www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]

During the fasting month of Ramadan, thousands of Senegalese and Guinean Muslims flock to one of Conakry’s most popular mosques (pictured) each week to perform Friday prayers, the www.worldbulletin.net reports.

Last Friday, more than 2,000 worshipers attended – including Alpha Conde, the country’s president – despite the mosque’s seating capacity of only 750.

In March, the Guinean authorities had ordered the house of worship closed after the local Senegalese community, which controls the mosque, rejected the appointment of a Guinean – Youssouf Camara – as the mosque’s new imam.

According to an accord signed last year, prayers must be officiated by a Guinean imam, assisted by a co-imam drawn from the Senegalese community.

“It’s regrettable that there was a dispute between the two brother communities because of this mosque,” Conde said following Friday prayers.

“But now I promise you that I will ensure cohesion between the two communities,” he added.

Following recent talks between the two sides, the dispute now appears to have been settled, with the mosque’s imam set to remain a native of Guinea.

Conakry’s Senegalese community, which built the mosque early last century, welcomed the president’s statements.

“We are comforted that the president came here to call for Peace between the two communities,” says Doudou Bangoura, a spokesman for the Senegalese community.

“The mosque went through some difficult times because of quarrels over the imamate, which had affected the relationship between the two communities,” he said.

Bangoura noted, however, the two communities “shared history and geography,” going on to assert: “Senegal and Guinea are two lungs in one body.”

Since the mosque reopened two weeks ago, both Guineans and Senegalese have attended prayers together. 

“Every day, the mosque has been full,” said a relieved Bangoura.

#By #Conakry #Ferie #Guinea #Hovedstad #Islam #Moske #Muslim #President #Reise #Religion #Senegal #Turisme

#Capital #City #Holiday #Moslem #Mosque #Tourism #Travel

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]

General Francisco Franco

Manuela Carmena

Manuela Carmena (71), the new left-wing mayor of Madrid, is set to get rid of all street signs bearing references to the late dictator Francisco Franco, replacing them With the names of illustrious women and local heroes, www.thelocal.es reports.

The plan is the latest in a long list of changes made by the city’s new mayor – a former communist judge who ran with left-wing coalition Ahora Madrid – during her first few weeks in the position. 

Madrid City Hall announced a “participatory” plan in which neighbourhoods will vote for who they want their streets named after.

According to Spanish daily 20 minutos, Carmena is keen to exchange Francoist street names for those of illustrious women, such as novelist Emilia Pardo Bazán and iconic Republican leader Dolores Ibárruri, known as La Pasionaria.

Another idea is to allow residents of each neighbourhood to vote for which of the area’s illustrious residents they would like to see immortalized on street signs.

Over 150 streets, squares and public spaces in Madrid still bear names that commemorate or celebrate the 1936 military coup, the Spanish Civil War and its protagonists, according to a City Hall spokesman.

The City Hall has said their aim is to comply completely with Spain’s Historical Memory Law, which was passed in 2007 and included an official condemnation of the Franco regime as well as the removal of Francoist symbols from public buildings and Spaces.

Despite the law being passed eight years ago, Madrid’s conservative city council had still not removed all the Francoist symbols from the city before May’s local elections, which saw the Popular Party lose their 24-year rule of the city in favour of left-wing Carmena.

“The guidelines are to comply with the law, respect the surroundings and that residents participate and give their approval,” a source from Madrid’s City Hall told 20 minutos.

Madrid still counts several streets named after Francoist soldiers, including General Varela, General Yagüe and General Fanjul as well as two streets that still bear the name of Franco himself: Avenida Comandante Franco in Chamartín and Travesía General Franco in the Carabanchel neighbourhood. 

The capital city is not the only place in Spain still maintaining relics of the Francoist past. Dozens of monuments honouring his regime are still scattered across the country 40 years after his death.

Carmena has already foregone several of the privileges normally associated with the position of mayor, choosing to give up her chauffeur-driven car in favour of taking the metro and giving up City Hall’s VIP box at Madrid’s Las Ventas bullring. 

