Royal Caribbean

The Royal Caribbean offers everything you would expect from a five-star resort.. Whether it is tennis (with night play available), sailing from our marina, dining in the resort's restaurant or at Cancun's most famous eatery for seafood Captain's Cove, lounging poolside at our oversized freshwater pools or on our powder white sand beach, it is not long before you are totally relaxed. After all, you would not expect less from one of Cancún's finest resorts.

Royal Islander

Located along a stretch of the most spectacular white sand beach in all of Mexico. The resort is situated among a trio of luxury resorts, all operated by the premier timeshare company in Cancun, The Royal Resorts. Next door sits The Royal Caribbean and next to that, the Royal Mayan. Each of these resorts is connected by walkways, and transportation is provided by free shuttle buses. The effect is like you are staying at one mega resort with access to the features and amenities of any while you are staying at one.

Royal Mayan

Opened in 1983, The Royal Mayan is the hideaway for your dream vacation. A sun-worshipper's paradise, The Royal Mayan is in the center of Cancun's finest beach. Experience tropical ease and elegance at every turn, lush landscaping, rich furnishings and endless views of the sparkling Caribbean sea.

Guests and Royal Resorts members staying at The Royal Mayan have an archaeological site on their doorstep. San Miguelito is a small Mayan ruin in the jungle between the resort and Kukulcan Blvd. The site dates from the Post-Classic period of Mayan history A.D. 900-1521 when Cancun was settled by traders, farmers and fishermen. The Mayan theme is continued in the art and sculptures that enhance the decor at The Royal Mayan.

Royal Sands

The Royal Sands, opened its doors on February 5th, 2000 to rave reviews. It is located on the lot that formally was the site of Fonatur's Casa de Visitas (Guest House) popularly known as the Casa Maya (Mayan House). Over the years, many Presidents and other foreign dignitaries stayed at Casa Maya. The lobby at The Royal Sands is decorated with some of the original furnishings of the guest house. The resort is located on a spectacular beach very close to Kukulcán Plaza.

The unique design of The Royal Sand's villa allows you to choose to occupy the whole villa for up to 6 people, the one bedroom suite consisting of the master bedroom and bath and the living area for up to four people, or the second bedroom for two. The separate entrances and double locking doors assure privacy for all occupants of the villa.

Royal Hacienda

The newest of the Cancun resorts, The Royal Haciendas, has now opened Phase II and the entire project will be finished in 2009. This resort features classic Mexican arches, columns, and terraces that were inspired by the grand old haciendas, or estates of the Yucatan that prospered during the late 19th century and the early 20th century. The vibrant color schemes used in the villas are rich in terracotta, beige, Indian gold, and sepia with accents of Spanish tile, wood, natural stone and hand-painted wall motifs. All the villas have beautiful ocean views and a few have beachfront locations.

All villas at The Royal Haciendas have two spacious bedrooms with TVs, two full bathrooms, a relaxing living space with two Murphy beds, a large flat screen TV, DVD player, and wireless Internet access. There is a fully equipped kitchen with granite counter tops and bar stools for additional seating. A Jacuzzi with a view is located on each terrace. A unique feature of the Lockoff is a kitchenette with mini refrigerator, microwave, sink, toaster, coffee pot, with a service for two.

On-site amenities include inviting pools, a swim-up bar, two large Jacuzzis, and a beachfront restaurant with a sweeping view of the white sand beach with lots of beach chair accommodations. There are also tennis courts, an exercise gym, children’s area, an activity center, a special covered area with swaying hammocks, convenience store (with internet café), travel agency, and car rental. Scheduled additions to the resort include specialty restaurants, boutiques, and a world-class spa.

Capsule hotel

Capsules in Osaka

A capsule hotel is a hotel system of extremely dense occupancy.

Description

View in a capsule, with TV in the upper left corner

The guest space is reduced in size to a modular plastic or fiberglass block roughly 2 m by 1 m by 1.25 m, providing room to sleep. Facilities range in entertainment offerings (most include a television, an electronic console, and wireless internet connection). These capsules are stacked side by side and two units top to bottom, with steps providing access to the second level rooms. Luggage is stored in a locker, usually somewhere outside of the hotel. Privacy is ensured by a curtain or a fibreglass door at the open end of the capsule. Washrooms are communal and most hotels include restaurants, or at least vending machines, pools, and other entertainment facilities.

This style of hotel accommodation was developed in Japan and has not gained popularity outside of the country, although Western variants with larger accommodations and often private baths are being developed (such as the StayOrange.com Hotel, Yotel the Pod Hotel, and citizenM in Kuala Lumpur, London, New York and Amsterdam respectively). Guests are asked not to smoke or eat in the capsules.

These capsule hotels vary widely in size, some having only fifty or so capsules and others over 700. Many are used primarily by men. There are also capsule hotels with separate male and female sleeping quarters. Clothes and shoes are sometimes exchanged for a yukata and slippers on entry. A towel may also be provided. The benefit of these hotels is convenience and price, usually around ¥2000-4000 a night ($16–34, €21-29, £10–20).

Most roomers are businessmen too tired or far away to make the trip home. Others (especially on weekdays) are too inebriated to safely travel to their homes, or too embarrassed to face their spouses.

History

The first capsule hotel was the Capsule Inn Osaka, designed by Kisho Kurokawa and located in the Umeda district of Osaka. It opened on February 1, 1979 and the initial room rate was ¥1,600.

Ski resort

Ski resorts in the World by country

view of a typical resort and lifts

A ski area is a developed recreational facility, usually on a mountain or large hill, containing ski trails and vital supporting services. It is common for a ski area to have food, rental equipment, parking facilities and a ski lift system catering to the sports of skiing and snowboarding. Normally located in high mountain areas (or at least on well-built-up hills) for adequate snow coverage, they have become ubiquitous in areas where skiing is a popular pastime. The paths are usually marked and known as runs, trails or pistes. Ski areas typically have one or more chair lifts for moving skiers rapidly to the top of hills, and to interconnect the various pistes. Rope tows can also be used on short slopes (usually beginner hills or bunny slopes). Larger ski areas may use gondolas or aerial trams for transportation across longer distances within the ski area.

