The history of Spain is very important and you will notice a big difference in local cultures as you travel around the country as they all have their own customs based on history dating back many centuries. This is why Spain is such an interesting country to visit as the major cities of Madrid and Barcelona have a different ambience and differ in many ways.

Madrid is the capital city of Spain and is famous for it's bullfighting, flamenco dancing and famous buildings. Some of the top attractions include the Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, Plaza de la Cibeles and the Prado Museum. You can also visit the home of Real Madrid, one of the world's most famous soccer teams and enjoy watching players such as Ronaldo.

Barcelona is well known for it's culture and is the place to visit if you are looking for art galleries and museums such as the famous Pablo Picasso museum. Soccer fans will also want to check out the museum and guided tour on offer the Camp Nou stadium , home of FC Barcelona.

You will also find many interesting cafes, bars and restaurants in the centre of the city that offer a selection of Spanish Tapas dishes which you will love.

But Spain has so much to offer beyond the major cities so you should explore the rest of the country and even the many islands just off the coast of Spain. The Canary islands are part of Spain and are located just off the north coast of Africa and include the islands of Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura. If you are looking for winter sun these islands are the places to go as they enjoy a fantastic all year round climate due to their location. You can book trips to Spain with Thomson All Inclusive holidays 2013.

Another group of Islands to consider is the Spanish Balearic islands which include Majorca, Minorca and Ibiza. The three islands all have their own unique charms, Majorca has some fantastic historical attractions and you will want to visit the Cathedral in the capital city, Palma. If you are looking for a quiet island then pick Minorca which has a laid back atmosphere and some fantastic beaches. Finally if you are looking for an island with a party atmosphere you should head to Ibiza where you will find amazing nightclubs that attract the top dance acts in Europe during the summer.

I have only just mentioned a few attractions of this fantastic country so you really have to check it out yourself !

For charming breaks in Spain check out the deals from Thomson lakes and mountains.

Born Maria Eva Duarte on May 7, 1919 in a rural town, her family was thrown into abject poverty after her father died in a car crash. At 16 she escaped to Buenos Aires to become an actress and there she got a job at a radio station doing dramas. In 1945 she met and married Juan Peron, the man who would be elected president in 1946. Flaunting the expectation of that political wives would stay in the background, this unconventional First Lady marched front and center stage with her husband. She was appointed Secretary of Labor and from this position she supported higher wages and social benefits for the poor and the working class.

The Maria Eva Duarte de Peron Welfare Foundation was set up in 1947. The project was supported by “contributions” from sometimes reluctant individuals, unions, and businesses. It is perhaps fitting that the Evita Museum is housed in the same mansion she set up for homeless women and children. The industrial kitchen to feed the residents has been preserved.

When Evita died from cancer on July 26, 1952, the poor took to the streets to vent their collective grief and over two million mourners filed past her coffin. While the working class grieved audibly, the rich on the other side of town popped Champagne corks and clinked glasses.

There is no doubt that the museum is pro-Evita and there are no warts there. Natalie, who works as the ticket table admits that nepotism is the policy, “If you want to work here you have to love Evita. You also have to have the right connections, because we are like a family. And you have to care about the museum and preserving her legend.”

The displays at the Evita Museum walk visitors through the various stages of Evita’s life, from childhood right up to her death at age 33. Along the way are props to help put things in context: the sewing machine her mother hunched over every day to support her children, various school books, photos and old radios. By the time you get to the fashion show of clothes, handbags, jewellery and hats in the glass display cases at the end of the tour you have a feeling of what this woman must have been like.

Self-serving or saint? Either call, there is no denying that Evita mixed and mingled with the great-unwashed masses and the photographs and film clips abound. She met with workers, visited schools, and promoted health care. And she also championed female suffrage. In 1947, women in Argentina got the vote, largely due to her campaigning and influence. Even those who loathe her have to admit that she was a strong character and a force to be reckoned with. She also got it right in that she died young, beautiful and at the height of power.

