Michigan Vacation

Southern Bohemia in the Czech Republic is one of the most popular destinations for foreign tourists especially because of its numerous castles and chateaux. Last year almost one million sightseers explored the local historical sights.

In 2009 almost one million tourists visited castles and chateaus in Southern Bohemia in the Czech Republic. The year before (2008) there were even 60 thousand more visitors, reported Czech Press Agency.

According to the statistics released by the National Institute for the Preservation of Historical Monuments (NIPHM), among the biggest attractions were the chateaus Cesky Krumlov, Hluboka and Cervena Lhota. As the spokeswoman of the NIPHM Katerina Stychova said, a decline in the number of visitors in the historical monuments was expected but surprisingly the drop was not that significant.

Cesky Krumlov chateau is the South Bohemian number one historic sight for the last 15 years. In 2009, 311 thousand people visited the chateau and in 2008 it was even 27 thousand visitors more. “We were satisfied with the number of sightseers even though we welcomed fewer visitors. Taking into account the economic situation and general tendency of people to cut on holidays, we expected much worse results,” said Pavel Slavko, the chateau warden.

The only historic sight in the region that did not record any drop in tourist numbers was chateau Cervena Lhota. According to their administrator, Jan Mikeš , it is because they have opened a new tour that has managed to attract many people. Even this year the chateau managers plan to further improve the quality of services so that tourists keep coming back. For instance, a small theatre for approximately 30 people is to be opened in the attic, which should lure visitors even in the evenings.

Other tourism sights also try to fight the declining tourist numbers with innovative services. New tours are for example being prepared at castle Rozmberk. Chateau Kratochvile is currently reconstructing all exhibition rooms and halls. Most of the chateaux also open their premises to various cultural events and festivals, which proved to be an effective way to attract visitors from near and far.
www.tourism-review.com

The famous British tycoon Richard Branson is set to reveal his latest gift to the world - an underwater plane to provide tourists with the opportunity to voyage the bottom of the sea. He is certainly not the first person to have Jules Verne in mind when inventing something, yet he also has the cash to realize such an idea.

Richard Branson came to fame with his Virgin airline company and is often in the news for his business ventures, ranging from the publishing of magazines to the formation of train companies. Indeed, to say that the Virgin brand is all over the planet is in fact an understatement.

Branson is also infamous for his adventures “out of this world” as he has been known to dabble in space tourism. Now the brand goes from out of orbit to the deepest parts of our planet.

The Necker Nymph is set to be the strongest version of deep-sea travel ever, designed to glide peacefully over shallow reefs and dive down to the deepest places on earth using the same technology. As with the space travel, the deep sea tours are going to be offered topeople with a similar depth of pocket as Branson himself, yet it could do wonders for the Virgin brand and enhance the reputation of the tycoon himself.

The underwater vessel is expected to reach 35,000 ft. at first, before being adapted to go even deeper. The Marian trench, the deepest known place on earth, is the next target. It is expected that such vessels are to be dotted around the world to cover all seas possible and take any willing, and rich, tourist to any marine area they wish. The phrase “the sky is the limit” did not set high enough targets for Richard Branson and now shallow reefs, attractive as they may be, are also not enticing enough.

www.tourism-review.com

Britain is full of crazy events, which have seemingly been designed to simply make the newspapers and make people say, “I was there”. Events include lie telling; garlic eating, toe wrestling and snail racing.

The English are renowned for keeping to traditions and keeping their distance from the habits of others. Examples, which leap to mind, are the British measuring system, driving on the other side of the road and the British Pound.

The competitions the English think up are bizarre to say the least. Admittedly, there are odd festivals and folk events all over Europe - images of Spain, donkeys, bulls, tomatoes and giant tankards of Munich beer are prominent. Yet the English seem to have a skill in thinking up the most original competitions, all steeped in history and tradition.

Gawthorpe in West Yorkshire often reminisces over the mining era by holding a coal carrying competition. The event goes back to 1963 and the rules have never changed. Men carry 50 kg of the black stuff up a hill and women 20 kg until either the coal or the contestant drops.

A less painful but equally odd competition takes place annually to find the biggest liar in the world. Contestants are given the floor to prove that they are capable of making their stories convincing for at least 10 minutes. A recent winner told everybody that the Lake District was formed by the activities of moles and eels.

Moving on to food, garlic, asparagus and nettle eating festivals head the menu. They are perhaps not everybody’s cup of tea, yet they provide the best gastronomic entertainment in England throughout the year. For those without Eurosport or Sky Sports, there is always live snail racing in Norfolk on the 17th July. The winner receives a traditional tankard stuffed with lettuce, yet it is not recommended to spend too much time watching replays.

Crazy Events Calendar

World Coal Carrying Championships, April 5, Gawthorpe, West Yorkshire

Worcestershire Asparagus Festival, April 23 - May 31, Evesham

Annual Nettle-Eating Contest, June 12-13, Dorset

World Toe Wrestling Championship, August, Derbyshire

World Snail Racing Championships, July 17, Norfolk

Doggett’s Coat and Badge Race, July, London

Isle of Wight Garlic Festival, August 14 and 15

Biggest Liar in the World Competition, November, Cumbria

Flaming Barrels, December 31, Northumberland

www.tourism-review.com

HOUSTON - Magic-illusory feats of wonder that dazzle the eye and confound expectations-has fascinated humanity for centuries. Mesmerized by the masters of illusion who perform this mysterious craft, we’re drawn to the spectacle, curious to discover “How did they do that?”

