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☃️ ACCESS Holiday round ☃️
️LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS/128/129/2002
CAM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS%202/8/129/2000
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ACCESS July round
• LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS/128/129/2002
• CAM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS%202/8/129/2000
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ACCESS September round round
Sept 12th - Oct 8th
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.
🏃 Teleport to Main sim
.
🏃 ️ Teleport to Cam sim 1
🏃 ️ Teleport to Cam sim 2
⚝ more info: www.access-sl.com
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» LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS/70/130/22
» Cam1: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS%202/24/128/22
» Cam2: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS%203/74/219/23
Gallery: www.access-sl.com/shopping-guide
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&
» more info: www.access-sl.com
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Our Wild Things are on their way home and I do miss them.
This was the favorite thing all week of the boy in the gold shirt. It's called Spaces and is in the Spectrum Mall complex. Virtual Reality where they have on back packs with batteries, face masks, foot things so the floor can rock from time to time. And of course huge guns. We got to watch and see on a screen some of what they saw.
Buildings blew up, monsters were vanquished, loud crashing sounds for the 20 minutes of the experience. The four participating, (not me or Don or the youngest Wild Thing), got to have an avatar face and see and have access to a video of their adventure after it was over.
(the real life earthquakes which followed were tame compared to what they'd been through and we rocked and swayed a little in perfect comfort. No damage this 160 miles from the epicenter but books in the bookcase bounced, blinds rattled and the ceiling lamp swayed nicely.)
ACCESS November
🏃♀ ️LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS/128/129/2002
⚝ ️Gallery: www.access-sl.com/shopping-guide
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Essentrix - Knitted Sweater @ Access event Dec 12
Essentrix - Strapped Denim Pants @ Access event Dec 12
AFTR Black Friday Early Bird Sale is Live!!
STOP THE SCROLL!
AFTR Black Friday Starts NOW!
We're not waiting for Friday, and neither should you. Get exclusive Early Bird Access to our biggest discounts of the year, available for a limited time!
📅 Sale Dates: November 22nd – December 3rd
The Secret to Maximum Savings:
AFTR GROUP MEMBERS: Secure an unheard-of 50% OFF on selected items!
Non-Members: Still save with a solid 20% OFF.
🔥 HALF PRICE is only for our loyal Group Members! Join the AFTR group instantly to cut your costs in half!
WHERE TO SHOP:
Location: In-World Only (No Marketplace!)
Find It: Head straight for the illuminated Black Friday Sales Wall!
Your 12-Day window closes December 3rd. Shop smart, shop early!
Mainstore: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Dark%20Dreams/148/224/28
ACCESS Anniversary June 12th - July 8th
📌 LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS/70/130/22
📌 Cam1: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS%202/24/128/22
📌 Cam2: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS%203/74/219/23
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IG: @access_event
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» more info: www.access-sl.com
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ACCESS November 12th 12 PMS LT
come check it out and shop form over 100 Top Designers ♥
• LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS/128/129/2002
• CAM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS%202/20/129/2003
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Wien - Donau City
Mischek Tower
Donau City, or Vienna DC, is a new part of Vienna's 22nd District Donaustadt, next to both the Reichsbrücke and the left bank of the Danube's 21.1 km new channel, Neue Donau.
Construction work for the first building on this site, the Andromeda Tower, started in 1996.
Although the Danube river has been inextricably connected with Vienna, for centuries, it had played only a subordinate role in the city of Vienna.
Unlike in many other cities, the Danube River, because of the numerous floods it regularly caused, was omitted from the urban area. Buildings grew up in Vienna on both sides of the Danube - but not up to the Danube. Only after extensive flood-control engineering and the creation of the New Danube relief channel, with Danube Island, in the 1970s, was the surrounding cityscape of the Danube of interest to builders.
The establishment of Donau City had its origins in the organization of the Vienna International Garden Festival in 1964. This was on a site of a former landfill, later superficially rehabilitated, in an area between the Old Danube and the New Danube.
