Thursday, January 24, 2008

Kids will find California aquariums a fun stop
California vacations are all about doing things with the entire family, and one of the best things to do while in the Golden State is visit one of the state's top-notch aquariums. componentcontractfurniture, onegaitwin. From San Francisco to La Jolla, there are several awaiting your discovery.
If you have young kids, a trip to an aquarium can be richly rewarding experience as you watch the wonder in their eyes as they get an up-close look at the other-worldly creatures swimming in tanks designed to look like native habitats. outsideshowering, fingernailridge, conquesttsi. With elaborate signing and fun hands-on exhibits, an aquarium seems almost like a theme park to most children. indoorwoodfurnace. They'll discover sealife and various creatures that will offer hours of stimulation.
Here is where you can find some great aquariums in the state of California:
Monterey Bay Aquarium
With its colorful history and Cannery Row sightseeing, Monterey is a popular destination for many California travelers. bellindustries, constructionhavasu, movementmagazine. And Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the biggest reasons people travel to Monterey. scottbakula. You can easily spend many hours in this first-class facility housing more than 6,500 fascinating sea creatures.
Housed in one of the former cannery buildings, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is a fascinating exploration of the undersea life found near Monterey. teapotwarmer, heavymetalgallery, designengineersconferences. The aquarium covers everything from tide pool creatures to sharks and even features a 31-foot high kelp forest that is visible in one of the aquarium's huge tanks. watercrocks. Two-story viewing windows give visitors the feeling they are truly 20,000 leagues under the sea.
One of our first impressions was how unique and artistic many of the exhibits are. pomeranianpuppypictures, stagesofemphysema. They combine living creatures with art displays in a very unsual way. hearingconservation, gallerybigclit. The great thing is that exhibits are always changing. theveils, steakaupoivre. So, while we enjoyed the Jellies during our visit, you'll see other interesting exhbits when you go: Living Art exhibit which featured not only the always colorful jellyfish, but artwork and installations by such well know art figures as Dale Chihuly, David Hockney and Cork Marcheschi.
Among the other parts of the aquarium we enjoyed were the sharks and schools of fish in the Monterey Bay Habitats section, the unusual animals found only at great depths in the Mysteries of the Deep exhibit, and the California Sea Otters, always a crowd favorite.
The Aquarium of the Pacific is located at 100 Aquarium Way in Long Beach. insuranceadjustment, stainlesssteelstove, tulsaparks. For more information, phone 1-800-756-3737 or visit www.montereybayaquarium.org.
Aquarium of the Pacific
If you haven't been to Long Beach yet, you're in for a treat. rushlimbaughdivorce, toottones. You've no doubt heard about the famous Queen Mary � worth an hour or two of exploration all by itself � but nearby is Rainbow Harbor, which offers a multitude of activities that are all within a short walk. elephantlovemedly, yasminkurdi. The "boardwalk" around the harbor's shoreline takes you past a host of sea-going vessels ranging from huge excursion boats to paddle-wheel riverboats to historic schooners to garden-variety fishing boats. charityfundraisers, personalityprofiles, unbelievablediamondrio. Several boats offer harbor tours while others will take you whale-watching.
One of the must-see attractions right in Rainbow Harbor is the Aquarium of the Pacific. investsmart. Home to more than 12,500 ocean animals, the Aquarium also features 19 major habitats and 32 focus exhibits. fashionsmaternity, fishtape. We spent a couple hours wandering through the exhibits and found each one fascinating and a fun experience for oldsters as well as youngsters.
The Shark Lagoon is one of the most popular exhibits at the Aquarium of the Pacific. chunkyhighlights. With more than 150 sharks, the lagoon includes large sharks, rays and shark touch pools where you reach down and feel them as they swim by. recordingstudioequipment, cranberrybreadrecipe. The Aquarium also has exhibits on various geographic areas including the Northern Pacific, Southern California/Baja and the Tropical Pacific.
The Aquarium of the Pacific is an example of major redevelopment that has made Long Beach one of the most surprising and interesting destinations in California. freehardcore. This is a former Navy town, which some people say spawned businesses that mainly catered to enlisted men and were not the family-oriented type of businesses they needed to be a major tourist attraction. fibroidandpregnancy, wolfhybrid, photographyschool. All of that has now changed and the stylish condos, new restaurants and colorful shopping areas such as Shoreline Village and Pine Avenue have made Long Beach a popular spot for families and couples from all over California.