A ski resort is a ski area plus amenities to make it a destination resort. This includes accommodations and other amenities adjacent to the ski area. Some ski resorts offer lodging options on the slopes themselves, with ski-in and ski-out access allowing guests to ski right up to the door. Ski resorts often have other activities, such as snowmobiling, sledding, horse-drawn sleds, dog-sledding, ice-skating, indoor or outdoor swimming, and hottubbing, game rooms, and local forms of entertainment, such as clubs, cinema, theatre and cabarets. Ski resorts may be self-contained and entirely devoted to ski tourism, (for example Vail ski resort) or they may be near a village or town that had a significant existence before the ski resort was built, such as Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Aspen, Colorado, or Park City, Utah.

Though skiing is less dangerous than many popular sports (such as bicycling, golf, football, swimming, and weightlifting), it is widely perceived as being high risk, in part due to significant accident rates as recently as the 1970s. Nevertheless, ski areas usually have at least a basic first aid facility, and some kind of ski patrol service to ensure that injured skiers are rescued. The ski patrol is usually responsible for rule enforcement, marking hazards, closing individual runs (if a sufficient level of hazard exists), and removing (dismissing) dangerous participants from the area.

A mountain resort is a place to holiday or vacation located in mountains. Common activities include skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating, as well as summer activities such as hiking, mountain biking, golf, and tennis.

Golf resort

Golf resorts are resorts that cater specifically to the sport of golf, and include access to one or more golf course and or clubhouse. Golf resorts typically provide golf packages that provide visitors with all greens and cart fees, range balls, luxury accommodations and meals.

Accommodation in the resorts may take the form of hotel-like rooms or private spacious villas. Golf resorts are typically located in areas with great natural scenery and they may also offer other nature-based activities such as backpacking, fishing as well as health spas and beauty clinics etc.

It is possible for golfers to purchase vacation packages for some of the finest golf resorts and golf courses all over the world. Destinations include golf resorts in states like Florida, Arizona, Hawaii, and California, cities like Las Vegas, Pinehurst, and Myrtle Beach, and renowned international golf travel destinations like Ireland and Scotland, where the game was born. Most countries in the world now host golf resorts of one type or another.

Welcome to Golf Holidays... home to over 40 exciting golf destinations, over 100 fabulous hotels & golf resorts and over 400 magnificent golf courses. It's so easy to quote and book your dream golf vacation on-line!



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Condo hotel

Trump International Hotel and Tower

A condo hotel, also known as a hotel-condo or a Condotel, is a building used as both a condominium and a hotel.

Condo hotels are typically high-rise buildings developed and operated as luxury hotels, usually in major cities and resorts in the US and around the world. These hotels have condominium units which allow someone to own a full-service vacation home. When they aren’t using this home, they can leverage the marketing and management done by the hotel chain to rent and manage the condo unit as it would any other hotel room.

Legal conflicts

The U.S. Government is very strict about the type of advertising that can be done vis-a-vis condo hotel projects. Some condo projects have advertised themselves as real estate investments, but since the value of these condos as a real estate investment is not entirely clear the U.S. Government currently disallows use of this reference when advertising condo hotels.

Condo hotels have been criticized in California for allowing developers to skirt laws designed to protect public access to beaches. Because such a facility has hotel rooms, it can be classified as a public accommodation, even though the majority of the units are privately held, and the facility does little to accommodate the public.

Location

While not intended as a complete list, the most popular locations in the U.S. for condo hotels include: Chicago, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, the Las Vegas metropolitan area, New York City, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and Orlando, Florida. Condo-hotels are also found at ski resorts and other destinations. Investors spent an estimated $250 million on condo hotels in 2006, with much of that spending concentrated on resort areas.

Note that analyzing the economics of a condo hotel unit is extremely difficult because of the challenge of getting accurate information about the potential income stream. Developers uniformly do not provide important data or estimates for room rates or occupancy levels for fear of coming under SEC regulations on investments, as opposed to real estate regulations.

Financial considerations

The primary factors that contribute to the financial outcome in ownership are rental revenue, appreciation or depreciation, lending and tax deductions.

Since rental revenue is shared with the management company, owners typically pay no upfront fees for management, which includes the marketing and reservation of the units. Typical monthly fees for units in the rental pool include FF&E^{[clarification needed]} reserve and resort fee(s). Although the revenue splits between owner and management company do vary from project to project, most hover around 50 percent. Most condo hotels, and especially branded hotels like Westin or Ritz-Carlton, are strategically located in resort economies or popular urban destinations, which allow for high nightly rates and consistent year-round occupancy. Rental income from hotel guests is at the mercy of travel patterns and may decline.

Many condo hotels, especially the branded condo hotels, have seen double-digit growth, and have out-performed traditional condos or single family homes in the same resort market. Condo hotels units are fee simple deeded real estate, and can be bought and sold like other forms of real estate. Because of the lack of resale data available for many of the emerging markets where pre-construction condo hotels can be found, experts heed caution when considering a condo hotel purchase for investment purposes alone. Just like traditional real estate, appreciation is never guaranteed. This very scenario most recently occurred in Las Vegas. Several of the more notable condo hotels have sold for less in the resale market than during pre-construction.

Financing is generally costlier than for a primary residence. Mortgage rates may be a full point higher, and in the past this was especially true because financial institutions were unfamiliar with the condo hotel concept. Pre-construction purchases require a significant down payment, and buyers won't see financial return or be able to use their unit until the hotel is completed and ready for operation. Furthermore owners may have to purchase extra insurance to protect against liability claims and some types of damage or loss.

Additional tax benefits may be obtained through condo hotel ownership. If the condo hotel is used for non-primary residence or residential rental, owners may be able to accelerate the depreciation on their condo hotel unit from 39 years, down to 27.5, 15, 7, and even 5 years. Condo hotel tax laws determine this, and affect individuals on a case-by-case basis, as each potential buyer’s tax situation is different.

Homeowner's association fees and services

As with most condominiums, owners of condo-hotel units are required to pay homeowner's association fees, commonly referred to as HOAs. The fee and services can vary a great deal. Factors causing a fluctuation are the hotel’s star rating and operation level, and its physical location. A property located on the ocean, for example, can experience coastal weather regular basis, which in turn canincrease the need for more regular maintenance to the exterior of the building. Along those same lines, a property located in a ski resort must weather powerful winter storms and must also deal with snow removal services.

