The A-Z Of Greek Island-hopping
Posted by genglish in Motorcycles on 10 8th, 2011
Why holiday on one Greek island when you can plan a trip that includes visits to many? Getting around takes a bit of planning, but you can choose from cruise ships, ferries, yacht charters or air travel. Accommodation options include rental villas, hotels, guest houses and home stays. Listed here by region are 20 of the most popular Greek island destinations.
Cyclades
Amorgos
Rugged Amorgos, the most easterly of the Cyclades islands, has beautiful sandy beaches, a precipitous coastline, peaceful and serene bays and the magnificent Monastery of Hozoviotissa. Tourism infrastructure is rudimentary which this makes for a laid-back charm.
Delos
First inhabited in 3000 BC, this small island was the religious and commercial centre of ancient Greece. There are no towns or accommodation here, just quietness and a sense of history in the archaeological ruins.
Folegandros
This small, beautiful island has plenty of accommodation. Its busy port of Karavostassi has an extensive selection of restaurants and hotels, while Cars and motorcycles are banned in the cliff’s edge village of Hora.
Mykonos
This cosmopolitan island, an expensive travel mecca, with unique cycladic architecture, bare hills, narrow alleyways and streets and red-roofed churches, is everything that Greek islands are famed for.
Naxos
Mount Zeus towers over this relatively quiet and charming island which is green and fertile. Pretty agricultural villages are perfect for experiencing island life sampling fresh produce including wines and olive oils.
Paros
On the main ferry run and popular with all types of travellers, Paros has picturesque inland villages, a busy port main town and some pretty beaches, particularly in the north around the fishing village of Naoussa.
Santorini
The most popular of Greek Islands. From the archaeological wonder of Akrotiri, a town preserved in volcanic ash, to its rocky outcrops and charming white-washed domestic architecture, Santorini is one of the world’s most spectacular islands.
Sifnos
This mountainous island, a 3-hour ferry trip from Pireaus, has enchanting fertile valleys and medieval architecture, a fine archaeological museum and tranquil sandy beaches. A wide range of hotels, tavernas and shops cater for island visitors.
Syros
The administrative centre of the Cyclades, Syros has a busy harbour and shipyard, lovely beaches, attractive architecture and many churches and museums. The interior of the island has many fruit and vegetable farms.
Tinos
The third largest of the Cycladic Island group, a 30-minute ferry ride from Mykonos, Tinos is an important destination for religious pilgrims. The inland villages, nestled into the mountain slopes, are connected by a network of walking paths.
Crete
The largest of the Greek islands, mountainous Crete has it all, including bustling towns, idyllic rural villages, fields of olives, fruits and vegetable crops, sandy beaches, stunning ancient ruins and a world-class archealogical museum.
Dodecanese
Rhodes
Green and mountainous, Rhodes is renown for its natural beauty, fine architecture, and its cosmopolitan charm. It is the most popular of the Dodecanese islands, and its superb variety of architectural treasures and top museums bring visitors year round.
Kos
This fascinating island is rich in Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian archaeology and the agricultural interior is perfect for bicycle riding. There are daily ferries to and from Pireaus, and Turkey is just a short boat trip away.
Ionian
Corfu
Popular Corfu, the greenest of the Greek islands, has ancient ruins, castles and distinctive Italianate architecture in Corfu town. The old fort (Paleo Frourio) is the location for a Sound-and-Light show in summer.
Kefalonia
Known as the location for filming of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, this rocky island, with its pine forests and many species of wildflowers and herbs, is becoming a popular destination. Loggerhead turtles nest on Kefalonian beaches.
North East Aegean
Chios
Just a few kilometres from the coast of Turkey, in the Aegean Sea, Chios has many churches and monasteries, medieval villages and ancient monuments, which date from times under Macedonian, Roman, Turkish and Greek rule. From beautiful beaches and coves to mountains and traditional villages, the island is a delight to explore.
Lesvos
The third-largest Greek Island is a good budget destination with idyllic beaches, fascinating villages, hot water springs and a variety of flora and fauna. Mainly agricultural, the provincial economy is based on olive oil and ouzo.
Saronic Gulf
Aegina
A great beginner’s Greek island experience, Aegina is a perfect day trip by ferry from Athens. A city state in ancient times, be sure to visit the ruins of Paleohora, one of the best-preserved ancient Greek temples.
Angistri
Intimate sandy beaches are the trademark of this small island near Aegina. But there is also an interesting farming and fishing side of the island that is off the beaten tourist track.
Hydra
Head for the waterfront restaurants and cafes of Hydra Town on this famed maritime destination for great Greek ambience. Wander around and view the old sea captain mansions, and check out some of the hundreds of old churches.