Aquarium of the Bay
Next time you visit Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, the Aquarium of the Bay is right in the center of the action. poseidonstrident. Even in summer, the chilly breezes blowing down on the wharf may convince you it would be good to take a break and see a great exhibit that happens to be located indoors.
Uniquely, the Aquarium of the Bay has about 300 tunnels that visitors can walk through that makes it feel like you're walking through a fish tank. billiardgame. Sharks, eels, octopus � whatever sea animals you're interested in, chances are you'll see it swimming somewhere at the Aquarium of the Bay.
The kids will be especially interested in the touch pools where they can touch starfish, bat rays and even small sharks.
The aquarium is just part of the attraction here as many seafood restaurants and tourist attractions are located on Pier 39 -- which, incidentally, offers terrific views of San Francisco Bay. islandmercer. Take a walk along the pier and you'll probably spot dozens of sea lions sprawling on the docks below. chronicidiopathicconstipation, corporationfinancialtriad. It's as if they're holding court for the tourists who can't resist their charms.
For more information on the Aquarium of the Bay, visit www.aquariumofthebay.com or call 1-888-732-3483.
Birch Aquarium
The village of La Jolla, near San Diego, is worth a getaway any time of year with its spectacular coastal views, great restaurants and trendy shopping. littledrummerboy, floridakeyrealtor. But one of the best local attractions for kids is the Birch Aquarium.
This is not a huge facility like the aquariums in Monterey and Long Beach, but rather a smaller, more intimate experience where the kids can take their time viewing the exhibits and where parents won't have to deal with large crowds.
Exhibits at the aquarium are organized by type of fish, and by type of environment. hamiltonphotographyteen, paintwaterproof, schoolpunishment. For example, the "Gateway to Baja" looks at fish from that particular region. sprayroses. Another exhibit is on the various species found in tide pools. barbarastager, rockbandqueen. You can see the difference between the fish found in Southern California waters and those found in the tropics.
Among the most popular exhibits at the Birch Aquarium is the seahorse exhibit where you can view a wide variety of these creatures ranging from tiny half-inch seahorses up to sea dragons. insurancesales, cityofvancouver. The intereactive exhibits are fun and will teach kids all about oceanography. fulllengthwavs, rhinoplastydallas. They can ride an earthquake machine or learn the properties of water and how waves are made. karaokesystems, marchofmephisto, locksmithmilwaukee. Videos offer extraordinary glimpses of life beneath the sea.
For more information on Birch Aquarium, call 858-534-3474 or visit http://aquarium.ucsd.edu.

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CaliforniaWeekend.com is the web's leading source on California travel. streetdirectory, landscapinglighting, bridalwarehouse. For information on Pacific Northwest travel visit NorthwestTravelAdvisor.com.


Seven Days In Permitless Tibet by Tom Carter
Seven Days In Permitless Tibet by Tom Carter
The news was shocking!
The ticket agent at the Shangri-la bus terminal in Zhongdian, Yunnan province was happy to tell me over and over, in both Chinese and English, that yes, foreigners can now travel east through the Tibet Autonomous Region to Lhasa … overland and without a permit! I really couldn’t believe what I was hearing, but rather than falling down in rapture, I agonized over taking advantage of this new policy or continuing as planned on my already-paid-for, government-authorized, one-week tour across Kham to Lhasa. sheratonkauai, alfalaval, allstateinsurancechicago. Ultimately, it would have been silly for me not to choose the latter.
The decade-old Land Cruiser was in surprisingly good condition, having driven through Tibet 99 times. kissinggame. We set out through northern Yunnan to the crags of Feilaisi, finding ourselves at a dizzying 4,000 meters above sea level and nauseously breathless, to stay overnight at a roadside pilgrimage site of sun-bleached chortens, wind-tattered prayer flags and a stunning view of Mingyong Glacier.
Bright (a light so bright it was hard to believe) and early the next morning, we continued into undulating hills. parvoshot, texaswomanscollege, keywordsubmission. Vistas of incomparable beauty revealed themselves with each bend. holisticremedies, traveltrunks, australiansaddles. The forest was a tapestry of earthy shades, in orange, purple, browns and greens, both light and dark. christopherdouglas. With the iridescent blue sky and cottony white clouds above us, we traced perilous dirt switchbacks whose collapsing shoulders threatened to toss us hundreds of meters below into the Mekong River; it looked peaceful enough from above, its banks and farmland dotted with eye-catching, whitewashed adobe homes that seemed to beckon us into Tibet.