If you are left intrigued by your visit to the Evita Museum, consider a follow-up to her final resting place, a mausoleum in Recoleta Cemetery. Between the time she died in 1952 and when she was interred there in 1976, her corpse went on a 24-year odyssey. The body appeared and disappeared to reflect the political winds of Argentina. At one point her corpse was moved from the trade union building and buried in Milan. Then the body was exhumed in 1971 and taken to Madrid where it was on display in the living room of Juan Peron and his third wife, Isabel. In 1974 it was returned to Argentina, restored and briefly put on display.

To ensure her body doesn’t go missing yet again, Evita is buried in a crypt five meters underground. Further it is fortified with cement and steel that would do a nuclear-bunker proud. The contradiction is that it is in the upper-class mausoleum of her father’s family who represent everything bourgeois that she fought against when she was alive.

Details:

Address: Lafinur Street 2988, Palermo, Buenos Aires.

Telephone: (5411) 4807-0306, (541) 4809-3168

Hours: open Tuesday to Sundays — including holidays — from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.

Admission: 15 pesos per person.

Guided tours: 35 pesos per person for non-residents and 20 pesos per person for locals.

Transport: from a number of bus lines on Santa Fe and Las Heras. Subway Line D, Plaza Italia Station.

Buenos Aires is world-renowned as one of the major cultural centres of Latin America. For more details on the best sights and activities in Buenos Aires contact Tucan Travel, a specialist in Argentina tours.

If youre not familiar with the term specialty cruise, youre not alone. While the concept has been gaining in popularity, it is by no means as well- known as a standard Caribbean cruise on a mega ship. In fact, a specialty cruise can be anything from a special type of ship to a special theme for the week. There are hundreds to choose from; here are a few to whet your cruising appetite:

1. Barefoot cruising has been around for decades and can be the perfect cruise experience for many. The concept is simple, as its pretty much the exact opposite of the typical cruise ship. A small, sailing vessel instead of a floating city is your moving hotel, and passengers are often limited to 100, sometimes fewer. Cruisers are encouraged to participate in the day-to-day workings of the ship, from helping man the sails to swabbing the deck. You can choose to do as little or as much as you want.
2. For an extended girls night out, many women flock to Cropping Cruises. Sponsored by scrapbooking magazines and craft experts, these events have a variety of activities for learning, cropping, laughing and, most importantly, scrapbooking a ton of pages.

   

   If youre not familiar with the term specialty cruise, youre not alone.
   CC image courtesy of smilepak

   If you enjoy the hobby, need to get some pages done and can get some friends to join you, this trip may become an annual one for you.

3. Gay and lesbian families are welcome on traditional cruise lines, of course, but there are specialty cruise vacations geared to creating a positive environment for these families. Offering all the same amenities and, often, on the same ships, the itineraries include gay-friendly activities and ports.
4. An adventure travel cruise is an exciting alternative to the standard destination. If you are looking for a journey of a lifetime, there are cruises on the Amazon, to the Galapagos Islands, and even to Antarctica. Not your run-of-the-mill trip, by any means, this type of cruise can expose the passengers to vistas and creatures seen by very few people.
5. Even the Food Network has joined the trend. For cruisers who love to cook (and eat), they offer product demonstrations, cooking classes and the chance to mingle with Food Network celebrities. Foodies everywhere are drawn to this type of specialty cruise.
6. How about a cruise that is not on the ocean? Cruises along the Mississippi River as well as through the Great Lakes are popular alternatives to open-water cruises. Fall color tours on these types of cruises can book up years in advance.

If you are interested in avoiding the run-of-the-mill cruise lines and itineraries, a specialty cruise may be for you. From cruises focusing on music, poker, art, fitness, golf and even mystery dinners, everyone and anyone can find an option that appeals to them.

For your first cruise, you might want to brush up on the lingo. It isnt necessary but sometimes it just makes you feel a little better when you know what everyone is talking about aboard the ship. From aft to windward, weve got you covered.