Poros
Handy to Athens, the busy town of Poros is an island joined to the island of Poros by a causeway. The island is home to the scant remains of the Temple of Poseidon but the beaches are not so good.
Spetses
Famous for its great beaches and nightlife, Spetses also has a harbour known for its wooden boat building industry. The main square in the town, the Dapia, has lots of interesting restaurants, while on the busy waterfront you can watch the boatbuilders at work.
R. Ritchie
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/the-az-of-greek-islandhopping-83212.html
read comments (1)Gomi Style – Electric Motorcycle Conversion
Posted by genglish in Motorcycles on 10 5th, 2011
A Honda Rebel motorcycle is converted to a zero emissions electric chopper. Made the Gomi way, with mostly found and scavenged materials, we make a street legal commuter bike perfect for San Francisco.
Duration : 0:5:21
Obama’s Plans for Hybrid Cars
Posted by genglish in Cars on 10 5th, 2011
President-elect Barack Obama recognizes the need to address the most common problems of the environment, including America’s dependence on oil. He has identified hybrid cars as the way of the future, the development of which will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and revitalize the American auto manufacturing industry.
How exactly can change be brought about? Isn’t the problem too bigger than just driving hybrid cars? Probably. But, no change can be instilled overnight. While there are never any guarantees on what propositions will or will not work, Obama has suggested a few changes that may help wean America from its gas guzzling ways.
1 Million Plug-In Hybrids by 2015
While this is a lofty number to reach within just a few years, it shows Obama’s dedication to making serious changes within the auto industry, for our sake and the environment’s sake. Taking the idea of hybrids a step further, there have been new car models made that will charge by plugging them in. These plug-in hybrids do what you might expect. They run on gasoline and rechargeable batteries. At the end of the day, when you get home, you simply “plug-in” your car to an electrical source so it can charge while you sleep. No more stopping at the gas station to get your fuel needle off of E in order for you to make it home. You simply plug your car in from the convenience of your own home. These cars could potentially get 150 mpg, saving the driver enormous amounts of money on gasoline and saving the ecosystem from damages of harmful emissions.
Tax Credit for Plug-in Vehicle Consumers
Plug-in vehicles are still in the developmental stages but show promise for enabling cars to run on electricity rather than expensive and environmentally harmful gasoline. Obama has suggested tax credits for consumers who take advantage of the opportunity to drive these cars while they are still new to the market. With initial this buy in, the future of plug-in cars may be closer than some people think.
A Law Requiring All Vehicles Made Flex-Fuel Capable
Flexible-fuel vehicles, or sometimes called dual-fuel vehicles, are cars that run on a mixture of energy fuels. Most flex-fuel vehicles use some gasoline to run in addition to either ethanol or methanol, both fuels are found to be more environmentally friendly than gasoline. The idea of dual-fuel vehicles is not a new idea. The Ford Model T that was produced from 1908 to 1927 ran on both gasoline and ethanol. Because ethanol was prohibited for much of the 20th century, ethanol fueled vehicles are still being developed. With the proper safety precautions, ethanol may be proven to be a great alternative to gasoline in time.
Tax Cuts for Auto Manufacturing Plants
Obama has proposed to offer tax cuts to automakers in order to stimulate the auto manufacturing industry. He hopes that by doing this, plants will be able to reach better fuel efficiency standards in the future.
Green transportation is a challenging front to tackle, but something that must be done in order to stall or perhaps one day reverse the damage caused by the irresponsible fueling practices of the last hundred years. If we start by instituting these relatively small changes, there may be hope for change.
Obama has done some work in this area over the last few years already. He issued The Health Care for Hybrids Act in 2006, which was used in Illinois and Washington state. With the further weakening of the economy since 2006, Obama may need to reevaluate his former laws. It’s possible that even more drastic measures need to be taken in order to salvage the auto industry across the US. If gas prices continue to fall as they have over the last few months, people may ignore the fact that hybrid and fuel-efficient cars are extremely necessary for saving the environment. We must encourage people to look beyond themselves and see how they impact their surrounding environment.
The American citizens elected Barack Obama the next president of the United States because they are eager for change to take place across the country. Our perspectives on cars and fuel efficiency are one of the foundational principles that need reexamined and Obama appears to be considering this already. By simply taking a closer look at purchasing a hybrid for your next car, you could be helping the country move a step closer to reducing our dependence on oil.
