7 Amazing Facts about The Palace of The Parliament in Bucharest

Also known as the “People’s House”, it was Nicolae Ceausescu’s attempt to redesign Bucharest by constructing a series of impressive buildings meant to prove to the world how wealthy and powerful was the Socialist Republic of Romania.  The constructions began in 1983 when Romania was under the communist reign and by the time of the Romanian Revolution in 1989 the building wasn’t yet finished. Today, the building has only 400 chambers and 2 large halls that can be used, out of its total of $1,100 rooms. After the Revolution, no one had the desire to complete this gigantic building. In fact, many Romanians demanded the destruction of the building which was seen as a symbol of Ceausescu’s megalomania and of the extravagant lives lead by the former communist elites.

Image by Simon Laird via Flickr
Without a doubt, the Palace of the Parliament is one of the most controversial administrative buildings in the world. Maybe Ceausescu didn’t succeed in his initial goal of redesigning the face of Bucharest, but by building it he made sure that his work will never be forgotten. Here are just a few interesting facts about the Palace of the Parliament.

Image by Richard Mortel via Flickr

The Palace of the Parliament is visible from the Moon

Yes, that’s right. The Great Wall of China and the Pentagon aren’t the only constructions in the world made by man that can be seen from the Moon. The Palace of the Parliament is also one of these unique and impressive constructions.

It is bigger than Cheops’ Pyramid

Cheops’ Pyramid from Egypt has a 2.550.000 m³ capacity which is pretty huge for a building, but, believe it or not, the Romanian Palace of the Parliament is bigger with 2%.

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Photo Booth pictures gone wrong!

Out of the picture

When nobody’s behind the lens, it’s often the case that in their excitement to capture the moment people inadvertently end up with partially chopped-off heads, arms or even full bodies missing. It’s even more common to have groups of people (or just their heads!) hovering in the bottom right or left-hand corner of the picture. Or you may find one unfortunate member of the group being decapitated completely, ruining what was otherwise a fabulous shot.

Image by Good Karma Booths via Flickr

Little Shop of Horrors

Purikura is a Japanese editing programme installed in many photo booths in the country which manipulates skin colour and enlarges eyes. It also gives users the ability to add colours and graphics to their photos resulting in some rather wacky creations. The most shocking and crazy examples of Purikura involve people with huge bug eyes with lots of crazy cartoons flying around their heads – or even in their own cartoon fantasy world pulling funny faces and poses.

The old ‘two fingers behind the head’

It’s the ‘hilarious’ go-to pose – sticking two fingers behind your mate’s head to make them look like an alien or an over-sized tellytubby. Sorry guys, but for us it’s a photo booth fail – whatever happened to originality? Cut it out!

Goofy Glasses

Accessorising photo booth snaps is a time-honoured tradition – and in our time we’ve seen our fair share of feather boas, fans, wigs, plants, food items and even animals. The old favourite though is the goofy glasses – oversized with warped lenses in wacky, garish colours.

Image by Thompson Rivers University via Flickr

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Sharjah or Dubai: What Resort to Choose?

Dubai is best place for shopping

Without exaggeration, you can buy everything in giant shopping centers and authentic bazaars of Dubai! The widest range of perfumes and cosmetic products, clothing by leading fashion designers, innovative gadgets and of course just unbelievably huge selection of jewelry made of precious metals!

Image by Steven Byles via Flickr
The main reason for such rich diversity of goods of all kinds is the low import tax of only 4%. So be prepared for rather affordable prices. Shopping in Dubai is the pure pleasure! There are a lot of modern and enormously large shopping centers, where you can spend the whole days enjoying restaurants and cafes, cinemas and pools, gyms and beauty salons, tropical gardens and even a real ski resort!

Image by Jon Rawlinson via Flickr
So summarizing, Sharjah has less quantity of malls and leisure centers than Dubai, but it has also many interesting things to offer its visitors!

Sharjah is the best place for beach holiday

Since most hotels of Sharjah are located right near the beach, the city will perfectly suit tourists with kids who want to spend more time sunbathing or enjoying swimming in clear and safe waters.

