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Meliton Hotel
Tholos, Rhodes, Greece
Meliton Hotel Introduction
With its warm, friendly atmosphere and tranquil location, the family-run Meliton is a great choice for a relaxing sunshine break. The hotel boasts an ample pool terrace complete with a convenient pool bar. If you care to explore your surroundings you'll be able to take advantage of the complimentary daily shuttle to the beach, however if you prefer to experience local shops, bars and restaurants you can catch a bus into the capital Rhodes Town. Rooms here are simple, but bright and airy and equipped with the essentials for a comfortable stay.
- All Inclusive
Meliton Hotel Facilities
• Hotel room for up to 3 adults consists of • Twin or double beds • Satellite TV • Fridge • Safety deposit box • Wireless internet access • Shower and wc • Balcony or terrace • Air-conditioning
• Pool table • Table tennis • Darts • Mini football • Video games • Tennis court • Hydromassage • Watersports from beach (under separate management)
All Inclusive means
• Meals: Full board with buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner. • Drinks: Unlimited locally produced alcoholic drinks and soft drinks 11am-11pm. Cocktail hour 9pm-10pm. Coffee and biscuits 4.30pm-5.30pm. • Children: Playground.
• Occasional evening entertainment including Greek nights, karaoke and movie nights
• Swimming pool • FREE sunbeds and parasols • Minimarket • TV lounge • Internet access • Laundry service • FREE shuttle bus to local beach once a day
For Children
• FREE cots
Key Facts
• Nearest beach: 1 km • Main resort area: 2 kms • 50 rooms • Child age: 2-12 years • Telephone no: 00 30 224 104 1624 • Official rating: 3 star
Key Facts Notes
• :Some facilities and activities may incur a local charge
Meals and Drinks
• Restaurant • Pool bar
• Hotel Meliton
Hotel and Holiday Extras
National Express
At Cosmos we want to make your holiday travel arrangements as easy and hassle free as possible, so that you can concentrate on relaxing and enjoying yourself. That's why we've joined with National Express to offer you convenient, comfortable coach services to and from your UK departure airport. There are no less than 1200 pick-up and drop-off points across the UK to choose from. For more information on departure points, suitability and timings call National Express on 0121 423 8455 or http://www.nationalexpress.co.uk.
Special Occasions Pack
Are you celebrating a special event while you're on holiday - perhaps a wedding anniversary or a birthday? Or maybe your holiday is your honeymoon? Whatever the occasion, we can arrange for a special welcome pack to be waiting for you when you arrive, including fruit basket, local sparkling wine and a bouquet of flowers.
If you are interested in this holiday, please select your preferred travel options from the panel on the left.


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Reuters blog archive
from Global Investing:
Waiting for current account improvement in Turkey
The fall in Turkey's lira to record lows is raising jitters among foreign investors who will have lost a good deal of money on the currency side of their stock and bond investments. They are also worrying about the response of the central bank, which has effectively ruled out large rate hikes to stabilise the currency. But can the 20 percent lira depreciation seen since May 2013 help correct the country's balance of payments gap?
Turkey's current account deficit is its Achilles heel . Without a large domestic savings pool, that deficit tends to blow out whenever growth quickens and the lira strengthens . That leaves the country highly vulnerable to a withdrawal of foreign capital. Take a look at the following graphic (click on it to enlarge) :
In theory, a weaker Turkish lira should help cut the deficit which has expanded to over 7 percent of GDP. Let us compare the picture with 2008 when the lira plunged around 25 percent against the dollar in the wake of the Lehman crisis. At the time the deficit was not far short of current levels at around 6 percent of GDP. By September 2009 though, this gap had shrunk by two-thirds to around 2 percent of GDP.
An IMF paper at the time praised Turkey's response, noting that allowing the lira to weaken had limited the country's 2009 economic contraction to less than 5 percent compared to the 8 percent fall that would have been the case, had it held the lira stable.
from Global Investing:
Banks cannot ease Ukraine's reserve pain
The latest data from Ukraine shows its hard currency reserves fell $2 billion over November to $18.9 billion. That's perilously low by any measure. (Check out this graphic showing how poorly Ukraine's reserve adequacy ratios compare with other emerging markets: http://link.reuters.com/quq25v)
Central banks often have tricks to temporarily boost reserves, or at least, to give the impression that they are doing so. Turkey, for instance, allows commercial banks to keep some of their lira reserve requirements in hard currency and gold. Others may get friendly foreign central banks to deposit some cash. Yet another ploy is to issue T-bills in hard currency to mop up banks' cash holdings. But it may be hard for Ukraine to do any of this says Exotix economist Gabriel Sterne, who has compared the Ukraine national bank's plight with that of Egypt.
from Global Investing:
The hryvnia is all right
The fate of Ukraine's hryvnia currency hangs by a thread. Will that thread break?
The hryvnia's crawling peg has so far held as the central bank has dipped steadily into its reserves to support it. But the reserves are dwindling and political unrest is growing. Forwards markets are therefore betting on quite a sizeable depreciation (See graphic below from brokerage Exotix).
from MacroScope:
China at a crossroads on yuan internationalization project
As China marks the third anniversary of the first ever bond sale by a foreign company denominated in renminbi, questions are rife on what lies next for the offshore yuan market.
Since hamburger chain McDonalds sold $29 million of bonds on a summer evening just over three years ago, China's yuan internationalization project has notched up impressive milestones.More than 12 percent of China's trade is now denominated in yuan from less than 1 percent three years ago, Hong Kong – the vanguard of the offshore yuan movement – has more than one trillion yuan of assets in bank deposits and bonds and central banks from Nigeria to Australia have added a slice of yuan to their foreign exchange reserves.
from MacroScope:
Brazil's foreign reserves are not all that big
Traumatized by several currency crises in the past, Brazil has made a dedicated effort in recent years to amass $374 billion in foreign reserves as China bought mountains of its iron ore and soybeans. When the next crisis came, policymakers figured, the reserves would act as Brazil's first line of defense.
It turns out that those reserves, which jumped from just $50 billion in 2006, may still not be large enough, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch analysts found in a report on the increased volatility in foreign exchange markets as the U.S. Federal Reserve prepares to scale back part of its monetary stimulus.
from Global Investing:
Paid for the risk? Egypt's tempting pound
Surprising as it may seem, the Egyptian pound has got some fans. The currency has languished for months at record lows against the dollar and the headlines are alarming -- the lack of an IMF aid programme, meagre hard currency reserves, political upheaval. So what's to like ?
Analysts at Societe Generale say that just looking at the spot exchange rate of the pound is missing the bigger picture. Instead, they advise buying 12-month non-deliverable forwards on the pound -- essentially a way of locking into a fixed rate for pound against the dollar in a year's time depending on where you think it may actually trade. They write:
from Global Investing:
Twenty years of emerging bonds
Happy birthday EMBI! The index group, the main benchmark for emerging market bond investors, turns 20 this year. When officially launched on Dec 31 1993, the world was a different place. The Mexican, Asian and Russian financial crises were still ahead, as was Argentina's $100 billion debt default. The euro zone didn't exist, let alone its debt crisis. Emerging debt was something only the most reckless investors dabbled in.
To mark the upcoming anniversary, JPMorgan - the owner of the indices - has published some interesting data that shows how the asset class has been transformed in the past two decades. In 1993:
- The emerging debt universe was worth just $422 billion, the EMBI Global had 14 sovereign bonds in it with a market capitalisation of $112 billion.
- The average credit rating on the index was BB.
- Public debt-to-GDP was almost 100 percent back then for emerging markets, compared to 69 percent for developed markets.
- Forex reserves for EMBI countries stood at $116 billion
- Per capita annual GDP for index countries was less than $3000.
Now fast forward 20 years:
- The emerging debt universe is close to $10 trillion, there are 55 countries in the EMBIG index and the market capitalisation of the three main JPM indices has swollen to $2.7 trillion.
- The EMBIG has an average Baa3 credit rating (investment grade) with 62 percent of its market cap investment-grade rated.
- Public debt is now 34 percent of GDP on average in emerging markets, while developed world debt ratios have ballooned to 119 percent of GDP.
- Forex reserves for EMBIG members stand at $6.1 trillion
- Per capita annual income has risen 2.5 times to $7,373.
from Breakingviews:
China FX swap may blur Bank of England mandate
By Peter Thal Larsen
The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.
The Bank of England is discovering the downside of being the City of London's chief watchdog. The central bank is under pressure from financial institutions to set up a currency swap with the People's Bank of China. Such a move would help to boost London as a centre for trading offshore renminbi. However, worrying about the City's competitiveness also risks blurring the BOE's main objective of preserving financial stability.
from Global Investing:
Asia's ballooning debt
Could Asia be headed for a debt crisis?
The very thought may seem ludicrous given the region's mighty current account surpluses and brimming central bank coffers. But a note from RBS analysts Drew Brick and Rob Ryan raises some interesting concerns.
Historically speaking, most EM crises have been borne on the back of excessive capital inflows, Brick and Ryan write. And in many Asian countries, the consequence of these flows has been over-easy monetary policy that has left citizens and companies addicted to cheap money. Personal and corporate indebtedness levels have spiralled even higher in the past five years as governments across the continent responded to the 2008 credit crunch by unleashing billions of dollars in stimulus.
from Global Investing:
Carry currencies to tempt central banks
Central bankers as carry traders? Why not.
As we wrote here yesterday, FX reserves at global central banks may be starting to rise again. That's a consequence of a pick up in portfolio investment flows in recent weeks and is likely to continue after the U.S. Fed's announcement of its QE3 money-printing programme.
According to analysts at ING, the Fed's decision to restart its printing presses will first of all increase liquidity (some of which will find its way into central bank coffers). Second, it also tends to depress volatility and lower volatility encourages the carry trade. Over the next 12 months these two themes will combine as global reserve managers twin their efforts to keep their money safe and still try to make a return, ING predicts, dubbing it a positive carry story.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
You're leaving Wedding Paper Divas to see the Deal of the Day at our parent site, Tiny Prints.
