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The Americas

Must Visit Attractions in San Francisco

May 11, 2020 by John Telford

San Francisco is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. It’s a mix of cultures from around the world – during the gold rush in the 1800s, Chinese migrated and stayed here. In recent years, many of the newest and brightest tech companies choose to reside their headquarters here. The city’s also heavily influenced by Mexican and Victorian culture, making San Francisco bits and pieces of everything and anything.

While the city’s not huge, it might be difficult for any first time travelers to navigate their way through the city. Here are some of the attractions that you should visit during your stay.

1. Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge is San Francisco. It isn’t just one of the many landmarks of San Francisco, but the first thing you would think of when talking about San Francisco, or even The United States.

Built during the 1930s, The Golden Gate Bridge is often recognized as one of the modern wonders of modern architecture. The bridge is famously colored with ‘international orange’, which allows the bridge to stand out in heavy fog. The bridge connects The San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean and is still heavy with traffic till this day.

You might want to start your journey at the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center, a location dedicated to providing information and relative merchandise to tourists. The observatory here is great for taking pictures of this picturesque bridge.

You can further explore Golden Gate Bridge in a few different ways. The Golden Gate Bridge has a pedestrian side lane opened for tourists, where you can enjoy the sceneries up there. While tourists can walk across the bridge, it will take roughly 2 hours to walk from one side to the other. Biking would take roughly half the time. For those with limited time, cruises around the Golden Gate Bridge and Oakland Bay Bridge are also available.

2. City Light Bookstore

Name one thing in common for these influential writers: Georges Bataille. Charles Bukowski. Frank O’Hara. Allen Ginsberg. The answer: They have all been published by City Light, a legendary book store and publisher operating in San Francisco.

While the bookstore was first opened by Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin since 1953, it rose to fame by publishing Allen Ginsberg’s ‘Howl and Other poems’, a collection of poems that depicts a generation hooked with drugs and sex. Allen Ginsberg’s collection was so controversial that it had caused Lawrence Ferlinghetti to be jailed. Fortunately, the judgment was later revoked. Ferlinghetti was released, and City Light has then become a symbol not only for the beat generation but also for freedom of speech.

As the bookstore has been expanded several times, some remains. For instance, a room has always been dedicated to poetry. The bookstore is much bigger than it used to be, but it’s still dedicated to selling leftist critical theories, political theories and literature. They still sell books coming from small and indie publishers.

In the words of Philip Larkin: ‘in times when nothing stood but worsened, or grew strange’, City Light is one of those few good things that did not change.

3. Alcatraz Island

The only time you want to get inside a maximum security federal prison is a visit to Alcatraz Island.

While Alcatraz Island was once a military base (hence, structures of the Officers’ Club remains), Alcatraz Island was most known as a max security prison reserved for the nastiest and troubling criminals. Despite this, no one has successfully escaped—At least, that’s what the government claims.

Since the 1970s, Alcatraz Island has been turned into a tourist destination. Many of the cells remain as they were in the 1960s, while showing inmates personal items such as color paints, checkerboards, dominos, and libraries. Some of the more infamous prison breaks were also documented with exhibitions.

4. Chinatown

San Francisco’s Chinatown is not only the oldest Chinatown in North America but also the biggest Chinatown out of Asia.

Since the 1840s, many Chinese immigrants have immigrated to San Francisco because of the California Gold Rush. They then began to live here, opening businesses reflecting heritages of motherland. Hence, you can find many Chinese restaurants, Dim Sum Places or even Chinese Medicine shops here, with Chinese signs hanging all over the place.

While the restaurants here are well worth a visit, one of those shops where you shouldn’t miss is the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory. As the name suggests, this is a place that made and sold fortune cookies here. If you are interested in how these crackers were made, definitely check this place out.

5. Lombard Street

Lombard Street is known for being the crookedest Street in the United States. It is a block filled with 8 hairpin turns, decorated with expensive flowers and bushes around each turn. The 5 mile speed limit is another testimony to the difficulty of this one-way course.

While many tourists drive here to test their driving skills, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t visit here even if you are not driving. The cityscape from the high above of the Lombard Street is stunning, making this a perfect place for sightseeing.

Ready to start your journey? Fly with Cathay Pacific now by booking your Flight to San Francisco now.

