December's birthstone is Turquoise, and is also known as the 5th and 11th wedding anniversary stone. Its hue can span from the normal green blue to a light sky blue. It is supposed by some that turquoise got its name from "pierre turquoise" which means "Turkish stone" in French. Some people think that the name comes from the Persian word "fiouze" which translates as turquoise. The Egyptians mined turquoise as far back as 6,000 BC. Some may be surprised when they find out that the finest turquoise comes from Iran, not the American Southwest. You can find exclusive pieces in areas such as Arizona and also New Mexico, and areas such as Australia and Afghanistan. For centuries turquoise has been treated...

The eternal city of Rome provides the venue for many a romantic weekend or holiday break, offering a memorable mix of activities and sights guaranteed to keep even the hardest-to-please tourist happy! The capital of Italy is home to great designer shopping, a long impressive history and, of course, a gorgeous Mediterranean climate. Furthermore, Rome is currently in the news due to the election of the Coliseum - its iconic ancient stadium - as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. The Coliseum is Europe's sole representative in the new Seven Wonders list, for which 90 million people voted in an online poll. The results, announced during a star-studded ceremony in Lisbon in early July, also...

With Achilles and Patroclus, Alcibiades and Socrates, Alexander and Hephaestion, and the world's most famous lesbian poet, Sappho, Ancient Greece has traditionally been viewed as the birthplace of gay culture. As such, you'd think Greece would have a long and tolerant attitude toward homosexuality. But, you'd be wrong. The Sacred Band of Thebes is one example of how the Ancient Greeks used homoerotic relationships between soldiers to boost the fighting spirit of their militaries. These bonds, inspired by episodes from Greek mythology, such as Achilles and Patroclus in the Iliad by Homer, were thought to enhance morale. Homer himself, however, does not explicitly describe a sexual relationship...

When you plan your cheap holiday in Sicily, you are going to be pleasantly surprised at how much fun you will have. The first place you want to visit is the Aeolian Islands. The islands are full of volcanic activities and the scenery is a true delight. The Mediterranean Sea surrounds the islands and the valley and mountains offer some fantastic hiking adventures. You will find that the islands are more symbolic to the sea than one could imagine. To see the islands from a boat is the most beautiful sight one could ever imagine. If you have seen pictures, they do not do justice to the actual sight. If you find volcanoes interesting, you are going to enjoy this cheap holiday in Sicily because another...

Irish Celtic Jewelry - Beautiful Jewelry That Isn't Just for Irish People. The sophisticated and beautiful style of Irish Celtic jewelry is one to be embraced and cherished by many. With several hundred styles, colors, and looks to pick from, it is a sure thing you'll get the right piece that lasts forever. Although the symbolism of Irish jewelry is connected to many different cherished values embraced by Irish culture, many hold a compelling message for individuals of all religions and nationalities. Perfect for any occasion, Celtic jewelry is a gift just about anyone will love. Providing messages of love, loyalty and friendship, Celtic jewelry is a fantastic reminder of affection between children...

Unlike many other practical professions, architecture is an ancient discipline responsible for the design of structures and buildings whose roots can be traced back to thousands of years B.C. Architectural history can take you through the evolution of those structures that served as a landmark to remote civilizations, such as the Phoenicians and the legendary Tower of Babel, or the Egyptians and their incredible mortuary architecture, reflected in pyramids, tombs, and many other ancient buildings along the Nile River. In fact, the first big architectural design recorded in history was the work of Imhotep, Egyptian vizier, doctor, high priest, and scribe to King Djoser. Imhotep designed and built the...

The Spanish Riding School or the Spanische Hofreitschule, which literally means РImperial Court Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria, is a traditional riding school for Lipizzan horses. It was established during the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1572. It was named for the Spanish horses that were, and still are, the mainstay of the riding school. Today the horses are bred in a court stud in Lipica, near Trieste in nowadays Slovenia, and at the Piber Stud in western Styria, Austria. The methods used by the Riding School, like those of the Cadre Noir, are based on the teachings of the French riding master Fran̤ois Robichon de la Gu̩rini̬re. The standards are just as strict at the...

Since man (and woman) first walked the Earth, humankind has been fascinated by the shiny gems, rocks, and precious metals that make up the jewelry we all know of today. In many ancient cultures, wearing jewelry largely correlated with religious and spiritual symbolism; whereas today jewelry wearing is more tied with self-expression, fashion, and self-decoration. However, the desire to adorn oneself and express status through jewelry is one trend that has continued throughout the ages, transcending both time and cultures. Body adornment with jewelry dates back 100,000 years to the old Nassarius shells that were made into beads. These shells are thought to be the oldest known jewelry in existence. In...