Exceptions aside, many of the fees and services found in HOAs are fixed and fluctuate very little from project to project. Services such as these usually include general unit utilities, common area utilities, individual room and building reserves, grounds maintenance, exercise area use fees, security, pest control, mechanical repair costs, safety alarm systems, parking area maintenance, pool area maintenance, and owner management and administrative services. Items related to hotel guest impact are generally not included in the HOA fees, these would include housekeeping, and costs related to hotel staffing and operation.

Seaside resort

The seafront of Kemer, a seaside resort in Antalya, Turkey.

A seaside resort is a resort located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.

History of the seaside resort

The coast has always been a recreational environment, although until the mid-nineteenth century, such recreation was a luxury only for the wealthy. Even in Roman times, the town of Baiae, by the Tyrrhenian Sea in Italy, was a resort for those who were sufficiently prosperous. During the early nineteenth century, the Prince Regent popularized Brighton, on the south coast of England, as a fashionable alternative to the wealthy spa towns such as Cheltenham. Later, Queen Victoria's long-standing patronage of the Isle of Wight and Broadstairs in Kent ensured the seaside residence was a highly fashionable possession for those wealthy enough to afford more than one home. Nowadays, many beach resorts are available as far afield as Goa in India.

It was in the mid-nineteenth century that it became popular for people from less privileged classes to take holidays at seaside resorts. Improvements in transportation brought about by the industrial revolution enabled people to take vacations away from home, and led to the growth of coastal towns as seaside resorts. This is perhaps most strongly evidenced in England and Wales, where no point is more than 180 km from the coast.

British seaside resorts

The Grand Pier and donkey rides at Weston-super-Mare England

Llandudno Pier

As the nineteenth century progressed, British working class day-trippers traveled on organized trips such as railway excursions, or by steamer, for which long piers were erected so that the ships bringing the trade could berth.

The popularization of the seaside resort during this period was nowhere more pronounced than in Blackpool. Blackpool catered for workers from across industrial Northern England, who packed its beaches and promenade. Other northern towns (for example Scarborough, Bridlington, Morecambe and Skegness) shared in the success of this new concept, which spread rapidly to other British coastal towns including several on the coast of North Wales and notably Rhyl, and Llandudno, the largest resort in Wales and known as "The Queen of the Welsh Resorts", a title first implied as early as 1864. Some resorts, such as Bournemouth, were built as new towns by local landowners to appeal to wealthier vacationers. The south coast is packed with a number of seaside towns, the most being in Sussex which has the title 'Sussex by the Sea.'

From the last quarter of the twentieth century, the popularity of the British seaside resort has declined for the same reason that it first flourished: advancements in transportation. The greater accessibility of foreign holiday destinations, through package holidays and, more recently, European low-cost airlines, affords people the freedom to holiday abroad. Despite the loyalty of returning holiday-makers, resorts such as Blackpool have struggled to compete against the favorable weather of Southern European alternatives. Now, many symbols of the traditional British resort (holiday camps, end-of-the-pier shows and saucy postcards) are regarded by some as drab and outdated; the skies are imagined to be overcast (although British summers from the late 1980s onwards have often been warmer and sunnier than at any other time in living memory) and the beach windswept. This is not always true; for example Broadstairs in Kent has retained much of its old world charm with Punch and Judy and donkey rides and still remains popular being only one hour from the M25.

Many seaside towns have turned to other entertainment industries, and some of them have a good deal of nightlife. The cinemas and theaters often remain to become host to a number of pubs, bars, restaurants and nightclubs. Most of their entertainment facilities cater to local people and the beaches still remain popular during the summer months. Although international tourism turned people away from British seaside towns, it also brought in foreign travel and as a result, many seaside towns offer foreign language schools, the students of which often return to vacation and sometimes to settle.

A lot of people can also afford more time off and 'second holidays' and short breaks which still attract a lot of people to British seaside towns and a lot of young people and students are able to take short holidays and to discover the town's nightlife. A lot of seaside towns boast large shopping centres which also attract people from a wide area and a lot of day trippers still come to the coastal towns but on a more local scale than during the 19th century.

A lot of coastal towns are also popular retirement hotspots and many older people take short breaks in the autumn months.

In contrast, the fortunes of Brighton, which has neither holiday camps nor end-of-the-pier shows, have grown considerably, and, because of this, the resort is repeatedly held up as the model of a modern resort. However, unlike the Golden Miles of other British resorts, the sea is not Brighton's primary attraction: rather it is a backdrop against which is set an attitude of broad-minded cosmopolitan hedonism. The resulting sense of uniqueness has, coupled with the city's proximity to London, led to Brighton's restoration as a fashionable resort and the dwelling-place of the affluent.

Other English coastal towns have successfully sought to project a sense of their unique character. In particular, Southwold on the Suffolk coast is an active yet peaceful retirement haven with an emphasis on calmness, quiet countryside and jazz. Weymouth, Dorset offers itself as 'the gateway to the Jurassic Coast', Britain's only natural World Heritage Site. Newquay in Cornwall offers itself as the 'surfing capital of Britain', hosting international surfing events on its shores.

Torbay in South Devon is known is also known as the English Riviera. Consisting of the towns of Torquay, Paignton and Brixham, the bay has 20 beaches and coves along its 22-mile (35 km) coastline, ranging from small secluded coves to the larger promenade style seafronts of Torquay's Torre Abbey Sands and Paignton Sands. Paignton Pier extends into the sea from the popular seafront.

Irish seaside resorts

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has a number of seaside resorts. The premier Northern Irish seaside resort is Portrush^{[citation needed]}, often considered^[who?] as Northern Ireland's equivalent of Blackpool. Portrush is situated on the north coast of Northern Ireland and has two sandy beaches, a world-famous golf course, Royal Portrush Golf Club, amusements, bars, nightclubs and restaurants. Other Northern Irish seaside resorts are Newcastle, located on the east coast at the foot of the Mourne Mountains and Bangor which has a coastal path with stunning views over Belfast Lough. Bangor Marina is one of the largest in Ireland and the marina has on occasion been awarded the "Blue Flag" for attention to environmental issues.

