Mexico City is a major tourist attraction for foreigners and Mexicans alike. It is a great vacation spot for anyone. Once you arrive you will find all kinds of activities and attractions just waiting for you.

Pyramids are not built on many cities of the world. Teotihuacan is one city where you will find pyramids and temples which are proud relics of civilizations dating back hundreds of years. It's just an hour outside of Mexico City and you will find this archaeological treasure one of its kinds.

If you want to view the second most visited Roman Catholic shrine in the world, you should visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Built on a hill, north of Mexico City, this shrine is the most important pilgrimage site in the country and is visited by several million people every year.

The "floating gardens" of Xochimilco are about 23 kilometres from the historic centre of the city and take a little more than an hour to reach there. The gardens grown on rectangular frames anchored to the lake floor on the canals of Xochimilco are awe inspiring. They are one of the biggest tourist attractions of the city.

The night life of this vibrant city has variety to offer. But one must be cautious going out at night. The orchestras, theatres, bars, clubs and endless sources of entertainment are always ready.

If you are interested in seeing museums, graphic art, photo galleries or works of muralists, Mexico City has them all.

These are just a few of Mexico City's attractions. The city has many more activities for every age, every interest and every budget; offered through out the year. Mexico City is ready to welcome you whenever you want.

Marmaris:

Marmaris is one of the best touristic destinations on the Mediterranean Coast. It is located in Mugla. Tourism is the main source of income for the resident of Marmaris. Many young people go to Marmaris to work in tourism sector. They generally work in hotels.The population of Marmaris is actually 20000. However in summer season, it approaches to 400000. There are many shops, restaurants and bars in Marmaris. Marmaris also has a beautiful natural harbor which is used as Turkey's premier yachting port for Blue Voyage yacht cruises.

Bodrum:

Bodrum is another touristic city in Mugla Province. In ancient times it was known as Halicarnassus. Famous Turkish novelist, Cevat Sakir Kabaagacli, took the name of “fisherman of Halikarnas” from Bodrum. He had lived in Bodrum for many years before his death. Bodrum is one of the international centers of Turkey for tourism and yachting.Bodrum is rich with it's history. One of the seven wonders, Mausoleum of Mausolus, was in Bodrum in ancient times. Famous historian of ancient times Herodotus, famous Ottoman Admiral Turgut Reis, and Zeki Muren had lived in Bodrum for years.

There are many historical and sigthseeing places in Bodrum, such as Bodrum Castle, Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology and Turgut Reis. Due to the touristic activities in Bodrum, population of Bodrum increases from 33000 to 500000 in summer season.This means “money” for the people who lives there.

Does this sound like your family trip? If so, here are a few solutions to turn your bored and fighting children into entertained and peaceful little blessings.

Proper Planning

During the initial planning, be sure to consider the length of time you will be on the road and allot for frequent stops. Anyone locked up in a closed space is bound to become grouchy, so route your trip (if possible) to pass scenic resting areas or public rest stops.

Activities

There are many activities to do while taking a long road trip. If room permits, allow each family member to bring one backpack of their favorite toys, books, or video games. This will ensure that they will have a sufficient way of occupying a majority of their time.

If space is a problem, consider traveling games such as, the “License Plate” game, where each person spells out their entire name. On the other hand, perhaps, counting a particular color of vehicle (this is especially entertaining for younger children) and rewarding the winning child with a treat at the end of the trip.

Food

Another way to make traveling fun is by scheduling a special place to stop for lunch along the way. Ideas to consider are favorite restaurants, picnics at a national park, touristy orchards or historical landmarks. This will add new excitement to what would usually be a dull trip.

Mobile Electronics

Today's electronic age offers many solutions for traveling. DVD players offer a peaceful and fun solution for all ages of passengers in the rear seats. Hand-held video games allow for individual entertainment. With the wireless modem dominating the world of communication, bring along the mobile laptop to stay connected to the online world.

Finally, you look at the speedometer and see that the last few miles remain of your road trip; you look in the rear-view mirror and joyously find smiles and laughter in the eyes of your loving children. With a sigh, you continue driving, knowing that the vacation began only 300 miles ago.

Next take the elevator in the concrete wall just round the corner from the cinema (where incidentally for whatever reason Marburg get premiers of not yet released films, the bigger of which are shown in English.) This lift takes you into the old town, where you can eat Auflauf to your heart content and when the Christmas Markets arrive, between November and Christmas indulge in as much Gluehwein as possible while you wait for the cockerel to spring out of the Town Hall every hour - this gets more exciting as the day wears on until you find yourself racing from Pegasus or the cellar pub in the Marketplace to witness it yet again!