6. Palace of Fine Arts

The Palace of Fine Arts is in the Bay Area. While initially built for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915, the structure was built with plaster, wood and burlap that weren’t meant to withstand time. It was once torn apart due to safety reasons, but because of popular demand in the 1960s and donations from a philanthropist, the site was officially rebuilt with more formidable materials.

As for now, The Palace of Fine Art no longer expedites or showcases any arts, but the palace has then become one huge piece of art. The mixture of Greek and Roman styles is grandeur and stunning, with a central rotunda built in according to Roman temples. Next to the rotunda and structures is an artificial pond with sea birds chirping, with benches lying around the pond for any weary tourists to rest.

7. Union Square

Located in the heart of the city, the Union square is known for being the best location for shopping.

Many of the big international brands and luxury are in here, including Louis Vuitton, Michael Kors, Boss, Gucci, Tiffany’s, Levi’s or even H&Ms. Upscale shopping malls, such as Macy’s, Neiman Marcus and Westfield can also be found here.

Besides shopping, the area is also home to the American Conservatory Theatre, one of the most reputable theaters of San Francisco.

8. Fisherman’s Wharf

If you are a foodie or looking for souvenirs, Fisherman’s Wharf is one of those places you can’t afford to miss.

Located just next to the San Francisco Bay, the area is known for its restaurants, serving fresh Dungeness crabs and scallops that have just been caught from the sea by local fishermen. The Sourdough bread and clam chowder are also tasty.

Besides the food, Fisherman’s Wharf is also known for hosting a bunch of souvenir shops, selling postcards, candies, chocolates, toys with the Golden Gate Bridge printed on them. If you are seeking new ways to explore the city, you can also join the cruise rides hosted by some of the local companies here.

Right next to the Wharf is Pier39, where you can see sea lions lying around, bathing in the sun. ‘The Aquarium Of the Bay’ and the ‘San Francisco 7D experience’ are also here, which are both entertaining and educational for any family visitors.

Filed Under: The Americas Tagged With: destinations, San Francisco, travel, USA

Why Mexico Should be Your Next Travel Destination

March 10, 2020 by John Telford

There are so many amazing places you can visit for a fulfilling travel experience this year, and one of the best would be checking out Mexico. If you want to have a wonderful travel experience you need to choose the right destination, and there is so much that Mexico can offer you. This is truly one of the most wonderful countries in the world, and it would be the perfect choice for a new vacation experience.

It is so important to make sure you are able to focus on getting the best out of your travel experience. This means going on a cultural and culinary journey, and discovering a place you’ve never been to before. There are so many ways of being able to achieve this, and you need to make sure you explore all that Mexico has to offer; here’s why.

Breathtaking Natural Beauty

One of the most appealing factors when it comes to visiting Mexico is the supreme natural beauty of the place. A blend of North America and South America, Mexico has some of the most spectacular and diverse landscapes in the world. Whether you’re seeking bustling city streets, snow-capped mountain peaks, or lush, sprawling jungles, Mexico has it all, and more.

Fascinating Culture

But it’s not just the natural beauty and landscapes that make this an amazing choice, there are also plenty of amazing cultural reasons to check out Mexico as well. You could sample the Dia de Muertos festival, a massive part of the familial culture of the country. Additionally, there is wonderful Aztec and Maya culture prevalent throughout the country, and this has played a huge role in shaping the culture of Mexico long-term.

Delectable Food

One of Mexico’s enduring appeals lies in the cuisine it has to offer, and this is something you should look at getting right as much as you can. You have to make sure you sample the food and enjoy everything Mexico has to offer. We’re sure you’ve tried tacos, nachos, enchiladas, and burritos before, but have you ever had them in Mexico? Mind blowing! Don’t miss this opportunity to sample some of the most amazing Mexican food on the market.

UNESCO World Heritage

There are so many amazing places here that you need to make sure you check out, and if you want to know where to find the best places to visit in Mexico there is a great way to achieve this. The country has a richly impressive selection of UNESCO Heritage Sites, in fact, it boasts the most in the Americas. So, you should make sure you consider this when you are trying to choose where you would like to go in the country.

