Tips Guides Resources

Apart from the beautiful climate, friendly people, cheap airfares and delicious dining all on a shoestring budget yes, there is another reason to go to Thailand and stay in a Bangkok hotel! That is the shopping - the latest fashion trends, gorgeous authentic Thai knick-knacks, designer shoes, DVDs, electrical goods are all available at a fraction of Western prices.

Many are manufactured in the country, so the local exchange rate adds to the fact that there are several fewer middlemen, to create jaw-dropping prices! Here we look at where to shop, shop, shop and then relax, when you are in Bangkok!

Sukhumvit Road is perhaps Bangkok’s best known shopping district. There are plenty of adjacent Bangkok hotels and Sukhumvit accommodation, making this also one of the most convenient shopping areas. Sukhumvit has plenty of street stalls peddling souveniers, knock-off brand name clothing and DVDs, and there are also plenty of services to be bought at rock bottom prices also, including the famous incredibly relaxing Thai massages, as well as haircuts.

Genuine antiques and tailored suits are some of the more upmarket finds that you might come across, all within five minutes walk of your Sukhumvit accommodation.

There is also plenty of shopping at the Emporium complex, for those who like the idea of true luxury and designer labels for less. Louis Vuitton and Prada have stores here, Greyhound also features. Robinsons department store is also located in the Sukhumvit area, within only meters of some of Bangkok’s best boutique hotels.

And if you are looking for something uniquely Thai, try Thonglor street (Soi 55). According to the New York Times, this is the Beverly Hills of Asia, home to funky department stores like Playground. Trendy clothes, innovative and contemporarily designed homewares, as well as the latest in gadgetry are all available here. For new styles, designer goodies, and fashions that are way ahead of the field, you can also try places like Manga, Flow Now, and Q Concept.

You may be warned off this area by those that are incredulous about heir prices - but this is only compared to other Thai shops! The same products in the West would be multiplied in cost.

When you’ve worn out the heels on your chic new shoes from all that walking and shopping, you’ll need a place to rest your head. There is plenty of beautiful accommodation in Sukhumvit - Chateau de Bangkok is one of those hotels that brings amazing modernity, sleek fresh modern styling, and absolute comfort to the general standard of Sukhumvit accommodation and boutique hotels in Bangkok.

The French-Thai mix in the Bangkok hotel’s title gives you a clue about its service the studio Bangkok accommodation is stylish and elegant, and each apartment has innate convenience and self-containedness, with a fully equipped kitchen, living area, and a Jacuzzi to wash away the sweat of Bangkok shopping in waves of sweet liquid.

Penthouse suites at Chateau de Bangkok offer hardwood floors, and home-like styling only without the cleaning obligations that your home has! Stretch your toes and fingertips to their limits, and you will still not reach the sides of their vast king-size beds, and the fully equipped kitchen, provision of hair dryer and shaving adaptor, iron and board mean that you will have even more room in your suitcase for the goodies that you’ll be bringing home!

Le Fenix is another great place to stay in Sukhumvit - definitely in a different class to Chateau de Bangkok, this three star hotel is nonetheless extremely trendy, with a futuristic style and cool, contemporary design inside. The location is very near Skytrain, and all the modern conveniences of wireless Internet, music videos in the lobby, and a chic cocktail bar are available at this boutique Bangkok hotel.

If you’d like to concentrate your finances on Bangkok’s extensive shopping opportunities, why not save money by DIY-ing some of your everyday requirements at a serviced apartment in Bangkok like the Adelphi Suites? The suites are on downtown Sukhumvit Road within easy reach of the BTS Skytrain and all of those precious shopping opportunities!

The high speed internet connectivity allows you to keep in touch no matter how long you are staying in the city, while fully equipped kitchens, washer and dryers in suite, ceramic cooking hobs and exhaust systems, and spacious living areas, as well as eating and sleeping spaces, make them feel like home - only much more stylish! Rain showers features and wooden flooring give these serviced apartments in Bangkok that touch of luxury.

Resources: Chateau de Bangkok is situated close to the commercial area and business districts.The luxury of being able to combine your business and pleasure in the comfort of a 5 star rated hotel conveniently located near the Bangkok Metropolitan.

From an outsider’s perspective, casting seems simple all you do is toss back your arm, then flick it and the pole forward. But of course there’s more to it than just that. In fact, there are a number of different casting techniques, each with its own different strengths and weaknesses. Before you head out to fish, take a little time to work on your casting skills you’ll enjoy your lazy fishing afternoons so much more when you’re rewarded with a great catch.

When it comes to bass fishing, it’s important to remember to always use your wrist when you cast, not your arm. Using your wrist gives your cast more finesse and reduces the wasted effort that occurs when you use your whole arm. This technique is very important in each of the following three types of cast the overhand, sidearm, and underhand.

