SKI DUBAI

LOCATION : Ski Dubai is an indoor ski resort with 22,500 square meters of indoor ski area. It is a part of the Mall of the Emirates, , one of the largest shopping malls  in the world, located in Dubai,United Arab Emirates. It was developed by Majid Al Futtaim Properties, which also operates the Mall of the Emirates.

DESCRIPTION : Opened in November 2005, the indoor resort features an 85-meter-high indoor mountain with 5 slopes of varying steepness and difficulty, including a 400-metre-long run, the world's first indoor black run, and various features (boxes, rails, kickers) that are changed on a regular basis. A quad lift and a tow lift carry skiers and snowboarders up the mountain. Adjoining the slopes is a 3,000-square-metre Snow Park play area comprising sled and toboggan runs, an icy body slide, climbing towers, giant snowballs and an ice cave. 

Ski Dubai is also home to a number of penguins who come out to play several times a day. Penguin encounters can be booked, allowing the public to interact directly with the penguins.Winter clothing, ski and snowboard equipment are included in the price of admission.

An extremely efficient insulation system helps the facility maintain a temperature of −1 °C (30° F) during the day and −6 °C (21° F) at night when the snow is produced.

In 2007 Ski Dubai was awarded the Thea Outstanding Achievement Award  by the Themed Entertainment Association.The Snow Play Area was designed and produced by Think well Group. Ski Dubai was the location of a detour in the 10th leg of the reality game show, The Amazing race Asia on its first season. . It also appeared as a detour in the 5th leg of the 15th season  of the original American version. 

PALM ISLAND, DUBAI

  

LOCATION : The Palm Islands are two artificial islands in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in the shape of palm trees. The Belgian and Dutch dredging and marine contractors Jan De Nul and Van Oord, were hired to complete construction. The islands are the Palm Jumeirah and the Palm Jebel Ali.

The Palm Jumeriah is the first man made island to be completed in Dubai. This unique island is in the shape of giant palm tree and extends 6.5 kilometers into the Arabian gulf sea, creating an extra 78 kilometer’s of waterfront property to Dubai coastline. The island is surrounded by a 12 kilometer crescent shaped breakwater where the world famous Atlantis resort is now situated.

The Palm Jebel Ali began construction in October 2002 and was expected to be completed in mid-2008. The project, which is 50% larger than the Palm Jumeirah project.

DESCRIPTION  :  The island which consists of over 7 million tons of rock took just over 4 years to construct and now acts as dream home to nearly 10,000 people. The island is divided up into areas of hotels, apartments and luxury villas

Each settlement will be in the shape of a palm tree , topped with a crescent. The settlements will have a large number of residential, leisure and entertainment centres and will add 520 kilometers of non-public beaches to the city of Dubai.

The two islands will comprise approximately 100,000 cubic metres (3,500,000 cu ft) of rock and sand. All materials will be quarried in The UAE. On the two islands, there will be over 100 luxury hotels, residential beach-side villas and apartments, marinas, water theme parks, restaurants, shopping malls, sports facilities and health spas.

BURJ AL ARAB, DUBAI

LOCATION : Burj Al Arab  is a luxury hotel  located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is 'The world's only 7 star Hotel' since 1999. At 321 m (1,053 ft), it is the forth tallest hotel in the world however, 39% of its total height is made up of non-occupiable space. Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 m (920 ft) from Jumeirah beach and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. The shape of the structure is designed to mimic the sail of a ship.

 

DESCRIPTION :  The beachfront area where Burj Al Arab and  Jumeirah Beach Hotel are located was previously called Chicago Beach . The hotel is located on an island of reclaimed land 280 meters offshore of the beach of the former Chicago Beach Hotel.The locale's name had its origins in the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company which at one time welded giant floating oil storage on the site.

 

 

  
Al Mahara ("Oyster"), which is accessed via a simulated submarine voyage, features a large seawater  aquarium, holding roughly 990,000 L (260,000 US gal) of water. The wall of the tank, made of acrylic glass  in order to withstand the water pressure, is about 18 cm (7.1 in) thick.

The hotel is managed by the Jumeirah Group . Despite its size, Burj Al Arab holds only 28 double-story floors which accommodate 202 bedroom suites. The smallest suite occupies an area of 169 m² (1,820 sq ft), the largest covers 780 m² (8,400 sq ft).

Suites feature design details that juxtapose east and west. White columns show great influence. Bathrooms are accented by mosaic tile patterns.The Royal Suite, billed at US$ 18,716 per night, is listed at number 12 on World's 15 most expensive hotel suites compiled by CNN Go in 2012.

 

Several features of the hotel required complex engineering feats to achieve. The hotel rests on an artificial island constructed 280 m (920 ft) offshore. To secure a foundation, the builders drove 230 forty-meter-long (130 ft) concrete piles  into the sand.