You won't be able to dismiss this by usual means (escape or click button), but you can close it programatically based on user choices or actions.
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"We were very happy with the menus. We selected the purple flowers and the shimmer paper. Good quality, and we received many compliments at the reception regarding the menus."
"I love that we could put a photo on the back, it just added another personal detail. I thought the date looked a bit funny at the bottom, and I didn't catch it until they arrived. I would have changed the month the be capitalized, since the numerical portion is so much larger. Otherwise, I love them."
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"Great quality. Beautiful product. Designers emailed me final draft including all my suggested changes. Great customer service!"


text:
Specialized Demo 8 2012 Carbon Team Edition.
250 will be made worldwide with a price tag exceeding $10k.
Custom built Seven Speed Rear Cassette, Reversible Cam on rearward shock mount to drop the BB by a further 5mm, magnesium frame linkages, Boxxer World Cup forks with 'Black Gold' Anti-Stiction coating and Hand Built Custom DT Swiss FR 600 Rims;
and my bank account sits at $203.19.
Need money.


text: Report Abuse Home > Poetry > Haiku > What they cannot see What they cannot see By Sanaalt08, Irving, TX More by this author Will be clumsy and break things That they cannot see « Previous article More by this author Next article » Join the Discussion This article has 2 comments. Post your own! Report abuse Request to Delete SaphiraBrightscales said... Aug. 29, 2013 at 2:37 am: Beautiful lines. Request to Delete Sanaalt08 replied... today at 8:18 pm : Thank you :)


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
I want Burning Soul to just die already. What the hell is Blizzard thinking, forcing Mages, and Mages alone, to have to spend talent points for their pushback resistance. It's frakking ridiculous. At the least give school-specific pushback resistance as baseline, so universal pushback can be a compelling choice but not necessarily required.
Drakkenfyre said...
I want to know with the call to have spell pushback protection for all classes, why even have it as a mechanic?
Before spell pushback was limited to 3 seconds tops, when spells could be infinitely pushed back, it made sense. Putting talent points into a talent that stopped that was great. But now that all classes have built-in pushback protection, except for Mages who have to spend two talent points, why even have it in the first place?
Most pushback protection is at 70%. So you lose only 30% casting time. Make that the new baseline.
While I don't think spells should be completely uninterruptable, it makes no sense to have the mechanic, then give every class pushback protection to begin with.
It is talent creep and mechanics decay. IIRC Fire mages were the first class to get talent pushback or at least the good version of it (Frost got +hit and Arcane had 100% resistance to pushback on AM). Then in TBC they gave it to most casters but it was still fairly deep down in the talent trees and was really a reward for getting to max level (however pushback resistance is only REALLY great for levelling and PVP).
This was the reason that frost was such a great levelling spec (or you at least started your rotation with frost bolt), you didn't have to worry about six second fireballs from some mob whacking on you.
These days they should just remove it as we have come a long way from when casters were based around casting a few powerful spells* and so melee needed to delay those spells in PVP.
*In classic you were originally meant to use your wand even when raiding.
warriorpanda said...
It may be baseline for casters, but that Enhancement Shaman trying to throw off desperate heals? The Feral Druid spamming Nourish? The Retadin Holy-Lighting himself in a desperate bid to stave off his inevitable demise? They're gonna feel it.
Casters took the talents anyway. Making them baseline for casters is just cutting fat, which Blizz wanted to do—yet the mechanic itself isn't a bad idea, since it still punishes those not specced for casting. However, I do agree that school-specific pushback resistances would be far more interesting.


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a World 4-Star Airline
Add your South African Airways review
South African Airways 4-Star Airline ranking
Airline Reviews : A-Z Index
South African Airways customer travel guide
South African Airways Passenger Trip Reviews
South African Airways Economy class seat reviews
South African Airways 4-Star Airline ranking
South African Airways Business class seat reviews
South African Airways Passenger seat tips
South African Airways Aircraft Seat Plans
Rating : 7/10
Cabin Flown
Value for Money
Seat Comfort
Staff Service
Perth-Johannesburg-Cape Town and return in Business. I was able to use the Qantas lounge at Perth airport. On the
outward international A340 flight boarding was smooth; returning the boarding process at Johannesburg was slow due
to Australian security requirements. The seats on the A340s were comfortable though the planes are showing their
age. The outward Asian vegetarian meal was very bland; the meal loaded at Johannesburg was much better. The
service was friendly in both directions. The two domestic flights in B737s were smooth and pleasant. The seats
were comfortable and the food was fine. Overall SAA offers a good basic business class (no frills) and good value
for money.
Rating : 0/10
Johannesburg to Cape Town (SA343) on old Boeing 737-800. Online check in and seat selection was not possible.
Flight was delayed for 30 minutes (for unknown reasons). Crew was not friendly (really unfriendly). They snarled
when you asked something. I fly a lot, but I've never experienced such an unfriendly crew before. I mentioned in
my reservation that I was vegetarian, but during flight only chicken sandwiches were available. Next time I'll fly
British Airways instead of SA.
SA8300, Johannesburg (South Africa) to Maun (Botswana) in Business Class. Check in took a very long time and was
chaotic. Spacious and comfortable lounge at JNB Airport. Good food selection, but I'm very disappointed in the
selection of magazines and newspapers. I picked 3 newspapers, but all of them were at least one week old. Why no
fresh newspapers? For unknown reasons the aircraft had a delay of 40 minutes. Inflight service was worse. I
ordered a special meal (vegetarian) and received a confirmation by mail, but on board vegetarian meals were not
available. I had nothing to eat. That's a shame, especially when flying business class. In addition only one drink
was served, and the rest of the time the crew did not care about the passengers. The worst of all was that
(afterwards) the SA-customer service told me that I didn't order a special meal, while I had a confirmation of the
ordered meal. Inflight entertainment was also worse, no newspapers, no screen, no inflight magazine, et
c. Seats were quite comfortable, but were just like economy seats. However, the middle seats were also used in
Business Class. Give me one reason why I should fly business class with SA? No meal, not more seat space, no
priority check in, etc. This is the second negative experience with SA. I will never fly South African Airways
Rating : 6/10
Durban to Harare, SA1613, 1st July 2014. Ground staff usually good, some of the other staff not so. They managed
to leave the entire baggage for the whole plane behind - that has to be a first! Seats pretty firm. Some cabin
staff great but some a bit messy. Pilot announcements friendly and helpful.
Rating : 1/10
I am an ultra-frequent flier Diamond Skyteam (Delta), Executive Platinum Oneworld (AA), 1K Star Alliance (UA) have
travelled SAA on the New York JFK to Johannesburg route (flights 204/203) 10 times this year (5-round trips). Of
these flights (9 in coach and 1 in business) only 1 has been remotely satisfactory. On 7 the entertainment system
has not worked properly (on 4 not at all). On 7 flights the temperature has been either boiling of freezing and
the cause of a multitude of complaints. On 3 flights I did not get the meal I ordered and on the flight I took in
business the cabin smelled of the toilets, and the seat power went out, which meant that the seat could not be
moved for 90 minutes. In the coach cabin, there is no seat power, and the entertainment system is contained in a
steel box under the seat which eats up the vast majority of the leg room. On top of all of this, complaints
whether written in flight or emailed do not get resolved. SAA on the New York to Johannesburg route is to be
My partner and I visited South Africa in July 2014. We flew into Johannesburg from Cape Town on Saturday, 19 July
at 4.45pm for our flight to Perth at 10.30pm. We immediately went to check in, only to get to the front of the
queue and be turned away as they had simply over booked our flight by 50 + people. We were not at all satisfied
with the service as we had not only booked these flights a year prior to flying but we were expected back to work
on the Monday. We explained this to the one lady in charge, and the comment back was "give your boss this letter
and he will understand". Not at all something you tell unhappy customers. We were then told there was nothing they
could give us for this inexcusable inconvenience. Many of us fought this matter and received free tickets to
return (exclusive of taxes). Although we would love to return with a brand new mortgage and job commitments, we
are not able to use these tickets within a year. There were customers who received nothing and others who received
$500 each. Why there wasn't a reimbursement structure in place before turning away customers, I don't know? If I
were to recommend anything to people looking at flying from Perth to JHB, fly via Air Mauritius. The service,
flight, food and service is 100% better!
I flew from Johannesburg to Hong Kong on August 1st, 2014. Service provided by the cabin crew member who was
working on my aisle was excellent. He was very friendly and professional. Went to the galley area during the long
flight to stretch. The cabin crew member working there at the time was very unfriendly and almost rude. Later when
asking another cabin crew member for a drink in the same galley area, I was met with a dry expression, handed my
drink, I said 'thank you', with no acknowledgement from this crew member, not even a smile. The overall product is
quite good, delicious food, huge selection of drinks, often very good service. However there are also extremely
rude and unprofessional staff. This is not an isolated experience. Before landing, one of the crew members
complained to the purser about the cabin crew on the flight. He expressed his views in detail, with passengers
nearby. This crew member spoke so loudly that it was impossible not to hear him. I found this extremely
unprofessional to say the least. It was very unsettling.
Rating : 5/10
I flew to Windhoek on SA078, 25 July. I was very pleased to have had the opportunity to fly on the 320. The seats
were so spacious with lots of leg room but I was so disappointed with the service. The dinner was served and the
drinks trolley arrived once everyone in my part of the cabin had already finished their dessert. SAA has never
placed a bottle of water on the trays as many airlines do, and their service is not constant. We ate our dinner
without anything to drink. What a pity as the airfares are not cheap on this route.
Rating : 8/10
Johannesburg - Mauritius, business. Boeing 737 800 2x3 configuration. Very efficient and pleasant crew. Seats were
just ok in a quiet old 737 but nothing to complain on for a 3hr 40min trip. Departure and arrival on time with
smooth boarding. Meal service was excellent with champagne and canapés, high quality starter followed by a tasty
main dish followed by cheese and dessert. Above my expectations for as business product for a regional flight.
Worthwhile to try!
Rating : 10/10
Business Class from CPT to VFA via JNB. Easy check in - spacious lounge with helpful staff and pleasant snacks.
