Monumental history of kyIV

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THE NATIVE HAWAIIANS

The Hawaiians are a Polynesian people. Most scholars agree that they probably came to the Hawaiian Islands from Tahiti and the Society and Marquesas Islands. Hawaiian culture reached its high point after its first contacts with the Europeans (which came in 1778 with the landing of Captain Cook, British explorer of the Pacific). Using some of the technology gained from the Europeans, including the use of firearms, one of the most important Hawaiian chiefs was able to unite the islands into a single nation with himself as king. In this effort he was backed by Christian missionaries mainly from the New England states, who saw this as an opportunity to recreate the theocracy – or nation under religious law – which had originally been established in New England, but which had long since failed there.

In 1893 Hawaii became a nominal republic under the influence of U.S. commercial interests, and in 1898 it was annexed by the United States at the request of the pro-U.S. government installed after the coup d´etat (державний переворот).

The Native Hawaiians suffered great population losses owing to uncontrollable epidemics of European diseases and today the number of “pure” native Hawaiians is estimated at only 10 000. As was the case with the Aleuts in Alaska, there has been extensive intermarriage of the native Hawaiians with the rest of the population of their state, which is in part why the number of pure-blooded native Hawaiians reside on the island of Nihau. One of the smallest of the major islands, Nihau is privately owned by the Robinson family, who have set it aside as a refuge for native Hawaiians. The Hawaiian language is still spoken there, and many traditions and customs are preserved.

Some of the most commonly held ideas about the native Hawaiians are the most inaccurate. Take, for example, the picture of a grass-skirted native dancing the hula to the sounds of the Hawaiian guitar while others feast on foods flavoured with pineapple. Of these elements only the hula is traditional. Grass skirts, the guitar, and the pineapple all had their origins elsewhere, and didn’t become part of Hawaiians culture until the coming of the whites.

 

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QUALITY WESTMINSTER

The Quality Westminster Hotel in London is a 19th century property situated in the heart of the city on a quiet central square, 250 meters from Victoria Station. This five-floor hotel features 107 guestrooms with modem furnishings in warm neutral tones with white and red fabrics. Private bathroom with complimentary toiletries and hairdryer. All include tea and coffee making facilities, PlayStation games consoles, satellite TV with pay movies, dial up Internet connections, and direct- dial telephones. The hotel is fully air- conditioned. Multilingual staff can also assist with currency exchange and room service requests and arrange transport around the local area.

After breakfast in the Brasserie restaurant of the Quality Westminster Hotel, guests can browse through the complimentary London newspapers in the lobby or over a pot of tea in the coffee lounge. The Quality Westminster Hotel, London, also features multilingual staff at the 24- hour front desk to advise on local attractions and make bookings for restaurants or the theatre. In the evening guests can enjoy a drink in the hotel bar before going to one of London's West End shows or having dinner in the Connaught Brasserie, decorated in traditional English design and serving an al a carte menu of modem continental dishes. Guests with laptops can enjoy access to the wi-fi Internet zone situated in the Coffee Lounge Car parking is available nearby; guests can collect a 40% discount voucher from reception. The hotel is conveniently located for both business guests and holiday- makers. Buckingham Palace is within 500 metres and Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben are one kilometre away. The shops of Oxford Street, Bond Street and Carnaby Street are within walking distance or only two stops on the tube from Victoria station (250 metres from the hotel). London Gatwick Airport is 20 miles away with an approximate driving time of 60 minutes.

 

 

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THE COMMODORE HOTEL

The Commodore hotel is centrally positioned in London’s famous Hyde park area. The hotel is just five minutes from Kensington Palace and only ten minutes from the popular and trendy shopping area of Oxford Bond Street. Some of London’s top tourists attractions, including Buckingham Palace, are within fifteen minutes walk from the hotel. The hotel is conveniently located for both business guests and holiday­makers. For the business guest staying at the hotel, it is only 20 minutes away from the Financial District, Hammersmith, and Woodlane.

Under the new ownership of the luxury Grecian Hotels group, The Commodore Hotel has been revitalized into an outstanding new London Townhouse hotel to cater for the demands of the business and leisure traveller. It is unique with its stunning combinations of London styles. For your culinary delights, the Mediterranean restaurant is awaiting your taste buds. The Commodore Hotel will provide impeccable service and memorable stay. The air- conditioned guestrooms include satellite television with pay movies, high-speed Internet connections, minibars, tea and coffee making facilities and hair dryers. All guestrooms are furnished in a modem style with wooden furniture. After breakfast guests can relax with coffee in the 24-hour lounge bar or ask in the tour desk for advice about sightseeing in the city. Multilingual staff can also assist with currency exchange and room service requests. Car parking is available.

