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Most Beautiful Churches and Cathedrals in San Francisco.

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San Francisco is a cool, elegant and hypnotizing consolidated city-county in California composed of large streets providing stunning views of one of the world’s greatest bays. Take flight to San Francisco from Hong Kong and enjoy the attractions it has to offer but the tour is not complete if you skip these 10 most beautiful churches in San Francisco.

  1. Grace Cathedral.

Grace Cathedral is the third largest cathedral in the US shining on the Nob Hill. It is simply stunning with a spectacular organ, grand archways, and stained-glass windows. The aura of old-world is gifted to Grace Cathedral by its Gothic revival architecture style. You will love the walk around indoor and outdoor labyrinths which depicts the history of the site together with the mosaic murals and art installations. Visitors are not allowed at the time of their regular services unless you visit before or after. Yoga lovers are invited weekly on Tuesday evenings for a donation-based class.

  1. Holy Virgin Cathedral.

“Joy of All Who Sorrow” , which is also known as the Holy Virgin Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox Cathedral that stood in the Richmond district of San Francisco. It can be introduced as the largest Russian Orthodox Cathedral outside of Russia. Its building is a design of Oleg N. Ivanitsky. Cathedral’s five sharp onion domes are enveloped in 24-karat gold leaf.  Similarly, its interior shines with rich mosaics and statues of gilt paintings and religious scenes.

  1. Saints Peter and Paul Church

Saints Peter and Paul Church is honored by the name “Italian Cathedral of the West”, standing on the Washington Square of North Beach. This church has appeared in a few movies, Dirty Harry, Deadpool and Sister Act 2. Perhaps you recognize the steps of this church from the wedding photos of Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe. Although the original cathedral was destroyed in 1906 by an earthquake and fire, the current church stands over the city firmly with 191 feet high twin spires since 1924. The bright interior of the church draws inspirations from Italian Gothic style and features the magnificent ecclesiastical artwork.

  1. Mission Dolores.

Mission Dolores is the oldest standing building in San Francisco. It is rather a museum than a historic church, yet it is an active museum beneath the exhibits of Native American history. The mission is located next to basilica with bell towers. Visitors are impressed by the simple mission architecture of the building. You’ll love the small cemetery behind the mission amongst bustling neighborhood.

  1. Dominic’s Catholic Church.

St. Dominic’s Catholic Church is another gorgeous church in San Francisco with a mega-building in lower Pacific Heights. You’ll feel the holy atmosphere by the moment you walk in through the door. The impressive Gothic revival architecture and the shrine of St. Jude draw here thousands of visitors annually. This is the fourth parish located in this church completed in 1928. You’ll realize that there’s a lot of prized statues and artworks inside St. Dominic’s church. It remains alive through life changing talks and beautiful music. I recommend you to attend here mostly on holy days of obligation to hear the talented chamber choir and pipe organ.

  1. Patrick Church.

St. Patrick Church is another massive Roman Catholic Church in the heart of San Francisco founded in 1851. You’ll find it as the best place to spend time with Jesus having reflecting prayers. It is unique due to its historic brick buildings with very well done masses amongst modern buildings. Inside is absolutely beautiful with very high ceilings, stained glass windows and statues of saints. The tranquil interior awards you a divine moment of silence and respite. A must visit place, even if you’re a non-Catholic.

  1. Saint Ignatius Church.

One of the largest churches in the city which was built in 1914 as a part of the University of San Francisco. The present church is the fifth parish of Saint Ignatius church. Inside is incredibly decorated with a mixture of Italian and Baroque elements architecture on a floor plan based on ancient Roman Basilica. This becomes a prominent landmark in San Francisco by its twin spires and dome. Four alcoves inside the church have been converted into an art gallery called Manresa Gallery participated by a number of Bay Area artists.

  1. Old St. Mary’s Cathedral.

Old St. Mary’s Cathedral is one of most beautiful cathedrals in the city which exhibits Gothic Revival architecture style. You can witness the photographs of its survival from the earthquake and fire. One will hardly miss this church as it is located in the heart of Chinatown. It is best to visit here on Tuesdays afternoon to watch the lively classical music performances. This church with a lot of history and a tranquil atmosphere makes one feel that the world is away and only God matters.

 

  1. National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi.

The National Shrine of St. Francis of Assisi is the real heart of San Francisco. Although the complete site is solemn and quite its warmer interior is breath-taking with stained-glass windows, rich woods, holy relics of Saint Francis and beautiful Gothic architecture. Although it is no longer a parish this is the best place to talk to God. Moreover, this is connected with a school. Thus, walking around the church will also be educational.