1. Bow This term refers to the very front of a ship. Think of the famous Titanic scene where Leonardo DiCaprio shouts, Im the king of the world!
2. Stern This is the back of the boat or ship.
3. Aft Heres where it can get confusing. Aft means towards the back or towards the stern. So, the stern is the place (noun) and aft is a description or a direction. The sailor is at the stern. The sailor was told to stow the luggage aft.
4. Gangway This is the bridge that passengers walk on to get onto the ship when they first arrive. In the movies, pirates were often depicted as having a shorter version and demanding people walk the gangplank.
5. Bridge Why didnt they just call the gangway a bridge, you ask? Simple. The bridge is the name for the captains area. Its the place where he and his crew take care of all the navigational aspects of the cruise ship.

   

   For your first cruise, you might want to brush up on the lingo.
   CC image courtesy of Number Six (bill lapp)

   His (or her) cockpit, if you will.

6. Embark/Disembark Chances are you will get on and off the ship many times throughout the duration of your cruise. The proper terminology is to embark (get on) or to disembark (to get off).
7. Fluke Usually a fluke is known as chance happening or something good that happens by accident. On a cruise ship, however, a fluke means something much different; it is the point of an anchor that catches the ground when the anchor is deployed, particularly the pointy tips on each arm.
8. Port This means the left side of the ship as you face forward (towards the bow see #1). It also can be a stop along the cruise as in, We docked at the port in Mexico.
9. Starboard The opposite of port, this means the right side of the ship as you face forward.
10. Leeward Heres where it gets confusing to land-lubbers again. Leeward is the side of the ship that is facing away from the wind. It could be port or starboard.
11. Windward Take a guess Thats right. Windward means the side of the ship where the wind is blowing.
12. Knots This is not referring to the knots on a rope but rather the speed at which your cruise ship is traveling. The proper mathematical definition is how many nautical miles a ship can travel in an hour. A nautical mile is just over 6,000 feet or 1,800 meters. If you dont want to remember all that just remember not to ask the captain about mph over dinner.

Study this list. Learn the lingo. If you do your homework, you wont feel like such a newbie. In fact, you might be able to teach a seasoned cruiser a thing or two.

There are a lot of things to consider when planning a birthday party. You’ve got the invitations, the decorations, the cake and ice cream, the games and activities, and the goodie bags. This can add up to a lot of money if you are not properly prepared.

With a quick rundown of the easiest ways to save big money on your child’s birthday party, you won’t have to sacrifice any of the fun to have a frugal party.

Theme Parties

These ‘character’ or ‘theme’ parties can be the most expensive of all. To cut corners, mix and match accessories and decorations with plain things such as tablecloths, napkins, plates, and such. If you are choosing to go with a theme such as a Disney movie or TV show character, find printable characters online or draw freehand if you can and use them for hanging banners, or even the design for a homemade cake.

Old Fashioned Picnic Parties

Taking all the kids for a big picnic in a park can be a great way to save money. The kids can use the playground and a simple $3 pack of balloons filled with water can provide a whole day of fun playing water balloon games.

You can even bring a couple cartons of eggs at only a few dollars a carton, along with spoons, and play games like racing to the finish line without dropping the egg. If the situation is right, you may also like to get an organized game going, like softball, volleyball, or soccer.

The Great Outdoors

An outdoor party where you camp-out in the backyard, or even just cook-out in the backyard, can be a wonderful time. Roast marshmallows and hotdogs, and make Smores on a barbeque or fire pit. Set up tents for sleepovers, or just gather around the campfire to tell spooky ghost stories until it’s time to go home. The cost is minimal for a big bag or two of marshmallows, some hot dogs and buns, a box of graham crackers, and some bars of chocolate. For goodie bags, little flashlights and glow in the dark stickers are a great way to have fun outdoors.

Wild Winter Parties

If your birthday party falls during the winter months, and you have snow to play in, this could provide you with a built-in party. Rent or borrow sleds and you’re on your way to a great party. You will want cold-weather food including thermoses filled with hot chocolate and a supply of marshmallows to add in each mug. Don’t forget the blankets and lawn chairs for whoever wants to sit and watch the fun. Bring a big pot of chili and a box of cupcakes, and you have an easy party with easy-to-serve food, and very little money involved.

