The ubiquity of the internet across society has helped develop technology awareness and skills in people of all ages. Those born at the dawn of the internet age may be IT-experts before they reach their tenth birthday, whilst those old enough to remember black and white television are encouraged to ‘go online’ at every opportunity, be it for internet banking or to book a holiday.

This change in mindset towards interactive technology means that many teachers – old and young – will feel just that little more confident about adopting new digital tools in the classroom, which is good news for youngsters brought up on a feast of computer games, multimedia players and the World Wide Web.

From a technology perspective, the internet should be the core underpinning feature of any modern classroom. Research is the chief basis for utilising the internet in education because pupils can tap into a wealth of facts and stats, learning the fundamentals of investigative study along the way. The World Wide Web helps to solve many problems relating to the access of information in schools, in terms of constantly having to update school libraries.

An extension of this should be wireless connectivity. This involves laptops being interconnected in the classroom, allowing youngsters to work at their desks without lots of cumbersome wires strewn across the room. Furthermore, if the portable computers are linked wirelessly to a printer, pupils can print from their PC no problem.

Web and wireless technology aside, what other digital tools could classrooms be using to their advantage? Well, educational technology incorporates countless contraptions designed to optimise children’s learning experiences. This could be an interactive whiteboard (IWB) which performs a number of functions, and as far as collaborative devices go, an IWB should be high on any teacher’s technology request list.

Any teacher will confirm that it can sometimes be difficult to make themselves heard over a cacophony of excitable kids. This can be problematic at the best of times, but for children with reduced hearing or a short attention span, tuning in to what a teacher is saying might be impossible. This is why wireless microphones and strategically placed speakers are a good idea, as they help to bridge any inherent acoustic gaps in the classroom.

Throw into the mix a plethora of interactive multimedia applications and educational software that have been designed by teachers for teachers, then what you have is a fully modernised, technologically switched-on classroom that is well equipped to manage the myriad of scenarios encountered by educators on a daily basis. We are in the 21st century, after all.

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Birthdays are forever special and we delay in support of these sizeable days unbroken day. But what did you say? If it is not your birthday more exactly a number of solitary special is available to blow the candles? Well you be obliged to be planning to persuade birthday gifts open but you are clueless what did you say? To persuade. Buy a contemporary dress or shirt? Or persuade jewelry or chocolate? Confused? Then our article provides unsurpassed birthday gifts, birthday return gifts, birthday gifts in support of guys, birthday gifts in support of him, and birthday gifts in support of men, birthday gifts in support of girls, 19th birthday gifts and in support of someone who is special in support of you. Read on we will tell you the most recent trends of birthday gifts in 21st century!

Gone are the days of chocolates and flowers or persons shirts or perfumes you used to pick in lieu of your loved ones. Go in lieu of the up-to-the-minute things in an innovative way and bake birthdays memorable by giving an up-to-the-minute gift. You make sure of not need to browse all the shelves of gifts supplies; these gifts are free online as well. So the desired gift is very soon a click away.
Best Birthday Gifts:

There are many gifts which can be able to men and women both as birthday gifts. Now you will not take part in to vexation whether it will fit him/her or not, he/she will like the color or not? Latest gifts trends ruling the planet will surely win compassion of your loved single. You a minute ago need to be aware more or less what did you say? Is in and unacceptable of the trend. Taunt to reach unacceptable of the track; he/she will surely admire your top-notch.

Latest movable Phones:

Hottest cell phones like cyber shots are the hottest fever. These high ranking expertise phones stretch with a range of facial appearance like 2-5 MP cameras, GPS navigation and digital song players with multi-touch input methods. You can browse web and email from phone itself rebuff need to sit in front of computers. These phones will beyond doubt be a rocking experience instead of him/her.

Various companies like Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Nokia, Apple iphones all are only if you various options and ensign from traditional black to new-found combinations of black and silver with fiery red, orange or blue. Samsung has recently launched SGH-G600 which comes in nice-looking pink color like to nail paint; this phone can be the preeminent viable phone as gift instead of girls or women. Some other nice-looking phones include Samsung G800, Sony Ericsson S500i, Nokia 5310 xpress song contract, Nokia 6160 and Nokia 6500, N95, N76 and N81.

