The Memorial is a tribute of remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site, near Shanksville, Pa., and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in February 1993.
The Memorial’s twin reflecting pools are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in the North America. The pools sit within the footprints where the Twin Towers once stood. Architect Michael Arad and landscape architect Peter Walker created the Memorial design selected from a global design competition that included more than 5,200 entries from 63 nations.
The names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks are inscribed into bronze panels edging the Memorial pools, a powerful reminder of the largest loss of life resulting from a foreign attack on American soil and the greatest single loss of rescue personnel in American history.
The 9/11 Memorial Museum will include a memorial exhibition dedicated to commemorating the unique life of each victim. The Museum is now projected to open at the end of 2013.
We at Rawhide Travel and Tours would like to take a moment today to honor those who died in 9/11, their families, and the heroes who helped in rescue and relief. Never forget!
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
In Jean Lafitte's day, silver and gold filled a pirate's treasure chest, but today's treasures are people, places, and memories. Discover the rich cultural mix of New Orleans. Learn Cajun traditions from the people who live them. Stroll along a bayou and watch an alligator bask on the bank. Walk in the footsteps of the men who fought at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815.
The six sites of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve offer something for everyone, from history to culture to outdoor adventure.
•The Barataria Preserve outside Marrero offers a taste of Louisiana's wild wetlands. The preserve's 23,000 acres include bayous, swamps, marshes, forests, alligators, nutrias, and over 300 species of birds. Boardwalk and dirt trails wind through the preserve; check out the trail map, enjoy a self-guided tour, or explore with a cell phone tour. Waterways can be explored by canoe or kayak.
•Just downriver from New Orleans in Chalmette is the site of the January 8, 1815, Battle of New Orleans: Chalmette Battlefield. Many people believe that this last great battle of the War of 1812 between the United States and Britain was unnecessary, since the treaty ending the war was signed in late 1814, but the war was not over.
•Shortly after the French founded New Orleans in 1718, engineers drew up a formal city plan for Nouvelle Orleans---the area that we now call the French Quarter. The city expanded beyond those original boundaries to become an important American port. People arrived from all over the world, joining the early inhabitants of the area to create a distinct culture rich in food, music, and tradition.
•The Acadian Cultural Center in Lafayette tells stories of the origins, migration, settlement, and contemporary culture of the Acadians (Cajuns) and other area groups. Ranger programs, films, exhibits, and events share a variety of local traditions including music, story-telling, dance, and food, and explore the mysteries of the Atchafalaya Basin, Louisiana's wildest place.
•Waltz on in to the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice. Discover the life of Louisiana's prairie Cajuns through ranger programs, exhibits, artifacts, and films. Kids can explore the center and earn a badge with the Junior Ranger program.
•The lives of the Acadians (Cajuns) and others whose travels brought them to Louisiana's bayous are featured at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux. Recreation, clothing, home furnishings, religion, cuisine, and fishing are explored through exhibits, artifacts, videos, and films.
Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com.
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
Choosing the right vacation is an important decision. Choosing the right agent is an even bigger decision. Don't leave your vacation to chance. Insist on the best, Rawhide Travel and Tours.
Whether business or pleasure, Rawhide Travel and Tours delivers. Internet Travel sites list hotels and destinations, but offer little else. Our years of experience in the industry will help you design the perfect traveling experience. From romantic getaways to large events, our experienced agents will handle all the details. Traveling does not need to be stressful. You can count on us for great value and dependable service.
We arrange travel air, land and sea. We can arrange the perfect destination package including, resorts, conference rooms and meeting locations, special events, and attractions.
Call us and start planning that special vacation or event today. 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100 rawhidetravel.com
 |
| photo by ForestWander |
Fall is a great time of year for photographers no matter what your skill level is. Mother Nature does most of the work. You really can’t go wrong if you point a camera at a tree in full color. But there are some things that you can do that can take a picture from okay to great. This is a list of some things to think about when photographing fall colors.
Add Water
Whether it is a creek, stream, river, pond, or lake, water helps to take a fall foliage picture from good to really interesting. Better yet, if you can find a place where trees in full color go all the way up to the shore you can have a truly great picture. Here’s a hint – think Maine. Maine’s rocky coast has ample opportunity to find fall foliage juxtaposed with a rocky shore line for that perfect breathtaking picture.
