By Pushpitha Wijesinghe

The island nation of Sri Lanka, located off the coast of India has a heritage stretching back many centuries. Its strategic location in the Indian Ocean made it an important port of call even in ancient times, with traders from the Middle East, Persia, Thailand, Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia and other regions regularly visiting the island. Today Sri Lanka is a major tourist destination with its lovely beaches, forests and landscape as well as its historical sites attracting a large number of foreign visitors.

Sri Lanka contains a vast variety of flora and fauna, and due to the varied climatic and environmental conditions of the different parts of the island, each region possesses unique vegetation and wildlife. The island’s coastal areas also offer a profusion of aquatic life, including dolphins, whales, marine turtles and unusual creatures like eels, rays, Moorish Idols, and clownfish.

Whale watching off the shores of Sri Lanka is steadily emerging as a favourite pastime for tourists, with the varieties to be seen including blue whales, sperm whales, Bryde’s whales, killer whales, Cuvier’s Beaked Whales and melon headed whales.

Dondra Point in Sri Lanka’s south is the main centre for whale watching in the island. Whales may be seen in the period from December to April with January, April and December being the peak months. At this time whales can be seen frequently, particularly sperm whales and blue whales, with the migration route of the latter passing through the area. Whale watching can also be enjoyed on the eastern shores of the island from June to September.

Whales are classified as baleen whales (such as blue whales and humpback whales) and toothed whales (like the sperm whale, killer whale and pilot whale). Some whale behaviours such as whale songs, ‘breaching’ and tail slapping are still largely a mystery. As the largest creatures that have ever lived, whales continue to awe and fascinate.

For travellers in search of Sri Lanka hotels, the properties of the John Keells Hotels Group are an ideal choice. Conveniently located in many prime tourist destinations, these luxurious hotels will exceed expectations. With regard to Sri Lanka travel John Keells Hotels are unsurpassed.

About the Author

Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.

By Tony Ferraro

Spring break is a time when many northern, college coeds head south in search of letting loose at a hot, sun-drenched destination. There are many popular locations for a warm and sunny spring break. Some hotspots include Daytona Beach , Montego Bay, the Bahamas, Cancun, and Mazatlan to name a few. However, the king of all spring break getaways remains the ever popular Mexico! In this article, the three top Mexican spring break locations will be described to help you pick the best fit for your next spring fling.

When many people hear the word Cancun, they envision lots of young, sexy college spring breakers partying it up and sipping on dirty margaritas and frosty Coronas. Cancun has long been considered the top location for a wild and crazy spring break experience. Some unique offerings of Cancun include a 15-mile long coastal sandbar of beautiful white sand beaches, a vast amount of top hotels right on the beach, and the most exotic clubs around. In addition, Cancun is the home to the ever popular Oasis. The Oasis houses the official MTV Spring Break Headquarters, has a pool a quarter of a mile long, and multiple extravagant swim-up bars. Oasis has also been a prime location for Maxim among other top brands. Another benefit of visiting Cancun is its location, just hop on a plane, arrive in Cancun, and you’re ready to party.

In position two for prime Mexican spring break destinations is Acapulco. Acapulco is known as the Mexican city that never sleeps! Some highly sought after attractions include the world famous nightlife and the cliff divers. The cliff divers are a venue beyond compare. This attraction features fearless divers who leap off of a 130 foot ledge into a mere 12 foot deep cove. Furthermore, the nightlife in Acapulco puts many other spring break locations to shame. Acapulco’s clubs have also hosted a variety of big name performers such as Fat Joe, Flo Rida, and DJ Skribble just to name a few.

Last but not least is Mazatlan. Located along the Pacific coast, it provides the longest stretch of continuous beaches in all of Mexico. Mazatlan has been known to deliver just as much entertainment as other spring break destinations for nearly half the cost. One of Mazatlan’s most well known hotspots is Coliseo’s Disco, it is the biggest nightclub and is round just like a coliseum. Mazatlan also provides a bit more spice to its scenery compared to its competitor locations by boasting a jungle-like setting with panoramic sunset views.

Mexico has many choices to offer for an unforgettable spring break experience, it is just up to you to decide where you want to go. However, one thing is for sure… if you head to Mexico for spring break you won’t be disappointed!

