Aruba is a beautiful island located between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The island is truly magnificent, with ridges and cliffs on the Atlantic side and wonderful beaches on the Caribbean side. In between there are tropical forests and desert areas that will captivate you. The desert is home to tall cacti and gnarly divi-divi trees.

Major airlines like British Airways, Air Canada and US Airways now offer cheap airline tickets. Therefore, it is quite easy to get reasonably priced air tickets to visit this island. Once you arrive there will be plenty to do and see.

Most flights to Aruba land in the capital, Oranjestad. This is a cosmopolitan city that boasts of casinos, theaters, hundreds of restaurants, and clubs. It offers an exciting and vibrant night life. You can also see beautiful Dutch architecture, a national park filled with animals, and a fantastic array of shopping malls and designer boutiques to satisfy shopaholics. However, the biggest attraction of the island are its beaches. There are many secluded beaches on the island where you can get away from the crowds and enjoy fishing, snorkeling, and scuba diving. Some of the best beaches for tanning and skinny dipping are found in the southwestern part of the island. This is also the part that is packed with casinos, nightclubs, and high-end hotels. There are cheap flights to Aruba, considering that the island has become an extremely popular tourist destination.

Another place of interest on the island is Fort Zoutmanis. The fort was built in the 18th century and is a testament to Dutch architecture. It was used as a prison, police station and also housed some government offices. Later the Willem III tower was added. The tower was a lighthouse and a lookout to spot pirates. It also had the first public clock on the island. Another lighthouse that can be admired from the outside is the California Lighthouse. It is located on the north coast of the island and is named after a shipwreck.

There is even a donkey sanctuary on the island for all the abused and starving donkeys on the island. Although small, the sanctuary provides a loving and affectionate home for the donkeys. You can visit the sanctuary to feed these docile creatures, and once you’re done, you can donate some money to help run this volunteer organization.

Cheap tickets to Aruba also allow people to admire the Natural Bridge. This bridge was naturally formed from coral limestone. However, a few years ago the bridge collapsed, but while it was standing, it was a massive seven meters high and 30 meters long. Near the natural bridge there is an ostrich farm that you will find interesting. Here you will be able to see these huge birds, see their huge eggs and also buy some souvenirs from the farm shop. The estate also has an open gazebo where visitors can enjoy a leisurely meal.

Make sure that when you visit the island, you buy some Aloe Vera products. These products are famous all over the world and on the island you can get them at a reasonable price. You can also visit the Aruba Aloe manufacturer and take a tour of the aloe fields and see how the workers extract the gel from the plant. Here you can buy fantastic lip balms, hand soap, suntan lotions, sunscreen and shampoo.

The island also has caves that were the dwellings of the Arawak Indians. The most popular caves are Fontein and Guadirikiri. In the first, you can see the cave paintings that were drawn by the original inhabitants, while the second is more of a tunnel and is home to thousands of bats.

Dubai is a perfect destination for a family vacation. The city is home to the world’s richest horse racing, million-dollar lotteries, international tennis, golf tournaments and month-long shopping festivals. It has the tallest and most luxurious hotel in the world, the Burj Al Arab, shaped like a billowing sail, perched on an artificial platform in the sea. Some of the places worth mentioning are Creekside Park, Bird Sanctuary, Wild Wadi Water Park, an indoor ski resort and The Gold Souk.

Here are a host of other places and sites to visit: Mina A’ Salam in Madinat Jumeirah, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Burj Al Arab Hotel, Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa, The Fairmont Dubai, Grosvenor House Dubai, Ritz-Carlton Dubai , Hilton Dubai Creek, Shangri – La Hotel, Al Bustan Rotana Hotel, Dar Al Masyaf at Madinat Jumeirah, Jebel Ali Golf Resort & Spa, Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, Le Meridien Dubai, Hatta Fort Hotel, Jumeirah Beach Club Resort and Spa, JW Marriott Hotel Dubai, Traders Hotel Dubai, Sheraton Jumeira Beach Resort and Towers, InterContinental Dubai, Towers Rotana Hotel Dubai, Dusit Dubai, Grand Hyatt Dubai, Sofitel Dubai City Centre, Sheraton Deira Hotel and Towers, Golden Sands Hotel Apartments, Hyatt Regency Dubai, Crowne Plaza Hotel Dubai, Ibis World Trade Center Dubai, Al Sondos Suites by Le Meridien, Movenpick Hotel Bur Dubai, Taj Palace Hotel, Le Meridien Fairway, Coral Oriental Dubai, Capitol Hotel, Four Points Bur Dubai , Jumeira Rotana Hotel, Metropolitan Palace Hotel, Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers, Concorde Hotel & Residence, Le Meridien Dar Al Sondos Hotel Apartments, Palm Tree Court & Spa, Pearl Residence, Metropolitan Hotel Dubai, Regent Beach Resort Dubai, Regent Palace Hotel , Park Hyatt Dubai, Chelsea Tower, Orchid Hotel.

