It's a long way for a rock to travel, but scientists confirm that several meteorites that plunged into southern Morocco last summer are actually from Mars. Meteorites do fall on the Earth, but debris from Mars has only made it to Earth on four previous occasions, according to AP. The Martian meteorite fall is the first since 1962.
A group of scientists from the International Society for Meteoritics and Planetary Science verified the rocks' origin and their startling arrival:
"At about 2 am local time on July 18, 2011, a bright fireball was observed by several people in the region of the Oued Drâa valley, east of Tata, Morocco. One eyewitness, Mr Aznid Lhou, reported that it was at first yellow in color, and then turned green illuminating all the area before it appeared to split into two parts. Two sonic booms were heard over the valley."
The researchers say nomads didn't find the first stones until October, near a Morocan settlement, and the group of meteorites is now named Tissint, after the village. Several of the rocks, which range in weight from a fraction of an ounce to more than two pounds, are held by meteorite dealers.
One purchaser is the Arizona Center for Meteorite Studies at Arizona State University. Laurence Garvie, the center's collection manager, told ASU: "Martian falls are extremely rare. Less than 0.5% of falls are martians...(this) is one of the most significant additions to our collection in several decades."
Researchers theorize the Martian debris occurred millions of years ago when something collided with the Red Planet and rock fragments hurtled into space, according to the Telegraph.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Nelson hotel among world's best | Stuff.co.nz
TripAdvisor, the world's biggest travel website has named the 25 best hotels in the world, with Century Park Motor Lodge in Nelson taking out the 21st spot.
The site's annual Traveller's Choice awards, based on millions of user reviews submitted to the site, named the Phoenix Resort in San Pedro, Belize as the world's best.
The site features 255 reviews of the hotel, with 251 giving the Phoenix Resort the top ranking of 'excellent' and the remaining four rating it as 'very good'.
The top five is rounded out by Anastasis Apartments in Imerovigli, Greece; Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort, Hopkins, also in Belize; Riad Kniza, Marrakech, Morocco and Derwent House Boutique Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa.
No Australian hotels made the list of the top 25 in the world but TripAdvisor also released a list of of the top 25 for Australia.
The No.1 spot went to Akama Resort in Hervey Bay, followed by the Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island, Martinique on Macrossan in Port Douglas, the Emirates-owned Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa in the Blue Mountains and Summit Apartments Airlie Beach.
The Queensland government trumpeted the list, with more of the top-25 hotels located in Queensland than any other state.
Though hotels and tourism bodies are quick to celebrate good results from TripAdvisor, the powerful site has come under increasing criticism over the past year. Hotel owners have claimed that the site is clogged up with fake reviews, with operators posting negative reviews about rival hotels while spruiking their own accommodation.
In the UK, complaints have been made to the Advertising Standards Board about the way the site advertises its content. The site last year scrapped its "reviews you can trust" slogan in favour of "reviews from the community".
A group of hoteliers is currently taking legal action against the site through a company specialising in reputation management.
TripAdvisor carries more than 50 million reviews, but there are claims as many as 10 million of them could be fake.
Perhaps in response to the increasing criticism of the site, this year TripAdvisor scrapped its annual "world's dirtiest hotels" list claiming it wants to focus less on the negative, the New York Times reported. But the site's "world's dirtiest" list has been cited by some as one of the actions most likely to get TripAdvisor into legal trouble.
Tripologist: Can I trust what I read on TripAdvisor?
