The City of Nizams

Hyderabad, one of the most populous cities of India in line with Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Ahmedabad, is the capital of Andhra Pradesh state in India. In addition to administrative capital, Hyderabad is economical and financial capital of Andhra Pradesh. Hyderabad is popularly known as – The city of Nizams and The city of pearls. Liberalization in India has made Hyderabad, rapid developing city in the field of Information Technology and Biotechnology. The city is known for its rich cultural and historical heritage and is a place of tourist interest. Not only for tourism, but Hyderabad is also a desired destination for international and national events, because of its modern and excellent infrastructure facilities.

Archaeologically, Hyderabad is said to be founded over 400 years ago on the banks of river Musy by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah to overcome water shortage at Golconda. The real cultural and economical development of old Hyderabad was experienced in the rule of Nizams. Hyderabad was a princely state under the rule of Nizam at the time of independence of India in 1947. Nizam was adamant not to join Indian Union after independence. In 1948, one year after independence Nizam was forced to join Indian Union.

People of Hyderabad popularly known as – Hyderabadis, speak mainly Urdu and Telugu. English language has found its existence among the educated people of this city. Religions followed are Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and Sikhism. About 40 percent of people in Hyderabad are Muslims, due to the city’s history, Nizam being its ruler. Present day Hyderabad has a cosmopolitan society, the reason behind this being flourishing Information technology Industry in the city. Hyderabadi culture basically is mixture of Hindu and Muslim traditions. Traditional Hyderabadi food is a blend of Mogul and Persian cuisine. Hyderabadi biryani is most cherished dish of the city.

Industries like information technology, film industry has found home in Hyderabad. Lots of multinational IT companies have their BPO located in this city. Telugu film industry has shifted its base from Chennai to Hyderabad. These industries have made Hyderabad city most pivotal for many aspirants. Pearls of Hyderabad are world famous and have a great interest for the visitors.

Places of tourist interest in Hyderabad are:
o Charminar – Located in old city area and built in the memory of plague victims has four minarets. It is used as an identity for Hyderabad city. The monument with its cultural heritage reminds of the historical past of the city.
o Golconda Fort – This historical monument has designs of one of the strongest forts in the world.
o Salar Jung Museum – Huge in size and variety in collection, a single day is not enough to have a look at the museum.
o Mecca Masjid – Mosque built with stones is an architectural beauty. Bricks in the structure of mosque are believed to be brought from Mecca.
o Birla Mandir – Located on hill-top is made of white marble is a Hindu temple.
o Birla Science Museum – This science centre has Planetarium, and Science museum depicting the advances done in science and technology.
o Gardens/Parks – Lumbini Park, Nehru Zoological Park, NTR Gardens, Kasu Brahmananda Reddy Park and Kotla Vijayabhaskara Reddy Botanical Gardens are few worth visiting places when at Hyderabad.
o Hussain Sagar – Manmade lake has a 19 meter tall statue of Buddha in the middle. It is famous for boating and water sports.
o Ramoji Film City – Recently included in Guinness Book of World Records as largest film studio in the world. It is located on Vijayawada highway.

Staying In Place – Intergenerational Communities On The Rise

Looking for something beyond traditional retirement housing? How about a place where you can live out your values and be near friends, while staying active and connected with your community and the world? A neighborhood where you can enjoy independent living without being uprooted if the need for health care arises?

If you relate to these questions, you are not alone. Retirees today are more active, educated, and will live longer than any generation before. They have needs that many elder living communities do not usually offer. Retirees want to remain in their neighborhoods, contribute to society, and enjoy fruitful living and learning throughout their lifetime.

The Administration on Aging, an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, gives insight on what today’s retirees seek. Contrary to belief that retirees want to move to warmer climates, many want to stay close to friends and family. But with the decrease of large family structures, in which older parents lived with or near their children, this approach is no longer viable for everyone. Today there is a growing interest for retirees to stay close to home and even remain living in their own home and neighborhood. Not many know about an alternative option that embraces the best of independent and elder living.

Intergenerational Communities

A concept that has grown in popularity over the last decade is addressing the retirement housing dilemma: intergenerational community living. Studies have shown the benefits of children on older people’s health, and vice-versa. Older people are energized by the vitality of children. Children in turn gain wisdom and knowledge from interacting with their elders. The results of these studies have been catalysts for creating communities where people of all generations can live together harmoniously.

Why it works

Strong evidence points to the correlation between lifestyle and health. While heredity and medical care account for 28 percent of what affects our health, environment and lifestyle contribute 72 percent, according to a research study done by the Washington, D.C. based firm, The Advisory Group. People with a strong support network live longer and happier lives.

It is not just retirees looking for connections across the generations. More young people are looking for community. While young adults in the 1980s abandoned their hometown to pursue a mobile career, a new generation is looking to establish roots. “They want that sense of place, a sense of community. That’s much more important than the trophy house on the hill,” says Jim Segedy, professor of urban planning at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, and chairman of the Small Town and Rural Planning Division of the American Planning Association.

Intergenerational communities are places where each age group has a sense of belonging. Singles and single parents are less isolated, able to help others and to be helped while building relationships with neighbors. The intergenerational community may be the only place where families can support both children and aging parents without major disruption of their lives. Even without family ties, friendships and relationships are built through learning and recreational opportunities as well as close proximity amongst all ages.

What to Look For

Intergenerational communities are springing up around the nation. Here are some factors to consider when looking for a community:

  • Strategic site planning. The land-use plan should encourage interaction between the generations through points of intersection, such as a community center, shared walking paths, and recreational areas.
  • Combined expertise. Since community living encompasses many areas of life, developments should partner with experts in applicable fields to provide top-notch services.