It’s pretty clear that this is one of the leading countries in the world for tourism, and there are so many amazing adventures that can be had in Mexico. Make sure you plot the perfect vacation experience right now by making the most of everything Mexico has to offer. It’s one of the finest travel destinations in the world, and it’s easy to see why.

Filed Under: The Americas Tagged With: destinations, Mexico, travel, vacation

4 Reasons Why Miami is Great for Startups

February 29, 2020 by John Telford

Miami had the most small business development and growth in 2019 based on cash flow and financial information, revenue and growth percentage information. Miami is an excellent place for internationally based startups with its connections to Latin America. Miami has excellent opportunities for innovation and success with its continued development and growth, especially in the financial sector which can provide investments and consulting to startup businesses. If you are willing to put in the hard work and be resilient, you can succeed with your business in Miami, especially considering the number of startups that have already succeeded. Continue reading below to learn why Miami is so great for startup businesses.

Miami is an Immigrant City

Being that Miami is an immigrant city, there is strength in numbers and strength in resilience. Immigrants are at the heart of starting businesses and have done so since the beginnings of America. Having a diverse culture promotes idea sharing and energy growth.

Immigrants also have connections to their home cultures. This will allow for international development for their startup businesses. These connections have provided tremendous success to many immigrants from their home bases in Latin America. The politics of Latin America and the development occurring in Latin America have provided success throughout.

Miami’s financial sector has connections to Latin America as well. This allows for investments to come from global funders and for success to occur from these investments. Miami is also a neutral zone for the many battles between Latin American countries, which breaks down barriers. This allows for the countries to trust in the startup businesses that want to help them grow.

A Changing Business World

Miami has city leaders that want to promote startup businesses and business development. They want to change the perception that the world has of Miami, and help the world to form a more positive perception of Miami. This will come from the growth of startup businesses and the business development and success coming out of Miami.

Miami city leaders believe that startup businesses can succeed through innovative support and entrepreneurial spirits. They believe that success does not just come from investing and financial support. They want collaboration to occur between businesses, between city leaders and between investors to help a start up business garner as much success as possible. Everyone deserves a fair opportunity to possibly succeed with their businesses, especially if they are willing to put in the grit and hard work.

The Rising Sea

The Rising Sea is an ever growing epidemic that Miami has the potential to face. Hurricanes consistently come through southern Florida, increasing the risk of damage to Miami’s development and businesses. The rising sea requires a solution so that Miami does not face significant difficulties after natural disasters.

City leaders of Miami have proposed to increase taxes to come up with how to fix the problems they face regarding the rising sea. Startup businesses could have success in proposing solutions to keep Miami safe, to proposing solutions to avoid the rising sea. This will help to earn the city’s support as well, and will help the startup business to succeed because of this support. This is an ever growing concern that needs to be considered.

Miami is a wonderful place to live and thrive despite many of the negative stereotypes associated with it. Miami can truly offer tremendous success to your startup business when considering its immigrant population, the demands it needs fixed and the culture that is promoted. Hire Suddath Miami Movers to assist you, and your business, in moving to Miami where you can succeed.

Filed Under: The Americas Tagged With: business, entrepreneurship, Miami, startup, USA

How to Make the Most of Your Trip to Peru

February 27, 2020 by John Telford

When you are going on holiday, you will want to make sure that you consider all of the different options available so you can make the most out of your trip. Depending on where you go, the things that you can do to make the most of your trip will change. In this article, we will discuss how you can make the most of your trip to Peru. Keep reading if you are planning a trip to Peru in the next year.

Do Your Research

One of the ways that you can make the most of your trip is to make sure that you do your research about the destination you are travelling to. This is because when you do research you will be able to find out all the different information about the location you are travelling to. For example, if you are travelling to Peru, you will be able to locate the most popular cities and sights. You also might find out how to stay safe when travelling around Peru.

Plan Activities

The next way that you can make the most of your trip is to make sure you plan the activities that you want to take part in. Depending on where you are travelling to you, will find that there will be a wide range of activities for you to enjoy and take part in. Think about planning some guided tours and also plan some fun days out with your group.

Travel to Different Locations

Another thing that you should consider doing to make the most out of your trip to Peru is to make sure you travel to various destinations. Rather than sticking to the one place, you should consider travelling to different locations in Peru so that you can experience all that Peru has to offer.

