Global Premises

Egypt is one of the most fascinating destinations on the world tourist map. This extra ordinary country is today the favourite vacation spot for many, just like it was in the days of the early Greeks and Romans. The thoroughly cultured Greeks, in particular, were fascinated by this civilization that predated theirs by at least 2000 years. The biggest draw continues to be the amazing abundance of historical treasures- temples, pyramids and museums -contained in this one country. But the destination offers more than just the wonders of antiquity. Your visit to Egypt can be rounded off by a cruise down the Nile and a beach vacation at the top notch Red Sea and Sinai resorts.

The unification of the Kingdoms of Lower and Upper Egypt around BC 3180 marks the point from when Egypt became a significant power. This event is credited with Menes, who thus became the first Pharaoh. Menes went on to establish a new capital at Memphis, just to the south of where Cairo stands today. For the next 3000 years and under 30 dynasties of the Pharaohs, a dynamic and culturally sophisticated civilization flourished. It was not however smooth sailing for the descendants of Menes and power was for short periods in the hands of foreigners. Historians who as usual want to simplify things, have divided up the reign of the Pharaohs into three periods: the Old Kingdom (2575-2134 BC), Middle Kingdom (2040-1640 BC) and New Kingdom (1550-1070 BC).

It is a curious fact that most monuments of the Pharaohs relate to death. Though moderns may view this as an unhealthy preoccupation with death, some scholars see it as an indication of the ancient Egyptians great love for life and desire for continued existence. The pyramid was the highest evolution in the practice of preparing elaborate tombs for the departed. Pyramids were the final resting place, from where the Pharaohs enjoyed the afterlife. The most famous of these edifices are the Pyramids of Giza, built in the 4th Dynasty (2575-2465 BC), when the power of these ancient kings was at its peak.

Religion was another reason for the great monuments of ancient Egypt. The deities found deserving of worship were truly diverse. And many, many temples were built in honour of these gods. Temples for the most esteemed gods were quite elaborate and were administered by high priests. Auxiliary buildings housed libraries, granaries, and what may today be considered as research laboratories for astronomers, biologists and other scientists. Most gods were linked with specific animals and to whom special powers were attributed. Some gods came and went, but the sun god was one of the most enduring. It has been suggested that the design of the pyramids had some association with practices of the sun cult. The Pharaoh was considered to be a living god.

The Greeks, in the name of Alexander the Great finally brought the Age of the Pharaohs to an end in 332 BC. He founded that city that bears his name, Alexandria. The Greeks ushered in a period of comparative prosperity and stability under descendants of Ptolemy. Ptolemy was the Macedonian general who was appointed by Alexander as governor. The Pharos Lighthouse, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world and the Great Library of Alexandria were built in this era.

As the Greeks declined, so did the Romans rise, and they too cast a covetous eye upon Egypt. The last of the Ptolomies was the notorious Cleopatra, lover to both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. The Roman Empire too declined Egypt and was torn apart by foreign armies. The most significant event at this time was the invasion of the Arabs in 462 AD. Though other foreigners including Ottoman Turks, French and the British, subsequently ruled the country, it is the Arabs who brought Islam whose legacy has been the most enduring.

Egypt is today a modern vibrant nation that carries the burden of its 5,000-year history graciously. Just like in ancient times, the Nile sustains the country and upto 95% of the population live in close proximity of the river. The rest of the country is desolate desert, mitigated only by a few isolated oases and the habitable narrow strips along the African Red Sea and the Mediterranean coastlines.

According to the tourism ministry, Egypt for the visitor is best seen as six tourist super-sites. This covers the most popular destinations and excludes off-the-beaten-track locations. The six super-sites are anchored on: Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada on the Red Sea and Sharm El Sheikh in Sinai. Except for Luxor, none of these destinations relies entirely on ancient monuments to attract visitors. Egypt tours and vacations are very competitively priced relative to other destinations.

Cairo is a huge, sprawling and chaotic metropolis. It has all the amenities of a modern city and is the usual gateway for the visitor to Egypt. Cairo is a young city relative to nearby Heliopolis, Giza and Memphis that are associated with the Pharaohs. The city began as a Roman trading post called Babylon- in the area now referred to as Coptic Cairo. The area was a settlement of one of the world’s first Christian communities. This predominantly Christian locale houses a museum that is a repository of religious art, manuscripts, paintings and pottery.

