Shopping Malls in Bahrain About Hidden Gems in the Island State

When asked to enumerate top shopping destinations worldwide, most people would simply respond by pointing out popular examples such as London, New York, and Dubai. Many do not realize that such frequently mentioned shopping destinations are not necessary among the most exciting choices. Indeed, the shopping malls in Bahrain are truly top-notch; as such malls do not merely provide shoppers with great finds but also offer mall-goers an opportunity to indulge in the wonders of uniquely designed interiors. Without a doubt, Bahrain should be on top of one's list of global shopping destinations that are worth visiting.

Of course, those who are barely familiar with the island state would benefit from a quick rundown of some of the most notable shopping malls in Bahrain. As to be expected, the Bahrain Mall remains to be one of the most majestic of Bahrain's gifts to shoppers worldwide. Even before entering the mall, one's curiosity would immediately be piqued by the mall's design as it is patterned after an Arabic fortress. As to be expected, entering the mall is another jaw-dropping experience as the shops inside are not only varied but also seem to endlessly stretch past one's view.

As some have already realized after opting to visit Bahrain, the Dana Mall is another shopping center that is definitely worthy of praise. Featuring a traditional-looking exterior akin to the Bahrain Mall, the Dana Mall would also never fail to impress shoppers of all kinds. Upon closer scrutiny however, one would soon realize that the Dana Mall surpasses the Bahrain Mall in terms of elegance, as its walls and ceiling are seemingly made to please the most demanding royalties. Most importantly, boutiques, game centers, and even cinemas of all sorts completely fill the mall's vast interior.

Despite being much more contemporary in terms of design when compared to the previous examples, the Moda Mall is still breathtaking. Those who truly seek to experience luxury upon opting to visit Bahrain would definitely be pleased by the aforesaid mall, as it excels in allowing shoppers to experience a modern, if not cutting-edge, atmosphere of extravagance. Aside from giving patrons a chance to shop in a most luxurious manner, the Moda Mall also offers such shopping enthusiasts a chance to relax in the most lavish of means. Indeed, aside from being an exclusive shopping mall, the Moda Mall also functions as a five-star hotel.

A Perfect Celebration of Food in Dubai

While Dubai boasts a myriad of noteworthy cultural facets, only a few come close to its iconic cuisine. Those who have been to the great culinary event known as the Taste of Dubai would immediately agree that the seemingly simple opportunity of being able to experience Dubai's unique flavors should never be missed. Despite becoming aware of such an encouraging fact however, it is only to be expected that many would still be skeptical as to whether such a food-filled festivity warrants a visit to Dubai. So as not to miss a truly unique dining opportunity, those still in doubt should read on.

As it is highly praised as one of the best Dubai events, March 2012 would definitely be filled with excitement as the aforementioned food festival takes place. One of the main reasons as to why it is considered as the top attraction in Dubai during March, is that the festival brings forth both gastronomic and auditory pleasures. It should be pointed out though, that those behind the festival do not merely provide diners with a chance to eat while listening to suitable music, but they make it a point to showcase Dubai's best music artists so as to truly satisfy the crowd.

Aside from being an unforgettable dining experience, the Taste of Dubai is also touted as a memorable learning opportunity. While many are not aware, the festival also encompasses a myriad of accessible cooking lessons that should pique the interest of every food lover. Akin to the musical talents employed to intrigue diners, the chefs chosen to educate as well as entertain food enthusiasts are among the best in their profession. True cooking aficionados would surely recognize names such as Aldo Zilli and Richard Sandoval, and would truly be surprised upon realizing that such top chefs would directly interact with their fans.

When planning to attend global food festivals such as the Taste of Dubai, even the most enthusiastic food lovers would have to face a particular concern: how to entertain their children while also entertaining themselves. While many immediately give up upon realizing such a problem, those who spend a bit more time to learn more about the aforesaid gastronomic celebration would definitely be pleased with what they would find out: the festival also features a top-notch kid's area that would surely grab the attention of any child. Merely showing kids a picture of the massive play area would definitely make them want to go.

Ten Cafes in Chicago

Forget about Seattle, Chicago is actually the most caffeinated city in America. With average Chicagoans spending nearly three times the national average at coffeehouses, it's no surprise that the Windy City is home to some unique cafes. For those new to Chicago, you must pay patronage to the java gods by getting your caffeine buzz at least once from this list of Chicago's most aroma-arousing cafes and coffeehouses.

1. Earwax - (1561 N. Milwaukee - Wicker Park) - This un-aptly-named vegan brunch diner is just one of Wicker Park's peculiar places to score some joe. Don't let the name fool you, local hipsters speak highly of Earwax's bottomless cup of coffee. After you get your fix, check out the foreign film rental establishment below.

2. Mercury Cafe - (1505 W. Chicago - East Village) The enormous space within Mercury Café makes it a great place for gatherings of friends or other meetups. Or you can just isolate yourself and enjoy the tea, coffee, and espresso drinks available on their robust menu.

3. Wormhole - (1462 N. Milwaukee - Wicker Park) Make no mistake, this Wicker Park café is hipster-approved and certified. A charming place with an unmistakably funky vibe apparent from the collection of toys and novelty items decorating the walls. The pop-culture savvy will appreciate the humorous references to old-school video games, films, and Internet memes.

