Honolulu, Hawaii Tourist Attractions

Honolulu is the capital of the U.S. state of Hawaii since 1845. Honolulu, meaning “sheltered bay” or “bay of shelter”, is the most populous and largest city of the Hawaiian Islands. Situated on the island of Oahu, it is the island’s top tourist destination and offers plenty to see and do.

What to see / do

• Diamond Head – A volcanic tuff cone, popular for hikes and great views.
• Hawaii State Museum of Natural and Cultural History – Museum of Polynesian culture
• Honolulu Zoo – Great collection of exotic and some unusual animals
• Iolani Palace – Former royal palace
• Pearl Harbor – The harbour and war memorials are found just outside the city
• Waikiki Aquarium – Third oldest aquarium in the US with hundreds of species from Hawaii and the Pacific.
• Waikiki Beach – Soft white sand and various hotels, the busiest beach in Hawaii.

Events

• Aloha Festivals – Oldest and largest Hawaiian cultural event with traditional music, dance, art and history.
• Annual Honolulu Festival – Drawing thousands of spectators to this Hawaiian premier cultural event.
• Hawaii Dragon Boat Festival - Held in June, racing with colorful dragon boats and canoes to the rhythm of pounding drums.
• Honolulu’s Annual Lei Day Celebration – Daily events such as a Lei contest for all ages, free lei making workshops, and the crowning of the Lei Queen and her court.
• King Kamehemeha Hula Competition – International hula competition with traditional and contemporary hula styles and contestants from all over the world.
• Na Hoku O Hawaii Music Festival – A music festival held at the Hawaii Convention Center with workshops, performances and awards following the event.
• Ukulele Festival – A non-profit event, attracting almost 20 000 locals and tourists with Ukulele artists performing for hours.

Visit http://bestflights.co.za/internationalflights/usa/honolulu for more information on Honolulu, Hawaii

Saa Crew Member Arrested In Brazil

Another South African Airways (SAA) cabin crew member has been caught with several kilograms of drugs at a foreign airport.

The air steward was apprehended at São Paolo airport in Brazil shortly before she was to return to South Africa as a member of the flight crew late last week.

The woman has been working for SAA for 12 years. She apparently had 5kg of cocaine hidden on her body when she was apprehended. It was not clear how officials knew she had the drugs on her.

SAA did not comment on the incident upon enquiry on Monday. The international relations and co-operation department did however confirm the woman's arrest.

She is currently being held in São Paolo and the department will supply the necessary consular support to her if she requests it, the department's spokesperson said.

via news24.com

Comair Trains Disadvantaged Pilots

As part of its commitment to transformation in the aviation industry, Comair, operator of British Airways in South Africa and kulula.com, has funded six cadets from previously disadvantaged backgrounds to study for their commercial pilot's license. Comair on Friday hosted a graduation ceremony to celebrate the cadets' successful completion of the programme.

Comair's Flight Training Centre in Kempton Park is one of only a few highly sophisticated training centres on the African continent and offers the most comprehensive pilot type-rated training. The Comair Cadet Pilot Program was initiated in 2000 to address the shortage of pilots from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. Since its inception, ten cadets have successfully completed the training programme.

"Comair spearheaded this programme because we recognised the need for skills development and the significant impact that we could make towards transformation in our industry. Despite the high costs associated with this training programme, averaging R450 000 per individual, we have made an ongoing commitment to further develop South Africa 's pilot skills pool," said Dy Moonsammy, Comair's Senior Manager: Learning and Development.

Three of the initial four cadets who completed the programme in 2002 are currently employed as first officer pilots on Comair operated aircraft, two of whom have since been promoted to the rank of captain.

The six graduates will still need to gain in the region of 1 500 flying hours in order to reach the level of experience and standards required by commercial airlines.

"We are extremely proud of our cadets for completing and doing so well on the programme. They are a true inspiration to other people from disadvantaged backgrounds who are dreaming of pursuing a career in the aviation industry," concludes Moonsammy.

via politicsweb.co.za

Tourist Attractions in New Orleans, USA

New Orleans is the 46th largest city in the United States and the largest city in the state of Louisiana. The city is well known for its French Creole Architecture as the city is named after Philippe d' Orléans, Duke of Orléans, Regent of France. Here you will find fine cuisine, music (the birthplace for Jazz music), festivals and celebrations and the famous New Orleans Mardi Gras that is held annually in this "most unique" city.

