Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, England - Travel Guide

Britain’s top holiday resort is Pleasure Beach located in Blackpool, a seaside resort town in the North West. The town of Blackpool is rich of interesting spots such as pristine beaches and arcades, but it is the Pleasure Beach and its partner, the Blackpool Tower, that attracts visitors the most. It is estimated that over 5 million of visitors come to this famed destination which makes Pleasure Beach part of the top 20 most visited funfair and amusement parks in the world.

Pleasure Beach’s bundle of attractions is the very reason why visitors flock to this place. Premier attractions are its thrilling rides comprising of rollercoasters and water rides. Present in the grounds of Pleasure Beach are eleven roller coaster rides, including the world-known 200 feet high ‘’Pepsi Max Big One," the highest roller coaster of Britain. Equally popular are Ice Blast, Avalanche, Big Dipper and Valhalla. The wooden roller coaster known as The Grand National is still one of the sought-after attractions of Pleasure Beach. For family fun that requires of a calmer, milder kind of ride, there is the Flying Machine and the whimsical Alice in Wonderland ride. With a wide array of wholesome activities in store for all ages, it is easy to make Pleasure Beach a favorite weekend getaway of the families. 

Nickelodeon is an all-time favorite of children and in Pleasure Beach, they will be delighted to be in the grounds of Nickelodeon Land. With a size of 6 acres, it fits almost 12 fun-filled rides based on Nickelodeon’s characters and shows. Children enjoy the attraction the most because here, they can be up-close with their favorite Nickelodeon characters such as Spongebob, Patrick and Dora the Explorer.

The park also treats its visitors through live entertainment and amusing shows. High Jinx Magic of Illusion is a fast-paced magic show that amazes most of the grown-ups guests. Circus of Horrors is an in-demand live show as well, a show that rolls bizarre circus and humor in one. Another not-to-be-missed attraction is the Spectacular Dancing Water Show, which happens every thirty minutes.

When all the thrill and fun are done, guests slow things down in the Blackpool Tower. The 158-meter high structure is a bonus when going to Pleasure Beach. With the Eiffel Tower as the inspiration, climbing to the top of the tower is an experience in itself. From the top, one can have the sight of the stunning views of the Bowland Fells, Furness Peninsulas, The Lake District, Pendle Hill, and even North Wales. The tower also has attractions and entertainment to offer, including Blackpool Tower Circus, Blackpool Tower Dungeon and Tower Longue Bar.

Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise, Japan - Travel Guide

Japan’s Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise is a new generation style leisure and amusement park. Located in Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, this huge theme park has been magnetizing millions of visitors since it opened on May 8, 1993. In terms of attendance, Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise is definitely one of the most-visited amusement parks in Asia. 

Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise is an amusement park embraced by nature, perfect for sight-seeing and spending quality time with the family. The island spans a size of 24 hectares, 18 times greater than the grounds of Tokyo Dome. There is always and ease in entering this amusement park as there are no long lines to endure—it does not even require payment for visitors get in! It has a pay-as-you-go concept that is why it does not need an admission gate and entrance fee. The park is accessed by the Kanazawa Seaside Line which makes the trip to this amusement park a leisurely experience in itself.

The best feature of the park is the Aqua Resorts where Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise plays a proud home of Aqua Museum, one of Japan’s largest aquatic museums. Aqua Museum showcases more than 100,000 sea creatures of more than 500 different species. Whale sharks, the largest sea creature in the world, are exhibited in a massive tank, amusing all visitors who watch it. The undersea viewing tunnel is the most famous feature of the aquarium where visitors can experience how life under the sea is. Dolphin Fantasy is also an attraction of the Aqua Resorts where guests of all ages enjoy the company of the playful and skilled dolphins as they display their acrobatic moves and choreography. Fureai Lagoon, also called ‘’the interaction lagoon’’ is where people can actually be one and interact with sea creatures.

