Thursday, November 30, 2017

Take A 360 Degree Tour Of South Africa


For the first time you can take a 360 degree tour of South Africa thanks to rangers, nature enthusiasts, guides and tech fans. These volunteers trekked for 12 months, and covered more than 900km on foot with a Google Street View camera, to map out 232 points of interest across all nine provinces in the country, including 6 UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Coordinated by loan program partner Drive South Africa, we can now see prominent tourist attractions including Kruger National Park, Table Mountain and Cape Point – as well as 17 previously un-trekked nature reserves – via Google Street View. What's amazing are the experiences these volunteers had while mapping the locations. On their journeys, the volunteers stumbled across some of the country’s most famous wildlife, including cheetah and elephant. To see them there - in the wild as nature intended instead of a zoo must have been stunning, and now we can zoom in to experience these beautiful landscapes ourselves.

Andre Van Kets, outdoor enthusiast and founder of the Cape Town-based travel company, approached Google about loaning the Street View Camera in order to, showcase South Africa to travellers around the globe.

Van Kets comments: “We’re delighted to be able to showcase some of South Africa’s best sites to people all over the world, including incredible untrekked nature reserves. Travellers and nature enthusiasts can explore some of the most beautiful areas in South Africa as though they are there themselves, all from the comfort of their armchair.

“The Trekker camera is a 22kg custom-made backpack fitted with 15 cameras pointing in all directions. The on-board technology plots the camera’s exact location on the trail. While recording, the camera takes a 360-degree photo every two-seconds. It’s basically the off-road equivalent of Google’s Street View cars.

Street View users can now walk in the footsteps of struggle icon Nelson Mandela, climb seven new trails to the top of Table Mountain, hike the famous five-day Otter Trail, track cheetah on foot and walk with elephant and other incredible wildlife.

Six of South Africa’s eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites are now waiting to be experienced. Users can see Mapungubwe Hill, home to an ancient African civilisation, the Richtersveld with its arid moonscapes, the towering Drakensberg Mountains, and iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa’s oldest UNESCO site and a critical habitat for a range of species.

The new trails extend the existing Street View imagery of South Africa’s wilderness areas to include all 19 national parks, 17 previously ‘un-trekked’ nature reserves and many sites of natural, cultural and historical significance in all nine provinces of South Africa. 


To showcase the launch of South Africa’s new Street View imagery, Drive South Africa has launched a microsite that gives would-be travellers a virtual experience of South Africa, South Africa 360.

The microsite South Africa in 360 - inspired by a similar project showcasing the US National Parks - is an immersive VR-adventure through South Africa’s four top tourist destinations and a collection of its lesser-known gems.  The site is a culmination of Street View imagery with video, photos and stories from the trail, offering viewers unique perspectives.

More than 200 South African volunteers from across the country were involved in the 12-month project, mapping out the parts of South Africa that they call home. Many were SANParks, CapeNature and KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife rangers and guides. Others were avid hikers, nature-lovers and tech enthusiasts.

We thank them all for bringing these natural treasures to the world!


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Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Indianapolis Symphonic Choir Presents A Festival of Carols


The Indianapolis Symphonic Choir are preparing for the annual tradition presentation of a Festival of Carols. Tickets for the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir’s annual holiday performances are on sale now, with performances beginning this weekend.

The upcoming performances of Festival of Carols feature the 200-voice Indianapolis Symphonic Choir, which is among the largest and oldest choruses in the nation, and will be joined by the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. This year, Festival of Carols also features two Spotlight Choirs: Center Grove High School, performing at the Schrott Center, and Avon High School performing at the Palladium. The Spotlight Choir series works to benefit high school choral music programs and achieve a balanced, complete education for young people.

Although the Symphonic Choir is best known for performing classical music, Festival of Carols features a selection of fan-favorite and traditional holiday music performed by chorus and orchestra. Tony Award-winner Alice Ripley will join the 2017 lineup at all five performances as a special guest soloist. Ripley is no stranger to Indiana; she attended DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind., and performed professionally for the first time at the Red Barn Summer Theatre in Frankfort, Ind. 