What to see

• Audubon Aquarium of the Americas – an experience of a lifetime featuring Caribbean Reef, Amazon Rainforest and the Mississippi River
• Audubon Insectarium – delight yourself with "up close and personal" insect encounters and shrunk to insect size
• Audubon Zoo – one of the United States' top-ranged zoos
• Louisiana Children's Museum – a fun museum to explore, experience and learn
• Musée Conti Wax Museum – A fun, historical, educational and entertaining museum
• National World War II Museum – Exhibitions of the Invasion of Normandy, Home Front and D-Day Invasions in the Pacific
• Ogden Museum of Southern Art – mixed artwork by Southern artists
• Plantation Homes – a variety of historic and beautiful plantation homes

What to do

• Bayou Boogaloo – a music, arts and crafts and food festival to raise funds for charities
• French Quarter Festival – 250 hours of entertainment with more than 150 musical performances
• Mardi Gras – One of the world's biggest parties
• Satchmo Summer Fest – an entertaining and educational weekend honoring Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong
• Soul Fest – enjoy African American history with delicious local cuisine
• Voodoo Music Experience – enjoy a spell of music, food, crafts and culture during a three-day festival

Visit http://bestflights.co.za/internationalflights/usa/new-orleans for more information on New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Puerto Rico Attractions

Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island that is a self-governing commonwealth of the USA. It is a colorful, diverse and culturally unique island. Offering visitors hip, funky restaurants, Spanish forts, many shopping malls, the tropical rain forests, glitzy casinos, stunning beaches and caves to explore.

What to see / do

• Castillo de San Felipe del Morro – Commonly known as El Morro, is one of Old San Juan's most recognizable landmarks.
• The Vieques Biobay – One of the most bioluminescent bays with its geography, climate and local conservation.
• El Yunque – Also known as “The Anvil”, is a tropical rain forest and a lush, mountainous terrain
• Culebrita – Unspoiled beauty of long stretches of sand and water in several shades of blue.
• Rio Camuy Caves – Over 10 miles of caverns, 220 caves and 17 entrances.

Events

• Ponce Carnival - Devilish vejigantes patrol the streets in their masks and colourful costumes at Ponce's annual carnival. Lively street parades and parties.
• Casals Festival – Classical music festival attracting an international roster of artists and ensembles.
• Saborea Puerto Rico  – Three days of eating the finest Caribbean specialities and drinking rum, culinary seminars with cooking demos as well as rum and wine tastings
• Puerto Rico Heineken Jazzfest – The annual Puerto Rico Heineken Jazzfest brings together some of the biggest names in Latin jazz
• San Sebastián Street Festival - Fairground rides, food stalls and live music take over San Sebastian Street.

Visit http://bestflights.co.za/internationalflights/puerto-rico for more information on Puerto Rico

Barcelona, Spain Tourist Attractions

Barcelona, the second largest and most cosmopolitan city in Spain, has a population of around two million people. The city's tourism got a massive uptick in 1992 by hosting the Olympic games that translated the city into a very modern, yet very old city, celebrating the ancient.

What to see

• Sagrada Familia - A modernist church, most famous Barcelona landmark.
• Casa Mila -- Antoni Gaudi's unconventional buildings
• La Rambla -- The most famous street in the city, always crowded
• Guell Park -- A UNESCO world heritage site, also by Gaudi
• La Seu Cathedral -- Built between 1298 and 1460, completed at the end of 19th century.
• Casa Batllo - Another Gaudi masterpiece with unique modernist interior and surreal exterior
• Parc de la Ciutadella -- Home to a zoo, museums and the Catalan Parliament
• Montjuic -- A hill that boasts many attractions, such as Poble Espanyol and the Calatrava Tower
• Magic Fountain - Animated with coloured lights during summer evenings
• Arc de Triomf - A triumphal arch built in mudejar style brickwork, originally built as the entrance gate of the Universal Exposition in 1888.
• Torre Agbar - One of the city's tallest buildings with colourful cladding and an unorthodox shape.

Events

• Sonar Festival - A three-day music festival
• Festes de la Merce -- A festival with human towers, fireworks and live music
• Festes de Gracia -- Most important fiestas, filled with fun, excitement, colours, fireworks and music.
• Revetla de Sant Joan -- A midsummer solstice celebration
• La Merce - A holiday filled with fun and activities, fountains and fireworks.

Visit http://bestflights.co.za/internationalflights/spain/barcelona for more information on Barcelona, Spain