Look for a Fence or a Wall
An old wooden fence, bonus points for a high degree of disrepair, can be the perfect prop for a great fall foliage picture. Perhaps, even better, a classic New England rock wall to set up your picture. Again, bonus points if the rock wall is falling apart.
Find a Covered Bridge
With a covered bridge it’s hard to go wrong. You have a beautiful and iconic New England structure and most likely a water element (the bridge has to go over something). Find a old grist mill, similar to a covered bridge, you get an interesting antique man-made object and, typically, water.
Find a church
No picture is more iconic of fall in New England than a classic New England church surrounded by leaves in full color. It’s almost impossible to miss with such subject matter. The good news is that churches are not very hard to find.
Look for other “attention-grabbing” man-made objects, such as an old horse-drawn wagons, wagon wheels, old barns or almost any man-made object that has an antique flair to it can help to make a fall foliage picture.
Look for animalsAnimals can also be the perfect foil for a fall foliage picture. Horses or cows in a field against a backdrop of trees in full color can make for a great picture. Extra bonus points if you do it on a frosty morning where you can see the steam of their breath. Of course the definitive, which requires much more luck, is if you can get a picture of wildlife and trees in full color. Deer or a moose would do perfectly.
Looking for the perfect location to take those fall foliage pictures? Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com.
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Kennedy Space Center has launched tours to three rarely seen areas of the center: the Launch Control Center (LCC), the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) and the Space Shuttle Launch Pad. These tours mark the first time in over 30 years visitors can access the LCC and VAB, and the first time ever they can get up-close to the Shuttle launch pad.
“These are live, operating facilities that are currently going through a little bit of a lull as we gear up for the Space Launch System, and we’ll be testing that launch system in the next couple of years,” said Stine (director of sales). “We don’t know how long we’ll have them for, at least through the end of the year and early next year, but we can be requested to vacate the area by NASA at any time.”
Until the launch of the SLS, Kennedy Space Center is still host to rocket launches throughout the year, including SpaceX’s recent successful private mission to the International Space Station.
New Tours and Attractions
The “KSC Up-Close: Launch Control Center (LCC) Tour” takes visitors inside Firing Room 4, the room from which all space shuttle launches since 2006 were controlled. Guests can see the main countdown clock, video monitors and “bubble room” through which the launch director and management team oversaw the launch.
“With so much on the line, the people who worked in this room were under tremendous pressure not only in daily operations but particularly as the countdown proceeded,” said Bob Sieck, former launch director, Kennedy Space Center, in a statement. “They had to handle the tension and their emotions as the tests became faster, the astronauts took their place in the shuttle, and thousands of people and news media gathered outside to watch the launch.”
The LCC tour is led by a trained space expert, and it also includes a drive-by of Launch Pad 39 and a visit to the Apollo/Saturn V Center.
Also led by a trained space expert, the “Kennedy Space Center Up-Close Tour” takes visitors into the interior of the 525-foot-tall VAB, where the Space Shuttle and Apollo rockets were assembled. The VAB is one of the largest buildings in the world. Guests will also get a chance to see the 6 million pound crawler-transporters, which moved the space shuttle from the VAB to its launch pad, before finishing up in the Apollo/Saturn V Center.
Visitors on the “KSC Up-Close: Launch Pad Tour” will be guided a quarter-mile inside the perimeter security fence to Launch Pad 39-A, which hosted a majority of Space Shuttle launches and all six Apollo missions that landed on the Moon. Near the pad, visitors can exit the tour bus for photos and experience close views of the 350-foot-high service structure and other launch pad systems. Then they will drive by Launch Pad 39-B, which launched the Saturn 1B/Skylab missions and many Space Shuttle missions, the VAB, the mobile launch platform and one of the crawler transporters that was used to move the Apollo rockets and shuttles to the pads, before ending the tour at the Apollo/Saturn V Center.
In July of next year, the Kennedy Space Center will unveil the new home of Atlantis, the last space shuttle to be assembled in the VAB.