It is very easy to travel to different parts of Peru. For example, you can consider travelling from Cusco to Machu Picchu by train for a reasonable price and a few hours. If this is something that you would like to do then, make sure you plan your trip before you go.

Take Lots of Pictures

Another way that you can make the most out of your trip to Peru is to make sure that you take a lot of pictures while you are there. When you take pictures, you will be able to look back at them and show friends and family all the things that you saw on your trip.

Plan Your Trip to Peru Today

Overall, there are lots of things to take into consideration when it comes to making the most out of your trip and, in this article, we will discuss how to make the most of your trip to Peru. If you are going to Peru then, make sure you read this article so you can plan your trip and make the most out of it when you go.

Filed Under: The Americas Tagged With: destinations, Peru, South America, travel

4 Must-Visit Islands While Touring Mexico

February 11, 2020 by John Telford

Are you planning a vacation for the much-needed get away from your busy to reconnect with your family, friends, and inner self? Well, among the top considerations while thinking of a vacation is the destination.  Choosing a destination can break or make your vacation quests, stressing the need to evaluate what it offers before making the final decision. From the goose bumps of spotting incredible scenery, a day with nature, the adrenaline rush from thrilling activities, to relaxed experience as you take in a spectacular sunset/rise, not to mention lazy strolls on sandy beaches, you need to ensure that a destination can cater to your needs. The good news, however, is that with insights from a resourceful travel blog, you find inspirational materials to pick an ideal destination, plan the itinerary, and get the most out of your vacation.

While choosing a vacation destination, Mexico can hardly skip your eye. With breathtaking sceneries, rich culture, and mouth-watering cuisine, your vacation endeavors in Mexico will be nothing short of memorable. With over 5000 mi coastline averaging close to a 100 Islands, your tour in Mexico can’t be complete without touring some of the idyllic islands. While planning your Mexico tour itinerary, here is a look at the top Islands you need to include for a memorable experience.

Isla Holbox

Have you been dying to explore virgin beaches? Well, your dreams are about to come true; Isla Holbox has yet to be fully explored, and with most of its land in Yum Balam Natural Reserve being undeveloped, your exploration will be more than exciting. Don’t, however, wait too long as the word is out and spreading fast, and before long, this haven will be flooding with tourists across the globe. With pleasant weather, soft beaches, and gentle breezes, your two hours drive followed a ferry ride will be more than satisfactory as you sample local cuisine from small boutique hotels, relax in wooden beach bars, or follow the popular hammocks trend stretched over the waters.

Isla Mujeres

Located off Cancun’s coast, the small and quiet island is a low-key destination whose popularity has rapidly grown. Isla Mujeres is a fantastic destination ideal for snorkeling and relaxed beach experience. While the island is home to a small fishing community, its history is inspiring, having been an ancient Maya religious site. While touring the island during summer, your visit will be kicked a notch higher by interacting with whale sharks, the large and tender giants that swim in the warm waters. The unspoiled haven is an excellent destination as you can also taste local cuisines from the local hotels and seaside restaurants as you take in the stunning beaches’ experience.

Isla Marietas

Located off the coast of the state of Nayarit, and known for its “hidden” keyhole crater opening to a majestic white-sand beach with turquoise waters when the tides are low, the uninhabited Islas Marietas is among the must-visit islands while touring Mexico. With active conservation efforts, the islands, ones used as a test site for the Mexican military, prides of rich biodiversity, marine life, and bird population that will quench your tour goals. Among the exciting things, apart from relaxing on the beach, is spotting incredible animals, including dolphins, blue-footed boobies, sea turtles, and whales (mostly during winter months), among others.

Cozumel

The Caribbean island is a haven for divers. With its warm, crystal clear waters, marine life, and stunning white sand beach, Cozumel is surrounded by the world’s second-largest coral reef system, Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, providing an excellent diving experience. The island is quite developed, with a range of large resorts to quench your tour needs, including a taste of the local cuisine.

Islands have a unique appeal. While touring Mexico, on a romantic getaway, a family tour, or an all-out thrilling adventure, you can easily find an island packed with amazing features to satisfy your quests. If you need more inspiring travel stories and photographs to plan your next tours, explore apenoni.com for an extensive reach.

Filed Under: The Americas Tagged With: destinations, Mexico, North America, travel

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