Lavender Fields on the Island of Hvar

The main area for cultivation of lavender in Croatia is located on the island of Hvar. Lavender is appreciated for its medical properties and characteristic fragrance. It mostly thrives on the hills and the rocky slopes on the island of Hvar.

The first bush of lavender, on the island of Hvar, was planted in 1928. A cultivation of lavender increased in 1960 when lavender was planted on the 600 hectares and obtained about 20 tons of lavender oil. The golden period of Hvar's lavender lasted for about 20 years. The cultivation of lavender started to decrease with development of tourism and olive growing. Also, three big fires on the island made a huge damage to the lavender fields. The lavender fields today spread in just 80 hectares and produce about three to five tons of oils.

Lavender blooms in the end of June and the beginning of July. The fields of lavender are going to delight you with its fragrance and intense violet blue color in that period.

Many tourists like to visit the island when lavender blooms to see the unusual phenomenon of beautiful colors.

On the island of Hvar, Lavender is produced in an environmentally healthy way. Sowing and harvesting are done manually.

Lavender is recommended for stress and for strengthening the immune system. It can also be used as medicine for various diseases. Lavender helps for burns and insect bites. You can use it in your closet for protection against moths. Also, lavender can be used as a spice in many dishes, soups and deserts.

By distillation of lavender flowers, essential oil is obtained - the oil is used for body massage, hot baths and for scented candle. Large amount of dried flowers is required to obtain a liter of essential lavender oil. Except essential oil, lavender can be used as a tea. The lavender flowers are used for preparation of tea with surprising effect against asthma, heart nervousness and cramps in the gut.

You have to take a sachet or bottle of essential lavender oil if you visit the island of Hvar. It will always remind you on the beauty of Croatian landscape.

Why Lacrosse is a Safe and Great Sport For Kids of All Ages

As a kid growing up on Long Island, I loved to spend time after school playing sports with my friends. We would play football, baseball, hockey, but mostly the sport of lacrosse. Since we grew up in one of the centers of the game, we thought all kids played lax. We had no idea that kids in California or Texas really had never heard or seen the game. To us, it was second nature to carry our stick to school, learn new tricks and shoot around after the 6th period bell sounded... and we all loved it.

Lacrosse was a sport all kids of all sizes could enjoy. Unlike football, the best players were often smaller athletes who had great eye hand coordination and were super fast. This made it fun for kids of all sizes! We would compare sticks and our basketball courts were often transformed into mini-lacrosse fields with balls flying all over. We all loved the game and it was very cool. I have never heard a single kid say lacrosse is not fun.

This brings us to the safety of the sport. Would I let my child play lacrosse?

One of the beauties of the game of lacrosse is that it is very physical, so many tough kids love the game. You will be hit, slashed, and punished by defenders who have longer sticks with which they use to try and dislodge the ball from your stick. Lacrosse is clearly a contact sport.

Unlike football though, it is very rare the athlete will take a hit on the knee or suffer a really bad injury. Overall, participation in lacrosse is safe and the injury rate among young athletes is actually very low.

I played lacrosse for over 15 years, including playing in the much more physical professional lacrosse league, and only suffered minor injuries. I never hurt my knee. I had many a nasty bruise from getting hit by a shot and slashed but nothing serious. While it is not tennis, you will most likely be able to pick yourself up after the hit and go home.

Some of the legends of the game are about 175 lbs and less than 6 ft tall but lightening fast and strong. Unlike basketball, height is not a huge advantage in the sport of lacrosse.

So yes, I would let my kid play lacrosse.

Windermere United Kingdom

In the shire county of Cumbria you will the town and civil parish of Windermere. You will find that Windermere is located about 1 kilometer away from Lake Windermere and the town of Bowness-on- Windermere is not too far from Windermere town. As both of these towns are located close to the lake and the surrounding countryside is quite beautiful you will find this town the perfect place to rest and relax.

As you explore this town and the surrounding countryside you will find there is a number of activities to do and interesting places to explore. Nature lovers will enjoy coming to Windermere as you can see the beauty of the countryside without having to travel too far. History wise the town of Windermere is a part of Westmoreland. In addition to enjoying the beauty of the surrounding countryside you will find there are some interesting places that you can visit while you are in Windermere.

Of the various sights you can see while you are in Windermere you will find the Windermere Railway Station to be an interesting place to visit. Of course you may find it more convenient to see the interesting sight in this station if you are not in a hurry. Here you will find there is a Booths supermarket where you can buy various items which may be useful for you during and after your train journey. This supermarket which can be seen in the railway station grounds has been designed to mimic the former train shed thus incorporating the frontage of the original Windermere Railway Station.