The Gluehwein and cinnamon biscuits can also be found at the Church near Christmas and are definitely worth trying and will warm you up after you have inevitably been pelted with snowballs by the local children.

In summer time, give the water park near the Youth Hostel a try - with a number of slides and an outdoor plunge pool, this will keep many a student tourist occupied.

The Brauhaus restaurant is excellent for traditional German fayre - give the Spaetzle (a Southern pasta/dumplingesque dish) a try. Also try the numerous bistro-style restaurants around the marketplace or Henry's behind the cinema for happy hour cocktails and good food on Wednesday evenings. The Chinese restaurant by the station, previously called Phuket, and the Indian on Universitaetstrasse are also worth a try if you don't fancy something different.

The shops and supermarkets as in most small German towns seem to have been slightly left behind, however Ahrens is worth a look (if only for the delicious deserts you can get on the top floor!)

Only one toy, the Button Yo-Yo has to be prepared in advance. Take advantage any opportunity to discuss the trip with the kids, and use these activities to emotionally prepare the kids for the trip.

Here are 10 simply taught games, appropriate for back seat drivers who would otherwise drive you crazy, and for when-are-we-gonna-get-there passengers. These games will enhance their hand to eye coordination, and allow you to concentrate on the road ahead.

The Smoking Guns

This takes a minute to teach, and a-round-trip drive to master. That's the beauty of it.

One hand forms a fist with the thumb outside.

The other hand clenches the thumb and extends the index finger, with all other fingers closed.

All at once you switch.

I suggest you try this sober at first. After you get out of the car, and are safely at your destination, you may try it after a few drinks. See how you do then. This is fun for the whole family.

Knees-Nose-Shoulder

1. Place both hands on the lap. 2.The right hand reaches for the nose, and the left one goes for the shoulder. 3.The two hands return to the lap, then, 4. The left hand goes for the nose, and the right tries to reach the shoulder.

It sounds easier than it is, but that's the idea.

For a photo example of this, go to Picable.com in the People/Kids category.

The Brain Mix-Up

Part One:

1. Cross one hand over the other, palm to palm with thumbs down.
2. Place the palms of your hand together
3. Interlace your fingers together.
4. Pull both hands inwards toward your body, holding them together and below your head so you can look at your fingers from above.

Part Two:

If you are alone in the back seat, look at your fingers and decide which one you want to try to pick up. If you are with another person, have them point to the finger they want you to pick up. If they physically touch it, your brain will be able to locate the finger is, so don't be a wimp, tell them to point only. Without the touch, you will have to practice to be able to easily locate and raise the finger. This is because you crossed you hands twice, and your brain has to get used to the change.

This is a good activity to do when you stop for a stretch.

Arm Coordination:

1. Reach for the sky.
2. One arm goes down, the other extends to the side.
3. The arm that went down now goes up again, while the arm that was extended goes down.
4. The arm that was up goes down, while the arm that was down returns to it's extended position.
5. The arm that was down goes up, and the arm that was extended too, goes up.

Inside the car the kids can practice with their hands only. Tell them that they are penguins, and they can't spread their wings too wide.

For a photo example of this, go to Picable.com in the People/Kids category.

Paper Plate from a Flat Piece of Paper: (The Frame)

1. Fold two sides of a paper into the center.
2. Fold both sides of the internal fold out to the edges on both sides.
3. After folding those sides out close them again.
4. On the folded edges, fold four triangles on each corner making sure that they are folded straight on the lines. These are the supporting beams of the frame once it's opened.
5. Cover those triangles with the two rectangles. 6.This is the last step: While holding down the two rectangles with your spare fingers, grab the corners of one side of the folded page, push your thumbs into the corners of the paper while holding on to the triangles at the edge. Pull up and out. Like magic, the paper will pop up. Now you have to strengthen the sides, and make folds on the corners and the base of the plate. Repeat this process on the other side.

With this skill you can host a party without buying polluting plastic plates, make picture frames for gifts or memorabilia, and decorate the insides with artwork. If you want to make a box with a lid, all you do is repeat the process, but make the first folds a bit less tight.

Examples

Paper Cup from a Flat Piece of Paper: (The Fish)

1. Fold a piece of paper in half lengthwise.
2. Fold the two sides of the page into the center to create two triangles. This should look like a rocket.
3. Pull up and then push the center of each triangle to create two cones.
4. Turn the page over, then fold the two protruding triangles over.
5. Fold the bottom of the page up over the folded triangles. Turn over and do the same thing on the other side.
6. Put your longest finger in the point of the big cone, open and fold the whole thing in half.
7. The fins of the fish are now folded over. This can be decorated with shiny materials and made into a mobile a magnate can be glued on one side and decorate your refrigerator door. You can stick it on a car window to create a paper aquarium; the fish will be appreciated from both sides.

