The reason why the Alamo is so important is because of the history behind it. A war between America and Mexico was fought at the Alamo over a hundred years ago. In 1744, the Alamo was constructed as a church; however, it was converted to a fort in 1793. A few decades later, this fort was besieged by Mexican troops.

The Mexican troops won the battle and killed all of the fighters that were at the Alamo. However, the sacrifice that the fighters of the Alamo made emboldened other American troops to fight back with greater tenacity. Without this tenacity, south Texas might still belong to Mexico.

General Information

Like I mentioned above, the Alamo is located in San Antonio. More specifically, it is located in downtown San Antonio. Parking can be a little difficult to come by, so you may want to arrive early. As for hours of operation, the Alamo is open year round with the exception of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

You can't beat the price, though. It's completely free thanks to private donations, the gift shop; etc. So be sure you buy something at the gift shop to help keep this tourist attraction free to the public. For more information about the hours of operation, click here.

What to Expect

If you decide to visit the Alamo then be prepared for the crowds. Going early might help a bit but you should just prepare yourself to deal with a lot of people. After all, the Alamo is a fairly popular tourist attraction. It's also near the Riverwalk and other popular areas. As for the Alamo itself, it has been restored a bit over the years.

But you can still get a feel for what it must have been like in the past. Bring your camera because you'll want to have a couple of pictures of this place. Just so you know, there are no tour guides at the Alamo due to the number of people who visit.

But there's still plenty of information for you to read and see inside the fort. Videos, pictures, and articles will all be available for you to view. There is also staff members around who may be able to answer your questions. That is, if they're not already swamped with questions from other people.

As you can see, the Alamo is a wondrous sight to see. Millions of people visit the Alamo each year though, so be sure and brace for the crowds. So if you're looking for a cheap vacation then visit the Alamo and learn something interesting about the Texas culture.

Once you have your parking spot, you will proceed into the aquarium. You will then have to pay a final fee to get inside the aquarium itself.

The aquarium itself is a bit cramped, especially when it's crowded. People will be rushing about, snapping pictures, and just generally getting in the way. So you may want to try going during the week to escape some of the crowds. But it's a popular place, so you may face crowds no matter when you visit.

The Dallas World Aquarium also has three restaurants inside in case you become hungry after all of that walking. The three restaurants are called Cafe Maya Restaurant, Eighteen-O-One Restaurant, and the Jungle Cafe. You may also want to visit the gift shop after you're done touring the aquarium.

Types of Animal Life

There is quite a variety of animal life to be seen at the Dallas World Aquarium. And don't be fooled by the name. There is more to the Dallas World Aquarium then just fish. For starters there is a large amount of birds to be seen.

Tropical birds and even some white geese will be one of the first things that you see when you enter this aquarium. There is even this strange blue bird that resembles a turkey, but it's not a turkey. It's also fairly shy, so it may be difficult to snap a picture of it. And don't forget to take a few pictures of the pink flamingos.

You will also observe monkeys. It may be difficult for you to obtain a picture of the monkeys because they are also quite shy. In addition to the monkeys, there are various types of snakes such as the deadly rattlesnake. But don't worry, the rattlesnakes and all of the other snakes are behind glass. You're perfectly safe.

You will also find scorpions, lizards and even a small area that holds bats. The bats are fairly difficult to see because they're mostly in the shadows of the ceiling asleep. You'll even see some rabbits and frogs inside the aquarium.

Now for the marine life. You knew this was coming. First of all there are plenty of fish for you to see such as catfish and others. They have huge aquariums that hold these fish together, and some of these fish are a few feet long. And they're also quite wide. Thus, the reason for the huge aquariums.

Turtles and stingrays also inhabit a small section of the aquarium. However, they're not kept behind huge panes of glass. The turtles and stingrays are out in the open, but don't touch them. Obviously, the turtles are unlikely to harm you, but the stingrays might. Watch your kids carefully here.

As for the more aggressive forms of wildlife in the marine area of the aquarium, there is the alligator and the great white sharks. These are obviously more difficult to get close to. Not that you would want to go anywhere near these creatures. If an alligator or a great white shark manage to grab your arm, you can probably kiss it goodbye.