Traditional Victorian elegance is blended with contemporary interior designs to create an elegant and comfortable ambience in all of the hotel’s spacious guest rooms.

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PARADISE REVISITED

The famous American writer, humorist and lecturer Mark Twain, when he was at the peak of his career as a successful author, travelled a lot. His travels took him to Europe and to more exotic places on globe. But only one place is known to have impressed him so much that he wrote down in the guest book of the hotel he stayed at: “Lord God created paradise”, impressed by his visit to Mauritius.

The great writer didn't exaggerate it this time - the grand mountains looking into the cleanest ocean waters, forests of relict trees, among which roam deer that are not afraid of humans - all of these things bring to mind the idea of paradise the way we imagine it could have looked.
Mauritius (officially: Republic of Mauritius) is an island country, lying about 500 miles (800 km) east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The capital is Port Louis; area - 788 square miles (2,040 square km); population - about one million two hundred thousand people. Mauritius is volcanic in origin and almost surrounded by coral reefs. The climate is maritime subtropical with same temperature throughout the year.

Mauritius was probably known to Arab sailors from the 10th century, or earlier.
They called it “The Eastern Island." The island was definitely uninhabited. It was visited by the Portuguese in the early 16th century, but they did not settle the island which they called Cirne.
 In the early 17th century a French fleet arrived at Mauritius but there was no one to fight in order to take possession of the island, and soon the French East India Company occupied Mauritius, which was renamed Ile de France.

At the beginning of the 19th century, when England and France were at war, Ile de France was a continual threat to British. In 1810 British ships entered the port, to be joined by several other ships a short while later. There was no fighting this time either. The customs, laws, and language remained French, but the name Mauritius was reinstated. Slavery was abolished in 1835, and the slaves were replaced by Indian and Chinese employees. The rich ethnic mix - Dutch, French, British, Chinese, and Indian - produced handsome people.

In 1968 Mauritius became independent, first a monarchy, and later a republic.
The island has 90 first-class hotels and it is one of the major tourist attractions of the world. You can hunt deer, climb up and into volcano, you can rent a catamaran, a sailing boat or a yacht, or even a helicopter. You can take a walk on the bottom of the ocean. The beaches are kept ideally clean.

 

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BELFAST

In the 17^th century Belfast was a village. Then the development of industries like linen, rope-making, engineering, tobacco and seaborne commerce doubled the town’s size every ten years. In 1888 Queen Victoria gave the town the status of city, and the citizens built the magnificent City Hall, which dominates the central shopping area.

Northern Ireland’s long tradition of engineering is still centred on Belfast. The world’s biggest dry dock is here. There is a good view of the shipyard’s giant cranes from the foot of the Albert Clock Tower – Belfast’s Big Ben – at the end of High Street. Nearby aircraft and missile works are another important industry.

Half a century and half a mile separate the City Hall from Queen’s University. Designed by the celebrated architect Charles Lanyon, the main college building was modelled on Magdalene College, Oxford. Today, the original building is in the centre of a university quarter, which includes halls of residence in parklands, an 11-storeyed library and many other buildings catering for about 12000 students. The annual Belfast Festival at Queen’s is a 3-week celebration of cultural events and entertainment.

In the nearby Botanic Gardens you can find the Ulster Museum. Its collections include contemporary international art, Irish art, Irish furniture, glass, silver, ceramics and costume, and a display of life in Ireland over 9000 years. There is an interesting permanent exhibition called “Made in Belfast”. Perhaps the best known collection is the gold and silver jewellery recovered by divers in 1968 from the Armada treasure ship Gerona, wrecked in 1588.

St. Anne’s Cathedral was begun in 1899 and consecrated in 1904. Its mosaic depicts the landing of St. Patrick at Saul in 432 A.D.

Sinclair Seamen’s Church, opened in 1853, is like a maritime museum – the pulpit is a ship’s prow, the organ has port and starboard lights.

Nearly all the parks have bowls and tennis and the Waterworks has fishing. Victoria Park has boating in summer and Musgrave Park has a heather garden.

