Archive for September, 2009

Creepy And Exciting Ideas For Twilight Event Favours And Party Supplies

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

The fall season is coming up and with Halloween coming in October, and the Second Twilight movie, New Moon coming to theatres, there will definitely be teens, and even older fans throwing themed Twilight parties. It can be for a birthday, Halloween, or just to celebrate the release of the movie. So what can make your party stand out from all the rest? It is unique Twilight themed party favors and supplies. This can be challenging as so many people have become fans and some ideas have already done with the release of the first Twilight Movie and the completion of the series with New Dawn. The trick is to start with favors that are common party staples and put your own unique spin on them.

Think of edible favors. Everyone especially teenagers and tweens, love party food. So why not come up with unique snacks that your guests can not only enjoy at the party, but take home with them to enjoy later? There are several great suggestions I have come across. One is a chocolate monogrammed apple favors. These are great because they are variants of the ever popular candied apple. On top of that, they can be personalized with initials of the birthday girl. Another great suggestion is red devil food cupcakes. Since Twilight is a series about vampires red themed foods is a must and staple. Other suggestions are red Jell-O or gummy snacks. The point is to give delicious treats that help celebrate guests’ love of the series.

The next idea is themed products. The majority of the images would be actors from the movie version of Twilight. So why not, within reason, use them to decorate common party favors? The internet can be a major help in this regard. You can for example get special tins of lip balm with pictures of the characters. These will be a great hit with young girls who are fans. For the older fan you give out items. Like themed candle holders and wine openers. Use your imagination to come up with favors that not only are related to Twilight but that guest can enjoy and keep as souvenirs

Another great idea is to give themed games and puzzles as favors. They can be either homemade or be found online. These can also be tied to general party activities like trivia games about the movie and book.

Party supplies are great in that you can put your own stamp with homemade concoction or buy ready made store ones. For an even more unique and startling effect try combining your personal creations with what you can find online or at a local party store. For homemade decorations, it is quite simple. Try to use cut-outs of the actors from promotional movie gear, or popular celebrity magazines. Try to get them from magazines like People or Us Weekly. Anything else you find will most likely be Tabloid trash. You don’t want to remind teenage girls that the actor is not the same as the character from the book. Also use Twilight posters that you can get from any grocery store or Wal-Mart to decorate the room or venue that you are holding the party at. You can also find interesting and one of a kind party favors online. The choice is yours.

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Planning A Red Wedding Without Making Big Mistakes

Monday, September 21st, 2009

Red wedding dresses may be a well known Chinese tradition, but they are coming into top fashion everywhere else in the world as well. While many brides are bored with the traditional white gown and even more boring pale pink accents, bright bold colors are starting to look more appealing. That is, they look rather appealing as long as they are done correctly.

Before you shrug your shoulders and assume that planning a wedding with lots of red is just the same as planning any other wedding, you need to consider some of the biggest pitfalls that other brides often stumble on. Since red is so bright and vibrant, it can very easily be overdone.

You never want to overdo a wedding! That can completely ruin everything else you have so carefully designed.

For starters, every bride’s gown should match her personality. Following that rule, think of the outgoing personality that you would need to adequately carry a solid, bright red wedding dress down the aisle. One of the biggest mistakes brides often make is to go with too much red when everyone watching them knows they are too reserved and shy for the color.

So, does that mean the more reserved cannot have a red wedding? Of course not! You should consider going with white or ivory with red details and accents, rather than a solid red dress. This will tailor the dress to your personality while sticking nicely with the red theme.

If you have a very big personality, then your guests are likely to nod their head and confirm that you carry that red gown very well. If you have a smaller personality, they may wonder why you chose such a color!

The second common mistake regards the dress as well, but from a new angle. When it comes to selecting a red wedding dress, don’t cut the budget too much. The shade of red and style used as well as the type of material incorporated is very important. White is a very forgiving color that can be made cheaply without looking cheap. This isn’t always so with red.

You don’t want to fall into the trap of a red dress that looks cheap, even it was! This means selecting higher quality materials and going with a deeper colored rosy red rather than something that looks like it came right out of the crayon box.

The last mistake is to put too much solid red in the wedding decor and attire. While red is stunning, it requires some accent colors to really pull it off well. If literally everything in site is red, red, and more red, you will find your guests complaining it has gone a bit overboard.

One really nice combination is for the bride to wear a solid white gown while the groom dresses in a bright white tuxedo with touches of red and/or another accent color. The bridesmaids can also be used as accent colors to the bride’s gown.