Image by Serge Bystro via Flickr
By the way, on different forums and blogs, you can read a lot of conflicting opinions and comments about what you should wear in the UAE.
Let’s clarify this issue. The UAE is a Muslim country and it has its own specific lows and rules of behavior in society, in addition, Sharjah is the most stringent Emirate. Here it’s not recommended to appear in public places with bared shoulders, in mini-skirts or short shorts. Of course, nobody will put you in prison, but when wearing improper clothing you’ll only experience condemning glances of Arab women and excessive attention of men.

Image by Tribes of the World via Flickr
But you should remember that you aren’t allowed to visit public beaches wearing only bathing suits. If you want to freely enjoy sunbathing then stay within the limits of your hotel’s beach. From the other hand, Dubai has also a lot of beautiful beaches with clean white sand. Besides, there are no such severe morals as in Sharjah and you can freely enjoy visiting public beaches in open bathing suit. But in most cases, the most affordable hotels of Dubai are located in some distance from the beaches, so you’ll need to use public transport every time you want to swim. And it’s pretty tiresome, we must say.

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Turning a Small Apartment into a Big One with Smart Décor

Lighting is half the job

The human mind has a very simple reaction to the amount of light that is present in a certain space. When such a space is poorly-lit and dark, our mind tends to make it even smaller. Conversely, when you bring a lot of light into a small space, we tend to see and feel it as bigger than it actually is.
Therefore, if you wish to make your small apartment bigger, the first thing you need to do is ensure it gets as much light as it can. This means that you should never limit natural light that your small apartment can get by pulling down shades or using dark curtains. Also, you will want to introduce as much artificial light, preferably white light that will open up the apartment. Another great way to bring more light and expand the space is by installing large mirrors.

Image by FAVA DESIGN GROUP via Houzz

Being smart with the colors

Color, when you get down to the physics of it, is just a way in which we perceive light and it can also have a huge effect on how we perceive a certain space. Professional painting people all agree that small apartments should always be painted in bright colors, with a heavy emphasis on white as the primary color for such spaces.
If you do wish to introduce darker shades or colors, use them for details that will only break the monotony of the white or the light colors that you have used as main ones. You will most likely wish to introduce a bit of blue or green in the bedroom for the sake of better sleep, but do not overdo it.

Image by Penny Drue Baird, Dessins LLC via Houzz

Using multifunctional furniture

When you live in a small apartment, you need to be very smart with your space and one of the easiest way to save on space is to use multifunctional furniture. For example, you can put in a bed whose headboard will act as a shelving space on the other side. Or, you can have a counter kitchen table that you will also use as a food preparation area.
When you are choosing other parts of the furniture for your small apartment, you will want to go with clear lines and lighter furniture that will not be too cramping. There is simply no space for oversized (albeit comfortable) armchairs in a small apartment.

Image by KWB Building Services Limited via Houzz

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Western Wall aka Wailing Wall – Sacred Place to Pray

In Jerusalem, a city that is construction of suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, already 2,000 years has no peace. On this place of the earth was flowed so much blood and was played so many battles. In Jerusalem has been said countless prayers. By the time of Jesus Christ, the city was conquered eleven times and five times completely destroyed. His remains represent witness to the past, according to research from archaeologists, Jerusalem was built on 20 meters high layer of ruins. The Western Wall of also known as Wailing Wall is a holy peace which is located in Jerusalem.

Western Wall is destination of important historical significance that really worth a visit.

Image by Janine via Flickr

Image by Matas Petrikas via Flickr

Image by David Poe via Flickr

Image by Brian Negin via Flickr

The Western or Wailing Wall is a wall of the Second Temple of the time of Solomon in Jerusalem and is considered as the holiest site in Judaism. According to the Bible, Solomon’s temple was built about ten centuries before Jesus Christ and was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BC. The Second Temple was built in the year 516 by King Solomon, son of the great David. After the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in the first century, the Wailing Wall is the only structure that remains of it. According to the Islamic religion that place is sacred because Solomon is considered at sacred prophet.

