdam is famous across the world for many of its contemporary cultural aspects that are either illegal or considered to be taboo in many other countries and regions. This alone draws millions of tourists to this capital of the Netherlands, though it is definitively not the most significant factors of the city. Amsterdam also has an incredibly interesting history and has many cultural attractions that relate and testify to it. The Amsterdam Stock Exchange, which is located in the city centre also happens to be the oldest in the world and serves as one of its icons. The Anne Frank House and the Van Gogh Museum are two the most popular visitor attractions in the city and many of the tourists who are staying in one of the luxury resorts or best Amsterdam hotel visit both of these landmarks during their visit.

The Anne Frank House is now a famous museum that is located on the Prinsengracht where Frank and her family once hid during the Nazi persecution surrounding the second world war. The actual hiding place of the Frank family is in the back of the building that now honors it. The purpose of the museum is to preserve the hiding place, known in Dutch as the Achterhuis, as well as to display various items related to the family and the period. The museum also serves to highlight and demonstrate all forms of discrimination and persecution.

The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam contains the largest collection of paintings and drawings in the world from Vincent Van Gogh. The main exhibit in the museum also serves to chronicle the life and work phases of this great artist. Some of the highlights in this exhibit include one of the Sunflowers paintings, for which he is most known, as well as The Potato Eaters and Bedroom in Aries. The museum also houses extensive collections from the 19th Century.

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Hot Tubs in History

History, Leisure | Posted by admin
Sep 21 2009

For many of us, we think of hot tubs as being a fairly modern invention and until quite recently was something reserved for the rich and famous. Hot tubs were a luxury that only the wealthy could afford. Actually hot tubs, in one form or another have been around for centuries. History has taught us about the bathhouses that were so popular with the Roman aristocrats. They were not only appreciated for the relaxation and health benefits from these hot baths, they were also a place for socializing with family and friends. This was usually a daily ritual. The ancient Chinese and Japanese were also great lovers of the hot baths, which were spa like. Cleanliness was also a symbol of prosperity as only the wealthy could afford the facilities of such hot baths. Even though many of the hot baths were functioning on a mediocre level, they were still a desired item, were still a status symbol.

Over the years, with the advancement of technology and more and more manufacturers, the hot tub has become fairly common among the general population. With this technology has come the knowledge to produce durable, well functioning units made of high-grade materials. Now, there are many, many different types and styles, makes and models of hot tubs. There are also many options and accessories with the modern hot tub. When production became streamlined and manufacturers were able to produce large quantities, the price came down and the hot tub was no longer just for the very wealthy. Choosehottubsdirect.com will provide further information. Now, more and more people are able to enjoy the simple pleasures of soaking in a hot tub, socializing with friends while easing away the cares of the day. More people today, just like centuries past, are realizing the health benefits found in the heated water of a hot tub.

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New York’s Hudson Valley

History, Travel | Posted by admin
Sep 09 2009

The Hudson Valley of New York state extend north ward from New York City to Albany. It is defined as any area in which the waters end up in the Hudson River. This include out to Binghamton to the west and into Connecticut to the east. The Hudson Valley is lush and green in the summer. The hills roll away from the river endlessly and hide in their nooks and crannies many small towns bergs and villages. Much of the modern history in NY centers around migration of the Europeans beginning in the 15Th centuries with the early explorers of Verrezano and Hudson. A beautiful way to see this history is by driving the roads up along the river. Many spectacular views quaint towns and villages and early US history are every where. Your boutique hotel in New York will have a lot of information on seeing the Hudson Valley. Going north from NY city there is Yonkers the first city established north of NY. The urban sprawl is continuous from NY to here but not too much further north the setting is much more rural and more forest. Old pre colonial towns dot the river banks. Today many are full of antique, curio, gift shops and galleries fun places to eat and explore. Many have B and B’s for a quaint place to stay. Accommodations can be limited in some towns so you may want to plan a head. Sitting by the river is nice it is about a mile wide in most places and is very deep the force of the river can be felt when down by the river. In Cold Spring NY is a pier where you can get out far enough to look up the river north toward the cities Beacon and Newburgh. Both have revitalized water front areas with fine river views and walk

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Raj Ghat Memorial in Delhi

Arts & Culture, History, Travel | Posted by admin
Jan 18 2009

One of the jewels of India is the city of Delhi which is the country’s capital and its second largest metropolis by population. The city is famous for its incredible spiritual and historical sites as well as its amazing food and spectacular architecture. Every year, visitors ponder the contrast of this city that possesses both ancient landmarks and modern skyscrapers and absorb the unique energy and atmosphere provided by this vibrant and bustling global capital.

One of the more modern attractions in Delhi is the Raj Ghat. This memorial to the life and work of Mahatma Ghandi is also the leader’s final resting place. Located on the spot where Ghandi was cremated in 1948, it is one of the more peaceful, green spots in the city. Situated on the bankd os the Yamuna river, the memorial is a simple, raised black marble platform with a perpetual flame on one end. The memorial bears the phrase “Hē Ram” which are believed to by Gandhi’s last words. It literally translates to “O’ Ram” or “O God.”

The name “Raj Ghat” translates loosely to mean “King Court” which is a reference to the importance of the place, not an indication of royalty. There is a stone footpath that leads to the memorial. The footpath is flanked by lawns. There are also two nearby museums dedicated to Gandhi‘s life and historical impact. The cremation spots or samadhis of other famous Indian leaders are located on the river banks and easily reachable from Raj Ghat.

Visitors to the memorial must remove their shoes before nearing the shrine. Special prayer sessions are conducted at the shrine on the anniversaries of Gandhi’s birth and death and weekly ceremonies are held every Friday. The custom has developed in recent years for Foreign dignitaries to lay wreaths and flowers at the Raj Ghat on state visits to India.

The city has numerous other attractions such as the Red Fort, the Qutub Complex, and the India Gate. Visitors will also find numerous Delhi five star hotels, top restaurants, and great shopping in the many malls and bazaars. The city also offers museums, temples, and parks to keep tourists occupied during the day and dance performances, concerts, theater, bars, and clubs to keep them happy all night.

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