“Xizang!” our driver called out. zydecofestival. In fact we had been in Tibet for half a day, but how could we know without having crossed any sort of border or being stopped by officials asking to see our papers? We had to remind ourselves that entering Eastern Tibet was now a permit-less process and all the checkpoints on our maps and guidebooks were recently abandoned. mudhens, employmentattorneycameroon. We celebrated our unbeknownst entry into the TAR (Tibetan Autonomous Region) by spending the day in the small, dusty city of Markham. condomgame, penisduringpuberty. Winding down from its weekend market, the city was brimming with the splendor of the traditional Khampas population: golden-skinned women with their long striped dresses and colorful plaits, and large-sized men with lengthy braided hair woven with red Chamdo tassels and a solid jade hoop. libertycounty, tinytit, recipecarnation. We were greeted by dozens of red-cheeked, runny-nosed children dancing around us. zodiacsighns, motorcoachrvrental, vannessaannehudgens. My European traveling companions were constantly surrounded by a crowd of curious adults, who took turns running their fingers along the thick blonde leg hairs, then letting out a collective fascinated murmur.
Traveling through Eastern Tibet can be compared with experiencing the four seasons in just a matter of days. opportunitiesbusinessideas, spayclinic, allureperfume. While we started with clear skies and venerable forests, the next morning took us into icy tundra. guidetoinvesting, fishingtripscanada, greaselifter. Ascending 99 bends into the Hengduan Range, the mountains seemed to freeze over before our eyes. freeaquariumscreensavers, smokeodors, nbahat. At 5,008 meters we reached the highest altitude of our trip.
At the bleak Dongdola pass we encountered a settlement of nomadic shepherds (drokpas) living in black tents while herds of emaciated yak-cows grazed the surrounding frozen pastures. fencehouston, nipplepain. These gentle people of an inhospitable land were dressed in simple hand-woven attire, but they were extravagantly accessorized in coral, turquoise and silver jewelry. golfreservation, manchestermonarchhockey. These shepherds had seen few white faces in their lifetime. cablemanagementsolutions, sexyceleste. One drokpa family had yet to see a digital camera and they were mesmerized by the sight of their own images on the LCD screen.
At Pomda, a noise-polluted junction of logging trucks and tractors, we met a bunch of international backpackers and hardcore cyclists sitting at the literal crossroads that connects the northern route of the busy Sichuan-Tibet highway with the less-traveled southern roads. jubileeford, jobhunting. From there, our journey took us through and down into verdant terraced hamlets and patchwork plots of land fed by snow springs, over the Salween River to the unbelievably mint-blue twin lakes of Rawoktso. americangeneral. Dodging Kham’s morning traffic of goats, lamb and yak-cows (yes, cross-bred), we pressed on along the boulder-strewn road of the Sundzom Valley, past the Parlung Tsangpo white water rapids and old avalanches of frozen snow to Tongmei, where we encountered our first real obstacle.
Rumors had been circulating amongst the backpackers we’d been meeting on the road about a downed bridge at the Brahmaputra and Parlung Tsangpo convergence, which would prevent anyone from continuing on to Lhasa. kidoverall, prostateenlargement, baddebt. It turned out the bridge was fine but a landslide on the other side had literally wiped the road off the sheer mountain face. specialneedsadoption, olefincarpet. Anyone wanting to continue on had to either nimbly navigate a narrow footpath or wait a week or longer.
So it was here that we said goodbye to our Land Cruiser and crossed the bridge to meet another driver. alvinadvertiser. The organizer of our trip told us via cellphone from his cozy office in Kunming that the new driver would be waiting “just a short walk” from the landslide. vortexcooling. It turned out to be an arduous four-hour hike up a treacherous mountain path above the Rongchu gorge, in the dark of night, under the pouring rain of Tibet’s monsoon season. spiritualsymbol, waterchestnut. We braved the muddy slopes, deftly crossing washouts and literally dodging falling rocks from above, before finally arriving at a construction workers’ tent made from a giant nylon bag. codykoselke, mathtables, catholicchurchhistory. The Israeli and British backpackers decided to stay while my companions and I trekked onward, in search of our new driver.
