DJ Trava

Posts Tagged ‘luxury hotels’

The myth of the wild west is still strong in Arizona.  There are still vast areas of beautiful desert, and horizons that seem to go on forever.  Even in the city, the skyline is low enough that there is a sense of expansiveness extending to every corner of the world.  It’s in the middle of the southwest, and close enough to México that it has a strong cultural influence coming and going in both directions.  History here is very deep, and very complicated, but fascinating for visitors who are wanting to know more about the region.  Phoenix is one of the largest cities in the U.S., and offers an amazing array of attractions for visitors, and it’s also within driving distance of some of the most beautiful areas on the planet.  For visitors looking for a splendid time in splendid luxury hotels, Arizona has something special to offer.

We’ve carefully selected our hotels for their excellence in service and style, offering a warm local hospitality with the panache of global sensibility.  After a lovely night and a fantastic meal, it’s the perfect time to see what Arizona has to offer you.  For those who are curious about the history here, an excellent place to begin is the Heard Museum.  Now with three locations, in Phoenix, Surprise, and Scottsdale, this is one of the most famous museums in the world with a focus on Native American art.  With a splendid permanent collection, as well as a constant flow of new exhibitions by some of the most important artists working in the world today, it is well worth a visit.

There are also some other extraordinary events here, apart from its art collections.  There are annual events, such as Hoop Dance competitions, Native markets, and exhibitions that invite public participation, as well as occasional new attractions that make it a fantastic place to bring children.  It has one of the best bookstores for Native arts in the Southwest, the U.S., and the Americas, with a range of art books and criticism focusing on postcolonial art movements.  There are also lectures and special events, sponsored by such groups as the American Indian Policy Institute, and even at times some edgier programming, bringing in iconoclast artists like Guillermo Gomez-Peña to give performances that explore themes of postmodernity and digital culture.

Our ego can get the better of us if we are not careful and aware of how we act out of ego. While in the room of my luxury hotels Dubai UAE I watched a particularly funny British sit com episode that revolved around ego. The scene was a man entering a party and engaging in small talk with others at the party. He was clearly baiting the conversation around to talk about occupations. When asked what he did he stated he was a doctor. When pressed further for what type of doctor he states with all kinds of puffy egoness that he is a brain surgeon. He than asks one of the other party guests what they did and once they state their occupation this first character says ‘Well that isn’t exactly brain surgery, is it?” This plays out once more with another party guest when another man joins the party and the Dr and this man begin to converse. Again the Dr is dragging the conversation around to occupations. The new man at the party final say what is it you do and the Dr tells him he is a bran surgeon. The Dr then asks the other man what he does, he states he is a scientist. The Dr then asks what type of science. The man answers ‘I’m a rocket scientist’ and continues on with ‘…and your a brain surgeon? hmmm not exactly rocket science is it?” The exchange was amusing and funny but very telling on how we puff our selves up with self importance for out ego’s purpose and that there is always someone else will to take a poke at our ego and deflate it. I like to interact in these situations with openness and try to let go of ego. not talking about myself and what I do unless specifically asked and then I choose to answer what was asked and not to elaborate too deeply as not to get ego involved.

Kuala Lumpur, is not only Malaysia’s capital, it is the largest city in Malaysia with a population of over 1.6 million residents. The Chinese, Malays, Indian Chettiars and Indian Muslims make up the majority of cultures and communities here. Several languages are spoken, however Bahasa Melayu is the principal language. English is very prominent and taught throughout the schools. Kuala Lumpur is a relatively young city, having been started in 1850 when large tin mines were developed. A trading post sprang up and this little gathering of people became a frontier town. As it grew, it had many problems with flooding and fires and since the buildings were mainly wood and thatching there was constant rebuilding. Because of this, the British Resident of Selangor, Frank Swettenham enacted a requirement all buildings be constructed of brick and tile. Now, most of these old buildings have come down to make way for the ultra modern architectural designs of today. Most impressive are the Petronas Twin Towers, the tallest twin buildings in the world. They have an all glass shell and take their design from Islamic art.

With an average annual rainfall of over 89 inches, this produces a tropical rain forest climate. The days are warm and sunny with very little variance in temperature. Over the years, Kuala Lumpur has gone through many political and economic changes and has emerged as an international influence in the sporting, cultural and political arena today. In 1998 they were host to the Commonwealth Games and the Formula One World Championship. Whether you are in town for business or pleasure and there are plenty of both, undoubtedly you will be staying at one of the many luxury hotels Kuala Lumpur has to offer. These hotels are just as impressive as the other buildings found in this city and the attentive staff will make sure your stay is a pleasant one. From a tiny little mining camp to what it is today, Kuala Lumpur certainly has come a long way.

Many cities throughout the world were founded close to water.  Johannesburg was not.  It sits inland on top of a rocky mountain, Witwatersrand.  Johannesburg was founded and grew out of the days of the South African gold rush. The gold discovered here resulted in one of the quickest developments of a city in the history of the modern world.  Now it is a metropolis, a cultural mecca, filled with galleries, boutiques, markets, and luxury hotels.  Johannesburg,  just one hundred years ago, was a crude settlement of tents and equipment, and now skyscrapers stretch out in every direction.  This city is the financial and the technological center of the entire country of South Africa.  Johannesburg is the gem of the continent.

Soweto is a neighborhood just under twenty miles from the center of the city.  More than 5 million people call Soweto home.  This is the site of a former township that was set up during the times of Apartheid as a temporary site for those working in the gold mines.  In 1923, this area was deemed a ghetto by the Urban Areas Act.  Now Soweto is a culture of contrasts.  Shacks and shanties sit across the street from luxurious and extraordinary mansions.  The largest hospital for the public, in the world is located in Soweto.  Piles of trash sit next to green, lush fields and parks.  And although the high rate of unemployment affects the daily lives of many of the residents, the atmosphere is cheerful and friendly.

A program for government housing is in development, however there are many camps filled with squatters and homeless people.  The city has nice suburbs however, with plenty of public schools and cultural sites such as museums and libraries.  One such museum is the African Institute of Arts.  This was founded in 1984, and was the answer to the absence of art programs and educational opportunities at the time.  This is allowing people the chance to access an education and participation in the world of visual arts.  Public transportation is reliable and plentiful, through the trains, the buses and the taxi cabs.  Many locals take the taxis regularly as they are extremely affordable.  Soweto is one of the interesting locations in the country of South Africa, one that should be placed on the schedule of those visiting and touring the country.