But it is the Arab invaders who arrived in the 7th century who can be said to have founded the city. They settled just north of the area referred to as Old Cairo. The medieval district of Islamic Cairo is densely packed with people and lots of mosques and temples. This is where many still go during the month of Ramadan to eat and spend the night after a days’ fast. Giza on the Niles’ west bank is where you find the Great Pyramids. These truly magnificent monuments were one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. You will appreciate the achievement of the builders of these edifices when you reflect on the fact that until the 19th century they were the world’s largest buildings.

The visitor to Cairo will easily tuck in trips to see museums, mosques and monuments such as Pyramids and the Sphinx. To commemorate your visit to this unforgettable city, visit the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar. The wide array of souvenirs on sale here includes jewelry, brass, silver and copperware, carpets, perfumes, alabaster and soapstone carvings. You will also find reproductions of antiquities, which you are advised to buy as opposed to anything presented as original. Such “originals” are usually counterfeit, and it is in any case illegal to export the real article.

Alexandria, monument to Alexander the Great, is located 180 km to the northwest of Cairo. The city has a Mediterranean temper and compared to the hothouse of Cairo has a cooler and more pleasant climate. The Greco-Roman Museum is within central Alexandria and has on display artifacts from the period 300 BC to AD 300. You will see mummies, sarcophaguses, pottery, tapestries and the granite sculpture of the bull god Apis. Other sights in the area include the Roman Amphitheater, the Royal Jewelry Museum and the Roman era catacombs of Kom el-Shukafa.

The island of Pharos, near the harbour is the site of the Great Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Today, what remains on the site is a 15th century fortress. After immersing yourself in antiquity, you can take a dip at some beach resorts within 20 km to the west of the city. At the resort of Marsa Matruh, 230 km further on, you will find some excellent beaches and an opportunity for reef diving. This area right from Alexandria along the coast is part of Egypt’s Med. It is still relatively undeveloped despite long stretches of white sand beaches and turquoise waters.

If your primary interest is ancient Egypt, bear in mind that about 80% of Egyptian antiquities are in the vicinity of Luxor. The city sits on the site of the ancient city of Thebes and together with the surrounding areas carries magnificent treasures of antiquity such as palaces, temples and royal tombs. The royals of those times whiled their afterlife at what is referred today as the Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens and Tombs of the Nobles. The tombs contained treasure that has been plundered over the centuries. Some of the more famous tombs are those of the boy king Tutankhamen and the queen Nefertari.

On the east bank of the Nile you find the Temple of Luxor and the Temple of Karnak, packed with obelisks, wall murals and statues with heads of gods. If you overnight here, enjoy the evening sound-and-light show at the Temple of Karnak. Temples on the west bank are Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple and The Ramesseum, a once massive edifice that is today mostly a ruin. You need to spend at least two days here for your trip to be worthwhile. You are also advised to hire a guide who can explain the historical context of each artifact or monuments. Start out early each day before the day-trippers, airlifted from Cairo arrive to crowd you out.

Aswan, a scenic town by the Nile lies 680 km to the south of Cairo, in the region that was so long ago known as Lower Egypt. Though not as numerous as elsewhere, you can find temples and tombs at those two islands in the Nile- Elephantine and Kitcheners islands. You can get to the islands by sailing in a felucca. The Nubian Museum celebrates the history and culture of the Nubian people. Aswan is also important in the history of Coptic Christians and the ruins of the 7th-century Coptic monastery of St. Simeon laze in this area. In today’s Egypt, Aswan is important as the location of the High Dam that finally put an end to the annual bursting of the banks of the Nile.

The Red Sea is well known to readers of the Bible as the sea that God parted with his own hand so that Moses and his people could cross over to Sinai. So named because of its red tint mountain ranges, it is home to a number of resorts, the biggest of which is Hurghada. The underwater world of the Red Sea is alive with over 800 fish species and the deep-sea fishing is excellent. Snorkellers can explore the coral reef that is reputed to be one of the finest in the world. Hurghada aside, there are other resorts in the area that have good beaches, coral reefs and some golfing too. The modern day traveler escaping the city will empathise with the early Christian hermits who built their monasteries here as they sought to get away from it all. Hurghada lies 380 km to the southeast of Cairo.