About the Author

Check out more Spring Break hot spots at http://www.springbreakshare.com

Lovingly located 18 miles northwest of Lisbon, on the Portuguese west coast, the lavishly ornate Mafra National Palace literally defies description. Magnificent, vast and quite overwhelming; the Baroque Royal Palace was built to fulfill a sovereign promise made by King João (John) V to the Queen, Mary of Austria.

If the Queen would bear King João V a son and heir to the throne, the extravagant monarch would build Mary of Austria a palace that would rival any kingdom in the world.

King João V kept that promise. Construction commenced with the ceremonial laying of the first stone on November 17, 1717 with a grand ceremony in the presence of King João V, Queen Mary, attended by his entire court and the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon.

In keeping his promise to his Queen, King João V also kept his previous promise to the church to build a new monastery for 13 Franciscan friars as a seal of his faith and in penance for his well-known sexual extravagances.

Considered the most important Portuguese Baroque monument from the 18th Century, the grandiose Mafra National Palace encompasses a basilica, the royal majestic palace and a beautiful convent, of the Order of St. Francis. Mafra Palace’s exhibit of exquisite Italian sculptures is unsurpassed; the remarkable group of sculptures in the entrance of the Church – the greatest of its kind in the world, with 58 marble statues commissioned from the leading Roman sculptors of their time is an artistic achievement. The magnificent sets of bells, carillons and organs are the finest anywhere.

Photo by: Georges Jansoone CC License 3.0

King João V wanted the palace and basilica to compete in grandeur and magnificence with St. Peter’s in Rome and Spain’s Escorial Palace. It seems the King had a bit of an attitude towards the controlling power of the Vatican, the palace at Mafra was his response.

Generously financed by the abundance of Brazilian gold and ruthlessly driven by the monarch’s angry ambition to rival the splendor of Papal Rome, the project grew out of all proportion. After several alterations in plans, the King himself ordered the monastery to be increased to accommodate three hundred friars, whilst guaranteeing the funds required for the completion of the palace’s construction.

At the time it seemed that such a herculean project would never be completed. Artisans, craftsmen and workers from all over the world were secured. At one point, there were 50,000 men working on the project. More than 7,000 soldiers were deployed to oversee the workforce.

King João V appointed a German goldsmith, Johann Friedrich Ludwig (called by the Portuguese as João Frederico Ludovice) as his architect and under his diligent supervision the workers created 880 grand halls, ballrooms and general rooms, 5,200 doorways, 2,500 windows, 154 grand staircases, 29 impressive courtyards and two incredible bell towers that boast the world’s largest collection of bells (56 in each). The joyous peal of the bells can be heard for 15 miles.

The halcyon Mafra Palace was inaugurated in 1730 with a memorable celebration that lasted eight days and included most of the 57,000 workmen and soldiers who had been involved in its construction.

Although the Basilica was consecrated in 1730, the palace construction was far from finished. Final detailed work on the project continued for a number of years.

The palace was constructed symmetrically, radiating from a central axis, occupied by the basilica and continues lengthwise through the main limestone facade until reaching two major towers. The structures of the convent are secreted behind the main façade. The Mafra Palace also houses the famous palace royal library.

Photo Courtesy of IPPAR CC License 3.0

The Rococo Library, located at the back of the second floor, is truly the highlight of this remarkable palace, rivaling the glory and grandeur of the library of the Melk Abbey in Austria.

The Mafra Palace’s precious library collection of over 40,000 rare books is unique in the world. The extensive treasure of rare books, attesting of the extent of western knowledge from the 14th to the 19th century, is preserved by ancient, time proven methods. The rules are strict; no direct sunlight, jacaranda wood shelving, air circulation between the walls and the palace hosts a huge bat colony to combat destructive insects.

The spacious royal living suites are situated on the second floor. The King’s quarters were on one end of the palace while the Queen’s lavish apartment was located at the other end of the palace. The distance was so great that when the King left his suite to go to the Queen’s quarters, his departure was announced to the Queen by the sound of trumpets.

Within a giant courtyard behind the church and the palace is situated the monastery of the Franciscan monks of the Arrabida Order (Ordem de São Francisco da Província da Arrábida). The blessed monastery has cells for about 330 friars in long corridors on several floors, a pharmacy and small hospital.