Other quieter and more scenic coastal towns are Ballycastle and Portstewart, both on the Northern Irish north coast.

Republic of Ireland

Irish Riviera

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The Irish Riviera features the pretty seaside resorts of Youghal, Ardmore, Dungarvan, Cobh and Ballycotton. These are a group of resort towns and villages all set close to the sunny south coast of Ireland. Each town has its own character with its own attractions, places to stay, places to eat, traditional Irish pubs and beauty spots. Youghal has been a favoured holiday destination for over 100 years and is right in the centre of the south coast of Ireland. The town is situated on the banks of the majestic Blackwater river as it reaches the sea. Youghal is well known for its beaches, having been, until 2008, the only town in the Republic of Ireland with two beaches awarded EU Blue Flag status.Dungarvan is a thriving seaside market town nestled beneath the mountains in the centre of the Irish south coast. Kinsale is often described as a food lover's and yachting town—a great base from which to explore the Irish Riviera. There is a very diverse range of restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. Kinsale is also home to a large and active creative community and there are numerous art galleries, record and book shops and several excellent delicatessens. Cobh is a perfect base for a wide variety of leisure and sport activities including fishing, sailing, windsurfing, canoeing, powerboating and of course walking and golf.

County Clare

Lahinch is a bustling seaside resort^{[citation needed]}, and is very popular for holidaymakers because of its long beach, golf links, promenade, and Seaworld (a leisure complex). Lahinch is extremely popular with surfers.

Ballyvaughan is a village and small port on the southern shores of Galway Bay and is a convenient centre for exploring the fascinating and scenic surrounding countryside.^{[citation needed]}

American seaside resorts

Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado, California, 1908.

American seaside resorts developed along the New England coast in the late 19th century with the Mid-Atlantic region developing slightly later. Southern seaside resorts did not develop until the 1890s. In Florida, the community of Cocoanut (now Coconut) Grove began development as a resort town in the 1880s with the building of the Bayview House (aka Peacock Inn) which closed in 1902. Visitors to the greater Miami area then flocked to Camp Biscayne (in Coconut Grove), the Royal Palm Hotel and other resort hotels in Miami, and in smaller numbers to the keys, particularly to Long Key where the Long Key Fishing Camp was particularly active in the 1910s.

Resort town

The majority of shops in downtown Jackson, Wyoming cater to tourists.

A resort town, sometimes called a resort destination, is a town or area where tourism or vacationing is a primary component of the local culture and economy. Most resort towns have one or more actual resorts in or nearby, although some places are considered resort towns merely because of their popularity among tourists.

Typically, the economy of a resort town is geared almost entirely towards catering to tourists, with most residents of the area working in the tourism or resort industry. Shops and luxury boutiques selling locally-themed souvenirs, motels, and unique restaurants often proliferate the downtown areas of a resort town.

Resort town economy

If the resorts or tourist attractions are seasonal in nature (such as a ski resort), resort towns typically experience a on-season where the town is bustling with tourists and workers, and an off-season where the town is populated only by a small amount of local year-round residents.

In addition, resort towns are often popular with wealthy retirees and people wishing to purchase vacation homes, which typically drives up property values and the cost of living in the region. Sometimes resort towns can become boomtowns due to the quick development of retirement and vacation-based residences.

However, most of the employment available in resort towns are typically low paying and it can be difficult for workers to afford to live the area in which they are employed . Many resort towns have spawned nearby bedroom communities where the majority of the resort workforce lives.

Resorts towns sometimes struggle with problems regarding sustainable growth , due to the seasonal nature of the economy, the dependence on a single industry, and the difficulties in retaining a stable workforce.

Resorts

Resort

Resorts combine a hotel and a variety of recreations, such as swimming pools.

A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company. Such a self-contained resort attempts to provide for most of a vacationer's wants while remaining on the premises, such as food, drink, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping. The term "resort" sometimes is misused to identify a hotel that does not provide the other amenities required of a full resort. However, a hotel is frequently a central feature of a resort, such as the Grand Hotel at Mackinac Island, Michigan. A resort is not merely a commercial establishment operated by a single company, although in the late twentieth century this sort of facility became more common.

Towns that contain resorts—or where tourism or vacationing is a major part of the local activity—are often called resort towns. Towns such as Sochi in Russia, Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt, Barizo of Spain, Cortina d'Ampezzo of Italy, Druskininkai of Lithuania, Nice or French Riviera of France or Newport, Rhode Island or St. Moritz, Switzerland, or larger regions, like the Adirondack Mountains or the Italian Riviera are well known resorts. The Walt Disney World Resort is a prominent example of a modern, self-contained commercial resort. Resorts exist throughout the world, increasingly attracting visitors from around the globe. Thailand, for instance, has become a popular destination. Resorts are especially prevalent in Central America and the Caribbean. Closely related to resorts are convention and large meeting sites. Generally these occur in cities where special meeting halls, together with ample accommodations as well as varied dining and entertainment are provided.

Types of resort

Kayaking provided by a lakeside resort in Jasper, Alberta

Resort at a destination

A commercial establishment at a resort destination such as a recreational area, a scenic or historic site, a theme park, a gaming facility or other tourist attraction competes with other businesses at that destination.. Examples would be hotels in and around Walt Disney World, resorts in St. Martin in the Caribbean, and establishments at Aspen, Colorado in the USA.

Destination resort

A destination resort is a resort that contains, in and of itself, the necessary guest attraction capabilities—that is to say that a destination resort does not need to be near a destination (town, historic site, theme park, or other) to attract its public. Consequently, another characteristic of a destination resort is that it offers food, drink, lodging, sports, entertainment, and shopping within the facility so that guests have no need to leave the facility throughout their stay. Commonly these facilities are of higher quality than would be expected if one were to stay at a hotel or eat in a town's restaurants. Some examples are Atlantis in the Bahamas, Costa do Sauípe in the Northeastern Brazil, Laguna Phuket in Thailand and Sun City near Johannesburg in South Africa.

All-inclusive resort

The "Paradise" resort in Catskills

An all-inclusive resort is a resort that, besides providing all of the common amenities of a resort, charges a fixed price that includes most or all items. At a minimum, most inclusive resorts include lodging, unlimited food, drink, sports activities, and entertainment for the fixed price. In recent years, the number of resorts offering "all-inclusive" amenities has decreased dramatically; in 1961, over half offered such plans and in 2007, less than ten percent do so.

