leisure

Sydney Olympic Park

james.bell — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:36:52 +0100

On the corner of Showground Road and Murray Rose Avenue,
Sydney Olympic Park,
Sydney

Sydney Olympic Park is a small sports city which was created to host the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 and it covers around 1,600 acres.

The park has lots of facilities, from huge sport stadiums such as Acer Arena and Telstra Stadium where you can see sports events and rock concerts, to Olympic Park Aquatic Centre with three professional swimming pools, a children's pool with springs and water rides, a spa area, sauna and gym.

Why not go for a walk or cycle in Bicentennial Park; skate or jog beside the Parramota River in Blaxland Riverside Park or have a picnic and disconnect from the beat of the city.

You can even do archery at Sydney Olympic Park Archers or fly on a trapezium at Quasar Trapeze. Test your balancing skills on a skateboard at Monster Skate Park or at the motocross track at Mountain Cross.

Sydney Guide

Sydney Aquarium

james.bell — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:05:35 +0100

Western Distributor,
Darling Harbour,
Sydney.

Website

At Sydney Aquarium you will discover marine life from the South Pacific Ocean with more than 12,000 fish and marine creatures.

The aquarium was opened in 1988 and it is one of the best aquariums in the world where you will see some of the Northern and Southern Rivers, the Southern Oceans with penguins and seals and the Northern Ocean with the Great Barrier Reef with is the largest coral reef in the world.

The aquarium is designed in the form of a huge wave and inside you will see lots of creatures that you would never before have been able to see. The complex has three of the largest tanks in the world where you will see sharks which weigh around 47 stone and 3m in length.

Sydney Guide | Family Activities in Sydney

Hyde park

james.bell — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:55:55 +0100

Elisabeth Street & Park Street,
Sydney.

Hyde Park is an oasis located in Sydney's Central Business District which is renowned for the tree lined walkway which crosses through its centre. It was named after the gardens in London in the United Kingdom and it is an a refreshing green space with lots of plants and trees.

The Art-Deco Archibald Fountain which was built in 1932 to celebrate the French-Australian alliance during World War I, is the centrepiece of the park. At the south end of the park is the Anzac War Memorial, which is a tribute to all the soldiers who died during the First World War and is 30m high.

Today, the park is used by athletics and sports fanatics, and it is the ideal place to escape the heat of the summer and the stress of the city. Other tourist attractions near Hyde Park are St. James Church, Hyde Park Barracks, St, Mary's Cathedral and the Australian Museum.

Sydney Guide

Bondi Beach

james.bell — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:44:18 +0100

Bondi Beach,
The Rocks,
Sydney.

One of the most famous beaches in Sydney is Bondi Beach which is just over half a mile of golden sand, waves, surfers and sun. It is one of the most popular beaches in Sydney with around 40,000 visitors each summer, which means that finding a space on the beach can sometimes be difficult. Luckily, there are other attractions as the seafront continues for about four miles with ice cream parlours, coffee shops, restaurants, entertainment venues and shops.

Feel like a real Australian at Bondi Beach and learn to surf, play volleyball or do sports such as cycling or rollerblading. The average temperature of the water is around 21C, but if you don't like the waves you can go for a swim in the salt water swimming pools which surround Coogee Beach.

Sydney Guide

Koishikawa Kōrakuen Garden

james.bell — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:00:35 +0100

1-6-6 Koraku,
Bunkyo-ku,
Tokyo

Koishikawa Kōrakuen Garden was designed in 1629 and is Tokyo’s oldest and prettiest park. It covered around 65 acres of land when it was built by the Mito Tokugawa Family as a second residence in Edo, the former name of the Japanese capital, Tokyo. However, today it is around 17.5 acres as it was reduced in size during Tokyo’s modernisation phase.

The garden was landscaped using Chinese stones, plants and fountains and is renowned for its glowing beauty in the spring when everything starts to bloom and in the autumn when the trees change colour.

The garden has many Chinese elements and it is one of the only Japanese gardens which has been declared National Historical Site.

If you need to find a place of peace and tranquillity within the stress of the city, you should go for a walk in the gardens beside Osensui lake and disconnect from the hustle and bustle.

Tokyo Guide

Tokyo Tower

james.bell — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:24:05 +0100

4-2-8 Shiba-Koen,
Minato-ku,
Tokyo

Tokyo Tower is the Japanese replica of the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris and is used as a transmission antenna. It is 9m higher than the Parisian Tower, weighs 4,000 tonnes and is painted red and white.

The tower was built in 1958 and is the tallest metal structure in the world, standing at 333m high. Although it has never been quite as popular as its French twin, it is worth going up the tower to the observation points, even just to have a bird's eye view of the city. You can stop at the main observation point which is at 150m or climb even further up the tower to the observatory at 250m. From this point you will be able to see Mount Fuji on a clear day.

Apart from the observation levels there are tourist attractions within the tower. For example, Tokyo Tower Wax Museum, Trick Art Gallery, shops and restaurants. The Gallery Aquarium has a collection of 50,000 fish and it is one of the most popular attractions at the tower.

Tokyo Guide

Bangkok Canals

james.bell — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:30:32 +0100

In the past, the canals in Bangkok were an extremely important form of public transport in the city. Although they are no longer the main form of public transport in the city, they are still used as a tourist attraction as it is a nice way to discover the historic centre of the city and see some of the most outstanding buildings such as temples and palaces which have become the true symbols of the Bangkok.

The most popular methods of sailing the canals are by water taxi or ferry.

Bangkok Guide

Lumphini Park

james.bell — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 16:24:00 +0100

Southeast along Rama IV Road,
Bangkok

Lumphini Park, also referred to as Lumpini Park is the oldest, largest and most popular public park in Bangkok which was created in the 1920s by King Rama IV. It is a quiet area which covers 140 acres of land and is the best place to go if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of Bangkok city.

Experience Tai Chi by taking a walk through the park at the break of dawn and watch the locals carry out this morning ritual, or hire a boat and soak up the sun on the lake in the middle of Lumphini Park.

If you are in Bangkok during the winter you should go and see the annual Concert in the Park which is held in Lumphini Park and features classical music by the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra.

Bangkok Guide

Dances of India

james.bell — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:30:15 +0100

Pegasus, Toronto

james.bell — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:48:47 +0100