Business seats on the new A320 narrow and are basically economy seats with the middle seat not used. Much better
seats on the A319 and the B737. Food good for the short flights and staff helpful on both flights.
I want to thank SAA more for making my trip to South Africa so comfortable. As a with limited walking ability, I was
assisted and looked after throughout the whole return trip. The food offered and served was fantastic, and to be able to use
proper utensils was a pleasure. The trip was easy for me, as the requested wheelchair was always there to either meet me, or
take me to the aircraft. Thank you.
JNB-DUR. Ground staff were friendly, they even checked an extra bag for me even though it wasn't part of their codeshare
agreement with Delta. Flight was ahead of schedule and landed early. It was pretty cool and they served us good wraps and
Rating : 9/10
SA 234, JNB to Heathrow. A good flight experience, food was enjoyable. Captain's announcement was friendly,
sincere and fun. Had a good crew.
I booked up 6 months in advance and by the time of my flight to JNB both the aircraft and my seat allocation had
changed to my detriment, cabin staff were good, food was ok but how I longed for the seat I had originally booked
as it had extra leg room and was near to the toilets, needed as I'm an oldie. Flight back was the same story, SAA
really couldn't care less what you booked or where you sit. That is now two 'not so good experiences' flying to
and from SA, one with SAA and one with Lufthansa.
Flew from IAD to JNB and returned 2 weeks later. My very positive impression of the flight to Jo'burg was
tempered by two items. First, the rather lacklustre service provided by the crew on the return flight and by the
(possibly) worst economy seats in the industry. I'm a little over 6 feet so I'm rarely very comfortable in
economy seats, but these go past just discomfort. I also have an issue with SAA's seat selection process. I
purchased tickets 8 months before the flight. SAA's website allowed me to make seat selections at that time.
Apparently that means little or nothing as those seats weren't available when check-in time arrived. I know seat
selections aren't guaranteed, but really, why bother?
Travelled London Heathrow to CPT via JNB and back (4th and 20th April 2014). The good: Our in-flight experience
was good to excellent, including the service from staff. Dinner on Heathrow to JNB flight was excellent. There
was also a lot more legroom than expected for economy class on the new aircraft. The in-flight entertainment
system however could be improved when compared with other carriers recently flown. The bad: The online booking
system - was subject to several late revisions to our reservations for CPT to JNB / kept splitting our seats up /
final booking ended up on Mango airlines. On check in discovered we not even on the CPT to JNB passenger list /
Mango airlines apparently not informed of us by SAA. The matter was resolved by Mango. We then discovered the new
SAA excess baggage rules at O.R. Tambo airport (JNB to LHR leg)! I felt the check in staff were unprofessional
and unapologetic. Be warned - 2 suitcases at 31kg + 29kg for 3 people equals 14kg of excess baggage (our 6 year
old's unused baggage allowance was not considered). Also O.R. Tambo direction/ signage confusing and could be
improved (although all staff helpful in re-directing us). I will recommend SAA to others for the excellent in
flight aspect, but suggest avoiding O.R. Tambo if possible / else ensure additional transit time and phone and
double check your return flight details a few days before flying.
I flew on 1st March from Durban to Johannesburg (return). The planes were clean and spacious. The food was decent
and the staff were very helpful. South African Airways has increased their service exponentially from the last
time I flew them. Planes I flew on: an A319-100 and A737-800.
SA528, 26/3/14, Durban - Johannesburg. Excellent experience from check in to arrival. Can't fault them.
JNB-Perth return. Dep 6/3/2014, return 24/3/2014, SA280. Very attentive and friendly cabin staff. Nice meals. Good
legroom. But unfortunately the personal entertainment system was broken on both the outbound and return flight.
Airbus A340-600.
First ever flight with SAA. Johannesburg - Durban. Flight was on time and bags were off quickly, but the service
was outstanding. Friendly FAs, very tasty steak and pasta snack, and excellent South African wine (with refill).
Rating : 3/10
Initial trip: Mauritius - Jo'burg - Buenos Aires. Done itinerary: Mauritius - Jo'burg - Sao Paulo - Buenos -
delayed 30 hours. We flew on Thursday pm from Mauritius to Jo'burg (spent overnight in Jo'burg because there was
no connection on the same day) and were supposed to fly Jo'burg to Buenos Aires on Friday morning. When we
presented for check in 2 hours prior to departure, the lady told us the flight was overbooked and unfortunately we
won't make it, she was not able to give us any other information. After a 30 minute discussion, a manager came to
us and we must admit he was quite efficient. He gave instruction to another counter girl and she managed to find
us 2 seats on the next flight (30 hours later) to Sao Paulo and then a connection flight from GRU to Buenos. So
instead of arriving at destination Friday 5pm, we arrived Saturday 11pm, lost 1 day and 2 nights. Otherwise, the
aircraft's were all new and decent, leg room acceptable, proper service and food just correct for an airplane
I was on a business trip from Cape Town to Nairobi, via Johannesburg. Although SA flies a small plane on this
route (A319), the service was excellent and the food of very high quality. All flights where on time. South
African is still one of the best airlines in Africa. The only downside was the price of the ticket as there is no
competition on this route (same price as flying to the US).
My son flew assisted on and SAA flight from Jo'burg to London early December. I choose SAA as after living in SA
for 17 years I knew the cabin crew were really good with kids. My son is only 8 and this was his first trip alone
to London. From Jo'burg airport all the way through to Heathrow his father and I were absolutely impressed with
their level of service and the way they handled my son. He came off the plane very excited about his trip and
very relaxed because the staff had put him at ease. They ensure he had his choice of meal, covered him up to help
him sleep and he tells me the cabin crew made him laugh and talked to him about his trip to the UK. The ground
staff who work for SAA were also great. Prompt, professional and very caring. I would absolutely fly my son with
SAA again.
My husband and I traveled to and from Cape Town, South Africa on SAA in January 2014. We had a very pleasant
experience. The staff was professional and very accommodating to our every need. The food was delicious. The
seating in business class was very comfortable. The choice of movies was adequate and timely. The cabin and
bathrooms were clean and neat. I would highly recommend SAA to any one traveling to Africa.
Travelling back from South Africa. Flight CPT to JNB delayed due to bad weather. Told that connecting flight to
LHR would be held. But on getting to gate found it had left without us. Stranded in JNB airport at 10pm, no SA
staff, no contact number, nowhere to stay. Next 23 hours a complete nightmare. Unhelpful, rude and arrogant SA
staff at JNB. Will never fly with South African Airways again, if you are just hope nothing goes wrong.
JNB-CPT in Dec. on time flight. One female cabin crew was very kind to family and passengers in couples. Always
asked "Would you like soft drink, coffee/tea and water? Drink with ice?" and served with cups. She asked me and a
business man next to me "drink?" and gave us a coke can without cup and gone without smile.
Flew SA235 from LHR to JNB in business by spending some Star Alliance miles. Check-in at T1 was quick and easy,
with the boarding pass reflecting my pre-chosen seat. Star Alliance lounge at T1 is still awful (no fault of SAA),
heavily overcrowded at peak times and under-lit. Priority boarding a bit chaotic but once on-board staff were
quick to provide refreshments and help out with baggage etc. Pushback was delayed 30 min due to the usual evening
take-off traffic jam at Heathrow, which the staff kindly used to serve another round of drinks. Upon takeoff food
and drinks were served quickly, and food was surprisingly good. I got the last of the "lighter" meal choices
though and was seated up in row 3 - not sure why their algorithm assumes that most passengers would be keen for a
heavy beef stew or rich chicken curry right before trying to sleep on an airplane but there you go. I would
recommend pre-booking the veg meal or sitting right upfront if you want to have something lighter before sleeping.
After dinner I managed to get pretty comfortable in the A340-600 flatbeds, and slept for a good 6 hours in total.
I believe the A330 has the newer interior and also operated the LHR-JNB route, but the seats in the A340 were
adequate for sleeping. Only real disappointment is the ICE system, as the screens are very outdated compared to
some competitor airlines - however, this was not an issue for me as my goal was to sleep as much as possible in
this flight. Flight arrived 30min early in JNB despite the 30min delay on takeoff, and pilot did a good job of
avoiding most of the turbulent weather which he warned us about on takeoff, so all in all a very nice flight.
SAA 190 and SAA 191 to Mauritius, Airbus A330-200. Service was excellent and the cabin crew was professional and
friendly. The Airscape in flight entertainment system was top class with the newest movies and TV series
available. The seats are extremely comfortable and spacious for economy class compared to other airlines.
And the Beef Stroganoff was scrumptious! Very impressed with SAA service and cabin quality.
Malawi to Auckland and return via Cape Town. Unfortunately for SAA the Auckland to Perth sector was with code-
share Air New Zealand - which was far superior in all respects. The SAA planes were relatively old and the seats
were hard and uncomfortable. The cabin attendants were generally helpful, but lacking in spontaneity. The food
was bland and the in-flight entertainment was even blander. The air-map did not function at all. On the flight
from Jo'burg to Cape Town our seat numbers were changed three times. We had deliberately booked a widow seat
months in advance so that we could see the country from above, but were changed at the last minute to middle
seats. We then found that the rear economy section was almost empty. Cabin staff ignored the lowly cattle-class
passengers and were busy reading the paper and chatting amongst themselves. We arrived in Cape Town but our
luggage did not. SAA staff were not helpful in reuniting us and our bags. We were told that it would take 3
hours to get our bags to us, but no calls were made to us even though we left our phone contacts. Finally after
about 15 attempted phone calls we got our bags sent to us, but no apology.
SA23, HRE-JNB. Flight arrived late from JNB due to 'technical problems'. No info supplied at HRE. We took off 1
hour after scheduled departure. To its credit SAA supplies a hot lunch, even on a short hop like this. However no
headphones; drinks came well after the meal (fish and veggies -edible!) and the seat was hard and did not recline.
Efficient offload in JNB for a change! That said, SAA needs to lift its overall game and not rely on past glories.