 

  • Harmonious landscape design. Nature has a positive impact on health for every age group. Accessible paths, natural landscaping, water features, nature preserves and parks or wooded areas should be available.
  • Housing variety. A variety of housing styles, patterns and available services should meet the needs of people across the income and age-spectrum. Neighborhood styles could include planned neighborhoods, cluster housing and resident-created neighborhoods.
  • Connection with neighboring communities. Proximity to nearby towns, cities, and educational institutions provide opportunities for continuous learning as well as a variety of activities including, sports and cultural events.
  • Balanced living. While interaction is important, places for rest and privacy are equally important. The design should include areas for retreat and quiet space.
  • On-site wellness & healthcare. Access to wellness programs and quality healthcare is a priority for community members of all ages and care requirements.
  • Experience. Planners, designers and developers with a history of community planning and a strong client base are better equipped to help create new communities with interested parties.

Motivating Others – What’s The Real Answer?

So, economics and statistics are the flavour of the month, or more specifically “Freakonomics” (Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, Penquin Books 2006). In a quote from Levitt’s website, “Through forceful storytelling and wry insight, Levitt and co-author Stephen J. Dubner show that economics is, at root, the study of incentives – how people get what they want, or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing.” And Levitt & Dubner do have many interesting, amusing and sometimes disturbing (at least to me) stories to tell.

For example, take the case of the child care centre that was having difficulty with a few parents picking up their children late. It was decided to institute a late pick up fee of $3. As you might have guessed, this did not stop the late parents and in fact their numbers increased from about 8 to 20! By introducing the fee, late pick ups had just been legitimised and ameliorated the parents feeling of guilt.

Levitt and Dubner suggest that incentives, to be effective, need to have three components – economic, social and moral. In the child care case, would increasing the late fee to $100, posting the names of the late parents on a public list and running discussion groups on the implications of late pick ups for children and parents, have changed the parent’s behaviour? The answer is unequivocally, “Yes”.

Another example given is cigarettes. Levitt and Dubner suggest that in the US, the tax of around $3 or so on cigarettes (economic), no smoking laws in restaurants (social) and publicising the profits being made by terrorist groups through black market cigarette sales (moral) have successfully combined all three incentive ingredients to stop people smoking. And they are right.

But (and in this case it’s a big “but”) do incentives work? Do they motivate people? On the cover of their book they suggest “Assume nothing – question everything”, and I’m taking them up on this challenge. I agree that incentives work – they can change people’s behaviour. However, what do you get when you introduce incentives (even those that include the three components)? Incentives produce compliance, they do not produce commitment. The second thing that happens once incentives are introduced, is that they need to be repeated! And repeated, and repeated! Once started they cannot be stopped – a right given is a right expected.

As an employer, manager, parent or teacher (or child care centre manager), do you want compliant people or committed people? Wouldn’t it be so much easier to be an employer, manager, teacher or parent if incentives really worked in the way that they are intended? Unfortunately, because the incentive has only changed behaviour and not motivation, when we take away the incentive, it is most likely that people will revert to their old behaviour. Whereas with committed people, even when conditions change, they are far more likely to remain motivated. (Mind you assume nothing – question everything, always be wary of equating correlation with causation. They are often not the same thing.)

In regards to managers and compliance, a colleague of mine Peter Nicholls wrote recently, “Managing people was so much easier when you could just concern yourself with who they were from the time they walked into the workplace until the decreed knock-off time. Staff had each taken a vow to daily serve the organization fully and faithfully until home-time us do part”. However, today’s manager needs people who are committed and therefore perform at their best. Compliance most often only brings mediocre performance.

If you as an employer, manager, parent or teacher, want committed rather than compliant people, how do you get them?

There are three things that you need to do:

1. Select the best people and then train, coach, develop and manage them well (parents and teachers may have some challenges with “selection”, but they can certainly train, coach, develop and manage appropriately).

2. Make sure that there is a “values match” between what they believe in and what the organisation believes in.

3. Provide them with sufficient recognition (not rewards, nor incentives) that will encourage them to maintain their motivation.

Is the Chipko Movement Towards Forest Appraisal

“Let us protect and plant the trees

Go awaken the villages

And drive away the axemen.”

- Ghanshyam Sailani

The forests of India are the unique resources for the survival of the rural people of India which were exploited greatly for commerce and industry. The Chipko Movement of India taken birth in Himalayan foothills gained great significance throughout the world’s environmentalist circles for its successful efforts against deforestation. Chipko, which means literally “to embrace” has spread to many other parts of India and has drawn worldwide attention for its resourceful efforts to fight against deforestation and thereby protecting ecology and society. Women played a unique role in making success of the Chipko Movement because they being the dependents on the fuel, wood and fodder for survival found it difficult to procure them for over the last several decades.

In an Indian Civil Society, the workday of the women starts early in the morning. Particulary in the hilly areas, they should fetch water, grind wheat for bread, fulfil the needs of the husband and children, and finally sets out to forest for fuelwood, grass and leaf fodder for animals, etc. Bearing bundles on the head for hours they come home before noon and prepare mid-day meal. Durning the dry season, when upto 80% of the livestock feed is supplied by the forests, their afternoons are also taken up to search for the leaf fodder. This is the need of the forests for the women and her family’s survival.

The forests in the Himalayas play the same role today – two harvests in a year, i.e, rice and millets in the monsoon season and wheat in winter, observing a heavy toll on nutrients in the soil. To make for the shortage of the nutrients it is necessary to collect organic matter in the form of leaf fodder and leaf litter over extensive areas of the forest which may be as large as thirty times the size of a typical cultivated field. If the distance between the village and the forest becomes too far, or if there are no more trees, then it is impossible for the women to bring enough organic matter to keep the nutrient supply in balance. To compensate this shortage, it becomes necessary to burn dried dung in place of fuelwood which further results into fertiliser deficit resulting into poorer harvests and even lower yields of buffalo milk. Further towards compensation of this food shortages, women are many a times forced to sell their gold jewellery and other costly important items which are originally intended to keep as a dowry for their daughters.

In the 19th century, British colonial administrators in India took control of vast areas of forestland and subsequently exploited them through Imperial Forest Service where a reasonable portion of this land was originally been managed communally in accordance with the local rules and regulations. With the advent of British Raj (Colonial Rule) conflicts broke out between rural population and the Forest Service because the village systems of resource use broke down and forest degradation accelerated rapidly. The Chipko Movement, founded in 1973 was the outcome of this conflict, started with an objective to conserve forest in the Himalayas.

