City Sightseeing San Francisco - 3 Day Hop-On Hop-Off Tour

Due to its proximity to the cities of Cologne and Bonn SEAL LIFE Königswinter offers especially for families with children a tourist attraction unlike any other. A special highlight of SEA LIFE Königswinter is the BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR. Visitors are kidnapped behind the scenes and get an insight into the working environment of the SEAL LIFE’S aquarist. What treats for the animals are prepared in the kitchen? What does the laboratory look like where the water tests are evaluated? Knowledgeable staff gives visitors an introduction to the aquarium’s technology that is behind the huge pool and provides insights into the animal nursery where animals under special observation are living. NEW in 2017: World of Crabs This themed exhibition shows crustaceans within proximate distance and in full action. Highlight of the different crab species is the impressive Japanese spider crab whose legs can span up to more than 2 metres.  

Shearwater is a classic Newport-style schooner yacht, only recently recognized as a national landmark in 2009.  The vessel was built by Rice Brother Corporation in East Boothbay, Maine, back in a time when yachting was a rare combination of elegance and adventure; Rice Bros. were well known for building luxury pleasure yachts and produced some 4,000 hulls over a period of 64 years. The keel was laid down on January 4, 1929 and a news clip from the Boothbay Register reflects alongside a photograph "Tyler Hodgon at the old Tide Mill is getting out timbers for the schooner to be built at Rice’s. Vessel to be built of native white oak." Traditionally built from hand-hewn native white oak, she was the last boat to be constructed at that yard - likely due to the ensuing Great Depression brought on by the Stock Market Crash that occurred later that autumn.  East Boothbay was a small coastal town with shipbuilding being its only industry. About 40 workmen were employed for the construction of SHEARWATER. Her designer Theodore Donald Wells was born in Hudson Falls, N Y on October 22, 1875. He was a naval architect and marine engineer, a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers and also the Institute of Naval Architects London. His education included post-graduate work at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. He began his career as a member of the firm Herreshoff and Wells, N. Y. City in 1902. Working with Herreshoff no doubt had an influence on his designs, which bear similarities to many of the famous Herreshoff designed yachts of that time. From 1903 to 1907 he worked for Wintringham and Wells and then began practicing his profession under his own name. Mr. Wells joined the Navy Department in March 1917 and became Superintending Constructor of the Baltimore District U. S. N. Notable yachts designed and constructed under his supervision are "Viking" a 272 foot steel motor yacht built for George F. Baker in 1929 by Newport News and "Karina" a three masted schooner built for Robert E. Tod in 1932 by Staten Island Shipbuilding. Mr. Tod was a well-known offshore yachtsman as was his former yacht ‘Thistle", which competed in the Emperors Cup ocean race. SHEARWATER was launched on May 4, 1929 and photographs in the Boothbay Register reflect her graceful and elegant lines. Her first Captain, Leon Esterbrook of Edgarton, MA, arrived to take charge of the fitting out. Her owner Charles E Dunlap was a member of the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, Oyster Bay, NY and this became SHEARWATER’s first homeport after her completion in late September 1929. It was there in Oyster Bay that she first started to thrill those who sailed in luxury aboard her and those who were privileged to crew her on race day. Since her launching and documentation in Lloyd’s Register of American Yachts in 1929, she has had a colorful history and has been carefully maintained and restored to standards that few contemporary vessels are able to match and is truly a piece of American Maritime History. On November 7, 1942 SHEARWATER was requisitioned by the War Shipping Administration and became a member of The United States Coast Guard’s Coastal Picket Patrol during World War Two. She was painted gray and bore the numbers CG67004. Based at Little Creek, Virginia she patrolled the waters east of the Chesapeake Bay entrance and south towards Cape Hatteras. Her skipper during that period reflected on how they used their free time while out on submarine patrol to race against other yachts and in his own words "sailed in tandem with the schooner Lord Jim, racing in and out of port, up and down the east coast and winning." She was designed and built as a gaff rigged schooner but during this period was changed to a Marconi rig. She carries over 2,550 square feet while under full sail. A true veteran world cruiser, she first transited the Panama Canal in July 1946 and in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s completed a two and a half-year global circumnavigation. In December 1971 Mrs. John B. Thayer of Rosemont, wife of a former trustee and treasurer, donated SHEARWATER to the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute of Environmental Medicine. She was used by the university as a laboratory for research on physiological responses to the stresses of living and working underwater. Captained by James Shearson, she was fitted with compressors, generators, monitoring instruments and a small decompression chamber. She has participated in many Ancient Mariner and Classic yacht races in U S waters as well as racing in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand while on her circumnavigation in the early 1980’s. It is rumored she was once dismasted in the famous Newport to Bermuda race. She was last raced by the current owners in San Diego in May 1995 in the American Schooner Cup and finished second overall. She entered the yacht charter industry in 1966 whilst on the West Coast sailing to the Channel Islands and was again used to generate income to keep her shipshape while owned by the University of Pennsylvania. During the chartering industry’s infancy in the Caribbean, SHEARWATER was known as the " Queen of the Fleet". Today she continues this tradition offering the most unique sailing experience and has passed rigid Coast Guard inspections and can carry up to 49 passengers. We welcome you to join us for an excellent opportunity to experience the ambiance of a vintage sailing vessel while delighting in the splendors of The Manhattan sky-line, the Statue of Liberty or the beauty of the oceans beyond.