At parties have your guests make their own paper cup with this technique. They'll be able to drink at least once from this paper cup. If you use thicker paper, it's possible to drink from it a few times. Baking paper is even better. Have your guests write their name on it, and see whose cup lasts the longest.

The Button Yo-Yo:

This is something you're going to have to prepare in advance. The kids can make the button yo-yo interesting and with a permanent marker or colorful glittered nail polish, and decorate the button with swirls or any design they come up with.

The whole thing costs less than a bar of chocolate, and the sweetness will last a few thousand kilometers.

You'll need: A big button with two holes, 70-cm. of strong string to thread through the holes of the button. Both of the ends of the string are threaded through the holes and tied securely.

To start the spin of the yo-yo you hold the ends of the string with both hands, positioning the button in the middle. With a jump-rope movement swing the button in one direction until the string is twisted up tightly, and then start to pull your hands outwards so the button spins around and the string unwinds. You let it unwind, and wind up again. Before it stops, pull out again so that the perpetual motion continues.

I've played with this yo-yo as an indoor small area game, where the yo-yo is passed from one to another without losing the perpetual motion. This is a doable challenge, and you can have tournaments with a medal awarded to the champion yo-yo button player or team at the end of the ride. It is also good exercise for the arms.

Blind Man's Golf

Picture this: You are at a restaurant. The service is a bit on the slow side. You have paper place mats on the table. You have the standard colored markers, the ones I've that tend to dry up when the caps are left off. They are actually the best because they won't make permanent stains on clothing.

How to begin:

Draw the blind man's golf course on the paper place mat. It can have one sand pit, and one forest, and anything else that the players suggest as booby traps. Decide how many penalty points a player will receive if he or she stops in those areas. Five holes will probably be enough for the first time. For every dot and number on one side of the course, draw a hole with a corresponding number on the flag. That's where you have to end up “hitting the ball.”

The Game:

As in seeing man's golf, the idea is to get the lowest score. Each player when his or her turn is up prepares to tee off. You can open and close your eyes as many times as you want before you move your colored marker towards the hole. Once you've started to move towards it, you have to keep your eyes closed. After you've made your move, you open you eyes. How close are you to the hole? Will it take another turn, or maybe two? If you stop in the sand pit or in the forest, you tally the additional penalty points to the number of times you moved with your eyes closed until the mark stops in the hole.

Star Wars

Here is something else you can do with the paper place mats. Fold one in half. Each of the two players decides on their alien design. They should be the size of a big button. Again, decide how long you think you'll be waiting, and draw that many aliens on either side.

The Game:

Each player has to knock out the enemy alien ship. Make sure that each player uses a different colored marker.

1. Make your guess mark with your colored marker, on your side of the space field.
2. Fold over the paper and go over that same mark again this time on the outside of the page, making sure that the ink seeps through the page in order to mark your opponents field.
3. If you “hit” the alien ship, in other words if the ink is in anyway touching your opponents ship, you cross it out. If not, better luck and skill next time. Now it's your opponent's turn.

Shoot, Go for Cover, Reload

This is for two players:

Both players have to have ammunition. They can get it by slapping on their knees twice at the same time, and at the same pace, and reaching over their heads and behind them. Now they both have ammo, but each time they use it, they'll need more. So, now they can protect themselves by crossing their arms across their chest. If they do that at the same time, the next time they slap their laps twice they can try to “kill” their opponent get more ammo, or protect themselves again. The rhythm is: Two slaps on the lap, and one of the three options. See you at High Noon, stranger.

Happy Trails to All of you Brave Travelers.

Now for the tongue twister:

One small boy, he felt smart
Two small boys, they both felt smart
Three small boys, they all felt smart.

Note: Don't forget to say the words “both” and “all,” it makes a difference.

Once you've learned it without a slip, you can pass it on.

Please be safe, don't drink and drive. Stay alive for the long and interesting road ahead.

Chicago Children's Museum

Call or visit the web site for hours and events. The price for adults and children is $8, senior is $7. On the first Monday of every month, the museum is free of charge for children 15 years of age and under. Thursday night is designated to Kraft Free Family Night, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. and it is free for everyone. Current event features Curious George, and offer many activities for your youngsters.

The Houston Museum of Natural Science

The Houston Museum of natural Science has an IMAX theatre, butterfly center, planetarium, observatory, and insect zoo. Call or visit the web site for hours and prices since there are different prices for different parts of the museum. You can also order your tickets online. A current exhibit of frogs has been extended through January 6 since it is so popular.