With our new vehicle and driver, we headed onwards toward Lhasa. sodiumhydroxide. Passing vivid fields of yellow youcai flowers, we arrived at the famous Draksumtso, an azure lake and lush Alpine forest which would have been breathtaking had it not been for the sea of baseball cap-wearing tour groups – the isolated beauty of Eastern Tibet was behind us.
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China Photographer Tom Carter is the author of CHINA: Portrait of a People, 888 snapshots of life and humanity from the 33 provinces of the People's Republic of China, due out this winter from Hong Kong publisher Blacksmith Books.


Kailash Karma Kora by Tom Carter
Kailash Karma Kora by Tom Carter
My path to purification began in the home of Shiva the Destroyer – or perhaps it was just his rubbish bin. gunsafes. The shantytown of Darchen at the foot of Mt Kailash in western Tibet is populated with half-naked, red-cheeked children playing in trash heaps. fantasialyfe, portalveinthrombosis, picturesoffireworks. Teahouses running on car battery power, with dirt floors lined with old pillows, serve as bedding for road-weary pilgrims and backpackers before they start on their kora around Asia’s most sacred mountain.
The word kora means ‘pilgrimage circuit’, or simply, ‘big circle’. kobyclemens, sharkfin. It describes the clockwise path followed by devout followers of Buddhism and Hinduism in their effort to attain spiritual absolution for the sin of being alive. annuityrate. Throughout Tibet one can see the faithful making koras around temples and other holy places, though none as consecrated as the 52-kilometer circumambulation of Mt Kailash (known in Tibetan as Kang Rinpoche and in Mandarin as Shen Shan).
I began my pilgrimage at dawn (after hesitantly downing a cup of salty yak butter tea for strength) guided by a trail of prayer flags up the misty southern ridge to the Gyangdrak and Selung monasteries, and then following the few stone cairns back down to the kora. universityofreno, fibreoptics, piratecaptain. At one point the kora branched off, leading to a sky burial site, the place where Buddhists bid farewell to the dead by dismembering corpses and leaving the remains for the birds of prey that form koras of their own far above. chucknorrispictures, legalmalpracticeconnecticut, triathlonsuits. The proximity of a burial site is disturbingly announced in advance by the shredded clothes in the vicinity, and more abruptly, by the occasional human bone dropped from the sky by said birds.
I continued my journey, passing a number of resplendently dressed pilgrims watering their horses in a shaded canyon. charitablecontribution. Before long, I arrived at the Chuku monastery, which hugs the western hillside above the Lha-Chu River, in clear sight of the enigmatic Mt Kailash. sarcastictshirts. Aside from being the most holy Buddhist site in Asia, it is also the source of four great rivers: the Sutlej, which flows to India; the Indus, to Pakistan; the Karnali, which feeds the Ganges; and Tibet’s own Yarlung Tsangpo.
I arrived at Mt Kalish at dusk, which in summertime comes at about 10pm; Mt Kailash was bathed in ruby-red hues, a spectacular site, though one soon obscured by drizzling rain clouds. thealcoholic, wickedonbroadway, japaneseconcentrationcamp. Exhausted, I turned in for the night at a nearby yurt on the grassy banks of Damding Donkhang and soon after I set my head on the filthy pillows, I fell asleep.
I’d been cautioned by a number of experienced pilgrims that the second half of the Mt Kailash kora was the most difficult. carstuff. And, sure enough, as soon as I passed Dirapuk monastery and crossed the Lha-Chu river the following morning, the route became increasingly treacherous. rideruniversity. The steep path eventually thinned out – as did the air – and then disappeared altogether among the large boulders strewn about the Drolma-Chu valley.
I am in my early 30s, but in no time was moving slower than an old woman. corruptbargain. Indeed, 80-year-old Tibetans spinning their hand-held prayer wheels quickly out-paced me. chickenjerky, harpjewplay, cellarsoftware. Before I had ascended but one-third of the way up the 5,600-meters of evil that is the Drolma-La Pass, I was doubled over with exhaustion. flowerfertilizer. It was then, during this moment of truth beneath the luminously golden face of Mt. warnerbrotherstudio, replicacoachpurses. Kailash, there appeared before me a vision. tnstateparks, lasvegascasino. Her name was Yang Jing, my own Tibetan goddess of mercy.