Latest iPods:

Another option in favor of gifts is iPods from leading companies like Sony and Apple. This modified melody deposit is a requisite acquire these days. Latest addition on iPods is art prints in favor of iPods. GelaSkins with fabulous designs are not fixed art prints in favor of shielding and decorating iPods. These skins befall in all the workable ensign so you can indicate from an extensive range of ensign and dimensions. These covers appear numerous styles ranging from fine art prints to urban hi-tech images.

Camcorders and digital cameras:

If you poverty to leave a step extra you can find camcorder or digital cameras of field gun, Sanyo, Sony or HP. These companies keep launching original models with original skin texture so keep a track and execute an extensive make inquiries or else getting the correct perfect. Sanyo has recently launched world’s earliest consumer irrigate impermeable camcorder. The Sanyo Xacti E1″ boasts 90 minutes-per-gigabyte SD recording and H.264, MPEG-4 far above the ground compression equipment meant for superior capture on tape quality. Your videos will find an extra boost with 6.0 mega pixel digital still images and 5x optical zoom. The great 2.5″ LCD (TFT) exhibit is an added benefit.

Other birthday gift items

Some other options can be outside back at the ranch theatre kits, wireless outside speakers, portable media players, digital photo frames and massaging recliners. If your make financial arrangements allows, you can pass on behalf of the season’s paramount laptops with recent looks and skin tone from HP, Compaq, LG, Toshiba and so on.

Water corroboration shower tune players, GPS Devices on behalf of roads include besides happen to very famous worldwide. Fancy Swarovski recall drives can be a wonderful gift on behalf of a woman who is expertise sense.

If your loved solitary loves sports therefore think on the order of gift options like sports wrist watches with GPS, NIKE sport kit on behalf of iPods or satellite telephone lines. Other than these gifts sunken camera and sports helmet with hands on the house camera will confirm paramount deal on behalf of a person interested in sports and photography both.

So come again? Are you planning to acquire promptly? Trust me these unique birthday gifts are so tempting and handy these days to you will feel like exchange original on behalf of by hand therefore as a gift. All these products are laden with most modern expertise and are user friendly. So pass on behalf of it and acquire paramount gifts on behalf of your family tree or links. Happy Shopping!

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Overflowing wine, decadent cakes, and gifts of all shapes and sizes are almost never absent in birthday parties. Tied with ribbons shaped into flowers and bows or not, small or grand, we find it quite awkward to go to a birthday party without a gift for the celebrant. When in a rush, we sometimes give generic or safe gifts. While it is not exactly illegal, it should be highly avoided since birthday gifts can also define our relationships.

Birthday gift giving has never been a task these days. Online stores have even classified their items such that a quick search for say “garden mom gift” can give you an interesting selection of items. In giving gifts, it is still best to fine print your choices to the recipient’s gender and age, personality and interest, and of course, your budget.

People usually celebrate six birthday milestones: 1st, 7th, 18th (for women), 21st (for men), 30th (usually called the “big 3-0”), and 50th (or the golden age) birthdays. These ages are safe to shop gifts for, as each is rather distinct from the other. You wouldn’t give a seven-year-old girl French lingerie embellished with flowers and lace, correct?

Searching for the perfect birthday gift according to personality and interest is the tricky part. Adults in their 30s are usually classified into achievers, adventurers, thinkers, naturalists, geeks, fashionistas (women)/metrosexuals (men), and urban sophisticates. From these personalities, further fine print your choices by asking around what pre-occupies them or what they usually cart in their trips to the mall. Can the birthday geek live with just a camera in his pocket? A memory card will be perfect for this shooter. The office achiever will be thankful for that leadership book that has always been out of stock. Giving a metrosexual mini versions of his favorite soap, shaving cream, and hair wax will merit you instant brownie points. Even if it is only an inch big, a shoe pendant will capture the heart of your fashionista friend.

Head on to the generic gift lane only if you really cannot find ways to research on what the celebrant’s passions are. Coloring kits appeal nicely to seven year olds of both genders. Gift certificates valid mall wide are safe for female and male debutantes while wine will be highly appreciated by the junior execs who just hit thirty. Men and women in their 50s usually favor house décor such as exquisite flower vases, small sculptures, and oil burners.

For a more hassle-free gift-giving, try sending a bunch of flowers. Online florists such as Island Rose, offer flower delivered straight to you loved one’s doorstep. It is not how much you have spent for your gift, what matters is how you remembered your loved one’s birthday.