Sinai is where Africa meets Asia. Like the Red Sea coast, it has top resorts and is great for water sports. Sharm El Sheikh, towards the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula is the most developed resort town. Here you will find entertainment in the form of casinos and nightclubs and also some good shopping malls. The marine life is abundant and the coral reefs are great. Sinai is also where the three great monotheistic religions meet. You can make an excursion to Mt. Horeb, said to be Mt. Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments. For Roman Catholics, emulate Pope John Paul II who visited nearby St. Catherine’s Monastery in 2000. The monastery is supposed to sit on the site of Moses’ burning bush.

The people of Egypt from antiquity to the present day have always built their lives around the Nile. It is no coincidence therefore, that probably the best way to see the major sites is by taking a Nile Cruise. There are several luxury cruise ships offering Nile Cruises. The longer cruise goes all the way from Cairo to Aswan in two weeks. There is however not much to see between Cairo and Luxor and you will get better value if you take the shorter cruise between Luxor and Aswan. This cruise, which normally takes six days, goes in both directions and you can embark at either Aswan or Luxor. You can get to Luxor or Aswan from Cairo by taking a flight or the overnight sleeper train. The adventurous and thrifty can also sail along the Nile by using traditional boats, feluccas.

The summer in Egpyt, which falls between April and October, is hot and dry. The winters are mild with cold nights. The best time to visit is between November and March, outside the intolerable summer season. Light clothing is generally recommended though you may need a sweater and jacket for winter evenings. Remember that this is a Muslim country and dress for women in particular is expected to be modest. All the same, immodest western style holiday dress is acceptable in nightclubs, beaches and hotels in Cairo and other locations frequented by tourists.

In the cities and locations popular with tourists, you will find a wide variety of accommodation ranging from 5-star luxury to budget lodging. This in particular covers: Cairo, Alexandria and the north coast, Luxor, Aswan and at the Red Sea and Sinai resorts towns. During the popular winter season, advance booking is advised. Egypt hotels and resorts are very good value and you will find accommodation cheaper here than the equivalent in most other destinations.

Copyright © Africa Point

About the Author

Andrew Muigai is editor of AfricaPoint Insider online newsletter. It is part of AfricaPoint.com- the Africa travel website that has helped thousands of travelers discover Africa. You can view more info on Egypt tours and vacations at the website.

Ever tried to cram all your travel plans into one small budget and short schedule? If you have, you will know the true meaning of a frugal and haphazard vacation. Some people think that all-inclusive vacation packages leave very little space for them to have fun and there’s no flexibility. But they are wrong.

You can save money with an all-inclusive vacation package

If you’re really tight on the budget, booking an all-inclusive vacation package can save you quite a big chunk of cash. Because these all-inclusive package vacation companies have close ties with hotels and popular tourist spots in the country, they can get a better rate than you can! Hence, normally, the discounts and savings will be passed on to you - the all-inclusive vacation customers, tourists and visitors!

All-inclusive vacations are hassle-free

Planning a vacation can give you headaches! When you book an all-inclusive vacation package, you’re actually giving yourself the chance to COMPLETELY enjoy the vacation without having to worry about the nitty-gritty details. Your accommodation, food, entertainment and traveling are all taken care of. The only thing that you and your family members have to worry about is how much fun you’re going to have during the vacation. Some tourists and vacationers like to get an all-inclusive vacation package because there’s lack of time. Some people have to contend with last minute plans. The all-inclusive vacation packages can be real life savers in this instance. Even honeymooners love all-inclusive packages because they don’t want to have to worry about meals, entertainment, activities, transportation and accommodation when they should be focused on each other!

Mealtime fun with all-inclusive vacation packages

One of the most worrisome things for tourists is WHERE to eat. Because we are not familiar with the country and the booklets that we can get from airports are hardly accurate (most of the time), meal times are worrying. When we’re visiting another country, we want to try another delicacy, something new….and cheap. Who better to tell you where to find it than an all-inclusive vacation planner? They have all the ropes, hang on to them and enjoy the meal!