There are around 18 four and five star hotels around Jumeirah. A room costs between $100 and $1500. Near the Dubai airport, there are three to five star hotels with room charges between $90 and $300. Bur Dubai has 28 hotels from two to five stars. The cost per room ranges from $77 to $640. Deira has more two to five star hotels with rooms costing between $70 and $225. The Dubai desert has two five-star hotels and the room rent is around $200.

Here’s a quick review of the basic pros and cons of buying a hotel franchise. Every investor is different. Depending on who you are, some of the “pros” may actually be “cons” and vice versa. Consider this a starting point in your evaluation of hotel franchise opportunities.

Starting with the good stuff, let’s look at the advantages:

Reduced start-up risk – you are working with someone who has done this before successfully.

Turnkey operation – Once again, nothing to reinvent the wheel of processes, procedures or acquisitions. Your franchisor has already built the system.

standardized systems – Back-end financial, IT and accounting systems are already in place, so you won’t waste your time implementing reservation systems.

purchasing power – as part of a larger whole, you get the benefit of buying in volume.

Readily available consulting – experience counts and your franchisor has been around the corner. He asks for all the help he is willing to give.

Marketing – branding and marketing are already available. You are not chasing unique travel reviewers to get your name out there.

financial assistance – some franchisors are willing to help you finance these high capital projects.

you are your own boss – The glory of that is evident!

Now let’s take a look at the disadvantages.:

less freedom – You are married to your franchisor – for better or worse!

royalty payment – as a franchisee you pay for the previous supports.

costs – Hotels are businesses with high capital and operating costs.

Lack of support – If your franchisor doesn’t help as you expect, you may be out for the count.

Inflexible Systems – even if you have a better way to manage reservations, you are using your method.

unbalanced contract – all franchise agreements, not just for hotels, are biased towards the franchisor.

Dependent on the franchisor – Your performance is your performance.

These are all things to keep in mind as you move towards a decision about buying a franchise or hotel business.

Rift Valley is a group of some of the oldest, largest, and deepest lakes in the world, formed by the East African Rift. Each of the seven lakes has its own special life and character, providing ideal habitats for the exuberant variety of flora and fauna that roam the entire eastern side of the African continent from north to south. It is certainly a paradise for the wild animal and bird watcher, and both locals and Ethiopian fliers visit this picturesque valley. It is not only rich in natural beauty, but also has a strong cultural heritage. It was formed about 20 million years ago and is one of the geological wonders of the world.

Things to do:

Many bird species are easily seen here, from savannah to waterfowl species, reflecting the different habitats within the park. Nature lovers often take cheap flights to Ethiopia to see an abundance of birds. Surrounding the rivers and lakes are the Ganjulle and Gujji tribes, who live mainly from the resources provided by these lakes and are representatives of the culture of this region. It offers excellent boat safaris. The lakes one would like to visit are highly biodiverse freshwater ecoregions, while others are alkaline or soda lakes that are home to highly specialized organisms, each of the seven lakes having its own special life and character. Nature lovers will find essential places to enjoy here. You can also enjoy natural hot springs and spas in the Arbaminch area by taking your cheap flights to Ethiopia. It is a large area with about 6,000 km. This is also an ideal place for swimming and some other water sports.