Technorati Tags: birthday, Celebrating, Gift, Milestones

70% Commission. Learn How To Go And Stay Raw With This Ultimate Step-by-step, 21-day Guide To Ending Crazy Cooked Food Cravings. Created By A Past Emotional Binge Eater, Now 100% Raw Foodist.Affiliate Information: Http://cookedfoodcravings.com/affiliates. 21 Days To Conquer Your Cooked Food Cravings On A Raw Food Diet.

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To loose weight is an achievement that requires us to totally surrender to ourselves, to beat ourselves up enough that we are forced to take action. In loosing weight we need the right mind set to want to grab life by the hand and lead it into a new realm. People often set out to loose weight with a goal of loosing a certain amount of weight or looking a certain way afterwards. These people will achieve the results if they are focused and stubborn but will they maintain the results because once you achieve that set goal is that the end. Loosing weight needs to be about loosing the self you know now and understanding the new you who is just around the corner.

Every time people decide to loose weight they often concentrate on loosing weight, exercise and what they are eating but people forget to take time to think about how they are as a whole would feel and be if they lost this weight. Your not only loosing weight but loosing an identity, an identity that comes with being overweight.
So in order for weight loss to work this time round you need to challenge yourself in several areas so as to merge with the illusion of a new you, new body, new feelings a new lease on life.

NASA decided to help their astronauts by creating a 21 day challenge of which they had to wear eye glasses that turned their vision upside down. They underwent this exercise for 6 days on and 2 days off but over 21 days. They achieved the ability to actually without the glasses be able to adjust to the upside down lifestyle of space flight.
It takes 21 days to create a habit and for it to stick like glue. Although there are tricks within the 21 days that will help it stick firmly.

10 THINGS THAT WILL MAKE 21 DAYS WORK

1.Choose a time that is your best time

If you know that getting out of bed at the crack of dawn means an angry grumpy person who does not function then don’t trick yourself into thinking that you will get up and go running at that time. On the other hand if you are someone like myself i know that at the end of the day you don’t get home til late and going to do exercise in the dark is not the most enjoyable or safe in some cases.

2. Commit to doing something and anything the first 7 days

Work out what you enjoy doing when it comes to exercise, swimming, going for a run, hitting the gym, throwing on a dance or aerobics video….
If you have never enjoyed running or if you find it a real struggle you will never be able to commit to 7 days of running every morning. You will find every excuse under the sun to why you can’t get up, or during the run a stitch may arise or your ankle might get sore your mind will be fighting against you. So for the first week lets choose things we know that we can manage and succeed in.

3.Don’t use the word Try

If you are trying something it means you have already failed, use words that motivate you, tell people what you are doing, find a friend to do a walk with out of the week or even a different friend everyday for a different activity if it will mean getting you out there and enjoying it, socialise a bit.

4.You need to be realistic

If you have never gone to the gym 7 days a week or run around the block every morning then realistically you are not suddenly going to do this and maintain it. Sure you psych your self up that you are going to empty the fridge of all bad food, do exercise everyday and drink a litre of water everyday….BE REALISTIC. Start with 20mins twice a week.

5.Choose an ideal weight

Stop saying LOOSE WEIGHT change it to I want to be…….. not I want to loose weight. Get exact, own it! The more you have the ideal weight imprinted in your mind the more you will crave to have it and the pain of not being it will drive right up to the gate of your ideal weight and boot you out the car in no time. So when people say you trying to loose weight, Yes I want to be….. put it out there.

6.Get Upset

In life we are drawn to pleasure and away from pain. So make it painful when your jeans don’t fit, have a tantrum when the scales say your overweight, beat yourself up. Use the fuel of being upset or angry to propel you off the couch and into the gym. Drive to work and remember you could not fit your favourite black skirt and take the stairs. Fuel for Growth.

7.Throw away your scales

In fact take your scales and hide them somewhere even give them away. Muscle weighs more than fat and that is a fact. So If you are going to the gym and lifting weights you are building muscle which is great but the scales are going to be a lousy judge of were you are at. The best gauge is to find a pair of trousers that don’t fit and keep trying them on (obviously not every day ).

8.Stop eating when your full

This has got to be the biggest downfall we all have and we have had it drilled into us form an early age also “Don’t waste food, their are people starving in the world” . So come dinner time we pile the plate up and we keep going until it is clear because we would hate to waste any food or heaven forbid people may think that you have an eating disorder if you don’t gobble it all down. The body is an intricate machine it knows what it needs to fuel itself, it also knows when it is full, so listen to your body and stop when you feel full.

