The Best Time to Travel to Machu Picchu

By Pooja M Shah

Machu Picchu is a leading premier travel destination. As a result hundreds of people have taken the opportunity to travel to Machu Picchu. It is an impressive place on earth. The place was constructed by the Inca Empire more than 600 years ago.

This pre-Columbian 15th century site is located 2,430 meters above sea level. The site is located above a mountain ridge on the Urubamba Valley, Peru. The Inca constructed the estate around the year 1450. However, they abandoned the site a century later upon the Spanish Conquest.

A popular tourist destination:

Machu Picchu was unknown to the rest of the world until it was brought to the attention of the international community in 1911. Since then, the site has become a popular tourist attraction. To give a better idea about how the structures looked like, the outlying buildings were reconstructed and by the year 1976, 30% of the site had been restored.

Nevertheless, the work of restoration continues to the present. In 1981, the site was declared a Historical Sanctuary and in 1983 it was considered a UNESCO Heritage Site. In 2007, the site was voted as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.To this day, archeologists do not know how and why the Incas constructed this aesthetic site that is set above the mountain ridge in Andes.

Many of the archeologists believe that is was constructed for religious purposes. However, this claim has not been confirmed. The place is considered an elusive place on the face of the earth because it succeeded in escaping the Spanish conquistadors who seized most of South America.

Best time to tour Machu Picchu

The most favorable season for visiting is during the dry season that last from mid April to Mid September. During this season large crowds visit the site. The rainy season between late September and early April makes outdoor tours and treks challenging. Nevertheless the crowds and prices during this season are the lowest.

Before travelling to Machu Picchu it is important to acclimate yourself for at least 1 to 2 days before starting the hike. Considering that tickets sell out weeks before the time particularly during the peak season it is advisable to book early. It is important to research carefully the items that need to be carried during the hike. Furthermore, you can consider staying for the night at the Machu Picchu Sanctuary-Lodge located at the top of the mountain. Other options include lodges in Aguas Calientes.

We provide the best info about Machu Picchu tour package. For further details, please visit the provided links.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Pooja_M_Shah

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Trekking In Nepal - Guides To Foreigners

By Swinn J Victor

Some years ago, in the country of Nepal that is blessed with a part of the Himalayan peak, trekkers were enjoying their mountaineering individually. But, recently it has been made compulsory by the local government that all tourists, who wish to take up trekking in Nepal, will have to be accompanied at least by a single government-approved guide or porter. This decision of the government was greatly accepted by the Trakking Agencies' Association of Nepal. This decision is not only for ensuring the safety of the climbers, but also to control several several illegal trekking companies.

This decision was made with a view to make this country as the best destination for tourists and it was done mainly because some international media channels questioned about the safety of tourists in Nepal. There are good companies arranging trekking in this country and these companies abide by the rules and regulations laid by the government for ensuring the safety of their customers, while they are in Nepal.

Different trekking tours are organized by the Nepal tourism firms and among them Everest base camp trekking is highly popular among tourists. During this trip, the trekkers should never miss out the opportunity of tasting the local foods. To the best of my knowledge, I loved the 'dhal bhaat' dish the most. It is traditional Nepalese food that is made from boiled rice and it is served with special sauce and vegetables. Some other foods that should not be missed out are garlic soup, yak steak, yak cheese, Tibetan bread and Tsampa porridge.

Before booking for Everest base camp trekking, it is better to make a visit to your health care provider for ensuring whether you are healthy enough to take up a trekking tour. Not only this particular tour, but also for any other type of mountaineering trips, it is better to check with the health care provider. Only your family physician can offer the right type of guidance.

After receiving permission from your health care provider, you can also check with the best trip organizing company. Reliability of the company should also be checked and you can inquire whether the staff, who will be accompanying the tour is well-trained in ensuring the best safety of the tourists. Also, some companies send guides, who know some basic first aid techniques for further ensuring the safety of their customers. So, select the best company and enjoy a hassle free trekking in Nepal.