Rating : 2/10
As a family of 6 (including 2 senior citizens and 2 children) we have just arrived at OR Tambo on SAA from Hong
Kong. The attendants in the Business Class cabin really made us feel as if they are doing us a favour by serving
us. This was in complete contrast to the impeccable service experienced by another Star Alliance partner hours
earlier. As we have a 3 hour waiting time before our flight departs for Cape Town, I am now sitting in the SAA
Baobab lounge where the breakfast spread is dismal. There is no cereal and breakfast this morning is limited to
muffins, 2 different types of Danish and 2 types of pre-packed sandwiches. I eventually decided to go the Diners
Club lounge to get some decent breakfast. My kids were still waiting in the Baobab lounge and asked whether they
could have some crisps as there was not much to eat, I enquired with the gentleman behind the bar. His response
was, "no it is not 11 o'clock".
Rating : 4/10
My wife and I and my wife's friend and our 3 yr old son flew from Sydney to Johannesburg on 2/09/2013. We had a
connecting flight from JNB to Cape Town which was at 6pm that evening, we came off a 13 hrs flight straight to a
flight to Cape Town. We were not impressed with the flight attendants, and the plane was in a very poor condition
my seat was completely broken.
Flew Cape Town to Jo'Burg and found the flight really good across the board from wonderful, professional service
to economy seats with above average space. Food was however mediocre and has deteriorated over the last 2-3 years.
Overall, definitely worth it and much more so than BA on the same route.
Johannesburg to Durban on 16th December scheduled for 6.55am, flight SA 531. I was really not impressed with one
of the flight attendants serving food. Because I was sitting at the rear and was one of the last to be served, he
did not bother to serve me or ask the usual chicken or beef or if I wanted the sandwich or not. Fortunately I was
not hungry. I was not impressed that such a basic service was missed. Some cabin crew members are still failing in
this area.
Was taking the Entebbe-Johannesburg flight today and at the check in counter, the staff didn't know how to do a
check through to Singapore even when I gave them my electronic ticket number and Booking Ref. Not one but 2 of
them (senior ones) said that they cant find it on the system and asked me to go into the lounge to go online and
show them the actual e-ticket. On my second attempt I asked a junior staff and he managed to do the check through
with the same Booking Ref and Electronic ticket no. This isn't the first time I have encountered such bad service.
Johannesburg-Windhoek, Business Class. Boarding on time, but very chaotic. Boeing 737-800 looks very old. Not very
comfortable seating. Plane is delayed for 40 minutes 'as 12 meals in Economy are missing'. I can't believe it.
As a result food was almost inedible because it has been put in the oven at boarding and was completely
overcooked. Upon takeoff some (minor) parts of the cabin ceiling fell off. Sad performance, sad airline.
Our trip from JNB to JFK a week ago was a disaster. Started okay and managed to watch one movie (flight almost
full) then after the meal was served the seat belt sign went on and remained on for the duration of the 16 hours
flight. When I tried to get up to stretch I was told to sit down as the seat belt sign was on. When I tried to
go to the washroom I was told to return to my seat. Most of the flight attendants (except 2) changed into slumber
gear and disappeared until about 3 hours before landing. One of the remaining FA's slept on the back row middle
seats and the only time I saw the other one was when he hurried through the cabin once offering water. My
entertainment console packed it in and when I asked about it (before they all retired for the night) the staff
member said she would call up front to have it reset. Obviously, the front staff member in charge of resetting was
gone for the night as it did not come on until 3 hours before landing.
Heathrow to Johannesburg return, Airbus 340. Outward: Flight full, sat on runway for 5 hours while pilot explained
that there was a rudder problem. We were fed dinner on the runway by a very grumpy crew while watching our bags
being offloaded. Put up in London hotels overnight. Mid day next day we were collected again and taken to Heathrow
- put on the plane after 3pm. Sat again for 2 hours as they had not refuelled this plane. Eventually took off
nearly 24 hours late. Lost an entire day and this was not a holiday. SAA claim they were exonerated as the crew
had worked over hours. Return flight was on time. Organisation during the delay was chaotic - airline staff on
the ground did not seem well briefed.
Flew Jo'burg to Heathrow with SAA. A rather chaotic boarding process in which those at the rear of the plane ended
up often boarding last because they didn't embark via seat rows. It therefore took twice as long as it needed to,
to get everyone seated. The cabin was boiling hot and as is often the case we were seated for a very long time
before the plane went anywhere without so much as a glass of water, though of course those in business class were
busy quaffing champagne as we baked. Dinner and drinks service was good and served by efficient and fairly
friendly crew, unlike our outbound flight. IFE is really not up to scratch now compared with the competition and
my handset kept jamming, with TV programmes and games taking an age to load. Seats are rock hard so very
uncomfortable for a long night flight but one of the crew helpfully suggested that my partner re-locate to the
empty seats in the row in front of us, which meant we both (and those next to me) had more room.
Auckland to Cape Town with the Perth to Cape Town section flown by SAA. I have travelled on countless airlines and
this has to be close to the worse experience. No inflight entertainment from Perth to Jo'burg. The meals were
terrible (worse than normal for airline food), the crew were rude and unhelpful. I was hungry half way through the
flight and wanted a snack, but was told there was no snacks and had to wait for the meal service several hours
later. Next time I will book Qantas. Thank goodness for Air New Zealand, their average service was fantastic in
comparison. In summary do not fly SAA, look for options, if you have to fly with them, don't expect too much.
I flew Johannesburg - Munich route. Service overall was excellent, including the food, staff friendliness and in-
flight entertainment, offering movies from all walks of life and in many languages.
My wife and I flew South African Airways to Perth Australia in April and returned in May. Both flights were
excellent we really enjoyed the flights. The cabin staff were very good, entertainment excellent. We will be
flying South African Airways again.
My daughter and I attempted to check in at Johannesburg's OR Tambo airport for our flight to Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe. Although we were timely and had paid nearly 8,000 rand each for our tickets, we were not allowed to
check in. We were told that the airline had overbooked the flight. Told that, although another group had not yet
checked in, we were not going to be issued boarding passes unless someone failed to appear. My daughter was able
to get on the flight but I had to remain behind and spend the night at the airport Holiday Inn. The airline paid
for the hotel and my meals, but I asked for a rental car instead of a hotel so I could drive to Vic Falls and only
miss half a day of riding. I was refused. The airline gave me a free domestic flight anywhere SAA flies in
Africa to be used in the next year. I live in the US and have little or no chance of getting back to Africa in
the next year. When I got on the plane, I saw at least ten empty seats in business class. I missed a full day
and a half of my six day riding tour. My daughter and I were split up during our vacation and left to travel
separately. South African Airlines personnel were polite, but just passed me around like they were completely
Entebbe to Johannesburg, 15th Sep and back 21st Sep, flight SA161 and SA160 respectively. I was jolted out of my
sleep by a loud announcement that 'after rebooting several times, the TV screens at the back have failed to
function and we apologise for the inconvenience'. Come to think of it, even on 15th, those screens never worked
and the whole flight seemed like one of our typical bus rides. That aside, the rest of the things were pretty
good. I would definitely choose SAA for my next flight down South!
Flew IAD-JNB-CPT and back on the A343 in business class. Good food, very good IFE, FA's were quite good and paid
the right amount of attention to passengers while letting them sleep during this 20 hour journey. Far superior
than my experience with US carriers such as UAL. Flat bed seats are good and I arrived with little or no jetlag
even though I was six time zones away from home.
After spending almost 800 dollars months ago for a round trip ticket from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls, my
daughter and I were denied a boarding pass because the airline overbooked its only flight of the day. While
trying to resolve this, we learned that there was a group that had also not yet checked in, but the airline made
the decision that my daughter and I, though we arrived first and in a timely manner, would have to wait standby
until this larger group arrived and they were given boarding passes. Because one person did not show up, we were
given one boarding pass. I sent my daughter ahead without me and I am sitting in a Holiday Inn near the OR
Airport waiting to fly out tomorrow. To make up for missing two days of my tour, the airline has given me a
voucher for a domestic flight on their airline to use in the next year. As I am halfway around the world from
home, this voucher is useless. Although polite, staff just shuttled me from person to person, place to place. So
instead my daughter is alone in Zimbabwe and I am alone in Johannesburg South Africa. This is utterly wrong.
I flew SAA from Mumbai to Cotonou (Benin) via Johannesburg. I arrived early enough in Mumbai to get an exit row
seat. That was brilliant - great legroom and very comfortable. The other seats also seemed nice. Plane was an
Airbus 330-200. IFE was great - but I slept for most of the flight. I usually get an Asian veg special meal - but
it was one of the default options. Flight landed a bit early at Jo'burg. Spent an hour or so shopping. On the
flight to Cotonou, I was upgraded to business class because of my Star Alliance status, I guess. This was a day
flight on an Airbus A 319, so the business class was not lie flat, but rather a wider and nicer seat and with
much better meals. Flight was punctual though it included 1 stopover at Pointe Noire, Congo. Cotonou airport was a
mess, but that has nothing to do with SAA. Bottom line, I will fly SAA again, even if it means a few hours extra.
My alternative was Ethiopian or Kenyan, but these don't have daily service to Benin and included 1 leg in an
unknown African airline, which have to avoided like the plague for their terrible safety records. SAA was pricier,
but I got comfortable seating, wonderful warm service and good food.
They are a real hodge podge of excellent and completely inept service. Pros: The inflight entertainment, okay
legroom, inflight attendants, and meals were above average. Cons: On the return flight from JNB-JFK, I checked in
2.5 hours before the flight and was told I couldn't fly. My confirmed, reserved seats were still available, but
they'd loaded too much cargo. After 2 hours of staff bickering with each other they finally allowed us on the
plane but had given my family's seats away to someone else. When they finally issued our seats we were scattered
and all 4 of us were in the worst possible, non-connected middle seats. No apology for the inconvenience. The
inbound flight from IAD-JNB did not have these issues and remitted a higher rating. But it felt like customer
service roulette. They did however misplace one of our luggage items and took 4 days to get it to us.
