Amusement Centres

By Roberto Garabell

 Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is one of the most popular vacation spots in the world. It has an international reputation for its many attractions, water parks, theme restaurants, shopping complexes and festivals. It has also garnered a reputation for its cultural events as well. Myrtle Beach is also known world-wide for its golf courses, but few know that it is also a prime location for miniature golf.

Located in North Myrtle Beach, the Hawaiian Rumble is a top destination for mini-golf lovers; in fact it hosts several mini-golf tournaments and is home to the U.S. ProMiniGolf Association. The holes are centered around a volcanic mountain that rumbles and spews out fire about every 20 minutes. The play is as challenging as any mini- golf course and you should plan on having loads of fun.

For those hot and humid days when nothing else will do, there is Myrtle Waves is a 20 acre water park that is the largest facility of its kind in both the Carolinas with over 30 rides and attractions. Children will be delightfully impressed with the Turbo Twisters, which is a ten-story tall jaw-dropping ride. For the little ones, there is and the 18 inches deep Tadpool that includes a Dipper Slide and Magic Mushroom water fountain. Ricochet Rapids, Snake Mountain and Pipeline Plunge water slides offer the ultimate heart-stopping adrenalin-pumping water slides in Myrtle Beach.

Barefoot Landing is a combination of natural beauty of unadulterated family fun. The site of this shopping dining and entertainment complex is the natural habitat for waterfowl, colorful fish, animals, birds and plant. It is one of the most visited venues in South Carolina. Alligator Adventure is an alligator park and reptile research center. This institute, which border Barefoot Landing, is on 12.5 acres of land and is one of the largest reptile facilities in existence. Besides being a habitat for alligator and crocodiles, it is also the domicile of frogs, snakes, tortoises, lizards and many colorful and exotic birds. With more than a dozen restaurants to choose from, you can dine in a casual setting or elect for a more formal dining.

Within an hour’s drive of Myrtle Beach is Bald Head Island. This hidden gem is well worth the trip. The island is comprised of 12,000 acres of beach, marsh and maritime forest preserves. Approximately 10,000 miles of the land is undisturbed. The neighborhoods are intimate and blend seamlessly into the striking natural environment. The slow pace of the island, which does not have vehicle traffic, makes it a perfect romantic or family get-away. Vacationers and residents navigate the island by bike, golf carts or on foot.

The island has a seaside golf course and 14 miles of pristine snow-like sandy beaches. You can go kayaking or take in a panoramic view of the island from Old Baldy, which is South Carolina’s oldest lighthouse. A good place to learn a little something about the history of the Myrtle Beach area is the Horry County Museum. It is free and open to the general public. Featured exhibits include two of the most beautiful, and at the same time most feared, creatures on the face of the earth - the American Alligator and American Black Bear. There are also displays on Birds of Prey, Native Americans and the areas Natural History. The museum also houses relics recovered from the CSS Pee Dee, which was a 150-foot confederate wooden gunboat that was blown up to prevent capture by the Union Navy. The recovered artifacts include three cannons - two Confederate Rifled Brooks and a captured Union Dahlgren.

Another excellent place to gain an appreciation for the costal environments and the local aquatic and wildlife is the Bellefield Nature Center. Located at the head of the Hobcaw Barony reserve, the center has a saltwater touch tank and numerous aquariums and terrariums. It also has displays on the Hobcaw’s storied past and educational audiovisual material history and videotape. The admission is free.

Behind the Bellefield Nature Center you can step back 200 years into a very unique view of the lowcountry. Hobcaw Barony is situated on 17,500 acres of marshes, pine forests, river lands and immaculate beaches. Located on the grounds is 13,000 square foot winter mansion of the Wall Street baron Bernard Baruch. He purchased the land, consisting of 11 plantations, in 1905. Baruch entertained the likes of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill on this property. Other features include Friendfield, a 19th century slave village (active until 1952) and the Bellefield Plantation. There is also a nature and history museum, which has numerous exhibits and videos.

Brookgreen Gardens is the home of the first sculpture garden to open to the American public; the faculty includes a 9000 acre wildlife refuge and park. There are over 1200 sculptures representing the efforts of 350 artists. This non-profit museum has a global reputation for its magnificent ponds and flora displays. The general public can access over 300 acres of and in excess of 1200 species of vibrant exotic plants.

The North Myrtle Beach Grand Prix is a family entertainment speed park with a NASCAR racing circuit theme. There is an impressive variety of vehicles, including Jeeps, Corvettes, Grand Prix, and mini Ferraris, which offer the ultimate thrill and high-performance excitement on a maneuvering that can be rode on an array of tracks. You’ll need to be a licensed driver for the more challenging tracks; but, don’t despair, people of all age ranges will find more than their share of fun and excitement.

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Tourist Guide to Newport Beach

By Arnoldo Watson

 Newport Beach is located 50 miles south of Los Angeles and 85 miles north of San Diego in Orange County. It is comprised of the villages such as Balboa, Balboa Island, Corona del Mar, Harbor Island, and Newport Heights. It is famous all over the world because of the picture-perfect sandy beaches and the long stretch of coastline. That, in itself, should be reason enough for you to visit.

Many famous celebrities frequent this place, if not call it home. But celebrity or not, you can still explore Newport Beach and its villages for a luxurious and adventurous experience.

Nature Trip

Environmental Nature Center

Go exploring the more than 2 acres of wildlife habitat with trail guides as you discover California’s unique flora and fauna. Admission is free.

Upper Newport Bay

A free two-hour tour is available every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month. It starts at 9 in the morning from Shellmaker Island. You can explore the areas that are home to more than 200 species of birds and wildlife. You can also avail of canoe tours and campfire activities for the family.

