Galway Advertiser 2006/2006_11_02/GA_0211_E1_040.pdf 

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40 F E A T U R E S

www.galwayadvertiser.ie

November 2 2006

HOLIDAY SPECIALS
Calling all Elvis fans
Eblana Travel is offering package tours to Memphis to commemorate The King's 30th anniversary next August. The trip includes return flights from Shannon, current airport taxes, six nights in Memphis, and one night in Nashville, coach transfers, a shuttle service to Graceland, entry to Sun Studios, a platinum tour of Graceland, the Memphis city tour, Tupelo tour, entry to the Country Music Hall of Fame, inclusion in the candlelit Elvis vigil, and access to a tour guide. Flights depart Shannon on August 11, the beginning of the annual Elvis Week commemorations of his death on August 16, 1977. Prices start at 2,047 per person based on three-star accommodation, and 2,325 per person based on four-star accommodation. A deposit of 150 per person secures your place on this tour and the balance will be payable June 1 2007. To book contact Mary Concannon at Eblana Travel on (091) 766802 or visit www.eblanatravel.ie

BREAK-AWAY
TRAVEL WITH UNA SINNOTT

Discover India with a tour of Rajasthan
India offers tourists a wonderful mix of history, culture, and diversity. A trip through the northern province of Rajasthan, along with a day or two in the modern capital of Delhi, affords visitors the opportunity to explore much of India's famous attractions as well as a few less well-known areas. Martina Forde Travel is currently offering a 10-day tour of the region. Delhi is built on centuries of tradition and has a rich and diverse history, and it wears this well among the ultramodern developments which now dot the city. Attractions include the Raj Ghat, a memorial to Mahatma Ghandi located in the old city, Jama Masjid, India's largest mosque, and the magnificent Red Fort and Chandni Chowk bazaar. In New Delhi visit the Bangla Saheb Sikh temple, India Gate, a memorial to the Indian army soldiers who died in World War I, and the 12th century Qutub Minar, India's tallest tower gracefully hand-carved for its entire height of 234 feet. The tour of Rajasthan includes a visit to the Havelis of Mandawa, huge mansions famed for their distinct frescoes, and the city of Bikaner with its 16th century fort and Har Mandir, the chapel once used for royal weddings. Jodphur, the state's second largest city, features the five kilometre-long fort of Mehrangarh, which overlooks the city from its place on a 125metre hill. The fort contains magnificent palaces with meticulously carved panels and latticed windows or jarokhas. Later visit the Jaswant Thada, a cluster of royal cenotaphs in the white marble built in 1899 AD in memory of Maharaja Jaswant Singh-II. A visit to the villages and sanctuaries of Thu Nimaj includes a trip to the sanctuary of the Bishnoi community, who are avid conservationists and work to protect antelope from poachers. The sanctuary contains endangered antelope species such as black bucks, chinkaras, and blue bulls. The Amber Fort at Jaipur is a classic Rajasthani Fort Palace. The rugged, timeravaged walls of the Fort may not look beautiful from the outside, but the interior is a virtual paradise. Miniatures painted on the walls depict hunting and war scenes and festivals. Precious stones and mirrors are embedded into the plaster. Inside the Fort the Jag Mandir, or Hall of Victory, is the famed Sheesh Mahal, a room with all the four walls and ceiling completely embedded with glittering mirror pieces, which were specially imported from Belgium. Highlights of a tour of the pink city of Jaipur include a visit to the Maharaja's city palace, part of which has been converted into a museum. A small portion is still used by the royal family of Jaipur. The palace covers almost oneseventh in area of the city. Visitors can also see the Jantar Mantar, the largest stone and marble crafted observatory in the world. The deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri was built by Emperor Akbar in 1569, in honour of the great Saint Sheikh Salim Chisti. Akbar used Fatehpur Sikri as his capital and the city was fully occupied for 14 years but slowly became deserted and ruined after Akbar left the city. The remarkably wellpreserved buildings within the city include the Jama Masjid, tomb of Salim Chisti, and Panch Mahal Palace. A visit to the city of Agra will give tourists the chance to see the world famous Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan in

City breaks in eastern Europe
Martina Forde Travel currently has a number of offers available for short breaks in some of eastern Europe's most beautiful cities. Enjoy two nights in Riga, Latvia's picturesque capital which has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or travel to Lithuania's Baroque capital, Vilnius, where you can discover the many feudal palaces and meandering medieval streets of the city's old town. Estonia's capital, Tallinn, is thought to be 4,000 years old and has a rich history. The old city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and features two ancient towns which can easily be explored on foot. Local attractions include the old walls and towers of Lower Town, and Kadriorg, the former palace of Peter the Great. Prices for all three cities start at 299 per person. Further details are available from Martina Forde Travel at (091) 566866.

1560 in memory of his queen Mumtaz Mahal. This architectural marvel is a perfectly proportioned masterpiece fashioned from white marble that stands testimony to the skill of 20,000 craftsmen brought together from Persia, Turkey, France, and Italy and who took 17 years to complete it. Shah

Jahan later spent years of confinement in the nearby Agra Fort, looking wistfully at the Taj Mahal. The tour, which includes flights, accommodation, transport, and transfers, starts at 1,350 per person, plus taxes. Further details are available from Martina Forde Travel at (091) 566866.

WEATHER
Thursday
It will be dry with patchy cloud and plenty of sunshine. Light south-easterly winds. Feeling rather chilly. The evening will be predominantly clear. Max temp 6-9C (43-48F).

Friday
Friday will be dry with sunshine and patchy cloud. Light southerly winds. Feeling cold again. The evening will be mostly clear. Max temp 6-9C (43-48F), but milder along the coast.

High Tide in Galway
Thursday November 2 Friday November 3 Saturday November 4 Sunday November 5 Monday November 6 Tuesday November 7 Wednesday November 8 Thursday November 9 02.09 02.55 03.36 04.17 04.57 05.40 06.22 07.07 14.16 15.04 15.49 16.34 17.17 18.02 18.49 19.39

Information supplied by PA Weather Centre

Phases of the Moon
Monday
Overcast with drizzle or light rain.

Saturday
Dry with variable amounts of cloud.

Sunday
Staying dry, but cloudy and grey.

Tuesday
Dull with light rain or drizzle.

Wednesday
Turning cloudy with light rain later.

Sunday November 5 -- Full moon