9.We are 90% water

Water is an amazing thing, not only does it satisfy any thirst, it is available everywhere and is arm lengths away at anytime. So no excuses for not drinking water! The way water works with reaching our ideal goal is to flush out the toxins, help hydrate the body, keep the body working and the metabolism racing. If you have water in your vision; sitting on your desk at work, a glass by your bed at night, a water bottle in your car or hanging out by the water cooler. You will find yourself drinking water all day if it is in your sight, you may even find yourself drinking more than you have ever before.

10.Have FUN!!

Exercise is fun, you need to find what exercise you find fun. Maybe breaking down the moves to your favourite hip hop video, dragging your partner to swing dance or simply taking a walk to your favourite cafe from home instead of using the car. There are so many ways to exercise that do not confine you to the gym, involve running or wearing lycra. Think outside the square. Do you remember the days of hula hoops and skipping ropes? what about letting the dog walk you for a change.

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very touch me….remain me beautiful memory~~

Technorati Tags: 21st, Best, birthday, fran, From, Present

Introduction:-

Last year was our first trip to Oporto in North Portugal, via a week’s cruise down the Douro River, brilliantly organised by PortGolf. At the end of that week, Peter Evens, who runs PortGolf, suggested we should return for the festival of S. Joao and perhaps play some golf. This seemed a good idea so on our return to the UK we organised a dinner for two other couples, one of whom (Gerry and Catriona) had played golf around Oporto and Jim and Margery. We discussed the idea and it was agreed that eight would be a good number. Shortly after we had supper with another couple, John and Marion who volunteered to join us. None of us had ever holidayed together before so it would be a test of friendship. Due to other commitments Gerry and Catriona and John and Marion would stay for a week whilst we and Jim and Margery would stay for twelve days.

There follows a Journal of that Trip:-

Thursday 21st June:-

We decided to catch the first Porto flight out of Gatwick at 6.30am whilst the others were catching the 1.30pm flight. We were met at Oporto Airport at 9am by Peter Evens who whisked us off to the four star Hotel Fenix, conveniently placed close to the Boa Vista area. The weather was bright with a light shower around midday. Having unpacked in our spacious room on the 9th Floor with splendid views of a truly magnificent cemetery and the city we set off on our first adventure to walk to the city centre and explore the area. We had a pasta and wine lunch at the Simbiose Restaurant (€30) overlooking the river and watched the Port wine boats ferrying people to and fro. Walked back uphill to the hotel calling in at the local supermarket for gin and whisky for nightcaps. The rest of the gang arrived at 6.15pm somewhat late due to delays. Having checked in we all got into the lift to travel to the 9th floor. Now this lift has a notice that says it is for 10 persons – unfortunately, they mean 10 Portuguese persons who happen to be somewhat smaller in stature than 8 Brits for the lift decided to descend to -5 floors before coming to a halt with a resounding bang. Not exactly the start we were looking for, but we managed to extract ourselves and walk back to the ground floor we proceeded to travel in the 2nd lift and the service lift – time for a drink! Peter found us in the bar at 8pm when we were taken in two vehicles to the Maria Moita, a local Porto restaurant for dinner. Peter stayed on to interpret as not much English is spoken and take photographs of the evening. Fun food with an interesting menu and carafes of wine. Bed by 11.30 somewhat exhausted.

Friday 22nd June:-

Up at 8.15am, dry, but grey with a smattering of blue. Breakfast, then a quick look round the local shops. Peter and Paolo collected us at 12.30 for our first game of golf at Estela.

The course lies about an hour from the centre of Oporto on the Atlantic coast. The drive was pleasant and informative and the entrance guarded by two automatic gates. A drink and a toasted sandwich started the event which was a four ball better ball with husbands partnering wives. Typically for a links course, the wind blew like hell and was a contributing factor to the round taking 4½ hours. Gerry and Catriona were the winners and copious amounts of gin & tonic and beer was consumed. Showered and change before whisked off to Casa do Frango in a nearby town – problem was our driver dropped us at the wrong place which held up proceedings, but didn’t stop the wine flowing before the chicken and chips arrived – turned out to be a fun night and tested some people’s ability of alcohol consumption. On our return to the hotel John and Marion joined us in our room for a nightcap and left at 1.30am.

