When people travel to foreign locales they tend to come home with a lot more than a camera full of pics and a suitcase festooned with bedbugs. Many world travelers pick up pieces of their destinations and bring them home. For some people this could mean adopting a new style of dress or picking up trinkets from the local bazaar, while others will try their hand at learning the language or cooking traditional recipes when they return home. But one thing you may not notice is that visiting another country and culture has shifted your design sensibilities. So if you're looking for worldly inspiration before you start your home renovation, here are a few locales you may want to add to your travel list.



1. Rome, Italy. When it comes to stately architecture, you can't do much better than a visit to Rome to check out the Coliseum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, and Saint Peter's Basilica, just to name a few famous buildings. If you're looking for something stately and impressive for your own home, a Roman holiday could offer you just the architectural inspiration you need.

2. Vancouver Island, Canada. Although there are many reasons to visit this island off Canada's western coast, including charming, cottage-style homes interspersed amongst more modern buildings, the main draw comes not from the architecture, but from the beautiful, natural surroundings. Of particular interest is the Butchart Gardens, a one-time limestone quarry that Robert and Jennie Butchart converted into a massive botanical garden structure shortly after the turn of the century. The idea was to rehabilitate the unsightly mining pits and turn them into something beautiful, and what resulted was a truly miraculous transformation. With Japanese, Italian, Rose, and

Vacationing for college students is all too often a difficulty, and sometimes not even an option. For those of you who find yourselves struggling to get all of the schoolwork done on time and have to pinch pennies all the while, going on a vacation during the post semester break can seem unfeasible. But don't let tight finances get you down. Everyone deserves a vacation, and you may be able to make it happen with less money than you'd think. Finding the perfect college vacation is simply a matter of creative thinking and clever shopping.

You don't have to fly out of the country, or even out of state to have a fun vacation. One of the most popular ideas for students looking to get away on their down time is camping. Camping trips are fun and inexpensive ways to bond with your friends and classmates, and this could be just the kind of break you need. There is not a whole lot of planning required. A few basic essentials like tents, sleeping bags, food, and firewood can be enough for a fun trip, and many camp grounds even offer the option of renting a cabin at reasonable rates. Get a few friends together, and get back to nature!

Visiting friends and family is often a great vacation idea as well. One of the most significant costs of vacationing that deters many budget minded college students is lodging expenses. Hotels can cost a fortune in many cities, even those that aren't hot vacation spots or tourist destinations. Talk to some friends and family in nearby or far off locales, and you could be able to have a great vacation in a new place without breaking the bank. Help out with chores and food cost during your stay to be a good guest. As an added bonus, you may have a tour guide to

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Activities can be the key to making a vacation a supremely memorable one. Sometimes they're a little more expensive than they need to be, but if you can make them happen it might mean the difference between a truly incredible trip and a regular kind of trip. If you know the right places to look, you can always find activities that are as romantic as they are practical inexpensive. Depending on your vacation location, you can take advantage of the natural scenery, fresh air, and your own two legs to have a trip that's beautiful, romantic, and -- most importantly -- affordable.

Fresh air is the best way to enjoy a vacation. Why leave work to spend all your time indoors? Bring a good pair of hiking shoes and get out to explore some of the natural terrain around wherever you're staying. Hiking is healthy, fun, and a great way to truly experience the nature, sights, and scenery firsthand. It's a wonderful workout and makes you feel like you're really interacting with the natural landscape in a true and direct way. Hiking tends to be the kind of experience that truly connects a visitor to a new place, so if you and your sweetheart can find a beautiful hiking location, then packing a picnic and strapping on your shoes might be a wonderful way for you to get outdoors.

When your legs are tired from hiking so much, you can go horseback riding! Most vacation destinations have horseback tours available in the more beautiful locations, so you can enjoy gorgeous scenery on some of the most majestic animals to ever walk the earth. Even if you're a beginner, riding horses is an easy, fun, and very romantic way to explore a new place. You and your significant other will never forget a memory like touring a new area on horseback. This is especially true of coastal locations.