Notjusttreks.com provides the ultimate hiking and trekking holidays in the highest mountains in the world. Our responsible adventures team service provides for trekking in india andeverest base camp trekking in nepal. For more details about everest base camp please visit us.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Swinn_J_Victor

Pius XII on the Missing Red Lamp of the Real Presence

Posted by Taylor Marshall 

I don't know about you, but since I've become Catholic, I have been alarmed by the "dislocation" of the Holy Eucharist within Catholic churches. Sometimes I go into a church and I can't find the tabernacle. It's scandalous and heartbreaking. Why must He be hidden? "Where have they taken Him?"

I recently came across this quote from Eugene Cardinal Pacelli in 1931, the future Pope Pius XII. It's profoundly prophetic and worth quoting and full:

“I am worried by the Blessed Virgin’s messages to Lucy of Fatima. This persistence of Mary about the dangers which menace the Church is a Divine warning against the suicide of altering the Faith, in Her liturgy, Her theology and Her soul...I hear all around me innovators who wish to dismantle the Sacred Chapel, destroy the universal flame of the true Faith of the Church, reject Her ornaments and make Her feel remorse for Her historical past.”

“A day will come when the civilized world will deny its God, when the Church will doubt as Peter doubted. She will be tempted to believe that man has become God. In our churches, Christians will search in vain for the red lamp where God awaits them. Like Mary Magdalene, weeping before the empty tomb, they will ask, ‘Where have they taken Him?’”

Wow. Very powerful words. "A day will come when...Christians will search in vain for the red lamp where God awaits them."

If we claim to have Jesus at the center of hearts, isn't it time we made sure that He is at the center of our churches? Return the tabernacles to the high altars!

Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us!

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Catching up with Anna Fegi

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By Fiona Patricia S. Escandor

Friday, January 25, 2013

IT’S hard to forget her heavy curls, even more so, her soulful voice.

These are the traits that come to mind upon hearing the name, “Anna Fegi,” the Cebuana songstress who made a mark in national showbiz years back.

Anna shied away from the spotlight sometime in 2006, when she joined Hong Kong Disneyland’s production of The Lion King. She eventually pursued a career as a featured singer in a theater group on board an international cruise line, and since then, little was heard from her over the years—apart from the occasional homecoming concerts she would hold.

And now she’s back. Possessing a passion just as intense as when she first started, and the cheery disposition she has been known for, Anna embarks on a new journey, with a mission that has always been close to her heart.

“I have always wanted to put up a performance school,” she said. The opportunity to do so presented itself when Anna and husband Adam Brown, a musician she had worked with on the cruise ship, decided to settle in Cebu and they were invited to co-manage a reputable music school in the city.

Beginnings

Anna shared that her desire to establish the school stems from her childhood spent in Toledo City, where her greatest challenge, she said, was finding a venue where she could express her craft. She said it didn’t matter if there was no audience as long as there was the chance to do what she loves doing best—performing.

A talented singer and dancer, Anna’s love for musical productions began when she landed the role of Maria in her university’s production of The Sound of Music. Two years shy from her graduation, Anna decided to move to Manila and from then on, “the skinny girl with fluffy hair from Lutopan” as she had described herself, became the Anna Fegi that everyone knows today.

“Attitude is way more important than talent,” the aspiring mentor shared. “All of us are born to be artists. It’s all about finding your forte, your niche. If you know and believe that you can sing, it’ll only be a matter of time before you find the genre that you’re good at.”

This month, Anna and Adam will formally launch The School of Rock Cebu, will be offering lessons in voice, guitar, bass, drums, keyboard and violin. More importantly, Anna said, the school would serve as a venue for budding musicians, where they, as mentors, can pass on what they have mastered over the years.

Aside from the school, keeping Anna busy nowadays is songwriting. She has been working with known composer Elvis Somosot and her former musical director Grant Martin in arranging and producing her works.

In her own words

Anna had released two solo albums before but in neither compilation was she able to use her own words. “I’ve been writing songs since I was in college,” she said, “but back then I wasn’t confident enough to share it with an audience.”