Some of the best colors to coordinate with a red wedding are particular shades of pink, chocolate, ivory, or bright white.

There are many other mistakes you can make with planning your red wedding, but most of the others could be made regardless of the color of your dress. If you can carry off a red wedding, you absolutely should go for it! This is one of the most exciting trends to come around in quite some time.

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The benfits Of A Villa Holiday

Sunday, September 20th, 2009

If you’re going on a trip in the future, before you book your hotel, look into the advantages of a villa holiday. Going somewhere for a stay for pleasure is something to look forward to. The imagination of pure fun and relaxing a dream come true. A stay in an immaculate villa will add to the appreciation of your vacation. You’ll enjoy all the benefits a villa has to offer.

Holiday villas come in all sizes to suit your party, whether you are a couple or large group of family and friends, there are different villa accommodation options to fit your needs. That is one of the benefits of a villa. The larger the group the more cost effective it can be, in many cases ending up to be less expensive than a hotel stay.

All villas will come with superior conveniences that you would find for the lifestyle of the rich and famous. Some villas include internet access, and even computers for you to use. Enjoy everything entertainment has to offer and also keep the kids happy.

The added beauty of a villa is that it is completely private. Take pleasure in having your own personal pool, open and airy rooms leading to patios for breathtaking views and cool breezes flowing throughout. If you like laying out getting a tan and soaking the sun, you can do this in ultimate seclusion.

The settings can be peaceful with amazing styles and architecture fit for a king. For more excitement you can enjoy the other activities nestled in the villa community. These are spectacular and luxurious villa properties that you will enjoy during your stay.

For all-embracing relaxing and fun, the advantages of a villa holiday is the best. You will get everything you want without having to over exhort yourself. After all it’s your holiday. Just take the time to enjoy. Everything you need can be found in your villa or the villa community grounds.

Villas offer the best option for a home from home holiday experince. Enjoy the benefits of a villa holiday and stay at the Thomson Villas and enjoy one of the outstanding cheap villa deals on offer.

Surfing: The Essence Of Exploration

Saturday, September 19th, 2009

When I hit the beach to surf I usually head down to Mermaid Beach. Though the waves are not among the best of the Gold Coast’s offerings, I choose this spot because of the ability to dodge the swelling crowds. Crowds and surfing: they’ve got a funny relationship. No serious surfer out there will tell you that they enjoy surfing in a tightly packed spot, yet nonetheless we all tend to exacerbate the matter by obeying certain sheep-like behavior (i.e. the “follow the pack” mentality).

On the average day, Mermaid Beach has three or four peaks, though only one will be taken advantage of and by a big, poorly distributed mob. When I get there, instead of jumping in right away and paddling out, I take a moment to ponder the scene and choose my spot wisely. Ultimately, my decision will be shaped by the quality of the waves rolling in and the amount of surfers in a given area of water. Personally, I am always willing to give up a bit of wave quality to be able to have plenty of room, though that’s just me.

I’ll also often walk up to a kilometer in either direction to find the wave I’d like to surf. As soon as I catch a wave though, someone from the pack surfing the other wave will paddle over to join me. Heaven knows why they were not there already, the wave had been breaking all day. Obviously they just didn’t have the imagination or intelligence to realize the wave was there, until they saw me catch one.

I’m constantly amazed by the number of surfers who arrive at the beach and do not look for a wave. Rather they just paddle out to the closest group of surfers assuming that will be where the best waves are.

Often I am out surfing on days where ideal conditions exist all up and down the beach, with nobody else on their board except for me. Then another person gets into the surf and ends up at precisely the same area of the water where I am surfing. Of all the places they had at their disposal, they decide to compete with me at my break. In these cases, I just paddle off to catch the next wave down the beach and keep surfing, pondering in the process about the other person’s intelligence.

In the end, this prevalent behavior obliges me to wonder: what ever happened to the exploratory spirit that used to be so essential to surfing? Where has it ended up? When did it get substituted by this sheepish behavior where everyone just follows the rest? Perhaps I am peculiar now in my eagerness for uninterrupted surfing; maybe the crowd dynamic is what most people enjoy now? It’s beyond me, yet I can’t help thinking this type of behavior is odd.

Here is a thought. Every time you go to the beach for a surf, spend some time on the beach observing the waves before you paddle out. You may find a better wave if you look, you’ll definitely catch more waves if you find a less crowded one.