Historical resorts

A famous resort of the ancient world was Baiae, Italy, popular over 2,000 years ago. Capri, an island near Naples, Italy, has attracted visitors since Roman times.

Another famous historical resort was Monte Ne near Rogers, Arkansas, which was active in the early 20th century. At its peak more than 10,000 people a year visited its hotels. It closed in the 1930s, and was ultimately submerged under Beaver Lake in the 1960s.

Thousand Islands

Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands) Jakarta, Indonesia
Capital	Pramuka Island
Area	8.7 km2
Population ()	20,000
Time zone	WIB (UTC+7)

One of the 105 islands of the archipelago

Thousand Islands (Indonesian: Kepulauan Seribu) is the only regency of Jakarta, Indonesia. A string of 105 islands stretching 45 kilometres north into the Java Sea, with the closest lying in Jakarta Bay only a few kilometres off mainland Jakarta.

With total land area of 8.7 km² the population is about 20,000. Pulau Pramuka is the regency seat^{[citation needed]} of the Thousand Islands although the most populated island is Panggang.^{[citation needed]} The area is a marine national park although development is allowed on 37 of the islands. Some islands are uninhabited, others have resorts and a number of them are privately owned by wealthy Jakartans.

Trade

Fishing is the main trade of the islands. However, there has been a drop in the value of the trade due to overfishing by fishing vessels operating in the area.

Islands

Bidadari is a resort island only several kilometers off shore, Kelor is adjacent Bidadari on which the ruins of a Dutch fort lie, and Onrust is also adjacent Bidadari and has the remains of an 18th century shipyard. Ayer and Laki are resort islands also only several kilometers offshore.

Panggang the district centre,^{[citation needed]} and Kelapa the most populous island are about 15 kilometers north of Jakarta and are poor fishing villages. Panjang has the islands' only airstrip while Bira has a golf course. Kotok, Macan Besar, Putri, Pelangi, Sepa, Papa Theo, Antuk Timur, and Antuk Barat are all further off shore and have resorts.

Sabian

Founded	Meductic, New Brunswick, Canada (1981)
Headquarters	Meductic, New Brunswick, Canada
Key people	Robert Zildjian
Website	http://www.sabian.com/

10-Inch AA Splash

Sabian is a Canadian cymbal designer and manufacturer. It is one of the largest in the world, along with Zildjian, Paiste and Meinl.

History

The company was founded in 1980 in Meductic, New Brunswick, Canada by Robert Zildjian, son of Avedis Zildjian III, the head of the Avedis Zildjian Company. Family tradition had it that the head of the company would pass the company down to the oldest son. After Avedis Zildjian III died in 1979, Armand (who was President of Zildjian at the time) became Chairman of the Board. This eventually led to a family feud and a legal dispute between Robert and Armand that resulting in Robert leaving Zildjian to form the rival Sabian company. The companies continue to be rivals, and are both among the world's most popular cymbal brands.

The settlement gave Robert Zildjian the Canadian factory that at that time produced most notably the entire K. Zildjian line, all manufacturing in Turkey having ceased by this time. Robert agreed not to use the Zildjian name or to claim that his cymbals were the same. Some say that the most notable difference between Zildjian and Sabian cymbals is that Zildjian uses a softer, mellower sounding alloy while Sabian uses a more tin-based alloy. Others state that the cymbals of the two companies can be distinguished by sound somehow fairly easily, stating that Sabians are relatively thicker for their advertised weight, having longer sustain (with some exceptions) than their Zildjian counterparts, and Zildjian having a faster response (or attack) tending to be mellower in sound overall. All those opinions state that the differences depend on the individual cymbal models.

Robert Zildjian formed the word "Sabian" from the two first letters of the names of his three children Sally, Billy and Andy, and initially released two lines of cymbals, HH and AA both of them of the traditional bell bronze alloy. Today, Sabian Cymbals' president is Andy Zildjian, the youngest in the family.

Sabian's Cymbals

The HH or "hand hammered" line cymbals are regarded as an attempt to replicate the K. Zildjians at the time. However it was the fact that it was the other line, and being only slightly cheaper in price, that caused a sensation among drummers.

The AA (Automated Anvil) line were machine-made bell-bronze cymbals. They introduced a subtly different brighter sound that appealed to many drummers, and also a level of consistency, which was at that time new in a line of bell-bronze cymbals.

Currently, Sabian has ten different series of cymbals (eleven including Solar, their least expensive line of brass cymbals). These ten series are broken down by category.

Bronze Beginnings

Their B8 series and B8 Pro series are regarded as student-level or entry-level cymbals, made of B8 bronze alloy (92% copper, 8% tin).

Creative

The Vault series and the Neil Peart signature Paragon series of cymbals are regarded as unique and innovative professional-level cymbals. Further, the Signature cymbals (which are part of the Vault line) are models developed in assistance with Sabian-endorsed artists, the price and quality of which vary from cymbal to cymbal.

Vintage

Their HH series ("Vintage Dark") and AA series ("Vintage Bright") of cymbals are regarded as traditional sounding professional-level cymbals.

Modern

Their Xs20 series cymbals are regarded as intermediate-level cymbals with "modern value", as they are made of the standard professional-level B20 bronze alloy (80% copper, 20% tin, with traces of silver). Their latest series, APX, consists of cymbals which have "modern cut", having very high-pitched cutting sounds because of their B8 alloy. Their AAX series cymbals ("Modern Bright") and HHX series cymbals ("Modern Dark"), are regarded as traditional cymbal sounds reinvented for today's music.

Other

There are also signature cymbals within the other series which aren't part of the Vault series, such as the the HHX Evolution and Legacy series designed in conjunction with Dave Weckl, and the Groove cymbals designed in conjunction with Zoro. Several innovative products Sabian has released are products like the AA Rocktagon Crash, the Xplosion Crashes, the O-Zone Crashes, the X-Celerator Hi-Hats, and many others. Unlike Zildjian, Sabian also has "Sonically Matched" pre-pack cymbal sets for each series of cymbals, usually available in a Performance Set or an Effects Pack.