As you can see, the Dallas World Aquarium is full of all sorts of interesting creatures. Some of these creatures are dangerous, and some of them are not. Nevertheless, it's quite an experience for anyone who goes.

Being in Colorado, it can be quite cold in the winter months. But during the latter part of spring, it starts to warm up. Anytime between May and September is usually when the park has pleasant temperatures. But there are always extremes, so take a jacket just in case.

You can also visit the Lakewood Heritage Center, which is located inside Belmar Park. And there is also the occasional fair as well. As for other surroundings, you will be near the Lakewood police station and some other commercial as well as residential areas. As you might expect, being so near to a police station makes this park very safe.

Landscape

The landscape at Belmar Park is what one would expect to find in a Colorado park. There is a plethora of pine trees, hills, a nice view of the Rocky Mountains, and more. Belmar Park also has a large pond and a few creeks that flow through it. You will come across small bridges if you ever decide to walk the entire length of this park.

Belmar Park is especially beautiful after a snowstorm in winter. The lake freezes over, snow lingers in the branches of pine trees, ice hangs from the bridges; etc. Just be careful if you decide to take a walk during the winter months because it can be slippery(especially over the bridges).

Wildlife

Yes, there is actual wildlife in this park other then squirrels. For instance, there is the geese. Year round, you will find a plethora of geese that inhabit this park. There are more of them in the summer months, but rest assured you will see some in the winter too.

And they're not people shy. These geese will let you get within a few feet of them before the start to back off. Of course, if the goose has a nest nearby she may hiss at you instead. It's rather amusing when a goose hisses at you. It's also fun to watch the geese fly in and land on the water. The geese will often form an arrow formation and land perfectly.

Other animals that inhabit this park are gulls, various other aquatic birds, fish, and turtles. You will not see the turtles in the winter months because of the cold. But once spring arrives, you may see them sunning themselves on some rocks or something similar.

As for domesticated animals, you will find the usual. Dogs are usually the main type of domesticated animal that wanders around Belmar Park. Most people keep their dogs on leashes, but you may occasionally find one without a leash on. The dogs usually will do no more then occasionally sniff you.

You may also find people riding horses in this park. It's fun to watch them, but be careful you don't get in the way. Occasionally, the horses will be running extremely fast. You don't want to be run over so be careful. But the horses have their own designated trails, so it's very unlikely that you will have any problems.

As you can see, Belmar Park is an unusual park. You can still do all of the fun things that you would do at a normal park, but there is so much more that you can do and see at Belmar Park. It's a great place.

Cost

The cost of the ferry trip will be between one hundred and one hundred forty dollars. And yes, you have to make reservations in order to use the ferry system. But it's still a cost effective way to visit Victoria. And taking the ferry may be a bit cheaper than flying.

Travel Time

The travel time between Seattle and Victoria, Canada will be around two hours. The type of ship that you are on will ultimately decide how quickly you arrive at your destination. You may want to bring a pillow with you, so you can sleep away the time. Or you may want to just sit back and read a good book, chat with people, or take in the scenery.

Travel Restrictions

Currently, there are few restrictions for visiting Victoria by ferry. You will have to show proof of citizenship to get through to Canada, and you will need it to get back into the United States as well. In January of next year, you will probably need to have a passport in order to visit Canada by ferry. So be aware of this if you don't already have a passport.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere on the ferry is very relaxed. The seating arrangement is similar to an airplane, with the exception of the ferry being much wider(and you don't have seat belts). So you have a row on the left side, and a row on the right side. And then there is a middle row that holds even more people. Yes, there is plenty of room on the ferry; it's much more spacious than an airplane.

The ship can easily transport a few hundred people at a time. The seats all recline back if you want to take a nap, and there are plenty of windows for you to look out of. On one side of the ferry, you will see the Olympic mountains and the Pacific Ocean. If you're lucky, you might see some marine life as well. Seals, whales, and other types of marine life inhabit the route that your ferry is taking.