Damian Papworth knows that for a surf trip, the Gold Coast is a ideal location. It really is the earth’s best surf resort.

Benefits Of Reading Holiday Reviews For Portugal

Friday, September 18th, 2009

Whenever we plan a holiday, no matter what our destination is, we want to have the best time when we get there. With increasing trends of taking a proactive approach to everything instead of a reactive approach, tourists would rather find out what to expect from their holiday well in advance. This is where holiday reviews come in.

People most likely consider using holiday reviews while they are planning their trip to Portugal. Portugal is a country which comes with a prosperous history of old culture. Many tourists have recently started to make Portugal as their holiday destination due to its rich history.

The country offers a lot – something for every type of tourist. It has unspoiled countryside with a medieval touch. It also has beautiful sandy beaches, breathtaking scenery and very friendly warm-hearted people. The area also offers a wide variety of delicious cuisines. Mainly, seafood is served in the area, but all kinds of food may be obtained without a lot of hassle.

This country had been unnoticed as a tourist spot until recently. It’s quite common now for people to use holiday reviews in making their choice for a travel destination. Holiday reviews give a good detailed outline for a specific location the tourist is planning to travel to. The details in these reviews enable the tourists to plan their budget and to foresee what could be expected.

They get opinions from people who have already experienced the place. Holiday reviews also point towards the best places to visit in Portugal and the best activities to undertake. Sometimes, reviews also do a cost comparison so that you are better able to choose the options you want.

Having all the knowledge beforehand also makes a tourist more comfortable when he/she is actually in the area. For example, if they have gone through reviews that compared costs, they will have a fair idea of what to expect. Hence, they can plan on how much to carry, and avoid the risk of being overcharged as innocent tourists often are.

Reviews give you a better option to judge the conditions and the surroundings of a place. You always have an option to choose the hotel that you like and avoid the ones which have a bad reputation and do not qualify on the reviews. It will be easier for you to judge the hospitality and housekeeping options for every hotel on the reviews. You always have a choice to see the hotel that puts you in the comfort zone and you can book it for yourself once you are there.

Therefore, reviews act as a guideline and help the tourists to make the right choice during the planning of their holidays. They would know which place to go to in Portugal, which delicious food to try and which ones to avoid, which sand beaches to visit and which place offers breathtaking sceneries and surroundings. Considering particularly about Portugal, reviews are more important because not too many tourists have a drive towards these destinations as they are not as popular as other locations like Hawaii, Barbados, Paris and many more, which are world famous destinations and are known to all tourists.

Jim Bowen is a travel guru and has written many books on travelling, for further details you may visit his recommended site for best holiday reviews

Take Your Next Vacation To Isla Mujeres

Thursday, September 17th, 2009

There are many fine locations in the world for a gay vacation on the beaches. While there is great variety in l locations, some destinations are a little better than others.

One of the best and most popular is Isla Mujeres, a tremendous resort area found on the beaches and under the sunny skies of Cancun Mexico. As anyone that has traveled to Latin America will attest to, this part of the world is one of the very best hotspots in that part of the world.

So what is it about Isla Mujeres that makes this place such a wonderful vacation spot? Plenty ” read on to see a few of them.

The local area is a fishing community that is filled with much history. This history permeates the atmosphere and this makes a visit here immediately memorable. In a way, a visit here is like a look into the past when vibrant fishing communities were more common than they are today.

Even though you can see and experience a slow paced more traditional lifestyle here, this doesn’t mean that Isla Mujeres isn’t also a modern place as well ” there is excellent dining, shopping and live entertainment to take in here; its hard to be bored when you visit.

Of course, there is much more to do here than simply sightsee and soak up the ambiance. You can soak up the waves in the blue waters of Cancun. Without a doubt, this area is home to some of the nicest coastal beauty in all of Mexico.

With its incredible blue waters and wonderful beaches, it’s a great place to relax ” but don’t forget about all the surfing, scuba diving and other activities you can do out on the water!

Isla Mujeres is a great fishing spot, so if you’d like to get out on the water for the day and try your luck, there’s few other places in the world like it to spend your day fishing and relaxing. There’s no shortage of enjoyment here, whether on land or sea.

In fact, there is one water activity that is very difficult to find anywhere else in the world. The region offers a Dolphin Discovery adventure which is sure to be appealing to those that love the natural world. With Dolphin Discovery tours, you are able to swim in waters and get up close and personal with the dolphins! Yes, this could prove to be a fun excursion proving many memories.

