Dialect Magazine – Page 3 – culture in action

Couple Of Days In Sunny Miami

Three quarters of a century after the art deco movement, Miami remains one of the world’s trendiest and flashiest hot spots. Luckily for visitors, South Beach is no longer the only place to stand and pose in Miami. North of downtown, the growing Wynwood and Design districts—along with nearby Midtown—are home to Miami’s hipster and fashionista movements, and the South Beach “scene” continues to extend both north and west, with the addition of new venues north of 20th Street, south of 5th Street, and along the bay on West Avenue. The reopening of the mammoth Fontainebleau and its enclave of nightclubs and restaurants along Mid-Beach paved the way for a mid-beach renaissance, luring other globally renowned resorts, lounges, and restaurants into the neighborhood, such as the Soho Beach House and the Faena District Miami Beach, a multiblock project in mid-Beach by Argentinian icon and developer Alan Faena, scheduled for a 2017 completion.

Visit Miami today and it’s hard to believe that 100 years ago it was a mosquito-infested swampland, with an Indian trading post on the Miami River. Then hotel builder Henry Flagler brought his railroad to the outpost known as Fort Dallas. Other visionaries—Carl Fisher, Julia Tuttle, William Brickell, and John Sewell, among others—set out to tame the unruly wilderness. Hotels were erected, bridges were built, the port was dredged, and electricity arrived. The narrow strip of mangrove coast was transformed into Miami Beach—and the tourists started to come. They haven’t stopped since!

Greater Miami is many destinations in one. At its best it offers an unparalleled multicultural experience: melodic Latin and Caribbean tongues, international cuisines and cultural events, and an unmistakable joie de vivre—all against a beautiful beach backdrop. In Little Havana the air is tantalizing with the perfume of strong Cuban coffee. In Coconut Grove, Caribbean steel drums ring out during the Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival. Anytime in colorful Miami Beach, restless crowds wait for entry to the hottest new clubs.

No Sleep In New York

From Wall Street’s skyscrapers to the neon of Times Square to Central Park’s leafy paths, New York City pulses with an irrepressible energy. History meets hipness in this global center of entertainment, fashion, media, and finance. World-class museums like MoMA and unforgettable icons like the Statue of Liberty beckon, but discovering the subtler strains of New York’s vast ambition is equally rewarding: ethnic enclaves and shops, historic streets of dignified brownstones, and trendy bars and eateries all add to the urban buzz.

Exiting Trip To Madrid

Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain, as well as the capital of the autonomous community of the same name (Comunidad de Madrid). The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million with a metro area population of almost 6.5 million. Madrid is best known for its great cultural and artistic heritage, a good example of which is the El Prado museum. Madrid also boasts some of the liveliest nightlife in the world.

The culture of Madrid was dominated by its Royal history, centre of the Spanish Empire. The Royal Palace, big places and buildings used by the Spanish Monarchy, enormous cathedrals and churches are plentiful in Madrid, as well as medieval architecture, although nowadays Madrid is just as much a cosmopolitan city as Berlin or London, full of new architecture, lifestyle and culture.

As Spanish Capital, Madrid has meant the different “establishment” for most Spaniards. During the 2nd Republic (1931-1936) was a bustling city of new ideas. Being capital of the Franquist dictatorship (1939-1975) made the city still seemed to represent a conservative part of Spain to many Spaniards. However, the city is also the epicentre of the famous Movida, Spain’s 80s movement that bred personalities such as the director Pedro Almodóvar. The heritage of this era is indeed still visible in the city centre, where a party can be found at all times and one of the most liberal and colourful environments of Spain can be seen. The city is also known for its great gay tolerance.

Two Days In Agadir

Agadir is a major modern city in the southern part of Morocco. It is of interest primarily because of its location, as it is surrounded by the Anti Atlas, the Sahara Desert on the Atlantic coast with many national parks, and secluded beaches which are all easily accessible.

Agadir is a very tolerant city. The local Berber community are proud of their heritage and culture and are very welcoming to visitors. In a Muslim country where a bar or a casino can be footsteps away from a mosque, a country where homosexuality remains a crime, yet there is an obvious gay community, made up of many older Europeans. Everyone just seems to live and let live in this incredible resort.

Whilst tourism plays a vital role in the city’s economy it remains a major port with a thriving fishing industry, exporting produce and natural resources. If you head north of the city towards the beaches around Tamraght you will pass a small town called Anza where there is a fish processing factory, the smell on hot days can be quite unreal! Having said that the seafood is excellent.

Today the city centre itself is primarily a tourist resort popular with Europeans. It has excellent clean beaches, first class golf courses, health and beauty spas and all the other facilities that European travellers demand.

Agadir is primarily a resort; and as such has a limited number of attractions.

The main attraction is the beach, which is wide and stretches for miles.
Dress up for the evening and join locals and stroll along the corniche or promenade. There are lots of cafes and bars, live music and street entertainers.
Surfing, Imsouane bay, Devils rock, Anchor point, Cro-Cro and many others.

There are a lot of surf schools and surf camps and surf shop. The best surf season is from November until March, but if you are just beginner, you can surf every day all year long.