“Words barely capture the excitement I have with a star-studded cast like this for our 2017 Festival of Carols performances,” shares Artistic Director Eric Stark. “With a Tony Award-winning singer like Alice, combined plus full chorus and orchestra, the magic of the holiday season leaps off of the stage and into our audience’s hearts and memories.”

“The Symphonic Choir’s Christmas concerts have grown significantly, especially in the past 5 years,” states Executive Director Michael Pettry. “Part of the concert series’ growth stems from our strategy of using radio and television broadcasts, CDs, iTunes and other media to expand our audience reach. At the same time, it really comes down to the beauty and joy of holiday music that draws audiences to the performance. There’s nothing else like it!”

Order your Tickets To The Festival of Carols

The Indianapolis Symphonic Choir is honored to be one of the nation’s established and dynamic musical institutions. The Choir reaches in excess of 25,000 people each season with more than 25 performances and a comprehensive educational outreach program. For news about the Symphonic Choir and to order your tickets for upcoming performances visit the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir website.


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Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Soneva Kiri Invites You To Discover Koh Kood In Thailand


When looking for a unique experience for your next trip consider Soneva Kiri in Thailand. Those who book a stay in March of next year will receive complimentary experiences to discover the hidden secrets of the Thai island, Koh Kood.

While Koh Kood is Thailand's fourth largest, it is the least populated island, and home to the all-villa resort Soneva Kiri. With the new Secrets of Koh Kood offer, you'll receive complimentary experiences to explore as you immerse yourself in the culture of the island, which is home to more biodiversity than the entire island of Great Britain.

Soneva Kiri offers an unrivalled combination of luxury, an integral environmental approach, authentic Thai experiences and mouth-watering organic food. Soneva Kiri Resort comprises 36 vast pool villas on beach level, hillsides or cliff tops, all overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. Available to rent or purchase, all have impossibly chic furnishings, personal electric buggies and impeccable service courtesy of Mr./Ms. Friday private butlers. Highlights include the open-air Cinema Paradiso, a home-made chocolate and ice cream parlour, a high-tech Observatory, a manta ray shaped children's Den and the spectacular Treetop Dining Pod.

Complimentary Experiences Include:


  • Koh Kood Discovery Tour to see the highlights of the island
  • A visit to Koh Rang National Marine Park including snorkeling and lunch
  • Koh Kood Butterfly Quest with a local guide
  • A Thai cooking class and market tour with Soneva Kiri's celebrated Chef Benz
  • Stargazing with the resort's resident astronomer at the on-site state-of-the-art observatory


Plan Your Trip To Soneva Kiri 

To explore this and other experiences offer and book your trip with Soneva visit their website.

The Secrets of Koh Kood offer is only applicable for new bookings and is valid for stays at Soneva Kiri from March 1-31 in any villa category. All five experiences are available for guests during their stay and subject to availability, however only one experience can be arranged per day. The offer is applicable for individual bookings only and can be combined with other applicable promotions from Soneva.




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Sunday, November 26, 2017

Get Ready For Disney's Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire



As fans of Star Wars we're excited to see the next chapter in the Skywalker saga in theaters. We are also looking forward to the thrilling immersive experience Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire that is coming to Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando in Mid December. Plus, it will also premiere at Downtown Disney at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim in January.

“We are so excited about this magical collaboration between three boundary-pushing companies in the burgeoning out-of-home VR entertainment sector,” says Curtis Hickman, co-founder and chief creative officer at The VOID. “We can’t wait to share the experience of hyper-reality with everyone.”

These new additions to Disney offer a total immersion in the Star Wars universe. It's going to be amazing for us to be able to walk freely and untethered throughout the multi-sensory experience with friends and family. The Star Wars  experience takes on a adventure in groups of four, with teams going undercover as Stormtroopers to capture Imperial intelligence vital to the budding rebellion’s survival.

“People have longed for a chance to step into the Star Wars universe and this incredible new hyper-reality experience will allow them to do just that in a totally unique way,” notes Vicki Dobbs Beck, executive in charge, ILMxLAB. “It’s a group experience that evokes the senses in bold new ways.

Discover More About Disney's Star Wars  Experience

The VOID combines physical sets with real-time interactive effects to let you step beyond reality, engaging all senses in new and unimaginable hyper-realistic worlds. You can learn more about the new hyper-reality experience, and get your tickets for Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire now at www.thevoid.com.