The Greek language is over 3,500 years old, though it has evolved through the years. Over 15 million people worldwide speak Greek. It is the official language of Greece and Cyprus, and is spoken natively by immigrants living in many countries around the world. The Greek alphabet is considered the first real alphabet, and was a predecessor of the Latin alphabet, and eventually our own alphabet. The Greek language is one of history and passion, and is an ideal representative of the people who speak is fluently. If you are interested in learning a second language, consider Greek. Learning the Greek language might seem intimidating. The alphabet doesn't look exactly like the English alphabet. The word...

The beauty, intricate designs and symbolism of the Claddagh engagement ring and other Celtic engagement rings has built a following among many young couples today. In a world of turmoil, confusion and duplicity, many of the younger generations are revisiting their roots for direction and guidance. The Irish community is rich in mythology, spiritualism and cultural beliefs. The Celtic engagement ring is a sign of deeply held family customs and beliefs. A Sentimental Gift is Found in the Celtic Engagement Ring The Celtic engagement rings are known for the sentiment that is symbolized in each ring. The designer usually bases the design of each ring on a wedding sentiment such as "love for all...

The American Heritage Dictionary defines Palmistry as the practice of telling fortunes from the lines, marks, and patterns on the palms of the hands. Palmistry is also called as chiromancy, palm-reading, chirology, or hand-analysis. Palmistry originated in ancient India. It was said to be practiced by the Brahmins of Ancient India. Palmistry can be regarded as a part of Astrology. Records of practice of Palmistry are also available in countries such as China, Tibet, Persia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Ancient Greece. Cheiro was the most famous practitioner of palmistry in modern times. He was born in Ireland and had predicted many incidents of his time. For example, he correctly foretold the Boer War...

No one knows for sure when the first Jack-o-lanterns were made. In ancient times the Celts celebrated the feast of Samhain (pronounced: SOW'en) in Ireland and Scotland, and that holiday eventually became known as Halloween. The Celts believed that on that day the spirits of the dead roamed the earth and would visit the homes where they once lived. Costumes and lanterns carved from turnips, potatoes and beets were used to frighten away evil spirits, as they are today. The lanterns eventually became known as Jack-o-lanterns. When Christianity spread through Britain and Ireland, Samhain gradually became known as All Hallow's Eve or Halloween. A tale began to be told in Ireland of a man named Jack, who...

Cupid is the mischievous, juvenile, winged child, who shots the heart of his victims with his arrows and making them fall deeply in love. In ancient Greece, he was known as Eros the young son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. According to the Roman mythology, Cupid was the son of Lord Venus. Venus was supposed to be envious of Psyche and ordered her son Cupid to punish the mortal maiden. But Cupid fell in love with Psyche and they end up in a bitter partition after Psyche committed the fault of throwing a glance at the god of love. Their lovely castle and garden vanished with him and Psyche found her unaided in an open field. Distressed Psyche landed in the temple of Lord Venus for help...

Every year in early October, Halloween props, decorations, and costumes begin to fill the entrances and isles of malls, departments stores, and even grocery stores. Advertisements for haunted houses, costume parties, and other events start popping up everywhere. As we are reminded of the Halloween season, the argument about Halloween starts brewing. Is Halloween a wicked ritual based on satanism and witchcraft or is it a time to have harmless fun with friends? The debate continues. Halloween is celebrated every year on the evening of October 31st. Many people love Halloween time and enjoy dressing up as their favorite character, taking their kids trick-or-treating, eating candy, and going to...

Pretty powerful combination you might think. What would Brian Boru have done faced with 10th century marauders wielding 20th century weapons? He would not have had a hope! That is what dynamic imagery does for advertising and marketing. It provides an unstoppable combination that is guaranteed to get results. So what's missing? To be honest, without ammunition, the Vikings actually would not have had a hope. For a start, Brian and his gang of Celts, would not have known what the machine guns were, and secondly, the Vikings would not have had any other weapons to combat the fury of the zealous Celts. It is vital that you have ammunition for your machine guns! Your Value Proposition, expressed in...

