COTSWOLD

 Marked by rolling uplands, green fields, and limestone cottages with prim flower beds, the Cotswolds, 100 miles west of London, make a peaceful getaway. The towns and villages set around the Cotswold escarpment - a swath of golden, creamy or gray-colored stone, stretching from Stratford-upon-Avon south west to Cirencester and beyond - owe their beauty to sheep, or rather, the wool on their backs. The wealth created by the wool industry built stately, large-windowed, light-filled churches in every town and country parish. The Cotswolds region is justly famous for tranquil, stone-built villages.  There’s little to do in idyllic villages, but that’s the point. Exquisite gardens and stately homes add further charm.

 

COTSWOLD COUNTRYSIDE, GLOUCESTERSHIRE

 

 

Received from Thomas Goatherd

FOND DU LAC

The city of Fond du Lac is situated on the southern shores of Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin's largest inland lake. The name Fond du Lac is a French term that translates loosely into "the foot of lake." The first light of dawn hits the water's surface and welcomes anglers to Lake Winnebago. A bike ride through past idyllic barns and over rolling hills ends with a story-filled lunch at an outdoor café. An evening stroll through downtown reveals art galleries, shops and classic Wisconsin supper clubs. With its convenient location at the base of Lake Winnebago and surrounded by Kettle Moraine State Forest and the Horicon Marsh, Fond Du Lac welcomes outdoor enthusiasts of all ages, any time of the year.

 

LAKESIDE PARK LIGHTHOUSE HARBOR [1960]

 

 For more information, visit Fond du Lac Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

 

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE

City of Possibilities

The town name goes back to la Verendrye's days, when it was a portage resting area between the Assiniboine River and Lake Manitoba. The small city is at the centre of some the richest crop land in Manitoba, and is a major food processing centre.

Island Park and Crescent Lake This scenic park is a horseshoe-shaped lake setting has a deer and waterfowl sanctuary with a large flock of Canada geese, golf course, tennis courts, picnic sites, canoeing and fairgrounds.

 

Poised gracefully over Crescent Lake is a R.C.A.F. T33 Jet Trainer. A gift of goodwill from the Air Force Base to the citizen of Portage. The Lake and Island park are a feature attraction for visitors to the area.

 

The Portage Arts Centre and Gallery is one of the best public galleries in rural Manitoba with new exhibitions monthly. The facility also features a gift shop, studios for classes and workshops and art rental program. 

 

City of Portage la Prairie 

HERMANUS

 Fashionable seaside resort Hermanus dubbed 'the Riviera of South Africa'. Stretching along the shore of Walker Bay, a much favoured resort, renowned among fishermen and watersport enthusiasts. A collection of old fishing boats, some more than 100 years old, have been restored and may be seen at the Old Harbour Museum, a national monument, constructed on the slipway. Semi-precious stones, jewellery and ornaments are sold at a manufacturing outlet in Arum street. Beaches are safe for swimming and surfing, especially at Voëlklip and Grotto beaches. A yacht club is situated on the Kleinrivier Lagoon. Fernkloof Nature Reserve offers a number of signposted walks, an abundance of wild flowers and a prolific bird life.

 

Voëlklip Beach, Grotto Beach, Kleinriviervlei, Hermanus Yacht Club [1994]

CORK

Cork City is now the third largest city in Ireland. It derives its name from the marshy land on the banks of the River Lee – its Irish name Corcaigh means marsh –  on which St Finbarr founded a monastery around AD 650. The narrow alleys, waterways and Georgian architecture give the city a Continental feel. Since the 19th century, the city has had a reputation for political rebelliousness. Today this mood is reflected in the city’s attitude to the arts and its bohemian spirit, much in evidence at the lively October jazz festival.

 

St. Patrick's Street, Bridge and Hall, Cork City

 

One of Cork’s great attractions is that it is a city built on water. Its heart lies on an island between two arms of the River Lee and many of today’s streets were in fact once waterways lined with warehouses and merchants’ residences. Cork city offers a more cosmopolitan atmosphere, with its art galleries and craft shops.

Official tourism website for Cork, Ireland

GREEN BAY

 Green Bay is Wisconsin's oldest community, settled by the French as a fur-trading center. Today the city is most famous for its namesake Green Bay Packers, whose legendary past can be viewed at the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame at Lambeau Field. Yet, the city's appeal rests on a blend of many more elements that combine small town charm with big city excitement. South of town, the history of the Oneida Nation is displayed at the Oneida Nation Museum. Green Bay is famous for football, but it’s all the hidden treasures that make Greater Green Bay a special place to visit.

