Chicago is one of the current musical offerings on the New York Broadway stage. It is playing at the Ambassador Theatre on West 49th Street as it continues its incredible revival run that began in 1996. It is currently the sixth longest running Broadway show in history. It is by far one of the most [...]

Last year, we came to New York for New Years, plus I wanted to see the ‘Ghost Busters’ fire station. By the time I found it, it was dark so none of my photos turned out well. So, the next morning, bright and early, I headed up Moore Street in order to get a nice [...]

There are places in the world where dance crazes still pop up.  This is good news to people who love pop culture, because the idea of a dance craze is something that we all want to see in our lifetimes, but haven’t found anything worthy of a craze.  It may just be a cultural moment, [...]

Turquoise is a relatively soft stone in a variety of colors this was news to me as I listened to the shop keeper in my airport hotel. It is available in colors from light sky blues to deep rich blues to blue greens and green. The color of turquoise is determined by the amount of [...]

There are more than thirty seven museums in the city of Amsterdam, with a grand variety of diverse collections, permanent and temporary.  Of the largest and most visited are the Stedelijk, the Heritage, the Van Gogh Museum and the Rembrandhuis.  These are all filled with works of the great masters, and the famous painters throughout [...]

Savvy world travelers are always impressed by the quality and style in the five-star hotels in Goa.  There is a splendid sense of otherworldliness and luxury here, featuring a rich and heady combination of new-world state of the art technology, and old world graciousness and class.  Hospitality is a long tradition here, and visitors will [...]

In that enviable rank of five-star, Madrid hotels have a natural advantage over the rest of the world.  It is one of the most splendid cities on the planet, in one of the most fascinating countries in the world.  The hotels here are, not surprisingly, a generous combination of grace and luxury, with some of [...]

For travelers who have been around the world a time or two, 5-star Barcelona hotels have the aura in memory as being more than just a cut above the rest.  One of Spain’s largest cities, and located on the Mediterranean, it is one of the world’s most truly cosmopolitan cities.  With a long history of [...]

The Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre, known as DUCTAC, hosts a variety of programs and events aimed toward the continued development of the arts scene of Dubai. These events feature performers and audiences from various backgrounds and orientations and contribute to the multi-national community the center wishes to create. It is the first non-profit, [...]

Among the many cultural and scenic aspects of the beautiful island of Mallorca, there is one extremely popular and attractive element, which circles the island. The numerous beaches that hug this largest of the Balearic Islands are diverse in offerings and scenic views, and all have something to offer any interested beach lover. Many of [...]

Juan Carlos I is the current reigning King of Spain. His grandfather Alfonso XIII was King prior to him, and his father, the late Infante Juan was the Count of Barcelona. Tourists saying in five star Barcelona hotels should encounter one of the city’s memorials to the late count. Juan Carlos I was born in [...]

In Dubai, as well as most areas of the United Arab Emirates, Folk dance is an important part of the culture. Not limited by social status, age or gender, the dances play an integral part in most celebrations. These include national holidays, birthdays and weddings. When the tambourine begins you better be ready as everyone [...]

The dance company called Shikisha is from the South African city of Durban.  This was a company made of three women who celebrate the dance that was created by the gold miners during the gold rush days in Johannesburg.  This was a dance created by the workers during their long days away from family, as [...]

The Shigmo festival is widely celebrated in Goa, India. It is one of the most prominent festivals in the Hindu community and has a religious and cultural significance. Recently, the state government has begun to sponsor parades to demonstrate its support of the festival’s purpose. Most of the themes seen in the parade floats depict [...]

While Singapore is an extremely diverse cultural and entertainment city, Cantonese opera holds a prominent place in historical and contemporary relevance. This elaborate genre of theatre has much in common with other traditional Chinese performance styles. They all contain spectacular elements such as dancing, singing, martial arts, and acrobatics. Western tourists are often enticed to [...]

As the capital of Spain, Madrid has many different and intriguing aspects of the city appreciated by both locals and tourists. For tourists, this includes a large number of options available for entertainment, sight seeing, dining and other activities. Madrid is not only a vibrant and progressive contemporary city, it is rich in history and [...]

Starlight Cinema is Singapore’s only outdoor cinema festival. It is held at the Fort Canning Green and is more than an experience in movie watching. The festival offers the opportunity to see new cinema, and it allows the audience to experience the beauty of the diverse weather evenings of Singapore. Because it is outdoors, it [...]

The many festivals that occur throughout the year in Singapore serve different purposes. Much as been said, or written or spoken of the oppressive nature of a country so wrapped in laws and regulations, and the festivals serve to provide the locals with fun and excitement. There is quite an ethnic mix on [...]

Sotheby’s Auction House hosted a charity event in 1994. The intention was to raise one million dollars, which would go to sponsor visual artists. One hundred fifty one pieces of art were sold at this auction, and the majority of them were by the artist Chen Chong Swee. This is an interesting fact considering that [...]

Displayed on the Kuala Lumpur Tower is the “World’s Largest Eco Bag.” The bag measures 29.65 feet in width and is 51.5 feet long. It is on display as part of the Kuala Lumpur Design Week 2009 Festival. Organizers hope that the bag and the Festival will draw attention to the cutting edge [...]

India is a country of contrasts. Its cities are filled with both ancient landmarks and modern steel structures. Hindu traditions are honored while contemporary urban lifestyles are adopted in the growing megacities. Eastern heritage clashes and then blends with Western influences and fashions. Chennai is one example of how the contrasts of the [...]

As the capital of Thailand, Bangkok is the center of business, fashion, entertainment, finance, and arts for not only Thailand, but much of Asia. As it continues to expand in commerce and influence, look for Bangkok to improve its already stellar global reputation. In 2008 it was the name the “Best City in the [...]