Part of the original fortress remains at the top of the hill beside the city, over the huge painting. It’s possible to go there by taxi, bus or even small mopeds that are for rent around of the Hotel Kenzi (they are expensive, more than 100 Dh an hour). If you want designer label fashion then head to the marina which has a wide selection of international boutiques. Shops include Zara, Mango, Lacoste, Adidas.
There is a small zoo, called “Vallée des Oiseaux”. Entrance is free of charge. Open daily 11am – 6pm. There is a very nice cage you can walk inside, many birds from all the world, some goat-like animals from the Atlas, and even exotic mammals. It is particularly good for children and is frequented by locals who take their children along to play in the playground inside. If you are an animal lover, you may not enjoy this attraction as some of the birds look to be in a state of distress. There are two entrances as it forms a passageway between Ave. Hassan II and Ave Mohammad V. To find it, go to the Uniprix, and the main gate is on the other side of the street on the right (Av. Hassan II).
Head to the fish market near the marina where you can buy fish, then take it to the guys who will prepare it for you.
Golf. With three top notch golf courses Agadir can rival most countries golf facilities. Ask at any large hotel about the bus transport which collects visitors several times a day.

Visit Souk El Had (closed Mondays). With over 3000 stalls the Souk is a must see. Everything from tourist souvenirs, clothes, leather goods, household items, to fruit and veg. If you are a tourist and enter via Gate 9 or 10 (the main gates) expect to be approached by someone offering to guide you. Which of course means he’ll take you to all his friend’s stalls. If you wish to avoid this, and explore on your own, enter through one of the lower numbered gates where the Moroccan’s go. Haggle hard and note some stores advertise Fixed Prices. Worth looking there first so you have an idea of the ‘right’ price to pay before trying your hand at haggling. Personal favourites and the olives and spices stalls. Generally stallholders are happy to be in your photographs, but be respectful and ask permission first.

Exploring Moskow

Moscow (Russian: Москва) is the 860 year-old capital of Russia. A truly iconic, global city, Moscow has played a central role in the development of Russia and the world. For many, the sight of the Kremlin complex in the centre of the city is still loaded with symbolism and history. Moscow was the capital of the former Soviet Union and signs of its previous life are very visible even now. Yet, there’s more to Russia and its capital than just memories of the USSR. Architectural gems from the time of the Russian Empire are still dotted throughout Moscow, whilst signs of modern Tsars (or at least people with similar levels of wealth) abound.

What to see:

The Kremlin Museum Complex. Includes the Armoury Collection of royal clothing and chariots, the Diamond Fund, several churches, the Patriarch Palace and the Bell Tower (open only in the summer). Guided tours fill up fast and should be booked early. Photography is prohibited in many exhibits. RUB350-700. edit
Tretyakov Gallery – One of the world’s greatest museums, this is probably the one to choose if you only want to visit one museum in Moscow. In contrast to the worldwide collection of the Pushkin Museum, the Tretyakov is mostly a collection of Russian art. It has the best collection of Russian icons and many of the most famous pieces of modern Russian artists like Ilya Repin. Metro: Tretyakovskaya or Novokuznetskaya.
Pushkin Museum (ulitsa Volkhonka, 12) is dedicated to Western art and has one of the world’s most significant Impressionist and Post-Impressionist collections, along with some Old Masters. The Impressionists and Post-Impressionists were rather unfortunately relocated to an annex in 2007 across the street from the main building. Metro: Kropotkinskaya.
Novodevichy Convent – Both a convent and a fortress, Novodevichy was built in the early 1500s and has remained nearly intact since the 17th century, making it one of the best preserved historical complexes in Moscow. The adjacent Novodevichy Cemetery is one of Russia’s most famous cemeteries. Famous people buried there include Anton Chekhov, Nickolai Gogol, Konstantine Stanislavski, Nikita Khrushchev, Raisa Gorbachev (the former President’s wife), and Boris Yeltsin. Metro: Sportivnaya. Open from 9am until 5pm. If you want to locate the graves of famous people, you can try and buy a map (only in Russian) from the booth close to the entrance of the cemetery. However, the lady at the booth is rude to the tourists who don’t speak Russian.

Visiting Barcelona

Barcelona is the capital and largest city of Catalonia and Spain’s second largest city, with a population of over one and half million people (over five million in the whole province).

This city, located directly on the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain, has a rich history, having been under Roman, then Frank law before declaring its independence.

In 1992, Barcelona gained international recognition by hosting the Olympic games which brought a massive upturn in its tourism industry.

This had the effect of changing the city in ways that are still felt today with neighbourhoods renovated (and in some cases leveled) and the intense focus of modern design permeating all aspects of life in Barcelona from public buildings to something as simple as a park bench or an event poster.

For visitors, this has translated into the very modern, yet incredibly old city you see now in the 21st century, where the new elements work to both preserve and celebrate the ancient.

This beautiful city is full of what European cities are known for (outdoor markets, restaurants, shops, museums and churches) and is fantastic for walking with an extensive and reliable Metro system for more far-flung destinations. The core centre of town, focused around the Ciutat Vella (“Old City”) provides days of enjoyment for those looking to experience the life of Barcelona while the beaches the city was built upon provide sun and relaxation during the long periods of agreeably warm weather.