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Cruise Traveler ? What to do in Curacao

July 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Continuing with the series of articles discussing ports you may dock when cruising the Southern Caribbean, the next stop is Curacao, the third of the Netherlands ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao). And similar to Bonaire (http://www.bukisa.com/articles/287048_cruise-traveler-what-to-do-in-bonaire), this is a great opportunity to have some water fun.

You will notice right ahead the colorful Dutch-style houses. You will also notice you are walking distance from the commercial area of the city, which is quite good. You need only to walk 5-10 minutes, crossing a canal through a bridge that would move for letting ships and boats get in and out (don’t worry, if the bridge is not available, there are free ferries that would cross you to the other side of the canal), and you will surrounded by shops and people.

 

Main attractions on this island would be to do some snorkeling and to walk and shop in the city. As I always say, there are several options that the cruise line would offer you in terms of excursions, but let me recommend you the one I went on, as it combined a beautiful setting and super-friendly people as guides.

We took a 15-minute ride on an air-conditioned bus, in which we were able to look at the city from a high bridge, and got to a dock were a boat awaited. We got our snorkeling gear and got ready for the fun. We navigated thorough a series of canals, surrounded by boats, houses, and an incredibly blue water, until we arrived at our snorkeling spot. Not only the water was crystal clear and all kinds of fish could be seen, but the spot had even a sunken boat which was full with ocean life.

One of the crewmembers jumped in the water and took as to a guided snorkeling tour, getting to a secluded beach. We had a great time. On our way back, juice and fruits were served and we headed back to the ship.

During the afternoon (or in the morning if you do not take an excursion), you should take some time to visit town and, of course, you can’t leave without buyin some Blue Curacao.

This is an island you want to visit, and one that would remind you why most people call the Caribe “Paradise”.

If you want more information, do not hesitate in contacting me and I will gladly share more detailed information and more pictures!

Written by Capo
I’m originally from Argentina and came to live in Puerto Rico

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Canada Travel Tips, Canada Travel Info

July 13, 2011 By 1 Comment

Article by Nancy

Canada travel tips are basically meant to inform travelers about various necessities which they have to have before entering the country. The following are some Canada travel info:RegistrationTravelers should register to the State Department so that they receive assistance in the situation of requirement. Free online registration facility is being made available by the government wherein travelers can register their travel plan. The registration helps as when the traveler is at some emergency, the government contacts with the family members. Possess Valid Visa and passportA valid passport and Visa has necessarily to be carried along so that in case of any inquiry the same can be furnished. Additionally, there should be proper information about who to contact in any emergency. Family should know about tour planTravelers are advised to have briefed their family members about the travel so that they are able to contact for any purpose. Checking overseas medical insurance coverageTravelers should check whether their medical insurance has cover to their overseas ailments or not. If there is no medical insurance for overseas country, please make it sure that you have some kind of medical insurance to cover during your outside stays. Know law of the landTravelers are expected to be law abiding citizen and comply with the local laws. In order to be a decent traveler, one should familiarize himself with local conditions and laws.Avoid being a target of crimeIt is better to avoid target of crime. Though Canada is an advanced country and has low crime rate, travelers are expected to wear minimum jewelries. Travelers should not leave their baggage unattended in public place. LanguageEnglish is an official language in Canada. However, French is spoken widely. SmokingCanada is cautious about the harmful effects of smoking. Some states in Canada such as British Columbia ban smoking at public places. MeasuresOfficially, Canada uses the metric system wherein distance is measured in kilometers, speed signs are in kilometers per hour. Petrol/gas is sold by the litter and temperature is measured on the Celsius scale. Taxes in CanadaThe country has a regime of taxes imposed on travelers. In Canada the Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 7% applies throughout the country and is added to most purchases and services. However, basic groceries have been exempted from it. In British Columbia, a Provincial Sales Tax (PST) of about 7% applies to retail merchandise and services with certain exceptions – such as food, books, children’s clothing, restaurant foods and personal services. Canada taxes hotel rooms too at the tax rate of 8-10%.TippingAs always, tipping is a personal subject matter and can be paid at restaurants, bars and pubs, taxis and hairdressers, etc. Travelers should remember that it should not exceed to 15% of the total cost. AlcoholDrinking alcohol in public is prohibited by law in Canada. A person must be 19 years of age to consume or purchase alcohol in the province of British Columbia. However, the minimum age varies from province to province.