There is no doubt about the fact that $100 is a tight budget to plan a birthday party for a group of kids. But, you can stretch that budget far and wide, making use of many of the fun things in life that cost little to nothing at all!

Childbirth is painful there’s no getting away from that. There are several pain issues to deal with before, during, and after delivery. One of the most debated procedures during delivery is the episiotomy. This incision is often described as the unkindest cut of all. It can often make recovery more painful than believed is necessary. What is it and is it necessary at all? Let’s look at the debate and you be the judge.

What is an Episiotomy?

Vaginal delivery is the natural form of birth. During this birthing process, when a mother pushes, she bears down so that she can move her baby through the vagina, or birth canal, and out into the world. The process can lead to possible stretching of the vaginal muscles, hemorrhoids, and weakness in the pelvic floor muscles.

In an effort to decrease the amount of pressure needed to push the baby through the birth canal, doctors may perform an episiotomy. This is an incision into the tissues of the perineum, the small area between the vaginal opening and the anal opening. The incision is believed to make birth easier with less stretching and damage.

If the mother is using natural, drug free, childbirth techniques, a local anesthetic is injected in the tissues of the perineum.

A scalpel is used to incise the tissue. Once the baby is delivered, the area is sutured up.

There are different degrees of episiotomy performed depending on how large the child is or how difficult the labor. Usually the area is only cut halfway between the vagina and the anus with minimal skin layers incised. This is considered a second degree episiotomy. A fourth degree cut completely incises the skin layers.

What Now?

Who is right and who is wrong about the necessity of an episiotomy? Women who have had an episiotomy may disagree with the reasoning behind performing this procedure. Post-delivery, the episiotomy wound is difficult to deal with for many reasons. Simply urinating becomes a frightfully painful event, not to mention a bowel movement. Any straining or pushing during the healing process becomes unbearable. The wound stings, burns, and is often too sore to comfortably sit without some sort of ‘donut.’

There is no clear scientific evidence that supports having an episiotomy over not having one. Many women who have delivered babies with big heads or shoulders have recovered without any adverse effects and given birth quite successfully again. The vagina is made to stretch for the birth of a baby, so the reasoning behind an episiotomy is questioned by mothers as well as the medical profession. So, the debate continues.

Let’s look at some possible side effects of having an episiotomy:

• Infections
• Uncomfortable or painful scar tissue
• Painful intercourse afterwards
• Longer recovery from delivery

So, is an episiotomy the unkindest cut of all? Discuss this procedure like you would any other with your doctor. An episiotomy should not be done as a matter of course, rather it should be approached as any other surgical procedure with knowledge and caution.

Disney is a magical place. Once you go, you join the ranks of people starting the countdown until the next visit. Unfortunately, Disney is not always the cheapest of vacations. But, there are some tips and techniques you can use to help ease the financial frustrations. Whether you’re planning your first visit to Disney or one of many return trips, there are always ways to save money. Here are a few simple ideas to make the trip easier on the wallet:

Book Off-Season

The busiest times at Disney are during holidays and the beginning and end of summer. With that being the case, you can usually get a steal of a deal by booking a vacation opposite of any of those times. For instance, you can get almost half off if you schedule a trip just after the school year starts or even the second week in January after the big holiday rush. What you’re basically doing is watching the school calendar and going against the typical vacation times. This may take a bit of planning, but the cost savings are well worth the effort.

Off-season travel not only saves you money on the hotels, resorts, and parks, but it also allows for a more enjoyable experience.

Instead of waiting in line for hours and hours, you walk straight up to a ride or attraction with hardly a wait at all.

Vacation Packages

Booking a Disney vacation package is a great way to save money. Not only do the packages allow you to group everything together, it also allows you to customize your Disney vacation to fit your monetary needs as well as fitting the attractions you want to see. Disney packages will typically save you money on transportation within Disney World, as well as savings on hotel or resort prices, and even food.