Other information:

The area endowed with many beautiful lakes, numerous hot springs, a warm and pleasant climate and a variety of wildlife is fully exploited by tourists, except Lake Langano, where tourist class hotels are built to accommodate those who take flights to Ethiopia. . This area is playing the most important role in promoting tourism in this region. Rift Valley is the largest geographical feature on the African continent. In northern Ethiopia it forms the Danakil Depression. It has easy transportation access. Tourists taking cheap flights to Ethiopia from the UK and other places can easily reach here through the transport network here. Public transportation is very easy and convenient to take in the region. One can move to Rift Valley from the airport and to other regions from Rift Valley

A pioneer in the theme park industry and co-founder of Apogee Attractions, Norm Doerges previously shared with us his thoughts on the concept of design programming as it is used and understood in the theme entertainment industry today. An accurate and workable design program is critical to the success of any themed tourist attraction, and almost every element of this design equation hinges on one number in particular: attendance. Attendance determines the size of your project: travel capacity, service levels, parking lot size, number of snacks and restrooms. Norm discusses the best way to determine this important number.

whatSo where do you start to put together a viable design program for your project?

Doerges Expectation. It’s all based on attendance. Once we realize this, we begin working on a methodology that will help us better understand attendance patterns. Unfortunately, it doesn’t happen the same way all year long, although you wish it did. If you had the same number of people coming to your park every day of the year, that park would always run at peak efficiency. You will always have the right capacity in rides and attractions, always the right capacity in restaurants and stores; everything would be exactly matched to meet your projected service levels. Your capital investment would be spent in the most efficient way possible. But the facts are that it just doesn’t work that way. It’s all about patterns. Weather patterns, school attendance patterns, vacation patterns – all of these things affect how people attend a theme park. In some cases, parks will close for the winter because they don’t have enough attendance to support the operation. But then they get overwhelmed in the summer. This is particularly true with regional parks. They build as much capacity as they reasonably can to accommodate the influx of summer guests, but they don’t really get a good return on investment because for half the year that investment is just sitting there doing nothing. So we decided that if we were going to build more parks, we would first have to take a look at the attendance patterns and see where we could get as even an attendance rate as possible. How is the attendance rate leveled out? Start by looking at the geography, specifically places where the weather is good year-round. You want a place that is conducive to outdoor entertaining, a place where the market is already visiting for the weather. You also want a place where people have discretionary income throughout the year. This combination is exactly what Walt and his executive team found in Florida. Florida had a constant flow of tourism almost year round, even before we arrived. Before Disney, approximately 18 million tourists came to the state each year to soak up the sun. Disney recognized this and knew that if they put a park in the middle of this existing market and raised their hands, people would be there. That’s all they did at first.

whatBy analyzing patterns and placements, is there perfect attendance?

Doerges Mathematically, .0027 would represent perfect attendance. When the various patterns and influences for Florida are calculated, Florida achieves around .0032, California around .0045. When you start looking at other parts of the world it becomes much more “peaky”. For example, most of Europe goes on vacation in July and August: you end up with dramatic peaks and valleys in attendance. Hawaii actually turns out to be probably the best of any place in the world. Its problem is that its two main markets, Japan and North America, aren’t really that big. Hawaii therefore does not attract the large number of visitors seen in California or Florida. Japan, on the other hand, has less tourism, but they have so many people in Tokyo and Osaka that the parks operate almost entirely in local markets.

what All this discussion of assistance may seem to stray from the idea of ​​design programming, but it actually plays an integral role. Is that an accurate observation?

Doerges Absolutely. For a design program to be effective, it is essential that it have a deep understanding of the market, as well as a high level of confidence that it will attract a specific level of support. Of course, when we run the program, we try to come up with a range. A small parks program could cost $1.8 million, $2 million and $2.2 million. If it was a big park, we could run it to 8, 10 and 12 million. It all comes out of market research.

You can’t build a church for Easter Sunday 

whatYour market research has given you some basic numbers: You know how many people will come, when they will come, where they will come from. Where are you going now?

DoergesOnce you understand how big the market is and how seasonal it is, you can establish what we call a peak day. This is the average of the projected ten busiest days; the days that your market research tells you will have the highest attendance numbers. Of course, you can’t build your park based on the peak day; that would be like building your church for Easter Sunday. Not only could I not afford it, but the place would seem empty most of the year. Too much space and too few attendees dilute the guest experience. The theme is not developed at all well. It’s not intimate and certainly not a very exciting place to be. In addition, he discovers that, out of necessity, he has to close certain attractions, restaurants, and shops; he ends up having to shut down a lot of things that wouldn’t make sense to operate during those slow seasons. All of this negatively impacts the guest experience.

whatSo if you’re not designing for your peak day, what standard should you be building to?