On the other hand you may find some of the natural sights of Windermere to be more exciting than looking at this train station. For these natural beauties you should travel to Belle Isle. Here in this wooded island which is situated in Lake Windermere you will be able to look at an island which was landscaped in the 18th and 19th centuries. The island of Belle Isle is about one mile long. It is the longest island which has been landscaped by man in the Lake Windermere area.

Another great place that you might want to visit while you are here in that of Orrest Head. This is a fabulous viewpoint which was made extremely popular by the poet William Wordsworth. During Victorian times this viewpoint was quite popular with a number of visitors. When you visit this viewpoint you will be able to see the reason. From gazing at the surrounding countryside from Orrest Head you should see about visiting Brockhole.

You will find that Brockhole is an Edwardian house. It is beautifully situated on the shores of Lake Windermere. Due to this reason not only can you enjoy strolling through the extensive landscaped gardens which are quite beautiful you will also be able to take guided walks which will provide you with lots of information about Brockhole and the surrounding area. For the more active minded visitors to Windermere you will find that it is possible to go in lake cruises around Lake Windermere where you will be able to look at the beauty of this area.

The next time you decide to visit Cumbria in England you should remember to visit the scenic town of Windermere. The natural beauty and the many pleasurable activities that you will be able to take part in will provide you with many long lasting memories.

Croatian Vacation Recommendations

Istria and Kvarner

Limski Channel - Between Vrsar and Rovinj, there is a geomorphologic phenomenon - a 10 km long and 600 m wide canyon, with cliffs protruding up to 150 m above the sea. Since oysters and mussels are bred in the Limski Channel, make sure to taste them in one of many excellent restaurants.

Motovunska Forest - Istria's inland is famous for its forests abundant in mushrooms and wild game, while Motovunska Forest, where the largest truffle, recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records, was found, lies in the Mirna River valley, close to the Medieval hill-top towns.

Ucka - Ucka, covered by coniferous forests, medicinal and aromatic herbs, is Istria's highest mountain. From Ucka, you have a splendid view of Istria and the Kvarner islands, and thanks to its vegetation and the direction of the wind, the region at the foot of Ucka has been included on the list of tourist destinations favorable for all of those with respiratory difficulties.

Rajska Beach and Dundo Forest - 40% of the island of Rab is covered by woods, while the Dundo Park-Forest, only 4 km from the town of Rab, stands out as one of the most beautiful holm oak forests in the Mediterranean region.

Lubenice - On a 378 m high cliff with a view towards the open sea, lies the prehistoric settlement that resembles the fairytale town in Sleeping Beauty - stone-chiseled Lubenice, where every year interesting music evenings are held and creative workshops are organized.

Northern Dalmatia

Lake Mir - On the island of Dugi otok, in the area of the Telascica Nature Park, 146 m above sea level lies the salt water lake Mir. In the past, an integral part of the Kornati National Park, Telascica Bay is among the most beautiful in the Adriatic, while its waters at the surface are up to 6°C warmer than the sea water in summer.

Velebit Botanical Garden - At the foot of Zavizan Mountain, at the altitude of 1480 meters, lies a botanical garden with an area of 30 hectares. Besides dense forests and spacious meadows, you can see autochthonous and rare plants of the Velebit region, among them, the endemic yellow flower - Degenia velebitica.

Zrmanja River, whose canyons and rapids have recently been discovered by rafting and kayaking enthusiasts, lies near the town of Obrovac. One of its beauties is a 27-meter high waterfall. Along its entire length of 69 km, the river flows through green landscapes, the most spectacular ones in the Obrovac region.

Cerovacke Caves - On the slopes of Southern Velebit lies the geomorphologic nature monument consisting of two caves: Donja cave, explored to the depth of 2000 meters and Gornja cave, although smaller (approx. 1200 m), can boast of having the so-called "White Crystal Chamber" that is ornamented with magnificent stalactites and stalagmites.

Central Dalmatia

Cetina River Canyon - 100 km long Cetina River is Dalmatia's river with the most water and its mouth lies at the old town of Omis. Thanks to its waters, the river has formed a splendid canyon with waterfalls (Gubavica) and excursion areas, among which Radmanove mlinice, a place where excellent dishes are served, stands out.

Malacological Museum in Makarska - is located in the Franciscan monastery and houses the largest selection of shells and snails in the world, as well as a rare collection of fossils from the Mediterranean area.