And Franco is not the only name she wants banned from the city; she is currently contemplating renaming Margaret Thatcher square less than a year after it was inaugurated by the previous conservative mayor of the city, Ana Botella. 

General Francisco Franco ruled Spain as Caudillo (Head of State) from 1936 until his death in 1975, at the age of 82.

#Borgermester #By #Ferie #Franco #General #Hovedstad #Madrid #Metro #Ordfører #Reise #Spania #Thatcher #Turisme

#Capital #City #Holiday #Mayor #Spain #Tourism #Travel

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]

Guatemala City

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Hilton Garden Inn Press Release 

Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Worldwide’s award-winning brand of hotels, on 2 July announced the opening of Hilton Garden Inn Guatemala City, representing an addition to the brand’s growing portfolio of more than 625 hotels worldwide. The 109-room new hotel is the first Hilton Worldwide property in Guatemala.

 Hilton Garden Inn Guatemala City is owned and managed by Imperial Hospitality Management Company. 

“This opening marks the seventh Latin American country with a Hilton Garden Inn hotel,” said Adrian Kurre, global head, Hilton Garden Inn. “We?re thrilled to expand into Guatemala and look forward to introducing the brand’s value added amenities and service, backed by our Satisfaction PromiseTM, to a new market of business and leisure travelers.”

Hilton Garden Inn Guatemala City is located in the financial and business district. Just 4 km away from the La Aurora International Airport, the hotel offers a complimentary shuttle to and from the airport. Major nearby attractions include the Domo Polideportivo arena, La Aurora Zoo, and Popol Vuh Museum. Guests will enjoy the warm appreciative Hilton Garden Inn Team Members for additional area recommendations.

“Our new Hilton Garden Inn Guatemala City is welcoming for every traveler, whether on a business trip or family vacation,” said Alejandro Estrada, general manager. Leisure guests can enjoy our central location close to restaurants, entertainment and shopping centers; while business guests will enjoy our convenient access to the 24-hour business center and the hotel’s own complimentary services.”

Hilton Garden Inn offers welcoming services for travelers to sleep deep, stay fit, eat well and work smart while on the road. All Hilton Garden Inn guests will see why Life’s Better at the Garden through amenities offered at each peaceful and energizing Hilton Garden Inn location, including complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, and state-of-the-art fitness center. The hotel also features eleven meeting rooms offering more than 2,250 square feet of flexible meeting space, including outdoor gardens for up to 250 guests.

The Garden Grille and Bar offers a full cooked-to-order breakfast and dinner, cocktails, and evening room service. The Pavilion Pantry is open 24 hours and features a complete selection of salty snacks, sweet treats, cold beverages, and frozen, microwaveable packaged items.

All 109 guest rooms boast the brand’s signature bedding featuring fresh, white duvets and crisp linens; a spacious and clutter-free work desk with an ergonomic desk chair; and an in-room “hospitality center” with a mini fridge, and coffee maker. Guests’ rooms also feature a separate living area with sofa, soundproof windows, and a flat-screen HDTV.

Hilton Garden Inn Guatemala City participates in Hilton HHonors, the only hotel loyalty program that allows members to earn Points & Miles on the same stay and No Blackout Dates on reward stays. HHonors members always get our lowest price with our Best Price Guarantee, along with HHonors Points, digital check-in and no booking fees only when they book directly through Hilton.

#By #Ferie #Flyplass #Dyrehage #Guatemala #Hilton #Hotell #Hovedstad #LatinAmerika #MellomAmerika #Museum #Reise #Turisme #WiFi #Zoo

#Airport #Capital #CentralAmerica #City #Holiday #Tourism #Travel

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]

Fort-de-France

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Easily one of the most distinctive Caribbean nations, highlighted by an exotic, historic waterfront capital city in Fort-de-France, Martinique has nevertheless struggled to progress beyond secondary status as a cruise ship destination, www.travelpulse.com reports.