DoergesThat’s where your design day comes in. One way to look at design day would be to think of it as an average attendance day, but it’s actually much more complicated than that. You arrive at your design day based in part on certain service criteria, the most important being how long people will wait. By this I mean how long your guest will wait before getting frustrated. From this data a series of considerations arise: at what point will your guest start to think that this is not worth it? When does the perceived value of your experience start to decline? And most important of all, at what point does your guest not only think that his experience was not worth it, but that he is not coming back?

whatBasically, you are measuring the value of the price.

DoergesYes, but you are also measuring the intention to return. In the theme park business, everything is based on repeat visits. This applies to both the visitor and the local market. It is essential that you capture repeat visits. You want people to want to come back and feel like they are a fair value. But back to the waiting time. It’s actually a fine line you’re walking: wait time too long and you lose your guest; too short and you have invested too much. What we’re trying to do is control the capital investment, trying to get a decent return without sacrificing the guest experience. Once we have determined our projected attendance and chosen an acceptable wait time, we can calculate the required capacity. This ability informs all team members about what they are going to build. It is a combination of understanding of operations, engineering, economics, and human behavior. At the end of the day, all the methodologies and calculations are a tool that helps us build a program that meets the needs of the guest.

what All of this sounds like it would be a real leap of thought for most clients. When they say, “I want three roller coasters,” they probably don’t anticipate all the complex considerations involved in the business case for those three roller coasters. Do you have to educate them in design programming?

Doerges Absolutely. Most customers often think that because they’ve been to theme parks and seen the final product, it’s a simple process. We know of a development currently under consideration in a colder climate. If we look at the seasonality, the average temperature during the winter months is around twenty degrees. However, they want to have a park similar to Disneyland throughout the year. It is unrealistic to think that you will get assistance during the winter months. Not to mention, such a severe cold season would not be conducive to maintaining landscaping. It is highly unlikely that you will be able to meet these kinds of customer expectations. But it’s not just clients who struggle with design programming. Operators, designers, and management are known to ignore this concept as well. And when they do, it costs them dearly.

(c) copyright 2009 Apogee Attractions

In Florida we no longer use terms like “custody,” “visitation,” and “principally residing parent,” which suggest that a child is a contentious possession. These terms mislead parents into thinking that one parent may ultimately win and the other may lose their children.

It is critical that divorcing parents understand that only their marriage is ending. In fact, your family bond will last long after the legal divorce is completed. As the old adage goes, blood is thicker than water. And kids have a way of keeping people connected.

Every child needs and deserves two parents. Therefore, divorcing parents should avoid the illusion of winning/losing and instead focus on how they will spend time with their children and what each parent will be responsible for.

Here are ten things to consider before deciding on your family’s parenting and time-sharing plan.

1. Your family is unique. And your family is in the process of restructuring. Be open to a variety of possibilities. Allow yourself to see the big picture and focus on the needs of your children.

2. The time to work on feelings of betrayal and abandonment is not while you are making decisions related to spending time with your children. Put these problems aside and deal with them later.

3. Consider which parent is best able to assume, manage, and complete daily parenting responsibilities such as shopping, homework, sick trips to the doctor, routine checkups, playtime visits with friends, chauffeuring, daily hygiene, and discipline . However, just as important as a parent’s ability to meet parenting responsibilities is his or her commitment to (a) encourage the child’s relationship with the other parent, (b) consult with the other parent, and (c) support the other parent. Informed parent on all child-related issues such as report cards, illnesses, and extracurricular activities.

4. Consider your children’s connections to their communities and extended family members. Do all you can to keep these relationships consistent.

5. Your child’s primary residence and timeshare arrangements are not permanent. As your children mature, the arrangements you make should change to accommodate their lifestyles, needs, and desires.

6. Consider the distance between your homes and the children’s school(s). How will this affect morning and afternoon commutes, participation in school activities, playing with school friends after school?

7. What is the best way to set your schedules for consistency in bedtime, homework, bathroom, meals, activities, etc. of their children? during school hours?

8. In an ideal world, each parent would have some play time, some work time (carpool, homework, etc.), and some one-on-one time with each of their children.

9. Children should be expected to follow the rules of the home they are in. Be consistent in your own house, with your own rules. If the other parent has different rules, that’s okay.

10. Babies and younger children may be better served by shorter times with each parent.

With three days off work, I finally have the opportunity to travel to neighboring countries. However, since my resources are limited, I have selected the two countries that are accessible by bus from Malaysia: thailand and Singapore.