And, yes, the accommodations in Isla Mujeres are among the finest in the world. There are many Four and Five Star Hotels that offer luxurious suites.

Naturally, there are also plenty of budget conscious choices for lodging here as well, so if you’re on a budget there are still plenty of wonderful places to stay. Since you’re always within reach of the relaxation and fun to be had on Isla Mujeres, you’ll have a great time no matter where you stay.

It’s the ideal place to visit on your next vacation. If you’re planning a getaway, Isla Mujeres is the obvious choice. Out of all of the amazing resorts in Mexico (and there are many), this is one place which definitely stands out from the crowd.

Latin Hot Party is the very first great event dedicated to all GLBT in the world. It will be surrounded by an ambiance of exclusivity and privacy, showing a concept focused to gather the equity of gender. These will be your best gay vacations in Cancun. Come and let us prove it!

Gay Vacations in Cancun, Travel Tips

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

If you are going to Cancun on vacation, you are definitely going to enjoy it. Of course getting ready is important, so take a look at the time and money you have. You have options to cruise there or to fly to the area. Planning on going with a friend? Make sure you come up with limitations and then plan away.

Usually a cruise to Cancun will either leave from Galveston or Miami. Usually the ships are going to leave for Cancun in the evening time. Most of the ships that leave from the western area of the U.S. will end up taking you to Mexican Riviera.

If you’ve decided to fly, you will save money if you book your airfare and hotel at the same time. You can use a travel agent for either a cruise or a plane trip, and make certain the agent spells out for you exactly what is included in the cost of your trip.

Be certain whether your destination is Cancun Playa del Carmen or Cancun Calica. Playa del Carmen is a beach town with tours to ruins and a biosphere reserve, with tropical forests and habitat preserves. Calica features white sand beaches and a lively night life, as well as tours to ancient Mayan ruins or a nature park.

Make sure you buy some sunscreen. Since you will probably spend quite a bit of time in the water, make sure that it is waterproof too.

Before you leave, talk to your cell phone company to find out if there are roaming fees while you are vacationing in Mexico. This will be important knowledge to know if you want to call back to family or your office.

When you take money, make sure it is mostly in travelers checks. Usually people are great to go with American money. However, if you cash in for pesos, make sure you do it at a bank. Ensure you carry the theft info in a different area from the checks in case they do get stolen. It is best to have theft protection on credit cards too. Ensure you don’t tear your pesos and don’t take any that are torn, since they won’t be good anymore.

Tip your hotel staff and the wait service at restaurants and night clubs at ten to fifteen percent.

If you are going to travel by cab, let them know where you are going and come up with an agreed upon price. You don’t have to tip the cab driver.

Walking may be fun, but never go walking by yourself. You also need to keep in mind that pedestrians are not given any right of way, so you must be very careful and watch out for yourself.

Talk to the staff at the hotel you are staying at for some recommendations of areas to check out. If you enjoy gay night life, then check out the night club Karamba.

No matter where you are traveling or how you are getting there, make certain you check about luggage restrictions, including how many pieces you can carry, the size, the weight, and the cost for extra pieces. Also, call the airport or the cruise line a few days before departure to learn about any boarding restrictions on what you can carry with you. The best trips are well planned. You can have fun now organizing your trip, and then while you are actually on vacation you won’t have any surprises to spoil it!

The sun, the sea, the most beautiful beach…and thousands of gay people just for you. What else you can ask? Latin Hot Party is the very first great lesbian event in Cancun dedicated to all GLBT in the world, it is framed by one of the most beautiful beaches and embellished with the authentic Latin flavor.

CS4 Design Training UK Compared

Tuesday, September 15th, 2009

With so many computer training courses to be had, it can be mind-boggling to know where to start. Choose one that’s on a par with your personal character, and that’s needed commercially.

There are so many directions you can go in. Some re-trainers need Microsoft user skills, some want training for careers in Web Design, Databases, Programming or Networking – and these are all possible. However, you don’t have to decide alone. Why not share your ideas with an advisor who has knowledge of the IT industry, and can help you arrive at the right destination.

State-of-the-art training techniques at last enable students to be instructed on an interactive course, that is far less expensive than old-style courses. The economies of scale of these courses makes them available to all.

Looking around, we find a myriad of job availability in Information Technology. Finding the particular one for yourself can be very difficult.

As with no previous experience in Information Technology, in what way could we know what a particular job actually consists of?

Consideration of the following factors is vital when you want to get to a solution that suits you:

* Your personality type plus what interests you – the sort of work-centred jobs please or frustrate you.