Threading is an ancient form of hair removal that is still widely practiced by many people in the Eastern part of the world. The very first time I had threading done on my face was when I was preparing for my wedding day. There was the final dress fitting, choosing the flowers for my wedding bouquet, choosing the kind of makeup, picking a hair style and all the many, many things that a bride needed to prepare for the big day. At the beauty salon, the hair stylist/makeup artist recommended that I had my whole face threaded so that the makeup would stay on better. In spite of being an Asian, it was the first time I've heard of threading. At this time, I really did not have much facial hair to...

Romans were the first to wear a garment which has a somewhat resemblance to modern day underwear. They used to call it subligaculum. It might be of interest to note that the Egyptians and the Greeks never wore underwear at all! Long baggy drawers called 'braies' made their appearance in Europe in the 13th century. Those who were better off wore chausses over the braies to cover their legs. Modifications of braises and chausses went on all the while and by the time Renaissance found its way in Europe, braises had become shorter and more form fitting and chausses began to look more like modern day hoses. Braises had codpieces which allowed men to urinate without removing them completely. Over time...

The dazzling costumes in NTDTV's Chinese New Year Spectacular are as much a part of each dance as the dance movements themselves. They are, in many ways, the palette on which the dance is performed. Clothes, hair, colors-this is what transports us to the Divine Land of ancient China. The Spectacular's wardrobe designers put great effort into creating just the right effect. A costume starts with a concept of the dance. The dance may have a powerful story or be found in a specific dynasty. Designers pore over paintings, frescoes and even statues to find the right look. Accessories then come into the design-hair, shoes, hats, belts. Next come sketches. Designers must consider not only how an outfit...

The Palace of Arts in San Francisco is a unique construction that originally was built for a short-term purpose, for an exhibition that lasted less than one year, however the energy which was put in the creation of the structure stretched its existence for half a century. The Roman architectural style and structure is displayed in the columns lining the building. These columns were initially projected to be Corinthian, that is architectural design of ancient Rome. The same conscious understanding of space and surroundings can be found in Roman plan, using the organically supporting materials. The central part of the Palace is recognized as the rotunda it was situated near the pond that added extra...

Celtic jewelry is like the Celtic countries from which it comes. Celtic jewelry has very distinctive designs and color schemes, and this jewelry looks very distinguished. Celtic is a term that describes the people, language, culture and products from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, the Isle of Man and Cornwall. These countries and people are closely tied to the United Kingdom, but most of these people have very distinctive cultures and languages of their own. The products from the Celtic countries are beautiful, but they have very distinctive features of the culture of their people. Celtic jewelry comes in many different styles and types, but all of these pieces have distinctive characteristics...

Founded in 1887 the Notre Dame Football team is one of the most popular and well respected teams in the NCAA today. Notre Dame is the only team in US history to have won 8 wire (AP or Coaches) national championships, and is the leading Division I-A team in terms of championships won. No one could have imagined that after facing an 8-0 defeat in their first ever game in 1887 the team would rise to such great heights. Notre Dame has produced players like Bryant Young and Lance Legree of the San Francisco 49ers. Popularly known as the Fighting Irish, the mascot of the Notre Dame Football team is a Leprechaun. Over a period of time the Fighting Irish have made a name for themselves, and are one of the...

Mysteries and mystical objects always have the power to hold humans in awe. Celtic jewelry has a rich history that flaunts a proud tradition and the jewelry comes in intricate designs and serves as a reminder of the traditions and rituals followed by the Celts. Celtic jewelry is popularly known as Claddagh jewelry and is appreciated for its intricacy and traditional exquisiteness. Jewelers use numerous Celtic patterns like the cross and spiral to create mysterious jewelry pieces. Celtic spirals symbolize eternity and are abundantly used in Celtic jewelry. Celtic cross pre-dates the Christian cross for about two centuries and according to legend, St Patrick created the cross by drawing a circle over...

We have a long history here in Germany and very medieval castles also. Tens of thousands of tourists come to Germany day in and day out just to see and feel the "charisma" of our German castles. I will explain you 4 of my favourites and a little bit of their history. If you plan to travel to Germany, you might like to know them and to feel its charisma too. ;-) These 4 castles are located in South Germany, so you do not have to travel hundreds of kilometres/miles to see each of them. By the way, most of our German castles are located in South Germany. 1. Heidelberg The first one I describe to you is the Heidelberg castle. It is really big and has a secret stairway to walk up to it. Very few people...