  1. Notre-Dame-Des-Victoires Church.

Log on Notre-Dame-Des-Victoires Church to make a wish under respite while visiting around the bustling San Francisco. This Roman Catholic Church was built originally to serve French Immigrants. As this is a French National Church there is a separate center for French community of San Francisco inside. The two staircases at the entrance extending either side give a positive impression for visitors but the architecture is a model of Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourviere in Lyon.

Flying with Kids? Read This Now and Thank Us Later

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Source: Unsplash | Julian Larcher

Ah, yes: who doesn’t enjoy those delightful vacation company commercials to glorious places like Sicily, featuring blissful families frolicking on the beach, exploring the great outdoors — and so on? Everyone is having the time of their life.

But there’s something these vacation companies don’t put in their commercials: they don’t show what flying with kids is really like. And why would they expose this cruel truth? If they did, nobody would want to go on a family vacation. They’d want to go to family therapy.

The bad news is that we aren’t yet living in a Star Trek-like world, in which going from point A to point B is a simple matter of telling the computer to “beam us” over.  But the good news is that families with young kids don’t have to turn their non-stop flight into a non-stop fight. Here are 7 tips to keep in mind:

  1. Check your seats before boarding. And then check them again. If there’s a mistake, you definitely want to sort it out in the airport — not in the plane.
  2. Speaking of seats: try and sit as close as possible to the front of the plane, where the ride is usually less bumpy.
  3. Booking early morning flights may seem like the worst suggestion imaginable, but it’s actually a wise idea. Why? Because early morning flights tend to take off on time vs. those later in the day. Less time the air (or on the runway) is a good thing.
  4. Bring activities such as coloring books that will keep your little ones busy, but won’t make noise to disturb the other passengers. And speaking of books: don’t forget to bring some yourself to make the time go faster. If you’re tired of the standard Stephen King and John Grisham fare, consider picking up a book that features full-color classic car restoration photos so that you and kids can enjoy it together.
  5. Bring healthy snacks, especially since airlines are notorious for running out of kid-friendly foods early and often. Trail mix, granola, cereal, and fruit are all good ideas.
  6. If you need to take connecting flights, then consider longer vs shorter layovers. Yes, this means the journey will take more time than it could. But it also means that your kids will have the opportunity to stretch their legs, get rid of some energy, and have fun looking around the airport (yes, as adults airports are a drag, but kids still find them pretty fascinating). As a bonus, your willingness to tolerate longer layovers might result in a lower ticket price.
  7. Pack plenty of patience. True, this is much easier said than done! And one day when your kids have kids of their own, they will understand — and be very, very apologetic for what they did to you. But until then, you need to stay calm, stay focused, and recruit as many allies on the flight as possible (you’ve struck gold if there are other kids flying and they all become instant friends).

This is Sicily: Beaches and Bays With Crystal Clear Water

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Sicily has a lot to offer: beautiful beaches, nature, stunning views, cozy cities, and delicious food. All the ingredients for a great holiday are here, and the best way to live it is to rent a villa in Sicily with pool for all your guests, you can check the best here:

What are the main highlights of the island? Keep reading and find out!

1. Hiking in the Zingaro Nature Reserve

Riserva dello Zingaro is the absolute highlight during a road trip through Sicily! The Zingaro nature reserve is 45 minutes drive from Trapani and 1 hour and 20 minutes from Palermo. It is a must to visit this natural park, especially if you like hiking. The most beautiful beaches of all Sicily can be found here! Our tip is to visit this natural park early. Start hiking at 8.00 in the morning, and then you still have plenty of time to lie on one of the beautiful beaches. The beaches can only be reached on foot.

2. Sail to the Egadi Islands

Cala Rossa: Favignana

Everyones love beautiful beaches and bays with crystal clear water. Visiting the Egadi Islands is therefore high on many’s wish list! This group of islands consists of the three islands Favignana, Levanzo and Marettimo. Favignana is the largest and most popular island. You can visit the island of Favignana from Trapani harbor. You can also spend the night on this island, or make it a day trip of it.

The most beautiful beaches of Favignana are:

Spiaggia di Cala Rossa

Cala Azzurra Beach

Lido Burrone

Cala Rotonda

Cala Azzurra Beach

On Favignana, you can rent a scooter. Upon arrival in the port of the islands, you will immediately find all rental companies (noleggios). There are many on Favignana.