The top 25 hotels in the world
1. The Phoenix Resort, San Pedro, Belize
2. Anastasis Apartments, Imerovigli, Greece
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3. Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort, Hopkins, Belize
4. Riad Kniza, Marrakech, Morocco
5. Derwent House Boutique Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
6. Castlewood House, Dingle, Ireland
7. Palais Amani, Fes, Morocco
8. Loch Lein Country House, Killarney, Ireland
9. Tambo del Inka, Urubamba, Peru
10. Golden Well (U Zlate Studne),Prague, Czech Republic
11. Elysian Hotel Chicago, Chicago, USA
12. Wellness Hotel Casa Barca, Malcesine, Italy
13. Strandhill Lodge and Suites Hotel, Strandhill, Ireland
14. Alchymist Residence Nosticova, Prague, Czech Republic
15. Charterhouse Hotel, Torquay, United Kingdom
16. Taj Lake Palace Udaipur, Udaipur, India
17. Cocoa Island Resort, South Male Atoll
18. Blackheath Lodge, Cape Town, South Africa
19. Naturhotel Waldklause, Langenfeld, Austria
20. CERVO Zermatt, Zermatt, Switzerland
21. Century Park Motor Lodge, Nelson, New Zealand
22. Layana Resort and Spa, Ko Lanta, Thailand
23. Hotel Villa Ducale, Taormina, Italy
24. Astra Suites, Imerovigli, Greece
25. Reid's Palace by Orient-Express, Funchal, Portugal
Top 25 hotels in Australia
1. Akama Resort, Hervey Bay
2 .Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island
3. Martinique on Macrossan, Port Douglas
4. Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, Blue Mountains
5. Summit Apartments Airlie Beach, Airlie Beach
6. Windmills Break, Yallingup
7. Kewarra Beach Resort & Spa, Kewarra Beach
8. Bali Hai Resort & Spa, Broome
9. Coconut Grove Apartments, Port Douglas
10. Simpsons of Potts Point Hotel, Sydney
11. Pink Flamingo, Port Douglas
12. Oceans Mooloolaba, Mooloolaba
13. Sea Star Apartments, Airlie Beach
14. Peninsula Airlie Beach, Airlie Beach
15. Oceana on Broadbeach, Broadbeach
16. Yallingup Luxury Retreat, Yallingup
17. Islington Hotel, Hobart
18. The Richardson Hotel & Spa, Perth
19. Art Series - The Blackman, Melbourne
20. Park Hyatt Sydney, Sydney
21. Arajilla Retreat, Lord Howe Island
22. Elysium Apartments, Palm Cove
23. The Langham, Melbourne
24. Saltwater Luxury Apartments, Port Douglas
25. Marina Shores, Airlie Beach
- © Fairfax NZ News
The site's annual Traveller's Choice awards, based on millions of user reviews submitted to the site, named the Phoenix Resort in San Pedro, Belize as the world's best.
The site features 255 reviews of the hotel, with 251 giving the Phoenix Resort the top ranking of 'excellent' and the remaining four rating it as 'very good'.
The top five is rounded out by Anastasis Apartments in Imerovigli, Greece; Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort, Hopkins, also in Belize; Riad Kniza, Marrakech, Morocco and Derwent House Boutique Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa.
No Australian hotels made the list of the top 25 in the world but TripAdvisor also released a list of of the top 25 for Australia.
The No.1 spot went to Akama Resort in Hervey Bay, followed by the Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island, Martinique on Macrossan in Port Douglas, the Emirates-owned Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa in the Blue Mountains and Summit Apartments Airlie Beach.
The Queensland government trumpeted the list, with more of the top-25 hotels located in Queensland than any other state.
Though hotels and tourism bodies are quick to celebrate good results from TripAdvisor, the powerful site has come under increasing criticism over the past year. Hotel owners have claimed that the site is clogged up with fake reviews, with operators posting negative reviews about rival hotels while spruiking their own accommodation.
In the UK, complaints have been made to the Advertising Standards Board about the way the site advertises its content. The site last year scrapped its "reviews you can trust" slogan in favour of "reviews from the community".
A group of hoteliers is currently taking legal action against the site through a company specialising in reputation management.
TripAdvisor carries more than 50 million reviews, but there are claims as many as 10 million of them could be fake.
Perhaps in response to the increasing criticism of the site, this year TripAdvisor scrapped its annual "world's dirtiest hotels" list claiming it wants to focus less on the negative, the New York Times reported. But the site's "world's dirtiest" list has been cited by some as one of the actions most likely to get TripAdvisor into legal trouble.
