A Trip To Ireland – The Land Of Saints and Scholars

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Ireland is aptly christened the “land of saints and scholars” for its rich cultural heritage. As the third largest island in the European continent, it also abounds in natural beauty. For this reason thousands of tourists flock to Ireland each year.

Planning a trip to Ireland may become a daunting task. Not because of inadequate and poor-grade tourist facilities, but because there is so much to see and do that you will be confused where to start and how to go about arranging the tour.

Right here in this section you can get a glimpse of the best of Ireland.

Ireland is located in the North Western region of Europe. To the east is the island of Great Britain separated by the Irish Sea. Ireland is divided into two political bodies – Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland makes up 5/6th of the total land area while the Northern Island makes up the remaining 1/6th. Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom.

Top 5 Destinations in Ireland

1. The Cliffs of Moher are one of the most magnificent coasts in Europe. Standing tall at 702 feet the undulating landscapes (limestone and shale rock covered with bright green moss) borders the Atlantic Ocean. The Cliffs extend over 5 miles on the west coast of Ireland. From the Cliffs of Moher, one can see the Aran Islands, the Galway Bay, the Twelve Pins, the Maum Turk Mountains and a lot more.

2. The Hill of Tara is another specimen of pristine natural beauty. The Hill of Tara is ancient, almost 5000 years old, and used to be the seat of power of the high kings of Ireland. The architectural structures, although in ruins, stand to symbolize the rich Irish mythology and heritage. There is an audiovisual presentation that you can make reservations for.

3. The Trinity College is a site for lovers of learning. The Trinity College was founded in 1592 by Queen Elizabeth I. It is not only the oldest university in Ireland but also boasts of students who went on to become great personalities – Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett and Jonathan Swift.

4. The Giant’s Causeway has attracted attention for its unique geological formations. Situated in Northern Ireland, the structure features around 40,000 polygonal columns of layered basalt rock. In 1986, the tourist spot was designated a World Heritage Site.

5. The National Museum of Ireland is an architectural beauty and historical treasure. The Victorian Palladian Style building was built around the 1880s and thrown open to the public in 1890. This national institution houses over 2 million valuable artifacts belonging to prehistoric and medieval times.

When is the best time to visit?

The Emerald Isle enjoys temperate maritime climate owing to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Thus, one can visit Ireland at any time of the year. However, summer is the peak season. The sun is warm and bright, but not scorching hot. Spring may see a few showers and winters are bleak and severe.

How to get to Ireland?

There are two major modes of transport to get to Ireland – plane or ferry. Dublin, Cork and Shannon airports offer a great choice for those wishing to fly to Ireland. There are plenty of cheaper flights from budget airlines from the UK, France, Spain and other European countries.

Ferry services to Ireland are an economical choice, especially for those wishing to take a car, or those traveling in larger groups. There is a wide choice of ferry routes, especially from the United Kingdom, such as from Liverpool, Holyhead, Pembroke or Fishguard.

World Travel Statistics – Understanding the Numbers

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World travel statistics can be extremely confusing when you don’t know exactly what you are looking for. Are you looking for the number of travelers who visit a particular country, city, or region? Do you want to know how much money people spend as they travel to different parts of the world? Maybe you are interested in finding out the number of people who use airlines to travel the world versus the number of people who use cars or other transportation for their travel and sightseeing.

The key is to know what you are looking for and then to go to the right source. Many of the major travel industry magazines and publications offer yearly statistics about countries, how much they cost to visit, the average length of stay, total number of visitors, and specifics about climate, activities, disposition of the locals, and much more.

When I am looking for world travel statistics, I usually start with the CIA world facts web pages. These offer you a nice overview of a country including the population, industries, major religions, and other cultural factors. In addition you can learn about the dangers travelers may face when visiting these places. The next place I visit is Lonely Planet, because they offer a more specific overview geared towards tourists and travelers of the world. The third stop is the Thorn Tree forums where I can find specific experiences about specific countries.

Finally, I like to go to sites like CouchSurfing and look at the city and country guides which are prepared by the members that live there. It is only after seeing these sources that I start to look at things like the world travel industry lists for fastest growing world travel destinations. At this point, since I have a context in which to think of a place, the numbers make a whole lot more sense.

Weight Loss Tips – Cultivating Habits For Losing Weight

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Here are some tips to help you create healthy habits for weight loss.