Mafra Royal Palace was rarely occupied permanently by royalty, who considered the rooms too dank and gloomy. However, it was a popular holiday destination for the members of the royal family who enjoyed hunting in the nearby Tapada National de Mafra game preserve.

The Tapada Nacional de Mafra, a breathtakingly beautiful wildlife park that adjoins the palace, was also created during the reign of King João V. This inviting natural park was built for royal and court recreation and entertainment. In addition to its role as a hunting reserve to educate and delight young royalty, the reserve provided food and firewood for the palace and the religious community.

Photo by: Julio Reis CC License 2.5

Covering over 8 square kilometers, the park holds many different species of wild boar, fox, deer and birds of prey. A rich diversity of wildlife coexists in an unusually rich and diversified natural habitat. A favorite of the Portuguese monarchy for hunting and other leisure pursuits, the Tapada de Mafra took on a noble connotation that has done much to aid its continuity and preservation.

The Royal quarters were last occupied by Dom Manuel II as an overnight resting-place on his bold escape to England in 1910 aboard his yacht moored secretly at the nearby port of Ericeira.

The royal palace is cloaked with many legends. Locals tell frightening stories of giant rats, capable of killing and eating people that inhabit the palace. The rats are said to leave at night in order to prey on the cats and dogs of the area. The origin of this legend is the gigantic sewer system built beneath the palace.

Another often told legend speaks about the existence of a secret tunnel, linking Mafra to Ericeira. King Manuel II reportedly used the tunnel to escape exile and remained in Portugal. There are also many alleged connections between the Palace’s location and the mystery and mythology surrounding the Fifth Empire.

Everyone knows that Austria is the country where world-renowned classical composer, Mozart, hailed from. However, there is still much, much more that Austria has to offer – exciting things to do and spectacular sights to see when you spend your family holidays in Austria.

To make the most out of your trip to Austria, one of the things you should do is to pay homage to classical music. You can catch an opera being shown at one of the many opera houses around the country. Better yet, watch the opera at St. Martinstrum, the world’s largest floating opera stage, for a truly unforgettable experience. You can also attend Sunday mass at the Hofburg Chapel so you can listen to the Vienna Boy’s Choir sing – a tradition started in 1498, or simply buy a ticket to an orchestra concert.

You can even listen to the classical pieces of Mozart, Haydn, Schubert and other Austrian composers while watching the famous Lipizzaner horses perform dressage at its finest at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna or at a farm in Piber. If you’re not a musical person, though, you can simply visit the houses where Mozart and his colleagues once lived. These places are now considered must-see attractions in Austria, particularly the Figaro House, where Mozart composed “The Marriage of Figaro”.

Once you’re done with the classical music scene, have your fill of more contemporary music by going to Salzburg and taking “The Sound of Music” Tour. It’s sure to be a fun part of your family holidays in Austria, particularly since you’ll get to see familiar sights from the movie while learning new trivia about it. You’ll visit the Mirabell Gardens where Julie Andrews and the Von Trapp children sang “Do-Re-Mi”, as well as the Leopoldskron Castle and the Nonnberg Abbey.

Afterwards, it’s time to feast your eyes on Austria’s spectacular natural scenery. This can be done best by taking a cable car to Hafelekar in the mountainous Tirol region or by going on a hiking trip through the Austrian Alps. Not exciting enough? Then your trip to Austria must include a hang-gliding expedition from one of the mountain peaks for a more exhilirating experience.

Cycling should also be on your list of things to do while spending your family holidays in Austria. After all, Austria is also popular for its many cycling routes, especially the Danube path from Passau to Vienna.

Last but not the least, you should also take some time to take in the romantic ambience of Austria by taking a stroll through the baroque gardens in Salzburg and Vienna. Don’t forget that Austria has some beautiful castles that are worth touring, too, especially the Schonbrunn Palace, which used to be the summer home of the Habsburg royal family and later on, Napoleon’s headquarters.

Once you’ve done all these, you’re sure to leave Austria happy, although a part of you is guaranteed to be left behind. You’ll want to come back and have another round of family holidays in Austria, too, so you can relive the sights, sounds and memories that make Austria one of the best travel destinations in the world.

Author Resource:-> Isabella Olsen is a travel writer who has toured major destinations worldwide, including Austria, by car. To book your rental cars in Austria or learn more about renting cars worldwide, visit www.zencarhire.com.

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