Archive for May, 2009
The World’s Largest Valentine has nothing to do with chocolates, flowers or a romantic dinner. Although these are traditional elements of Cupid’s Day, this particular Valentine gets the prize reserved for The Top. Maybe, even, Over The Top.
Here are some clues:
1. It is 350 years old
2. It was built by a man for the woman he loved.
3. It took twenty two years and 20,000 men to complete.
4. It is twenty four stories high.
5. It sits on a marble platform larger than a football field’s length squared.
6. It is adorned with semiprecious jewels
7. It is located in Agra, India.
Yes, the Taj Mahal is the World’s Largest Valentine.
In the 1600’s, Shah Jahan lost Mumtaz Mahal during the birth of their fourteenth child and his grief for his beloved wife of nineteen years was deep and real. During the mourning period he forbade color, dancing and even perfume in his sophisticated and ostentatious court.
Shah Jahan could have kept his feelings for Mumtaz locked in his heart. He could have abdicated. He could have replaced her with another queen. He did none of these. Instead, he boldly designed and had erected a mausoleum in her honor. It became known as Mumtaz’s Palace which, in Hindi, is Mumtaz’s Mahal, easily shortened to Taj Mahal.
This “building by Tiffany’s” reflects the flow, the grace, and the beauty of Mumtaz Mahal. He used the very sky behind the mausoleum as an active and ever-changing backdrop for his masterpiece. Clouds, sunshine, and rain reflect varying light and color on the Taj Mahal’s white marble.
With deep feelings for Mumtaz, a well developed architectural ability, and his position as Emperor of a large and almost unimaginably wealthy empire, Shah Jahan was uniquely equipped with the essentials to create what has become his gift to the world. Never before had this particular combination been present.
It took wealth most of us cannot imagine to have created a 24-story building covered with thick marble slabs, inlaid with artistically shaped precious stones, and abundant with lush carvings of plants and growing flowers. The Taj Mahal is protected by four 145-foot minarets located at the corners of its marble platform which itself is set between two identical buildings of red sandstone. It boasts waterways which symmetrically dissect its lavish gardens and the entire complex is walled and finished with a massive gate and forecourt.
No wonder it took more than two decades to finish.
But it was finished and it stands today as a monument to the love between a man and a woman.
It is the World’s Largest Valentine.
It is the Taj Mahal.
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Property management and vacation resorts have found a new way to market their properties. Like the name suggests, timeshares offer vacationers the opportunity to share use of a property for a specified period of time. If you want a vacation spot without making a substantial investment, a timeshare may be the right option for you.
Timeshare presentations are important advertising and marketing tools in the travel industry. Potential investors are lured to timeshare presentations to be shown an overview of the available properties.
If you are interested in taking part in a timeshare presentation, you can usually call the resort directly and inquire about any visitor promotions. Lists of resorts are available from RCI and II membership catalogs. Potential vacation resorts can also be found by browsing the Internet. If you are visiting a hotel resort or resort city, ask for more information at the service desks or virtual help centers usually found in the hotel lobby area.
Agreeing to an offer made in a timeshare presentation can be a major investment, so be wise about it. Don’t be afraid to haggle for a better price. These people offering timeshares at these presentations are given discounts, so convincing more people to buy a timeshare means more money and discounts for them. Try to get as much as you can from your agreement, and be sure to get a concrete guarantee that you will ensure you receive everything you’ve agreed upon.
A single woman or man wishing to bring a boyfriend or girlfriend should purchase separate single packages. By doing so, they will receive two premiums, and more benefits. Stand firm if the timeshare group tries to convince you to buy a couples’ plan. The final decision is yours to make.
If during the timeshare presentation you don’t like what is being offered and decide to leave, give the group leader an honest reason. While encouraging you to join, the presenters will usually promise to take no more than 90 minutes of your time. If the allotted time is up, you can say that you’ve met your end of the bargain. If you’re not satisfied, simply state that you’ve already given your precious time and do not wish to be badgered further. Tell them the truth if you’re not crazy about the offer, or make excuses. Whether you say that you don’t care for the resort or tell them that you have a brother in the area and you can stay for free, the final decision is yours. By attending a timeshare presentation you are under no obligation to stay or to buy.
Be sure to write everything down during the timeshare presentation. Anything that you agree upon must be documented and therefore legitimate. Jot down notes during the presentation to help in your decision making process. Afterwards, evaluate what you have written and ask for more details. If breakfast is included, know whether it’s a continental breakfast or a buffet. If a television is offered with the room, find out of it’s colour or black and white, and if cable channels are included. Know exactly what you are getting and take nothing for granted. This is the only way to ensure top value for your dollar.
If you decide to join the timeshare, you will likely need to meet certain requirements in order to qualify. Proper ID and a credit card are usually required prior to your admittance. Most timeshares require that you be at least 25 or sometimes 30 years of age, and if you are married you will most likely be asked to bring along your spouse.
Don’t allow yourself to be pressured into making an immediate decision. If you like the timeshare offered, get the contact number of the person or company, as well as a cancellation fax number. This will enable you to contact the manager directly to negotiate or cancel if you see something in the contract that you do not like.
In signing the timeshare contract, protect yourself by having a disclaimer included in the agreement. The disclaimer should state that you have the option of canceling within seven days without charge or penalty if the benefits and services are misrepresented or not available. Include a clause that in the event of cancellation, your money will be refunded. Further, if the exact amount you paid for the timeshare is not refunded or credited within a ten day period after notification, request a fee of $50 per day to be paid to you until you receive your full refund.
Include in the disclaimer that this specific contract supersedes all other contracts in this transaction. This is a necessary precaution in ensuring your security. If you wish to cancel the contract, do so immediately.
Don’t leave cash, even if they insist that you leave a deposit after the presentation. Simply say that you have a credit card, but no cash available.
Spending money on your precious leisure time can be a great investment, and timeshare presentations can be excellent venues to find the right vacation property. Take time to attend several presentations, and to review all of the details before making your final decision. You’ll find it’s well worth the extra effort as you’re enjoying the vacation of your dreams.
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Women have a special taste for choosing their handbags. They want them to look stylish and appropriate for the occasion at the same time. This is more visible when they head out in the evening, either to their friends’ home or to any other outdoor gathering.
The handbag that women caries is very important in terms of the overall look it lends to the lady. No matter how good the dress they wear might be, if the bag they carry does not match with their dress, then the whole appearance is spoiled. If you are going to buy an evening bag, the main thing here is to see if the color of the dresses that you usually wear matches with the color of the bag.
There are some factors which need to be considered when you purchase a woman’s bag.
a) Color of the bag:
The color should match with the dress you are wearing at that time. Most women usually prefer to buy a black color bag as it matches with most of the dresses. It also gives an elegant look to the lady. If the dress is simple, then the bag can have intense colors.
On the other hand, if you are going to buy a busy design bag with extreme colors, you should wear a simple dress. Hence, this means that the color of the dress and the color of the bag used must be strictly opposed to each other.
b) Number of compartments:
The plastic bag should have a large number of partitions which are enough to hold all your accessories and items. The bag should be such that you should be able to take out whatever you need quickly. If you start searching your bag for a specific item in front of other people in will look very awkward. Having greater number of sections in your bag also makes it possible to arrange all your items in your bag properly instead of muddling them up together.
c) Size of the bag:
However, evening bags carried by women should not be larger than required. There should be sufficient space in it just to carry the necessary items. Too large bags tend to get very heavy. With availability of excess space, you have a tendency to add all your stuff to it. Apart from this, too big bags often look very odd and the women are carrying those bags reluctantly.
