Shedd Aquarium + Helicopter Chicago Lights Nighttime Tour

The building that today houses the Museo Nacional del Prado was designed by architect Juan de Villanueva in 1785. It was constructed to house the Natural History Cabinet, by orders of King Charles III. However, the building's final purpose - as the new Royal Museum of Paintings and Sculptures - was the decision of the monarch's grandson, King Ferdinand VII, encouraged by his wife Queen Maria Isabel de Braganza. The Museo Nacional del Prado, opened to the public for the first time in November 1819. The Museum's first catalogue, published in 1819, included 311 paintings, although at that time its collection comprised just over 1,510 pictures from the various Reales Sitios (Royal Residences). The exceptionally important royal collection, which represents the foundation of the Museum's collection as we know it today, started to increase significantly in the 16th century during the time of Charles V and continued to thrive under the succeeding Habsburg and Bourbon Monarchs. It is down to them than nowadays we can contemplate in the Museum as greatest masterpieces as The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch, The Nobleman with his hand on his Chest by El Greco, Las Meninas by Velázquez and The Family of Carlos IV by Goya. The visit will take place in chronological order, starting with the exhibit hall where the masterpieces of J. Bosch (El Bosco) (1450-1516): The Table of the 7 Deadly Sins, The Hay Wain, The temptations of San Antonio, The Stone of Madness and The Garden of Delights, to continue with the rooms devoted to the Greco (1540-1614): The gentleman's hand on his chest, The Trinity, Christ embraced the cross and The Annunciation. Velázquez (1599-1660): The Worship, Drunkards, Equestrian Portraits, the Forge of Vulcan, The Christ, The spinners, Spears and Las Meninas, ending with Goya (1746-1828): The family of Carlos IV Pictures, The Shootings of May 2nd, Pestles and Black Paintings.

Duration: 80 Minutes Departures: every 15 minutes, 30 people tour group maximum Languages: English and Dutch tours, which will depart depending on the amount of waiting for English- or Dutch visitors. Minimum advised age:  10 years and older. Children younger than 12 years always need to be accompanied by someone who is older than 16 years. 

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.

The Relais Saint Michel Menu*: Baked Camembert in phyllo dough with apples and arugula salad ** Salmon with rice and two vegetable sides (e.g. mushrooms and broccoli) ** Apple tart ** 1 bottle of cider + 1 bottle of water for 6 pers.  Coffee or tea Vegetarian Menu*:  Baked Camembert in phyllo dough with apples and arugula salad or Crudité plate ** Tagliatelle with vegetables or Omelet with vegetables **  Apple tart ** 1 bottle of cider + 1 bottle of water for 6 pers.  Coffee or tea Children menu* (under 12 years old):  Tagliatellis with ham or Ground beef with french fries or 'Moules Marinières" with french fries Apple pie or Chocolate mousse or Ice cream vanilla-strawberry Soft drink * Exemple of menus, subject to modification * The menu is not available in english  From December 19th, lunch in the Mont Saint Michel at the restaurant "Terrasses Poulard" or "Mouton Blanc" with the following menu:  Normandy salad with warm baked camembert ** Cod-fish loin, butter sauce with basmati rice and vegetables ** Caramel cream with salted butter ** 1 Bottle of cider for 6 persons 1 bottle of water for 6 persons Coffee or tea    Please note :  Those with reduced mobility should note that the climb up to the abbey can be tiring Comfortable shoes and warm clothing are recommended in Winter On-site visit duration: 4h30

You'll be treated like royalty from the moment you receive a welcome drink on boarding the Aphrodite. Then lie back and enjoy the breathtaking scenery as you feel the gentle swell of the sea. You'll see hidden treasures of the southwestern coast unfold before your eyes, water cascading down rugged cliffs, dark mysterious caves and the secluded Gui-Gui beach where we will drop anchor so you can go for a swim in the clear blue waters. This is one of the most exciting and beautiful places for you to spend some time at.Then enjoy a sumptuous buffet lunch with unlimited drinks before returning to port where your bus will be waiting to take you back to your resort. Please give details of your hotel or apartment when you make your booking so that we can arrange transport for you. Your on board menu includes: Cheese from the Canary Islands, Nuts, Tomato, onion and tuna salad. Tropical salad. Entrecote steak and grilled chicken. Canarian potatoes with mojo picon sauce and drinks of wine, beer, soft drinks and mineral water. A meal fit for a king on this very regal vessel - Aphrodite. Languages: Spanish, English and German.

Amsterdam Guided City Tour - Bus & Canal Cruise Highlights 2,5 hour Guided Tour in Amsterdam Windmill picturestop Visit to a diamond factory 1 hour Canal Cruise GPS Audio Guide on Canal Cruise in 19 languages Ticket Includes Deluxe coach Live Guide in English, Spanish & German Ticket Excludes Food And Drinks Hotel Pick Up Full Description Amsterdam is famous for it's canals, however the city is much more to offer. The guide will show you amazing sights inside and outside the city center and you will receive an overview of the history of this eccentric city. The views you will encounter vary from the suburban town to the architecture of beautiful mansions. A visit to Amsterdam is not complete without a photo stop at a traditional Dutch windmill. And to top the tour off, you have the opportunity to visit a Diamond Factory. At the end of the tour you can either continue your visit on your own and explore Amsterdam further or you can get back on the bus which will take you back to the meeting point. The canal Cruise will show you Amsterdam's world-famous Canal District.The historic houses are preserved by UNESCO and the cruise will give you an opportunity to see the merchants’ houses that are typical to Holland and the medieval bridges that connect Amsterdam together. Want to see more of Amsterdam? Why not get the Amsterdam Holland Pass and visit the various attractions included in the Amsterdam Holland Pass