All-inclusive packages - tells you the cultural differences between races and religions

You can read all you want from the Internet or from books on the different cultures and religions in the country that you’re visiting…and yet, whenever you’re on an all-inclusive vacation package, the tourist guide will STILL tell you things that surprises you! and this is an important point because you don’t really want to step on someone’s toes when you’re in THEIR country.

Besides all of that, with all-inclusive vacation packages, you don’t have to worry about where to have fun because they plan everything for you. All-inclusive vacation packages are definitely worth it!

Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.vacation-source.com on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

About the Author

Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.vacation-source.com on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

Hotel Haway is a three star hotel situated in a few steps from the sea,
near the elegant city centre of Cattolica and the aquatic park “Le Navi”.

The hotel is directly managed from the owners, offers
a familiar and pleasant atmosphere for those who decide to spend
a holiday in total freedom and without time obligations.

The hotel disposes of a spacious and shining hall with TV-room
and bar communicating with a terrace-garden.

The bedrooms, all reachable with the lift, are spacious and modern equipped with:

Houseboat vacations are best enjoyed with the family. Vacationing is simply the best way to relax and get together in a paradise such as the Florida Keys. You can take charge of your own houseboat and travel around the gorgeous islands at an affordable price.

Houseboats are an excellent choice for those who love the outdoors like campers and boaters. They are like RVs able to float on water, and what is nice about them is that you can decide where you want to secure your boat. You can have a barbeque every day, or if you prefer to go and out to a restaurant, smaller boats are available for easy access to other local dining places.

In the Keys, on a houseboat you can enjoy fishing, swimming and diving from the deck. If you don’t feel like exploring, well you can just relax, sit back, and enjoy the Florida Keys sun. Houseboats have a capacity for 6 to 10 people, so there is no need to worry if you have a big group sharing in the fun. Kids can also enjoy sleeping underneath a blanket of stars.

Experienced instructors will assist and guide you before you set out on the waters. They will teach you the basic in operating your boat like how to start and stop, how to steer and also when and how to anchor. By the time they are finish, you will feel confident and assured that you are will be able to set out on your own without any hassle.

Maps as well as marked buoys are also handed out. So you can easily chart your way. You will also find boat safety gear mandated by the U.S. Coast Guard in every boat.

There is no other vacation place that will provide you with a greater experience. You will see nature in a whole new light. You will be able to see wild life supplying aquatic vegetation, or a dolphin slowly swimming through the clear waters of the Florida Keys.

The island of Jamaica is the ultimate place of a number of Jamaica all inclusive resorts for both families and singles. At these resorts, you can greatly enjoy your vacation getaway with fine dining and snacks, sports, nightlife, and some other services without ever leaving the resort. Most everything is taken care of for you.

It is a good idea to always get full details from your travel agent to be clear on what is available in each vacation package. Be sure to ask if the resort is a family style or catered to singles.

Here are two of the best Jamaica all inclusive resorts along with a brief description. You will get an idea of the wonders of these Jamaica all inclusive resorts to consider which one is best for your needs.

Beaches Negril is one of the most celebrated Jamaica all inclusive resorts in the world. This Jamaica all inclusive resort is even considered as the perfect destination even for those who prefer some taste of adventure and excitement, from exploring the undersea universe to skimming along the surface of the turquoise waters on skis.

Sandals Grande Ocho Rios is another acclaimed Jamaica all inclusive resort nestled between wonderful hillside gardens and the glistening turquoise waters of the Caribbean. This Jamaica all inclusive resort is also the perfect place for you to tone your body and awaken your sense of adventure with their wide selection of sports on land and sea.

The Best All Inclusive Family Resorts in Jamaica - Fun For Everyone

Are you searching for the best all inclusive family resort in Jamaica? Well, a number of all inclusive family resort in Jamaica are now easily accessible online with lots of companies out there featuring the best all inclusive family resort in Jamaica. Almost all of the resorts featured possess all the fun, adventure, and luxury that families want most.

The Sandals all inclusive family resort in Jamaica actually creates a name that describes the incomparable standards of Jamaica all inclusive resorts.

