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Boston is the capital and most populous city of Massachusetts. With the reputation of being the largest city in New England, Boston is often considered to be the unofficial economic and cultural center of the New England region. The Greater Boston area, which is home to over 4.4 million people, includes the nearby cities of Worcester and Providence.

Puritan colonists from England founded the city, in 1630. During the late 1700s, Boston was the location of several major events during the American Revolution.

After the revolution, Boston became a major shipping port and manufacturing center, and its rich history now attracts 16.3 million visitors annually. The city was the site of several firsts, including America's first public school, Boston Latin School (1635), and college, Harvard College (1636) in Cambridge, as well as the first subway system in the United States.

With regard to sports, Boston is famous for the Boston Red Sox and their playing field Fenway Park. With various important history associated with it, Boston Red Sox can be termed as a mere reflection of the city as well.
The Boston Red Sox are a Major League Baseball team. The team is a charter member of the American League East Division. They play home games at Fenway Park, which opened on April 20, 1912, making it the oldest major league ballpark still in operation. The Red Sox won the first World Series as the Boston Americans in 1903 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. They won their most recent World Series championship in 2004, after an 86-year interval.
The Yankees-Red Sox Rivalry is one of the longest standing and most storied rivalries in North American sports. The rivalry has spread both Yankees and Red Sox fans throughout the country, and a great amount of both can be seen at their respective team's road games. The Red Sox currently lead all other major league baseball teams in average road attendance, yet Fenway Park's small capacity has the Red Sox ranked 11th in attendance at home. The Red Sox have sold out every home game from May 15, 2003 to the present, a span of well over four years.
Fenway Park is the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club. The park, the oldest of all current Major League Baseball stadiums, opened in 1912, and this season, 2007, marks Fenway's 95th birthday. Fenway hosted the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 1946, 1961, and 1999, and has played host to nine World Series. Fenway is regarded as one of the most historic and tradition-rich stadiums in all of sports.
At Fenway Park, there are several features which highlight the history and the tradition of this all important stadium of U.S. sports. They are,
· The Green Monster
· The Triangle
· Williamsburg
· The Lone Red Seat
· The Belly
· Pesky’s Pole
· Fisk Foul Pole
· Duffy’s Cliff
· Canvass Alley
The stadium is most famous for the left field wall called the "Green Monster". Constructed in 1934, the 37-foot high wall is 240 feet long, has a 22-foot deep foundation, and was constructed from 30,000 pounds of Toncan iron. Previously, a 23-½-foot tall screen protected cars and pedestrians on Lansdowne Street. However, the screen was replaced after the 2002 season with more seating atop the Green Monster.
"The Triangle" is a region of center field where the walls form a triangle whose far corner is 420 feet (128 m) from home plate. That deep right-center point is conventionally given as the center field distance. True center is unmarked, 390 feet from home plate, to the left of "The Triangle" when viewed from home plate.
"Williamsburg" was the name, invented by sportswriters, for the bullpen area built in front of the right-center field bleachers in 1940. It was built here primarily for the benefit of Ted Williams, to enable him and other left-handed batters to hit more home runs, since it was 23 feet closer than the bleacher wall. The name was inspired both by Colonial Williamsburg and Yankee Stadium's hitter-friendly right field area that was often called "Ruthville".
The lone red seat in the right field bleachers (Section 42, Row 37, Seat 21), signifies the spot where the longest measurable home run ever hit inside Fenway Park's 1934 configuration landed. Ted Williams hit the home run on June 9, 1946 off Fred Hutchinson of the Detroit Tigers. Williams' bomb was officially measured at 502 feet (153 m)—well beyond "Williamsburg". According to Hit Tracker Online, the ball, if unobstructed, would have flown 520 to 535 feet.
"The Belly" is the sweeping curve of the box-seat railing from the right end of "Williamsburg" around to the right field corner.
Pesky's Pole is the name for the pole on the right field foul line, which stands a mere 302 feet from home plate, the shortest right field porch in Major League Baseball.
In a ceremony before the Red Sox's 2005 interleague game against the Cincinnati Reds, the pole on the left field foul line atop The Green Monster was named Fisk Foul Pole, in honor of Carlton "Pudge" Fisk.
From 1912 to 1933, there was a 10-foot-high incline in front of the then 25-foot high left field wall at Fenway Park, extending from the left-field foul pole to the center field flag pole. As a result, a left fielder in Fenway Park had to play part of the territory running uphill (and back down). Boston's first star left fielder, Duffy Lewis, mastered the skill so well that the area became known as "Duffy's Cliff".
A phrase made popular by Boston television commentators, "Canvas Alley" is the open alley behind the first base line where the grounds crew sits. Canvas Alley has recently been narrowed to accommodate seats.
With all of these historic and traditional places at Fenway Park and the Red Sox team making history themselves, a visit to this sight becomes an important feature in any visit to Boston. Since the history of the club and the park reflects the history of the city as well.