Another enticing attraction of Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise is the amusement rides of the Pleasure Land. Blue Fall is in-demand to thrill-seekers as they experience a vertical fall from 107 meters high. It also has Japan’s first surf coaster, a ride that emerges out from the water. As the day ends, the lights of the merry-go-round make the amusement area a fascinating sight at night.

Part of going to amusement parks like Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise is dining and shopping. The presence of shops allows visitors to bring a memory of the amusement park they enjoyed. When the sun sets, the island becomes a paradise of lights, which is a proof that a fantasy land only seen in books can come to life. The night becomes a romantic setting to lovers as all the attractions of the amusement park beam with spectacular formation of lights.

Tate Modern Museum, London - Travel Guide

One of the many highly-regarded museums in London is Tate Modern. This museum is famous all over the world particularly because it owns the biggest collection of modern art all across Europe. Aside from its name, it is also known as Britain’s National Gallery of Modern Art. Tate Modern is a part of the prestigious Tate Group alongside Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool, Tate Online and Tate St. Ives.

If you are having a trip in London, do not miss out Tate Modern. Being a former Bankside Power Station, you will find the museum in London Borough of Southwark’s Bankside area. Tate Modern takes pride of its vast collection of British art from the 1900’s up to the modern times, as well as international collection contemporary art, all of which arranged thematically. Among all modern art museums in the world, Tate Modern is the most-visited one, generating more than 4 million of visitors per year. 

In 1992, there was a competition to construct a building that will give home to the country’s modern art. In 1995, emerged as winners were Herzog & de Meuron. The builders, instead of demolishing the old power station, resurrected the building back to life. After it was finished, the Tate Modern became the representation of what ‘’adaptive reuse’’ is like—the process of resurrecting old buildings by infusing new life.

From the outside, you will notice that Tate Modern still exude that 20th century factory-style façade—only today, there are accents of creativity and modernity to give the building a facelift. The interior, on the other hand, is characterized by concrete floors, taupe walls and steel girders. Half of the main building is where an enormous collection of contemporary art and modern designs gathered not just in Britain but from the entire globe are showcased. Tate Modern has four wings and each wing is categorized according to the art’s subject or theme.

The most stunning feature of the Tate Modern must be the prodigious Turbine Hall, once housed by the electricity generators of the old Bankside Power Station. The Turbine Hall is a five-storey structure, and each floor occupies a vast space of 3,400 sq.mt. The hall was recently used as a venue for commissioned works of budding contemporary artists. Now, it serves as a hall for important events and exhibitions relating to art. 

Because Tate Modern is one of the important assets of London when it comes to heritage and art, a tour to this spectacular establishment should not be missed when traveling to this side of the city. The closest station is Blackfriars through the new entry on the south. Southwark, St Paul's and Mansion House north of the river via Millenium Bridge are other options. Between Southwark tube station and Tate Modern, there were lamp posts that signals the way to the museum. 

Lotte World, Seoul, South Korea - Travel Guide

Lotte World is a major recreation complex located in Sincheon-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea. This multi-purpose complex opened its doors on July 12, 1989 that allowed people to experience its attractions and world-class facilities. With the kind of adventure and fun it offers, the complex generates millions of visitors each year which makes Lotte World one of the most-visited amusement complexes in the world.

Lotte World is primarily divided into two major sections—the indoor and the outdoor complexes. Lotte World plays as a proud host of Indoor Adventure, the largest indoor theme park in the world. Being the grandest indoor theme park of all, Indoor Adventure promises an array of activities and attractions not found anywhere else. At the heart of the indoor theme park is South Korea’s largest ice skating rink being surrounded with almost 20 amusement rides and attractions. What is great about Indoor Adventure is that it is open even on holidays, so the fun and happiness never stop. And because it is indoor and fully-covered, rains and snow are not a reason to not enjoy the Lotte World getaway.