Kristin Kronstain
A Look At Some Of The Different Motorcycle Engines
Posted by genglish in Motorcycles on 10 5th, 2011
Motorcycles have been around for more than ten decades. During this time, motorcycle engines have developed through tweaking and reworking items to get the best performance. There have been more than one dozen engines, but some never met with success. Cost efficiency and customer satisfaction brought failure to a number of motorcycle engines.
All motorcycle engines are fueled by gasoline. To best understand engine types, it is important to understand how an engine works.
A pole called a rod cranks inside the engine and creates a draft that pulls both gasoline and air into a chamber called the cylinder. Inside the cylinder, a piston and rod quickly move up to push the gasoline and air into a smaller space where it meets the spark plug. The spark plug produces a spark between its two metal pieces.
Once the spark plug gives off a spark, the gasoline and air explode. This pushes the piston down, which in turn drives the belt or chain. This action is called torque. The movement of the belt or chain causes the rear wheel of the motorcycle to revolve. A motorcycle’s performance is determined by how many cylinders are inside the engine and how they are arranged.
Single cylinder engine:
A single cylinder engine has one cylinder and one piston. Single cylinder engines are used in all off road motorcycles. The single cylinder provides a lot of torque, but also a load of vibration. The vibration is loud and one of the qualities that dirt bike race fans crave during a race.
Twin cylinder engine:
Logically, twin cylinder engines have two cylinders. The cylinders are placed together at an angle. Usually the cylinders are positioned at a 90 degree angle, but there are exclusions to that standard. A twin cylinder engine produces more power because there is more torque and more fuel used. Twin cylinder engines do not vibrate as much as a single cylinder engine.
Now, as stated above, there are exceptions. The boxed or boxer design finds cylinders placed side by side. This produces even less vibration, but adds a new issue. The cylinders tend to jut out the side of the bike, which makes it hard to take sharp corners. Another issue is the tremendous heat that the cylinders project; it makes leg protection a necessary evil.
Triple Cylinder Engines
A three cylinder engine finds the cylinders included in a head. This type of engine offers a load of power, but it also requires more parts. Each cylinder requires an additional fuel injector and carburetor. The more cylinders included on an engine, the higher the engine RPM. More RPM means more power. Triumph makes motorcycles using three cylinders and boy can they fly!
Four Cylinder Engines
The four cylinder engine is just like the three cylinder engine only it has the additional cylinder and therefore weighs more. As is true of any engine, more cylinders equal more power and smoother sailing.
It is important to consider how much size and power you require in your motorcycle. If you are taking your bike off road, you need a bike with plenty of torque and a low rpm to make it up hills and quickly navigate corners. For off roading, stick with a single cylinder. A double cylinder is your second choice.
If your main purpose for riding a motorcycle is riding through traffic and along roads, do not purchase a bike with less than a twin cylinder engine, although a three or four cylinder engine is a better idea.
Gregg Hall
http://www.articlesbase.com/motorcycles-articles/a-look-at-some-of-the-different-motorcycle-engines-68840.html
Macarthur Kia—pioneer in Energy Conserving Cars
Posted by genglish in Cars on 10 2nd, 2011For the last decades, Kia has grown as one of Asia’s fastest growing automotive companies to expand overseas like in America, Europe and the Pacific region. In fact, its massive growth contributed a lot to the national economy of South Korea. Today’s current issues and concerns particularly related to the high oil price hikes led to the massive embrace of the public to Kia’s compact and energy-conserving cars. Kia’s model cars like the Picanto and Rio are not just practical choices but they also very good looking and simply gorgeous.
Kia in Australia
Kia is still new in Australia and only around for ten years but its number of years should not be the main indication of Kia’s success in Australia. For the last ten years, Kia has made tremendous track record particularly in its local dealership. As of the moment there are 120,000 car units from Kia that has been sold in Australia through their 125 local dealers across the continent.
In general, Kia is taking small steps at a time in letting the Australian public embrace their unique concept of transportation. The company offers many incentives to possible clients with their five year warranty on all vehicles and most of all, more model cars to choose at very competitive prices.
In New South Wales alone, there are at least twenty car dealers that offer Kia vehicles to their clients. This simply shows that local dealers in Australia believe in the efficiency of Kia vehicles and confident that the Australian public will patronize Kia Motors.
Macarthur Kia
One of the local dealers for Kia Motors is Macarthur Motor Group with their Kia showroom and service center located in Narellan New South Wales. In fact, Macarthur Kia is the right place in the neighborhood to look for high quality Kia cars at reasonable and competitive market place. And like other franchises of Macarthur Motors, they also offer pre-owned Kia cars and other types of vehicles.
The service of Macarthur is very specialized and personalized with their well-trained and experienced staff. Their sales representatives are very knowledgeable and can surely match the needs of any client with the right Kia vehicle that will suit their preferences and budget.