* Why you want to consider starting in IT – maybe you’d like to conquer a life-long goal such as firing your boss and working for yourself for instance.

* Where do you stand on salary vs the travel required?

* Understanding what the normal work roles and sectors are – and what differentiates them.

* The level of commitment and effort you’re prepared to spend on your training.

The bottom line is, the best way of investigating all this is from a good talk with an experienced advisor that knows the industry well enough to be able to guide you.

Most of us would love to think that our careers are secure and our work prospects are protected, however, the truth for the majority of jobs in Great Britain right now seems to be that security may be a thing of the past.

In times of growing skills shortages together with high demand areas however, we generally find a new kind of security in the marketplace; where, fuelled by a continual growth, organisations struggle to find the staff required.

With the computer business for example, the most recent e-Skills investigation highlighted a skills gap in the United Kingdom of over 26 percent. Therefore, for each 4 job positions existing throughout Information Technology (IT), companies can only find properly accredited workers for three of the four.

Properly qualified and commercially certified new professionals are consequently at an absolute premium, and it seems it will continue to be so for much longer.

In reality, retraining in Information Technology during the years to come is probably the finest career move you’ll ever make.

‘In-Centre’ days can be portrayed as a great facet by some trainers. When you chat with many IT hopefuls who have partaken in a couple, you’ll discover that they’re really a waste of time as they hadn’t properly considered the following:

* Loads of travelling – frequent visits and usually over 100 miles a pop.

* Workshop accessibility; often weekdays only and 2-3 days in a row. This can be difficult to get the days away from work.

* Holiday days lost – most working people are given only twenty days of leave annually. If you give up at least half to your educational workshops, that doesn’t leave much holiday time left for most student’s families.

* Because of the cost involved, many training providers have to put on larger classes – not ideal (and with less one-on-one time).

* Some trainees lean towards a different pace to others in the class. Sometimes this causes classic classroom tension.

* Don’t ignore the increased financial outlay of travelling or several days bed and breakfast either. This may well run to a lot of money – from hundreds to thousands. Take some time to add it all up – it’ll shock and surprise you.

* Training privacy will be of paramount importance to most trainees. You don’t want to sacrifice any possible promotions, income boosts or achievement in your job because of your studies. When your boss discovers that you’re undertaking accreditation in a completely different market, what do you think they’ll do?

* It’s very common for attendees not to put a question forward that they would like answered – just due to the reason that they’re in front of other people.

* You should remember, events are basically undoable, where you live away for part of your week or month.

Wouldn’t it be better to watch on-screen and study with teachers one-on-one via ready-made lessons, doing them at a time that’s convenient for you and you alone.

You can study at home on your PC or why not in the garden on a laptop. Any questions that pop up, just use the provided 24×7 live support (that should’ve been packaged with any technical type of training.)

Forget taking notes – every lesson is laid out for you already. If you need to cover something again, it’s immediately available.

Quite simply: You avoid a bunch of hassle, save money and time, and altogether avoid killing more trees.

(C) Jason Kendall. Visit LearningLolly.com for superb ideas on Dreamweaver CS4 Training and IT Training.

What Honeymoon Destinations Are You Thinking About?

Monday, September 14th, 2009

I’m sure you’re thinking of something romantic, something peaceful, and something where you’re both going to have fun, something for more loving, dining, and wining. Honeymoons are not only the perfect time to start a life of marital bliss with your loved one and enjoy each other’s company. It is also the best time to explore a different place to relax and enjoy.

Every bride must have at least a 100 or so ideal honeymoon destinations listed in their wedding planners. And every place is as romantic, as fun and as unique as the next name on the list. So what are the world’s top 50 get-away destinations of honeymooners? Modern Bride reveals the names.

The sun-kissed beaches of Hawaii maintain its spot in the top ten for ten straight years. There’s also Tahiti, Bermuda, Bali, the Caribbean waters of Jamaica, Maldives and Barbados. Other seaside get-aways include the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Seychelles, the Bahamas, Florida and Cayman Islands. With the beaches, the white sand, the sun and the fresh breeze, these destinations offer perfect water activities for you and your honey – from swimming to diving, to snorkeling to getting that tan. Sip a refreshing drink and go island hopping. Of course, European attractions made it to the top 50. Go exploring in Italy, Greece, France, New Zealand, Ireland, Scandinavia, England, Iceland, Switzerland and Scotland. With their splendid architecture, museums and art galleries, not to mention the European cuisine, honeymooners would get the perfect romantic mood exploring France and the Eiffel Tower or dining in one of the five-star restaurants in Italy.