Indoor Adventure comprises of four levels. Thrill seekers delight themselves with The Conquistador, a famous Viking ride on the first level that swings to a maximum height—so high that it can even reach the ceiling! The rest of first level’s attractions consist of a calmer-yet-fun ride such as the Camelot Carousel. Numerous rides for kids and families are found in this level, where the most popular is the Adventures of Sindbad, a relaxing boat ride that goes through underwater.

The ‘’scariest’’ of all roller coasters is found on the second level. Called French Revolution, this roller coaster has a 360 degree-turn loop and with 540 degree-turn in some parts. The roller coaster can even travel through buildings, making this ride one of the most exciting in Lotte World. For a not-so-scary ride, adult bump cars are available on this level. The third level is where the Folk Museum is located, an attraction that introduces the story of Korea, its people and its past. The third level also has the jungle adventure ride and a monorail that allows passengers to have a sight of the Lotte World’s surrounds. The last level is more of exploration, journey and travel. Pharaoh’s Fury is a jeepney ride that travels to the ancient Egypt, while the Aeronauts Balloon Ride invites visitors to view the entirety of Lotte World from high above.

Magic Island, a man-made island situated in the Seokchon Lake, is the outdoor theme park of Lotte World. At the center is a massive castle that never fails to get everyone’s attention. The Gyro Vertical Drop and the Atlantis Adventure Roller Coaster are only two of the 17 thrilling rides present in Magic Island. The lake-side of the outdoor venue is ideal for family picnics and a relaxing stroll. The park also recognizes festivals and events and it pays tribute to them by providing a venue for these traditional celebrations.

Centre Pompidou, Paris, France - Travel Guide

Centre Georges Pompidou, or simply Centre Pompidou, sitting in the Marais District right in the heart of Paris, is a timeless and unique form of architecture that unveils the stunning view of the capital. This structure serves as Paris’ center of French art and culture, bringing together the magnificent works of men in one perfect location. The upper floors of Centre Pompidou have the best spots for sighting the iconic landmarks France is proud to have, such as the Notre Dame, the Sacré-Coeur, and of course, the ever-famous Eiffel Tower. 

The famed building is a collaboration of architectural masters Richard Rogers, Renzo Pianoand and Gianfranco Franchini. The honor of designing Centre Pampidou was granted to the team as a result of an architectural design competition held in 1971 which comprised of almost 600 entries. The design of the building clearly reflects what high-tech architecture means, and National Geographic described the reaction to the structure as ‘’love at second sight.’’ 

When Richard Rogers was given a Pritzker Prize in 2007, New York Times declared architect Roger as a high-tech iconoclast by completing Centre Pampidou, and that the innovative design of the building, made famous because of its bizarre architecture where all the vents, pipes and elevator are seen outside the building, ‘’turned the architecture world upside down.” The construction of the building, which was completed in 1977, initially cost 993 million francs and the subsequent construction and renovations cost 576 million.

The entirety of Centre Pampidou is dedicated to art and culture. All the six floors of the building are employed for exhibits and expositions of classic and priceless art pieces. In fact, it is in Centre Pampidou where the largest contemporary and modern art museum in Europe is seen. Its more than 7,000 displays of art pieces include the ones that are considered to be the world’s greatest artworks. 

The works of the world-known modern artists like Picasso, Kandinsky, Matisse, Miro, Chagall, Léger, Klein, Dali and Dubuffet are displayed here, alongside the works of famous contemporary artists such as Hentai, Buren, Boltanski, Twombly, Opalka, Tallon, Widmer and Garouste. Apart from these permanent art expos, the building also gives venue to new and promising modern art talents by giving space to their masterpiece in temporary exhibits. 

Being the home of the world’s famous art pieces makes Centre Pampidou a paradise for cultural and art aficionados. Its large quantity of displays and the abundance of art make Centre Pompidou a unique place for appreciating famous artists’ mastery in art.