Officially an overseas region of France, Martinique’s 177,786 cruise ship visitors in 2014 ranks 25^th among the 28 destinations tracked by the Caribbean Tourism Organization. Yet last year’s cruise visitor total represents a 71 percent increase over 2013. In fact, Martinique has recorded a 524 percent increase in cruise ship guests since 2010.  

The cruise ship arrivals have increase is due in large part to capital improvements at the Fort-de-France cruise port and new and enhanced attractions, according to officials at the Martinique Promotion Bureau.

Moreover, the island’s tourism stakeholders are forecasting a strong 2014-2015 cruise season, with several major U.S. and European cruise lines scheduled to make calls at Fort-de-France this season. The visits will be highlighted by calls from one of the largest cruise ships, Royal Caribbean International’s 4,180-passenger Quantum of the Seas, which visited Martinique four times in January, March and April.

In addition to a variety of tours available in easy-to-reach areas around the capital city, cruise-ship visitors can opt for walking tours of Fort-de-France.

The city’s attractions range from the historic Schoelcher Library and Saint Louis Cathedral to the Aime Césaire Theater Museum, housed in a historic theater building that was once the mayoral office of the Martinique-born poet, author, politician and founder of French literature’s Négritude movement.

Tourists can now also visit the city’s iconic 17th-century Fort Saint-Louis, which had been closed to public viewing until this year.

Visitors can arrange for guided tours at the Fort-de-France Tourism Board’s information kiosk in Fort-de-France’s Place de la Savane park, steps from the cruise pier.

A popular local gathering spot, the park features a statue of Martinique-born Joséphine de Beauharnais, the first wife of Napoleon.

The statue was beheaded sometime during the 1990s, reputedly by individuals who blame the colonial-era monarch for supporting slavery’s re-establishment on the island.

Travelers can view multiple Fort-de-France sites via Cyclo’comm, transport vehicles which seat one to three passengers.

Driver-guides take visitors to 14 historic sites around downtown Fort-de-France.

#Bibliotek #Borgermester #By #Cruise #Ferie #Frankrike #Fort #FortDeFrance #Hovedstad #Karibia #Katedral #Keiser #Litteratur #Martinique #Museum #Napoleon #Ordfører #Reise #Statue #Turisme

#Capital #Caribbean #Cathedral #City #Emperor #France #Holiday #Library #Mayor #Tourism #Travel

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]

Det amerikanske lavprisselskapet Jet Blue dro sist fredag i gang sin første ukentlige flyvning fra New York til Cubas hovedstad Havanna, skriver www.travelnews.no.

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Sun Country Airlines har fløyet direkte mellom JFK i New York og Havanna i flere måneder allerede. Jet Blue er imidlertid det første, store USA-baserte flyselskapet som nå oppretter en fast forbindelse, etter at amerikanske myndigheter lettet på reiserestriksjonene. Jet Blue hadde planene klare allerede i mai, men kom ikke i gang før nå.

Selskapet benytter en 150-seters Airbus A320 til ruten mellom JFK og Havannas Jose Marti International Airport.

#By #Cuba #Ferie #Fly #Flyplass #Flyselskap #Havanna #Hovedstad #JFK #NewYork #Reise #Turisme #USA

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]

Macau

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Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes (pictured), director of the Macau Government Tourist Office, said she expects the city’s hotel occupancy rate to improve in the coming months. Hotel occupancy rate stood at 83.9 percent in May, down 6.4 percent from a year earlier, according to official data, www.ggrasia.com reports.

“The numbers in March and in April – especially in March – were not very good for the Macau tourism industry. In March, hotel occupancy rate fell by 13 percent year-on-year. In April, the numbers improved and the feedback we have from the private sector is that it hotel occupancy rate is improving,” Ms Senna Fernandes told reporters, according to the Portuguese-language service of Rádio Macau.

“The figures for May are slightly better than in previous months,” she added.

Visitor arrivals to Macau increased by 0.9 percent year-on-year to 2.55 million in May, according to data from the city’s Statistics and Census Service released recently..