Taking time into account, I heard from a local colleague that a bus ride to Thailand would take me 8 hours to Hatyai (but not Bangkok yet, just the Malaysia-Thailand border) and only 4-5 hours to Singapore.

While Thailand has a considerably lower cost of living than Singapore, I did some research and found that there are endless ways to travel to luxurious cities like Singapore on a budget. Since it has excellent transportation routes and many fascinating tourist spots, I chose to go Singaporeeven if I have to eat chicken rice for a whole week.

TRANSPORT:

Departure: Kuala Lumpur, TBS (Terminal Bersepadu Selatan) -> Singapore, Little India (Fee: $45 = $517.50)

Arrival: Singapore, Katong V Mall -> Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown KL 5 Elements Hotel (Fee: RM72 = P828)

Total transportation fee: RM 117 (P1345.50)

Of the three available transports to Singapore (plane, bus and train), the bus is the cheapest and most economical to choose, since you can take the midnight tickets and sleep during the trip.

The bus journey is approximately 5.5 hours from Malaysia to Singapore. Please note that you may need to be awake for the last hour because intercity travel will require you to cross two immigration buildings: one leaving Malaysia and one entering Singapore.

QUICK TIPS:

• If you can book online please do so so you can reserve it on the shuttle bus in advance. I reserved mine on easybook.com. They also have many promotions including discounts and travel vouchers every month.

• As recommended, choose the midnight time slot (12 am) so you can arrive in Singapore early and use the time saved to explore nearby tourist spots before checking into your hostel.

• Make sure you have legitimate visa and passport details as there is a chance that immigration officials in singapore forests you can be detained and subjected to rigorous questioning if you have the wrong documents.

ACCOMMODATION:

Online booking fee: RM 205 (P2357.50)

Length of stay: 5 Days – 4 Nights

Online Merchant: Agoda

I mainly thing Prince of Wales because this is one of the cheapest bed bug free hostels from Agoda reviews which was a positive sign that it is well maintained. It is true that they gave me a sheet, a pillow and a blanket after check-in. There were also five discount coupons with a free Heineken/Jam Jar free from the hostel. Management said they would be discontinuing the free Heineken/Jam Jar in the future and I was the last to get the red coupon. Lucky me!

The mixed dormitory I stayed in has four bunk beds, where most of the time the occupants were western foreigners. The air conditioning works only from 21:00 to 09:00. The showers on the ground floor have a heater and the wi-fi speed is excellent. One Saturday night, I came home to see marching bands playing quiet music.

In general, this is a recommended hostel if you are looking for cheap backpacker accommodation with good quality service and proper maintenance.

DAY 1: LITTLE INDIA + BUGIS: RM 102 / SGD 34 / PHP 1173

Considering the high cost of transportation for 5 days in Singapore, I planned to take advantage of the Singapore Tourist Pass (STP) to $20 (3-Day Pass) which allows me to have unlimited rides on MRT, LRT and public buses. Then, I will be using the STP for days 2-4, so for day 1, I only visited the tourist spots near my hostel: Prince of Wales.

Therefore, it is important to choose a strategic place to reserve your hostel. for me I recommend it little indian because:

• Is MRT it is an interchange between the North East line (train going to Sentosa, Clarke Quay or Chinatown) and the Downtown line (train going to Botanic Gardens or Bugis)

• It has many nearby temples and mosques (see below) with the cultural ‘feel’ that immerses your inner Indian.

• You have access to cheap hawker stalls for as little as $5 for food – as tekka center – home to an exquisite variety of Singaporean cuisine.

• You can also buy souvenirs in Mustafa shopping center for cheap perfumes or jewelry.

Bugis It’s also a short drive from Little India, so you can buy your STP there, browse the shops on Bugis Street, and pray at the nearby temple for blessings.

Itineraries:

• Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple

• Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple

• Mustafa shopping center

• Indian Heritage Center ($4 for Entry, Free Tour in English)

• Masjid Abdul Gafoor Mosque

• haji lane

• bugis street

• Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple

DAY 2: SENTOSA + MERLION + GARDENS BY THE BAY: RM 126 / SGD 42 / PHP 1449

By day 2, I had unlimited transportation thanks to the STP card, so I could travel everywhere in Singapore. Unfortunately, it does not cover the cost of sentosa express for what i paid SGD4 (P140). I didn’t go to Universal Studios Singapore anymore because I already went there, but for those wondering, the entrance is $74 (P2590).