Tripologist: Can I trust what I read on TripAdvisor?
The top 25 hotels in the world
1. The Phoenix Resort, San Pedro, Belize
2. Anastasis Apartments, Imerovigli, Greece
Ad Feedback
3. Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort, Hopkins, Belize
4. Riad Kniza, Marrakech, Morocco
5. Derwent House Boutique Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
6. Castlewood House, Dingle, Ireland
7. Palais Amani, Fes, Morocco
8. Loch Lein Country House, Killarney, Ireland
9. Tambo del Inka, Urubamba, Peru
10. Golden Well (U Zlate Studne),Prague, Czech Republic
11. Elysian Hotel Chicago, Chicago, USA
12. Wellness Hotel Casa Barca, Malcesine, Italy
13. Strandhill Lodge and Suites Hotel, Strandhill, Ireland
14. Alchymist Residence Nosticova, Prague, Czech Republic
15. Charterhouse Hotel, Torquay, United Kingdom
16. Taj Lake Palace Udaipur, Udaipur, India
17. Cocoa Island Resort, South Male Atoll
18. Blackheath Lodge, Cape Town, South Africa
19. Naturhotel Waldklause, Langenfeld, Austria
20. CERVO Zermatt, Zermatt, Switzerland
21. Century Park Motor Lodge, Nelson, New Zealand
22. Layana Resort and Spa, Ko Lanta, Thailand
23. Hotel Villa Ducale, Taormina, Italy
24. Astra Suites, Imerovigli, Greece
25. Reid's Palace by Orient-Express, Funchal, Portugal
Top 25 hotels in Australia
1. Akama Resort, Hervey Bay
2 .Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island
3. Martinique on Macrossan, Port Douglas
4. Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, Blue Mountains
5. Summit Apartments Airlie Beach, Airlie Beach
6. Windmills Break, Yallingup
7. Kewarra Beach Resort & Spa, Kewarra Beach
8. Bali Hai Resort & Spa, Broome
9. Coconut Grove Apartments, Port Douglas
10. Simpsons of Potts Point Hotel, Sydney
11. Pink Flamingo, Port Douglas
12. Oceans Mooloolaba, Mooloolaba
13. Sea Star Apartments, Airlie Beach
14. Peninsula Airlie Beach, Airlie Beach
15. Oceana on Broadbeach, Broadbeach
16. Yallingup Luxury Retreat, Yallingup
17. Islington Hotel, Hobart
18. The Richardson Hotel & Spa, Perth
19. Art Series - The Blackman, Melbourne
20. Park Hyatt Sydney, Sydney
21. Arajilla Retreat, Lord Howe Island
22. Elysium Apartments, Palm Cove
23. The Langham, Melbourne
24. Saltwater Luxury Apartments, Port Douglas
25. Marina Shores, Airlie Beach
- © Fairfax NZ News
gulfnews : Marrakech: A Moroccan muse
Morocco's fabled ‘pink city' Marrakech has long been a magnet for travellers, whether they are backpackers or wealthy jet-setters. And chances are, the first stop for any visitor to the city is the mesmerising Djemaa el Fna market.
The largest souq in Morocco and one of the busiest traditional marketplaces in the entire African continent, The Square, as it is universally known, throbs with life - a colourful mass of tradesmen, dancers, musicians, acrobats, story-tellers and water-sellers. The heady scent of spices and the smell of cooking from myriad food stalls fill the air. An exotic cacophony of sounds form an aural backdrop. It's a mixture of magic and mayhem, the ancient, beautiful heart of the city.
A designer haven
Yet Marrakech is full of contrasts, and just a short taxi ride away is an oasis of calm and serenity, a hidden gem that is the polar opposite of the Djemaa el Fna's relentless bustle. The Majorelle Botanical Garden - former home of the late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent - is a walled wonderland that surrounds the extraordinary kasbah-style house where he lived and worked from 1980 until his death 14 years ago.
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