Her newly released songs are mostly about heartbreak, putting Anna in the situation where she’s asked if everything is okay between her and her husband. “These are actually songs that I’ve written a long time ago,” the newlywed pointed out, trying to hold back her laughter.

Now 36 years old, Anna is ecstatic about her projects lined up this year. As an artist, she said that she’s always seeking something new and different—as shown in her multifaceted career.

Who’s to say what she will be up to in the next couple of years? What’s certain, though, is that in her every stopover, she leaves behind a mark always worthy of applause.

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Developer invests P1.5B

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By Katlene O. Cacho

Sunday, January 27, 2013

A REAL estate player is allocating some P1.5 billion for the construction of 1,500 houses in the Visayas and Mindanao this year.

Of that investment, the bulk will be set aside for three projects in Cebu with a total of 800 units. The remaining 700 units will be distributed in Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Iligan cities.

According to Richard Lim, president and chief executive officer of Johndorf Ventures Corp., the capital expenditure (capex) share for Cebu is the biggest so far since the company’s entry in 2004.

“Cebu is becoming progressive. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the country.

In fact, its growing population and bullish property market have attracted big players to expand their projects here,” Lim said. Their presence in Cebu is a manifestation of how optimistic and confident local players are about Cebu and the booming real estate industry.

A total of nine hectares of land will be developed into affordable subdivisions under the Johndorf and Prohomes brands. Two of these projects will be located in Mactan and one in Carcar, Cebu.

Different segments

Meanwhile, the Mindanao projects will have a total of 35 hectares of land to be developed into socialized and mid-range housing projects.

Late last year, Johndorf announced it has taken full control of the management of Prohomes Development Inc., a former subsidiary of the company. Prohomes, Lim said, will maintain its role in developing affordable residential units. Johndorf will focus on building residential units for the middle-income market.

Lim said they have already started building one of the Mactan projects. Construction of the two remaining projects will commence, the company hopes, in the third or fourth quarter this year.

Lim stressed that despite the presence of big and new players doubling efforts in serving the housing requirements, there are segments that are not fully served. He believes demand is still present in all segments, particularly in the low and middle-income market, spurred by Cebu’s growing population and thriving businesses.

Cebu’s three-million population is one factor that developers consider in terms of putting up projects, he said.

CBRE Philippines noted that the affordability of housing units brought about by the intense competition in the market, low interest rates and easy financing schemes offered by banks have led the country to experience “democratization” in the housing sector, from a nation of renters to nation of owners.

Condo ventures

Lim also announced that his company is building up its land banking activities in Cebu in preparation for the continued demand in the property market.

“We are starting to look outside Cebu City because nearby cities and the countryside are showing progress. The developments here are gearing toward the south of Cebu,” said Lim.

Aside from building horizontal projects, last year Johndorf also ventured into condominium development through 148 Residences, the studio-type and dorm-type project located on Pelaez St. near University of San Carlos.

Lim said the company has no plans yet of building another condo project but he is not closing doors on building another one, given the huge demand for condos.

Johndorf has already built more than 10,000 homes in Visayas and Mindanao since its establishment in 1986.

When in Cebu City, please visit http://www.gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs. Avail of the opportunity to own a condominium unit in Cebu City at the low amount of only P 9,333.33 and House and Lot @ P 7,306.81/month only. Hurry while supply of units still last. Just call the Tel. Nos. shown herein: (053)555-84-64/09164422611/09173373687.

What Makes Philippines the Heart of Asia

INQUIRER.net

3:40 am | Saturday, January 26th, 2013

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The country’s medical tourism industry is hoping to get another boost from the soon-to-be-released “Philippines: The Heart of Asia” travel guide. For inquiries, email info@philippinesheartofasia.ph or call +63908.8887880.

The Philippines established its Medical Tourism Program back in 2006—and now, a little over six years later, we can say that while results have not been as quick as first envisioned, the country’s efforts to become a regional healthcare hub are slowly but surely bearing fruit.