 

Boating On The Fox River 

 

 

 Quality of life, family-friendly values, a strong business community and a distinct Midwestern personality all make Green Bay a great place to call home... and a great place to visit.

 

 

For more information, visit greenbay.com

SWIFT CURRENT

Swift Current is the base for western oil exploration in Saskatchewan and a regional trade centre for livestock and grain. Part of the HorseShoe Region, it is with easy driving distance of such HorseShoe attractions as Grasslands National Park and the Great Sand Hills. The city reflects the old west traditions of the region in such popular events as Frontiers Days in June and the Old Tyme Fiddling Championships in September. It is also the new home of the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame. Visitors can relive in a frontier community in Doc's Town located on the fair ground. Swift Current is one of the few Saskatchewan communities with a nickname: Speedy Creek. The city takes its name from Swift Current Creek, or Riviere Au Courant, as the early fur traders knew the waterway.

Looking North on Central Ave., in the city of Swift Current, Sask

 

 

For more information on the city, contact Tourism Swift Current

KENOSHA

Located on Lake Michigan, Kenosha's crown jewel is its lakefront HarbourPark. The parkland setting along the waterfront blends beautifully with the adjacent historic downtown featuring shops, galleries, an outdoor market and eateries all linked by a vintage electric streetcar system. The city's lakefront  museum campus includes the Kenosha Public Museum, Dinosaur Discovery Museum, Kenosha History Center and the Civil War Museum, which examines the connection between the home front and the battlefront during the nation's bloodiest conflict. Outlet shopping, family festival, charter fishing and four historic districts round out the area's diverse attractions. The waters off the Kenosha shore have been listed as the highest catch area for big game fish in Lake Michigan over any other Wisconsin area.

 

SIMMONS BEACH MARINA [1973]
This beautiful boat marina is one of many recreational facilities available. It offers easy access to the many  boating events in Lake Michigan.

 For more information, log on to visitkenosha.com

HASTINGS

In the 19th century Hastings became one of England’s most popular spa resorts. Hastings is a mix of fishing port and unpretentious resort. Fishermen winch their boats onto the shingle beach below tall black sheds called deezes, where their nets are stored. Behind, weatherboard houses on narrow alleys characterize the old town.  A Victorian funicular railway takes you up to fragmentary ruins of a massive castle built by William, where the events of the Norman invasion unfold in a fake siege tent in The Story of 1066. The animated figures of the Smugglers' Adventure, set in caves once used for storing contraband, are also entertaining. The adjoining Regency resort of St. Leonards is a must for those with a fondness for backstreet antique shops. 

 

 

FISHING BOATS AT HASTINGS, EAST SUSSEX

 

Tall Victorian row houses painted in lemony hues still cover the cliffs around the deep blue sea, and the views from the hilltops are extraordinary. The Old Town, on the east side of the city, offers a glimpse into the city’s 16th-century past. Hastings has been through difficult times in recent decades, and the town developed a reputation as a rough place. It’s handsome, if tattered, and the seafront has all the usual English accoutrements—fish-and-chips stands, candy stores, shops selling junk, miniature golf, and rocky beaches that stretch for miles.

 

Received from Thomas Goatherd

 

HENDRIK VERWOERD DAM

The Hendrik Verwoerd Dam forms part of the massive Orange River Development Scheme, the biggest water supply scheme in Africa. The dam was officially opened in 1972. It covers an area of 374 square kilometres. The height of the dam wall  is 90,5 metres. The water is used for extensive irrigation schemes and the production of hydro-electrical power. Situated in the Ruigte Valley gorge on the borders of the Free State and Cape Province - 6 km east of Norvalspont - this dam on the mighty Orange River is the largest in South Africa, and the fourth largest on the African continent.

 

HENDRIK VERWOERD DAM: Main regulator of the waters of the Orange River, with its double curvature main arch and gravity walls, whose structure has formed this vast 374 sq. km lake

 

Hendrik Verwoerd Dam Public Resort is located to the dam wall and boasts a wonderful view of the water, islands and distant hills. A shady lawn area offers caravan and camping facilities. Sports facilities include a pool, tennis courts, a golf course, a bowling green and horses. In terms of recreation the dam is a popular venue for water sports. The Hendrik Verwoerd Dam Nature Reserve on the northern banks accommodates the largest springbok population in the country as well as other game.