Local dining is another way to find hidden inexpensive treasures wherever you're visiting. Sure, most locations are

When it comes to counteracting the stresses of everyday life, pretty much everyone can agree that hitting the road in search of unpopulated wilderness is the way to go. Of course, some people aren't keen to camp on the cold, hard ground, so a small population with some tourist amenities is nice, and in both regards there are many lake communities across the U.S. that can deliver. So if you're looking for a locale that will provide you with hassle-free living and a peaceful communion with nature, here are some of the best lakes to visit.

1. Lake Tahoe. This mountain lake straddles the border of California and Nevada, but really bears the best-known hallmarks of neither. It lacks both the arid heat and the crowded atmosphere that have come to characterize these two states, which makes for a welcome respite for residents. Situated at over 6,000 feet above sea level in the Sierra Nevada range, Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in the U.S. This means that there is plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy the view and the scent of pine. Although plenty of people from neighboring states head to the lake for mild

Finding the right wine to accompany a spicy dish can be quite tricky. Get it wrong and your more heat-sensitive diners won't thank you for it- heavily oaked wines or those with a high tannin level can are certainly best avoided, as they can add to the heat rather than provide a cooling contrast. On the other hand, you don't want to serve a wine that will be completely overpowered by the strong flavors of the food.

However, get the pairing right and a good wine choice can make a pleasant meal into something really special. There are plenty of wonderful (and reasonably priced) wines that go beautifully with richly spiced Asian dishes. With a little help you should be able to get all the information you need from the label on the back of the bottle, but here are a few suggestions to get you started:

1. Vegetable samosas and Dr Loosen Riesling



A good veggie samosa is a masterpiece of spices and flavors, wrapped in just enough pastry to deliver a satisfying crunch. A Riesling is usually a good fall-back choice for a spicy meal, and Dr Loosen Estate make a very good Mosel that will complement but not compete with this classic entrée. If you need a wine for tonight's dinner and can't get

The world is diversified in tourist attractions ranging from parks to coastal beaches. Beaches form a wonderful tourist attraction in the world today and they give amazing views to visitors. However, there are five great beaches you must visit in the world. These are top tourist destinations and if everyone is given the chance, there is no room for hesitation.      

The pink beach

The pink beach is another must visit if you have the chance. The pink sandy beach blends with the sky making a great picturesque on the waters. If you are looking for an exclusive private visit, you can choose the beach. The beach is very amazing and ideal for honeymooners. The beach is very wide and you can just enjoy the privacy as you gaze on the backdrop of the sky from above. This beach is found in the Bahamas under the Caribbean territory. Many beach lovers in the world look for an opportunity to enjoy the breathtaking view of the beach. You can choose to enjoy the best picturesque which has a very wide expanse.  

Larvoto beach

Third is the larvoto beach, which is found in Monaco. This is just another awing beach for all people. It is popular for its sunbathing experience and people love this beach as they enjoy the amazing sunbathing experience on earth. It is among the best beaches known for sunbathing around the world. If you have the chance it is among the best beaches that you cannot afford to miss. Millions of visitors zoom in the beach to continue enjoying the available opportunity that is created by the superb beach.

Phi Phi beach

Phuket has been on our radar for sometime as a popular holiday destination and we have been monitoring it for some time. When we finally made it to the Island, we found that it was better than we ever imagined. The island province offers a wealth of exhilarating activities custom designed with the tourist or visitor in mind. While having some good money is a plus, this is one of the few places across the face of the earth that allows you a lot at no money or very little if any.

If you are looking for a place to be yourself, then you will find Phuket as the place to be. For us, both my wife and I, we found it as the excellent place worth basing our day-trips into the huge number of dive spots surrounding the Island. Also, if you would like to depart to some of the many liveaboard types of dive trips, Phuket is the place to be. We used it to depart to fabulous visits to Mergui Archipelago and Simmillan Islands. While there are a number of Padi 5-star dive operators in Patong with their tour offices, you can be able to arrange for a daily trip through your hotel like we did, in case a dive store is not around. We were in luck since the Phuket dive season begins from November all the way to April.

Phuket holiday was perfect with the amazing white sand beaches. Since they could be crowded sometimes, we took the advice of a number of people and went for some of the less populated and nicer beaches spread across the island's western coast.