Make healthy choices into habits. One of the best weight loss tips is to make small changes to your everyday routine. By making these positive small lifestyle changes into habits, you will continue to do them without even thinking about it after a while.

Do it everyday – whether you are planning to exercise or you want to add healthier food into your diet plan – start by doing it every day. Even if you can only exercise for 10 minutes, just make sure to do it. Don’t worry about a complete overhaul of your diet, just change one meal each day but be consistent every day. Choose to start your day off with a light and healthy breakfast. This will set the tone for your day and inspire awareness of your other weight loss tips as you enjoy a healthy start to your day. Being consistent is such an important part of developing habits. If you do something every day for seven days, you are far more likely to make it part of your routine on the 8th day.

Set up reminders for yourself. It’s tough to remember changes you are trying to make that you read or hear about if you don’t set reminders up for yourself. Post notes in your bathroom, put a reminder note in your wallet, in your lunch bag, on tempting items in your fridge so you can’t use forgetting the tips as an excuse for not losing weight. It’s easier to make a change into a habit if you are constantly thinking of it. Set up reminders to pop up in your computer each day with weight loss tips that you are trying to make into habits. Thinking about your goals will help you make them into habits.

Enlist a weight loss partner. You can find a friend, a spouse, or co-worker who shares a desire to lose weight. If you don’t know anyone who wants to lose weight or want to have some anonymity – consider finding an online weight loss partner in a forum to support you. In addition to the accountability this provides, it’s great to be able to challenge each other, give each other tips and support each other in a positive way during your body changing journey. Share daily changes that you trying to make into habits and encourage your weight dropping partner to do the same. Sharing, discussing, teaching and engaging are all good ways to make your healthy choices into habits.

Associate with people who have the habits you want to have. Choose to spend more time with friends or people you know who have the eating and exercise habits you want to have. Spend time with friends who hike, walk or run if you want to make hiking a habit. If you want to eat more healthy food, spend less time with your friends who eat tons of junk food and spend weekends at the buffet. Emulating the people making choices you want to make will help you to turn their good habits into yours.

Restaurant Franchising – The Healthy Option

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The restaurant industry has been facing difficult times recently, with the ravages of the declining economy having prompted price reductions in several ways: new items at lower prices, more small-plate and half-serving options, and more fixed-price offerings. Yet, amid such difficult times, it is the restaurant franchising businesses which are continuing to thrive. There has been a significant rise in popularity of the fast-casual healthy eating experience. Consumers are becoming more health conscious, but do not want to spend a fortune on eating out. Therefore, their primary criteria when choosing a place to eat are the quality of the food combined with value for money. They also take into consideration such factors as a great atmosphere, which is neither too formal nor too fussy, efficient friendly service and a varied menu.

The health food industry is increasing year on year and this is reflected in the fast-casual healthy concept, which is rapidly expanding throughout the country. These restaurant franchises serve nutritious yet tasty food including salads, organic steaks and burgers, risottos and soups. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, low fat or low carbohydrate meals will often be menu options. Drinks on offer may include vitamin-packed fruit smoothies, specialist coffees, detoxes and herbal teas. Skimmed, soya and rice milks may be offered as substitutes for full-fat cow’s milk.

Restaurant franchises specialising in healthy eating typically attract customers who are environmentally aware or concerned about animal welfare and who are looking for a healthy meal at an attractive price. Food is often organically sourced and/or locally produced, with many businesses using Fair Trade and free-range products where possible. Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about the food they are eating. More people are presenting with food allergies or sensitivities and are demanding, for example, wheat-free or dairy-free alternatives. Many customers are also weight conscious and opt to eat at a restaurant franchise specialising in healthy fare because they know they will be able to enjoy a tasty meal, snack or drink that is low in calories but high on taste. Healthy menu choices, which are filling without being fattening, can include Italian flat-bread pizza with reduced fat cheese, grilled free-range chicken breast with organic spinach salad, vegetarian nut and mushroom risotto or a fresh basil and tomato soup with wheat-free bread.

With the rapid expansion of the healthy eating restaurant franchise sector, it is clear that many consumers are demanding a fast-casual eating experience that is healthier than the traditional greasy burger and fries or fat-laden pizza. Outlets range from a “kiosk” approach on major concourses, shopping malls, rail and bus stations, outdoor events etc, through to a full “cafe” environment. This restaurant franchise opportunity has enormous growth potential and is likely to continue growing in the foreseeable future.