As you can see, a ferry ride from Seattle to Victoria can be a great adventure. A ferry ride is a relatively inexpensive means of transportation, and it's a great way to travel to Victoria, Canada. It's especially interesting for tourists to check out.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere at Mama's Cafe is a little bit confusing at first. With a name like Mama's Cafe, you may automatically think that it's a southern type of restaurant. And for the most part, you would be correct. The thing that confused me the most was the fact that there was a stuffed cow head attached to the wall, and yet Green Day(a rock band) was playing in the background. It just didn't seem to mix well.

As for the restaurant itself, it's your typical average restaurant. It's somewhat old fashioned and run down looking, and the people vary somewhat. You'll find older people and younger people at this restaurant in equal doses. As for the seating, Mama's Cafe has both tables and booths. Typically, larger groups will sit at the booths and smaller groups will sit at the tables.

The Staff

The staff were friendly enough, but they appeared to be somewhat lax at times with attending to what their customers needed. Some of the staff members had a dirty unkempt appearance to them, which might make you a bit uneasy. One of the staff members even walked away from some of their customers for some reason.

Suffice it to say, the customers didn't appreciate that too much. When the waiter came back, he complained that he was suffering from a headache. This just added to the awkwardness and confusion. But overall, the staff did an okay job at serving their customers.

The Food

Basically, the food at Mama's Cafe is just average. There is a fairly wide selection for you to order from, but it just isn't that appetizing. I ordered chicken fried chicken, and it was okay. The meal came with garlic mashed potatoes, and they tasted like cheese in my opinion. Maybe if I had ordered something else the meal might have been better, but I doubt it.

Some of the food that you can select from is chicken fried steak, hamburgers, chicken, pastas; etc. You can also select some appetizers to go with your meal and some dessert as well. And of course, they have alcoholic beverages.

Pricing

As for the cost of your meal, it probably will not be too much. Mostly the meals vary between six and fifteen dollars, and a few may cost a little more than that. But it is definitely inexpensive food, and it should be since it's just average fare.

As you can see, Mama's Cafe isn't one of the better restaurants that you can dine at. However, if you still want to give them a try, feel free. Just remember to keep your expectations low.

Visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs Website

At this website, you can download the documentation that you will need to process your passport. You can also find out more information about how you can renew your passport if you already have one. Anyway, if this is your first attempt at obtaining a passport then click here. To simply renew your passport, click here.

You have the option of entering your information online, or simply downloading the PDF onto your computer to print out. If you have bad handwriting skills then you may wish to go ahead and fill out the PDF online, and then print the document from the website. Or you can just print out the documents, and fill them out by hand if you so desire.

Picture ID

In order to be eligible for your passport, you must have two photo IDs of yourself. You simply need to take one full frontal picture of yourself, and print it out two times. Keep in mind that the photo must be exactly two inches on all its sides, and the paper that the picture is printed on needs to be able to withstand two hundred and twenty five degrees Fahrenheit.

So you may want a professional to do it for you. You can simply go to Walgreens or somewhere similar, and have it done. The process should only take a few minutes, and your picture should be ready in an hour or two. And it costs about nine dollars if you go to Walgreens.

Identification

You will also need to fill out your social security number on the passport paperwork and your date of birth. Another requirement is that you have your original birth certificate. As for the social security card itself, you only need the number. You are not required to give the passport agency your social security card. And make sure you have your driver's license on hand as well.

Find a Passport Agency

There are over nine thousand different agencies in the United States that will process your passport documents. The Travel.State.Gov website also provides another link to these different agencies. The agencies consist of federal buildings, post offices; etc. Click here for more information.

Cost

The cost of a US passport isn't too terrible. The passport will last for ten years, so the price is reasonable. As for what that price is, it comes to ninety seven dollars total and this includes shipping. However, if you would like to have your passport rushed then expect to pay an extra sixty dollars. So that brings your grand total to one hundred fifty seven dollars.

Shipping

Shipping times will vary depending on how many people want a passport. As of August 2007, the expected wait time for passports with standard shipping is eight to twelve weeks. If you choose to rush the shipping, your passport should arrive between two and four weeks.

As you can see, obtaining a passport is not a very difficult process. It can take quite a while for you to receive your passport, so keep that in mind when you are applying for yours. Other then the waiting, it's very easy. So now you have no excuse for not getting yours.