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MARDI GRAS WORLD: WHERE MARDI GRAS IS MADE! There are plenty of tours in New Orleans, but only one offers a real, behind-the-scenes look at New Orleans Mardi Gras, and that’s the Mardi Gras World tour. Mardi Gras World gives you an authentic Mardi Gras experience all year round, whether you visit while sightseeing in New Orleans, enjoying a New Orleans family vacation or taking a break from your business trip. Take our day tour to see what it takes to bring Mardi Gras to life year after year. Our tour allows you to see firsthand the hard work and extensive planning that goes into this grand event. Since 1947, Blaine Kern Studios has built the breathtaking parade floats for major parades not only for Mardi Gras, but for parades all over the world. Mardi Gras parades would be nothing without the fantastical floats that line the parade route year after year. The hard work that goes into making these spectacles is what makes Mardi Gras in New Orleans the greatest show on Earth! Our knowledgeable guides take the mask off Mardi Gras with an all-access Mardi Gras tour, winding through the massive studio where these magnificent floats are built from the ground up. You’ll learn about the history of this unique and festive tradition and go beyond its reputation to get a deeper understanding of the real Mardi Gras. The whole family will love the experience of touring the space where our artisans create spectacular floats for over 40 parades each year. There are plenty of opportunities for photos in front of floats, with props, or wearing a traditional Mardi Gras costume on this New Orleans tour. This is an experience you will want to document, so don’t forget to bring your camera! A FREE shuttle is provided with ticket purchase, and has pick-ups at 20 convenient downtown locations. Just call 504-361-7821 to see where our designated pick up locations are. Call when you are at one of our many locations and we will quickly pick you and your party up. If you do not wish to use our complimentary shuttle, the closest parking is available in Lot J across from the Mardi Gras World entrance. ($15.00/vehicle, owned by the New Orleans Convention Center, subject to change) Wandering through the magical float den is an exciting experience for kids and adults alike, so come join us for the best Mardi Gras tour around.
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.
Madam Tussauds Amsterdam Enjoy the glitter and glamour of Madame Tussauds Amsterdam. With 10 interactive zones and an amazing television studio, you will have the opportunity to meet and greet your heroes. From the Dutch Royal Family, world famous DJ’s Martin Garrix and Armin van Buuren, artists like Vincent van Gogh and Rembrandt van Rijn and of course your real Marvel superheroes. Dive into the studio and sing a duet with Adele, take a picture with your favourite actors such as Michiel Huisman and Ryan Gosling or project your face on Zayn Malik’s chest. Step in front of the camera in the brand new television studio and create your own talk show. The autocue is ready for you. Time for action! Time for superstars! Time for Madame Tussauds Amsterdam! The Amsterdam Dungeon Do you have a great sense of humour and nerves of steel? Then you are at the right place in the Amsterdam Dungeon. Come face to face with over 500 years of Amsterdam’s darkest history. The chillingly amusing characters of the ‘bad old days’ come to life before you in all their glory. You will be able to see and sense them during the thrilling attraction The Gallows Fields The place where the bodies would be put on display for the people; a reminder of your fate if you were ever to commit a crime. The dangling corpses were the hallmark for an “effectively functioning” legal system. You would think this place would be avoided by everyone, however, the contrary was true, it was an attraction. Murder on the Zeedijk Immerse yourself into this ghost story and meet the ravishing Dina and her less refined sister Helena, in the oldest streets of Amsterdam with it's haunting history Hell on the Batavia Feel the fear creep up on you aboard the 17th century VOC ship, the Batavia
Information : Important: Closing of the Queen’s State Apartment for renovation works We strongly advise against high-heeled shoes (parquet flooring in the rooms and cobblestones in the courtyard) Strollers are not permitted inside the palace Access to the palace is challenging for those with reduced mobility Photography without flash is permitted inside the palace Tuesday mornings are not recommended due to the high number of visitors The skip-the-line access is subject to the Versailles Palace procedures: The Vigipirate plan, the security control or an unforeseen crowd can slow down the entrance On-site visit duration: 2h Languages Available : English and Spanish : Every departure Italian : Wednesday and Sunday German : Tuesday, Friday French : Saturday Portuguese : Thursday Japanese : Tuesday
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
A List Beneath the stars, high up in the hills of the Californian countryside you have been invited to the most exclusive party in town... The party is filled with the most glamorous and gorgeous A-Listers all waiting to meet you. George Clooney has reserved a space for you on the sofa in the VIP area - sit down next to him and watch as the lights dim and create a romantic setting. Gaze at the stars with Leonardo Di Caprio by the open balcony. Elton John stands at a grand piano, waiting for you to join him to entertain your guests. Madame Tussauds San Francisco is inviting you to this ultimate star-studded party. Film Join the stars on set to recreate some of the most iconic scenes in film history. No homage to San Franciscan movie history would be complete without a scene from both Bullitt and Dirty Harry. Pose with Steve McQueen next to a replica of his green Mustang. Perhaps you feel more comfortable behind the camera? No problem! Steven Spielberg has reserved his Director’s Chair for you on the set of Jurrassic Park! You can also put your own martial arts skills to the test by taking on the kung fu master, Bruce Lee. History and Leaders As you enter the Leaders and History room witness the moment Johan Sutter first discovered gold, setting off a chain reaction that would see the beginning of the great Californian Gold Rush. Visit Alcatraz prison cell and experience first-hand what it was like to be behind bars on ‘The Rock’, then plan an escape with your friends and hear the sirens go off. Meet Civil Rights campaigner Rosa Parks and join her on a bus ride which changed history! Stand proud with Martin Luther King as he delivers a speech and meet with the Dalai Lama; a man who not only won the Nobel Peace prize but who also influenced the peace loving hippies of 1960s California. Continue on your epic journey of discovery with a trip to the White House to meet Barack Obama, the first African American president of the United States of America, then finish you trip meeting a couple of the most famous entrepreneurs of the current generation. Spirit of San Francisco A street sign points you in the direction of Haight Asbury where you travel back in time to the era that shaped San Francisco’s liberal attitudes and gave birth to a generation of free thinking idealists and iconic musicians. After a very special welcome from Ed Lee, the Major or San Francisco, you will marvel at grafitti from a local artist as well as become a participant in Harvey Milk's triumphant campaign for equal rights. As you follow the winding path of Lombard Street you end up outside the Sentinel Building home to Francis Ford Coppola’s movie production company. The man himself is waiting for you outside with his latest film script in hand; perhaps he has you in mind for the leading role! A short distance away you can hear the faint sounds of music and smell burning campfires. As you investigate closer you step into a living breathing festival. Jimi Hendrix rocks out to Purple Haze on the main stage waiting for you to step in and jam with him. The dominant stance of the iconic Golden Gate bridge frames the middle of this area. As you step through the red arch you step further back in time, witnessing the bridge's construction, before picking up the hose and colour the Coit Tower in beautiful patterns. ...and many more!!