There are also the snow-capped mountains of Switzerland and Iceland for winter honeymooners. Go to South America and bask in some sexy, steamy Latin American honeymoon experience in Mexico, Costa Rica, Antigua, Aruba, Poconos, Argentina and Puerto Rico. Eat Tacos, take photos of the adobe houses, shop in unique, native shops, and join in the merry and sexy music and dancing and live street performances. And of course, live the American dream in some of these USA honeymoon destinations – St. Barths, St. Lucia, Las Vegas, New York, New Mexico, St. Martin, and Alaska. Other honeymoon toppers include: Fiji, Aguilla. Turks and Caicos, Australia, Belize, South Africa, Thailand, Ecuador, Kenya, Dominican Republic, Canada, Nevis and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

For the honeymooner wanting to save, affordable destinations include Mexico, Las Vegas, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Florida. Water activities especially snorkeling and diving are best at the Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos and Tahiti. For winter honeymooners, there’s Colorado, Switzerland, Canada, Utah and Austria. And for the couple who’d like to party on gourmet food, don’t forget Italy, France, New York, California and Las Vegas. For some privacy, a Tahiti honeymoon provides the perfect seclusion for you and your loved one. Go exploring culture in England and enjoy the nightlife in Las Vegas. Costa Rica is perfect for the adventurous couple with its rich and diverse scenery and landscapes.

Other recommended honeymoon destinations are Chile, India, Turkey and Cook Islands.

Whether it’s a secluded island or beach front in Hawaii or the Bahamas, a romantic cultural experience in the streets of Florence and France, or an exploration of exotic culture and cuisine in South America, the important thing in a honeymoon is the company. With romance, the perfect food, the perfect setting, and the perfect company, a new life ahead with your loved one may prove to be a honeymoon in itself.

Pamela Kazmierczak is an expert in the wedding industry. If you enjoyed this you should check out her website today! Sign up for her free newsletter, learn more about the perfectHoneymoon or Australia Honeymoons – A Great Beach Resort – or just to shop at her store.

Saint-Louis Senegal

Sunday, September 13th, 2009

In the north-west of Senegal, near the mouth of the Senegal River, lies the town of Saint-Louis, capital of French Senegal from 1673 until independence in 1960.

The centre of the old colonial city lies on a narrow island in the river, measuring just 2 km (1.2 mi) long by about 400 in (1,312 ft) wide, although the modern city now sprawls on the mainland either side.

The first permanent French settlement in Senegal, Saint-Louis was founded in 1659 by French traders on an uninhabited island. Named after the French king Louis, the town commanded trade along the Senegal River, exporting slaves, animal hides, beeswax and gum arabic.

Between 1659 and 1779, the city was administered by nine different chartered companies. A Metis (Franco-African Creole) community soon developed, characterized by the famous signares. These bourgeois women entrepreneurs dominated the economic, social, cultural and political life of the city, creating an elegant urban culture with time for refined entertainments. They controlled most of the river trade and financed the principal Catholic institutions.

Louis Faidherbe became the Governor of French Senegal in 1854, and spent a great deal of money modernizing the town, including bridge building, setting up a drinking water supply, and providing an overland telegraph line to Dakar. The fortunes of the town began to dwindle as Dakar became an ever more important city. Saint-Louis’ port proved difficult for steam ships to access, and a railway between Saint-Louis and Dakar, opened in 1855, took most of its up-country trade.

Today Saint-Louis is a sleepy backwater which retains its lovely colonial architecture. In 2000 it was added to the World Heritage List, and many of its beautiful buildings are being renovated. Among the sites and monuments to see on the island are the Governor’s Palace, a fortress built in the 18th century across from Place Faidherbe, the Gouvernance which comprises the town’s administrative offices and Pare Faidherbe in the centre of town, named for the French governor.

The museum at the southern end of the island tells the story of Senegal’s history and peoples, with displays of traditional clothes and musical instruments, and there are various mosques and catholic churches to visit.

The heritage of the signares lives on in Saint-Louis today, with the festivals for which the town is famous. Fanals, a night-time procession of giant paper lanterns, takes place at Christmas, usually coinciding with the Saint-Louis Jazz Festival, the most important jazz festival in Africa. The annual pirogue race, organized by teams of fishermen from Guet-Ndar, takes place on the river and makes a vibrant spectacle.

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