Beaches Boscobel is a Sandals all inclusive family resort in Jamaica that has something for every member of the family. This all inclusive family resort in Jamaica is also perfect for lovers who wanted to enjoy tennis, complimentary golf, and volleyball at the nearby Sandals Golf and Country Club, while the kids can enjoy their own vacation at Kids Kamp, equipped with a state of the art Xbox game center that highlights the hottest video games of today.

Another world class Sandals all inclusive family resort in Jamaica is the Beaches Sandy Bay. This all inclusive family resort in Jamaica particularly possesses that charm which is genuinely warm and intimately inviting. Couples of all ages will even discover a number of wonderful moments to share together, and with its awesome difference, families will surely enjoy the perfect shape of this all inclusive family resort in Jamaica.

The Beaches Negril Resort and Spa is but another world class Sandals all inclusive family resort in Jamaica that is specifically nestled amidst twenty lush acres fragrant with the scent of jasmine and rich with tropical flora. This all inclusive family resort in Jamaica features a classic island architecture that effortlessly brings the outside in, combined with fine woods and polished with marble. This all inclusive family resort in Jamaica is indeed a host of great amenities and services.

Again, take time to get full details of the vacation package you are considering. If you are single you may want the privacy of a singles-only all inclusive Jamaica resort package.

Oscoda, Michigan, offers a folksier, laid back vacation experience. Here is a primer on the area and highlights of a few vacation rental options in the area.

Finding Vacation Rentals in Oscoda, Michigan

Oscoda, Michigan is a town located on Lake Huron, one of the Great Lakes of the United States. Oscoda is quaint and family friendly. It has a long shoreline location with a boundary that extends for miles along the sandy beaches of Lake Huron.

Oscoda vacation rentals are abundant with many different bed and breakfasts, inns and cottages to choose from. Whatever the type of lodging you choose to stay at, you can enjoy the town’s picturesque views and interesting downtown with quaint shops and great eating establishments.

If you are looking to stay in a cottage type atmosphere, why not try Anchorage Cottages. This area is also known as the Oscoda-AuSable area, because of the AuSable River nearby. There are seven cottages in all, which can be rented nightly or weekly. All of them are fully furnished. Some of the available amenities and activities include beach sports, spas and general lounging. For the outdoors enthusiast, boating, fishing, hiking and biking on nearby trails are all available.

If you’d rather stay in a more formal vacation rental, Sandcastle Beach has cottages and complete homes available that can suit all tastes. With both nightly and weekly rates, Sandcastle offers cottages ranging in upscale styles and prices. Some cottages include air conditioning, and one even has a Jacuzzi. Sandcastle Beach is located along 195 feet of sugar sand beach, and there are children’s areas for your use. You can also have a go at barbecues and a fire pit for group bonfires. All of the cottages come equipped with full furnishings, a cable TV and fully equipped kitchens.

Oscoda, Michigan is a perfect destination for that next family vacation. It has a relaxed, small town feel that will let you leave the rat race far behind.

Richard Rspad is with ResortSpaDestinations.com - reviews and articles on resorts. Visit us to read spa articles as well.

South Padre Island is a great choice for your college spring break vacation package. Below of some of the best reasons why choosing South Padre makes great sense for many college students.

1. Huge condos sleep up to 10 each - bring everyone this year to South Padre Island for your Spring Break!

2. South Padre Spring Break road Trips are low-cash & easy to afford.

3. South Padre Island is a 2-nation vacation - Mexico is just 35 minutes away.

4. Spring Break in South Padre Island is clean & safe. - South Padre Island is the #1 Spring Break destination in the US

5. South Padre Island hosts over 100,000 spring break students per year in March alone!

6. Fly, drive, or take our luxury motor coaches to South Padre Island.

7. A South Padre Spring Break has safe, good American food that won’t make you sick during your Spring Break.

8. Your cell phone & health insurance will work on your South Padre Spring Break, we’re in the US!

9. All flights to South Padre Island are on Continental, Southwest, or American scheduled air - no South Padre Island Spring Break delays.

10. All South Padre Spring Break bars & clubs are 18 to party, 21 to drink.

11. Kegs & alcohol are legal on the beach in South Padre Island, save money on your South Padre Spring Break.

12. South Padre Island is the southern most point in the continental US = warm weather on your South Padre Island Spring Break.