We just got back from a trip to South Africa (DC to Cape Town and elsewhere). My three most favorite words in the
English language are now lay-flat seats. The flight attendants were very good and attentive. For more than 40
hours in the air (round trip), I never once had to hit the call button or hunt down a flight attendant to seek
service. My glass always seemed to be filled. Now, I must admit, their food is not all that great, but still, it
is much better than best cuisine you'll ever get in coach. Besides, on a trip as lengthy as what we faced, having
space and comfort trumped food. In the comfort and space department, SAA certainly delivered. We landed feeling
very fresh and ready to go. Besides, once we landed in county, we had more than our fare share of food. So, not
overeating in transit was even a bigger plus. If I ever go back, I'd fly SAA again.
My experience was on the Douala to Libreville (continuing to Johannesburg) flight in the evening. I bought a
business class ticket but got a low-cost coach airline service. At check-in, whatever weight you will pay extra
for a 2nd piece of checked-in luggage. On board, business seats are coach seats and worst is the service: dinner
is an extremely bad sandwich (dry bread with no more than 1 ounce of chicken) and a choice of sodas, no wine, no
My flight to South Africa with my 6 month old was fine, in fact quite enjoyable. Unfortunately our return flight
could not have been any worse due to the over booking and re-seating process. We were we tossed from pillar to
post as the seat we had been allocated was taken to re-seat a mother and daughter. I was then offered another seat
which was next to another re-seated passenger, obviously put out as he had been downgraded due to the plane being
overbooked. I was then re-seated for a final time in between 2 people. It was certainly not ideal with a 7 month
old as I could not get up easily if I needed to settle my son. I felt the service in this case fell well below the
standard I expected and below that which I experienced on the outbound flight.
DUR to JNB (SA 562) on 24-Jun-13. Enjoyed this flight, not only because I had an emergency exit seat (which was
more spacious compared to other airlines) but also because the service by the FA's was brilliant. The food was
also notably good and the flight arrived on-time.
Flew on SA531 Johannesburg to Durban on 12 July. The economy class service was excellent and efficient. I was very
impressed with the service on this short flight.
SA078. From JNB-WDH. Boeing 737-800, good tasting food, chose the chicken option which was well cooked. Service on
the other hand was below average as one of the air hostesses was unfriendly to one of my friends. Inbound flight
from WDH-JNB was a very pleasant experience. Flight SA075: A Star Alliance Boeing 737-800 jet was a little
outdated on the seats but the service was very good, before I knew it, a hot lunch was being served and tasted
great for airline food, good portion size and plenty of water after a long tour of Namibia. Very smooth landing on
both flights. Looking forward to flying with South African Airways in the near future.
Flight from JNB to LHR was an overnight flight in business class. Service was very attentive, wine nice, and food
good for airline fare. Service was better than Lufthansa, on par with Turkish Air, and much better than United or
US carriers. Only problems was the seat and video. In could not get the lumbar comfortable for sitting (minor
problem) but sleeping was difficult. Felt that there were rods in the sear when I put it in the lie flat
position. The video system seemed to run all the movies in sync and did not give a menu of choices.
Day trip to Johannesburg from Cape Town. Early morning flight from CPT to JNB and then evening return. Both
planes fairly full. Left slightly late on both occasions but made up time. Did on-line check in so went straight
to security. Boarding easy. Upgraded on first flight which was very pleasant - more comfortable seat and extra
leg room. Staff on both flights helpful and courteous. Food - business and economy excellent - full cooked
meals - for a short two hour flight.
Travelling from Heathrow to Cape Town via Johannesburg is horrendous. Please bring back direct flights. The
journey from Heathrow to Cape Town involves long walks and long waits between flights. I found it more than a
little tiring as an older person.
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text:
Grape Mincemeat
Notes: If making up to 2 days ahead, chill airtight.
This recipe goes with Roasted Potatoes with Grape Mincemeat
Yield: Makes about 1 cup
More From Sunset
Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
- Calories: 34
- Calories from fat: 62%
- Protein: 1.1g
- Fat: 2.3g
- Saturated fat: 0.8g
- Carbohydrate: 2.3g
- Fiber: 0.2g
- Sodium: 52mg
- Cholesterol: 5.4mg
- 1/4 pound hot or mild Italian sausages
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 cup seedless red grapes, rinsed
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Fresh-ground pepper
- 1. Squeeze sausages from casings into a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over high heat; add onion. With a spoon, break meat into fine chunks and stir often until meat is well browned, about 10 minutes.
- 2. Add grapes, 1/2 cup water, cloves, and cinnamon. Stir often until water is evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Add another 1/4 cup water and stir, mashing grapes if they don't pop, until liquid is evaporated and mixture is slightly thicker, about 8 minutes. Add pepper to taste.
- Nutritional analysis per tablespoon.
My Notes
Only you will be able to view, print, and edit this note.Add Note
Grape Mincemeat Recipe at a Glance
- COURSE: Sauces/Condiments
- CONVENIENCE: Make-Ahead, No-Cook, Quick/Easy
- CUISINE: American
- MAIN INGREDIENT: Fruits, Sausage
- OCCASION: Autumn, Winter, Thanksgiving
- PUBLICATION: Sunset
More Recipes Like This
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Grilled Salmon in Grape Leaves with Tomato-Raisin RelishCoastal Living
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Adam on Espece protegee
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The Lodi Wrestling Club had nine champions and 32 out of 42 wrestlers place at the Bear Creek Tournament last weekend.
Issac Sison, Caleb Byrd, Luke Ervin, Dale Ervin, Christopher Siliverdis-Rodriguez, Anthony Garcia, Andrew Staley, Justin Medeiros and Kristopher Kranich each won titles for Lodi.
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|Four Points Monaca hotels are provided below. Search for cheap and discount Four Points hotel rates in Monaca, PA for your upcoming individual or group travel. We list the best Four Points Monaca lodging so you can review the Monaca Four Points hotel list below to find the perfect place.
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The Lighthouse Blog
City is seeking developers for Gateway Property
Published on Wed, Mar 12, 2014 by
Brandy Kiger Shreve
Read More
With 28 acres of city-owned commercial real estate on the market, the city of Blaine is inviting developers to submit their qualifications and partner with the city in a public-private partnership.
"The city has clear outcomes it wants to maintain," Wilbrecht said of the old airport property, which can be accessed by I-5 and Boblett Street and is now referred to as the "Gateway Property." "One of the biggest problems in the real estate world is financing, but the private sector has the connections and capabilities to get it done."
The request for qualifications requires developers to submit a plan for what they think would work well on the property, including a conceptual site plan, project justification that includes any current market research regarding their proposal and an economic and feasibility analysis.
City officials hope this request will streamline the process for finding a suitable partner to work with.
"This process allows us to analyze what's out there and start talking to developers to see who has the qualities we want and then go to the next phase,"
Wilbrecht said. "We're hoping we'll have two to four quality developers submit qualifications."
Wilbrecht said ultimately they are looking for a developer with vision and the means to make the project happen. They will be considering prior private development experience, prior experience in public-private partnerships and proposed uses and development of the land to determine who they should work with.
According to the official request for qualifications, city officials are most interested in development that will "improve livability for local residents and encourage new business to start up or relocate to the city."
"We're interested in seeing a project succeed and achieving the goals of employment and good jobs," Wilbrecht said, adding they have a pretty good idea of what would and what wouldn't work, after consulting with Hebert Research of Bellevue.
The company performed a six-month analysis of border cities across North America and Nordic countries and produced a 25-page feasibility study that highlights reasons why Blaine is a good site for commercial and industrial development, lauding the city's foresight in the creation and maintenance of infrastructure as well as its unique location as "an area prime for significant investment."
The study highlights several industries that would be suitable for the area, such as software development; civil, electrical and mechanical engineering services; information services; warehousing and distribution; advanced manufacturing; medical devices; and trucking and transportation services – some of whom have already found a happy home within Blaine's borders.
"We've got some great businesses at work here already," Wilbrecht said. "But nothing is off the table."
Wilbrecht said he feels Canada is the city's best option for finding a willing partner because of the city's proximity to the border. "I'm not so confident in the U.S., because we're really at the end of the I-5 chain," he said. "It's more likely that we will have more interest from Canada."
The city has placed online advertisements with Business In Vancouver.
Ultimately, Wilbrecht said the prospect has to be one that is supported by the community. "We want to move as quickly as possible, but we have a public process we have to follow," he said. That process will include public hearings. Developers will be subject to the city's zoning codes and requirements, regardless of the project.
Wilbrecht said they haven't settled on what the public-private partnership will ultimately look like, and said those details will be ironed out with the potential developers as the process continues.
The request for qualifications closes on March 28.
For more information about the request for qualifications for developers, visit


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I'm the writer of the comic book series LIBERATOR from Black Mask Studios and a contributor to Occupy Comics, among other things. When I'm not geeking out over comic books or writing I like to try and help animals.
My wife and I run a blog dedicated to breaking the negative and false stereotypes surrounding pit bulls – plus we do a little dog rescue here and there.
For more information on that : www.BSLNews.org
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"Quote of the Day: Samhita Mukhopadhyay, from Outdated: Why Dating Is Ruining Your Love Life" by Stephanie Rogers
I found the book most helpful for me, however, in its discussion of finding The One. We live in a culture that obsesses over the idea of The One. The film industry especially pushes it (usually upon women) in the Romantic Comedy aka "chick flick" genre. I personally didn't realize how much I (feminist! media critic! blogger! constant reader of the feminist blogosphere!) had actually internalized these messages until I read Mukhopadhyay's book. Turns out, when you go into every date subconsciously ready to decide within five minutes if this person is The One, then you're probably going to end up with a fuckload of first dates … without too many second or third or fourth dates with the same person.
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Red wines that are more fruit-forward and lighter in tannin and body.
Medium bodied reds that go down easy, with smooth tannins and supple fruit.
Wines where earthy and/or spicy dominate the flavors – typically medium to full body.
Full bodied wines that have concentrated fruit and are higher in alcohol and/or tannins. Some need age.
Chateau Calon-Segur 2011 vintage is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot.