Total visitor arrivals to Macau in the five months to May 31 however are down by 2.7 percent from the prior-year period, to 12.51 million. March was the lowest aggregate monthly figure in two and a half years, according to government data.

Ms Senna Fernandes said she expects room prices to fall with the opening of new hotels. In May, the average room rate in Macau was MOP1,485 (US$186), down by 7.5 percent from a year ago, show data from the Macau Government Tourist Office.

A report from Morgan Stanley Asia Ltd analysts Praveen Choudhary and Alex Poon suggest there might be other reasons for the declining room rates.

“Most casino operators have excess hotel room inventories because junkets are reserving fewer rooms for VIPs (down from 80-90 percent to 30-40 percent of the total number of hotel rooms) and premium mass customers are visiting Macau less,” the analysts said in a report on Wednesday.

“They (casino operators) started slashing prices to attract incremental customers. Hence, in the last few months, we have seen hotel RevPAR [revenue per available room] (mainly because of falling occupancy) and EBITDA [earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation] margins coming Down,” they added.

#By #Casino #Ferie #Hotell #Hovedstad #Kina #Macau #Portugal #Radio #Reise #Turisme

#Capital #City #Holiday #Tourism #Travel

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]

Abuja, capital of Nigeria

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Transcorp Hilton Abuja Honoured at World Travel Awards 2015 Named Winner in Five Categories including Africa’s Leading Business.

The hotel, which is owned by Transcorp Hotels Plc, the hospitality subsidiary of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc, emerged winner of the prestigious World Travel Awards for Africa’s Leading Business Hotel, Nigeria’s Leading Business Hotel, Nigeria’s Leading Hotel, Nigeria’s Leading MICE Hotel and Nigeria’s Leading Hotel Suite (the Presidential Suite) at the Africa and Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony 2015 which took place at the Kempinski Seychelles Resort in Baie Lazare, Seychelles, www.allafrica.com reports.

”It is a great privilege and honour to be recognised for what we do by our discerning guests “, said Etienne Gailliez, general manager, Transcorp Hilton Abuja.

“To win the World Travel Awards in five categories is unprecedented in Nigeria and we are delighted that our efforts at delivering world class experiences consistently to our Guests are recognised and appreciated. It is a fitting reward for the hardwork and dedication of our Team Members especially in the past year. The awards are, therefore, dedicated to all our Team Members”, Etienne concluded.

Recognition from the World Travel Awards is coming on the heels of the launch of a new vision for the hotel and the implementation of operational excellence initiatives that focus on delivering extraordinary guest service.

Receiving the awards on behalf of the hotel, Valentine Ozigbo, MD/CEO of Transcorp Hotels Plc, said ” I am pleased that the outstanding work and dedication of the team at Transcorp Hilton Abuja has been recognized once again. Receiving these awards ahead of the planned upgrade of an already award-winning facility means that we are poised to deliver an unparalleled experience on the continent of Africa; incredible things are coming both for our guests and for industry watchers.”

World Travel Awards exists to recognize, acknowledge and celebrate excellence in travel tourism and hospitality, which is why Transcorp Hilton Abuja was chosen by fellow professionals across the globe for a World Travel Award. Winners of the World Travel

Awards are decided on by an independent vote from 167,000 travel agents and tourism experts in over 200 countries. The awards cover twenty-three countries ranging across the Indian Ocean to the Pacific.

Media can access additional information about Transcorp Hilton Abuja at www.abuja.hilton.com

About Hilton Hotels & Resorts

Founded in 1919 as the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide, Hilton Hotels & Resorts continues to build upon its legacy of innovation by developing products and services to meet the needs of savvy global travelers at more than 550 hotels across six continents. Hilton is the stylish, forward-thinking global leader in hospitality with Team Members shaping experiences in which every guest feels cared for, valued and respected. Access the latest news at news.hilton.com and begin your journey at www.hilton.com or www.hilton.com/offers for the latest hotel specials. Hilton Hotels & Resorts is one of Hilton Worldwide’s 12 brands.