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Mauritius is an island of about 1 million inhabitants situated in the Indian Ocean. The ethnic diversity of the local people is reflected in its cuisine. As a result, the cuisine of Mauritius is a blend of Indian Cuisine, Creole, Chinese and European. In Mauritius, local fruits and vegetables used under the influence of culinary traditions of France, India, China and Africa with its variety of flavours and aromas have resulted in a cuisine that is unique to the island.

The most commonly served in Mauritius, and tasty dishes include Creole rougailles, Indian curries and biryanis, Chinese “mine frite”, and French “gratin de crabes sur coeur de palmiste”. All these are part of the cuisine of Mauritius. The commonly used ingredients in Mauritius are tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic and chillies while the traditional base is definitely the curries and "rougailles" which is made from the blends of home crushed spices. Spices also constitute a major part of Mauritian cuisine. The extensive use of spices such as saffron, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves provide a powerful, yet subtle flavour to the dish. This interblending of spices give the cuisine of Mauritius its charm and uniqueness.

Locals in Mauritius would eat a combination of curries and rougailles along with beans (lentils, kidney beans, yellow split lentils) and white rice. Vegetables are usually greens either grown in the back garden or freshly bought from the market prepared as “bouillons” (like a soup) or “touffés”(like a stir fry). On the sidewalks of main streets, the Mauritian community loves to buy dholl puris (flat bred with peas), faratas and gateaux piments (spicy balls of peas). As far as drinks are concerned , the Alouda bought in Mauritius, which is a milk drink prepared with basil seeds is the favourite with all communities.

The pluri-ethnicity of the dishes from Mauritius is reflected in the cuisines of Mauritius. Over the years, the communities have blended each others’ spices and ingredients to their own tasted resulting in a tasty mixture sure to flatter the senses. For example, a Creole rougaille is best served with a variety of achards (pickles), a Chinese “mine frite” (noodles) is often served with various “chatini” (chutneys).

The tourist visiting Mauritius must absolutely taste this extensive variety of dishes. There is a variety of Chinese restaurants where one can taste cuisine of Mauritius under Chinese influence. The best sellers are fried rice and mine frite (fried noodles), crab soup, sweet and sour fish. For more adventurous ones, the sidewalks of Port-Louis, the capital of Mauritius, is the best place to go. The must-eat are boulettes (meat or fish balls), “mine frite”, dholl puris, gateaux piments and samosas. For meat lovers, Creole restaurants offer a wide choice of the tastiest cuisine of Mauritius including, grilled prawns, venison curry, gratin de coeur de palmiste, a Mauritian delicacy and many more. For dessert, a fresh exotic fruits salad is the best of the best, served with French wine.
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Mauritius welcomes you. The Official Web Site for Mauritius

Apulia is the region that forms the heel of the Italian boot.You will find It in the southeast corner of Italy on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Apulia was subject to frequent invasion by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Its many rulers included the Byzantines, Goths, Lombards, Normans, Spaniards, and Turks. Apulia's moment of greatest glory and power occurred during the Holy Roman Empire of the 13th Century. That is when its majestic Romanesque cathedrals and palaces were erected. This article presents the western and usually northern part of Apulia. A companion article presents the rest of the region.

Apulia's administrative center is Bari, the biggest city in southern Italy, with a population of over 325 thousand. It is a major port that includes a modern city center, with its Piazza della Libert� (Freedom Plaza) and a citta vecchia (old town) that is definitely worth seeing. Everywhere you turn you can see the Adriatic Sea. The pedestrian-only street Via Sparano is the site of evening strolls. The nearby Eleventh Century Bascilica di San Nicola is said to contain the remains of St. Nicholas, yes Santa Claus. The story has it that local sailors stole his remains from Turkey. Live and learn, somehow I was under the impression that dear old Santa Claus... In any case, the Bascilica is the only building to have survived the sacking of the city by the Normans way back in 1152. Make sure to see the Cattedrale (Cathedral) built shortly afterwards. Nearby is the Castello Svevo undergoing restoration.