Saturday 23rd June:-

Up at 8.30 am and a glorious summer day. Everyone into city centre to sightsee, but for us it was to shop for prizes meeting up with the gang at Majestic café – the ‘in place’ to be seen – coffee and brandy was the order of the day. Off to lunch to Foz at Praia da Luz, a super restaurant on the beach which we had sampled last year – great food and wine with a variety of local dishes, ridiculously cheap at €30 per couple. Back to the hotel at 4pm to rest before the night’s activities. At Midnight Oporto celebrates the S. Joao festival.

Peter and cab collected us at 9.10pm and we are taken to Taylor’s Port Wine Lodge where the atmosphere is electric – a couple of hundred people are seated at round tables for a set menu of Kale & Potato Soup; breads; sardines; Roast Kid & Vegetables followed by Almond tart and ice cream. The best wines are served and we tried a couple of bottles of 20 year old vintage Port. The lodge is situated at Gaia on the southside of the Douro River and at 12.05am we adjourn to the terrace to watch a firework display over Porto which was out of this world – we are all stunned by the magnificence of the scene. John & Marion have to leave by cab due to John’s bruised Achilles heel while the rest of us have to walk as no vehicles are allowed in the area other than for medical reasons. The crush is worse than a cup final at Wembley, but everyone is in such great humour and it seems the whole of Oporto’s inhabitants are bashing you over the head with a plastic hammer or a long garlic plant (both old traditions) – we eventually stagger across the bridge, which had been closed at one point due to too many people on it causing it to sway. Street parties, dancing and singing all the way back to the hotel and so to bed at 3am having survived a most enjoyable adventure.

Sunday 24th June:-

Up for breakfast, lots of orange and black coffee seemed to the order of the day. Later collected to go to Amarante Golf Course another hour drive away. Seems we had the course to ourselves. Said to be hilly, true, difficult to find your way round at times; some spectacular holes accompanied by bangs all afternoon as S. Joao continued to be celebrated. Men versus Ladies this time, the men had no chance. Showered and changed off to a restaurant in Amarante – problem was our driver seemed to have forgotten until he was informed by Peter via mobile phone then he proceeded to drive at 120 kph to get back on track. No English spoken at all at the restaurant which made life a tad difficult. Food quite nice, but we appeared to be in a quieter mood – at our age very late nights can play havoc with some people’s constitution.

Monday 25th June:-

Today we are moving to the Oporto Cricket & Lawn Tennis Club, so its bag packing time as six of us are off on an adventure – a day trip on a boat up the Douro. Gerry & Catriona have done this trip before so they go back to Estela for golf. Superb weather and the trip is just fine with breakfast and lunch provided and the river is so peaceful. We make friends with Lourdes who is the tour guide. Later she is surprised to find us drinking champagne – she asks what we are celebrating, we tell her a birthday, she asks whose birthday it is and we tell her we don’t know, but we are pretty sure it’s someone’s birthday somewhere. We arrive at Reguá at 4.15pm and are taken by coach for about 200 yards to the railway station where we are to continue our adventure by train back to Oporto a journey of about 2 hours. Peter meets us at the station and takes us to our new quarters at the O.C. & L.T.C. a little oasis in the middle of Oporto. Very colonial style and every one is so friendly. Shower and change and meet for drinks in the lounge before walking a couple of hundred yards up the road to Capa Négra 2 a local restaurant where we are served by Olivetti who speaks good English and advises on the local dishes. Plenty of wine and a fun evening all for the princely sum of €30 per couple. John and Marion insist on having a nightcap in our room – another late night.

Tuesday 26th June:-

Breakfast at 9am then walked around the grounds of the club and inspected the tennis courts, cricket pitch (thought we would bat first) and the swimming pool. We got ready for golf and soon we were on our way to Ponte de Lima on a lovely sunny day. Again about an hour drive to the golf course, but very scenic and somewhat mountainous – buggies a necessity. Drinks and a sandwich first, but you never need to be in a hurry in these places which was a good job as the round took over five hours, something we are just not used to, but we’re on holiday so what the heck. A quick shower and drink before setting off to Restaurant Acude. A limited menu and quite expensive for the region, but we enjoyed it. Drove back to the club and home by 12.30am – a long day.

Wednesday 27th June:-

Up at 8.15am nice shower and a leisurely breakfast. Today is a relaxing day where we all do our own thing. A day by the pool for some, shopping for some of the ladies and bridge for others. We all meet in the bar at 8pm for tonight we are eating in the club’s superb dining room and prize giving. It worked out that everybody got a prize of sorts and Margery and Jim won Peter Evens “PortGolf” prize for the best score on the Stroke Index 1 holes on all the courses we played. Food, wines, service and atmosphere could not be bettered a fantastic end for those departing the next day. Somewhat late to bed!