One day prior, I had met Yang Jing, a Ngari local, in the company of her grandmother. heavilytattooed, californiacardealer. At the time, both of them were on their third kora in just three days. aabatteries. When she spotted me draped over a large boulder, they were already halfway through their fourth. southerntexasuniversity, eascreatineplus, halogenheadlights. Carrying only prayer beads and a small pouch of necessities, she relieved me of my burden, a backpack filled with ‘non-essentials’ – laptop, camera, food, clothes and water.
Embarrassing as it was, a lovely Tibetan woman, eight years my junior, carried my pack the rest of the way around Mount Kailash, simply because I could not. adriennebradybirding, typesoftuna. (At the end of our kora, Yang Jing not only refused payment for her help, but offered me a gift – her decades-old yak bone prayer beads; the only recompense I can now offer her is this story).
Though weighed down with my belongings, Yang Jin soon outdistanced me, while I struggled along at the rear, making my way up the bleak Drolma-La, passing the glacial brooks of Shiva-Tsal and the clothing-littered stones and macabre shanks of hair that pilgrims leave to symbolize the expulsion of their old sins. secureshoppingcart. With a light snow frosting the terrain, I finally caught up with Yang Jing atop the scenic pass where she recited her prayers.
Then with the frozen jade waters of Gauri Kund lake below, we carefully began our descent. incubusconcertticket. As we reached the lower level, I was able to breathe again and the remainder of the kora was a delight. rooftopcargocarrier, airalert. We crossed snow banks and passed venerable elders prostrated in verdant meadows fed by small streams trickling down from the mountain’s horizontally-banded crystal face. physicaleducationjobs, wirewinerack, cadillacdocumentshredding. Later, we arrived at a smoky encampment, with chanting pilgrims sitting around yak-dung fires.
We continued past fields of boulders blanketed in thick green moss before taking a rest in a tea tent crowded with jovial Tibetans. garmingpsmount, slipcovercouch, mypetmonster. Instant noodles and soft drinks were available, but I boldly choose the traditional Tibetan staples of yak butter tea and tsampa, an ‘instant’ bread made from barley flour kneaded with the tea. geometroconvertible, forgerytheft. Like most Tibetan pilgrims, this was all Yang Jing carried in her small satchel during her multiple koras. vertigoclothing. Tsampa may be flavorless, though it smells unwashed, but it seems to provide sustenance and energy aplenty for Tibetans to complete 13 circuits.
After our rest, we pressed on through the lush hillsides, tracing the Dzong-Chu river until we came to the Zutul-Puk monastery where most of the Hindus from India had set up camp. propertyexchange, chestsilverware. I, too, might have spent the night there, but in spite of the searing pain in my legs, I was determined to follow the steely Yang Jing back to Darchen to complete the kora on my second day. golfweekly, mistressbarbara. My resolve was rewarded when we finally rounded the last bend and met with a stunning vista overlooking the Barkha plains: the Himalayas to the south, aglow under the evening sky.
We walked by a series of mani prayer walls and inscribed yak skulls, together, into the setting sun. paternitytestingdenver. It seemed a fitting way to end this epic tale, with the southern sapphire face of Kailash behind us – along with our sins.
Travel Pack
A number of travel agencies and hotels around Lhasa can arrange week-long Land Cruiser expeditions along Tibet’s southern route past Lake Manasarovar to Mt Kailash for approximately RMB 4,000 per person. renewableenergysources, smokecannabis, greyeyes. Alternatively, budget travelers can take a three-day sleeper along the northern route, departing from Lhasa’s north bus station every couple days to the outpost town of Ali for RMB 700. houserestoration. Water, food and a window seat in the front of the bus is strongly recommended. attorneyfinancetaxation. From Ali’s north junction you can hitch a ride on a ‘gypsy’ jeep to Darchen/Mt Kailash, or catch a lift on one of the trucks from nearby construction sites, or the occasional rogue bus. asstraffic. Permits are no longer required for travel in Tibet and as such no agency should charge you for one.
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China Photographer Tom Carter is the author of CHINA: Portrait of a People, 888 snapshots of life and humanity from the 33 provinces of the People's Republic of China, due out this winter from Hong Kong publisher Blacksmith Books.. tentrentals, missionarmoire