In 1930 the Irish Dail, or Parliament, passed an act permitting the running of a sweepstakes for the benefit of Irish hospitals; since then Americans have been able to buy tickets in an honest Illinois lottery whose top prize has been well over a million dollars. The Irish Free State government knew that a sweepstakes operation limited to Ireland could not be successful and that tickets would also have to be sold in foreign countries, particularly the United States. Since the government could not itself participate in violation of other countries' anti-lottery laws, a private company, Hospitals Trust, Ltd., was formed to operate the Sweepstakes, and John McGrath, a former Minister of Industry...

Family Vacation Tip: Keep the Kids in Mind Careful planning is essential when taking a trip with your family. For parents with younger children, it's imperative to plan for the worst. Kids tend to get sick at inopportune moments, and vacation time is no exception. That's why it's always a good idea to pack cough syrup, aspirin, or any other common cold remedy to use at the first sign of illness. If you and the family are flying, it's often best to plan an early morning trip. There are a greater number of delays as the day goes on, which can increase the likelihood of children becoming antsy. Also, try to reserve aisle seats or seats near the bulkhead, which provide more leg room. Planning the trip...

According to the Webster-Merriam Dictionary, the word dragon is Middle English, from Anglo-French dragun, from Latin dracon. The definition of dragon is: · A mythical animal usually represented as a monstrous winged and scaly serpent with a crested head and enormous claws. · Or someone who is formidable The many depictions of dragons are incredibly diverse and complex. No other creature in mythology has appeared in so many cultures from such remote parts of the world! Many of us think of dragons as a terrifying beast. However, the Eastern dragons are portrayed as good, kind, ancient and intelligent. The Asian Dragons have the most recorded history in the world, especially in China going...

Travelers who expect to be greeted by lone standing relics of ancient Greece will be awestruck by the sprawling urban metropolis of today?s Athens. The capital city is an explorer?s paradise as historic gems are embedded within the modern day melee and cultural nuances of a turbulent past are written between the lines of concrete and the sparkling blue Aegean Sea. Everywhere in Athens is a testament to why this mythic peninsula is considered the cradle of Western civilization and modern democracy. Of particular interest, Athens received a much needed facelift in preparation for the 2004 Olympics. Notorious for its nefos (smog) resulting from rapid growth and congestion following World War II and the...

The list of new world wonders includes The Great Wall of China, Petra, Christ the Redeemer, Machu Picchu, The Colisseum, and Taj Mahal The Mayan city of Chichen Itza, located in the Mexican state of Yucatan, was chosen as one of the "Seven New Wonders of the World" by approximately 100 million people around the globe, who cast their ballots by phone and Internet. "The selection of Chichen Itza is recognition of the extremely vast and ancient historical and cultural heritage of Mexico, of which very few countries in the world can boast," said Francisco Lopez Mena, CEO of the Mexico Tourism Board. The announcement of Chichen Itza's selection by the New7Wonders Foundation was made during a spectacular...

New York City history isn't all about Ellis Island and immigration. New York City history is not all about the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty or even the horror of the fallen towers on September 11, 2001. The culture and history of New York City too is defined by more than the Broadway Theater or the experience of a horse drawn carriage ride through Central Park. Of course, with many New York City tours, you might think differently about New York City. Some New York City tours promise that you can see all of New York City in a matter of hours. This means, of course, that you'll drive by and look out the window at Ellis Island and the Brooklyn Bridge. Your New York City tour guide will...

A learn Spanish DVD can help you to learn the language without too much effort. You will enjoy the learning process and will not have to spend time studying grammar books and dictionaries. A good educational Spanish DVD helps both adults and children to enjoy learning a new language. Educational Spanish DVDs for Children A learn Spanish DVD that has interesting characters, colorful pictures and short segments that teach through songs and repetition helps to keep children engrossed. Children who are three years or older can start learning a second language. You can sit down with your kids and have fun while you pick up a second language together with them. An educational Spanish DVD should teach you...

Disneyland is a land of fun, land of excitement and enjoyment, which offers something for every person of any age group. Disneyland has varieties of theme and water parks (Like Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney Animal Kingdom Parks, Disney's Blizzard Beach and Disney Typhoon Lagoon) those offer different attractions, rides, dining places and shopping centers. To enter in the Disney world you need a Disney world ticket and it could be easily collected from the counter in the entrance of theme parks or you can book your ticket through Disney world's official website (Disneyworld.disney.go.com). Disney offers discount tickets for every single attraction like discount Garden...