Thursday 28th June:-

Missed our farewells to Catriona and Gerry, but managed them for Marion and John who were catching a later flight. Today Peter is taking Margery and Jim and us for a road trip up the Douro Valley Tour. We set off at 9.45pm again with glorious sunshine. Our first stop is at the winery of Quinta de Aveleda.

A guided tour including tastings with cheese. We wandered round the grounds which have beautiful gardens including resident peacocks. In the shop, a loud mouthed American, who was buying a six pack of wine, was boasting to the young lady at the counter that back home he had a thousand bottles of wine – to which she replied, “And now you have a thousand and six, sir.” – priceless!

Our next stop was at Amarante to see the famous bridge and a quick walk round the town, very pretty. On through rolling hills filled with vines to Regua and stopped for lunch at the Pousada. Sat outside in the glorious sun and admired the views across the valley. We moved on to Quinta do Panascal – Fonseca winery/ port lodge, had a guided tour through the grape terraces with the aid of an audio tape and earphones giving a history and the workings of the company. Back to the lodge for more tastings then a return journey via Vila Real through mile after mile of hills laden with vines from top to bottom. Back to the club for a shower and change before Peter dropped us off at the Oporto Restaurant. We were all intrigued to see Jim’s starter as he had ordered ‘fish soup in pastry’. (the pastry was on the top!)

Friday 29th June:-

Breakfast at 9am – today we are back to Estela golf course, but what a difference, loads of sunshine and no wind. Girls versus the Boys (yes, of course the Girls won, but only at the 18th) – back to the club for a rest and shower.

A special evening as we meet Peter’s wife, Anabela, for the first time and we go to Praia de Luz for dinner. A great meal with lively conversation and a beautiful sunset, of which we have several photos if anyone wants a copy. Home to bed another long day.

Saturday 30th June:-

Despite last night’s sunset, we wake to a grey sky and much cooler temperatures. The girls, (I use the term loosely), go off shopping to Vila Nova de Gaia, “Corte Ingles”. Us chaps do our own thing reading and watching the members who are barbequing for lunch – Jim tries the sardines. Lorna and Margery arrive back at 2.15pm and after hearing of their adventures we have tea and scones – how civilized.

Peter collects us at 6.45pm as we are to have drinks at his house at Senhora da Hora. We meet up with Anabela again and also later with Jacquay one of his twin daughters who entertains us on the piano. Then we are off to a fish restaurant, O Manel in Matosinhos – no English spoken and we struggle with the menu, not the best place to eat in our opinion, also quite expensive. An early night for all.

Sunday 1st July:-

A free day – weather a bit grey and not very hopeful. Margery and Jim decide to tour the city by open-top bus whilst we decide to walk to the Palacio de Cristal a spacious park which houses a circular building for concerts; there are also some nice views of the river and across the city. We continue our walk through to S. Bento Metro Station where we attempt to purchase from a machine two day tickets – we fail miserably despite the help of a couple of locals, but were rescued by a station security guard who helped us to purchase the correct tickets. The Metro is very modern and is a cross between a tram, a trolley bus and an underground train – very clean and quiet. Out first journey takes us across the very top of the Ponte do Luis and up to the terminus outside “Corte Ingles”. We return back down, but alight at Jardim do Morro where we have been advised there are some good photo opportunities across the river. We then decide to walk over the top of the bridge rather than ride. In hindsight this was not a good idea as we reckon that the bridge is similar in construction and height to the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia – we wouldn’t walk across that even if they do chain you to the railing so what on earth are we doing here? So being English, we put our heads down and just keep walking until, somewhat relieved, we get to the other side – phew! I have to add that the Metro trains are passing by you just inches away which tends to add to the excitement. We did get some nice pictures of the trains crossing the bridge and entering the tunnel below us. With shaking legs we descended hundreds of steps and through winding alleys to get to the riverside where we had a bottle of wine and lunch and watched the world go by. We returned to the station and went as far as the Estadio do Dragáo, a recently completed stadium before returning back down to our nearest station to home, the “Casa da Musica”. The weather had much improved by this time so we walked back to the club in sunshine.

