Sun, Surf And Wine

As Captain Cook traveled north along the east coast in 1770, he made notes in his Captains Diary about a headland, now called Nobby Head. However it wasn't until 1797, while chasing escapees, that Lieutenant John Shortland discovered the Hunter River and also large deposits of coal.

Some four years later, in 1801 convicts began the backbreaking work of mining coal and cutting timber. Slowly, on the back of coal and the construction of the major prison in NSW (with over 1000 convicts) Newcastle begin growing, along with the schools and a flurry of buildings, its population grow to approx 50,000 in 1890.

A major turning point in the towns history come in 1911, when the large steelworks, BHP, chose Newcastle as the its new location due to the abundance of coal. BHP would remain in Newcastle until the company decided to close its doors in 2000, despite record company profits.

Today Newcastle is the second largest city in NSW (250,000 pop) and is growing in popularity with many Australians and foreign tourists. Located around 150km north of Sydney, Newcastle is easily reached by road or rail in only a few hours. There are also regular flights to and from Williamstown, just to the north.

Once here, the wide and diverse choice of activities on offer will have you wondering in amazement. Located on the coast, some of Australia's best beaches can be found only minutes from the CBD. Nobby's and Newcastle Main Beach, famous for hosting the International Surfest Contest, are only a 5-minute stroll from the main shopping and business districts. Continuing south, through the hilly, yet stunning gardens of King Edward Park, you will travel down the long windy slope arriving at Bar Beach. Further south the white sandy beaches of Merewether, Dudley, Redhead and Blacks Beach will greet you. All perfect for working on the tan, catching some waves or cooling of on a hot summers day.

For the non-beach goers, Newcastle Harbor and foreshore offers a variety of restaurants, cafes and park area to sip on a latte, try a Newcastle Ale or just chill out on the grass. For the more energetic, the large look out tower located next to the Brewery gives you a wonderful 360' view of the city and it's vast coastline. Walking over the footbridge, located below the look out, you enter the Hunter Street Mall, full of more shops and cafés.

For the day-trippers, a visit to the famous Hunter Valley Wineries is a great way to check out the internationally renowned wines of the region. Tours can be private or in groups, by old vintage cars or by bus. Whichever way you go, it is recommended that you don't drive, allowing you to fully appreciate the character and flavor of Australia's leading wine makers!

If history is your thing, Newcastle won't disappoint! Downtown in the CBD you'll find the Newcastle Art Gallery, City Museum and Botanical Gardens, along with Fort Scratchley and the Maritime Museum. A little out of the city, is the Wetlands Center and Blackbutt Nature Reserve, both great for short walks, picnics and learning about Australia's natural beauty.

For more info on Newcastle, check out this useful websites:

· Tourism Website - www.newcastletourism.com

· Accommodation - www.newcasltebackpackers.com

· Accommodation - www.backpackersbythebeach.com.au

· Shortland Wetlands – www.wetlands.org.au

· Newcastle Herald Paper - http://www.theherald.com.au

Originally from Newcastle, Australia, Adam now lives and works in South East Asia.

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[tags]newcastle, australia, nsw, tourism, travel, history, culture, beach, sun, surf, wine[/tags]

Amsterdam Vacation

It's pretty good to get a background of Amsterdam before spending a vacation there, isn't it? Well, for those who are currently planning or thinking for an Amsterdam vacation, or those who wish to know more about Amsterdam, here are facts below.

Amsterdam is actually a compact and instantly likeable city in Europe. As claimed by many of those who have been there for an Amsterdam vacation, the city is very appealing to look at and pleasing to walk around. It is a city where the parochial and international behaviors meet, and it is where you will feel a welcoming attitude towards visitors. This kind of behavior we known about Amsterdam was said to be shaped by the liberal counterculture it embraces since the last four decades.

Majority of the people of Amsterdam is able to speak English fluently. Some know how to speak German and French, but it is highly considered that if you are an English speaker, it is better to speak in English than in French and German as speaking the two languages is more likely to offend than do anyone a favor.

The layout of the city of Amsterdam is generally determined by a web of canals radiating out from a historical core to loop right round the center. As many of the Amsterdam vacation resources have noted, these planned, seventeenth century extensions to the medieval town make for a distinctly elegant urban environment. This is further shown by the presence of tall gabled house that are reflected in the black green waters of the city. It is then nice to know that many of the Amsterdam vacationers have deemed the city as the city at its most beguiling, that is, a world away from the traffic and noise of a number of many other European city centers. It is these facts actually that made Amsterdam one of Europe's most popular short-haul destinations.

Before your Amsterdam vacation it is interesting to know that there is actually an apparent contradiction to the positive aspects of the city, and this embodies much of the spirit of Amsterdam. Many of those Amsterdam vacationers who have strolled the city for a long time may know that Amsterdam is worldly known as a place where the possession and sale of cannabis are effectively legal, or at least decriminalized. For the most part, people of Amsterdam themselves can't really be bothered with this stuff.

Also, while the city is renowned throughout the world for its tolerance towards all styles of behavior and dress, a primmer with a more mainstream dress sense would be hard to find. And, as many of the Amsterdam vacationers have known, behind the cozy cafes and dreamy canals lurks the suspicion that the Amsterdammers' hearts lie squarely in their wallets, and while the new Amsterdam vacationers see the city as a liberal haven, locals can seem just as indifferent to this as well.

Amsterdam Vacation

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[tags]amsterdam,amsterdam vacation,travel europe[/tags]