#Abuja #By #Ferie #Hilton #Hotell #Hovedstad #Nigeria #Reise #Seychellene #Turisme

#Capital #City #Holiday #Tourism #Travel

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]

Cruise ship docking in Muscat, Oman. Photo: www.123rf.com

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Norge: Topp 10 høyfjellshotell du vil elske

Oman’s burgeoning cruise tourism industry is upbeat about prospects of a home port for cruise liners being established in Muscat, Oman’s capital city – an outcome that could potentially have game-changing implications for the wider domestic tourism sector, according a veteran shipping executive, www.zawaya.com reports.

M C Jose, CEO of Khimji Ramdas Shipping, by far the biggest player in the Sultanate’s cruise shipping trade, attributes this growing outlook to two principal developments: firstly, the expansion and modernisation of Muscat International Airport, and secondly, the conversion of Muscat’s Port Sultan Qaboos into a dedicated hub for maritime and cruise tourism.

Read the whole story at (external link) www.zawya.com/story/Home_port_is_key_to_Omans_cruise_tourism_industry-ZAWYA20150630052201

Kilde / Source: Oman Daily Observer – www.zawaya.com

#By #Cruise #Ferie #Flyplass #Hovedstad #Muscat #Oman #Reise #Sultan #Turisme

#Airport #Capital #City #Holiday #Tourism #Travel

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]

Bob Marley

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Government officials, lawyers and artists participated in a conference in Kingston, capital of Jamaica, Wednesday to hash over ways of giving Jamaica a competitive advantage from reggae, the homegrown music that long ago went global, the Associated Press reports.

Industry Minister Anthony Hylton described reggae as “part of the heart and soul” of Jamaica. But he acknowledged that the island’s struggling music industry needs to be better protected and monetized.

“Reggae has given Jamaica much in the way of international prestige but there remains more that we can achieve on the economic side of things,” Hylton said at the “international reggae day” gathering.

Starting in the late 1960s, Jamaica’s exuberant music scene helped transform the Caribbean island into a cultural powerhouse. Reggae’s global popularity exploded in the 1970s with the rise of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and other charismatic Rastafarian reggae stars.

But in recent years, international music festivals celebrating sounds developed in Jamaica are more likely to be headlined by bands from places like California or France than by native-born Jamaicans. Aside from albums by the late Marley or his progeny, few of the top-selling reggae CDs or downloads come from Jamaican artists.

Hylton says Jamaica’s government is increasingly viewing the music and other cultural enterprises as a potential economic engine for the island.

In recent days, Parliament authorized amendments to extend local copyright terms from 50 to 95 years. The government has also applied to UNESCO to add reggae to a global list of “intangible cultural heritage” to potentially help defend Jamaican music. It is also seeking to amend an act to allow the registration of Jamaican trademarks in other countries.

But some reggae insiders worry the government has achieved little to protect the local music industry.

“Truth be told, the Jamaican music industry has not been fortunate as elsewhere in the world” with getting government help, said Haldane Browne, chairman of the Jamaica Music Society.

#BobMarley #By #California #Ferie #FN #Frankrike #Hovedstad #Jamaica #Kingston #Konferanse #Marley #Minister #Musikk #Reggae #Reise #Turisme #UNESCO #USA

#Capital #City #Conferance #Holiday #Music #Tourism #Travel #UnitedNations #UN

www.hovedsteder.blogg.no is a Norway-based blog about the capitals of the world, with a focus on tourism and travel, the environment, diplomatic affairs, lifestyle, culture and entertainment, food and drink. See also our travel blog at www.minbestereise.blogg.no – Contact us at [email protected]

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Her er et shoppingtips utenom det vanlige for deg som skal innom Athen i sommer: vintagebutikken Kilo Shop selger nemlig stilige klær. spesialimportert fra Paris, til kilopris, skriver Se og Hør.

Les mer her: www.kilo-shop.gr

#Athen #Butikk #By #Ferie #Frankrike #Hellas #Hovedstad #Klær #Paris #Reise #SeOgHør #Shopping #Turisme #Vintage