The Overhand Cast

The overhand cast has you aiming at the area straight in front of you. Raise your fishing rod up, making sure to keep your elbow close to your ribs. Flip the rod sharply behind you, and then use your wrist to flip the pole forward. Use the rod’s movement to aim and follow through on your cast.

The Sidearm Cast

In this cast, you’ll be once again facing your target area squarely. This time, though, hold your rod parallel to the water and at waist level. Move the rod sideways and behind you to your right, then whip it forward towards the water.

The Underhand Cast

The underhand method also begins with your rod at waist level and parallel to the water. This time, though, it should be at a 45-degree angle from where you want to cast. Start with your lure six to eight inches down. Quickly move the rod tip in a half-circle formation, releasing the lure when the rod is at the bottom of the circle. Remember to keep the rod tip down and only raise it if you need more distance or control.

In all three types of casting, there are a few key points to remember. When casting, try to minimize the amount of noise and splash your lures make when they hit the water. Always as stated above cast with your wrist and not your arm or entire body. It’s also a good idea to drop the lure a few inches before you cast, which will give your cast a little bit of extra momentum.

Casting isn’t the be-all and end-all of bass fishing, of course. While improving and mastering the different types of casting can greatly improve your fishing, it won’t help at all if you don’t have a good rod, reel, selection of lures, etc. Of course, weather and location will always play a factor in fishing, so don’t be discouraged if your new casting techniques don’t work right away. Keep practicing them, and you’ll notice that the amount of bass you catch will increase as you get these casting methods down.

Resources: The author writes for http://BassFishingTechniques.net a site that provides readers with bass fishing tips to make their next journey onto the lake a success!

A holiday in Calais, France, can be wonderful when you get to stay at the best hotels in Calais. Accommodation is the most important when it comes to having a nice holiday, because you will need to rest after a long day touring the city and having fun.

Because there are so many hotels in Calais, it is best if you can find out what are the best hotels that provide excellent services, so you get what you pay for rather than just some lousy service that cost you an arm and a leg. There is no need to pay more to get quality service.

When you are in Calais, you must visit a few of the wonderful locations, such as the Second World War Museum where you get to learn everything about the World War. Other than that, you should visit the specialty shop to get some of the best local cheese and fine wine to bring back home.

It is not every day you get to taste excellent cheese - especially fine cheese and fine wine. Overall, Calais is certainly the best location to spend a nice and enjoyable holiday.

When you are looking for accommodation, you should try out Hotel L’Atlantic. This is a wonderful hotel that provides great room service; the rooms have excellent sea views, and it is very clean. Among so many hotels in Calais, Hotel L’Atlantic remains at the top because of the never ending great service at an affordable price.

The food is superb and there is no way you can resist the seafront view. Imagine a nice evening walk on the sandy beach - or simply have a swim in the morning and relax while sunbathing on a nice sunny day.

Another hotel that is recommended by many people who have been there is the Holiday Inn Calais. Among all the hotels in Calais, this is considered a budget hotel as the price is really cheap compared to the other hotels in Calais.Even though it is near the port, you will not be disturbed by the noise.

Don’t let the outside fool you, the rooms are amazing wonderfully appointed. Even though it is just an inn you can get excellent English TV channels to stay updated with the news.

Hotel Meurice is also a favourite. Many travellers say that this hotel is “unusual” and it is indeed true, as you will find that this is not the most recently renovated hotel but once you are in the hotel, you feel its extravagance. Perhaps it is the decorations within that affect the overall look.

It is well done, not too crowded, but classy. With a sweeping staircase and beautiful furniture, this is the hotel that gives you the right feeling at a very cheap price compared to other hotels in Calais.

Plan ahead when you go on a holiday in Calais, and you will be able to book the best hotels in Calais and plan your journey so you don’t miss out on the most popular landmarks and attractions.

Flights to Calais are widely available. All you need to do is to look for budget flights, if available, and you are well on your way to enjoying the best holiday in your life.

Resources: Open Roads are a leading travel information portal, specialising in Calais Hotels, Edinburgh Hotels and other places throughout the UK and Europe.

Chicago, Illinois is the third biggest city in the United States of America, and certainly the largest in Illinois. Its metropolitan area, informally known as Chicagoland, includes several counties in Wisconsin and Indiana. There is no precise definition for this term, but it generally means “around Chicago”. While the city itself has about 3 million inhabitants, this large area has an amazing population of 9.7 million people.

In 1833, near a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, a small community was formed that was to later become Chicago. With its excellent location it soon became a major transportation center, and only four years later, this settlement was large enough to be incorporated as a city.