Deforestation on the hills is at peak during British rule being they did it greatly to fulfil their commercial ends because of which the hill stations rapidly became black holes as wood is needed to fire limestone and large quantities of timber for the construction of government offices, official residences and for infrastructures to make their rule convenient, effective and commercial, which were architecturally of very high standard and costly to both economy and ecology. In 1844 an English contractor named Wilson obtained a concession from the Feudal Lord of Tehri-Garhwal permitting him to harvest Himalayan cedars which grew at altitudes above 1,800m and had to be rafted for months down the Ganges to reach the plains. Wilson’s contract permitted him to fell as many trees as per his requirement for a fee of 400 rupees per year for twenty years which resulted into disappearance of the magnificent cedars within a span of a decade.

The arrogance or exploitation of power was apparent at a Forest Service Conference in 1875 where it openly declared that the “victor” is entitled to enjoy the “rights of conquest” which gives a clear admission of the rationale behind the setting aside of reserved forests in accordance with the provisions contained in the Forest Act of 1878. Reserved Forests which ordinarily covered the half of the total area of the village had been foreseen wherever timber was produced profitably or where the forest had a protective function. It became the property of the colonial government immediately after the available rights like right to obtain leaf fodder or to graze goats had been rescinded and after informing the local population through a public notice.

In 1920 Mohandas Gandhi, who lead India to Independence in 1947, began his first nation-wide campaign of civil disobedience to protest unjust laws. Gandhiji characterized the newly established forest reserves as a symbol of oppression. However, in the following year, the local population as a regular practice just before commencement of monsoons set fire to forests of Chir, a newly established reserved forests by the British Government owing to the World War I, so that the coming rains would generate the growth of hardy fodder in soil fertilized by ashes. But this year the fire broke out wildly consuming hundreds of thousands of pines known as Chir which resulted into the regional protest by people in the Himalayan Foothills forcing the British Government to abandon the newly established reserved forests.

>From 1920 onwards the population growth increased steadily, particularly in the lowlands. Timber was transported from the hills to the lowlands where it was a great demand for energy and construction. Very often it was auctioned even before it is felled. The forest officials closed their eyes towards this slipshod (Slipshod means without any authorisation and recklessly) felling and the inclination of the contractors to fell the timber even where it has not been marked. Infact they even exercised strict police powers in dealing with the local people like destroying sickles which women used to cut branches and meted out with severe punishment even for petty offences. Further, successful contractors appointed the workforce for a low wage from outside places in place of the resident population. This phenomenon resulted into very costly for the ecology, economy and residents especially.

The significance of forests on environment and society is first recognized primarily by the women in India when the deforestation was taking place in the Himalayan Mountains of India where the forests are logged excessively. The Chipko Movement was a revolutionary step adopted to save Himalayan ecology and society from deforestation. Women, the badly effected class due to deforestation, were simply the strongest, dedicated and the active participants in this movement. Infact, besides environmental movement it was a women’s movement where a women played a vital role within the Chipko Movement against the State for more promising logging and forestry policies so that both the Himalayan environment and society are protected.

Devoid of good forests in England, the British realized the commercial value of Indian Forests and attempted to hold rigid control over them. Accordingly, the Governor General, Lord Dalhousie issued a memorandum on forest conservation called the charter of Indian Forests through which he suggested that the teak, timber, etc be as State Property and its trade be strictly regulated. This paved the beginning for a systematic forest policy of 1855.

During 1856, the Forest Department was established and the first Forest Act was legislated under the guidance of Dietrich Brandis, a German Botanist, the first Inspector General of Forests. He made a record of trees in India and classified them. In 1865, the first Act for the regulation of forests was passed. It gave the power to the government to declare all lands covered with trees and or brushwood as government forest and to make rules to manage them. This Act is applicable only to all the forests which are under the government control which made no provision for the rights of the users.

The Act of 1865 was replaced by a more comprehensive Indian Forest Act of 1878 which divided forests into protected forests, reserved forests and village forests. Several restrictions were imposed upon the people’s rights over the forest land and produce in the protected and reserved forests. Further, the Act empowered the local government to impose duty on timber produced in British India or brought from any other place whereby encouraging them to earn revenue from forests. Infact, this Act radically changed the common property into State property. It then resulted into protests which fuelled a wide ranging debate on the reform of forest policy, to make it more democratic and accountable and into argument that State-citizen relations in the realm of forestry have gone through four overlapping stages: conflict, conversation, negotiation, and abrogation.

The government declared its forest policy by a resolution on 19th October, 1894 which stressed on State control over forests and the need to exploit forests for augmenting state revenue. This resulted into the enactment of Indian Forest Act of 1927 replacing the earlier Act of 1878 which includes all the major provisions of the earlier Act, extending it to include those relating to the duty of timber, which is still in force together with several amendments made by State Governments with the enactment of the Government of India Act, 1935, giving a clear emphasis on the revenue yielding aspect of forests.

Edwards Dominates All-Star Race To Win US$1 Million Payday

The race was billed as a throwback to the Wild West, and track officials practically promised scores would be settled in the US$1 million Sprint All-Star Race.

Only the knock ‘em down action never came, and the only fireworks were those in Saturday night’s post-race show at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The only drama came after Carl Edwards took the checkered flag during his celebratory slide through the grass.

Although he appeared to hit either a manhole cover or a drainage device, his car instead seemed only to dip hard into the grass — contact that crumpled the front of his No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford.

After his trademark celebratory backflip, Edwards needed a tow truck to take him to Victory Lane. He left behind a deep rut in Charlotte’s infield grass.

“You never know what comes from misfortunes and it was definitely unfortunate,” Edwards said. “Pretty wild twist of fate that we tore it up, but I’m going to have faith something good will come from it.”