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Dubai Travel Info

July 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Dubai Holidays: Useful information on Dubai before coming to this Emirate to avoid (unpleasant) surprises.

In this section the following topics will be discussed:

* Dubai Public Holidays
* Time in Dubai
* Dubai Currency: How much is my money in AED or Dirham?
* Dubai Maps
* Banks in Dubai
* Hospitals
* Education in Dubai
* Dubai Visa Information
* Useful addresses and phone numbers
* Dubai Insurance
* Do’s and don’ts
* Dress code
* Weather in Dubai
* Learn Arabic
* Crime in Dubai
* Electricity and Water
* Television in Dubai
* Shipping goods
* Mail / Postal service

Dubai Public Holidays, Dubai Holidays, Dubai Ramadan, Dubai New Year:

Dubai public holidays are in 2008:

1 Jan New Year’s Day.
10 Jan Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year).
20 Mar Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet).
30 Jul Leilat al-Meiraj (Ascension of the Prophet).
2 Oct Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan).
2 Dec National Day.
9 Dec Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice).
29 Dec Al-Hijra (Islamic New Year).

Dubai Currency, how much is your money in AED or Dirham?

The official abbreviation AED is often written as DH or Dhs in many shops but that is incorrect and unofficial.

The dirham was introduced in 1973 And is sub devided into 100 fils. It has been pegged to the U.S. Dollar since November 1997: 1 U.S.Dollar = 3.67290 dirhams, Or 1 dirham = 0.272264 dollar (rate of may 10, 2008).

The banknotes are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000 dirhams and the coins are in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 fils, and 1 dirham. The 1, 5 and 10 fils are struck in bronze, with the higher denominations in cupro-nickel.

Visa For Dubai:

A visa for Dubai is not always required.

There are several types of visas for visitors. Citizens of the Arab Gulf Co-operation Council(AGCC) memberstates (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia) do not need one just like nationals of the following Countries: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany ,Greece, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vatican City.

Weather in Dubai, the Climate of Dubai and Dubai Weather Forecast:

The weather in Dubai can be definitely described as hot. The Dubai weather is most pleasant between November and March.The temperatures in the winter
Varies around 23 degrees Celsius during the day. In the summer the temperature is between 40-50 degrees celsius.

Annual Weather Dubai with minimum and maximum average temperature ( in degrees C) per month:

January (14/24degrees C), February (15/25 degrees C), March (18/28 degrees C), April (21/33 degrees C), May (25/38 degrees C), June (27/40 degrees C),July (30/41 degrees C), August (30/41 degrees C), September (28/40 degrees C), October (24/35 degrees C), November (20/31 degrees C), December (16/26 degrees C).

The sea temperature during the year is between 21 and 33 degrees C. The number of hours that the sun shines varies from 8 to 11.5 hours per day while the Humidity is between 80 and 90%. So the humidity remains high during winter.In the summer both high humidity and high temperatures make the climate of Dubai a very uncomfortable one.

Electricity and Water of Dubai Rental Properties:

Electricity and Water are handled by DEWA, the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, which was formed in 1992 as a merger of Dubai Electric Company And Dubai Water Department. Utility bills are settled directly on a monthly base with the DEWA when renting an apartment or other property.

Voltage: The voltage in Dubai is 220v. Most sockets are three pin (exactly the same as in the UK), although adapters for two pin plugs are available at most hotels. Those using US appliances will require an adapter to handle the difference in voltage. Appliances purchased in the UAE will generally have two-pin plugs attached.

Drinking water: Tap water is safe to use although bottled water, which is served in hotels and restaurants, is recommended for drinking. Water and electricity prices in Dubai. Residents pay 3 fils (1 UAE dirham=100 fils) per gallon and will continue to do so as long they do not use more Than 6,000 gallons, the price will then go up to 3.5 fils per gallon, and even 4 fils per gallon for consumers who sap more than 12,001 gallons from the tap.

Electricity fees will range from 20 fils to 33 fils per kilowatt hour depending if usage exceeds 2,000 or 10,001 kilowatt hours. There is no mains gas supply, so gas appliances must be fed by canisters connected via a tap outside your property. Address: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority Building, Al Karghout Street, P.O. Box 564, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Information about Dubai from getting there to finding hotels and getting around in this city.

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