Sabian's Cymbals

The HH or "hand hammered" line cymbals are regarded as an attempt to replicate the K. Zildjians at the time. However it was the fact that it was the other line, and being only slightly cheaper in price, that caused a sensation among drummers.

The AA (Automated Anvil) line were machine-made bell-bronze cymbals. They introduced a subtly different brighter sound that appealed to many drummers, and also a level of consistency, which was at that time new in a line of bell-bronze cymbals.

Currently, Sabian has ten different series of cymbals (eleven including Solar, their least expensive line of brass cymbals). These ten series are broken down by category. ^[3]

Bronze Beginnings

Their B8 series and B8 Pro series are regarded as student-level or entry-level cymbals, made of B8 bronze alloy (92% copper, 8% tin).

Creative

The Vault series and the Neil Peart signature Paragon series of cymbals are regarded as unique and innovative professional-level cymbals. Further, the Signature cymbals (which are part of the Vault line) are models developed in assistance with Sabian-endorsed artists, the price and quality of which vary from cymbal to cymbal.

Vintage

Their HH series ("Vintage Dark") and AA series ("Vintage Bright") of cymbals are regarded as traditional sounding professional-level cymbals.

Modern

Their Xs20 series cymbals are regarded as intermediate-level cymbals with "modern value", as they are made of the standard professional-level B20 bronze alloy (80% copper, 20% tin, with traces of silver). Their latest series, APX, consists of cymbals which have "modern cut", having very high-pitched cutting sounds because of their B8 alloy. Their AAX series cymbals ("Modern Bright") and HHX series cymbals ("Modern Dark"), are regarded as traditional cymbal sounds reinvented for today's music.

History of Drum

Drum

Bass drum made from wood, rope, and cowskin

The drum is a member of the percussion group, technically classified as a membranophone.^[1]. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with parts of a player's body, or with some sort of implement such as a drumstick, to produce sound. Other techniques have been used to cause drums to make sound, such as the "Thumb roll". Drums are the world's oldest and most ubiquitous musical instruments, and the basic design has remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years. Most drums are considered "untuned instruments", however many modern musicians are beginning to tune drums to songs; Terry Bozzio has constructed a kit using diatonic and chromatically tuned drums. A few such as timpani are always tuned to a certain pitch. Often, several drums are arranged together to create a drum kit that can be played by one musician with all four limbs.

Construction

The shell almost invariably has a circular opening over which the drumhead is stretched, but the shape of the remainder of the shell varies widely. In the western musical tradition, the most usual shape is a cylinder, although timpani, for example, use bowl-shaped shells^[1]. Other shapes include a frame design (tar, Bodhrán), truncated cones (bongo drums, Ashiko), goblet shaped (djembe), and joined truncated cones (talking drum),

Drums with cylindrical shells can be open at one end (as is the case with timbales), or can have two drum heads. Single-headed drums normally consist of a skin which is stretched over an enclosed space, or over one of the ends of a hollow vessel. Drums with two heads covering both ends of a cylindrical shell often have a small hole somewhat halfway between the two heads; the shell forms a resonating chamber for the resulting sound. Exceptions include the African slit drum, made from a hollowed-out tree trunk, and the Caribbean steel drum, made from a metal barrel. Drums with two heads can also have a set of wires, called snares, held across the bottom head, top head, or both heads, hence the name snare drum^[1].

On modern band and orchestral drums, the drumhead is placed over the opening of the drum, which in turn is held onto the shell by a "counterhoop" (or "rim), which is then held by means of a number of tuning keyscrews called "tension rods" (also known as lugs) placed regularly around the circumference. The head's tension can be adjusted by loosening or tightening the rods. Many such drums have six to ten tension rods. The sound of a drum depends on several variables, including shape, size and thickness of its shell, materials from which the shell was made, counterhoop material, type of drumhead used and tension applied to it, position of the drum, location, and the velocity and angle in which it is struck.

Prior to the invention of tension rods drum skins were attached and tuned by rope systems such as that used on the Djembe or pegs and ropes such as that used on Ewe Drums, a system rarely used today, although sometimes seen on regimental marching band snare drums.

Drum carried by John Unger, Company B, 40th Regiment New York Veteran Volunteer Infantry Mozart Regiment, December 20, 1863

Sound of a drum

Several factors determine the sound a drum produces, including the type of shell the drum has, the type of drumheads it has, and the tension of the drumheads. Different drum sounds have different uses in music. For example, a jazz drummer may want drums that sound crisp, clean, and a little on the soft side, whereas a rock and roll drummer may prefer drums that sound loud and deep. Because these drummers want different sounds, their drums will be constructed differently.

The drumhead has the most effect on how a drum sounds. Each type of drumhead serves its own musical purpose and has its own unique sound. Thicker drumheads are lower-pitched and can be very loud. Drumheads with a white plastic coating on them muffle the overtones of the drumhead slightly, producing a less diverse pitch. Drumheads with central silver or black dots tend to muffle the overtones even more. And drumheads with perimeter sound rings mostly eliminate overtones (Howie 2005). Some jazz drummers avoid using thick drumheads, preferring single ply drumheads or drumheads with no muffling. Rock drummers often prefer the thicker or coated drumheads.

The second biggest factor affecting the sound produced by a drum is the tension at which the drumhead is held against the shell of the drum. When the hoop is placed around the drumhead and shell and tightened down with bolts, the tension of the head can be adjusted. When the tension is increased, the amplitude of the sound is reduced and the frequency is increased, making the pitch higher and the volume lower.

The type of shell also affects the sound of a drum. Because the vibrations resonate in the shell of the drum, the shell can be used to increase the volume and to manipulate the type of sound produced. The larger the diameter of the shell, the lower the pitch of the drum will be. The type of wood is important as well. Birch generates a bright, crisp, and clean sound, maple reproduces the frequency of the drumhead as it resonates and has a warm, wholesome sound while mahogany raises the frequency of low pitches and keeps higher frequencies at about the same speed. When choosing a set of shells, a jazz drummer may want smaller maple shells, while a rock drummer may want larger birch shells. For more information about tuning drums or the physics of a drum, visit the external links listed below.