A few years ago, the country was re-launched as a medical tourism destination under the brand “Philippines: The Heart of Asia” and the tag remains as true today as it was before.  The Philippines really is The Heart of Asia in more ways than one.

As the Department of Tourism meets with success in presenting the country as one of the most desirable destinations in the region, especially through its “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” campaign—it will be recalled that the Philippines was included in several international “best destinations” lists in 2012—it can be reasonably expected that this will also help highlight the Philippines’ strong points as a medical tourism, healthcare, and wellness destination.

Hearts in the right place

Various research studies show that patients’ recover faster and feel happier when they receive compassionate care.  Compassionate care, unfortunately, is often overlooked as more and more hospitals overseas struggle to save on costs and increase efficiency—this is the reason why Filipino nurses are in such demand the world over: Filipino nurses are not simply competent but also friendly, cheerful, caring, and compassionate.

Friendliness, compassion, caring, and cheerfulness are aspects of Filipino culture that every Filipino grows up with and imbibes. He or she learns it from parents, siblings, relatives and friends. This is because most Filipinos value relationships more than material possessions. Whether rich or poor, strong family bonds and smooth, mutually beneficial relationships among relatives and friends define the Filipino way of life.

Foreigners who visit the country as tourists, work here as expats, or choose it as their second home after retirement, all discover the warmth and hospitality that are unique to the Filipinos. These are attributes that medical tourism travelers discover when they receive treatment in the country’s hospitals and clinics.

English fluency

English is widely spoken in the Philippines as one of its official languages. English is the language used in education and business, and Filipinos in government agencies and the service industry are fluent in it. There are many English-language publications in the Philippines, including the major newspapers and magazines. There are also many English-language programs on television and Hollywood movies are regularly shown in theaters.  Foreigners who speak English will have no difficulty relating to and transacting with Filipinos.

Top-notch healthcare facilities

Filipino doctors are expertly trained in the Western medical tradition and are up-to-date with the latest advances in medical science. Many of them have trained overseas, including the United States and Europe, and are affiliated with medical organizations in those countries.

The country’s top public and private hospitals are equipped with the latest in medical tools, machines, and technologies—the same equipment, if not better, as those found in the U.S. and Europe. The high standards of their facilities assure medical tourists that they are getting the same quality care, or better, as they would receive from their home countries.

This same high quality of care is found in the Philippines’ top specialty clinics that offer dental and aesthetic procedures.

Tropical paradise

With more than 7,000 islands in its archipelago, the Philippines is home to beaches and seaside resorts that provide relaxing, refreshing tropical paradise settings. There are natural landscapes of breathtaking beauty in the highland regions. Medical travelers will discover many picturesque places where they can enjoy their recovery.

Together with these various natural settings, the Philippines also offers all the modern conveniences needed for 21^st century living. From high-tech telecoms networks to cable TV, to Internet service, and highly urbanized, cosmopolitan areas with malls retail complexes offering local products and international brands.

World cuisine

Filipino food is a blend of Western and Eastern influences that include Spanish, American, Chinese, and Indian cuisines. With such a sophisticated palate, Filipinos easily welcomed the entry of Japanese, Korean, Thai, Italian and Continental food in the culinary scene. As a result, there are now so many different dining establishments that offer a gamut of authentic, gourmet fare.

More work ahead

As more of the country’s top hospitals make considerable investments in their personnel and facilities, the benefits to Filipino and foreign patients will also increase. There really is no other way to help the Philippines become a regional medical tourism hub except to make sure that its healthcare facilities are world-class.

One very important area that more Philippine hospitals need to get into is international accreditation. This accreditation is the most credible certification of a hospital’s, clinic’s, or wellness facility’s world-class quality standards.

When we talk about world-class healthcare certification or accreditation for hospitals and other healthcare facilities, we usually refer to accrediting bodies like JCI, NABH International, Accreditation Canada and others that are affiliated with the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua). The ISQua is the world body that accredits these accrediting bodies.

One ISQua-accredited body that has been giving generous support to Philippine hospitals is NABH International. Through its local affiliate, HealthCORE, the NABH International has been giving workshops to Filipino hospital administrators to help them learn how to meet ISQua standards, and assist them in the actual process of accreditation.