Biokovo Botanical Garden - If you head from Makarska towards Zagora, you will reach a botanical garden that, besides autochthonous plants from the Biokovo area, houses several endemic plants, while there are large meadows of yellow narcissuses at several places within the park.

Crveno and Modro Lakes are hydrographic and geomorphologic natural phenomena in the Imotski region. In Modro lake (800 x 500 meters), bathing is allowed in summer, while its water level varies up to 70 meters. Neighboring Crveno lake resembles a giant well: it has a diameter of about 200 meters and a depth of about 500 meters and cannot be accessed, while the red color of the surrounding steep rocks make it a marvelous sight.

Southern Dalmatia

Veliko and Malo Lakes - On the island of Mljet, whose western part has been proclaimed a national park, there are two lakes and the bay of Soline. On 46 meter deep Veliko Lake lies the islet of Sv. Marija with a Benedictine monastery. The water of Malo Lake is up to 4°C warmer than the sea water.

Bacinska Lakes - Freshwater Bacinska Lakes, a favorite destination for sports fishermen, lies north of the port of Ploce and in the immediate vicinity of the sea. There are several excellent sea food restaurants in the vicinity.

Ston Walls - The 14th century fortification walls, called "European Wall of China" due to their monumentality, still circle the town that had waterworks and a sewage system already in 1581. Besides that, Ston is known for excellent oysters bred there.

Lokrum is among the most beautiful islands of the Dubrovnik archipelago and it used to be the summer residence of Maximillian von Habsburg. The island is covered with Mediterranean vegetation, magnolias, agaves and palm trees. Due to its exquisite beauty, it has been proclaimed a special reserve of forest vegetation.

You can allways check private accommodation directory for best offers at: RealAdriatic.com

Hawaiian Tribal Tattoos - Get Tribal With Hawaiian Tribal Tattoos

Wanting to feel like you belong to a tribe? How about the Hawaiian tribe? Then Hawaiian tribal tattoos is the perfect choice. These designs are composed of geometric figures and are rich in significance making them more interesting.

Hawaii is part of the Polynesian islands, which is why Hawaiian tribal tattoos are of the Polynesian designs. These have been used by the tribesmen centuries ago. Tattooing has been a part of the Hawaii tribesmen culture and these tattoos have different symbols.

Hawaiian tribal tattoos are commonly worn nowadays and their significance depends on whoever wears the tattoo. So before getting Hawaiian tribal tattoos, you should know the significance of these designs for the Hawaiian tribesmen. Since Hawaii is an island rich with natural beauties, their designs are inspired from these. Some of which are flowers, birds, lizards, sharks and marine life.

For the tribesmen, these tattoos have a very significant connotation. Here are a few of their traditional reasons of wearing tattoos:

Status

For most of the tribal cultures, the only way to identify a social status is through their tattoos. There are special kind of tattoos which can identify a chieftain from the slaves and ordinary tribesmen.

For Protection

For the Hawaiian tribesmen, it is believed that tattoos protect them from danger and illnesses. Some of the designs used are sharks, knives and the like.

Commemoration

It is also in their culture to get a tattoo when a loved one or the chieftain has passed away. This is their symbolic way of commemorating the deceased.

Although these tattoos may be symbolic to whoever wears them now, some may want it because these designs stand out. Whatever their reasons may be, the most important here is to have a healthy dose of respect for the design just as how the tribesmen respected their symbolic tattoos.

Miami Real Estate - The Beauty of Fisher Island For Modern Homebuyers

Fisher Island Florida is located 3 miles off the coast of Miami. modern home buyers consider a place for the purchase of luxury residential properties, and has given the availability of facilities in the territory, to live in Miami a memorable and enjoyable.

Elegant Lifestyles

Fisher Island came from a humble beginning, a city on the coast of Florida. Today, Fisher is one of the Iceland Touristattractions in Miami-Dade County that sports 700 residential properties ranging from single family homes to luxurious condos. Foreign and local homebuyers flock to this paradise to purchase the best homes available for both personal and business functions.

One of the features of Fisher Island is the abundance of recreational and entertainment facilities available in the area. Hotels and resorts offer an extravagant lifestyle with easy access to many of the fun-filled activities to enjoy -- well-lighted tennis courts for those who want to have a game with their friends and families under the tropical sun, the famous Links Golf Course, indulge in total rest and relaxation in Spa International, and more.

The white sandy beaches of Fisher Island are practically the main attraction in the locale. Hundreds, even thousands, of visitors from all over the world flock to the area each year to enjoy the crystal blue waters of the Florida coast, or rent out a yacht and Boating and fishing every time you find convenient.