Uses

Drums are usually played by the hands, or by one or two sticks. In many traditional cultures drums have a symbolic function and are often used in religious ceremonies. Drums are often used in music therapy, especially hand drums, because of their tactile nature and easy use by a wide variety of people.

Within the realm of popular music and jazz, "drums" usually refers to a drum kit or a set of drums, and "drummer" to the actual band member or person who plays them.

History

Moche ceramic vessel depicting a drummer. Larco Museum Collection. Lima-Peru

In the past drums have been used not only for their musical qualities, but also as a means of communication, especially through signals. The talking drums of Africa can imitate the inflections and pitch variations of a spoken language and are used for communicating over great distances. Throughout Sri Lankan history drums have been used for communication between the state and the community, and Sri Lankan drums have a history stretching back over 2500 years. Chinese troops used tàigǔ drums to motivate troops, to help set a marching pace, and to call out orders or announcements^{[citation needed]}. Fife-and-drum corps of Swiss mercenary foot soldiers also used drums. They used an early version of the snare drum carried over the player's right shoulder, suspended by a strap (typically played with one hand using traditional grip). It is to this instrument that English word "drum" was first used. Similarly, during the English civil war rope-tension drums would be carried by junior officers as a means to relay commands from senior officers over the noise of battle. These were also hung over the shoulder of the drummer and typically played with two drum sticks. Different regiments and companies would have distinctive and unique drum beats which only they would recognize.

Types of drum

Handscroll detail of a Chinese percussionist playing a drum for a dancing woman, from a 12th century remake of Gu Hongzhong's 10th century original, Song Dynasty.

University of Indonesia

Universitas Indonesia
Motto:	veritas, probitas, iustitia
Established:	1851 (as School for Javanese Doctor)
Type:	State University
Rector:	Prof. Dr. Gumilar Rusliwa Somantri
Staff:	4.814(Full-time Staff for Academic Staff on 2007/2008 Fiscal Year)
Students:	415.555 students (2008/2009)(40% are graduate students)
Location:	Depok, West Java, Indonesia Central Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia
Campus:	Both urban and rural (Total Area 3,552,713 m²) With 3 areas: Depok, Salemba, Pegangsaan Timur
Affiliations:	AUN, ASAIHL, APRU, - ASEA UNINET – FUIW - SEAMEO - AUAP
Website:	www.ui.ac.id

Rectorate, the main building of University of Indonesia.

University of Indonesia (in Indonesian: Universitas Indonesia), abbreviated as UI, has its roots as the oldest tertiary-level education facilities in Indonesia (then the Dutch East Indies). Its main campus is located in the north part of Depok, West Java, and the other main campus site is in the Salemba area of Central Jakarta.

It is regarded as one of Indonesia's premier universities, scoring higher than any other Indonesian university in the Times Higher Education Supplement World University Rankings of 2006 [250]. It ranked number 395 in THES World University Rankings of 2007 and improved its position, passing 108 universities, to 287th in 2008 .

In the year 2007-2008 University of Indonesia has gone through substantial reform. A significant increase in revenue from 800 Billion to 1.6 Trillion Rupiah. The number of research publications has also increased. This is also the case with the endowment fund of the University. The homecoming event for the alumni conducted on 26-27 July 2008 in the garden area between the UI lake and Balairung UI Depok is an example of the effort to unite the potential of hundred thousand alumni who have been contributing their talent and skills in strategic positions in Indonesia.

The new elected Rector of the Universitas Indonesia (July 2007), Prof Dr der.soz. Gumilar Rusliwa Somantri is a reformist, hard worker and visionary youngest leader among the university presidents in Indonesia with a wide international network connection. He is currently elected as on as one of the board of Director of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU).

According to the latest survey of Globe Asia (2008) UI ranked as number one among top universities in Indonesia . This report has been supported by a leading magazine in Indonesia, Tempo, who carried out survey and analysis concerning the rank of University and education in Indonesia . University of Indonesia as also improved its research collaboration with International partners, and looking forward to have more International faculty members and students to join the university.

During the entire history of the Universitas Indonesia, many prominent scientists which has influenced the world of science, technology, economy, law, etc can be mentioned. Their works have shaped the civilization in Indonesia and in our planet. One of the Director and Faculty member/leading scientist of Javanese Medical School, Christian Eijkman, is the Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine in 1929, for his work at the laboratory at the University of Indonesia . The invention that the cause of Beriberi is the lack of a substance in the native staple food called ‘thiamin’ is the fundamental concept of vitamin.

Most of the invention are related to indigenous studies, tropical deseases, biology and zoology. UI established an Institute of Human Virology and Cancer Biology which is working on diseases such as Avian Flu in the year 2004. Prof. Soekarja Somadikarta is a senior taxonomy expert known world-wide. A new species of 'Kacamata Togian' bird (Zosterops Somadikartai) was named after him, an ex-honorary president of International Ornithological Congress. In addition to that, many actively working scientists, such as Dr.Terry Mart has been listed in the Wise Index of Leading Scientists and Engineers based on Cumulative Citations for his work in Physics, having written more than 73 leading International Journal papers.

Numorous alumnae and faculty members of UI are the experts in economics, law, social and humanities with the most influencing position in the development of Indonesia. A number of former and current ministers working for the presidential cabinet are related to UI. To named a few, some prominent scientists, policy makers, diplomates known world-wide such as Wijoyo Nitisastro, Ali Alatas, Yuwono Sudarsono, Selo Sumarjan, Slamet Imam Santoso, Fuad Hassan, Rooseno, and Sri Mulyani (the acting Enonomic coordinating Minister of Republic of Indonesia presently).

In August 2008, University of Indonesia is the Winner of the Indonesia ICT award for the smart campus with best Content and Application. In terms of Accessibility and Connectivity University of Indonesia has also won the merit award due to the fact that 90% of the University area is covered by IT Infrastructure and Services with its 185 Mbytes per second of bandwidth to the Internet, and 155 Mbit/s bandwidth to the Indonesia Higher Education research Network (Inherent)

VAIO

VAIO is a sub-brand for many of Sony's computer products. It was originally an acronym for Video Audio Integrated Operation, but since 2008 amended to Visual Audio Intelligence Organizer to celebrate the brand's 10th year anniversary. The branding was created by Timothy Hanley to distinguish items that encompassed the use of consumer audio and video, as well as being conventional computing products. One example of this was the Sony VAIO W Series personal computer, which functioned as a regular computer and a miniature entertainment center. Although Sony made computers in the 1980s for the Japanese market only, Sony withdrew from the computer business around the turn of the decade. Sony's re-entry to the computer market, this time globally, under the new VAIO brand, started in 1996 with the PCV series of desktops. The VAIO logo also represents the integration of analog and digital technology. The 'VA' represents an analog wave and the 'IO' represents digital binary code.