In 1962, the construction of the Danube Tower began, and two years later, the Garden Festival was held. The site of the garden show was known as Donaupark. Not far from Donaupark, in 1967, the planning of the UNO-City was started, opened in 1979. Through the construction of the U1 and the Reichsbruecke (Empire Bridge), the UN-City had a high-ranking access to the traffic system.
The terrain gained increasing importance with the opening of the congress center Austria Center Vienna in 1987. Next, at the end of the 1980s, there were plans to hold a Vienna-Budapest EXPO along the northern bank of the Danube in Vienna. However, the planned EXPO 1995 was canceled because a majority of Viennese voters rejected it in a referendum on the project. The site was then developed for a subsequent use as a multifunctional district.
In 1991, the EXPO organizing corporation was succeeded by the Vienna Danube Region Development Corporation (WED), with major Austrian banks and insurance companies (BA-CA, Erste Bank, Raiffeisen Bank for Labor and Economy, Invest Bank AG, UNIQA, Wiener Städtische) as principal shareholders.[2] WED owns the area and is responsible for its overall development. Within a few years, the district became a second urban center in Vienna, with residential and office buildings, research facilities, recreational facilities and event locations.
Work on the construction of infrastructure for future use began in 1993. The Danube Bank Motorway (A22) was roofed over, providing more area. The foundation for the first building was completed in 1995, with the start of construction of the Andromeda Tower.
The total area is 17.4 hectares. Of this total, approximately 1.7 million cubic meters are used for construction, which represents a gross floor area of approximately 500,000 square meters. Nearly two-thirds of those buildings are already completed and utilized.
Following the cancellation of the EXPO in 1991 was then still in the undeveloped area within a few years, an urban centre with residential and office buildings, research facilities, recreational facilities and event locations, the Donau City.
The Donau City development concept is a broad mix of uses: office and commercial uses, up to 70 percent, residential use of about 20 percent, and cultural and Freitzeiteinrichtungen of approximately 10 percent.
Approximately 7,500 people currently live and work in this new "city within a city". With the overall expansion, which is expected to be completed in 2012, the population could increase to 15,000. International companies such as IBM, sanofi-aventis and Bauholding Strabag SE are also located in Donau City. Also established are well-known high-tech companies that deal with their employees and scientific institutions in Vienna's first Science and Technology Park, Tech Gate Vienna.
In addition to the above institutions, Donau City has stores, restaurants, cafes, offices, a school and a church. The area bordering the Danube Island has recreation areas, Donaupark and Old Danube. Donau City has two direct connections to the motorway network, and the Vienna International Airport is about 20 minutes away.
(Wikipedia)
Die Donau City ist ein ab 1996 neu errichteter Stadtteil im 22. Wiener Gemeindebezirk, Donaustadt. Sie liegt unmittelbar neben der Reichsbrücke und ist das stadtzentrumsnächste Viertel am linken Donauufer.
Die Donau ist untrennbar mit der Geschichte Wiens verbunden, verlief aber jahrhundertelang außerhalb der Stadt und fungierte als Verkehrsweg ebenso wie als Verkehrshindernis. Die zahlreichen Überschwemmungen des unregulierten Stromes ließen es nicht geraten erscheinen, wichtige Gebäude direkt am Wasser, in den flachen Donauauen oder auf den vom Strom gebildeten Inseln zu errichten. Brücken bestanden zumeist aus Holz und mussten nach Hochwässern nicht selten neu errichtet werden.
Die Donauregulierung von 1870 bis 1875 machte das Areal der Donau City durch den neu angelegten Hubertusdamm, der parallel zum neuen Hauptstrom das Hinterland vom Überschwemmungsgebiet abgrenzte, hochwassersicher. Der bisherige Hauptstrom wurde zum stehenden Gewässer, Alte Donau genannt. Auf dem Areal befanden sich aber ein Altarm, das südlich der Wagramer Straße bis heute bestehende Kaiserwasser, und Aulandschaften, die als Bauland vorerst nicht gefragt waren. 1935 erwarb die Stadt Wien dieses Auland vom Stift Klosterneuburg. Teile des Areals dienten zwischen den Weltkriegen und danach als Mistablagerungsstätte, andere Teile wurden mit Schrebergärten besiedelt. Die schlechte Bauqualität der in Notzeiten errichteten Hütten führte zum Namen Bretteldorf. Die Pachtverträge der rund 1000 Einwohner dieses Gebietes wurden von der Stadt bis in die 1960er Jahre nach und nach gekündigt. Im Gegenzug erweiterte diese die Mülldeponie.