Museum of Science, Boston

The Boston Museum offers planetarium, 3-D theatre, IMAX theatre, butterfly garden, laser shows, and special exhibits. You can buy tickets online or over the phone or at the museum. Call or visit the web site for hours. The museum also offers a special camp-in program through Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, where children stay overnight for an entertaining, educational, and interactive way. You can go online to see many virtual exhibits.

Miami Museum of Science and Planetarium

Visit the museum online or call for special events. The price is $20 for adults, $13 for children from 3 to 12 years of age, $18 for seniors and students with identifications. This price includes admission to all museum galleries, planetarium shows, and wildlife center. The Dinosaurs of China is currently on the special exhibit. The Miami Museum also offers Camp-Ins for group to stay overnight, and immerse yourself in science activities. Make sure you check for special time and day through out each month.

Exploratorium, San Francisco

General tickets are $14 for adults, $9 for children 4 to 12 years of age, $11 for seniors and students with identifications. Current exhibit is Glowing worms. The Exploratorium of San Francisco offers tools for teaching, resources, and archives. The Tactile Dorm is an interactive excursion where your sense of touch is your only guide. The ticket for Tactile Dorm is $17 for 7 years of age and up; this includes general admission. Call or check web site for hours.

If you don't see your local museum in this article, please find it in your city. There is always something to do or marvel at the museum large collections. Your little ones will enjoy, learn, and amaze at different cultures and the wide world around them.

Many museums offer activities day, or special presentations. Call your local museum for special events before you go.

Fun for Families: Part Two

When you have finished having fun at Sky City and the Viaduct basin maybe tandem bicycle ride around Mission Bay might be appealing to help get your feet back on solid ground. You might like to stop in at Kelly Tarlton’s on the way and see the sharks, stingrays and other underwater animals. This is a definite must see for children and adults will also find it appealing.

The Museum is a huge building and has many wonderful artifacts for the historian and it is next to The Domain and the gardens here are beautiful. There are a number of gardens in Auckland that are worth seeing.

The Michael Savage Memorial is a nice place to take in the harbour views and to see this city from a different perspective. Michael Savage gave a lot to this city and is an important part of political history. You might consider taking a helicopter ride over the city and this is available if you head towards the city from here.

Waitakere City is to the west of Auckland city and prides itself for the black sands and wild surf at Muriwai and Piha Beaches. This is a very popular surfing venue. It also has many native bush walks as well as one through a natural rainforest. Hiking and tramping are a treat to do here in Waitakere. This region has many vineyards and the best wineries are located in this district.

One of South Auckland’s major attractions is Rainbows End in Manukau City. It is a major focal point because it is an amusement park and all children love it. It has been a place for companies to bring their workers for some fun and recreation in appreciation for all the hard work they have done and the children who do road patrol often get to come here as a thank you for performing their civic duty too. We like to foster a good community spirit by way of the added incentive scheme.

There are many, many more things to do, Skiing in Albany if you can’t make it to the snow and the cultural shows are a treat. Whatever you do and there is plenty to choose from, keep safe and enjoy yourself!

Fun for Families: Part One

It caters for families really well; there are many activities that are interesting and fun for both children and adults.

Take a walk up Mount Eden; from here you can see the greater Auckland area. Mount Eden is an extinct volcano that has great historical value. From this point you can see the other extinct volcanoes like Mount Albert, Mount Roskill, One Tree Hill, Mount Victoria as well as Rangitoto Island which is not inhabitable but it can be seen from almost anywhere in this city. Auckland has fifty volcanic vents which take the form of lagoons, lakes and cones so you are walking on a volcanic field that is merely dormant. One Tree Hill had a song written about it by the band U2. It has a lovely domain and playground and its own history concerning the one tree! The Observatory is located here and has educational shows that usually open in the evening.

Visit MOTAT; Ministry of Transport And Technology offers a peek at the history of New Zealand. There are many great exhibits in this museum and they have a vast array of items that will give let you look at how the Kiwi way of life has come to be. There is a tram ride that travels alongside Western Springs and back into the museum. On the other side of this is the place where Speedway is held.

Next to this is Western Springs. A lovely place to bring a picnic and take a leisurely stroll around the water. My children bring a scooter or roller blades and as many bags of bread that I let them have. The ducks, geese, gulls, chickens, pukeko and shags all enjoy being fed as do the eels and fish. There is a playground for the children and many picnic tables. This is a good place to get some nice photographs.

Next to this is Auckland Zoo and who doesn’t like the animals. It has been upgraded and now has interactive shows with many of the animals participating. Children enjoy spending the day at the zoo.

In Mt Albert which is literally down the road, are the wave pools which is a great way to end a busy day.

These are afew of the activities to do in Auckland if you have children and are looking for activities to tire them out in a day. There are many more but will be continued in part two.