Edwards had a sheepish grin as he climbed out his window for his customary celebratory backflip, and he apologized to crew chief Bob Osborne for wrecking the car.

“That’s a million dollars. We just won a million dollars,” Edwards said from Victory Lane. “I feel so bad about tearing up the car. But I’m sure Bob’s got a better one.”

Edwards won three of the four segments in the 100-lap race, but still had one last pit stop and a 10-lap sprint to the finish before he could claim his first All-Star victory. NASCAR brought the field in for a 10-minute break following the third segment, then sent the cars back to the track for parade laps before they were required to return to pit road for a four-tire stop.

The stop is where the pit crews have their chance to shine in this event, and Edwards’ team delivered. He came in as the leader and left as the leader, beating Busch back onto the track.

Edwards then got a terrific jump on the restart and easily pulled away.

“As far as he jumped out on me really surprised me,” Busch said. “He took off so far, I was like ‘Damn, there ain’t no way I am going to be able to run him down in this short period of time.”‘

Edwards praised his Roush-Yates engine for the speed he had throughout the race, and for the restart that helped him pull away from Busch.

“The restart was good, and man, that thing, it really runs,” Edwards said.

Busch, who has a history of wrecking cars capable of winning the All-Star race, settled for second in a Toyota and will bring the car back next week as his backup for the Coca-Cola 600.

“Considering our fleet has been getting a little bit low, this is pretty good,” Busch said of his second-place finish. “I didn’t put a scratch on it. It was a good one.”

Edwards had little time to celebrate. He was off after the race to catch a flight to Iowa to run the Nationwide Series race on Sunday.

“I really can’t wait to go,” he said. “The most enjoyable thing I can do is go race another car.”

Most everyone else will have to wait for next week’s Coca-Cola 600, the longest race of the NASCAR season. The All-Star race is usually the warm-up act for the 600, and the final 10 laps of Saturday night have always been billed as a wild, dash for the cash.

But the excitement never came, as the drivers raced clean and caution free.

“This was a pretty tame night, at least from the All-Star perspective,” Tony Stewart said.

David Reutimann was third in a Toyota and followed by Stewart, who celebrated his 40th birthday a day earlier.

Greg Biffle was fifth, Matt Kenseth was sixth and RFR teammate David Ragan was eighth to put all four of the team’s car inside the top eight. Ragan won the Sprint Showdown qualifier earlier Saturday to earn his spot in the field.

Denny Hamlin was seventh. Kevin Harvick was ninth and Ryan Newman rounded out the top 10.

Kurt Busch’s struggles continued Saturday night and he sounded despondent over his team’s performance for much of the event. He finished 13th. His teammate, Brad Keselowski, finished 18th after moving into the All-Star race with a second-place finish in the qualifier.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., made his way into the race by winning the fan vote that puts a third driver from the Sprint Showdown into the main event. But he had nothing for the contenders in the All-Star race and finished 14th.

Cfl Teams Can Expect To See More Of Owens This Year

Owens will again be the Toronto Argonauts’ main threat on special teams, but head coach/GM Jim Barker said the speedy returner will also see plenty of action on offence in 2011.

“Oh, we’ll use him a lot more,” Barker said Friday from the club’s training camp. “We didn’t have him in training camp last year and it’s tough to implement guys in after camp is over.

“He was just trying to learn our stuff so we couldn’t move him around. Now we’re able to do that and he’s going to create problems for people. He’ll play all over the field and be used in a multitude of ways. Him with his hands on the ball is trouble.”

Owens created no shortage of trouble for Argos’ opponents returning kicks last season.

The 29-year-old Honolulu native was the CFL’s outstanding special teams player. He led the league in combined yards (3,288), punt return yards (1,060), punt return average (12.6), kickoff return yards (1,216), missed field goal return yards (425) and tied for the league lead with four kick-return touchdowns.

Owens, affectionately dubbed “The Flyin’ Hawaiian,” also became just the fifth CFL player ever to accumulate 1,000 punt and kickoff return yards in the same season.

However, Owens came to Toronto just prior to the 2010 season. So instead of having training camp to become acclimated to the Argos offence, he was forced to learn it on the run and thus limiting his touches at receiver.

But with a full camp under his belt this year, Owens is more than ready to assume a bigger role on offence if asked.

“I want to be as involved as they need me to be,” Owens said. “I just want to make sure I’m doing my job, be it if I’m asked to make a play on a return or play receiver.

“If I focus on that, just doing my job and not trying to do too much, I shouldn’t have any problems.”

Owens certainly took a long and sometimes bumpy road to Toronto.

He enjoyed a brilliant college career at Hawaii, finishing as the school’s career leader with 5,461 all-purpose yards. He also accumulated 3,031 receiving yards with 29 touchdowns in 44 contests and in ’04 captured the Mosi Tatupu Award as the NCAA’s top special-teams player.

He also helped the Warriors claim the ’04-’05 Hawaii Bowl games over Houston and Alabama, respectively.

But pro success was much more fleeting.

Owens spent three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars — appearing in just six games — after being selected in the sixth round of the ’05 NFL draft. He was also briefly with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before spending the 2008 campaign with the Arena Football League’s Colorado Crush.

Owens came to the CFL on July 14, 2009 when he joined Montreal’s practice roster. But after seeing no action with the Alouettes, he was dealt to Toronto on June 24, 2010 for a 2011 fourth-round pick.

The five-foot-seven, 180-pound Owens immediately gave the Argos’ special teams a boost and despite his lack of familiarity with the offence still finished as Toronto’s third-leading receiver with 46 catches for 576 yards and three TDs.

Owens’ special-teams prowess garnered interest south of the border and he did work out for four NFL clubs before opting to re-sign with Toronto through the 2013 season.

“I’m just so thankful for the opportunity Toronto gave me,” Owens said. “There are so many guys out there who have talent but are home right now sitting on their couch yet they could very well be playing here or in the NFL.

“In this business you just need that opportunity and I’m very lucky Toronto gave me that opportunity and I was able to run with it.”