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What Kind of City Break Traveller Are You?

Having and euro trip and you are in Italy, you must visit the floating city. Venice is beautiful in every single minute of the year. But if it happens that it is sunny and warm, then it doesn’t matter if you are sun worshipper or not, you will probably have the best day of your life.

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Angel Falls – The Highest and Most Beautiful Waterfalls in the World

Waterfalls are one of the most beautiful pieces of nature, and although there are many across our planet, some of them particularly stand out with its beauty, the specific flora and height. Angel Falls, although it is the highest waterfall on the planet, the terrain is inaccessible from the rest, so it is not much visited.

Image by Antonio Perez Rio via Flickr

Image by Erik Cleves Kristensen via Flickr
Salto Del Angel also known as Angel Falls deservedly brings this name. The waterfall is located on the small river Churuta which is tributary of the Caroni, national park Canaima in Guianan savanna region in Venezuela. Angel Falls are the highest waterfall in the world. Its altitude is 979 meters and has free fall of 807 meters. It is interesting that the height of the waterfall is so high and water in the fall is turning into mist before falling to the ground. This waterfall was first discovered in 1912 by the Venezuelan explorer Ernesto Sanchez La Cruz, but his discovery he did not publicly announced.

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How to Plan an International Business Trip

Create a list of tasks

When planning such a complex venture that consists of various details and obligations you need to fulfill, it is likely that you will forget something important. That is why you should create a checklist of things that need to be done. For example, you should include flight and hotel reservations, setting your budget, contacting your embassy, clarifying objects and goals of the meeting, as well as learning a lot about culture and rules of the country. All of these steps could play an important role in your future career.

Book airfare and hotel on time

If you want to completely relax when planning an international trip, you need to plan everything ahead of time. This means that if you want the best and most comfortable seat on a plane, you need to book it on time. You should do the same when it comes to your hotel room. Either your secretary makes these reservations or you do that on your own, you should make sure that your reservations are still valid. Also, it is highly recommended that you book a flight the day before the meeting in order to arrive on time, take a rest and prepare yourself for the event.

Make sure that you have all documents needed

Before you go to a foreign country, you need to have valid documentation. Let’s start with a passport, which needs to be renewed if it is within six months before expiration.  Also, you need to check if you need a visa. Without it, you cannot travel to a lot of countries. There are numerous programs and services that can offer you information about necessary documents before you start planning your trip.

Look for travel advisories

There are numerous travel advisories you need to check if you want to be completely prepared for your international business travel. For example, you should learn a lot about geography and demography of the country or a region where you are going to spend some time. Such programs are especially important for they make you pay attention to hazards like terrorism, political unrest, natural disasters, attacks on tourists or serious contagious diseases. Once you are familiar with all these issues, you will be prepared for even the worst-case scenario.

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The Most Romantic Garden in the World – The garden of Ninfa

If you want to avoid everyday obligations and allow peace for you and your other half without hesitation choose this garden, open your heart and let the magic of Ninfa to manage your emotions. People who visited this garden are definitely privileged.
Image by Moyan Brenn via Flickr
Image by graham jowett via Flickr
Image by Oreeko via Flickr
Marvellous rare plants, magic ponds, waterfalls and magical old building are the words that describe this romantic garden. City of Ninfa is located in Italy, 70 kilometres away from Rome. Ones upon a time, this destination had 150 houses and seven churches, but that constructions unfortunately were destroyed in the civil war. The land around the town of Ninfa is taken by the aristocratic family Caetano and creation of the garden started in 1921. Now the garden of Ninfa stretches on 105 acres and was built into English style. This beautiful park is home to over 1,300 different plants which have a sophisticated look and come from different parts of the world. Between April and November Ninfa garden is full of flowers that spread a wonderful smell.

