www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.
Ivory Coast has received authorization from the United States to start direct flights between the two countries, officials said on Saturday, boosting the West African nation’s hopes of becoming a regional transport hub, the Reuters News agency reported.
The world’s top cocoa producer, Ivory Coast is emerging from a decade-long political crisis that ended in a brief civil war in 2011, and is now attracting investors again.
The African Development Bank moved its headquarters back to the commercial capital Abidjan last year, after an 11-year hiatus.
Ivory Coast’s economy has seen a renaissance under President Alassane Ouattara’s stewardship, averaging annual growth of around 9 percent. Ouattara, widely expected to be re-elected in a vote due in October, wants to push ahead with plans to make Abidjan a hub for air travel in Africa.
Ivory Coast has been seeking authorization from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration for 15 years, officials said.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.
I mai kan man få oppleve fantastisk kulturliv i skjønn forening med europeisk fellesskap når Eurovision Song Contest blir arrangert i Østerrikes hovedstad Wien, skriver www.travelnews.no
Eurovision Song Contest, eller Melodi Grand Prix som svært mange nordmenn fremdeles kaller konkuransen, går av stabelen 18. til 24.mai, og Ving har fortsatt flybilletter og ledige hotellrom til gode priser i uke 21. Selv om ikke finalen går av stabelen før lørdag 23. mai er det fest fra morgen til kveld hele uken i vertsbyen.
Foto: Christian Stemper, Vienna Tourism
– Eurovision Song Contest er en gyllen mulighet for vertsland til å promotere seg selv. Tilskuere, turister og presse strømmer til fra hele Europa, og Østerrike trår til med en egen Eurovison-landsby på plassen foran sitt spektakulære rådhus Rathaus, sier Sophie Frisholm Damsund, PR-ansvarlig i Ving, til travelnews.no
Ser man bort fra alt som skjer i forbindelse med årets Eurovision Song Contest har Wien fortsatt mye å tilby. Koselige nabolag, trivelige og smakfulle restauranter, bra uteliv og gode shoppingmuligheter, og ikke minst – museer med kulturskatter som Klimt, Freud og Mahler.
– Vings hotell Das President er det beste valget for deg som vil bo sentralt, men ikke midt i sentrum. Det er kort vei til t-bane og trikk, og bare 1500 meter til Wiener Stadthalle, arenaen for årets Eurovision Song Contest. Hotellets beliggenhet er perfekt for å utforske byen. Det er 60 år siden den første Eurovision Song Contest-finalen, og det presisjetunge jubileet vil nok sørge for at hele Wien yrer av liv og festligheter det kan være verdt å få med seg, sier Sophie Frisholm Damsund.
Det er fortsatt billetter igjen til direktesendingen av de to semifinalene tirsdag 19. mai og torsdag 21. mai, og til generalprøven på lørdagens finale.
Man får kjøpt billetter på www.oeticket.com. Finalen vil bli vist på storskjermer både i Eurovision-landsbyen og andre steder i Wien.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.
Uzbekistan Airways, det nasjonale flyselskapet i den sentralasiatiske republikken Usbekistan, starter i mai i år en ny rute mellom hovedsaden Tasjkent og Minsk, hovedstaden i Hviterussland.
Ruten vil gå hver tirsdag og torsdag, med en Airbus A320.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.
Revamped, redesigned and with a broadened artistic direction, the Caribbean’s premier cultural event – the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival – will attract thousands to Simply Beautiful Saint Lucia. Cultural enthusiasts, festival lovers and music aficionados will be wooed by over 50 world-acclaimed entertainers; Robin Thicke, Flo Rida, Jimmy Cliff and John Secada, to mention a few, and artisans over the 11-day festival, which runs from April 30 to May 10, 2015, the festival reports on it’s website – www.stluciajazz.org
Amon the performers are international super stars Robin Thicke, Flo Rida , Jimmy Cliff and John Secada.
Castries, Saint Lucia
Flo Rida
At year 24, Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival spans a full 12 days and upwards of fifteen venues featuring some of the best live performances spiced with the celebration of Saint Lucian Arts, culture and cuisine.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.