In the afternoon I went to gardens by the bay strolling through the Raffles Place area, towards Helix Bridge and along the walkway at Marina Bay Sands. It was one of the most beautiful tourist spots I have seen in Singapore and the one I will especially recommend when you take advantage of the entrance fee to the Cooled Conservatories: Cloudy forest and flower dome – for SGD 28 (P966). I was also lucky because there was an event called Garden Rhapsody – retro fever in the Supertree Grove where there were bright lights dancing to the 80’s beat and it was really magnificent.

Marina Bay, near the Merlion statue, was very beautiful at night. As she walked by Jubilee Walk TrailI can see the splendid Marina Bay Sands shining through the calm waters. With the area still packed with tourists, I suddenly remembered the song “The night is still young.”

Itineraries:

• I live City, in front of the port

• Sentosa – Waterfront, Imbiah and Beach Resorts

• Marina Bay at Raffles Place

• Esplanade and Marina Bay Sands Theaters

• Helix Bridge and Jubilee Walk Trail

• Gardens by the Bay: Cloud Forest, Flower Dome, Supertree Grove

• makan sutra

• singapore flyer

DAY 3-4: BOTANICAL GARDEN + ORCHARD + CLARKE QUAY + CHINATOWN: RM 60 / SGD 20 / PHP 690

From Little India, I went to the Singapore Botanic Gardens for a morning run. The habitat was very large with many interactive trails like Healing and Evolution Gardens. As it belonged to one of the UNESCO World Heritage site, the place was also properly maintained with one area (near the Ginger Garden) still renovated. It was also close to some of the National University of Singapore (NUS) buildings.

When I took the Orchard exit from the Botanical Gardens, I took the bus using my STP to the beautiful orchid path. Foreigners were full of shopping mall brand paper bags like Ion, Wisma Atria, Tangs, Takashimaya, and Lucky Plaza. As a major tourist attraction filled with shopping and entertainment centers, it was one of those places millennials often coin ‘Instagrammable’.

To make up for the tiring walks, I decided to relax near the historic riverside called Clarke Quay. With several restaurants and nightclubs such as Hooters and Zouk (still closed for renovations), it may well be considered the party capital of Singapore.

Tourists can further enjoy their stay at the dazzling pier with G-Max Reverse Bungee ($45 = $1,575), Singapore River Cruise (22 United States dollars = 770 dollars) or just relax on Read Bridge with an ice cold beer while listening to some street performers.

The next day, I went to the colorful Chinese enclave in Singapore, the ethnic Chinatown. Starting from Pagoda street, I saw different types of shops, from hot tiger balms to large ruby ​​dragon statues. There were also Chinese and Indian temples near the area along with the Chinese Heritage Center (with an entrance fee of 15 US dollars = 525 dollars).

I also went to two famous hawker centers along the neighborhood, the Chinatown food street and the Maxwell Food Centerespecially the Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, which gained popularity thanks to Anthony Bourdain’s feature on one of his No Reservations shows.

Across from the Maxwell Food Centre, there were museums like the ‘Red Dot Design Museum and the Singapore City Gallery (formerly URA Gallery). Admission is free and the entire gallery aims to show the physical transformation in the last 40 years, which are both educational and interesting. It also exhibited the Singapore City Diorama with accurate representations of buildings from around the country.

On the evening of the 4th, I met some of my friends in Singapore for dinner at one of the restaurants located along Robertson’s Pier. We walked from Clarke Quay to the pedestrian path located near the outline of the riverbank. Suffice to say that the food was extremely delicious.

Itineraries:

• Singapore Botanic Gardens – Foliage, Healing, Evolution, National Orchid

• Orchard Road Malls

• Clarke Quay: Singapore River Cruise and G-Max Reverse Bungee

• Chinatown – village park complex and center

• Jamae (Chulia) Mosque

• Sri Mariamman Temple

• Chinatown Food Street and Maxwell Food Center

• Singapore City Gallery

• Robertson’s Pier

DAY 5: KATONG + EAST COAST: RM 63 / SGD 21 / PHP 724.50

Early in the morning, I left my hostel, had lunch in Geylang Street and I handed over my STP to get the 10 SGD deposit. Then I went to Katong V Mall which is the pick up point for the bus going back to Malaysia. The shortest route was through Paya Lebar Station and onto the free shuttle from Paya Lebar Square to Katong V.