The Argos were the surprise of the CFL last season, posting a 9-9 record for their first playoff berth since 2007. After dispatching arch-rival Hamilton in the East Division semifinal, Toronto’s stellar campaign ended with a loss to the eventual Grey Cup-champion Montreal.

This season, though, neither the Argos nor Owens will have the element of surprise working for them. Owens, for one, isn’t the least bit concerned about having to deal with extra attention from opponents.

“That’s great, I love that because the more focus you have to put on one person, the more you forget about the guy next to him,” Owens said. “I’m ready, I’m excited to be a part of this team and be one of its focal points.

“I don’t feel any added pressure at all. If anything, I feel that much more comfortable being able to be part of training camp with my teammates. It was a lot of fun last year and I’m just looking forward to having another fun season.”

Vettel Takes Pole At Canadian Grand Prix In Montreal

There was no stopping Sebastian Vettel as the Red Bull driver seized pole position for the Canadian Grand Prix, but even the Formula One leader isn’t sure what will happen if the race is drenched in rain.

Menacing black clouds hung over Circuit Gilles Villeneuve for qualifying on Saturday but the rain held off as Vettel posted the quickest lap on the 4.63-kilometre road course of one minute 13.014 seconds, edging the two Ferraris driven by Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa.

Forecasts call for an 80 per cent chance of downpours all day on Sunday, when Vettel will shoot for his first Canadian Grand Prix victory.

“We brought some rain tires and I brought a coat and an umbrella, so I think there’s not much more we can do,” the German said after taking his sixth pole position in seven races this season. “We’ll see how strong the rain will be, how long it will last.

“It’s also predicted to be quite windy. That could make the circuit dry quickly. All the forecasts are saying different things, so the best is to wake up, look outside and see how we are.”

Vettel will start alongside Alonso, the 2006 winner, while Massa will be on the second row beside Mark Webber’s Red Bull.

Lewis Hamilton, the McLaren Mercedes ace who saw his run of three poles in as many tries in Montreal end, will be on the third row with Nico Rosberg of Mercedes GP. The second McLaren of Jenson Button is back on the fourth row with seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher’s Mercedes GP.

It was after his fourth place finish at the Canadian Grand Prix last season that Vettel put on a charge to win the F1 drivers’ championship. The 23-year-old carried that momentum into this season with wins in five of the first six races, with his only blip a second place behind Hamilton in China in April.

Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is not supposed to be his cup of tea. The Red Bull cars like long, sweeping, skill-testing, high-speed turns, while this circuit has long straightaways leading into sharp turns and chicanes. It is supposed to favour Ferrari and McLaren.

But Vettel went out and shattered the official track record of 1:13.622 set during the 2004 race by Rubens Barrichello, then with Ferrari.

“We know this is not our favourite racetrack, but we put a very strong package together,” Vettel said. “We had some new bits and it seemed to work very well.”

Vettel’s weekend looked ruined when he smashed into a wall during the first practice session Friday morning, but the pit crew scrambled to put it back together and he came back with the quickest lap in the afternoon practice.

It was the second time he’s done that this year. At the Turkish Grand Prix in May, he also crashed on the Friday and won the pole on the Saturday, although he admits “We need to make sure it doesn’t become a habit.”

But while Vettel has demonstrated his speed, the Montreal race is known to be unpredictable, especially in the rain.

Alonso said it will be the first time all the cars are on the track at once in wet conditions this season. F1 switched from Bridgestone to quick-degrading Pirelli tires this year and it will be a first real test of their performance in slick conditions.

Another factor is Red Bull’s on-going problems with the KERS energy efficiency system that has been mandatory since 2009.

While Vettel had no trouble with it so far, Webber missed practice Saturday morning. KERS overheating seems to hit Red Bull randomly.

And both Ferrari and McLaren Mercedes have traditionally done well in Montreal, where each team has 11 victories.

“It’s a good feeling being back to the first positions, fighting for pole positions,” said Alonso. “For Felipe and me, both Ferraris being in the top three is a nice team result and a nice performance so far, but the real job is coming in the race.

“We need to maximize this privileged starting position and score as many points as possible.”

With 143 points, Vettel leads drivers standings by 58 points over Hamilton and 64 over Webber. Alonso is fifth with 69 points. In the constructors race, Red Bull dominates with 222 points to 161 for McLaren and 93 for Ferrari, whose best result this year was Alonso’s second place two weeks ago in Monaco.

Hamilton has flourished at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve since he posted his first career F1 victory there in 2007. This time, he comes into the race off a humbling performance in Monaco where he had two drive-through penalties and had to apologize for some ill-considered post-race comments about the race stewards.

So far, the McLaren cars haven’t been up to pace, but that could change once real racing starts.

“We are just very slow this weekend,” Hamilton said. “It appears that the other guys have maybe made a step forward.

“I really don’t know. I pushed beyond the limit in my lap, really, because I knew we weren’t as competitive as the guys up front. We’re still not in the worst position, but we would’ve liked to be higher up. My lap was fantastic and this was just the maximum the car was able to do. This weekend we’re just lacking speed compared to previous years.”

Jerome d’Ambrosio did not meet the minimum lap time of 1:18.989, but will be allowed to race following an appeal. The Belgian was using a spare chassis after wrecking his car in practice on Saturday.

Discover The Top Attractions Of Queensland

Widely regarded as the most picturesque region of Australia, you really are spoilt for choice when it comes to holidays in Queensland, in the north east of Australia. Not only have you 300 days of sunshine, but there are plenty of outdoor attractions, rural and urban locations, coastal holidays and trips to the famed outback of the region.

Interested in visiting? Then read on for more about the top attractions of the state of Queensland…

The Great Barrier Reef

This is the world’s largest reef system and home to nearly 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands. The reef itself is actually viewable from outer space and is one of the national icons of Australia. The GBR achieved World Heritage Status in 1981 and supports a wide variety of marine life, from porpoises, turtles, humpback whales, birds, to exotic fish and crocodiles.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park protects the area from excessive tourism, and in particular fishing. The Reef was built by billions of organisms known as coral polyps, and is located in the Coral Sea. If you are into water sports, why not take a scuba diving tour of the region, or take a pleasure cruise of the whole area? The whole area is vital to Australian Tourism, taking in over 4 million AUD annually. Glass bottom boat tours, cruises and helicopter tours are hugely popular in recent years.