 

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CALIFORNIA

Standing on Twin Peaks, high up above San Francisco, the panorama of this geographically hilly city is like a model before you. The white buildings rise and fall with the contours of the land, twisting in and out of themselves to provide a life for fast-paced, urban, American melting pot.

The name San Francisco reminds us for Spanish Catholism, rising up from the south and Mexico. Fresh, salty Pacific breezes and mists pour into the Bay through one of nature’s finest harbour gates, keeping the air clean.

With its physical appearance, climate and mixture of nationalities, San Francisco is unique. If you walk through its Chinatown you will be in what is the largest Chinese settlement outside of Asia. Beautifully coloured carved wooden dragons glare at you with gleaming eyes; the smell of steamed rice, sweet and sour sauce; the beauty of paraffin lamps and paper lanterns; hot tasty water for drinking; tiny little bananas, and many other exotic fruits on sale all around, and smiles...

There are numerous restaurants and supermarkets, to look at and visit, where every possible taste is catered to. The delicatessens load up on the city’s famous sour dough bread, every kind of cheese, and enormous salamis.

Early in the morning the flower market bursts into life. You think and feel that you can close your eyes for a moment, and when you open them the glorious A. Hepburn in the costume of Pygmalion’s Eliza Doolittle, a flower- girl, will stand in front of you.

Then there is Golden Gate Park with roller skaters, or joggers, or crowds listening to classical music, rap. Nearby Cliff House offers you a drink and the chance to spy on the seals around Seal Rock.

San Francisco takes everything and absorbs it without question, and that is why it is like a melting pot, or a mix, the roads boast everything from Cadillacs and four- wheel-drive trucks, to imports from the Japanese market and Volkswagens filled with people. Everything blends in San Francisc

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THE PREMIER PALACE.

The Premier Palace hotel, a unique hotel in the very heart of the ancient capital of Ukraine, is within just a few steps of Kreshchatyk, Kyiv’s main shopping street. Educational and cultural life is all within a short walk of the hotel’s doorsteps. The Premier Palace hotel is located on the picturesque Taras Shevchenko Boulevard (until 1919 – Bibikovsky Boulevard). The hotel was originally built toward the end of the XIX century and by the beginning of the XX century it had made a name for itself as amongst the finest hotels in Kyiv.

A wonderful panorama opens out from the windows of the hotel, revealing the distinctive golden domes of Kyiv’s churches, and the apartment buildings, both old and modern alike.

The Premier Palace hotel is not merely a reflection of past glories, but is a bold step into the future. During recent years, the hotel has undergone painstaking and meticulous reconstruction, and today, the hotel is fully in line with world standards. The Premier Palace hotel is one of the wonderful five-star hotels in Kyiv. When they arrive here, the city’s guests, tourists and businesspeople, all become utterly absorbed by the atmosphere of comfort, which meets all the requirements of a refined and demanding traveler.

With spacious, comfortable suites, equipped to the last detail with state-of-the-art technology, kept in perfect order and with faultless service, an excellent menu and a large variety of supplementary services, the hotel has been re-designed to make you feel as close to home, work and leisure as possible. The hotel staff and administration have ensured that you will enjoy a superb stay, and, if the need arises, you may put in a full day’s work or hold a business meeting or give a presentation in a relaxed and efficiently organized environment. The Premier Palace hotel offers its guests 150 magnificent suites. If you travel the world frequently and stay in many hotels, then you will note with satisfaction that your room has all the attributes of a luxury-class suite: electronic lock, lighting and personal safe, modern plumbing and heated floors, hermitically sealed windows and doors.

Welcome to the Premier Palace hotel!

 

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FIRST CLASS

Mr. Plummer lived in Winchester, the old capital of England. One day, having to go to London on business, he bought a second-class return ticket and caught the morning express.

After spending the day in London, he reached the station to start his return journey at a time when all businessmen were going home to the country from their offices in London. The train was already crowded when Mr. Plummer arrived, and it was clear that, unless he changed his plans, he would have to stand up.

He noticed that there were several empty seats in the first-class carriages, and decided to travel in comfort. He could pay the difference when the ticket-collector came to the carriage on the way to Winchester. He got into a first-class carriage and sat down in one of the two remaining empty seats. The other four men in the carriage had the appearance of ordinary successful businessmen. They were well dressed in dark suits and were clearly men in good position. But before the train started, a different kind of person jumped in and sat down, a young man who had certainly never worked in an office.