13. You are able to choose a great spring break tour company for your south padre island vacation — make sure that you choose a Company that will provide great quality restaurant meals, and a full compliment of on site parties.

Finally, if you do choose South Padre for spring break, make sure that you check out the spring break tour company that you are booking with. Make sure you get everything in writing prior to booking your trip as well.

You can do this by checking with the Better Business Bureau, and looking for other professional travel accreditations such as the the ASTA (American Society of Travel Agents) and the OSSN network by checking for their Travel Retailers Universal Enumeration (TRUE CODE). If they can’t provide this information to you, look elsewhere. It’s a great idea to consider a Company based out of the State of Texas, since that is where you are booking your travel vacation package to. Several great choices exist.

While this list is not exhaustive, it gives you some great reasons to come down to South Padre Island for a Texas-Sized spring break party.

Chad Hart writes various content-driven articles on spring break for http://www.inertiatours.com, and has been involved with the spring break travel industry for over ten years.

I am in my yearly snit. Now my wife would contend that I am in a snitty mood daily and sometimes more often than that. However, I am in my Yearly Snitit’s the Tourist Season.

The tourists flooding into Guanajuato is not news, I guess. We have them all year round. In the month of October, the month of the infamousyou can only find it hereFestival Internacional Cervantino, there is an influx of 50,000 plus tourist who stay for the entire three weeks this hardy-party lasts.

What I am talking about, is the time of the year, the summer, when AMERICAN tourists coming pouring into our adopted city throwing money around like it was pigeon feed, and expecting the locals to bow and scrape before their American presence, kissing their rings, and whatever else they would like the locals to kiss.

Now, if you think I am at all exaggerating this let me tell that once I had a conversation with a woman from America about his very issue. She wanted to know why she felt, “under the eye”, or “looked down upon” in San Miguel de Allende (another little colonial town not to far from where I live but much more infected with American tourists). I told her exactly why. It wasn’t received well. She acted as though I had just made several obscene gestures and cast doubt as to the true source of her paternal origins.

Her “coming-un-glued” response was this,

“Well, these people should be thankful that we are here throwing money into their faces”.

Let me warn you that I am about to make a huge generalization here and I do so without the slightest hesitation. I have lived in this country long enough to make the anecdotal observation (not to mention the thousands of stories I have been collecting from third parties accounts) that Americanstourists and some expatriatesgenerally haven’t a clue how to act in someone else’s culture.

What I am really thinking is that the vast majority of Americans act abroad the very same way they act at homelike jackasses. I am referring to the majority of the twenty million or so tourists who come to Mexico each year infected with the Ugly American Syndrome and in some cases terminally so.

I’ve recently begin wondering, from reader’s email I get, if some of these 20 million are also infected with “TMPS” (The Minuteman Project Syndrome).

If you want to read about The Ugly American Syndrome here in Mexico go to www.lulu.com or www.amazon.com and write my name, Douglas Bower, into the search engines to find my books with plenty stories of how American Tourists act when they come to Mexico. Be sure to buy as many copies as you can afford and give them out as Christmas presents.

In the meantime, if you are cash strapped, go to this web site and read an account by friend, Dane, who made a blog entry on an example he ran into of The Ugly American Syndrome. He is currently studying in San Miguel de Allende, where The Ugly American Syndrome is so rampant, so prevalent, that there is not even the remotest possibility the behavioral disorder ever being extinguished.

Check out Dane’s blog at: http://www.zyworld.com/theolog/Home.htm
His blog report from San Miguel is what got me in my current Snit. Do you think there is a Snit therapist out there somewhere?

Doug Bower is a freelance writer, Syndicated Columnist, and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Transitions Abroad. He is a columnist with Cricketsoda.com and more than 21 additional online magazines. He is also a writer with EzineArticles.com with a readership of almost 6,000. He lives with his wife in Guanajuato, Mexico. His newest books, Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country can be seen: CLICK HERE: http://www.lulu.com/mexicanliving

One of those interesting issues that doesn’t seem to come up a lot is what do you do if you receive a gift that you wish that you hadn’t. The gift can either be one that is something you just can’t use, don’t appreciate, or if it is just unacceptable; not all gifts are appreciated in the light that they were given. Fortunately, there are some options.