Image by graham jowett via Flickr
Image by Moyan Brenn via Flickr

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Why Florida is the Most Amazing Place for Family Vacations

What to see and do in Florida

Let’s first discuss Walt Disney World, perhaps Florida’s most famous vacation attraction. Every child seems to have an innate fondness for the world that Walt Disney created, and Disney World really does have something for everyone, not just the younger members of the family. Apart from the well-known rides and costumed characters wandering around, there are also spas, fitness centers, and countless shops. Other theme parks in Orlando include Universal Studios and SeaWorld.

Walt Disney World

Image by Christian Lambert Photography via Flickr
Of course, one of the reasons for going on vacation is the chance to relax, and with sunshine in Florida all but guaranteed, a few days spent on the beach is a must. The Clearwater area is most famous for its world-class golf courses, but it also has splendid white sand beaches and fun activities for all, including boat rides and dolphin watching. If you want to get off the beach, you can visit the Clearwater Marine Aquarium to learn more about the local sea life.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Image by Walter via Flickr

Image by Walter via Flickr

To make your vacation an educational one for the whole family, head to the Kennedy Space Station. This is a huge complex with guided tours around the station, and you can also learn more from the visitor’s exhibition. For architectural treasures, head to St. Augustine’s to view the impressive 19th century Flagler College and the Castillo de San Marcos, a 17th century masonry fort.

Kennedy Space Station

Image by Ben Andreas Harding via Flickr

Castillo de San Marcos

Image by Matthew Paulson via Flickr
You will be spoiled for choice when it comes to finding good family accommodation in Florida, but if the options are a little too overwhelming, visit the Bluegreen Resorts site. This is a company dedicated to providing the best accommodation deals for the whole family, offering hotels that are specially situated to cater towards visiting specific Florida attractions. For example, if theme parks are your family’s thing, Bluegreen Resorts will have a package that offers suitable accommodation near all of the parks you want to visit and at a great price.

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Visit Livraria Lello – Interesting Bookstore Which Will Lead You Into the World of Imagination

Livraria Lello is a great place to escape from everyday life, a place where you can relax and read your new book. Books are a window into the world, so go out there and “fly” to a different world where anything is possible

Image by Tiago Cabral via Flickr

Image by Mário Fernandes via Flickr

Image by Irene Armangué via Flickr
If you decide to visit the bookstore Livraria Lello in the Portuguese city of Porto, you will be amazed, whether you are lover of books or not. Livraria Lelo is one of the oldest bookstores in Portugal. It was founded back in 1869 and still maintains the style Art Nouveau. In 2011, this bookstore was proclaimed for one of the most beautiful and best shop, ranked in third place of the top 100 bookstores in the world. Livraria Lello is housed in a building from 1906 designed by architect Xavier Esteves.

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Is There a Great but Affordable Ski Resort?

But where to go? Your boss jets off to the slopes twice a year and swears by Courchevel in the French Alps. He implores you to stay at the 6-star Le Cheval Blanc hotel: ‘Great concierge service, you can ski straight onto the slopes, oh and the Lobster Primavera is divine – you simply must go!’ he gushes.

Image by Pro Arté via Flickr
The 6-star rating, in case you were wondering, was introduced in France about 3 years ago – the hospitality equivalent of turning the amplifier up to 11 – and has so far been awarded to just 9 incredibly lavish and chic hotels.
But what if you don’t have quite the same financial clout as your boss and you just want a ski resort that’s great for beginners without breaking the bank? What if you can’t go ‘Posh Piste’? Are there more affordable, everyday ski resorts for the average Joe such as you and I to enjoy too? In short, can you ski abroad on the cheap?

Image by Pro Arté via Flickr
Thankfully, yes you can, and there are plenty of options out there for the averagely financed and freshly-educated skier or snowboarder to enjoy throughout Europe. But which is the best, you may be wondering? Well, wonder no longer.

And the winner is…

Poland. Yeah I said it. Poland. You probably weren’t expecting it, but I said it anyway. You won’t hear your boss talking about skiing or snowboarding in Poland because it’s not fashionable, and it’s not one of the big five (That’s Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, or Germany, list fans). You won’t bump into Wills and Kate there, or Tarquin, Harriette and Rupert for that matter. But surely that is a good thing? What those guys don’t know, (and why they haven’t moved in and ruined it yet) is that Poland has somewhat of an iced-gem in its crown; the beautiful, picture-postcard town of Zakopane, nestled in the incredible Tatras mountain range just 2 hours south of Krakow.