3. Be surprised in Noto

Noto

A village that certainly surprises is Noto. This beautiful village is a 30-minute drive from Syracuse, one of Sicily’s biggest city. The cozy streets, but especially the beautiful buildings, are top attractions. Noto lies on a hill and after a severe earthquake in 1693 completely rebuilt in Baroque style. Today Noto is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. That says it all, doesn’t it? If you have enough time, be sure to visit the old town of Noto.

3. Climb La Rocca in Cefalù

No mountain is too high… If you love views (and although the trip to the summit is not always easy), you will be rewarded with a beautiful view. In Cefalu, you can climb La Rocca. This hill lies behind Cefalu and is about 270 meters high. From Cefalu, you climb in about 45 minutes to 1 hour to the top. To enter La Rocca, you have to pay €4 per person. You can reach the entrance on foot from the city. On the top, you’ll find a ruin of a castle and a temple.

4. Eating in Syracuse

Syracuse & Ortigia

Well, food is a highlight for many every day, especially in Italy. You need to be ready to eat everywhere in Sicily, but in Syracuse, it is a unique experience. Every day there is a market on the Ortigia peninsula. Ortigia is a small (peninsula) in the old center of Syracuse. It is connected to the modern city by a bridge. Ortigia is very lovely to visit

In case of rain and sunshine, it is worth visiting the chalk cliffs near Agrigento. Also called the Sicilian steps by the sea. Scala Dei Turchi is free to attend, and in good weather, you can lie on the beach. Be sure to put on proper shoes, otherwise, you’ll slip out quickly. In good weather, these cliffs are magnificent, and you can stay there for a whole day. Take a look at these pictures!

6. Cheering in the Amphitheater of Taormina

Scattered over Sicily, you will find several amphitheaters. Taormina is among the most beautiful, and it is actually because of the location. From the amphitheater you have – when the weather is good – a view on the Etna volcano. Next to that, it is a bit higher, on a hill, and from here you have a beautiful view of the sea and Taormina. The Greek theatre was built in the third century B.C. and is still in use today for performances.

7. Climbing the Etna volcano

Last but not least, an amazing and sublime experience is to climb an active Volcano. From Taormina and Catania, it is about an hour’s drive to the volcano. You then drive to the place where you can take the cable car up to the volcano. The cable car will not take you to the top. In the last part, you have to travel on foot, or you need to go with a guide that you can book in advance.

Planning Your Summer Orlando Trip Starts Right Now

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If you have decided to take the family away to Orlando this summer then I can tell you from experience that right now, just after the holiday season is over, is when you need to start making your plans. So far we have done 3 ‘tours’ of Orlando and I can completely understand why so many families flock there each and every year, it truly is a special place which you are going to fall in love with. That first year we left things pretty late in terms of planning and we really paid for it by missing out on some of things that we’d really had our hearts set on. I made sure that this didn’t happen again, and here is why you need to get your planning hat on right now.

Finances

As I mentioned, Orlando makes for a truly perfect holiday destination, but perfection really does come at a cost. From your flights to the hotels, attractions to the food and shopping that your are going to be spending money on, this is a family trip that runs well into the thousands. There is little point in having this amazing adventure with your family if you spend the next 4 months with a tight purse trying to pay off your credit card. Get saving now and you can ensure that the outgoings don’t cause you anxiety whilst you are on vacation.

Big Discounts

There are very often some outstanding discounts on theme park tickets in Orlando to the likes of Disney and Universal, but you have to be on top of things if you wish to get your hands on them. If you start keeping an eye discount sites now, as well as the official park sites, you are going to be in prime position to get those discounts when they roll around. The cost savings which you can make when you do this are huge, so make sure that you have an eagle eye ready, starting from now.

Availability

For some vacations you can leave booking the hotel until the very last minute, safe in the knowledge that you may be able to bag yourself a great deal at short notice. Things don’t work like this in Orlando, especially not during summertime. If you want the best hotels and the most availability, now is the time that you should be booking up, don’t leave it too late.

Itinerary

There is just so many things to do, see and experience in Orlando and the surrounding areas that you are going to have to seriously invest some time in planning the holiday if you want to get the most from it. Logistics alone can be a nightmare, working out where to stay and when, which days to do one activity and which days to do another. The stress of planning a vacation like this should not be overlooked, especially if you don’t get started until much further down the line. Speak with the family about what they’d like to do, research each activity and plot out how you will be spending each day of your trip. There is little time for spontaneity in Orlando, as there is more than enough to do during your break, and you aren’t going to want to veer away from that.