The Whitsunday Islands

These tropical islands are surrounded by the Great Barrier Reef and all 70 plus of them are a joy to behold. The white sands of the beaches and the warm turquoise waters are truly paradise. The islands are situated north of Mackay (around 150km away) and 900km from Brisbane. Just 8 of the islands are inhabited, and the capital of the island chain is Hamilton Island. The islands attract on average 700,000 visitors per year and are divided into groups such as The Whitsunday Group, Lindeman Group, Northern Group and the Molle Group.

Brisbane

The capital city of Queensland state, Brisbane has everything a tourist needs in a large city. Some of the major tourist attractions in the city include the State Library, Museum and Botanical Gardens. Why not take a trip on the City Cat River Taxi and see all of the city from along the River Brisbane? The Queensland Cultural Centre is to be found in South Brisbane and is a must visit. You will find the Queensland Arts Centre here, plus the facilites for the local arts, from museums and art galleries to the local cinema.

For that bit of holiday shopping, why not head along to the Queen Street Mall, or for some gambling excitement, check out the Conrad Treasury Casino. Brisbane City Botanic Gardens and the South Bank Parklands (where EXPO ’88) was held. Here the Wheel of Brisbane (where a 15 minute trip will let you see the whole of Brisbane from a great height), and Streets Beach (a man made beach made from reclaimed land) are worth checking out.

Cairns

Cairns has it all for the tourist: The wonderful Daintree National Park and the Cape Tribulation Rainforest, an hours boat trip from the Great Barrier Reef and a wonderful and vibrant city. Cairns is located in the far north of Queensland. Cairns Esplanade is one of the most popular attractions in the city. It has an outdoor arena, a sandy swimming area, picnic and recreation areas, and walking routes. Why not take a tour of the wonderful Rainforest areas via the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway? The near 8km drive over Barron Gorge National Park is well worth checking out. The Daintree Rainforest contains wonderful flora and fauna and is a must visit if in the general direction of Cairns.

The Sunshine Coast

Located in southeast Queensland, the Sunshine Coast is located 100km to the north of the state capital, Brisbane. Noosa and Caloundra city are the main areas in the Sunshine Coast region. There are plenty of beaches that will appeal to the visitor, including Noosa Heads, Mooloolaba, Coolum and Kings Beach. Take a drive into the Glasshouse Mountains, regarded as the prettiest mountain range in Australia. The high peaks rise high above wonderful forests and fields and feature wonderful nature trails for tourists. Beerwah Mountain is the largest mountain in this range. For more exploration, why not drive out to the typical Australian small towns of Maleny and Montville, which offer charm and character.

Gold Coast

Possibly the biggest tourism draw for Queensland, especially as an urban destination. There are plenty of theme parks such as Dreamworld, Sea World and Wet ‘n’ Wild. Located in the south east of Queensland, it is a known paradise for surfers. The beaches are plentiful, from The Spit to Mermaid Beach and Broachbeach. Duranbeach is perfect for surfing. The Q1 Building is the worlds tallest building where people reside. To learn more about native Australian fauna, why not visit Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary?

Noosa

Check out this small seaside resort town, which is located on the sunshine coast. It is popular all year with surfers, has a magnificent beach, quirky shops and great eateries. You are close to the Noosa and Cooloola National Parks here. Where could you go in the world where you are so near the rainforest and beach at the same time?

Airlie Beach

This is a perfect place to base yourself before you head to the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef. The seaside paradise is a perfect holiday spot for couples and families alike.

Stanthorpe & Wine Region

In the Stanthorpe area, you will find a cool climate and a fantastic landscape. Located in the Granite Belt area, Stanthorpe is regarded as the main wine area of Queensland. There are more than 50 wineries in the area, with some wonderful national parks such as Sundown and Girraween. As it has the highest altitude in Queensland, Stanthorpe is a perfect place for grape production and vine growing.

Lamington National Park

Located about 2 hours to the south of Brisbane, on the state border between Queensland and New South Wales, lies Lamington National Park. This National Park is known for its natural beauty, fantastic rainforests, birdlife, waterfalls, trekking trails, mountain views and ancient plants and tree life that originated in the Antarctic.

Spain: The Rugged Coast – Forget The Typecasting And Savour The Spectacular Vision Of The Costa Brav

In 1905 Ferran Agullo, a journalist and writer, invented the term ‘Costa Brava’ to describe the coastline between the Mediterranean and the Pyrenees in the province of Girona.

The Costa Brava is where it all began as far as tourism goes: from the 1950s, tourists started to flock to this coastline, the first of them arriving in ex-war planes.

To this day, tourism is still the main industry of the Costa Brava region.

Costa Brava means ‘Rugged Coast’. Its 214km of coastline extends from Blanes in the south, to French-bordered Portbou in the north. It is Catalonia’s most northern stretch of coastline.

The Costa Brava’s distinctive rugged coastline is punctuated with charming coves, amazing beaches – both secluded and well-serviced for sunbathers and water sports lovers, striking cliff-spurs carpeted in lush pines, intriguing caves with shimmering metallic colours layered through the inner walls, and amazing underwater rock formations which are a haven for divers. Plus just off the coast you’ll find thriving forests filled with wonderful plants and wildlife.

Moderate rainfall, hours and hours of sunshine and a typical Mediterranean climate are all characteristics of the Costa Brava, which combined with its fervent history, amazing monuments dotted all along the coastline, and its renowned resorts, make this coastline one of Spain’s most popular.

Perhaps the Costa Brava has seen some misrepresentation as a typical package tour destination. But this is unfair, and this reputation can only really be attributed to a few of the many resorts on this coast.