Culture and the Arts

City Hall Art Gallery

Visit Newport Blvd from between 9 am to 4 pm from Mondays to Fridays and drop by the City Hall Art Gallery to see works by exhibits of paintings, sculpture and photography by homegrown artists.

Newport Harbor Nautical Museum

The museum is set in the Pride of Newport, measuring 190 feet. It features the traditional and local sea-faring culture of the region. Galleries focus on several themes ranging from the recreational to commercial. The museum is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission fees for adults are $4, while for children are $1.

Newport Theater Arts Center

2501 Cliff Drive, Newport Beach, CA; (949) 631-0288; Call for Schedule:

The local community theater features veteran and new actors. Swing by Cliff Drive and look for the Theatre on the Cliff for schedules of current plays and upcoming shows.

Don’t confine yourself to going around just the Newport Beach proper. Be adventurous and take a trip to its outlying villages.

Balboa Island

You could spend a day walking along Marine Avenue just browsing more than 70 shops, galleries and restaurants. Specialty boutiques and sidewalk cafes also add flavor to the area. To get there, either take a ferry from Balboa Peninsula or drive down Jamboree Road.

Balboa Peninsula

If promenading is your thing, try the Balboa boardwalk where you can bike, skate and/or walk as you take in the sights of Newport Harbor. An amusement park established in the 1930s still stands and is a local, as well as a tourist, favorite. Rides the merry-go-round and Ferris wheel in between trips to shops and restaurants. It also features the Balboa Pavilion, which was an electric railway terminal back in the early 1900s.

Cannery Village

What used to be the hub of commercial fishing with boat yards and canneries (thus the name), this village is now mostly comprised of fine restaurants, vintage shops and a good number of art galleries. For a sampling of the local art, visit Cannery Wharf Park every Sunday to see local artists exhibiting their works towards the afternoon.

Lido Marina

This waterfront village is situated by the Via Oporto. Don’t be fooled by the out-of-the-way location of this enclave by the harbor side. It is home to boutiques, jewelry stores, art museums and galleries, and restaurants by the boardwalk.

Mariner’s Mile

Whatever you speed is, you can take a charter for either sports fishing or dinner cruise. All restaurants and galleries have a strong maritime feel to them owing to their location. You can also take a gondola ride for a romantic tour around the New Port Harbor canals. Find Mariner’s Mile by West Coast Highway and is in between Dover Drive and Newport Boulevard.

McFadden Square

McFadden Square has been famous with chefs and professional seafood buyers since the late 1890s. People would come to get their choice picks of fresh seafood and you can see such activity still go on which starts everyday at 9 in the morning.

There’s a lot Newport can bring to your vacation, whether you are on a luxury spree or on a modest budget. You can experience nature at its best while sampling local crafts as well as some high-class shopping. Whatever your speed, Newport Beach has something for everyone.

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Your Source For The Top Amusement Theme Parks Around The World

Visiting the Palais Le Louvre

By Arnoldo Watson

 The Louvre is one of the largest palaces in the world and, as a former residence of the kings of France, also being one of the most illustrious one in Paris. It epitomizes traditional French architecture since the Renaissance, and it houses a magnificent collection of ancient and Western art.

The vast Palais Le Louvre was constructed around 1200 as a fortress and rebuilt in the mid 16th century for use as a royal palace. It became a public in 1793. The museum presents the main part of its treasures to visitors, in the new Richelieu wing, Islamic art collections, oriental antiques, French sculptures, objects d’art, French paintings & paintings from the Northern school including Rubens.

The Louvre palace in Paris dates back to 1190 and houses the Louvre museum. Its name has been taken from the Latin word Lupara (kennels). During eight centuries, it has been constantly enlarged and blown up by French kings and emperors alike. President Franois Mitterrand added the final touch to it with his “Le Grand Louvre” project. The project from1981 to 1997 includes an extension and the complete reformation of the museum. The famous Pei glass pyramid marks the new entrance to the museum.

The Louvre is both a splendid and huge royal palace along the Seine River and one of the best art museums in the world. It hosts the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci one of the most famous paintings in the world. From the pyramid entrance, one can also have the way in to one of the best and largest shopping centers in Paris, a really nice underground shopping experience. The relaxing Tuileries garden near by the Louvre museum is one of the most beautiful parks in Paris.

In the late 1980s the Louvre embarked upon an insistent program of renovation and development. When the first plans by the Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei were disclosed in 1984, they incorporated a glass pyramid in the central courtyard that would serve as the museum’s main entrance. Despite having protests before its construction, since its opening in 1989 the pyramid has proven remarkably effective in accommodating the large numbers of visitors. It has even become a relatively beloved landmark of the city. To mark its 200th anniversary, in November 1993, the museum unveiled the Richelieu wing in the quarters that had been vacated by the Ministry of Finance in 1989. This expansion, which completed the museums occupancy of the palace complex, added 230,000 square feet (21,390 sq meters) to the existing 325,000 square feet (30,225 sq meters) of exhibition space, and allowed it to put an additional 12,000 works of art on display in 165 new rooms.

The Museum is divided into four divisions - Sully, Denon, Richelieu and Hall Napoleon. Sully shapes the four sides of the Cent Carree at the eastern end of the building. Denon stretches along the Seine to the south. Richelieu is the northern wing along rue de Rivoli. The split level public area under the glass pyramid is known as the Hall Napoleon. It has an exhibit on the history of the Louvre, a bookshop, a restaurant, a cafe and auditoriums for concerts, lectures and films. The attraction of the Carrousel du Louvre shopping centre, which runs underground from the pyramid to the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, is an inverted glass pyramid, also by Pei. All in all a good blend well worth a full day of one’s time.

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