There are many activities that take place on the beaches of New South Wales,  Australia.  From the popular venues of the famous surfing hot spots, to the calmer waters of the more secluded and out of the way locations.  Two of the most spectacular ways to experience the city of Sydney and the Beach of Cronulla are by sea and by air.  These are two views that are experienced by only the most fearless and adventurous of people, that of scuba diving–with the sharks, and hang-gliding off the cliffs and over the waters and the beaches.  And then of course taking breaks from the adventures in the restaurants Sydney offers is a great way to rest up for the next trek in the sky, the waters or the wilderness.

Cronulla beach has long been a favorite spot for the locals, and now for the tourists, as one of the best places in the world for scuba diving.  Located close to the dive spots are many differ shops offering gear, and schools offering knowledge and techniques offered at relatively low and affordable prices.  One can not only learn, but become certified as well.  There are many deals offered in Cronulla in terms of accommodation and diving packages, which make the experiences all that more affordable.  And many of the dive spots are the premiere locations for catching glimpses off–and swimming with the grey nurse sharks.  There is a colony of permanent residents here, and although sharks are scary, they are harmless and quite friendly.  However, steps must be taken as this species is on the verge of extinction.  For those just still too timid, the locations off of the National Park and the beach at Jibbon are more serene and are sans the shark accompaniment.

Hang-gliding is also an adventurous way to find new ways of seeing all that the country has to offer.  Between the cities of Wollongong and Sydney there are several famous spots for taking to the skies.  Bald Hill and Stanwell Park attract pilots of this small aircraft from around the world.  The site has actually come to international significance in the history of the sport.  When one takes off from Bald Hill, the surrounding mountain ranges provide a lift in the current of the air stream, and if this sounds frightening, many tandem rides are offered for those wishing the company of a trained and well seasoned pilot.  For both of these adventures, cameras are definitely recommended, for what better way to show to the friends back home that you are after all an adventurous spirit, having portraits taken with sharks and flying high above the country of Australia.

To travelers all around the world, Bangalore restaurants are some of the best in the region.  In a city where culture and technology meet and continually re-define each other, there are always innovations in the cuisine, but also long traditions that one can depend on.  A place that has been shaped by migration in a way that is like no other, Bangalore has seen a brain drain, when the young were leaving for economic reasons, and a reverse brain drain, where they started to return for the same reasons.  It’s an interesting place of interesting contradiction, and the cultural expressions here are likewise steeped in old-world traditions and new-world technologies.

It is in this setting that a remarkable new installation, “Digital Palimpsest,” comes to Bangalore.  Organized by the French Embassy in India, Fil d’Ariane, Point Ephemere, Alliance Francaise, and the Srishti School of Art, Design and Technoloy, “Digital Palimpsest” is a fascinating interactive installation.  Designed and created by B2Fays and Mathieu Constans, this work is engineered to make works of electronically-generated visual art that are then modified by the viewer’s participation.  The spectator’s image is projected into the work, and electronic impulses measure the body movements and vocal impressions to change the work while it is in motion.

This exciting new work is part of a global trend toward digital art, and it would be no surprise to find it in Bangalore, with a reputation for being on the cutting edges of technology.  The French artists developing the work are also participating in an exciting collaborative action that moves the work to muti-national proportions.  It is very interesting to note that the social landscape of Bangalore, shaped by a shifting identify based on leaving and returning, with constantly transforming versions of self, finds itself metaphorically represented in this work.  In a kind of marriage of art and life, the impressions left by the visitor are impossible to control, and difficult to measure, but absolutely there in the landscapes of living memory.

With a stunning beach along one side of the city, and the other an urban delight, with a generous supply of stores and restaurants, Dubai is really a traveler’s dream.  The city is steeped in long traditions, not least of which is its tradition as a port town, which makes it one the most multicultural and exciting places for tourists in the UAE.  There are festivals and fairs that go on all year, devoted to cultural traditions, art, music, and more family fare.  There are also a number of new cultural scenes that have developed fairly recently, fed by the inspirations and collaborations of local and international artists now living in the city.  There are many new trends and developments, but there are also some old-world traditions, such as hospitality and grace, that permeate the air.

In the historic part of town, in the Al Bastikiya district, there are lots of things to see and do that are perhaps a bit less traveled, but by no means less interesting.  Here is where the sea comes to meet the land, and there are interesting juxtapositions, with new and extremely stylish galleries set in old buildings.  There is also a fantastic market.  Called the Souq Al Bastikiya this street market is a breath of traditional air to the more extreme luxuries of the new shopping centers.  Here is where real old-world customs are practiced, with an eye toward the future.   As part of the trend in the city to develop the parts of Dubai which inspire creativity and local talent, Souq Al Bastikiya is featuring vendors from around the city to highlight the cultural and market offerings here.  There are workshops to entertain the family, and to bring people to connect with the heritage of Dubai in a traditional market setting.  While this remains a fantastic place to find unusual local specialties, there are also a number of established businesses offering wares as well.

The more traditional, however, the more curb appeal to the tourists.  Some of these services, such as future-telling through reading coffee grounds and henna painting appeal to locals as well as internationals.  There are also live concert put together by the local Dubai Lime to keep all ages interested.  The Souq Al Bastikiya has something for everyone, with art workshops, drum sessions, and even a knitting club.

One of the most popular tourist sites in America, is the Empire State building in Manhattan.  This one structure held the title of the tallest building in the world for forty years.  The famous building has starred and held supporting roles in over 100 films, and is one of the first places visitors go when in NY for the first time.  This is part of one of the most incredible skylines, most recognized, and sits on a corner downtown among other New York restaurants and historical attractions.  It has come to symbolize the spirit of the people of the city.  Built during the Depression, it stands as testimony to strength and will of New Yorkers, something that continues to this day.

This building was part of a race, a competition between two car companies actually, Chrysler and General Motors.  The two men heading up those companies at the time, and in competition with each other were Walter Chrysler and John Raskob.  It was quite simple, involved  just… who could complete the tallest skyscraper first.  Raskob’s commission to task, included members of the DuPont family and corporation and Alfred E. Smith, a previous New York governor.

The project was started in 1930 and took just one year, and one month…45 days to be exact to finish.  All phases of the construction were completed ahead of schedule, and as it was during the Depression, the materials necessary for the construction were priced relatively low.  The land and the cost of construction is  just over 40 million dollars.  Herbert Hoover, the current US president at the time, turned the lights on at the Empire State Building, on the first day of May in 1931.  The famous observation deck, providing views of the entire city of Manhattan as well as the Hudson River and banks that border New Jersey.

And now, the building, though no longer holding the ‘tallest building in the world’ achievement, still holds visual, as well as romantic titles.  Visually, depending on the holiday or the particular celebration the colors of the lights atop it change.  And romantically, well, this building is New York.  It symbolizes a city and the people of that city.  And no person who has ever stood on the deck can not be affected by the history of a city, that for all intents and purposes, was the beginning of an entire country.