The two biggest savings, food and hotel, are the main reasons most people decide to go with a vacation package. If you choose to indulge in a character dining experience, for instance, your bill could easily be well over $100. A dining package adds value by giving you a low flat rate for your dining plan. It doesnt matter if your bill for dinner comes to $5 or $150, you pay a flat fee for the plan. Many families enjoy the fact that there are no loose ends or unknown expenditures for dining. Your dining package will also save on snacks and quick meals, which, just like a gas station candy bar, can add up very fast.

Get the Most for Your Money

Another way to save money at Disney is to take full advantage of all the perks, such as extra hours, formally called magic hours, for which the park stays open to those who reside at a Disney Resort. There are also travel savings, such as buses which take you in between each park, saving money on parking and gas. There is also a monorail and boats, which will not only take you between the parks, but will give you an exciting tour of the entire park.

Conclusion

Of course, these are just a few ways to take advantage of Disney World savings. While there are many other ways to reduce your expenses, these tips are great places to start with serious savings right off the bat. If you want to go to Disney for the first time, or the hundredth time, hop online and see what kind of deals you can come up with. Chances are, with a few of these deals, Disney is more affordable than you could ever imagine.

How many times has your little one received the same pre-made birthday invitation that you’ve seen over and over again? These packs of invitations are often rather inexpensive, but they are also forgettable. With a glance at the invitation do you know if the party is for Cayle, or William, or Jessie, or Donovan? Probably not.

While pre-packaged invitations can save time, and even money, these invitations do not set the invitation, or the party, apart from the others. And, after all, that’s what you and your child want. A memorable party. There are several ways to make unique invitations with just a little creativity and not as much money as you might expect.

Your Child’s Own Smile Invitation

Sort through your photo files until you find that perfect picture of your child that was taken recently. Use a photo editing program (many can be found free of charge) and add a personal message. Then print it off to send to your guests. Choose black and white to save money on printer ink if you wish; it can be quite artsy and unique that way, too. Or print off in sepia tones for another nostalgic look.

Now, when your guests stick your invitation onto the refrigerator door, there will be no doubt who the party is for. A bonus is you have now created a keepsake for friends and family to cherish.

A Wordsworth of Fun Invitation

Another idea is to come up with an imaginative poem about your child or the fun party you are planning, and write it down. Then print off your poem and use it to create your invitation. If you cannot think up your own poem, there are online sources where you can get quoted poetry verses that are free to use without copyright infringement.

One-line quotes are another way to create excitement about your child’s birthday party. Use a quote that gives a hint of what fun might be expected at the party. You could even use a different line from a poem on each invitation, and when everybody gets together, the completed poem leads to a special prize or event. The idea is to use words to build the fun.

Crafty Invitation

Depending on how many people you are planning to invite, you might want to entertain the idea of hand-crafted invitations. These don’t have to be the upscale cards you see in the scrap-booking and card-making aisles of the craft shop. You can simply spend an afternoon with your child and a pile of cardboard, construction paper, ribbons, glue, scissors, googly eyes, markers, glitter glue, foam sheets, pom poms, stencils, and stickers.

Simple cut-outs from old magazines, coloring books, or anything that interests your child will make a great invitation when arranged artfully on a card and put in an envelope. This is not only fun, but it’s frugal, too.

Cyberspace Invitation

When creating a hand delivered or mailed invitation simply isn’t possible, you can always find websites to send free invitations by email. Pick from the templates available, or upload your own photo. Then you can choose a pre-written invitation or write your own text and enter the email addresses of those you would like to send the invitations to.

You can request an RSVP via a phone call or an email response. For busy folks who spend more time on their computer than at their mailbox, this could be a good way to connect and get your invitation out there quickly and timely.

The invitation is one way you can cut costs when considering the budget for a child’s birthday party. With the ideas presented here, however, you won’t need to cut out creativity or fun!

