What is New

Few will argue that when it comes to cityscape few places on earth will rival Rio de Janiero. The setting is incredible. Certainly a poster, postcard and calendar cliché, with Copacabana, the loaf of Corcovado and the towering skyscrapers to frame the setting, the ambiance is magic. And since Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Olympic Games, travel to Rio will abound year by year as we get closer.

Most Brazil tours focus on Rio, but there is more to Brazil than Rio. For the serious wildlife enthusiast there is Pantanal, Brazil’s amazing wetlands and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Covering over 200,000 square kilometers, Pantanal is one of the largest wetlands in the world and an incredible wildlife conservation area. It is located in southwestern part of Brazil, in part projecting into Bolivia and Paraguay. Biologically it is very similar to the Everglades in Florida, though the Pantanal is actually elevated whereas the Everglades are at the sea level. Pantanal is essentially a seasonal flood plain with an average annual precipitation of 1500mm, most of which falls between the months of November and March. During the seasonal flooding Pantanal teems in fish and especially in bird life, including bluebell-tinted macaw and toucans, as well as other variety of mammals and reptiles, namely Pantanal Caymans and giant otters.

Needless to say, once in Pantanal you could add an extension to your Brazil trip and come to Argentina and taste the magic of Iguazu Falls.

For the cruise type that relishes smaller boats, there are river cruises and small barge trips. If you should search for a perfect small ship river cruise holiday, Brazil offers a wonderful cruise on the Sao Francisco River out of Pirapora, north of Belo Horizonte. Fueled by reforested wood the river cruise ship sails at a leisurely pace of little more than ten miles per hour. With only two dozen passengers this is indeed no ocean monster ship but a perfect setting for a romantic voyage into the back-country of Brazil.

Then there is the Amazon, and here too the cruise vessel to opt for is a small craft. Fitted with beautiful woodwork including decks finished in deep brown natural wood, the river barge Tucano can accommodate only 18 passengers. With trained naturalist guides aboard, a cruise on the Tucano provides a wonderful experience through the Amazon rain forest.

There was a time when owning home tanning beds was a privilege that was exclusively the right of the rich and famous. The huge costs associated with owning home tanning beds was simply too high for we mere mortals to consider. Thankfully, there are now many rent a tanning bed options that make it possible for anyone of more limited means to get their own tanning beds at home. As you can imagine, this allows you a great deal more flexibility and convenience with regard to getting that tan that you want anytime you please. In addition, you are in a position to save a lot more money when you rent a tanning bed instead of buying one.

One of the most obvious advantages you can gain when you rent a tanning bed is the convenience. If you are the type of person who simply can’t get enough of the deep bronze color that you get from a day at the beach or at the tanning salon, tanning bed rentals are perfect for you. In fact, there are even many companies out there that offer rent to own tanning bed packages. For only a little more money than you would be to rent a tanning bed, tanning bed financing arrangements will get you your very own home tanning beds in as little as a few months. Not everyone has the money to blow on brand-new Wolff tanning beds in one go, and tanning bed rentals make the process a lot easier on your credit card or check book.

When you rent a tanning bed, you can simply pop it open and get the golden tan that you want anytime of the day…or night for that matter! In a regular tanning salon, you will normally have to book your sessions well in advance in order to even get your foot in the door. And if you live in a particularly tan-crazy area like in certain parts of Los Angeles for example, good luck even getting an appointment! With the rent a tanning bed options however, long lines and bothersome appointments are a thing of the past.

Of course having your own home tanning beds also ensures that they are as clean as you can keep them. One of the drawbacks to going into a tanning salon is that the beds are typically used by several people on a regular basis, and there is no way of knowing who used the bed before you. Most of the reputable tanning salons do take measures in order to ensure proper hygiene in their facilities, but it is better to be safe than sorry. When you rent a tanning bed, issues such as cleanliness and sterility are largely irrelevant.

A good place to begin your search for tanning beds are the local classified listings either online or in your local free ad papers. Don’t be in such a rush to get the first tanning bed that you see, in carefully compared to different features of the models available in order to get a feel for what you should be looking out for. Keep in mind that you may be able to get a better deal by going for an older model as opposed to shelling out the big bucks for brand spanking new home tanning beds.

Two new portable Sony Ericcson phones introduced this summer raise the bar for the entire industry with the C905a Cyber-Shot, the ultimate photography experience, and with the shake phone technology introduced in the 518a Walkman, already popularly known as the Sony Ericsson Shake Phone.

The latest Sony Ericsson technology is an impressive 8.1 megapixel camera, the highest resolution ever in a phone from ATT. This is no add-on camera gimmick. Dedicated camera keys and shortcuts make it easy to point and shoot. The 905a has advanced features found in quality, standalone digital cameras like face detection, autofocus, xenon flash and GPS tagging. The 2.4-inch scratch-resistant mineral glass screen provides users with a crystal-clear view of their subject. By combining a portable cell phone with a quality digital camera the C905a helps photo enthusiasts simplify their lives by having one device that can communicate with the world and capture it forever. The first cell phone that looks, acts and feels like a digital camera.

The W518a Sony Ericsson shake phone is a personalized entertainment package, with a new way to use Facebook, conversational messaging, interactive music features, and a 3.2 megapixel camera. Shake Phone users can just open the phone to view their Facebook friends status updates and see their profile photos. Users can update their Facebook status with one click, or upload photos directly from the W518a’s 3.2 megapixel camera. The W518a is loaded with other innovations to deliver a highly interactive music experience. Advanced Shake Control technology lets users shuffle, skip and control music volume with a flick of the wrist. Music buffs no longer have to be tied to their computer to buy music, the W518a lets users purchase and download music over the air from Napster Mobile and eMusic Mobile via ATT Music.

Can You See What I See? Dream Machine is one of the hardest hidden object games I have ever played.

When starting the game you are told how Clyde Curfuffle wants to give his niece and nephew presents for their birthday. He wants to give his niece a fairy tale book and his nephew a robot radio. However, the absent-minded scientist forgot where he put the presents and the birthday party is tomorrow! You are the lucky person selected to find the presents. This means finding hidden objects, solving puzzles, and deciding dreams. That is where the dream machine comes in to play.

You must collect all the pieces of the dream machine in order to find the presents. The machine will interpret each of Clyde Curfuffle’s dreams. He hopes that you can use the dream machine to interpret his dreams and locate the presents for his niece and nephew. First you have to collect all the pieces to the dream machine. After finding all the pieces, you can use the machine to interpret the dream. Only after you interpret the dreams can you find the presents, give the kids a happy birthday, and save the day.

What makes this game different than other hidden object games is the list of objects. You don’t get so see everything you need to find at once. As you find the hidden items, more appear until the figure on the side is completely filled.

Many times, you are asked to find several of the same items. This does not mean each item looks the same either. For example: if it asks for 4 cats, there could be a porcelain cat, a toy cat, a picture of a cat, and wallpaper design that looks like a cat.

In each scene, you are asked to find Seymour. Seymour is a monkey that helps you along by giving you the instructions. If you get stuck, there is a question mark (?) to click that gives a hint on locating the hidden object.

Can You See What I See? Dream Machine challenges your mind. Only play it if you are up for a challenge. If you have an eye for details, this game is for you.

You can try Can You See What I See? Dream Machine at Marco Polo Games. Here you can play the game for an hour before deciding to purchase it. Marco Polo Games has tons of new hidden object games. Go there and see for yourself.