Mr. Plummer was rather surprised to see such a man in a first-class carriage, until he remembered how full the train was. His coat was tight, and short at the back; his collar and tie were green; his brown shoes were narrow and pointed, like a girl’s. An unpleasant smell of hair-oil filled the air. Two of other men looked up in silence from their newspapers, shook them and then started to read again. The third man filled his pipe and blew clouds of smoke all over the carriage. Perhaps the young man hoped that no one would come to examine the tickets. If so, he was mistaken; for when the train had been traveling for twenty minutes, the door opened and an official entered.

Mr. Plummer had the necessary money ready in his hand, and held it out with the ticket. The official then turned to the others. One by one each of the four businessmen held out a second-class ticket, and all had to pay the difference. But the young man sat still. Had he no ticket at all? He had. His was the only first-class ticket in the carriage.

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MONUMENTAL HISTORY OF KYIV.

The first monument in Kyiv appeared in the very early years of the 19^th century. Over the next two centuries, near 100 monuments have been erected throughout the city. Nevertheless, not all of them have survived. So, let’s take a tour of Kyiv’s monumental history!

Podil is considered to be the birthplace of Kyiv’s monuments. There, not far from Poshtova Square, stands the 18-meter high Column of Magdeburg Rights topped with a gilded cross. This was the first monument built using money donated by city residents in order to “reaffirm the rights of the ancient capital”. In other words, its purpose was to preserve the capital’s status of a “free city”. The monument did not accomplish these objectives, as a quarter of a century later Kyiv lost its traditional self-government.

The second monument in the city appeared in the fall of 1853 in a new park, which is now known as Volodymyrska Hirka. It was the famous monument to Prince Volodymyr, who, according to legend, christened Kyivites in the Dnieper River at the end of the 10^th century in 988. The great figure of the prince was cast by professor Petr Klodt. The 20-meter pedestal was designed by architect Alexander Ton and another master sculptor by the name of Volodymyr Demut-Malynovskiy decorated the pedestal of the monument with a bas-relief called Christening of Kyivites. The Prince Volodymyr Monument has been one of the sightseeing highlights in the capital for a century and a half.

Over the course of Ukraine’s independence, 16 new monuments have appeared in Kyiv, including memorials to legendary soccer player and national team coach Valeriy Lobanovskiy, famous writer Oles Honchar, historian and public figure Mykhailo Hrushevskiy and others. These monuments embellish this ancient city and are truly popular among Kyiv residents and tourists. So, the “monumental history” of Kyiv continues…

 

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THE CARLYLE. A ROSEWOOD HOTEL

The Carlyle Hotel is located in New York City, N.Y., in the Upper East Side. The hotel is one block from the Whitney Museum of American Art and Central Park. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is five blocks from the hotel. The Guggenheim Museum and the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts are within one mile. The United Nations headquarters is two miles away.

The Carlyle Hotel offers three dining options and one bar. The Carlyle Restaurant serves Greek cuisine with regional American ingredients. Cafe Carlyle features live jazz performances.

The Gallery restaurant serves complete English tea with tea sandwiches, scones and pastries. Bemelmans Bar features Art Deco style with glass tabletops and a black granite bar. This New York City hotel's front desk is open 24 hours a day and offers safe-deposit boxes. The lobby features a fireplace and coffee is available. The hotel includes meeting space and a business center. The hotel offers translation services. Limousine and Town Car service is available.

The hotel includes a fitness center and health club offering massage treatments. Personal trainers are available, and Pilates and yoga classes are offered. The hotel features a sauna and steam room. On-site shopping is provided with boutiques including L'Olivier. Guestrooms at the Carlyle Hotel feature hardwood floors, antiques and original artworks. Bedding includes down duvets and 440-thread count Egyptian cotton linens designed by Rivolta Carmignani. Bathrooms feature telephones, makeup mirrors, bathrobes and slippers. Guestrooms are equipped with cable television. Complimentary newspapers are delivered to guestrooms on weekdays. In-room safes are provided.

Guestrooms include minibars and complimentary bottled water.Room service is available 24 hours a day. The Gallery restaurant is modeled after the sultan's dining room at the Topikapi Palace in Turkey

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