 

Engineers created a ground/surface layer of large rocks, which is circled with a concrete honeycomb  pattern, which serves to protect the foundation from erosion. It took three years to reclaim the land from the sea, while it took fewer than three years to construct the building itself. The building contains over 70,000 m³ (92,000 cu yd) of concrete and 9,000 tons of steel.

 
The Burj is best viewed from the Madinat Jumeirah hotels and is spectacular at night. The facade changes colour and glows pink throughout the month of October in support of breast cancer awareness month. We went there and took some pics to show you what the inside looks like.
 

BANFF NATIONAL PARK, CANADA

 

LOCATION : Banff National Park is Canada's oldest national park, established in 1885 in the Rocky Mountains. The park, located 110–180 km (68–112 mi) west of Calgary in the province of Alberta, encompasses 6,641 km² (2,564 sq mi) of mountainous terrain, with numerous glaciers and ice fields, dense coniferous forest, and alpine landscapes.

 

DESCRIPTION : Banff National Park is the most visited Alberta tourist destination and one of the most visited national parks in North America, with 3,927,557 visitors in 2004/2005. During summer, 42% of park visitors are from Canada (23% from Alberta), while 35% are from the United States, and 20% from Europe. Tourism in Banff contributes an estimated C$6 billion annually to the economy^.

 

  

The park has 56 mammal species that have been recorded. Grizzly and black bears inhabit the forested regions. Cougar, lynx, wolverine, weasels, northern river otter and wolves are the primary predatory mammals.Elk, mule deer and white-tailed deer are common in the valleys of the park, including around (and sometimes in) the Banff townsite, while moose tend to be more elusive, sticking primarily to wetland areas and near streams. Other mammals such as beavers, porcupines, squirrels, chipmunks and Columbia ground squirrels  are the more commonly observed smaller mammals. In 2005, a total of five caribou were counted, making this species one of the rarest mammals found in the park.

 

 

Attractions in Banff include Upper Hot Springs and a 27-hole golf course at Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel  and three ski resorts including Sunshine Village, Lake Louise Mountain Resort, and Mount Norquay ski resort. The Banff Lodging Co is a hospitality company in the park. Other activities include alpine and Nordic skiing, and  horseback riding.

 

he town of Banff is the park’s primary settlement, offering the most variety of lodging, shopping and dining. There are a number of pubs and restaurants here specializing in local game and produce. Accessed by the Icefields Parkway, Lake Louise offers luxurious accommodation in a gorgeous setting of turquoise lakes and majestic mountains. Lake Minnewanka and Sunshine Meadows are other smaller villages. - See more at: http://www.touropia.com/explore/canada/banff-national-park/#sthash.D0wO9656.dpuf

Banff National Parks large concentration of wildlife includes mammals like black bears, grizzly bears, bison, moose, bighorn sheep, wolves and cougars in addition to 280 species of birds like bald eagles, Canada geese, red-tail hawks and osprey. - See more at: http://www.touropia.com/explore/canada/banff-national-park/#sthash.D0wO9656.dpuf

NIAGARA FALLS, CANADA

LOCATION : Niagara Falls is a Canadian city on the western bank of the Niagara River in the Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario , with a population of 82,997 at the 2011 census. The municipality was incorporated on June 12, 1903. Across the Niagara River is Niagara Falls, New York.

DESCRIPTION : The city is dominated by the Niagara Falls, a world-famous set of three large waterfalls on the Niagara River. Both the American and Horseshoe  falls can be best seen from the Canadian side of the river, so the city has one of the major tourist attractions of the world. The natural spectacle attracts millions of tourists yearly.

This area, which stretches along the Niagara Parkway and tourist promenade, is particularly concentrated at the brink of the falls. Apart from the natural attractions along the river, it includes observation towers, high-rise hotels, souvenir shops, casinos and theatres, mostly with colourful neon billboards and advertisements, and sufficient parking to accommodate visitors.

The Niagara Falls, Ontario tourist district is mainly centred around the waterfalls. Much of the land adjoining the river is parkland under the jurisdiction of the Niagara Parks Commission.Many attractions based on the local natural environment have been created. The city of Niagara Falls has a number of additional attractions in close proximity but not related to the natural features, including casinos and entertainment complexes.

Although it is often called the “Honeymoon Capital of the World,” Niagara Falls in recent years has also developed as a popular destination for family and adventure vacations. The magnificent beauty and enormous volume of Niagara Falls attracts millions every year from all over the world.

There are several ways to experience Niagara Falls. One of the most popular is the Maid of the Mist boat tour that brings visitors close enough to feel the spray from the plunging cascades. Visitors can also walk along a boardwalk beside the rapids or enjoy a cable car ride overhead. For the adventurous, there are also jet boat and helicopter tours available.

While visiting Niagara Falls, there are plenty of other attractions such as theme parks, wax museums, haunted houses, water parks, botanical gardens and wineries.