The truth is that this amazingly diverse region offers an opulent cultural heritage, fortified towns, ancient villages, a stunning Mediterranean coastline and remarkable natural beauty.

In the 1900s, Picasso and Marc Chagall were drawn to this natural beauty, and when Salvador Dalí returned to his childhood home here, a trail of artisans followed.

Before the Civil War, the Costa Brava had begun to compete with the Côte d’Azur in France as a playground for the rich and famous. When the Franco-powered Ministry of Tourism began promoting it as a holiday destination in the 1950s, with little regard for the environment, the stars returned, but as placid fishing villages were consumed by high-rise hotels, they turned their backs on the region and moved on.

However, the region’s charm had always survived no matter what the tourist boom was doing to destroy it and the Spanish continued to visit for its stunning natural beauty.

Today, the towns of the Costa Brava are becoming more and more reluctant to trade their traditional values for mass tourism. The region is strengthening these values to suit the more discerning traveller, which it welcomes with open arms, and has begun to turn the tide on its unfair branding as the epitome of mass tourism.

Here is some brief information about some of the most notable towns on the Costa Brava coastline, and some of those just inland from the coast.

Portbou A prime destination for those who want a break away from the more commercialised resorts. The town is the furthest north on the Costa Brava. Promenade-side restaurants and bars attract a large number of day-visitors. The border to France is close. Friday is market day.

Colera A small coastal village with a winter-population of only around 300. Even during the summer it doesn’t get crowded here. The perfect location for some peace and to indulge in real traditional values.

Llanca This town is 15km from the French-Spanish border, with a fishing port and a yacht harbour. The older part of the village has a number of historical buildings surrounding the plaza major.

Port de la Selva Where the Cap de Creus forms a large bay, here you find Port de la Selva. It is a family resort, and a good base for walkers to admire the Cap de Creus. It is one of two points of access to Sant Pere de Rodes, one of the most important of all Catalan Romanesque sites. There is also a scuba diving centre here.

Cap de Creus Declared a nature reserve in 1998, this beautiful area is the only reserve in Spain which covers both sea and land; it incorporates the largest unpopulated area in the Spanish Mediterranean. The rock-strewn coast is barren and interrupted by small bays. The flora and fauna found here is quite unique and includes a variety of very rare species of sea-birds which are in danger of extinction.

Cadaques This town is approached by a small winding road, meandering through the mountains from Roses. Cadaques is extremely picturesque: cobalt waters, sandy beaches dotted with fishing boats, aged whitewashed houses, warren-like streets, and a 16th century hilltop parish. It’s not a family resort – more an up-market haven for those with artistic and creative blood flowing through their veins.

Roses This town has a 16th Century fortress which although in ruins is still of great architectural interest. Also here are the remains of the Greek settlement of Rhode. Its fishing port is one of the leaders on this coast and offers a lively nightlife at its marina.

Empuriabrava Laying just south of Roses the name sounds ancient, but it was actually purpose-built for holidaymakers. It Known as the largest Marina in the world. Here there are as many canals as there are in Venice, and boat owners have their own moorings in front of their houses. Here you can indulge in just about any water sport you fancy. This town also has its own aerodrome that is equipped to deal with light aircraft, and offers skydiving lessons.

L’Escala A small holiday resort at the southern end of the Gulf of Roses. It is a delightful fishing village well known for its delicious sardines. The resort offers much for the water sport enthusiast, two yacht clubs and a number of marinas. This is also the point of entry to the Roman colony of Empúries, the most visited archaeological site in Catalonia.

Toroella de Montgri Here there is a 13th century castle, a tremendous gothic church and a museum dedicated to natural history. Also to note are the hermitage of Santa Catalina and the legendary ‘Tower of Witches’.

L’Estartit Close to Toroella de Montgri is this fishing village which offers a port, marina and as much as 3km of beaches. From here you must visit the Medes Islands. Take a glass bottom boat and be amazed by what lies beneath the sea.

The Medes Islands A small archipelago made up of seven islets and several reefs just a mile off the Catalan coast from Emporda and the Montgri Massif. The area is one of exceptional biological and ecological worth. The varying depths of the sea water around the islands, and the contrast of the rocky and sandy areas of the seabed, combined with the rock-type which lends itself to the formation of tunnels and caves, all work together to attract a wide variety of species – as many as 1,345 have been recorded.

Ullastret The archaeological site of the ancient Iberian city makes this village of great interest.

Pals Here there are a number of notable historic buildings, including the two towers of the old walled town, and the church of Sant Pere.

Begur This really is an exclusive tourist resort and at the cove of Aiguablava there is a Parador hotel. Here there is a 15th century ruined castle set upon a hilltop offering spectacular views of the Costa Brava.

Palafrugell This area is 4km inland and has been shielded from tourist activity. On Sundays the town comes alive with the lively morning market. The aged streets and shops are huddled around the delightful 16th century church. There are three districts within Palafrugell:

Tamariu has a small beach and a small population to go with it! Llafranc is nestled into the next bay, with a stretch of beach and a marina. Calella de Palafrugell is mainly a fishing port, with ageing whitewashed houses slotted into narrow streets. It has a stunning rugged coastline interspersed with lots of petite sandy beaches, which can get quite packed on account of the enticing crystal clear waters.

Palamos A busy resort with a yacht-filled harbour and a notable 16th Century church. The town dates back to 1277, and as with many of the towns on the Costa Brava, the old town is separate to the new. Palamos is an important fishing village and often plays host to big yachting events.

Platja d’Aro and S’Agaro These are two of the most commercialised resorts on the Costa Brava. Here there is much for the tourist: hotels, campsites, shops, restaurants and bars, as well as numerous leisure facilities. But over and above this, the area is one of beauty with golden-sand beaches.

Sant Feliu de Guixols This town is at the heart of the Costa Brava, surrounded by pine and oak-filled woods. It has seen some commercialisation, but perhaps not as much as Platja D’Aro and S’Agaro. Of particular notability here is the hermitage of Sant Grau and the Gothic church with its celebrated iron gate, the Porta Ferrada. Water sports lovers are well catered for here, particularly in the nearby cove of Cala Salions.