"Medium red-ruby. Redcurrant, cedar, violet and fresh herbs on the nose, plus a whiff of minty minerals. Supple, sweet and easygoing in the mouth, with pure strawberry and red cherry flavors, high but harmonious acids and a smooth, mouthcoating texture. Only 50% of the estate's total production went into the grand vin.Barrel Sample: 91-93 Points"
93 Points
International Wine Cellar
"A red with wonderful aromas of blackberries, spices and plums that follow through to a full body, with lovely integrated tannins and a polished, fine finish. Better in 2017.
92 Points
James Suckling
"Its bigger sister, the well-made 2011 Calon Segur boasts a dense ruby/purple color, sweet cassis and black cherry fruit intermixed with hints of earth, oak and spice, medium body, moderate tannin, a pure mouthfeel and a long finish. Give it 3-4 years of bottle age and enjoy it over the next 10-15 years."
90 Points
The Wine Advocate
The community of Saint-Estèphe has it roots in the Gallo-Roman origins of this château. Château Calon-Ségur was the first wine estate in the commune and is classified as a Troisième Cru Classé. The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. It is matured in wood for 18 months, with 50 percent new oak.
(saint ess-TEFF) Rugged Northerner St.-Estephe is the northernmost of the 4 communes hugging the Dordogne river in the Northern Haut-Medoc area of Bordeaux. While the appellation has no premier crus (first growths) of its own, it's southernmost chateau, Cos d'Estournel, is a highly acclaimed second growth, geographically separated from the famed Lafite-Rothschild in Pauillac by...Read More About St. Estephe
Bordeaux Blends The Fab Five With so much history under its belt, it's no wonder that Bordeaux has figured out the recipe to produce amazing wines. Centuries of making (and drinking) wine led to the blend that has become synonomous with Bordeaux. Winemakers in the New World replicate this formula to create successful blends in their respective regions - you may see Bordeaux blends...Read More About Bordeaux Red Blends
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Behar Selimi
Assistant Commissioner for Border Police, Kosovo Police Service
Focus: Accountable Policing
Topics: External Accountability, Corruption, Training
Keywords: vetting, UN policies, training curriculum, promotion systems, oversight agency, local police training, external accountability structures, depoliticization, corruption
Interviewer(s): Arthur Boutellis
Country of Reform: Kosovo
Location: Pristina, Kosovo
Date: Tue Jul 22 2008
General Behar Selimi discusses the formation, structure, international aid relationship, and future of the Kosovan Police Service. He begins by explaining his personal involvement with Yugoslavian and then Kosovan public security service. General Selimi was part of the second class to graduate from the Kosovan police academy, which opened in 1999. He describes the original application process for the academy and the two systems of advancement within in the service, appointment and promotion. Appointment filled the higher ranks after examination by foreign supervisors and three weeks of senior management training under observation. Promotions filled vacancies in the service's lower positions by selecting applicants from the rank below with the best combination of standardized test scores and interview evaluations. General Selimi then discusses the formation of the Kosovo Police Service, commenting on the roles of the UN Mission in Kosovo, International Police Officers, and Steve Bennett and others of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He explains the shortcomings of non-locals and high turnover rates in the international supervision of the Kosovan Police Service. While some International Police Officers greatly aided Kosovo's effort to establish a security service, many inhibited the service's development and delayed the transition of power to Kosovan officials, he says. He then expresses approval of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo, hoping that they help Kosovo integrate into the European Union and other international organizations. He concludes by discussing lack of specialization and employee benefits as challenges still facing the Kosovan Police Service's development.
Case Study: Building the Police Service in a Security Vacuum: International Efforts in Kovoso, 1999-2011
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Behar Selimi Interview
Full Profile
At the time of the interview, General Behar Selimi was the Assistant Commissioner for Border Police of the Kosovo Police Service (KPS) and Acting Deputy Commissioner. He began his career in law enforcement in 1984 as a police academy cadet in the Yugoslavian system. He later organized a union of Kosovan ex-police officers who had been terminated during the political unrest of the 1990s. General Selimi became an officer in the Kosovan Police Service in 2000, serving as a traffic officer, public relations officer, and police service's first spokesperson. In 2003, he became a Lieutenant Colonel in charge of VIP and vital facility protection. By 2004, he was the Deputy Commissioner of Administration, overseeing internal affairs, recruitment, budget issues, audit and control, departmental logistics, and more. He was appointed Assistant Police Commissioner for Border Police in 2007. General Selimi has also trained in Germany and the U.S.


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Career Opportunities
Borderless Pro Bono Attorney Project Developer
Location: Negotiable; St. Charles or Wheaton preferred
Hours: full-time
Staff Attorney
Location: Rockford
Hours: full-time
VISTA positions
Location: various locations
Vulnerable Elders' Rights Coordinator
Hours: Full-Time
Prairie State Legal Services is a not-for-profit law firm, offering new and experienced lawyers a challenging career addressing the critical civil legal needs of low-income individuals and families, the elderly, people with disabilities, and children. As a Prairie State attorney, you will represent clients in individual cases, complex cases and appeals. Your responsibilities will include:
- Conducting intake interviews with clients, participating in case acceptance meetings and engaging in case planning.
- Providing legal advice, brief services or extended representation, including negotiation with adverse parties and attorneys and litigation at all stages before state and federal courts and before administrative agencies.
- Providing direct advocacy that addresses systemic problems, including litigation, as well as legislative or administrative advocacy, as appropriate.
- Participating in program-wide or state-wide task forces and/or working groups focused on specialized areas of law.
- Engaging in community legal education.
- Working with community groups and social service agencies to address client needs and protect their legal rights.
You will also have the benefit of working for an organization that has all the advantages of a large law firm with the intimacy and immediacy of a small firm. You will be part of a select and close-knit group of dedicated professionals providing high quality legal services. There are 12 Prairie State offices, each ranging in size from three to eight attorneys, with a support staff of secretaries and in some offices, paralegal assistants. Yet, each of our offices are bound to each other by a common mission and a passionate commitment to principles of equal justice.
All Prairie State attorneys benefit from a strong and experienced leadership.
As Executive Director, Michael O'Connor has ultimate responsibility for the work of all programs and projects within PSLS. Mr. O'Connor is a 1989 graduate of Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, and earned a Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts in 1986 from the University of South Dakota. He has worked with Prairie State Legal Services since 1989 as a staff attorney, managing attorney, and now as Executive Director. He is admitted to practice in Illinois and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois.
Associate Director David Wolowitz has chief responsibility for operations and day-to-day management or supervision of key functions within the organization. Mr. Wolowitz joined PSLS when it was founded in 1977, having previously been Executive Director of the Legal Aid Bureau of Kane County. He received his J.D. (1975) and B.A. (1971) from the University of Illinois. He previously served Prairie State in different roles as Director of Special Projects, Deputy Director of Litigation and Managing Attorney and has served on the adjunct faculty at Northern Illinois University College of Law.
Bernard Shapiro and Sarah Megan, who together have approximately 70 years of litigation experience, serve as Prairie State's two Directors of Litigation. They provide litigation assistance for staff at all levels (administrative, trial or appeals courts), helping staff to identify legal issues, engage in legal analysis, determine objectives and strategies, as well as help with client counseling, pleadings, discovery, motions, negotiation, trial or hearing practice, enforcement of orders, and appeals. They also provide assistance with non-litigation advocacy efforts and transactional matters and work with staff to identify laws, policies, and practices that have a detrimental effect on low-income clients. Mr. Shapiro is a CPA and trained as a tax lawyer for Mayer Brown, a global law firm operating in major cities world-wide. His experience also includes years at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he litigated school de-segregation cases.
Each office is supervised by an experienced Managing Attorney.
Opportunities for Training and Professional Growth. Prairie State Legal Services, Inc. offers outstanding career growth opportunities. You will gain immediate experience with clients and in the courtroom. You will receive supervision from experienced attorneys and the Directors of Litigation. You will also receive excellent training, and many training opportunities are available every month. Linda Rothnagel, our Director of Training Advocacy, will arrange or make available or personally supervise much of your professional training. A highly experienced and talented lawyer, Ms. Rothnagel served many years in Prairie State as both a Managing Attorney and staff attorney. In addition, new attorneys receive an intensive Basic Litigation Skills Training. Prairie State provides desktop Internet, e-mail and Westlaw access.
Benefits. Our starting salary is comparable to other Illinois public interest firms. We also offer excellent benefits including medical insurance, group dental, a 403(b) retirement savings plan with an employer match, parental leave; 12 holidays and liberal sick leave and vacation policies; and 3 days of personal leave each year.
Organizational Stability. PSLS has a proven record demonstrating the ability to properly generate and expend revenue. It enjoys an economic environment whereby it can plan for the future, where growth and employment prospers, all with a reasonable degree of openness and predictability. Prairie State has consistently: 1) provided to its Board, staff and funders a clear description of how public funds will be used and accounted for; 2) obtained funding sources that can be used to serve particular client needs and leverage resources; 3) developed sound financial plans that demonstrate managerial and fiscal competence; and 4) shown a history of performing in a financially competent manner. We have always maintained our 501(c)(3) tax exempt status, and are currently maintaining 12 field offices serving clients in 36 counties. The Executive Director has always ensured the fiscal stability of PSLS by preparing and presenting organizational and program budgets to the staff and the Board, and has worked with the Board to ensure financing to support short and long term goals.
Each year, PSLS completes or "closes" over 16,000 cases, typically serving households containing nearly 40,000 persons. Our annual revenues have steadily increased every year – for example, in years 2004 through 2008, respectively: $6,055,888; $6,562,268; $7,121,522; $8,142,965; and $9,839,060. Expenditures have never exceeded revenues, and since 2006, reserves have been at least a quarter million dollars. We have multiple revenue sources, including two sources over two million dollars annually apiece (2008:Legal Services Corp. $2,678,285 and Lawyers Trust Fund $2,342,310), both of which are stable, long-term sources of revenue, committed to funding legal services for our target populations, and which have funded this organization for many years. Other reliable and long-term sources of annual funding ($100,000 to $750,000), include Illinois Equal Justice Foundation, Area Agencies on Aging, Community Development Block Grant funds, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Office of Justice Programs, Illinois Dept. of Human Services, United Way, and individual contributions. We presently have over 64 funding sources, not counting contributions. Our staff has grown, too. Including part-time telephone counseling attorneys, we presently have 74 attorneys, up from 58 attorneys in 2004.