Macarthur Kia is starting to gain the public’s trust in providing the best Kia available. There is a testimonial in their website about a woman who is greatly satisfied with the Kia car she bought from Macarthur Kia. So if you want to own a fuel efficient and economical car, then visit Macarthur Kia now and they will give you the right KIA car.
For the last decades, Kia has grown as one of Asia’s fastest growing automotive companies to expand overseas like in America, Europe and the Pacific region. In fact, its massive growth contributed a lot to the national economy of South Korea. Today’s current issues and concerns particularly related to the high oil price hikes led to the massive embrace of the public to Kia’s compact and energy-conserving cars. Kia’s model cars like the Picanto and Rio are not just practical choices but they also very good looking and simply gorgeous.
Kia in Australia
Kia is still new in Australia and only around for ten years but its number of years should not be the main indication of Kia’s success in Australia. For the last ten years, Kia has made tremendous track record particularly in its local dealership. As of the moment there are 120,000 car units from Kia that has been sold in Australia through their 125 local dealers across the continent.
In general, Kia is taking small steps at a time in letting the Australian public embrace their unique concept of transportation. The company offers many incentives to possible clients with their five year warranty on all vehicles and most of all, more model cars to choose at very competitive prices.
In New South Wales alone, there are at least twenty car dealers that offer Kia vehicles to their clients. This simply shows that local dealers in Australia believe in the efficiency of Kia vehicles and confident that the Australian public will patronize Kia Motors.
Macarthur Kia
One of the local dealers for Kia Motors is Macarthur Motor Group with their Kia showroom and service center located in Narellan New South Wales. In fact, Macarthur Kia is the right place in the neighborhood to look for high quality Kia cars at reasonable and competitive market place. And like other franchises of Macarthur Motors, they also offer pre-owned Kia cars and other types of vehicles.
The service of Macarthur is very specialized and personalized with their well-trained and experienced staff. Their sales representatives are very knowledgeable and can surely match the needs of any client with the right Kia vehicle that will suit their preferences and budget.
Macarthur Kia is starting to gain the public’s trust in providing the best Kia available. There is a testimonial in their website about a woman who is greatly satisfied with the Kia car she bought from Macarthur Kia. So if you want to own a fuel efficient and economical car, then visit Macarthur Kia now and they will give you the right KIA car.
Benard Worseley
Racing Car Games on the Internet
Posted by genglish in Motorcycles on 10 2nd, 2011
Car racing is one of the most exciting sports in the world. The thrill and excitement that comes with watching those cars accelerating at top speed is just something that is hard to find in any other sport. Perhaps that’s why car racing has attracted millions of car racing enthusiasts all over the world.
But the problem with car racing is that it doesn’t happen all year round. So enthusiasts who can’t get enough of car racing has no other channels to turn to. Many even dream of driving a race car themselves someday. But the truth of the matter is, that kind of dream is almost impossible. It takes millions of dollars just to get a driver to a professional level. Besides, car racing requires talent and skills which most people can only dream about. That means any hopes of ever driving in a race car are dashed.
Fortunately, game developers have been developing exciting car racing games that are fun and exciting to play. Race car games are not something that is new. For decades, such games have provided hours and hours of entertainment for car enthusiasts. As technology continues to evolve, race car games are becoming more and more exciting. The car racing experience has been so well simulated that it almost seem as if the dreams of thousands and thousands of race car enthusiasts are coming true. Finally they can experience car racing in the gaming world.
A 3D race car game may come complete with steering wheels, gas pedals, gear sticks, and a racing chair. As the race car driver plays the game, the race chair will move and vibrant in tandem with the driving. For instance, the chair may jerk vigorously when there is a crash. Full surround sound speakers are installed to make the experience of driving more realistic. Of course, such a game will cost you a bomb.
If you don’t want to spend any money, there are free car racing games available on the Internet. In fact, there are so many of these games available that you can almost always find the type of car you want to drive. You can find formula 1 cars, vintage cars, motorcycles, and even taxis.
Races can take place anywhere – on the highway, on proper race tracks, dirt tracks, and in the air! You can also adopt different perspective as you drive. In other words, you can be the driver, or you can be an observer controlling a car from the top, almost as if you are controlling a remote control car.
Playing car racing games on the Internet is completely free, and there is no need for any additional downloads. All you need is an internet connection, and a computer with a browser. All games are playable within the browser. So if you find yourself getting bored, just fire up your browser and start playing!
Gen Wright
http://www.articlesbase.com/computer-forensics-articles/racing-car-games-on-the-internet-670062.html