Image by Nico Trinkhaus via Flickr
The ski resorts in Eastern Europe traditionally don’t have a good reputation for having modern ski facilities. However, this is 2014, and Poland has seriously got its act together and renovated most of Zakopane’s infrastructure recently. One thing you certainly don’t want to be without whilst skiing in Eastern Europe (or anywhere for that matter) is travel insurance – and great thing about going somewhere cheap such as Poland is that the money you save on the actual holiday more than covers the relatively small travel insurance cost.

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Ideal Place to Live According to Zodiac Sign – part 1

Aries

Members of this sign have a strong competitive spirit and lead an energetic life. Every day require a new excitement and a place that will meet their adventurous needs. They enjoy the unusual things like water skiing, hiking or cruise in a specific environment. A city with active nightlife and adventures, like Las Vegas is ideal place for this sign. He always will research something new and exciting in Sydney, but also ideal cities for Aries are Paris, London, New York and Melbourne.

Las Vegas

Image by Norm Lanier via Flickr

Melburne

Image by Ingo Meironke via Flickr

Taurus

Guided by the money and fame, members of this sign love power, so they want to live in places that carry a certain prestige. Taurus is relaxed and wants exotic destinations which are unexplored. Try to go to a place that is known for good food and beautiful landscapes. Destinations like Los Angeles, Hawaii and Goa in India are the right choice for them. Because of good food and good fun, Taurus also admires Barcelona.

Los Angeles

Image by Daniel McCullum via Flickr

Gemini

Members of this sigh want when they are busy, therefore their plan is to go to a destination that offers rich contents which will be able to occupy Gemini’s free time. They glow with energy and looking for a place that gives daily challenges. Trips, visits to museums and archaeological sites, with an hour sports activities is a scenario of dream vacation. Because they not stand boredom in any form, the Gemini will live in cities which ‘never sleep’. A perfect chose is New York, Copenhagen, Milan and Stockholm.

Copenhagen

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Ideal place to live according to Zodiac sign – part 2

Libra

This zodiac sign is romantic and want to be surrounded by people. Charming and persistent Libras constantly looking for life balance and life in the big city is not the best choice for them. They need a dose of nature that will bring harmony in large cities. They want peaceful and quiet places. Taking into consideration their gentle and artistic side, Venice would be an ideal place for living. They also like sea cities in which are held major artistic events, music and film festivals, fashion shows and exhibitions like Rome, Milan and Beijing.

Venice

Image by Roberto Taddeo via Flickr

Scorpio

Members of this sign are persistent, mysterious and want life in a city that maintains their personality. Scorpions are passionate, smart and love to study other cultures. They need a place where constantly something going on, but also complemented by beautiful nature. Scorpions may live in Spanish and Italian cities, especially Sicily, but they are attracted by Chicago, New York and Rio de Janeiro.

Rio de Janeiro

Image by John Skodak via Flickr

Sagittarius

Sagittarians live to travel. This sign loves freedom and open space, but they can not long be kept in one place. Sagittarians are impressed by blend of modern and traditional cities with lavish architecture and rich cultural and sporting events, as Madrid, Rome, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca.

Madrid

Image by Roberto Taddeo via Flickr

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Sustainable Architecture – The World’s Greenest Buildings

is an intriguing line of industry that is overflowing with innovative open door. All through history we have seen innumerable inventive plans from everywhere throughout the world, from recorded structural planning of the past to the absolute strange, the domain of building configuration is surely a multi-faceted one. Nonetheless, its not about looks with regards to construction modeling, at any rate not in the current period. These days, construction modeling and building outline accompanies extra obligation: supportability. In the course of the most recent couple of years there’s been a detectable ascent in natural mindfulness and a shift in center that urges individuals to live greener lives, and this has reached out into the structures they utilize.

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