The city has an interesting past, such as when gangsters like Al Capone and others, roamed the city in the 1920s. It was once capital of the railroad industry and up until the 1960s had one of the world’s largest meatpacking plants. Today O’Hare International Airport is the second busiest airport in the United States, with millions of people passing through its doors each year.

The “Windy City”, “Chi-Town”, or “The City That Works” is an immensely exciting city that has produced many influential American politicians. It has for a long time been a major source of support for the Democratic Party. Never has this been more apparent than on October 4, 2008, when Barack Obama became president-elect of the United States.

Chicago’s economy is healthy and very well balanced. There is no one major dominant industry, but instead a seemingly endless list of companies with many diversified products. It has the third largest gross metropolitan product in the United States, and has the second largest central business district in the U.S. The number of banks, financial and futures exchanges, brokerage firms, insurance companies is impressive.

Such medical companies as Baxter International, Abbott Laboratories, and the Healthcare Financial Services division of General Electric have headquarters in the metro area. Manufacturing, printing, publishing and food processing are also dominant players in this prosperous city. Boeing, the huge aerospace company, moved to the Chicago Loop from Seattle in 2001.

The city’s storied past established it as a major transportation and distribution center. When the Illinois and Michigan Canal was built it became possible to move products from the Great Lakes down to the Mississippi River. The railways contributed to Chicago’s dominance as a grain port as well as a major producer of beef and pork. Today meatpacking plays a lesser role, but this established infrastructure from the past has built a strong foundation for the major amount of trade that exists today.

In 2006, 44.2 million people from all over the world came to the city to experience the Magnificent Mile, Navy Pier, restaurants, night life, sporting events, Millennium Park and all manner of entertainment. Many came for conventions at McCormick Place which is the third largest convention destination in the U.S.

The historic Chicago Cultural Center is a great place to seek out Visitor Information, galleries and exhibit halls. Museum Campus is a lakefront park that surrounds the Adler Planetarium, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Shedd Aquarium. For the history buff, The Oriental Institute houses an amazing collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts. This is just the tip of the museum iceberg. There are at least a dozen more for the visitor to enjoy.

The city has an amazing range of entertainment and bars are hopping. When it comes to music, Chicago is the blues town, with many famous blues houses to choose from. The city is the birthplace of the House style of music, and is the site of an influential Hip-Hop scene.

Chicago has a major theater scene, and is undoubtedly the birthplace of modern improvisational comedy. The city’s thriving classical music scene is home to companies including Music of the Baroque, the Opera Theater, the Chamber Musicians, Chicago a Cappella, and many others.

Shopping is another highly entertaining activity. Wrap up your spree on State Street. That’s where great shopping meets great entertainment in the Downtown Theater District. Then reward yourself by taking in a spectacular Broadway show.

In Chicago you’ll find nearly 7,000 restaurants, more than 200 theaters, miles and miles of lakefront beaches and parks, and all kinds of clubs and bars, as well as world-class galleries and museums.

If you enjoy sports, this is your kind of town. It was named the Best Sports City in the United States by The Sporting News in 2006. It is no wonder,there are so many professional teams to keep track of. The Cubs play on the city’s North Side, while the White Sox play in on the South Side. There’s the Bears of the NFL, and the Bulls of the NBA. If soccer is your game, you can enjoy the Fire soccer club of the MLS, the Sting of the NASL, or the Power of the NPSL-AISA.

Chicago is truly an amazing city in which to work and play. If you are looking for a fabulous vacation spot, or considering a new place to call home, consider the City of Broad Shoulders. It’s the city that welcomes everyone.

Resources: For more community information about Chicago, Illinois and hundreds of other communities throughout the United States visit The Community Profile Network.

One of the most interesting type of sports is archery. Unlike other sports where competitors usually tire themselves running on fields and being guarded by the opposing team, archery is a sport of discipline, accuracy and skill. Archers use bows or crossbows to shoot arrows on a specific target.

There are different many types of competition for archery. The most famous competitions are Target archery and field archery. Other types are are 3D archery, Clout archery, Flight archery, Ski archery, Beursault, Popinjay, Roving Marks and Wand Shoot.

Target archery involves shooting arrows at a target for precision and accuracy from a given distance or several distances. This kind of archery competition is the most popular of all. Competitions in target archery may be done indoors and outdoors.

The distance for targets in indoor competitions varies from 18 to 25 meters while outdoor competitions range from 30 to 90 meters. The competition is divided into ends of 3 or 6 arrows. After each end finishes, the archer gets their arrows and tally their scores.

There is also allotted time for the archers to shoot their arrows. The targets are marked with 10 equal concentric rings which have equal scores from 1-10 for each ring. There is also an inner 10 ring, known also as the X ring.