“Atlantis will be presented in a way that none of the other orbiters are going to be presented, as if it were orbiting the Earth,” said Stine. The exhibit will allow guests to get up close with the shuttle in a series of inter-active exhibits that also tell the story of the 30-year Space Shuttle program.
In addition to the new and upcoming tours and attractions, the Kennedy Space Center also features the opportunity to view live space launches, or the full schedule, click on “Events” at kennedyspacecenter.com.
Visitors can also see the Rocket Garden, which boasts seven rockets from the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs, as well as models of the Apollo 11 gantry arm and the Apollo capsule. The Astronaut Encounter program, held daily at the Astronaut Encounter Theater, is a half-hour question and answer session and picture-taking opportunity with an astronaut. Similarly, the “Lunch With an Astronaut” program allows visitors to dine with an astronaut and have their picture taken. In the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, the world’s largest collection of astronaut memorabilia commemorates the heroes of the space program. The newest addition to this area, Science On a Sphere, has animated images of the atmosphere, oceans and planets of the solar system. Exploration Space: Explorers Wanted combines live theater, interactive experiences and multimedia presentations to explore the future of space travel.
Looking for that uniquely different family vacation destination. Call Rawhide Travel and Tours today (602) 843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com. We can help!
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
India can seem a realm of utter chaos, a walk to the market is no walk in the park. But whether you're visiting a sari shop or a family home for dinner, there are dozens of rules you might want to follow to avoid the forgiving laughter with which most Westerners are greeted. In a heterogeneous culture, basic rules make sense of the contradictions, especially in the sanctum of the family home.
The Table:
The rules of eating in India depend on whether you're in the north or the south (the traditional meal below is an example of one you might have in the north). One thing remains the same wherever you are: Wash before every meal. Even small street stands usually set aside a bowl of water for this (but bring wipes, since they won't have soap).
How to Eat (The North)
Rice
You can use your right hand, but if you find that too difficult, use a fork and a spoon or a fork and a knife, which is "the old British way." Do not use the whole hand to mash the rice and sauces together (although in the south this is acceptable). Use your left hand only to hold your drink or to pass food.
Chapati
Use ONLY your right hand to handle the chapati. To tear off a piece, use the last three fingers to hold down the larger portion while, with your thumb and forefinger, you turn up the edge and tear by pressing the forefinger down and the thumb up and inward.
Maacher Jhol (fish curry)
You're going to want to alternate bites of fish and rice. Remove the bones from the fish as best you can with your right hand. If you get any in your mouth, try to remove them several at a time instead of one after another.
Rogan Josh (lamb curry)
Tear the meat from the bone with your hand, but use AS FEW FINGERS AS POSSIBLE. "In the north, you tend to use just the final digits of your hand," says Jaffrey. Then, with your thumb and forefinger, fold a small piece of chapati over a piece of meat to create a little sandwich.
Water or Lassi
This is generally all you'll get, beverage-wise. Alcohol is not drunk with a traditional meal, but feel free to bring beer or whiskey to dinner if you know the family drinks.
How to Eat (The South)
In traditional households throughout the south, it's common to sit on a very low stool with the food on the floor before you. You must bend over deeply to eat, and the doubled-up posture is thought to help you get fuller faster. There's a general order to eating in the south: The meal begins with a bit of sweetness, proceeds through the rice dishes, and concludes with the more savory ones. Note, too, that meat will not always be served in the south (It is estimated that 30 percent of southerners are vegetarians). And no matter where you are in India, don't ask for beef (which is not eaten by Hindus) or pork (which is not eaten by Muslims) if they are not on the menu.
Rice and Ghee
Lighter food comes first, so for the first course you'll be pouring purified butter over your rice and eating clumps of it mixed with vegetables or dal with your fingers.
Dal
This usually comes either in little tin cups or, if it has a denser consistency, in little dollops on a banana leaf. It's your job to mash it all together, moving your fingers inward and outward to mix the rice in. Once you've achieved a claylike consistency, start rolling it back and forth with your fingers to form a ball. If it stays together, just pop it into your mouth. If it's soupy, use your hand as a scooper, pushing the mixture into your mouth with your thumb.