4. @Spot Café - (901 N. Larrabee - Noble Square) - A family-owned gourmet food and drink café with award-winning Paninis. This comfortable coffeehouse is a great place to relax and enjoy some local musicians or peruse the art on the walls.

5. Bridgeport Coffee Company - (3101 S. Morgan Street - Bridgeport) Perhaps the best café in Chicago's south side, the Bridgeport Coffee Company is a part of the neighborhood's history. Wi-fi, coffee, sandwiches, and fresh flowers on the tables - what more could you ask for?

6. Unicorn Café - (1723 Sherman Avenue - Evanston) Get away from the hustle and bustle of Chicago and take a trip just north of Chicago to check out this creative café in Evanston. A friendly place with a welcoming vibe may be just what new-in-town Chicagoans need to kick the big city blues.

7. Filter - (1373-75 N. Milwaukee - Wicker Park) It disappeared for some time, but the new and improved Filter has once again found its place as a staple of Wicker Park coffee. Thrift store décor and plenty of couches add to the comfy lounge environment where you can often find patrons with their requisite laptops or groups of friends.

8. Caffe Streets - (1750 W. Division - Bucktown) The wooden interiors give Caffe a rustic vibe perfect for enjoying their specialty coffees from different roasters. There's no Wi-fi, but this only adds to the down-home atmosphere, along with the friendly baristas.

9. Intelligentsia - (3123 N. Broadway - Lakeview) They have multiple locations now, but the most well-known can be found along the busy Broadway Avenue in Lakeview. These guys take coffee seriously, actually developing their own while working alongside growers. But don't let the hoity-toity attitude fool you, this café is just as accessible to the common man.

10.Julius Meinl - (4363 N. Lincoln - Lincoln Square) This international roaster offers a selection of premium coffee blends from all over the world. Known for impeccable service, interesting food, and a vibe of sophistication, this is a great place for intimate conversation.

Great Little Secrets to Enhance Your Travel Experience

Travel is exciting, but it can also be stressful. Over the years, I have come across many little tips from others that have been helpful in minimizing the stress and allowing that once-in-a-lifetime trip to be the wonderful and exciting experience it should be.

I want to thank all the people who have given me great tip advice over the years, and also those who have shared their wonderful travel tips in magazines and books. Frequent and experienced travelers, listen up, too. These tips may also be new to you.

The Coffee Pot Trick

So you went to a fancy schmancy restaurant and you had a great meal, but you have quite a bit left over and you don't want to toss it. No problem! Before leaving the restaurant, ask for some aluminum foil. The next day simply heat up the leftover food on the warming surface of the hotel coffee maker. It works like a charm. Just make sure there's no H2O in the reservoir.

Oh No -- Forgot My Shaving Cream!

I hate when this happens. But no problem. Your hair conditioner can do double duty. Conditioner does a great job of softening up those whiskers, and makes for a nice, smooth shave. Just check the shower area of your bathroom for the free little bottle of conditioner.

If You Wear Glasses, You Have To Do This Before Leaving For The Big Vacation

Before you take off, have your optometrist write you out a current up-to-date prescription. If you damage your glasses or even lose them while you're on your trip, head over to a large store like Walmart or BJ's. They can simply call your doctor and have the prescription filled. That way you don't have to go through the hassle of visiting an optometrist and getting a new prescription.

Don't Lose Your Cell Phone - I LOVE THIS TIP!

Cell phones are such a necessity these days. How did we ever live without them? Most cell phones nowadays are also cameras. When you travel, take a picture of your hotel's business card and use it as the background on your phone screen. If you lose your phone and someone finds it, the hotel where you're staying is the first thing they'll see. If they're a good person, maybe they'll return it to the hotel. This is especially useful in foreign countries because the business card is in the local language.

Five Art and Architecture Destination in India

From lotus temple in Delhi to wondrous Taj in Agra and marvelous sculptures & painting at Elephanta Island, India has a great number of destinations which entice architecture-lovers from far corners of globe. Here's my list of India's top 5 places to admire artistic creations. The list, however, has not been endorsed by any magazine or survey.

Agra: It may seem obvious, but it's not without a reason why Agra in state of Uttar Pradesh tops my list of places for art-lovers. Home to Taj Mahal: one of Seven Wonders of World, Agra is India's most talked-about tourist place. Taj Mahal, with its unique blend of Persian, Islamic and Indian architecture styles, is one of the most attention-grabbing manmade monuments on this earth. Amazing work of stone-cutting, carvings, paintings and calligraphy on white marvels leave all the visitors stunned. Even the domes & structures alongside the main complex add to the architectural beauty of this wonder. Beyond the Taj, visitors can experience flawless Mughal architecture at Red Fort. Fatehpur Shikri and other ancient buildings in the city are also worth exploring.

