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Kasbah Valentine, Ait Ben Haddou, Morocco

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Kasbah Valentine is a guest house located in front of the Kasbah Ait Ben Haddou, 30 km from Ouarzazate. It has 10 air-conditioned rooms spacious enough, decorated in Berber style, with private bathrooms. There is plenty of natural light in all rooms. Upon arrival you will be welcomed in the traditional way with a mint tea and pastries. There is an onsite restaurant that serves the most typical Berber dishes: couscous, tagine, soup, salad, etc. The most valuable area of this house is the terrace from where you have a breathtaking view; it is also the ideal place to enjoy breakfast or a drink while watching the beautiful surroundings and of course with your camera in hand!

Tips

If you really want to be in a typical place, away from the big city, next to the Kasbah, this place is ideal. The owners will do everything to make your stay unforgettable.
It is best to make a reservation in advance because the house also welcomes groups who are visiting the country, whithout reservation, you might be forced to look elsewhere.
You also have an area next to the restaurant, where you can buy some crafts and even beautiful tagines.

Library of Parliament, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

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The Library of Parliament or Legislative Library serves legislators for their research and information analysis needs. It is placed in various parliamentary buildings in Ottawa. Opened in 1876, its historic seat is located at the back of the Center Block on Parliament Hill; a vestige of what has remained since the last fire of 1916. It was designed by architects Thomas Fuller and Chilion Jones on a hexadecagonal plan (16 faces) with galleries and fire doors and the corridor that separates it from the rest of the building. Between 2002 and 2006 it was completely renovated and modernized with the addition of two basements, telecommunications equipment and reconfiguration of the reading room. It has elements typical of Neo-Gothic architecture. Its walls are in blocks of sandstone, there are flying buttresses, pointed ogive windows, turrets, bell-towers and its roof is made of copper with three levels and forms a vault above the reading room. The interior of the reading room itself as well as the exterior appearance of the building that covers it have characteristics of the Victorian era. The galleries are in pine carved with floral motifs, coats of arms, masks and mythological creatures. The actual floor (reproducing the original), is in parquetry of cherry, oak and walnut. There is a statue of Queen Victoria in white marble and marble busts of the Prince of Wales (Albert Edward), Princess of Wales (Alexandra of Denmark), Sir John Sandfield Macdonald and Sir Etienne Paschal Taché.

Tips

If you wish to consult general public information materials, ask for information before you go.

If you are taking the guided tour of Parliament, you will have the opportunity to also visit the library.

Celebrity Silhouette

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The Celebrity Silhouette is a ship from Celebrity Cruises, making part of the Solstice class. It has 4 other sisters ships. It was launched in 2011 and it’s going to be renovated in 2020. It was constructed by Meyer Werft at their shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. It’s 319 metres long and nearly 37 metres wide. The capacity is for 2,885 passengers and 1,500 members of the crew. You can find big spaces; good decoration; a swimming-pool inside and another one outside, both with whirpools; two main restaurants; a buffet; some restaurants of specialities; some bars; a theatre; a casino; a spa; a gym; all kind of staterooms but the majority of them are sea-view cabines and they have a veranda. There’s also a lawn section where passengers can relax in the fresh sea air, lay under the sun or have a drink. The cruise line has also the Autism Friendly status.

Tips

If you want to spend your time on board enjoying a Spa life, you must book an AquaClass cabine. You will have also the access to the Blu restaurant which has a delicious healthy menu.

If you like wine, you will have the possibility to know about new wines, you could try different ones and you will also have some advice about different wines of the world, at the Cave Masters.

If you just want to relax and see the sea or the stars, there’s a very big place with glass from ceiling to floor that you will love. This place is sometimes closed for special private events.