Since I still have 2 hours to go, I walked through the streets until I reached the serene waters of Singapore, the beach side of east coast park. It was designed as an urban getaway where families and friends can play volleyball, ride bikes, hold fun events, barbecue and splash around in the water. Overall, it’s a perfect place to relax and relieve stress.

Itineraries:

• Geylang Street

• Paya Lebar Square

• Katong V Mall and nearby shopping malls

• east coast park

Story Monster Ink recently had the opportunity to chat with the author/illustrator team behind Angel’s Forever Home (Mascot Books), a true story about a dog that was rescued from an earthquake in Chile and is looking for its forever home. Facing his fear of rejection for not being like other dogs, he embarks on a journey that teaches him the importance of patience, courage, and a willingness to open his heart to others.

Visit Rita Gigante, Bobbie Sterchele-Gigante, Donna McDine and Renie De Mase to read their interview and get to know them better on Story Monster Ink. The team enjoys interacting with readers and welcomes the opportunity for visitors to leave comments and/or questions so they can get a chance to get to know you too.

What readers are saying:

I buy Angel’s Forever Home for a friend’s kids a couple of weeks ago. What a wonderful story: a dog whose leg was injured in a Chilean earthquake travels to the US in search of a family. There is a surprise plot twist when Angel succeeds. Reading it destroyed me. A children’s book. Simple. Deep. Amazing. Kudos to our very own local celebrity authors Rita Gigante, Bobbie Sterchele-Gigante, Donna McDine, and local artist Renie Conklin De Mase. ~ Reviewed by Lorraine Ash, author – The Self and the Soul: On Creating a Meaningful Life

Angel’s Forever Home is a moving story about finding love. Angel is such a lovable and relatable character; he has a great voice! It’s the kind of story from which we can learn many lessons. I look forward to reading this book over and over again. I know my kids will love it too! ~ Reviewed by Mary Driscoll, elementary school teacher and Stay at Home Fit blogger

Angel’s Forever Home It is a great book for children and adults! The story line has great lessons within it and the artwork is beautiful. The underlying lesson in appreciating life is for everyone to enjoy it. ~ Reviewed by best-selling author Shilamida Kupershteyn – 31 Days of Gratitude Create the Life You Want

Angel’s Forever Home is a moving story of hope, courage, love and comfort as a rescue dog named Ángel patiently waits to find his home after an earthquake in Chile leaves him injured. The authors of this sweet story beautifully capture Angel’s voice and make him so familiar that one can’t help but root for him and hope he finds a home as special as he is. The kindness shown to Angel tugs at one’s heartstrings, especially in appreciation for rescued animals everywhere and for those who give them their “forever homes.” Ms. De Mase’s soft and beautifully detailed illustrations bring Angel and his story to life. A must read for children and adults alike! ~ Reviewed by Karin Larson, Speech Pathologist and Children’s Book Author – kisses at bedtime

Read the full interview at: http://tinyurl.com/y5k5dknr

Book information:

Qualification: Angel’s Forever Home

Authors: Rita Gigante and Bobbie Sterchele-Gigante

Co-author: Donna McDine

Illustrator: Renie De Mase

Gender: Children

ISBN: 978-1-64307-11-3

Release Date: March 2019

Pages: 32

Price: $14.95 hardcover

Publisher: Mascot Books www.mascotbooks.com

Looking for French love phrases and unique ideas to express romance?

I love you in French (je t’aime) are words you are probably already familiar with. So, what other French love phrases could you use (that are a bit more original?)

For something short and sweet, you could try:

• love of my life (love of my life)
• I love you with all my heart (I love you with all my heart); gold
• for you forever (yours forever).

My dear (referring to a boy), my dear (referring to a girl) means Dear; there are also some very cute ones, like ma cocotte (which literally means my hen, but roughly translated is Honey Honey, gold baby .

Other charming ways to talk to your partner is by calling him mon chou. (my cake) golden darling (my flea).

But maybe you are looking for something that goes much further than this (after all… love can be complicated!) French love quotes and French love poems are great sources of inspiration.

You could take French love quotes from famous writers, movies or songs for example.

Take this one from the French romantic novelist George Sand:

There is only one happiness in life, it is to love and be loved.