Over 200 works by iconic Dutch artist M.C. Escher Most of his most iconic and recognizable masterpieces, including Hand with Reflecting Sphere, Relativity, Belvedere, Eye, Metamorphisis, Day and Night, and Waterfall. Scientific experiments, play areas, and educational resources will help visitors of allages to understand the impossible perspectives, disquieting images, and seemingly irreconcilable universes which Escher combined to create a unique artistic dimension. Among these special installations will be massive photo booths constructed to emulate Escher's hypnotic environments. Visitors will be able to photograph themselves "inside" the worlds of M.C. EScher. The "Relativity Room" turns normal size and scale on it's head. The "Infinity Room" shows visitors their reflection repeated, semingly into infinity.

Artists and photographers have been drawn to Zion for the past 100 years in an effort to capture its infinite variety of moods. The incredible landscape of Zion is a magnificent display of beauty that is a perpetual source of inspiration and renewal for us all. Zion is a spiritual experience that will forever move you. A hundred million years ago the Virgin River started cutting its way through the sandstone of southwestern Utah. Now, if you listen closely, you can hear “You’re welcome” softly echoing through the canyons of Zion. Zion National Park is a nature preserve distinguished by Zion Canyon’s stunning rock formations it’s multitude of colors and steep red cliffs. Zion Canyon’s Scenic Drive cuts through its main section, leading to forest trails along the Virgin River. The river flows to the Emerald Pools, which have waterfalls as well as a wonderful hanging garden. Zion National Park is like the set of a movie that’s so grand you know it must be a painted backdrop, but you don’t care because it’s delicious to look at; the kind of flick where the art director was given carte blanche and didn’t worry about believability. Zion is both the oldest park and the oldest National Park in Utah. It was opened 1919 and shows off the oldest geologic layers this side of the Grand Canyon (150 million years old). It’s also Utah’s most visited national park with more than 3 million visitors each year. Zion means “the heavenly city” and although there are no churches in Zion Park, there is much to inspire reverence.

CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH MENU Made-To-Order Omelet Station Belgian Waffles and French Toast Fresh berries, whipped cream, fruit preserves and maple syrup Greek Yogurt Parfait Greek yogurt, housemade granola, fresh fruit and berries, dried fruits and nuts American Breakfast Station Assorted miniature quiche, oven roasted breakfast potatoes, apple wood smoked bacon, smoked ham and chicken apple sausage Freshly baked breakfast breads and pastries Chilled Pacific Seafood Station Jumbo shrimp cocktail, Baja style ceviche, Pacific lobster gazpacho, locally made sushi and nigiri, black caviar and Nova Lox with bagels California Farm Fresh Salad Station Freshly composed salads including- Caesar, Mixed Baby Greens, Classic Spinach, Greek Chef Attended Carving Station Natural, grass-fed choice beef sirloin and honey-herb roasted turkey breast. Served with silver dollar rolls and accompaniments. Chef’s Choice Housemade Specialties Bakery Fresh Desserts Assorted cakes and pies, petit fours, chocolate dipped strawberries and housemade warm bread pudding Complimentary Mimosas and freshly roasted coffee and tea

Brussels - From Amsterdam Highlights 11,5 hour Tour Brussels walking tour  Photo stop at the Atomium Free time for shopping and sightseeing Demonstration from a chocolatier & a Chocolate Tasting   Ticket Includes Deluxe coach Live Guide in English, Spanish & German   Ticket Excludes Food And Drinks Hotel Pick Up Full Description Explore the capital of Belgium with this unique tour in Brussels, departing from Amsterdam. The Tour guide will take you trough the historic old city center of Brussels and you will get to see the famous statue Mannekepis, the headquarters of the European Union, and the distinguished Royal Palace.  Be amazed at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart, one of the ten largest cathedrals in the world and enjoy the guided walking tour around the 16th century Market Square. You will get a demonstration by a chocolatier along the way and you can indugle in some delicious Belgian chocolate. There will also be time to explore on your own, enjoy shopping and try the famous waffles or take some chocolate home as a souvenir.