A cruise ship approaches Trujillo, Honduras. Photo: Orlando Sierra / AFP
Next month, the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association will hold its 2015 regional meeting in El Salvador – the only Central American nation without a Caribbean coast, the www.ticotimes.net website reported.
The FCCA Central America Cruise Summit is set for May 13-15 at the Hilton Princess Hotel in San Salvador. The event features two workshops: “Breaking into the Cruise Industry” and “Port & Destination Development.”
Among other things, participants will discuss the true potential of cruise line calls; what to consider when developing a cruise facility; safety and security; how to attract cruise vessels, and how to showcase specific destinations.
President Salvador Sánchez Cerén and Vice President Óscar Ortiz may also attend the summit’s opening ceremony.
FCCA President Michele M. Paige says the seven nations of Central America now rank among the cruise industry’s fastest-growing markets worldwide.
“We’ve created this specialized forum so that executives from the cruise industry can meet with stakeholders from Central America and Colombia to optimize cruising’s impact and create valuable business relationships and pathways,” Paige said.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.
Vigeland-museet i Oslo er nå fredet. Riksantikvaren betegner Gustav Vigelands atelier og bolig som en av de aller viktigste bygningene fra det 20.århundre i Norge, skriver VG.
-Arkitekturen er storslagen, både i eksteriør og interiør, sier riksantikvar Jørn Holme.
Museet ligger i Nobels gate, ved Frognerparken. Det ble opprettet som atelier og bolig for Gustav Vigeland, i den hensikt å bli åpnet som museum etter hans død.
Oslo kommune signerte en kontrakt med kunstneren i 1921, der Vigeland til gjengjeld ga kommunen alle sine modeller, skulpturer, tegninger og tresnitt, samt originalmodellene av alt han i fremtiden kom til å skape.
Gustav Vigeland bodde i leiligheten fra 1924 til han døde i 1943, 73 år gammel. Museet ble åpnet i 1947.
Bygningen er tegnet av arkitektene Lorentz H.Ree og Carl Emil Buch.
Gustav Vigeland var født i Mandal, og het opprinnelig Adolf Gustav Thorsen.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.
From April 1st, Spain’s national airline Iberia will increased the number of flights from Madrid to Santo Domingo, capital of the Dominican Republic, from five weekly frequencies to a daily flight.
Iberia, along with its low-cost carrier Iberia Express and its franchise partner Iberia Regional Air Nostrum, are opening up to 39 new routes and adding 19 destinations, while adding flight frequencies and/or seats on 22 of its existing routes.
Iberia’s long operational range will open three destinations: Havana on June 1 following a two-year recess, Cali and Medellin, in Colombia, starting June 3 and adding to the agenda for the first time.
The Spanish airline described the Madrid-Havana route as the star on its long operational range.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.
Lush fauna and foliage are hallmarks on the Caribbean’s natural environment. This year, tourism officials in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) will recognize that legacy with a series of events to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country’s Botanical Gardens, described as the Western Hemisphere’s oldest, the www.travelpulse.com website reported.
Agencies including the St. Vincent National Parks, Rivers and Beaches Authority have launched a series of celebratory events in this year to highlight the Gardens’ historic legacy as a conservation site and source for plant propagation.
“While there are countless sites within SVG that have unblemished natural beauty and “feel good” tranquility, our beloved Botanical Gardens are exceptionally important primarily because they feature various aspects of our country’s heritage and history”, said Glen Beache, CEO of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Tourism Authority.
“The Gardens remain an intrinsic part of our culture, our people, and the beauty that makes up our nation”, he said. “We hope visitors will make it a priority on their list of “must visit” SVG attractions.”
Located in the capital Kingstown region, the facility features peaceful, lush and colorful gardens filled with tropical plants, flowers, trees and birds.
The Gardens are designed promote the conservation of rare species and feature aviaries where guests can see the St. Vincent parrot, SVG’s national bird.
The Gardens originated in 1765 when General Robert Melville, governor of the then-British Caribbean islands, established a breeding center to provide medicinal plants for the military. Melville designated six acres previously designated for the military to be set aside for the Gardens.