Water birthing is a relatively new concept in the United States. Basically, a mother gives birth to her baby while being partially immersed in warm water. Water births have more typically been done during home deliveries, but have now entered the mainstream birthing hospitals.

What to Expect – Preparation

Proponents of water birth say that it is a more natural process. A baby has been living in water for nine or ten months already. Coming into this world in the same kind of medium is believed to be less traumatic and an easier transition.

The mother will use a pool or tub that is partially filled with water. The water must be maintained at a certain temperature. Ideal temperature is equal to the internal environment of the body (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit). Keeping the water at body temperature prevents the mothers temperature from rising too high and endangering the baby.

The water is also continually changed to keep it crystal clear. The doctor or midwife needs a clear view of the cervix and the baby as it passes out of the birth canal so that any potential problems can be detected early and resolved.

The water level is also important.

The mother’s lower half is submerged in water when she sits, but her body needs to remain stable, not buoyant, so that she can push when the time comes. Too much water will cause her to float and lose her position.

What to Expect – Birth

According to experts in water birthing, immersion in water eases the pain of the contractions. Any mother would love that. The body begins to relax somewhat so the mother’s cervix can dilate without as much pain.

Doctors who advocate the water birth method dont recommend that a mother enter the birthing pool until after early labor. Immersion before five centimeters of dilation is too early. When you first enter the water, contractions seem to speed up due to natural oxytocin in the body. This increased flow can last for a couple of hours, long enough to dilate to delivery size. If a woman sits in the water too long, the surge stops and labor is stalled. Getting closer to full dilation makes a better use of that oxytocin spike.

Many mothers believe there are advantages to letting their baby emerge from water in the womb to water in the birthing pool. For women who want an alternative to the delivery bed, water birth may offer the calm, quiet delivery she is hoping for.

Whether youre a cruising veteran or a newbie without sea legs, you want to get the biggest bang for your cruising buck. The best tip is to be aware of all the extras charged to your room and dont go over budget. Many people do not realize that all-inclusive does not usually include alcoholic beverages, which can be pricey. Many internet forums discuss ways to smuggle a bottle of their favorite in their luggage but there are much easier ways to stretch a dollar:

1. Off-Season: You cant really write about saving money without mentioning that booking during the off-season or shoulder period can save you and your family a bundle. Do your research and choose your dates wisely.
2. Cellular: Bring your cellular phone; you may need it at the airport, but dont use it on the ship. Unless your cellular plan is very lenient, a phone call here and there could cost you more than the cruise itself. Call your provider for details before you leave dry land.
3. Laundry: Generally, your ship has a full-service laundry and dry cleaning service to take care of all their passengers needs.

   

   Whether youre a cruising veteran or a newbie without sea legs, you want to get the biggest bang for your cruising buck.
   CC image courtesy of smilepak

   Convenient, but with a price tag attached. You can avoid this expense buy bringing your favorite detergent, encased in a zip top bag, as well as a dryer sheet or two. Find the coin laundry on board and get out of the sun for an hour or two.

4. Excursions: Do your research. You can save a ton of money on many cruise-sponsored shore excursions by booking them yourself. Its not complicated; in fact, if you can handle booking a cruise, then you can handle booking an excursion.
5. Coffee: Just like on land, specialty coffee drinks can be an expensive habit. If you still want to treat yourself while on vacation, some cruises offer a coffee card for a reduced, set price that can bring the cost of your caffeine fix down considerably. A similar product is also available for soda on many ships.
6. Upgrades: When you check in and get your room keycard, ask to be upgraded. If there are available rooms (and if you smile nicely), the staff is usually happy to move you to a bigger and better room at no additional charge.
7. Buy stock: Ok, this is a little out-of-the-ordinary, but if you invest in the stock market, you may want to look into buying shares in a cruise line. The general rule of thumb is that they offer shareholders a discount, which is a nice little perk.

Enjoy your first cruise but remember to keep your eyes open for deals as well as for overpriced items. Nothing ruins a trip faster than an empty wallet.