The success of the Department of Tourism’s campaign plus the increasing number of foreign patients being treated in the Philippines top hospitals prove that the country still has a bright future and great potential to be a medical, health, and wellness hub in the region.

To fulfill that potential, all stakeholders in the healthcare and travel sectors must get their acts together. Only then will the world truly realize that the Philippines is the Heart of Asia—a heart that gives care, compassion, life, love, and healing to those in need.  – Ramil Digal Gulle, contributor  

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URC Builds Negros Ethanol Plant

January 25, 2013, 4:40pmBy Melody M. Aguiba

Universal Robina Corp. (URC) is taking advantage of the auspicious investment environment in biofuels as it expects to complete by 2014 a 100,000 liter per year plant in Negros Occidental.

This is the right time to put up the ethanol plant as mandated demand is hardly supplied locally with only a 133 million liters per year capacity compared to the needed 480 million liters.

URC’s ethanol plant, costing P1 billion, will have the advantage of proximity to feedstock supply in Negros Occidental where URC also runs the Universal Robina Sugar Milling Co. (Ursumco) and the Southern Negros Devt. Corp. (Sonedco) .

While the opportunities remains to be big which may convince the company to venture in ethanol in its other sugar milling sites, URC sugar general manager, said the Negros area is where the company’s biggest operations are found.

Any future plans for another ethanol plant will be carefully studied based on available sugarcane production area. The ethanol plant to be located within the Ursumco area will use molasses which is a by-product of sugar milling.

“We will be dependent on the supply of feedstock,” said Rene P. Cabati, URC sugar general manager, in an interview.

The ethanol plant is part of URC’s investment in renewable energy as it has also programmed a P2-billion biomass-fired co-generation plant with a 40-megawatt capacity. The plant within the Sonedco area is expected to be completed in 2015.

The demand for ethanol in the Philippines may expand as the government may decide to increase ethanol-gasoline mix beyond the present mandated 10 percent mix.

At the present mix, the country’s importation of 350 million liters is estimated to cost up to P11.55 billion at P32 to P33 per liter.

Republic Act 9367 (Biofuels Act) mandated blending of bioethanol with crude oil-based gasoline that started at five percent mix in 2009 and 10 percent in 2012.

At a 15 percent projected bioethanol-gasoline blend by 2015, the country needs to put up 22 more distilleries that have a capacity of 30 million liters per year.

A Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) study projected that at a 15 percent ethanol mix with gasoline, the Philippines will be able to displace 645.79 million liters of imported gasoline by 2015.

A 20 percent mix by 2020 will enable crude oil-based fuel displacement by 1.043 billion liters; by 2025, 1.202 billion liters; and 2030, 1.34 billion liters.

URC is in a position to expand in renewable energy plants in other areas outside of Negros as it also operates sugar mills in Iloilo and Cagayan Valley in Luzon.

URC also runs the Cagayan Robina Sugar Milling Co which has a 4,000 tons cane per day milling plant in Sto. Domingo, Piat, Cagayan. Its refined sugar production is at 4,300 bags (50 kilos per bag) per day. It is within the region of the bioethanol plant of Green Future Innovations in Isabela.

In Negros, Ursumco has the capacity to mill 8,000 metric tons of sugarcane per day and a 10,000-bag per day refined sugar capacity. Sonedco which has a plant in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental, has a target milling capacity of 9,000 tons of cane per day for raw sugar and 750 tons of sugar refining capacity.

The URC Passi mill is in Passi City (Brgy. Ulang Juan, San Enrique, Iloilo) and was only acquired by URC in 2007.

When in Cebu City, please visit http://www.gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs. Avail of the opportunity to own a condominium unit in Cebu City together with your own parking space at the low amount of only P12,000.00+ and House and Lot @ P 7,306.81/month only. Hurry while supply of units still last. Just call the Tel. Nos. shown herein: (053)555-84-64/09164422611/09173373687.