About 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Bari is the small port of Trani, which was the major Adriatic port during the Crusades. Santa Maria di Scolanova and Santa Anna are two standing medieval synagogues. The city contains several historic churches, a Swabian castle, and a Gothic Palace of the Doges of Venice, transformed into a seminary.

Of course you know that Italy is shaped like a boot. Did you know that its spur is Promontorio del Gargano (Gargano Promontory), a very popular destination for both Italian and foreign summer tourists. With a rough and ready landscape and curvy mountain roads make sure that you watch your driving, even more so than in most of Italy.

The area's major center near the tip of the spur is the whitewashed town of Vieste known for its castle. Take a ferry from Vieste to the nearby archipelago Isole Tremiti. A word of warning before you go, the name Tremiti is associated with the word tremor. There have been earthquakes. Some of the islands are uninhabited and one of them has the interesting habit of being covered by waves. But the view is spectacular. Perhaps it was a consolation to the political prisoners exiled by Benito Mussolini during his reign.

Don't miss the Foresta Umbra (Shady Forest) that encompasses over sixty thousand acres, hundreds of animal species and two thousand plant species including beech, maple, oak, and sycamore trees that one would expect in northern climes. How do they do it? The forest is 3,200 feet above sea level.

Monte Sant'Angelo has been a major destination for pilgrims over the last fifteen hundred years. Among them were St. Francis of Assisi and Crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. You'll want to see the Santuario di San Michele (Sanctuary of San Michele) and the Tomba di Rotari (Tomb of Rotari), a medieval baptistery. Other sights include the ruins of a Norman castle and the old city known as Rione Junno.

You might want to finish your tour of western Apulia with a visit to the famous Castel del Monte, a mysterious eight-sided castle built in the Thirteenth Century. Unlike most medieval castles, it lacks military structures. Perhaps it was a resting place for pilgrims seeking the Holy Grail. Or maybe...

What about food? Italy has a classification process for food, roughly similar to the wine classification. Among Apulia's classified foods are Clementines, Olives, two Cheeses, and four Olive Oils. There are so many specialties that one of these days we will have to sit down and write one or several articles on the foods of Apulia. In the meantime we suggest the following sample menu, one of many. Be sure to increase your dining pleasure by including local wines with your meal. Start with Ciceri e tria (Chick Pea and Noodle Soup). Then try Grata alla barese (Roasted Bream with Potatoes, Garlic, and Pecorino Cheese). For dessert indulge yourself with Carteddate (Marsala, Honey, and Cinnamon Fried Pastry).

Let's finish by taking a quick look at Apulian wine. Apulia ranks 2nd among the 20 Italian regions for both vineyard acreage and total wine production, about 7o% red or ros� (only a little ros�), leaving 30% for white. This region is home to 25 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. Less than 4% of Apulia wine carries the DOC designation. The best-known local wine is Castel del Monte DOC, which is available overseas and is frankly not that great. If you're in western Apulia you may want to try the Cacc'e Mmitte di Lucera DOC because of its interesting name, which can be translated as 'knock it back'. People say that the name reflects the wine. I have been told that Moscato di Trani DOC is an excellent sweet white wine, but you may have to go to Apulia or neighboring areas to find any. When you think about it that's just one more reason to visit this sometimes overlooked region of Italy.


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Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but between you and me, he prefers drinking fine German, Italian, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and the right people. He teaches various classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website is www.theworldwidewine.com and his Italian travel website is www.travelitalytravel.com .

Southampton is located on the South Coast of England. It has a population of around 225,000 of which over 40,000 are students. The high student population gives Southampton an energetic and vibrant night life.

The City has much to offer those seeking an evening’s entertainment. There are many pubs, clubs, cinemas, restaurants and casinos to choose from. The visitor should remember that smoking in public places, which includes pubs and restaurants, is now illegal in England.

One of the ways to start your night out is to visit one of the many restaurants in Southampton. The city has a restaurant for every taste whether you are looking for a formal 3 course meal or a simple pub meal with friends.

Oxford Street is home to many of the top restaurants in the city. The White Star Tavern is a well known eatery and was featured in the Which? Good Food Guide 2006.