Office Locations. Prairie State's twelve offices serve northern and central Illinois. With the exception of our Wheaton (DuPage) and Joliet (Will) offices, each office serves a multi-county area. Offices are located in Bloomington, Galesburg, Joliet, Kankakee, Ottawa, Peoria, Rockford, Rock Island, St. Charles, Waukegan, Wheaton, and Woodstock.
For more information about current opportunities at Prairie State, contact Mike O'Connor at Prairie State Legal Services, phone 815-965-2134 or e-mail at firstname.lastname@example.com
Or click on the following link for current legal services and public interest positions in Illinois:


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SPRING CITY, Utah (AP)
Officials in a small Utah town want to make sure every head of household has a firearm and knows how to use it, and they want to give school teachers training with guns too.
Spring City Councilman Neil Sorensen first proposed an ordinance requiring a gun in every household in the town of 1,000. The rest of the council scoffed at making it a requirement, but they unanimously agreed to move forward with an ordinance "recommending" the idea.
The council also approved funding to offer concealed firearms training Friday to the 20 teachers and administrators at the local elementary school.
"It sends a statement that criminals better think twice," Sorensen told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "If a teacher would have had a concealed weapon in Sandy Hook, I think the death loss would have been fewer. If sane, trained people had guns, they could have shot back."
The measure, which will go before the full council in February for further review, seems to have the support of the council's five members and many residents in the farming community about 90 miles south of Salt Lake City.
But school administrators don't think arming teachers is wise, and they are not encouraging teachers to participate in Friday's training.
"The more guns you have in the school, the more dangerous it is," said Leslie Keisel, superintendent of the North Sanpete School District.
Councilman Noel Bertelson said making guns in every house mandatory was too much, but he agrees the town would be safer if everyone was armed. With only a part-time police force, he said, response time is not like it is in a big city.
I don't see any problem with arming every household in a community. The Swiss- with the lowest crime rate in the world- have done that for Centuries and it has served them well.
In Switzerland every householder is required to keep a loaded shoulder-weapon in their hallway closet for national and personal defense. It works for them- maybe we should try it.
One key difference, though, between the Swiss and us is that that they haven't allowed themselves to become "feminized". Switzerland- even though heavily into chocolate- is still a highly masculine society. Men, in that country still have intact gonads.
The Unites States started it's long road to National Decline with Female Suffrage in 1918. It's sad but true. Almost all of our problems can be directly traced to that regrettable fact.
Wow that has to be the second most idiotic thing I've heard today.
Read up a little more on the Swiss. Since there is no army, the men, 20-30 years old are part of militia and given weapons. There has been a change in this rule since 2007. Weapons and ammunition are much more scrutinized. Check out Wikipedia!
How can this be? Home invasions will now turn deadly. Political correctness demands that we give the criminals a chance.
"If sane, trained people had guns, they could have shot back.""
That is the key word: Sane
There's a lot on Wikipedia on the subject to restore an air of reality to the media hype.
Mass shootings are simply a modern version of the longstanding "run amok" syndrome , which is a recognised psychiatric disorder . They are theorized to arise from a need to reassert masculine power of the perpetrator .
Even the explorer Captain James Cook described it occuring in South pacific villages in 1770 .
Switzerland has in fact had 2 such in recent years - in 2001 & 2002 . Most countries have them , whether or not guns are frreely available . There may be a "gun availability" influence on the likelihood of an event occuring , but this needs to be analysed by experts .


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- The Boreka Diary - http://www.theglobaljewishkitchen.com -
Quinoa With Arugula
Posted By Linda Capeloto Sendowski On January 30, 2012 @ 9:09 PM In Cookbook,Main Course,Rice,Side Dish,Vegetarian Recipes | 1 Comment
Going back to the January theme of becoming fit and healthy, the subject of brown rice and quinoa dishes comes to mind. I made these two dishes last week when my 43 year old marathon running niece was visiting. We were thinking of healthy side dishes, but both of these would make wonderful main courses for a vegetarian dinner. [1] We always try to eat vegetarian 1 or 2 nights a week. It gives my digestive system a chance to recover from hard to metabolize things like red meat. I am not a doctor, it's just my opinion, but it's nice to go light. Whole grain with a dark green leafy vegetable, what could be better.
Serves 3 to 6
2 large brown onions
2 tablespoons safflower oil
1 1/ 2 cups quinoa [2]
1 1/ 2 cups brown rice (I prefer Lundberg's brown [3] and wild rice blend)
1/ 2 cup brown lentils
3 cups water
2 cups wild arugula (rocket)
1/ 2 cup shelled pistachios
Peel and dice 1 onion and then set it aside in a bowl. Peel and slice in half second onion. After slicing in half, place onion halves cut side down on cutting board and slice in thin slices. Heat a large saucepan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and then, add diced onions. Heat a 12 in sauté pan on medium heat, add oil, and add sliced onions. Cook sliced onions until golden brown and caramelized, stirring occasionally with a wood spoon. [4]
Sauté diced onions until golden, season with salt and pepper, add rice or quinoa, and add lentils. Stir, season with salt and pepper, and add water. Place lid on saucepan and as soon as the rice or quinoa comes to a boil turn heat down to low and simmer until water is all absorbed.
[5] [6]Take rice or quinoa off the heat. Place in a bowl and stir in arugula. Garnish with caramelized onions and pistachios.
1 Comment To "Quinoa With Arugula"
#1 Comment By Lindsay On January 31, 2012 @ 10:19 AM
I loved all the ingredients, and will try it this week. Always looking for vegetarian dishes
to add to my menu. thanks
Article printed from The Boreka Diary: http://www.theglobaljewishkitchen.com
URL to article: http://www.theglobaljewishkitchen.com/2012/01/30/quinoa-with-arugula/
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[1] Image: http://www.theglobaljewishkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Fish-Tacos-and-Quinoa-w-Arugula-015-3.jpg
[2] quinoa: http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Harvest-Organic-Traditional-12-Ounce/dp/B000LKUTLE?SubscriptionId=AKIAJCGDQKMISISPMFLQ&tag=theglobaljewi-20
[3] Lundberg's brown: http://www.amazon.com/Lundberg-Gourmet-Gluten-16-Ounce-Package/dp/B000G82L62?SubscriptionId=AKIAJCGDQKMISISPMFLQ&tag=theglobaljewi-20
[4] Image: http://www.theglobaljewishkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Fish-Tacos-and-Quinoa-w-Arugula-009-3.jpg
[5] Image: http://www.theglobaljewishkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Fish-Tacos-and-Quinoa-w-Arugula-012-4.jpg
[6] Image: http://www.theglobaljewishkitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Fish-Tacos-and-Quinoa-w-Arugula-013-3.jpg
[7] Image: http://www.addtoany.com/share_save
[8] Quinoa Vegetable Cakes for Passover : http://www.theglobaljewishkitchen.com/2012/03/23/passover-quinoa-vegetable-cakes/
[9] Quinoa Pilaf for Spring : http://www.theglobaljewishkitchen.com/2012/05/02/quinoa-pilaf-for-spring/
[10] Brown Rice with Grilled Vegetables : http://www.theglobaljewishkitchen.com/2010/07/31/brown-rice-with-grilled-vegetables/
[11] Arugula and Fennel Salad : http://www.theglobaljewishkitchen.com/2011/08/08/arugula-salad/
[12] Brown Rice Mejedra : http://www.theglobaljewishkitchen.com/2011/11/30/brown-rice-mejedra/
[13] Powered by: http://www.yarpp.com
Click here to print.
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Riviera Travel Rhine Cruise to Switzerland 2014
7 Night river cruise from Germany to Switzerland - Fares from only £1,399pp
Take a relaxing Rhine river cruise along one of the most scenic waterways in Europe and enjoy stunning Interlaken and some of the finest Alpine scenery on earth.
|Date & Ship
|Fares from (pp)
|25th Sept 2014 -
MV William Shakespeare
Form error please check
Terms and conditions apply, offers are subject to availability. E&OE
Day 1: Dusseldorf
You fly to Dusseldorf from where a coach will take you to your ship. Or you can take a late morning Eurostar from London St. Pancras International, arriving in Brussels approximately two hours later, where a coach will take you over the German border to your ship, moored in Cologne's picturesque historic centre. The dedicated crew will welcome you aboard ensuring you settle into your comfortable and extremely well-appointed cabin, and familiarise yourself with the ship: your first class floating hotel.
Day 2: Koblenz
As you wake and enjoy a sumptuous breakfast, the real delights of this river cruise begin to unveil as the first rolling hills of the Rhine Valley drift silently past. Firstly we see the forested Siebengebirge (seven mountains), the inspiration for the Grimm's many legends, including 'Snow White', just the overture for even more dramatic scenery as we head upstream. We pass the famous ruined bridge at Remagen, captured intact by the allies in a bold action towards the end of WWII, before finally crumbling into the waters below. The pretty waterfronts of riverside towns come into view and the first of the Rhine's vineyards shimmer in the morning sun as we glide gently into our mooring at picturesque Koblenz. Founded by the Romans, the city is beautifully located at the confluence of the Rhine and its sister, the Moselle.
Your afternoon is free to wander ashore and explore the many medieval buildings, housing a fine array of traditional shops and classic Rhineland cafés. There is much for the student of historic buildings to admire: the former mint, the Four Towers with their ornamental 17th century turrets and several fascinating squares and churches, including the 9th century Basilica of St Kastor. The waterfront along the Moselle is stunning too, with the medieval Balduin bridge, staggeringly still in use. If you managed to resist the luscious cakes on offer from the beckoning pavement cafés then you'll be ready for your meticulously prepared dinner on board your choice of ship, and afterwards perhaps a quiet stroll along the riverside promenade to the Deutches Eck, 'German Corner', where the great rivers Rhine and Moselle meet.