Delhi: Nothing beats a Delhi trip if you're the one inclined towards arts & cultures. One of the oldest cities in the world has turned to be a vibrant metropolis in India, but its age-old architectures & grand history still has a charismatic charm and never fails to impress architecture-admirers. The city has a long list of historical monuments with many of them designated as UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. From forts to monuments to religious sites, the city is like a museum of master architecture work. Mammoth Red Fort, towering Qutub Minar, impressive structure of Rasatrapati Bhawan and unique design of Lotos temple is sure to leave folks breathless. You can visit to Akashrdham Temple to view amazing carving & paint work of modern artisans.

Ajanta-Allora Caves: Stunning structures made by rock-cutting, Ajanta Caves hold an immense collection of sculptures and artworks pertaining to great Bhuddhist religion. This includes some famous paintings too, which remind us of Sigiriya paintings in Sri Lanks. As old as 2nd century BCE, these cave monuments have been a dream destination for artisans and archeologists. They are a world heritage site by UNESCO and are must-visit tourist spot in Indian state of Maharashtra.

Mahabalipuram: Mahabalipuram is undisputedly the most picturesque town of South India in sense of architectural beauty. Monolithic rock curved temples are the center of attraction, which are architectural masterpieces founded by Pallava kings. Wonderful Dravidain architectures backed with unsurpassable history & spiritualism in Mahabalipuram keep art-lovers and history-admirers flocking the city year-round. There are eight rathas in the town, which are made of rock-cutting and named after five pandawas of Mahabhartha and their wife Drupadi.

Why Interesting Facts About the Grand Canyon?

The Grand Canyon is one of the world's most famous natural wonders and is a favourite attraction to visit for tourists. Before going to visit the attraction, it might be an idea to get to know the site a little better; why not wow your friends and family or simply other tourists with these titbits of information on one of the world's greatest natural wonders?

The Grand Canyon is Arizona's number 1 tourist attraction. This is not particularly surprising considering the widespread fame of the canyon, but with places like Monument Valley and the Four Corners monument to compete with, the Grand Canyon has surely earned its position at the top.

At 277 miles long and up to 18 miles wide it is one of the Natural Wonders of the World. The huge gorge is joined on the list by other natural wonders such as the Aurora Borealis, Mount Everest and the Great Barrier Reef.

Only 10% of visitors enter the North Rim. This part of the canyon still gives visitors spectacular views of the canyon but the more familiar vistas of the South Rim draw in the larger numbers.

The Grand Canyon Skywalk was completed in 2007 at a cost of $31 million. This is located on the West Rim and allows visitors to walk out on the glass-bottomed platform. The Skywalk does have amazing views, but unfortunately cameras are not allowed on it, so some people leave the Skywalk feeling disappointed. For the best views of the canyon it would be more advisable to take a helicopter ride and perhaps incorporate the Skywalk into that trip.

Humans lived in the Grand Canyon around 4,000 years ago. Those who have travelled deep into the canyon discovered a number of caves, and in these caves were artefacts that proved there had been human existence long ago. Animal figurines that were a few inches tall were found, and they were made mostly from willow or cottonwood twigs.

The canyon is populated by 5 Native American tribes: the Hopi, Navajo, Havasupai, Paiute and Hualapai tribes. The ancient tribes live around the canyon area and some are happy to integrate with tourists, showing visitors all about the history of their ancestors and the cultural practices that have been passed down through the ages.

Getting Acquainted With The Routes And Lines

There are a good number of options to commute from one destination to the other. Depending upon the location and needs, traveling by railways can be a quite pleasant option. Traveling in sheer comfort amid the beautiful scenic backdrop is an incomparable experience and can only be provided by a train journey. This has been one of the best modes of public transport and continues to be the same till date. The present-day trains run on the latest fast track technologies, making the journey more comfortable, enjoyable and less time consuming. The high speed trains are capable of covering miles in a few hours with the help of this latest technology. Moreover, the reservation process has also been made hassle free in order to further enhance level of convenience.

Seeing the ever increasing popularity of railway transportation and to cater to the increasing needs of the passengers, more number of service providers are coming into picture. Merseyrail is one such popular name in the world of railway transportation, mainly centered at Liverpool. It is the official name of the national rail network, which has been leased for a period of 25 years (till 2028). The current Merseyrail network includes five pre-existing lines and a couple of new lines as well. These rail lines mainly include Mersey Railway, Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, Wirral Railway and Great Western Railway, Cheshire Lines Committee Railway, and the London and North Western Railway. Some of the operational paths, upon which the entire network operates, are listed below in this article.

Northern Line
This is one of the main original lines that are fully controlled by Merseyrail. This rail line operates from Hunts Cross through Brunswil Station. There are a good number of services that operate in this part of Liverpool. Regular trains run every 15 minutes from Monday to Saturday. A five minute halt at each station of this section is kept in order to make it easy for the boarders and those who have to leave. Connections to various other parts like Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria and Wigan Wallgate are also provided by this line.

Wirral Line
This is among the two initial commuter lines that were once controlled by Merseyrail. This line is mainly centered on the Merseyside region. Liverpool and Wirral peninsula are connected through the Mersey Tunnel with the help of this well managed line. This line further reaches out to the West Kirby, Ellesmere Port and New Brighton. A number of historic rail networks have been amalgamated in order to form this new network and connect the entire allocated region.