You can donate the gift to a worthwhile charity. This is best for gifts that have some practical value, and can be used by anyone. Gifts of tools, clothes, and food are best for this option, and will usually be accepted; food may have some restrictions, but some church groups, especially those with food closets, will accept a wide variety of food. However, art gifts or gifts that were made especially for you cannot be dealt in this fashion.

You can give it to someone you know that would appreciate the gift. It’s not advisable that you do with too many of your gifts, as it just seems impolite. However, for some of your gifts, this is acceptable. In some ways, this is probably the best way to deal with gifts of art, especially if you someone appreciates the piece of art more than you do. At the same time, if you think that your gift will benefit some other person greater than you would, and there is an obvious need, this is usually actually seen in a good light.

Although it may be rather rude, you can throw the gift away. There’s just some gifts where this is unfortunately the best solution, especially if the gift is obviously unacceptable. It won’t happen often, but sometimes you just get a gift where there really is no other option. In some rare cases you may wish to give thee gifts to the authorities, but throwing it away is usually the best option.

Options to avoid are selling those gifts, especially on internet auction blocks. It stretches the limits of what is acceptable for gift-giving, and can cause some issues top arise between the gift giver and accepter. It’s okay to sell the gift a few months down the road, but it’s just weird. The same applies to destroying the gift, especially if it was just given. The gift is yours to do with as you please, but if you stretch that, feelings may be hurt. Also, if you do re-gift the gift, try not to give it back to the person; unless it’s a running joke between the two of you or your group, this is extremely rude thing to even consider.

Keep in mind that you don’t need to tell the original giver; once given the gift’s eventual fate is up to you. Once a gift is given, it is truly yours. Do what you feel you need to do without any guilt.

Martin Lucchi is a Web Developer for Eclipse Leisure, a British company that organizes hen weekends, stag nights, Corporate Events and corporate Christmas parties for the UK and Europe.

Say, “I love you” with a Valentine’s Day slide show production. What better way to show that special someone how much you love them than with a beautiful and romantic slide show creation? Show the love of your life how much your memories have meant. Take them on a stroll down memory lane and visit those special moments together in a romantic setting with your favorite music. Men - can you think of a more romantic gift?

Most women like to know that men put some thought and effort into their gifts. That their gift wasn’t something spur of the moment or that the secretary - or worse yet - the mother - went out and purchased! You can melt her heart by showing her how much you care with a Valentine’s Day romantic slide show. Just go through all your old photo albums or shoe boxes and gather up some of your favorite photos of the two of you together doing the things you love the most. Then send them to a professional slideshow creation company such as Sands of Time Multimedia Creations and they’ll create a romantic musical video DVD that will bring tears to her eyes - and yours!

After you receive your video, plan a romantic dinner with just the two of you, then with the lights turned down low cuddle together on the sofa or your favorite chair for two and watch your romantic video together. And make sure you remember to purchase some tissues - she’ll be impressed with your thoughtfulness because she will most definitely need them!

And women, you might think that your special man won’t want or appreciate a gift like this, but I have personally seen grown men cry when they watch these videos. It’s sure to touch their heart because they realize how very special and fragile time is as they watch the years go by right before their eyes. Yes, men need a reminder too, to slow down and spend time with the ones they love. By showing them the good times you’ve had together your bring back good memories and feelings that help them to put things into proper perspective and remember how much they really do love you and the time you’ve spent together. After receiving a slideshow, as one man said, “Since my wife gave me this slide show, I have watched it everyday, and I continue to do so because it reminds me how much I love her and how quickly time goes by.”

So whether it’s for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Anniversary, or Birthday give the love of your life a gift that says, “I love you” like no other gift can - a beautiful and romantic slideshow production. They’ll be glad you did.

Sandra Clukey, Slideshow Consultant and Creator for Sands of Time Multimedia Creations, http://sandsoftimemultimediacreations.com/ See her article “12 Steps to a Successful Slideshow Production” http://sandsoftimemultimediacreations.com/articles/12Steps.htm View some of her samples: http://sandsoftimemultimediacreations.com/index-1.html and experience the difference!