The Gardens are also famous for being the captain William Bligh’s destination on his second Caribbean visit in 1798, during which he introduced breadfruit to the island. Bligh’s first trip to the region ended with the infamous Bounty mutiny. Breadfruit remains SVG’s national dish.
SVGTA’s botanic garden anniversary celebratory events will include a National Hero’s Day tree-planting event, a Botanical Treasure Hunt for children and a Regional Floral Competition featuring a plant sale and a local crafts and art exhibition.
The events kicked off in January with a parade from Kingstown to the Gardens featuring a symbolic re-enactment of Captain Bligh’s handing over of the breadfruit plant to SVG officials.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.
Solomon Airlines is offering a special SBD3, 703 Honiara-Sydney return airfare inclusive of taxes as part of kicking off service to this new route, the Solomon Star newspaper reported.
In statement the airline said that new Honiara “Sydney airfare is available for sale until first of June 1 the special fare is valid for travel until 11 August on the airline’s new Honiara-Sydney service which commences June 1”.
The flight will operate ex-Honiara on Mondays and ex-Sydney on Tuesdays.
The tariff includes in-flight meals and entertainment plus a generous 30 kilo baggage allowance.
The statement said the carrier will utilise its flagship Airbus A320 on the new route which has been specifically timed to offer seamless flight linkage between several Australian cities and also international connections to and from New Zealand, the US, Asia, the Middle East, the UK and Europe.
The statement added, the new service is seen as offering a major potential for the Solomon Islands business, leisure and VFR markets.
The Honiara-Sydney schedule will take the airline’s Solomon Islands-Australian services to five weekly with the inclusion of its four Honiara-Brisbane services which operate on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism, travel, transport, politics, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink.
Norwegian fortsetter å utvide langrutenettet med helt nye destinasjoner og flere avganger til allerede populære reisemål.
Den karibiske øya Puerto Rico, og hovedstaden San Juan, er ny destinasjon fra Oslo. Los Angeles blir helårsrute fra Oslo. I tillegg lanseres både Las Vegas og Karibia som nye destinasjoner fra København og Stockholm, samt mellom London Gatwick og Karibia, skriver flyselskapet i en pressemelding.
Fra neste vinter kan eventyrlystne og solhungrige nordmenn for første gang fly direkte til Karibia med Norwegian. Puerto Rico er et perfekt utgangspunkt for øyhopping i Karibia. Puerto Rico og San Juan har også mye annet å by på, blant annet rikt kulturliv og naturperler.
I tillegg til Puerto Rico lanserer også Norwegian en ny rute til den karibiske øya St. Croix på De amerikanske Jomfruøyene – fra København.
– Norwegians langruter er svært populære og vi er glade for å kunne tilby helt nye reisemål til Karibia og USA. Det er stor etterspørsel etter å fly langt og komfortabelt til en lav pris. Det er derfor svært gledelig å kunne gi nordmenn muligheten til å fly direkte til Karibia på bare ti timer. I tillegg har Oslo – Los Angeles blitt så populær at vi nå kommer til å tilby denne ruten hele året, sier kommersiell direktør Thomas Ramdahl i Norwegian.
– Vi ser frem til å ønske Norwegian velkommen til San Juan og Puerto Rico. Dette er en fem-stjernes destinasjon med mye å tilby. Norwegians flygninger vil gi et betydelig bidrag til den lokale turistnæringen, sier Ingrid I. Rivera Rocafort, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.
Nye ruter:
Oslo – Karibia (San Juan, Puerto Rico) En ukentlig avgang på søndag med oppstart 1. november.
København – Karibia (San Juan, Puerto Rico) En ukentlig avgang på mandag med oppstart 6. november.
København – Karibia (St. Croix, De amerikanske Jomfruøyene) En ukentlig avgang på mandag med oppstart 9. november.
København – Las Vegas En ukentlig avgang på tirsdag med oppstart 10. november.
Stockholm – Karibia (San Juan, Puerto Rico) En ukentlig avgang på tirsdag med oppstart 3. november.
Stockholm – Las Vegas En ukentlig avgang på lørdag med oppstart 31. oktober.
London Gatwick – Karibia (San Juan, Puerto Rico) To ukentlige avganger på onsdag og lørdag med oppstart 4. november.