We met with Margery and Jim by the pool and exchanged stories and adventures, then snoozed for a while before getting ready to embark for our last night to the “Cafeina” Restaurant. A very smart establishment and nice food, but again would not be in our top five. Peter collected us and returned us safely back to the club.

Monday 2nd July:-

One wonderful attribute of the club is that clients are not required to vacate their rooms until midday. We took advantage of this by having time to pack in a leisurely manner and having stored our bags we were collected by Peter to take us for lunch at “Ar de Rio”, a modern riverside restaurant in Cais da Gaia. We sat inside by an open wall looking out across the Douro River in glorious sunshine. Peter collected us and took us to Crofts Port Wine Lodge for a tour and tasting – a lovely way to end a holiday in Oporto.

We collected our baggage from the club, said our goodbyes to the staff and Peter dropped us off at the Airport in good time for the flight which was delayed for fifty minutes.

All in all a most enjoyable holiday, well organized by PortGolf in the shape of Peter Evens whose care and attention of his clients is second to none.

Without a doubt we shall return once again to this most interesting of cities.

Mike & Lorna Gizzy

June

Technorati Tags: Diary, Golfers, Holiday, North, Portugal, Tour

A stretch limousine can be a great way to say happy birthday to a loved one, brother, sister, mum, dad, grandparents, friend or work colleague. It is such a nice gesture and will almost certainly be a fantastic surprise. A birthday is one of the most popular reasons for limo hire in the UK along with weddings, hen nights, stag nights, corporate events, airport transfers and school proms. They are usually hired for special birthdays such as 18th, 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th or 60th; indeed some have even been rented for a 70th and 80th birthdays. In truth a limousine can be rented whatever the age of the birthday boy or girl such is the appeal.

There is no one limousine that is more popular than others when it comes to a birthday. This is in contrast to other events such as hen nights where pink limousines are the most popular. It really depends on numbers of people and the birthday boy or girls personal preference. The birthday limo can be a surprise or may be hired by the birthday boy or girl themselves. For certain birthdays though there are preferred limousines. The fire engine limousine tends to be more popular for children’s birthdays and parties than other limousines as many of the fire engines have fully working flashing lights and sirens as well as fireman outfits and helmets for the children to wear. The Fire Engine limousine is also popular for girl’s birthdays whatever their age as all ladies love a fireman.

Pink limousines are perhaps unsurprisingly popular for girl’s birthdays are the preference for pink limo depends on the numbers travelling. For large parties of up to 20 girls the pink Hummer H2 limousine or pink 6 wheeler Lincoln Navigator limousine is most often hired. For smaller groups of .eight to ten people the choices available range from pink stretch Lincoln Town Cars, pink Chrysler C300 Baby Bentley limos, pink Chrysler PT Cruiser limos and pink Hummer H3 limos.

For male birthdays there are a range of stretch limos available and again the types used depend on numbers of people. There are no popular colours, black, white and silver are used in equal amounts, but the black Hummer H2 limousine, Silver Audi Q7 limousine and huge triple axle 8 wheeler Hummer H2 limousine are quite often requested.

For mature birthdays a classy limousine is required and nothing is more stylish than the Chrysler C300 Baby Bentley limousine or white stretch Lincoln Town Car (new shape) where comfort and style is preferred to gadgets, gizmos and massive sound systems.

And for the most popular birthday boys or girls there are massive Party Bus limousines capable of carrying up to fifty people. These huge vehicles have a range of gadgets and extras such as smoke machines, bubble machines, dance poles and even on-tap bar areas.

Therefore there is no one type of limousine that has proved to be more popular for birthdays it is simply down to the individuals taste and the number of people travelling.

 Why not have pink limo hire, stretch limo hire or hummer limo hire.

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My 21st Birthday Extravaganza Celebration. Liquor being poured, vodka shots being taken, tequila being served, and wine being sipped. All the girls up out on the floor, shaking shaking, what could I ask for more. Had friends and family tearing up the floor. Had me feeling higher than any winning team’s score. I loved my 21st birthday. Thank you everyone. God Bless and enjoy this beautiful and sexy compilation of my 21st Birthday!

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I have a friend who’s turning 21 in a few days, and she’s been really depressed for a number of reasons not to mention a bunch of her friends bailing on her 21rst birthday NYC outing…but since all this has happened I’m really want to do something for her that would just make er happy…without resulting in alcohol or any of that, just to show her that yeah- u can still have fun. Any ideas?
Image taken on 2005-07-01 00:08:12 by Declan McAleese.

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