The largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands is Mallorca (also known by the English spelling of Majorca). One of the country’s most popular tourists destinations, the island offers over seventy beaches that offer respite from the hot Mediterranean summers. The island is also home to beautiful mountains, ample opportunities for shopping, five star Mallorca hotels, a thriving nightlife and terrific food.

One of the more beautiful attractions on Mallorca is the Cathedral La Seu. Located in the island’s capital city, Palma de Mallorca, this stunning Cathedral was begun in 1229 by King James I of Aragon. The story is that the King encountered a severe storm at sea while attempting to recapture the island. He promised the Virgin Mary that if he survived the storm, he would build a church in her honor. When the storm passed, he immediately began plans for the Cathedral. La Seu was not completed until 1601, though the bell tower is still unfinished.

Designed to imitate French Gothic cathedrals, La Seu is an excellent example of the Spanish Levantino Gothic style. However, you can see the influences of French and Northern European Gothic styles as well. The cathedral is built of golden limestone and measures 121 meters in length and 55 meters wide. The unfinished bell tower rises 52 meters and holds nine bells.

The main facade of the cathedral fell during an earthquake in 1851. Miraculously, the Renaissance door designed by M. Verger survived the quake. The rest of the cathedral underwent restoration following the quake. Architect Antoni Gaudi took over the restoration in 1901. He worked for over a decade before leaving the project unfinished.

The cathedral’s interior features eight chapels on each side of the nave, including the Royal Chapel which is nearly the size of a church and the Chapel of the Holy Trinity which contains the mummified remains of James II. There are two other famous tombs in La Seu. Bishop Antonio Gallina and Clement VIII are both buried in the cathedral as is Gil Sanchez Munoz who was the last Avignonse antipope and served as Bishop of Palma. After his death in 1449, Munoz was buried with his bishop’s hat hanging over the tomb.

Hyderabad in India is gaining a reputation as a center for science and technology. “Cyberabad” has become known as India’s equivalent to Silicon Valley. Despite this emphasis on modern technology and industry, the city has managed to maintain a strong cultural heritage while preserving its natural resources. Hyderabad is full of historic landmarks and monuments and equally home to modern shopping malls and skyscrapers. Most importantly, the city is home to a number of important parks, lakes, and gardens that offer visitors respite from the hustle and bustle of the city concrete.

One of the most popular parks is Lumbini Park, located on the banks of Hussain Sagar (a man-made lake). The park hosts a nightly laser show and boat access to the lake. Hussain Sagar is famous for its statue of Buddha which rises 19 meters in the center of the lake. Also located at the lake is Tank Bund comprised of lovely gardens and statues. The lake is also known for water sports and boating.

The Public Gardens are known to locals as Bagh-e-aam which means “Garden for the commoners”). In addition to extensive park grounds, the Gardens are home to the state archaeology and history museum and surrounded by the Jubilee Hall and the State Legislative Assembly. The Botanical Gardens are a treasure trove of trees, plants, herbs, and flowers. Spanning 130 acres, they offer grasslands, meadows, and even several bodies of water. Other parks and lakes in Hyderabad include Lotus Pond which houses several rare bird species, Mahaveer Harina Vanasthali Park, the lakes of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar, and Indira Park.

There are a number a places to view wildlife in Hyderabad. The Nehru Zoological Park is the large Indian zoo (by area). Kasu Brahmananda Reddy Park is located in Jubilee Hills. It is a sanctuary for anteaters, peacocks, snakes, monkeys, and other species. The Mriganavani Wildlife Sanctuary is a preserve for leopards and deer. The ciy has proposed the building of an Aquarium at Mir Alam Sagar, which is close to the main Zoo.

In addition to the natural beauty and historic monuments, visitors to Hyderabad can avail themselves of delicious traditional Indian food at the many restaurants and eateries throughout the city. Accommodations range from small hostels to five star Hyderabad hotels. And the shopping offers everything from traditional crafts and souveniers to designer boutiques and high tech items.

Ibiza (locally known as Eivissa) is a Balearic Island in Spain that is (in)famous for its legendary nightlife. While the island has been working in recent years to overcome its “party island” atmosphere, one thing that remains a constant is the wonderful food available throughout the island. Whether you’re hanging out on popular beach or relaxing in the interior countryside, Ibiza restaurants offer incredible food and enjoyable dining experiences.

As with the rest of Spain, Ibiza loves good food. The island offers many opportunities to enjoy traditional Spanish dishes such as paella, chorizo sausage, and the cured pork loin known as Lomo. Ibiza is a great spot for fresh seafood such as crab, swordfish, and several varieties of lobster. Seafood stews and a variety of fish dishes represent the best of traditional and contemporary Ibiza cuisine.

The dining experience in Ibiza is almost as important as the food itself. From beachside barbeques to country taverns, from small cafes to fine dining restaurants, the island has a variety of settings to enjoy a meal. Tapas bars are a favorite in Spain and can be found everywhere on Ibiza.

Tapas is a selection of appetizers or small dishes that offer a tasting of Spanish flavors. Popular for lunch or to eat along with drinks in a bar, tapas can include a variety of dishes, including cheeses, mushrooms, prawns, squid, olives, cold meats, or omelette. You can order hot or cold tapas to enjoy with beer or wine.

In addition to Spanish dishes, visitors can find flavors from around the world throughout the island. Ibiza is home to some great restaurants offering Indian, Italian, British, French, and Chinese foods. You can even find Dutch, Thai, Japanese, and German foods on the island.

There are many different corporate team building programs available for the company that wants its employees to be as trained and professional as possible. From effective communication training to professional development training, there is something for every business. I know that for my particular division I choose to have my employees work on their customer service skills.

This turned out to be a great investment because with the new skills, they were able to handle even the most difficult clients with ease and help make sure they all left happy. When a client leaves upset and unhappy, that person will tell twice as many people about their bad experience than a person that left content.

With that being said, the training helped develop my employees’ skills and business has picked up, even though we’re in a recession. We have more repeat clients and we are receiving a lot of referral clients because of word-of-mouth recommendations. Overall, the training was one of the best investments that I could have ever made.

Phuket is the most popular (and largest) island in Thailand.  The people of Phuket represent a variety of religions and cultures including Buddhists, Muslims, Thai-Chinese, Europeans, and Malay. This diversity is apparent in the festivals, culture, and food of the island.

Some of the local favorites include noodle dishes that are boiled or fried and usually include chicken or pork. Khanom Chin is a breakfast delicacy of rice noodles served with fresh vegetables and a spicy curry soup of minced shrimp or fish. Nam phrik Kung Siap is a mixture of smoked shrimp and dried chili served with fresh vegetables. Ho Mok is steamed seafood (usually fish or crab) traditionally served with vegetables in a banana leaf. Many of these dishes are available throughout Thailand, but Phuket offers fresher seafood and a wider variety of vegetables to make their local versions more delectable.

Several of the many festivals celebrated in Phuket throughout the year feature food. The Seafood Festival is held around the month of May and draws visitors to the island during the raining season. The largest of Phuket’s many festivals is the annual Vegetarian Festival. During this ten day event, locals of Chinese ancestry observe a strict vegan or vegetarian diet to purify the body and soul and bring good fortune to the individual and the greater community. The dietary restrictions are augmented by rituals such as firewalking and body piercing.

Visitors to the Five Star Hotels Phuket can seek out local and international flavors at a variety of fine dining and colorful traditional eateries.