Products

A Sony Vaio FJ series without webcam

Sony is expanding the use of the VAIO label. It can now be found on notebooks, subnotebooks, desktop, media centres, and a hard-disk-based audio player that comes in both 20GB and 40GB variations (called VAIO POCKET player). Network media solutions by Sony will also carry the VAIO brand.

VAIO notebooks are usually shipped with Microsoft Windows Vista Business (Business line) or Windows Vista Home Premium, with the highest end of the AR series spec being the exception, coming with Windows Vista Ultimate.

In mid-2005, all models stopped shipping with a Recovery CD, which was replaced by a hidden partition on the hard drive, accessible at boot via the BIOS or also within Windows via a utility. The partition allows the user to either reimage his hard drive to factory state, or to create recovery media. VAIO users are prompted to create a set of recovery CDs or DVDs as part of the out-of-box experience, along with a prompt to register at My Club Vaio, an internet forum for VAIO users which also provides automatic driver updates and technical support via email, along with exclusive desktop wallpapers and promotional offers.

On recent models, you are also prompted to register your trial versions of Microsoft Office and the installed antivirus software (Norton Anti-Virus on older models, and McAfee Antivirus on newer ones) upon initial boot.

VAIO computers come with components from companies such as Intel processors, Seagate Technology, Hitachi, Fujitsu or Toshiba hard drives, Infineon RAM, Atheros and Intel wireless chipsets, Sony (usually made by Hitachi) or Matsushita optical drives, Intel, NVIDIA or ATI graphics processors and Sony speakers. Recent laptops are being shipped with Qimonda RAM, HP speakers with Realtek High Definition Audio Systems, optional Dolby Sound Room technology.

Technology

The VAIO brand holds many unique technologies to its name. Some of these are:

Sony VAIO SZ Keyboard

Some Sony VAIO models come with Sony's proprietary XBRITE (also named as ClearBright in Japan and Asia-Pacific region) displays. The first model that introduce this feature is the VAIO TR series. It is also the first consumer product to utilize such technology. It is a combination of smooth screen, anti-reflection (AR) coating and high-efficiency lens sheet. Sony claims that the smooth finish provides a sharper screen display, the AR coating prevents external light from scattering when it hits the screen, and the high-efficiency lens sheet provides 1.5 times the brightness improvement over traditional LCD designs, while also extending battery life due to less usage of the LCD backlight. The technology was pioneered by Sony engineer Masaaki Nakagawa, who is in charge of the VAIO TR development. More information can be found here: .

The TX series introduced in September 2005 was the first notebook to implement an LED back-lit screen, which provides lower power consumption and greater color reproduction. This technology has been widely adopted by many other notebook manufacturers now. It was also the first to use a 16:9 aspect ratio screen with 1366x768 resolution.

The SZ series was the first to use switchable graphics, integrated Intel and discrete Nvidia graphics. The former could be used for less power consumption and greater battery life whereas the latter would be used when greater graphics processing power was needed. A switch is used to toggle between the graphics but required a cold-boot. The Z series has recently replaced the SZ series but does not require a restart of the system to change graphic modes, it can be done on the fly. This feature has subsequently been used by other manufacturers, including Apple, Asus and Alienware.

The high-end AR Series VAIOs were the first to incorporate a Blu-ray Disc burner. This series was designed to be the epitome of high-definition products including a 1080p capable WUXGA (1920 × 1200 pixels) screen, HDMI output and the aforementioned Blu-ray burner. The AR series also includes an illuminated logo below the screen. Blu-Ray/HDMI capable models have been the subject of intense promotion since mid-2007, selling with a variety of bundled Blu-Ray discs.

Another recent addition to the VAIO series is the TZ model. This new design features a 64GB Solid State Drive (SSD) for rapid boot-ups, quicker application launches and greater durability. If selected, a 250GB Hard Drive may also be included in place of the built-in CD/DVD drive to provide room for additional storage. For security this model includes biometric fingerprint sensor and Trusted Platform Module. The TZ offers a Built-in highly miniaturized MOTION EYE camera built into the LCD panel for video conferencing. Additional features include the XBRITE LCD, integrated Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) technology and Bluetooth technology.

A selection of media centers were added to the VAIO range in 2006. These monitorless units (identified by a product code prefixed by VGX rather than VGN) are designed to be part of a home entertainment system, which typically take input from a TV tuner card, and output video via HDMI or composite video connection to an ideally high-definition television. This range so far includes the XL and TP lines. The VGX-TP line is rather visually unique, featuring a circular, 'biscuit-tin' style design with most features obscured behind panels, rather than the traditional set-top box design.

The VAIO line also features a series of desktop computers, which incorporate motherboard and widescreen LCD monitor into a single unit (in a manner similar to the more recent models of Apple's iMac series). These are identified by VGC in the product code.

Bundled software

Sony has been criticized for loading its VAIO laptops with bloatware, or software that supposedly allows the user to immediately use the laptop for multimedia purposes. Sony forces users to install software such as AOL, Norton, SonicStage, Napster and Roxio, among countless "free trials" and intrusive advertisements. Dell had been accused of the same practice, but after strong customer feedback agreed to offer "limited" pre-installed software on its machines.. The default webcam software in VAIO notebooks is ArcSoft WebCam Companion. It offers a set of special effects called Magic-i visual effects, through which users can enhance the images and videos taken through the webcam. It also features the face detection feature. Certain other Sony proprietary software such as Click to Disc Editor, VAIO Music Box, VAIO Movie Story, VAIO Media Plus are also included in the recent models. Those shipped with ATI Radeon Video cards feature the Catalyst Control Center, which enables the user to adjust the various video features such as brightness, contrast, resolution etc, and also enables connecting with an external display.