Dockgate 4 Bar and Grill is another popular restaurant and combines a bar and a night club in the same venue. It has a vibrant upmarket atmosphere.

Kuti's Brassiere is an ideal option for those who like their food a little spicy. This restaurant serves Indian Cuisine in a Bangladeshi style.

It is not possible to list all Southampton restaurants in this article but Greek, Italian, Chinese and French cuisine is all available.

As with most cities in the UK, Southampton has a number of pubs. Every type of pub can be found in the city from the traditional and historic, to the modern bar with loud music and dancing. If it is historic you are after then visit The Duke of Wellington pub on Bugle Street. The pub has been operating since 1490 and is full of charm and character. The Polygon area of the city is home to some of the coolest modern bars; venues such as The Lizard Lounge, The Orange Rooms and Chambers. These venues are a student favourite and are always busy.

If you are feeling lucky there are a number of casinos in Southampton such as the Southampton Harbour House, the Southampton Stanley Casino, and the Grosvenor Casino. All three offer a range of tables and slot machines and are a great night’s entertainment.

Southampton has 3 cinema complexes, Odeon Leisure World, Cineworld Cinema and Harbour Lights Picture House. Between them you are able to see all of the latest movie releases.

As you may expect in a student city there is a wide choice of clubs. Every taste in music is catered for. The Ikon and Diva Nightclub in the Leisure World Complex is the biggest night club on the South coast. With a capacity of 2,500 people, revellers are offered 2 dance floors and a choice of 6 bars. The night club is host to some top name DJ’s. Other venues such as The Rhino Club and the Kaos Nightclub also offer a great night out.

At the end of your evening there is a night bus available which stops at destinations as far as Winchester and Portsmouth.

Southampton has a vibrant night life and is a favourite venue for nights-out in the region. People travel to Southampton for Stag and Hen nights as well as for its great clubs. So why not visit Southampton and experience the buzz of its nightlife for yourself.

Paul Serellis
Southampton Property
Southampton News
Southampton

Your busy life offers no time at all for those much needed vacations with your loved ones. And that is why it gets real tough for coping up with the pressure. It is only when you can have bit time with your loved one can make it a rejuvenating experience in your fast track life. The ultimate answer comes in the form of a romantic weekend gateway that not only gives you more pleasure in a short span of time but also gives you the cherished company of your loved one. And that is what is more sought after in such stressful routine of any individual.

The romantic weekend gateways are considered as the most fun filled way to utilize the weekend. And more so it gives you quite a romantic get together with your loved one. A weekend gateway is a typical weekend trip that you can plan for within the close vicinity so that you can complete it within your weekend. And above all it gives you a variety of options to choose from so that you never have to visit the same place twice unless you want to. There are some small tips that should always be taken into consideration while planning a romantic weekend gateway with your loved one. Before you start with the packing for that special time remember planning for such a destination where less traveling time is required and should be accessible by more than one way of conveyance in case of an emergency. If you are traveling by air, book the tickets before hand instead of waiting till the last moment. Road trip can be an exciting option for a romantic gateway if the destination is close enough. In this case look at the traveling issues like checking the vehicle properly and keeping the petrol tank full to have a smooth, enjoyable and fun filled journey till your destination. Go easy with your packaging as you wont require much stuff for the romantic weekend gateway, so pack your bags in such a manner that things, which are not required for weekend vacations, should not be taken. Avoid taking in too many clothes, and other stuff as many hotels provide shampoos, hair dryers and lotions that help to lessen your burden of carrying things. In case your children are accompanying you better to give them backpacks having handles and wheels, which they can carry without efforts. Keep things handy in the backpack and avoid cluttering.

You will come across variety of options for the romantic weekend-getaways. Make a choice wisely and after taking out the necessary information of the destination, as some of them are best for romantic weekend gateways while some suitable for visit with entire family. There are many travel planners who can help you with the romantic weekend gateway planning, if you are too busy with your office schedules. Take help if required as it helps in planning and saves time. They will help you in making the necessary arrangements like accommodation, dining, activity planning etc. Avid unnecessary hassles when the time is too short for fun. A romantic weekend gateway, although a short span of time, can rejuvenate you for the tough and busy working months. So plan it carefully to enjoy it in the warmth of your loved one.


Resource Box:
Looking for more information on Romantic Weekend Gateways check out www.WEEKEND-GETAWAYS.ORG your guide to Romantic Weekend Gateways.
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