Over at ILMxLAB, a Lucasfilm’s Immersive Entertainment division, they combine compelling storytelling, technological innovation and world-class production to create truly impactful, immersive entertainment experiences. And, they develop experiences for virtual reality, augmented/mixed reality, real-time cinema, theme park entertainment and narrative-based experiences for future platforms. For more information follow @ILMxLAB on Twitter.


Photo Credits: Lucasfilm/Walt Disney Company
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Saturday, November 25, 2017

Gunma: Fishing & Hiking Weekend at the Lake Nozori Camp Site


Autumn is here, and the kouyou (紅葉) foliage is yet another great reason to travel out of Tokyo and experience the great outdoors. A couple of weeks ago we had a small three-day weekend (sanrenkyu/三連休 in Japanese), which was just perfect for a short visit to Lake Nozori (野反湖) in Gunma prefecture.

Above: Finally arrived by Lake Nozoriko after a 3 1/2-hour car ride from Tokyo!
Lake Nozori is situated in the very north of Gunma, and is easiest to get to by car. If you don't have a Japanese license it is also possible to travel there by taking the bus from Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station (長野原草津口駅), a ride that takes approximately 60 minutes.

Right by the lake lies the Nozoriko Camping Ground (野反湖キャンプ場). Here you can rent a small mountain hut for the night. The price for a hut is the same no matter how many guests are staying there; the smaller huts can take up to 4 ppl and costs 6,500 yen/night while the bigger huts take up to 8 ppl and costs 17,500 yen/night.



We had rented two of the smaller huts, and both of the huts came prepared with futon mattresses and blankets. There are however no heating inside, so you better bring some warm clothes as it can get pretty cold at night. The huts did fortunately at least come with a consent, and this was apparently something that was added to the huts just recently. As you can see there was no shower or bathroom in the hut, but this was available in a separate building (coin shower was available at 200 yen/10 min).

Nozoriko is a part of the Joshinetsu Highland National Park, and for visitors to the campsite there are various activities one can try out. In our case we followed one of the hiking trails going up to Mt Ebiyama (恵比山) on the west side of the lake. It was easy to get around as there were many signs available around the lake area.


If you walk along the lakeside from the bungalow area you'll get to a camping site run by the same company as the small cottages. But if you prefer to tent rather than sleeping in a hut you still have to make sure to reserve in advance.

From the tenting area we took another path going up towards the mountain. Below are some pictures from the trail we followed.
We visited just in the middle of October, as you can see from the beautiful autumn colors!
Another activity we took part in during the weekend was trout fishing! This activity is available for only 1,500 yen/day for adults and 5,00 yen/day for children in the period between May 1st - November 10th (just make sure to bring your own equipment). Lake Nozoriko was in fact a popular place for fishermen; we saw quite a few people lined up to catch fish. It didn't seem like most of them had any luck though..
But Yuma managed to get a big trout that we cooked for dinner that same day:
People staying at one of the huts get to use the outside BBQ area for free. There's space to prepare the food and tables with BBQ plates to grill your meals.


We prepared the fish by ourself and grilled it for dinner along with the other food we had brought with us.
Above: Freshly caught Nozoriko trout
Above: Group photo!
Lake Nozori was a beautiful place to spend the weekend, and we had a lot of fun enjoying the great outdoors. I would recommend a trip here for those looking for a reasonable and relaxing weekend outside of Tokyo.

That's all for now. Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below
Anette


Basic information

  • Nozoriko Camping Ground / 野反湖キャンプ場
  • ・Access: Approximately 60 minutes by bus from Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi Station (長野原草津口駅) / 3 1/2 hours by car from Tokyo
  • ・Accommodation fee: Small hut (max 4 ppl) 6,500 yen/night, big hut (max 8 ppl) 17,500 yen/night.
  • ・Operating season: ●May - September
  • ・Homepage: lakenozori.web.fc2.com (Japanese only)


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Recommended Hotels in Gunma

Kusatsu Onsen Daitokan
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★★★★
Kusatsu Onsen Nisshinkan
Kusatsu Onsen Nisshinkan
★★★  → review 
Ryokan Naraya
Ryokan Naraya
★★★★★
.
Yubatake Souan Hotel
Yubatake Souan Hotel
★★★
.