Though their methods are enshrouded in secrecy, magicians combine the art of performance with a variety of scientific disciplines, including math, physics and psychology, to create their dazzling effects and fascinating illusions.

With a touch of hocus-pocus and a dash of abracadabra, the Houston Museum of Natural Science pulls a spectacular new exhibition out of its hat-Magic: The Science of Wonder, opening Friday, February 26, 2010. The extraordinary show examines how science and magic are intertwined through more than 100 fascinating artifacts and mesmerizing live performances. Magic is the perfect subject to inspire people of all ages, especially kids, to learn about the science behind magic and the world around them.

“In a way, it’s Science that gives us the language to experience Wonder. It’s the head-on collision of the two that inspires an unexpected feeling within…that’s what magic is all about for me,” said Scott Cervine, guest curator of the Houston Museum of Natural Science. “It’s no accident that Magic’s greatest innovators are often inventors or scientists first, who then become smitten with their own feeling of amazement and want to share it with a larger audience.”
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Presenting an array of artifacts connected with legendary performers of the past and present, the exhibition will also feature film and video clips of famous magicians, as well as guest illusionists performing live.

Among the many intriguing artifacts to be featured are torches for fire eating; magic lanterns and automatons; Harry Houdini’s trademark milk can and water escape trunk; Harry Blackstone’s “Zig Zag Girl” prop; Mike Caveney’s linking coat hangers; and items from the acts of Doug Henning, Penn & Teller, and other superstars of magic.

Walk Through the Exhibition
As visitors enter Magic, they will immediately pause at the impressive sight of a giant keyhole, which creates a feeling of ‘peering in’ to a secret room. At the end of the corridor, the ornate stone bust of a beautiful woman, modeled after Adelaide Herrmann, one of the feminine figures of magic history, stands seven feet tall. The eyes of the statue are closed, but her spirit draws visitors just the same.

Walking through the eccentric hallway that leads within, a glance from side to side reveals translucent walls and images of 22 well known magicians, such as Robert-Houdin, Harry Houdini, Blackstone, Dai Vernon and many other legends.

Then, travel through the history of magic. Learn how this mystical art began; meet famous magicians who transformed the art from the earliest recorded illusions, dated back to the first century A.D., to the present day, and find out how popular writers such as Chaucer and Rabelais used the colorful metaphor of the magician in their works.

Marvel at sensational relics used to ‘wow’ audiences - like the mysterious rapping hand illusion; a flea circus; and cups and balls-the earliest recorded illusion, this classic deception, in which the magician makes three small balls vanish and appear under three cups, is now known throughout the world.

Enter the Hall of Principles and discover different principles of magic through visual illustrations: appearance; disappearance; restoration; penetration; suspension; levitation; transformation; and transposition.

Then, discover the Women of Magic. See photographs, posters and props used by past performers, followed by contemporary women Magicians including Tina Lenert, who combines mime, story and magic to create her award-winning act.

Next, experience an all-new illusion by entering a life-size replica of Alexander Herrmann’s private train car, created especially for this exhibition. Known as Hermann the Great, Alexander traveled from one magical performance to the next by train with his wife, Adelaide; this powerful illusion -where visitors experience something akin to a séance led by the spirit of Adelaide Herrmann herself -is designed for only the bravest visitors.

Finally, enter a live theater, built from the ground up especially for this exhibition. At just under 100 seats, the theater’s ornate proscenium and red velvet curtain create a feeling of intimacy for visitors’ live encounter with one of our many award-winning Magicians.

Many, many other surprises are in store. The Houston Museum of Natural Science invites you to step out of everyday life and into a world where amazement lies around every corner.

Magic: The Science of Wonder, developed by the Houston Museum of Natural Science in partnership with Movies From The Heart, is generously supported by Weatherford International Ltd. and HMW Entertainment.

Magic: The Science of Wonder runs from Feb. 26 through Sept. 6, 2010. Tickets may be purchased online, which is recommended due to the expected popularity of this exhibit. For more information, visit the museum’s web site at www.hmns.org.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science-one of the nation’s most-heavily attended museums-is a centerpiece of the Houston Museum District. With four floors of permanent exhibit halls, including the Wortham IMAX® Theatre, Cockrell Butterfly Center, Burke Baker Planetarium and George Observatory and as host to world-class and ever-changing touring exhibitions, the Houston Museum has something to delight every age group. With such diverse and extraordinary offerings, a trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science, located at One Hermann Circle Drive in the heart of the Museum District, is always an adventure.

by Jimm Budd

The Mexico Cup Regatta starting 27 February kicks off what is being called a Nautical Extravaganza along the Nayarit Riviera just north of Puerto Vallarta. Most will be centered around the new marina, now the largest in the country. The regatta goes on for two weeks, during which at Latin American Boat Show will take place March 11 - 15 while beach volleyball championships will go on the first week of March, with Brazil and Spain taking part as well as the USA and Mexico.

Along with its big marina, the Nayarit Riviera includes four championship golf courses, innumerable hotels with spas, luxury resorts and others far from luxurious. The Riviera stretches for nearly 200 miles along the Pacific above Puerto Vallarta. An additional 230 hotel rooms are scheduled for completion in the area this year.