Now we move on to the Selva Lowlands, starting at Tossa de Mar, and going southwards on to…. Lloret de Mar Lloret de Mar has a rather well known reputation for being one of the most lively resorts on the Costa Brava. It offers much to the party-lover: strings of pubs, clubs, amusement arcades and well-known fast food chains line the promenades while hotel upon hotel tower way above the palm trees.

Aside from these tourist attributes, Lloret does have some pleasant sites to behold, for example, the Santa Clotilde Gardens, open during the summer, and the ruined fortresses marking each end of the main beach, among other sites, monuments and beaches.

BlanesThe last town on the Costa Brava, with a substantial beach and harbour, and offering much for the tourist in the way of hotels, restaurants, bars and discos. Probably its most notable feature are the Mar i Murtra Botanical Gardens which are perched way above the sea, offering amazing views along the cove-studded coastline. Apart from showcasing over 4,000 species of plants from five continents, some of them threatened with extinction, the gardens also have a valuable research and study centre.

INLAND TOWNS As well as the coastal towns, this region has an abundance of notable inland areas that must be visited:

PeraladaThere are many fortified villages in this region and Peralada is one of them. It has several noteworthy buildings including the striking castle of the Rocaberti family which is set within a large park.

The castle, originally a Renaissance palace, is now home to the deluxe Casino of Peralada, the grounds of which are the site for an important summer Music Festival which brings the world’s top classical music talent to the Costa Brava.

The castle and its 14th Century walls, sits beside the 1206 Convent of Nuestra Señora del Carme, which has an attractive cloister and patio and exhibits a fine collection of glass, ceramics and paintings and has a library with over 60,000 books.

Figueres This town is located in the heart of Catalonia and is well known as being the birthplace of surrealist artist Salvador Dali. The town is much visited for its Dali Museum, where the artist is buried. Figueres is also the birthplace of the Sardana dance, the traditional dance of Catalonia. Also of interest in Figueres is the castle fortress of Sant Ferran, the parish church of Sant Pere, the Museum of l’Emporda and the Toy Museum.

Besalú This town was elected as Spain’s historical national property in 1966.

Its most striking feature is 12th Century roman bridge that spans the Fluvià River. There are two 10th Century churches and the Jewish baths, which date back to the Middle Ages.

Banyoles The big attraction here is the 6km lake, which reaches depths of 60m. Here you can swim, fish, canoe or hire a rowing boat. Banyoles hosted the rowing events of the 1992 Olympic Games.

Apart from the lake, there is also an archaeological museum, a 14th Century Gothic church and the neo-classical monastery of Sant Esteve de Banyoles.

Girona The Costa Brava capital is split into two by The River Onyar.

The old quarter is highlighted by the Cathedral, which, like many of Spain’s cathedrals, is a fusion of many different historical periods and styles. Also worthy of a visit is the Jewish Quarter, with it’s winding streets shaded by tall, stone walls and offering an abundance of shops.

The Twelfth Century Arab Baths, the old City Walls, and the museums of archaeology and history are of notable interest whilst the churches of Sant Nicolau, Sant Feliu and Sant Pere de Galligants highlight the religious background of the region.

The Energetic Northern Capital, Reykjavik

Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland, the young and blazing city full of contrasts. Even though its rather large (about 115 000 inhabitants), its absolutely clean and safe. None of the world capitals looks like Reykjavik. This city has its own flavor and unique atmosphere. Its the island’s largest city and the most northern of the European capitals. Its not as big as some other capitals, however, its charm and individuality are highly valued by its citizens and tourists.

Calm and quiet outside, inside Reykjavik boils with events day and night: national holidays, culture festivals, sports competitions. By the way, just like the whole Iceland, Reykjavik reflects the character and temperament its citizens have. The city name is transalted as «the smoky bay» (from Icelandic), the city itself was founded in 874 by Ingólfur Arnarson. In the beginning of the XIX century there were only 300 people living here, 100 years later Reykjavik population reached about 2000 people, and nowadays it has the population of about 17 thousand. The territory between the Tjornin pond and the bay could be called the true heart of Reykjavik, occupied by the Parliament Square, Austurstraeti street and numerous souvenir shops. Tousrist information centre can be found at Adalstraeti street – one of the oldest city streets.

Don’t miss a walk to one of the main city attractions – Hallgrimskirkja church, the largest church in Iceland. Its entrance is adorned with a monument to Leifr Eiriksson – the first European who visited America. The monument is an American gift. The church was built in 1974 and is renowned for its tall tower, which offers unforgettable views on the city.

The City Hall is an impressive building on the nortern side of Tjornin right in the city centre. The building accomodates Reykjavik administration offices, exhibition halls and a huge map depicting Iceland.

The Pearl (Perlan) is an interesting and an unusual building, constructed in 1988. There are several things located under its dome: a restaurant, the Saga museum, pools and an artificial geyser. Observe magnificent city views from Perlan’s Viewing Deck. Strokkur is another geyser, but next to the Pearl. Laugardalur is the sports centre with Reykjavik’s largest hot pool, Botanic garden and a zoo.

Built in 1909, Hofdi House is considered to be one of the most beautiful city buildings. Its is here that in 1986 US President Ronald Regan and USSR General Secretary Mikail Gorbachev met.

Reykjavik is a combination of provincial atmosphere and a truly cosmopolitan way of living. Its always energetic and full of life: theatres, operas, museums, concerts, cinema festivals, culinary events, jazz and pop concerts, runic exotics. The city’s most curious clubs and bars are: Pravda, Prikid, Café 22, Club NASA and Nelly’s, Gaukur a Stong, The Dubliner, Glaumbar, Café Victor, Kaffibarinn, Sportkaffi, Vegamont etc., many of which are located at the narrow Laugavegur street. Another local attraction is the Phallological Museum which contains more than 150 exhibits.