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Friday, November 24, 2017

Congratulations To The Bergamot, Winners Of Project: Aloft Star



Aloft Hotels announces the winner of its global music-related initiative “Project: Aloft Star” at Aloft Long Island City in NYC. Mentored by Grammy-nominated, multiplatinum-selling artist Gavin DeGraw, the winning indie-folk-rock duo, The Bergamot will be able to kick-start their career by appearing as part of the upcoming Live at Aloft Hotels Tour.

The Aloft Star competition identifies the hottest emerging music talent from around the globe, offering them a chance to kick-start their careers and take center stage at the world’s fastest-growing hotel brand. Imagine their surprise when husband and wife Jillian Speece and Nathaniel Hoff, who make up The Bergamot, learned of their success at a nail-biting finale performance last night at Aloft Long Island City, one of the brand’s newest properties in New York City. The Bergamot and runner-up pop/soul artist, Gigi Rich, were both given the opportunity to perform for the crowd following a special mentoring session led by Project: Aloft Star’s 2017 celebrity mentor, multi-platinum recording artist Gavin DeGraw.

"The Bergamot are authentic touring artists. They should be extremely proud of winning this year's Project: Aloft Star," said mentor and singer/songwriter, Gavin DeGraw. "It's great see artists who've honed their craft through live performance succeed. Really enjoyed my time with them today. Thanks to Aloft Hotels for making it happen."

The two finalists were chosen after a process that began in August that invited any unsigned artist to share up to two original songs, a brief description, and an artist photo on the Live at Aloft Hotels web page. Out of over 1200 submissions, entries were narrowed down to five semi-finalists that the public were then invited to view and vote on during a ten-day period to choose the two that would perform at the finale.

“With so many strong entries, it’s such an honor to be named this year’s Project: Aloft Star winner,” said Jillian Speece and Nathaniel Hoff of The Bergamot. “It’s always been our dream to make it in the music industry and we’re so grateful to Aloft Hotels for giving us the opportunity to take a step towards achieving that goal. This competition means that becoming a big music star is within reach to anyone, and we’d strongly encourage other musicians like ourselves to take the plunge and submit an entry – it could change your life.”

Beyond the honor of the 2017 title, The Bergamot’s prize includes a songwriting and recording session in a professional studio with renowned producer Darrell Brown, who has previously worked with names including LeAnn Rimes, Neil Young and Keith Urban. The pair will also get a coaching session with a publicist to help craft their story, and finally the chance to perform onstage as part of the 2018 Live At Aloft Hotels Tour.

Live at Aloft Hotels is an international program that brings in local sounds to Aloft properties around the world by hosting free, intimate, live music performances at its W XYZ® bars. Alongside several local emerging artists, this year’s lineup included notable performers like acoustic singer MAX, country star Drake White, and LA-based blues performer ZZ Ward.

Learn More About The Project: Aloft Star

For a complete list of all 2017 performances, please visit www.LiveAtAloftHotels.com.



Photo Credits: Project: Aloft Star
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Thursday, November 23, 2017

Holiday Fun At The Mooresville Victorian Christmas Celebration


Looking ahead to upcoming festivals to join in Indiana we suggest the annual Mooresville Victorian Christmas Celebration. This festive event takes place on Dec 2nd, and you'll discover a variety of handcrafted and artfully designed items for sale. Plus, there will be fun activities and refreshments to enjoy throughout the day!

Admission is free to this annual event that will includes a trolley to take you on an 8 stop tour of Downtown Mooresville shops, events, and historic buildings. Enjoy a carriage ride, sparkling white lights, music and choirs, puppet shows, food, and shopping open houses, filled with unique items and special events as well.

There will be Gingerbread House Contest and displays, along with magic shows, and entertaining games for children to enjoy. Mooresville Public Library will be the place to visit to catch the Silly Safaris with Reindeer, Christmas crafts, Indiana Dulcimer Society performance. While over at Monrovia Mudworks there will be a "Orphans & Misfits" sale, and children can paint their own clay ornament to take home.

Follow the festive events on the VictorianChristmas FaceBook Page.


