The Sydney Opera House is more than the city’s premiere multi-venue performing arts complex. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 and stands as a major cultural icon. It is one of the most famous performance arts venues in the world, and also is distinctive in its design of 20th Century architecture. It is located in Sydney Harbour on Bennelong Point. It is close to other major landmarks including the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Royal Botanic Gardens. This is not only a local cultural center but serves as one of the main attractions for tourists. Guests staying in luxury hotel Australia make it a point to not only tour the site and the surrounding neighborhood, but also see one of the world class performances hosted there.
In addition to its main opera theatre, the House has many separate performance spaces. The Opera Hall and Concert Hall are easily identified and defined by the largest of exterior shells that compose the building. Three of the other venues, smaller though also popular, are the Drama Theatre, the Studio and the Playhouse. The Drama Theatre is a proscenium stage and has a seating capacity of 544 people. It is the home of the Sydney Theatre Company and also hosts various other dance and theatre performances. The Studio is a small flexible space that seats a maximum of 400. It is perfect for more experimental works. The Playhouse is a small end-stage theatre and has a seating capacity of 398. There is also an open air venue that uses the Memorial Steps for audience seating. There is a recording studio, souvenir shops and a small multi-purpose room.
Some of the more famous companies that perform in this multi-facility venue include Opera Sydney, the Australian Ballet and the Sydney Symphony, in addition to the Sydney Theatre Company that was mentioned earlier. The Bennelong Restaurant is also located in the complex, along with four other restaurants. This guarantees that the audience members have a diverse selection of pre and post show dining, drink and appetizer options.
South Africa is a very diverse country, one the most multi-cultural nations in the entire world. Many groups of different ethnicity live together and work together, in business such as a local restaurant or marketplace, a farm to a boutique hotel. Cape Town residents and all those living in the various cities must have rules of etiquette to avoid offending those with which they spend so much time. As well as the indigenous tribes of the region, immigration has brought in those from China, India, and white Europeans. These are all cultures that are drastically different from one another. It is difficult to outline a general set of etiquette, as a result of the great diversity, however for those traveling or moving to the country there are some guidelines.
The family unit is of utmost importance. Extended family members are considered close, as close as the nuclear family ties. Many of the people are moving to the larger cities such as Johannesburg and Cape Town, from their small villages in search of work and the opportunities provided in those cities, and it is quite common for those in the cities to continue to support those members still living in their hometowns.
There is quite a difference in those that are living in the urban districts and those living in the rural communities. Those living in the cities live in the fast paced world common to all large cities of the world. Those in the cities are sometimes regarded as materialistic, opposite of those on the farms and in the small villages, who are characterized as valuing the human decency over economic wealth and material gain. City dwellers are known in some cases to view those on the farms, as less sophisticated, which is true in many societies, not just those in South Africa. All the friendships and relationships of the cultures rely on the understanding and respect of the customs and the traditions of those they live amongst.
Many other sports have grown in popularity over the years in Dubai. However, only one is so traditional a practice that it has become part of the culture, and that is racing of Camels. Tourists from around the world come to the city to witness this, every restaurant fills up, every luxury hotel, Dubai becomes the playground for international visitors. Camels have played an integral part in the development of Dubai. They are considered one of the lifelines in the desert. And now with the celebrations surrounding the races, they have become not only the work animals, but the beloved and cherished animals as well. Not only are the races in and of themselves events, but events, such as festivals and special occasions are enhanced by the races. The whole Middle East has become the center of camel racing. Sometimes they are serious competitions, and sometimes, they are just pure entertainment.
The progress of Dubai has exploded, economically, developmentally and socially. This occurred so quickly that some of the traditions were losing the importance for the culture. Now, the animals whose only purpose in the past was transportation, have become symbols of affluence and cultural pride. The professional aspects of the racing are strictly enforced, and services are now available, much as with the breeders of the Thoroughbred horses in Leicester, UK, there are camel breeders and trainers now running programs. There are many high end tracks in the city currently, with races involving up to seventy camels at one time. Most times, admission to the races is free, however photos are prohibited at the tracks. This has however become quite a media event with live races being broadcast on the radio and television stations, and the results each day printed in the newspapers . The champion camels are often purchased by the sheiks, and the other wealthy citizens of the country as to own the winning camels has become a status symbol. Anyone traveling here for the first time should definitely witness one of these events.
The environmental group in Majorca, Oceana, has been conducting research in the waters surrounding the island. The have collected samples from over 300 species and about 15 different ecosystems. The expansion of a wellness resort and spa, with golf courses and conference rooms and 5 star hotel Majorca residents are worried that this will upset not only the diverse and abundant life just under the water but the plant life and wildlife that will be affected by the golf courses. They members of Oceana and the environmentally concerned locals fear that it will only get worse, as the wetlands and natural grass has been already negatively affected. They are making a desperate plea to the marine reserve there, El Toro to expand the area that should remain protected, the prohibiting future development in the area.
In the waters just east of the protected land, many species of coral have been found using under water robots. Coral that is already in danger of becoming extinct. Also found was a rare form of seaweed, calcified and not rooted in the sea floor, which provides home and habitat for many different species, and contributes to the wealth of this marine biodiversity. Laminaria, the most abundant species of algae in the Mediterranean is abundant but was seriously damaged with the trawling of the under water nets. And in amongst these species of underwater plant life, the robot found abundant trash. Garbage such as plastic bags, tires and lawn chairs. Thus leading to a call for further expansion of the reserve to protect the waters and the ocean floor gardens from fisherman. What is being proposed is an underwater scuba park in the waters between Ibiza and Majorca. This would insure growth in the tourism industry, will protecting and preserving the environment and the life that lives in that environment.