Day 3: Rudesheim
Amongst the many twists and turns along its course, one of the most impressive and memorable on the Rhine is surely the huge looping 'S' bend at Boppard. This morning's cruise weaves around this long meander, guarded by the mighty Marksburg Castle. Journeying further, we explore the most famous of all the river's reaches and a real highlight of the cruise, the dramatic Rhine Gorge: steep vineyards give way to almost vertical rocky outcrops, towering over 1,000 feet above the sweeping valley sides. Sailing past St Goar and the many ruined castles, you get a real sense of the myths of this historic river coming alive around you. No legend is more famous than that surrounding the Loreley rock, where beautiful nymphs distracted hapless sailors luring them to their deaths in the treacherous waters. After lunch we berth at Rudesheim and the afternoon is free to relax in its bustling cafés, take a quiet stroll through the vineyards or maybe a cable car ride to the great statue of Germania, strikingly overlooking the river's exit from the gorge. There are some delightful corners in what is a classic Rhine wine village and the connoisseur of the grape will find some genuinely top class produce in the area. After dinner this evening, why not end the day with a small Asbach - the brandy locally distilled here in Rudesheim - as you watch the last of the ferries crossing the river in the moonlight glow.
Day 4: Speyer
Still sailing upstream, the Rhine is much wider and flatter now, with gently rolling hills and vineyards that are home to the infamous Liebfraumilch wines! The river is much more gentle here and Oxbow lakes, long deserted by the river flow, are a haven for over one hundred species of bird life in one of Germany's largest nature reserves. Today the ship berths in delightfully medieval Speyer, which you are just sure to love! During the 16th century in nearby Worms, Martin Luther was excommunicated for his religious beliefs and banished from the Holy Roman Empire. His followers in Speyer protested at this and for the first time were called 'Protestants'. We visit the neo-gothic Gedaechtniskirche, built to commemorate this event and the huge, richly decorated Basilica, one of the finest Romanesque buildings in existence which when it was built was widely acclaimed as one of the finest in Christendom. Its crypt alone is the largest in Germany, with its pastel coloured sandstone pillars and striking marble floors is probably the most beautiful in the world and is the final resting place of several emperors and kings from Speyer's illustrious past. We also have free time to explore as you wish before rejoining the ship.
Day 5: Strasbourg
This morning we gently cruise upstream, passing through two spectacular locks, which never cease to fascinate. Why not catch up on some reading in the ship's library, play chess or even try your hand at 'putting' on the Sun Deck: relax and enjoy your well-earned break. We soon arrive in France and Strasbourg, capital of the Alsace region, now one of the centres of the European Union. This afternoon, we will have a walking tour of its unique and picturesque 16th century old town, bisected by canals and a maze of narrow streets lined with timber-framed houses and sculptured portals plus the superb cathedral. Don't be surprised if, as the shadows lengthen, you're tempted to linger a while in a typical Alsatian café to sample some of the world famous wine for which the region is rightly renowned - maybe a Riesling or that particular speciality of Alsace, the spicy Gewurtztraminer. This evening the 'Captain's Dinner' will take place on board, serving delicious specialities of the countries and regions we visit during our cruise, hosted of course by the Captain himself.
Day 6: Titisee
Your final day's cruising is spent gliding majestically between the ancient forested outcrops of the Vosges and the Black Forest, through the great rift valley, formed many millennia ago by massive geological forces. We firstly visit the ancient town of Breisach whose historic heart is surrounded by immense stone ramparts. This afternoon we drive amidst some of central Europe's most stunning scenery. Rugged valleys full of white-water rivers and cascading waterfalls, rolling hillsides covered with huge, densely packed pine trees: this is the Black Forest at its best and exactly as you expect it to be. We visit the archetypical town of Titisee, nestling on the shores of its crystal clear lake. Having rejoined the ship, the crew slip moorings, the sun sets over the imposing massif of the Vosges mountains and the riverside lights begin to twinkle as we restart our stately passage up river. We enjoy this evening's dinner cruise en-route to Switzerland and our next mooring at Basel.
Day 7: Lucerne, Bernese Oberland & Interlaken
For many, today will be the highlight of the cruise. We firstly take the short drive to Lucerne. Spectacularly nestled among stunning mountain views, it is by far Switzerland's most beautiful city and has been attracting well-heeled visitors for two centuries, one of the most famous of which being our own Queen Victoria. You must take an invigorating stroll along the Chapel bridge - symbol of the city, a unique covered wooden walkway crossing the lake supported by stilts, lined with colourful, flower-filled window boxes and a superb way to absorb Lucerne's rather regal atmosphere. The scenery becomes ever more dramatic, then as we enter the Bernese Oberland in central Switzerland, it becomes quite literally breathtaking! This is the grand Alpine heart of Europe and amongst the finest mountain scenery on earth, described by the composer Mendelssohn as 'the most wonderful of all in this unbelievably beautiful country'. We have a short stop in Interlaken wonderfully situated between two shimmering lakes. Crystal clear waters reflect the surrounding alpine meadows, forests and peaks above, whilst on the opposite bank, craggy mountains including the snow-capped Jungfrau, one of the greatest in Switzerland, puncture the sky. This is quintessential Switzerland at its very best. We then return to the ship for our final sumptuous dinner.
Day 8: Travel Home
This morning at the appropriate time we take the TGV (France's famous high-speed train) to Paris, connecting with the Eurostar service to London St. Pancras International. In order to facilitate the easy changing of trains, your Tour Manager will accompany you. Should you be returning by air, you will be taken to the airport for your homeward flight.
- Full board from dinner on your day of arrival until breakfast on your final day; if you choose to travel with us on any of the full day excursions by coach, a packed lunch will be provided.
- Return flights from London Gatwick, regional airports or standard class reserved seat on Eurostar from London St. Pancras available on selected dates at a supplement.
- The services of an experienced tour manager
- Explore medieval Koblenz
- Visit to the pretty, romantic town of Rudesheim - centre of the Rhineland wine trade
- Cruise through the spectacular Rhine Gorge
- An evening in Speyer - dominated by the imposing basilica
- Guided tour of Strasbourg - amazingly rich in a wealth of sights
- Visit to the old walled town of Breisach
- Tour of the beautiful Black Forest and lakeside town of Titisee
- Tour of some of the finest Swiss Alpine scenery, seeing the Jungfrau and the Eiger, plus visit Interlaken and the stunning lakeside town of Lucerne


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Childish Gambino
Childish Gambino Throws It Back on 'Sober': Listen
Childish Gambino's new song takes him back a couple decades.
Ariana Grande Reveals 'My Everything' Track List, Featuring Big Sean, Childish Gambino, A$AP Ferg
Ariana Grande's new album will feature a whole mess of guest artists, from Big Sean to Childish Gambino.
MTVu Woodies Recap: Lil Wayne, Childish Gambino Play 'Music College Students Love'
Among awards shows, the mtvU Woodie Awards are a peculiar affair. The crowd were genuinely pumped to be in a converted gravel lot in downtown Austin.
Listen to Childish Gambino's Unreleased Track 'What Kind of Love'
He never planned on releasing this castoff from his most recent album, Because The Internet. But after someone else did it without his permission, he decided, what the heck.
Mel B, Snoop Dogg and Childish Gambino Join the Bitcoin Revolution
Generated (or "mined") through a complex mathematical equation, some people are pointing towards bitcoins being the future of money and financial transactions around the world.
Jukebox Jury: Is There Room For Feelings In Hip-Hop?
Welcome to Jukebox Jury, our new music debate show where experts face off and a jury of fans decides the winner. THE CASE: Emotions in hip-hop aren't exactly new. Tupac's "Dear Mama" was one of […]
Free Downloads From 50 Cent, Childish Gambino And More Bring Summer Heat
For hip-hop mixtape fans July is shaping up to be strikingly diverse month. It all kicked off Friday (July 9) when veteran rap mogul 50 Cent gave longtime fans a treat, dropping a 10-track album of new music entitled 5 (Murder By Numbers). But the free music didn't stop there.


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Return to patch central?
General Accounting Office auditors found that for reasons such as limited budgets federal agencies don't always make use of the growing number of tools and services that automate the process of managing security patches.
Among the tools now available are ones that:
Create an inventory of hardware and software, including all patches that have been installed.
Create logical groupings of systems — by department, machine type or other categories — for the purpose of managing patches.
Evaluate PCs against preset criteria such as required system configurations.
Test patches to discover whether they cause programs to crash or produce other unintended consequences.
Source: General Accounting Office
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Thursday, October 15, 2009
My baby is kind of famous!!!!
See that picture??
Last year when my inlaws and I got along famously, they took the girls to get their Christmas pictures done at our local Sears....
A few days ago, my mother in law recieved a phone call from Sears about that picture.
The lady said out of all the pictures they took last Christmas, THAT picture was still on their minds and Sears would like to use it for their Christmas displays inside Sears and the mall with our permission!
Of course I jumped up and down and told Jason to say yes!! I am going to call Sears myself and see if I might be able to even get free pictures this year for them using her picture!!! I am so proud of my sweetie pie!!!
**Don't forget to check out my Etsy shop !!! I am offering a Grand Opening sale of buy one item, get a second item 1/2 off. Plus I am adding more stuff this week so keep checking back and Halloween items will go on sale on Monday to make room for my Christmas items**
And a super big thank you to Stephanie who made my Etsy banner! I truely love it! It is so perfect! Not only is Stephanie super talented, she is really one of the nicest people you could EVER meet!!!! Check out her blog and some of the work she does then leave her some love!!!
Labels: Christmas, dirt and lace, display picture, etsy, kylie, primitive accents, Sears, stephanie
3 comments:
- Stephanie said...
So neat!!! That really is a great picture.
Psst... your Etsy link isn't working.
You are too sweet. It was my pleasure :) I wish you tons and tons of luck.
- 12:48 AM, October 16, 2009
- Rue said...
What a sweetie - no wonder they chose the picture! Congrats!
- 1:50 AM, October 16, 2009
- Bridgett said...
Awww...how cool is that!
I can see why though. That picture is adorable. :)
Off to check out your Etsy shop.
- 10:17 PM, October 16, 2009
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