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Monday, November 20, 2017

Like Model Trains? Then Visit The Paul Mallery Model Railroad Center

Explore North America's largest model railroad club display at the Paul Mallery Model Railroad Center in Union County, New Jersey. Hosted by the Model Railroad Club, Inc. with the help of the Department of Parks and Recreation, this almost 11,000 square-foot facility in Lenape Park, has a amazing collection of Model Railroads and Cars.

The Model Railroad Club presents two permanent model railroad layouts in HO scale and N scale. There is also a outdoor "G gauge" or garden railroad demonstration loop, and a temporary indoor "G gauge" layout.  As well as other model railroad and industrial exhibits are also on display. They also build them on site, and you can join and support the club as well.

Along with displaying the fantastic collections, Model Railroad Club, Inc. has holiday exhibits that are a wonderful to  celebrate the season. Among the recent exhibit was a spectacular 1600 square foot model train layout, complete with a light and sound show, at Union County’s Lenape Park in Union Township. The HO scale layout is renowned for its dedication to realistic detail and life-like railroading functions.

Show days and times have run from Late November through Mid December. The HO display have featured a long-distance freight and passenger railroad, an interurban line with trolleys and commuter trains, and a short line representing the workhorse trains that chug through parts of Union County. A double-decked N Scale layout is also on display along with the popular “Classic Streamliners on Parade.”

Plan Your Trip To The Paul Mallery Model Railroad Center

The layout is permanently housed in the A. Paul Mallery Model Railroad Center at 295 Jefferson Avenue, off Route 22 East in Union, behind the Home Depot.  To learn more about the The Model Railroad Club and any upcoming events visit www.tmrci.org.

For more information about all Union County recreation programs, visit www.ucnj.org/parks or call 908-527-4900.


Photo Credits: Model Railroad Club, Inc.
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Saturday, November 18, 2017

Tokyo Restaurants: Fish your own meal at the Fishing Restaurant ZAUO

Tokyo might not be the first destination that you'd think of for your next fishing trip. But if you want to try and catch your own dinner without the risk of having to go home with an empty stomach there are indeed options available for you. As an expat living in Tokyo I usually would cook my own dinner at home, but this time I took my visiting family to the fishing restaurant Zauo in Shibuya where we tried it out for ourselves. 
Above: Visiting Zauo Shibuya with my father and grandmother
At the restaurant you get the chance to choose between fishing the dinner yourself or simply choosing something that's already on the menu. Since we were there for the experience we did of course decide to catch the dinner ourselves.
Above: My grandmother checking out some of the options available. 
Above: Top shells. These are a part of the set menu where you don't have to do any actual fishing.
Above: The interior of the restaurant resembles a fishing boat at sea
Above: First it is time to choose your rod and get ready
Above: Dinner was an easy catch. Here with my darling and my grandmother
Another fun detail was that when you catch your fish the staff will play you a short taiko (drum) piece.
Above: Price list for the fish you can catch yourself
You can choose between having your freshly caught fish prepared for you as sashimi (raw slices of fish), sushi, grilled, boiled or as tempura. Of course we had to try one of each. You can also have one fish prepared in two different styles.
In addition to a range of seafood the restaurant also serves some desserts like ice cream and small chocolate cakes.
Although this restaurant might not be the most interesting option for those of you who like the challenge outdoor fishing can bring it was definitely fun as a family activity. Getting the fish prepared for us right away also meant that we could get it completely fresh, which although not uncommon in Japan still felt quite satisfying considering we also had caught it ourselves. Either way there's really no country that does fish better than Japan, so if you find yourself up for some seafood this restaurant would definitely be worth a visit. Just notice that it is a very popular restaurant, so if you have the chance make sure to reserve in advance!

 Basic Info
  • ・Restaurant: Zauo Shibuya
  • ・Address:High Manten Jinnan Building B1F, 1-19-3, Jinnan, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0041
  • ・Homepage: http://www.zauo.com/en/shop/

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Robot Hotel - Henn na Hotel Maihama Tokyo Bay
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Bunka Hostel Tokyo
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Hundred Stay Tokyo Shinjuku
Hundred Stay Tokyo
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Kaisu Hostel
Kaisu Hostel


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Thank you for reading! Please feel free to leave any comments or questions below
- Anette

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