Fisher Island residential real estate

The island was looking for residential property is privately owned by Fisher. privately owned condos on the ocean side, Harbour View, Bayview found, and the Palazzo del Mare are the best around. This luxurious residential offering of $ 1,000,000 to $ 15,000,000 depending on location and facilities and from the plant.

If you want a rustic,then the best single-family homes and estates are found in Seaside Villas and Seaside Village. You can pick out the best ones that fit your requirement, since they vary in size, feature, designs, and beauties that will definitely appeal to your taste. The only thing they all have in common is they are fully-equipped to address a modern urban lifestyle.

Finding The Right One

It's true that residential properties in Fisher Island may be too expensive for an average homebuyer to acquire, but it's not impossible to get one under your name if you plan for it in advance. First is to come up with a list of home specifications to help narrow down your home search. It might be best to apply for a mortgage loan way before the start of the home acquisition project in order to get one of these properties without putting you in a financial pinch later on.

http://luxurylivingrealty.net/ -- Miami Real Estate - Fisher Island

Bareboat Cruising - Sail Away to Your Ultimate Escape on a Deserted Island or Two

Who hasn't dreamed of escaping to a deserted island? A palm tree drenched spit of sand surrounded by gleaming "too blue" to be real water and absolutely no one else around. I'm sure you probably have. But unlike Tom Hanks in "Castaway" you don't have to get shipwrecked or have your plane crash to find these deserted islands. You just need a few intrepid friends, a great sense of adventure and a bareboat charter.

A bareboat charter is basically the hiring of a boat, in my case a sailboat, where my friends and I would provide the crew and captain. Many island countries of the world have charter companies, which provide sailboats to clients who are certified captains and the rest become the crew. The charter companies stock the galley with a list of provisions of your choosing, including alcohol and you do all of the cooking.

It all started when a sailing friend of mine mentioned she was part a flotilla of 2 sailboats going to the Tongan Islands. I immediately said I wanted to go along. She said all we had to do was to get 6 more people, including one experienced skipper and we could add our boat to the adventure. Well, as luck would have it, a good friend of mine had been a captain for over 20 years, had owned her own sailboats and had her 100-ton license. We were all set, so off we all went to the Tongan Islands.

Tonga is comprised of 170 islands and about 1/3 of them are uninhabited and unless you have a boat or know someone who's got one there's not much chance of getting the experience of being on a real deserted island.

We booked our charter through a company called Moorings, who has bases all around the world where you can rent bareboat sailboats. We picked a 46-foot Beneteau which was quite roomy with 3 berths and 3 heads and a large main galley area. And then with minimal introduction to our new home away from home we packed up our supplies and headed off from the dock to our first uncharted island.

Hiring bareboats has become increasingly common as part time sailors are finding it easier and cheaper to vacation around the world on a rented boat and still get the experience of seeing the place they are visiting from the water. The unhurried pace of our floating hotel and restaurant made it easy to relax, cook, swim, scuba dive and visit with the locals. I found it was a more engaging way to visit a place. We became travelers rather then mere tourists. We'd pull up to their dock or take our dingy to their beach and walk in our bare feet to their huts or cafes nestled in the palm fronds and find places that you can't reach by roads. A girl could get used to this life.

Bareboat chartering offers the ultimate in freedom, independence and a different way of seeing a place. In the Tongan Islands for the most part we enjoyed line of sight cruising with only a few hidden reefs to worry about. Steady breezes, ample sunshine and palm-lined islands with white sand beaches beckoned us wherever we dropped our anchor. I had finally found my deserted islands and also a bareboat yachting paradise.

One morning on our voyage, a silver haired woman with large round sunglasses quietly breast stroked over to the stern of our sailboat where I was sitting writing in the early morning light. As I looked up to see her she called out to me, "Is this the bevy of beauties I've been hearing about?"

We were something of a spectacle and we made a grand entrance into every port we entered, so it seemed our reputation was spreading fast. You see were 3 sailboats of 6 women each all with a woman captain at the helm, and our ages ranged from 31 to 73. We were a sight to behold.

The local Tongans we met were very curious as well & the typical question from them was, "Where are your husbands and children?" They actually laughed along with us when we answered them; " Oh we forgot them at home!"

There is something magical the first time your sails fill with wind and you find yourself gliding through turquoise blue waters. There is nothing more peaceful, relaxing or more empowering than being in charge and at the helm of your very own sailboat.