12 Animal-Themed Holidays in 2020 

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We’ve all heard of the major national holidays, such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, but did you know there are animal-themed holidays that celebrate our animal friends? These celebrated holidays slip quietly through the year without a lot of people even noticing. However, there are plenty of reasons why we should be spreading the word about these animal-themed holidays. With the number of extinct animals increasing daily, the importance of spreading the love of these animals has never been more important. So, here are 12 animal-themed holidays to mark on your calendar in 2020.

National Bird Day – January 5

National Bird Day celebrates the beauty, song, and flight of birds as well as their importance as indicators of a healthy ecosystem.

Nearly 12% of birds are endangered or threatened species. Parrots and songbirds are especially at risk, mostly due to loss of habitat and a reduction in food resources due to development within their natural habitats.

Nearly half a million people celebrate this holiday, annually by bird watching.

If you’re looking for a way to do more than watch and would like to interact with birds in a natural environment, free-flight aviaries are an excellent way to achieve this.

The Gulf Breeze Zoo, a zoo in Florida, has a large free-flight aviary where visitors can appreciate the wonderful species of birds up close. Visitors can feed the Australian budgerigars treat sticks and observe hundreds of birds soaring above naturally.

National Hippo Day – February 15 

Held annually, National Hippo Day will be held on February 15 this year. Unfortunately, these animals are hunted for their skin, meat, and bones, and are considered by some as more valuable than elephants. With more and more farmers taking over their land, too, hippos are seeing a decline in numbers, causing them to land on the vulnerable species list. However, with this national holiday, people can be reminded just how special these animals are and why we should protect them at all costs.

Learn about Butterflies Day – March 14 

Butterflies are one of the most fascinating creatures on Earth, so encourage your children to celebrate this national holiday. This will not only widen their education about why it’s crucial to save the butterflies, but it will also show them just what amazing creatures they are. This year, Learn about Butterflies Day lands on March 14 and there are several ways that you can celebrate butterfly day:

  • Create a butterfly garden
  • Get crafty and make a butterfly out of paper
  • Make a butterfly treat for them
  • And, of course, you can learn about butterflies. For example, did you know that a butterfly can travel up to 3,000 miles?

Save the Elephant Day – April 16 

It is a sad fact, but elephants are one of the most endangered species of animals to walk the earth. The gentle and intelligent creatures are hunted down for their tusks and as a result, have seen a decline in their numbers. Save The Elephant Day was put in place to try and stop the statistic from getting any worse. The more awareness about elephants, the more likely we have a chance of saving this incredible animal.

World Bee Day – May 20 

Bees are the reason why our trees are green and why our plants are full of life. The international holiday was created to celebrate and acknowledge the hard work that bees do for us, even if we don’t always notice it.

Hug your cat day – June 4 

Celebrate your love for your furry feline friend on June 4 by hugging your cat. While you may provide your cat with love every day of the year, show them that extra bit of love next year and cuddle up with them on the couch.

World Snake Day – July 16

Despite the bad rep that snakes get, there is so much to celebrate about them. With only 3,458 species left in the world, the importance of celebrating this holiday needs to be made aware.

National Homeless Animals Day – August 17 

First established by the International Society for animal rights, this day is about raising awareness of the growing problem of homeless animals. More than 2.7 million cats and dogs die every year because there aren’t enough adoptive homes for them. Therefore, the national holiday is trying to put a stop to this.

To help minimize the number of animals killed every year, you can do several things:

  • Adopt
  • Have your current pet spayed or neutered

Save the Koala Day – September 27

Just like many animals are experiencing, as human life expands, a koala’s home becomes smaller. We are slowly taking over the land that koalas call home, and it is starting to affect the population. To spread awareness about the adorable animal when September 27 rolls around, why not plant a tree, change your social media picture to a koala or pin a leaf to your outfit?

International Sloth day – October 20

Be sure not to miss out on International Sloth Day on October 20 next year. The adorable animals that are famous for being slow-moving and tree-dwelling have plenty to be celebrated about.

Jellyfish Day – November 3

While Jellyfish are not always favored by many, there are many reasons why you should celebrate Jellyfish Day on November 3. For example, did you know that despite the name, Jellyfish are not actually fish? As November 3 comes around, be sure to celebrate these animals and learn more about them.

Wildlife Conservation Day – December 4

Every December, Wildlife Conservation Day serves as a reminder that we need to preserve and protect wild animals and their habitats. The day seeks to raise awareness about the dangers that wild animals face, as well as shine a light on the efforts being made to lower human impacts on wildlife.

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We left our home in Sydney, Australia many moons ago in May 2012 and, other than a brief stint back in Perth for Christmas and a wedding in early 2014, we have been travelling the world nomadically ever since, running a business from our laptops and we’re here to show you how to do it!