There is only one happiness in life, to love and to be loved.

Or try quoting Edith Piaf, popular in the 1940s and 1950s for her love songs, like “La Vie en Rose.” (Life through rose colored glasses 🙂

When he takes me in his arms

whispers to me

I see life in pink

When he takes me in his arms

and he speaks to me softly

I see the world through rose colored glasses

French love poems are wonderfully romantic and evocative.

You can find all styles of love poems in French, depending on the type of mood you want to convey: happy, passionate, flirtatious, yearning, regretful, etc.

Quoting French love poems can be a very effective way of expressing something. Imagine having a romantic weekend in Paris, perhaps you are celebrating an anniversary or planning to pop the question. You can whisper French words or write a romantic letter.

So where do you find these French love poems? The first place to look is the Romantic Movement, which began around the end of the 18th century. Some of the best poets who wrote in this style include Victor Hugo, Charles Baudelaire, François-René de Chateaubriand, Alphonse de Lamartine, and Alfred de Musset.

You can visit your local foreign language bookstore, or even do a book search online. And there you have it! You will be captivating your loved one with beautiful French love phrases, in no time!

We will end with a poem by Victor Hugo, considered one of the greatest French romantic poets; along with an English translation:

Always love! Love again!

When love leaves, hope flees.

Love is the cry of dawn

Love is the hymn of the night.

what the waves say to the shores,

What the wind tells the old

What the star tells the clouds,

It is the ineffable word: Love!

Love makes you think, live and believe.

It has to warm the heart,

A ray more than glory,

And this lightning is happiness!

As ! whether we praise them or blame them,

Big hearts will always love:

Join this youth of the soul

To the youth of your forehead!

Love always! Love more!

When love leaves, hope escapes us.

love is the cry of dawn

Love is the hymn of the night.

Love! whether we praise them or blame them

Big hearts will always love:

Join this youth of the soul

To the youth of your forehead!

Whether you were convicted of a DUI driving a car or motorcycle, operating a boat or personal watercraft, or some other vehicle, the requirements to reinstate your license will include proof of liability insurance. Even if you received a DUI while riding a bike or as a passenger in a car, which actually happens, the consequences remain the same. Insurance requirements to reinstate the license are a minimum of $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident for bodily injury liability, and $50,000 for property damage liability (100/300/50). Unless this type of coverage was in effect, on a policy valid at the time of the DUI, a Florida FR44 filing with the Office of Financial Responsibility must be included in a new insurance policy.

A new policy does not necessarily mean a new auto insurance policy. No matter what you were driving or doing to receive a DUI, you can meet the insurance requirements for license reinstatement with a variety of policies. Either way you decide to “move” after a DUI, even if you are walking, liability insurance will be required to reinstate your license. Due to the strict underwriting (grading) and increased costs associated with a DUI, many convicted drivers will switch from driving a car to riding a motorcycle, scooter, or public transportation. The amount of insurance that goes up after a DUI largely depends on the type of policy purchased.

Insurance coverage and underwriting requirements, in addition to FR44 requirements, vary for different policy types. For example; Florida’s no-fault law requires PIP insurance coverage for cars and trucks, while exempting vehicles with fewer than four wheels. A policy without a vehicle, called a non-owners policy, also does not include PIP and different types of policies can be used to file a Florida FR44 application. Since PIP benefits extend to family members and residents of the household, companies screen them for eligibility and rate calculation. Policies that are exempt from Florida No-Fault completely avoid the underwriting hassles and inflated expenses associated with PIP.

In an automobile insurance policy with filing FR44, there can be no excluded drivers and the premium must be paid in full because they cannot be cancelled. Again, the different sentences for different types of policies can be a real “lifeline” for the convicted driver. Being able to exclude an operator or young spouse from a policy, or being able to make payments, can be the difference between paying off a policy and cashing in your 401K.

A policyholder charged with maintaining Florida’s minimum liability requirements of 10/20/10 experiences “tag shock” when he discovers that he needs to raise his liability tenfold to 100/300/50. For many people, a driver’s license is not just a privilege but a necessity, such as those who need a valid license to keep their job. Simply going without insurance after a DUI is not an option for them and a typical auto insurance policy with FR44 may be unaffordable. Fortunately, they have alternatives to purchasing non-car insurance to present their FR44 and receive a reinstated license.