Vegetables and Curries
You'll be mixing these with the rice and eating them much as you ate the dal. Drop the vegetables into the ice first.
Dhosa, Puri, Fried Foods, Pickles, and Chutneys
Eat these with your right hand, using a piece of chapati to scoop up some of the chutneys and pickles.
Pappadam and Yogurt
You'll eat these last. Crush and sprinkle the pappadam onto your rice-curry mixture and eat with your hand.
When You're Done
In some areas, if you fold the banana leaf toward you when you've finished eating, this indicates that you liked the meal, whereas if you fold it away from you, it means you're dissatisfied. If you don't want any more food, simply cover your plate and say "bas."
Simple Rules for Being in the Street
There's nothing like a walk down a busy, bazaar-filled Indian street to give you a real sense of the country in all its glorious diversity. Here's how to maximize your experience and ensure a warm reception
Dress Modestly
Keep your shoulders covered at all times. This especially applies to women, who should also wear below-the-knee skirts except when going to a private home or a bar and taking a car the entire way.
Wear Sandals
Sneakers mark you as a tourist, and sandals are easy to take off, which you'll have to do to enter a religious institution or a home. Minders will watch your shoes, but don't wear any you can't bear to lose.
Haggle Within Reason
It's expected, particularly at outdoor markets. Start by declaring that you'll pay half the price, but don't go overboard; if the difference is 50 cents, cough it up. Walking away is not an insulting tactic.
Negotiate Prices First
This especially goes for cabs and rickshaws. Sometimes it helps to make it a show of writing down the price in a notebook, so the driver will know you have a record of the promised fee.
Eat Their Snacks
Very often, you'll be offered a biscuit and a cup of tea upon entering a shop. At least take a bite or a sip. If you're afraid of the water, just make a sipping motion.
Text, Don't Call
Most small businesses run on cell phones. Text first, you may shock a business by calling.
Eat the Street Food
Don't let it scare you. Be sure that the food is freshly made, though a large crowd ensures high turnover and beware of water-based dishes in monsoon season.
Greet Elders with "Namaste"
If it's someone worthy of respect, say "Namaste," bringing your hands together as if praying and quickly bowing your head with shoulders slightly hunched.
Keep Your Body Language Open
Too often, tourists wear a guarded expression, thinking this protects them, it doesn't. Instead, have a sense of humor, smile and say hello, and keep calm.
Call us and start planning that special vacation or event today. 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers. It also symbolizes the end of summer for many Americans, and is celebrated with parties, parades and athletic events.
In 1882, Matthew Maguire, a machinist, first proposed the holiday while serving as secretary of the CLU (Central Labor Union) of New York. Others argue that it was first proposed by Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor in May 1882, after witnessing the annual labor festival held in Toronto, Canada.
Oregon was the first state to make it a holiday in 1887. By the time it became a federal holiday in 1894, thirty states officially celebrated Labor Day.filed with Reyes, leader of the labor movement. Fearing further conflict, the United States Congress unanimously voted to approve rush legislation that made Labor Day a national holiday; Cleveland signed it into law a mere six days after the end of the strike. The September date originally chosen by the CLU of New York and observed by many of the nation's trade unions for the past several years was selected rather than the more widespread International Workers' Day because Cleveland was concerned that observance of the latter would be associated with the nascent Communist, Syndicalist and Anarchist movements that, though distinct from one another, had rallied to commemorate the Haymarket Affair in International Workers' Day. All U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the territories have made it a statutory holiday.
The form for the celebration of Labor Day was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday: A street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and spirit of corps of the trade and labor organizations", followed by a festival for the workers and their families. This became the pattern for Labor Day celebrations. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the civil significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.
The holiday is often regarded as a day of rest and parties. Speeches or political demonstrations are more low-key than May 1 Labor Day celebrations in most countries, although events held by labor organizations often feature political themes and appearances by candidates for office, especially in election years. Forms of celebration include picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water sports, and public art events. Families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer recess. Similarly, some teenagers and young adults view it as the last weekend for parties before returning to school, although school starting times now vary.
Call us at (602) 843-5100. Check out our website: rawhidetravel.com or email us at flythis@rawhidetravel.com.
From the Folks at
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