This X ring has a different objective for indoor and outdoor games. This serves as the 10 ring in indoor games. For outdoor games, it serves as a tiebreaker.

The player who scores the most number of X wins. A line breaker is where an arrow hits the boundary lines for the scores. When this happens, the higher point is awarded to the archer.

Field archery, on the other hand, involves shooting targets in various distances, mostly in rough territory. There are three different rounds for this type competition. It is the field, hunter and animal rounds. Each round is made of 28 targets divided in two sets of 14.

Field rounds are set at even distance up to 80 yards. Scoring consists of targets with a black bullseye (worth 5 points), white center (4 points) and black outer ring (3). Hunter rounds use different distances up to 70 yards.

The scoring system is almost the same as field round, only with black faced targets with a white bullseye. Animal rounds use 2D models of animals with different distances like the hunter round.

The differences here are the rules and the means of scoring. The archer starts at the first station of the target and shoots his first arrow. If it hits the target, it is not necessary to shoot again. If he misses, he advances to station two and shoots a second arrow, then to station three for a third if needed.

Scoring areas are critical (20, 16, or 12) and non critical (18, 14, or 10) with points awarded depending on which arrow scored first. For children or young people competing for this type of competition, the distance given to them are much closer than the standard rules.

There are some techniques that we need to practice when holding a bow and arrow. You must hold the bow in the hand opposite to the archer’s dominant eye, though others hold the bow in the dominant hand side.

This hand is called the bow hand and its arm the bow arm. The opposite hand is called the drawing hand or string hand. Terms such as bow shoulder or string elbow follow the same principle.

In conclusion, right-eye-dominant archers hold the bow with their left hand, have their left side facing the target, their sight towards the target with their right eye and handle the arrow and string with their right hand.

Resources: The Author, Jim Woodall has 49yrs business exp. He does internet and niche mktg. Visit his Archery Website at: http//archery.jwoodl.com lots videos and news feeds. Also visit http://freegiveaways.jwoodl.com/index.html get your 3 free mktg eBooks, NO Obligation

Kids have always loved dinosaurs, but it may be doubly true ever since Jurassic Park came out. And with more Jurassic Park movies on the way, it looks like Dinomania isn’t going to be over any time soon. The appeal, for most kids, usually comes down to one of a couple of things.

Many kids are just in awe when they think about the fact that the world is actually millions of years old, that great lizards ruled the planet for thousands of those years. Dinosaurs are the closest thing we’ve ever had to dragons, and it really is cool that they really, actually used to exist.

That’s probably the most common reason for kids who love dinosaurs. But let’s be honest, some kids just want to ride on the back of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, ordering their pet to stomp the school to the ground.

Whichever of these describes your kid, there are plenty of dinosaur themed toys available for all ages…

Mega Bloks Plasma Dinosaurs

Mega Bloks, the company known for their Legos like brick building sets, have also released a line of dinosaur toys which are actually customizable. These are perfect for slightly older kids, allowing kids to piece together arms and legs and armour and other accessories to their liking, creating all new prehistoric creations (yes, that’s an oxymoron, but you get the idea).

Bestever Stuffed Dinosaurs

For babies and toddlers, Bestever has a line of stuffed animal dinosaurs available. These plush dolls are soft to the touch, with surprisingly intricate detail. For example, the Stegosaur actually has about a dozen separate scales on his back.

ImagiNext Dinosaurs

More action-oriented toys, ImagiNext combines dinosaurs with medieval fantasy elements. Many of the dinosaurs come with miniature human (or almost-human) warriors to ride on the back of the dinosaurs and do battle… Yeah, that’s kind of ridiculous, but remember when we mentioned the kids who fantasize about having a pet dinosaur to stomp on the school? Where there ya go!

Teddy and Friends Dinosaurs

These ones are perfect for the youngest children. Completely soft and plush, these stuffed animals have a more cuddly, charming design (on the off chance that Bestever’s are too scary for your baby), with big happy eyes, and are soft to the touch.

Lego Stegosaurus

For the most creative kids, you have the Lego Creator Stegosaurus. This is for kids willing to piece together the entire thing from scratch. What this toy provides is more customizability than the Mega Bloks dinos.

Since the Stegosaur and the other Lego dinosaurs are built from regular Lego bricks, it’s not hard for kids to piece them together however they like. You can only do so much with the Mega Bloks toys, but with Legos,

Basically, if you think back to your favourite toys as a kid, not many of them are still popular today. Howdy Doody? GI Joe? He-Man? Just try talking to kids about those guys today, they won’t have a clue what you’re talking about. Dinosaurs, on the other hand, the awe-inspiring kings of the past, are always going to have plenty of appeal for every new generation of kids.

Resources: This author is a Big Fan of Webkinz For Sale and Webkinz Dinosaur .