Die Freimachung des Geländes (die frühere Deponie wurde nur oberflächlich saniert) und die Abhaltung der Wiener Internationalen Gartenschau 1964 (WIG 64) auf einem Teil des Areals bildeten die Initialzündung für alle weiteren städtebaulichen Investitionen. Der ab 1962 errichtete Donauturm wurde zum Wahrzeichen der Gegend; das Gartenschaugelände blieb als sogenannter Donaupark großteils bis heute erhalten. Für den Geländestreifen entlang der Wagramer Straße, der wichtigsten Ausfallstraße Wiens nach Nordosten, wurde städtische Bebauung geplant, ohne dass damals bereits konkrete Projekte vorgelegen wären.
Dies änderte sich, als Österreich 1967 den Vereinten Nationen (UNO) ein Amtssitzzentrum in Wien versprach. Das sogenannte Vienna International Centre (VIC), Teil der UNO-City, wurde schließlich ab 1973 zwischen dem verkleinerten Donaupark und der Wagramer Straße errichtet und im August 1979 eröffnet. Die Bauten des VIC gaben größenmäßig einen neuen, großstädtischen Maßstab für ihre Umgebung vor, die bis dahin Stadtrandcharakter hatte.
Der Einsturz der zweiten Reichsbrücke 1976 sollte eine zusätzliche Aufwertung des Areals bedeuten. In den Hohlkasten der bis 1980 wiedererrichteten Brücke wurde nun auch eine U-Bahn-Trasse eingeplant. Die Linie U1 erreichte somit bereits im Jahr 1982 – früher als ursprünglich geplant – das nördliche Donauufer. Über die Station Kaisermühlen – Vienna International Centre ist das Stadtzentrum seither in wenigen Minuten erreichbar. 1972–1988 wurde die Donau im Raum Wien neuerlich reguliert, um verbliebene Hochwassergefahren zu beseitigen. Neben dem Areal der heutigen Donau City entstanden dabei, parallel zum Hauptstrom, die Neue Donau, ein zumeist stehendes Gewässer, das sich für Freizeitnutzung eignete, und die Donauinsel zwischen Neuer Donau und Hauptstrom, die nach Entscheid der Stadtverwaltung nicht verbaut, sondern ebenfalls für Freizeitnutzung bereitstehen sollte. 1987 wurde als zweiter Teil der UNO-City neben dem Vienna International Centre (VIC) das von Staat und Stadtverwaltung finanzierte Kongresszentrum Austria Center Vienna (ACV) eröffnet.
Ende der achtziger Jahre erwog Wien gemeinsam mit Budapest im Jahr 1995 eine Weltausstellung auszurichten. Am 14. Dezember 1989 erhielt man für dieses Vorhaben den Zuschlag. Die Expo 95 sollte demnach von 29. April bis 26. Oktober 1995 stattfinden. Als Ausstellungsgelände wurde der Bereich „Donauraum – Konferenzzentrum“ (ca. 50 ha) definiert. Die Nachnutzung des damals noch kontaminierten und alluvialen Stück Lands wurde als entscheidender Faktor der Expo-Planung bestimmt. Das Gelände sollte im Anschluss an die Weltausstellung gänzlich in die gegebene Stadtstruktur integriert werden. Am 30. März 1990 wurde hierfür ein Leitprogramm für die städtebauliche Entwicklung beschlossen. Die Gestaltung des Ausstellungsgeländes sollte dabei auf Grundlage eines von der (1989 gegründeten) Expo-Vienna AG ausgelobten Architektenwettbewerbs erfolgen. Auf temporäre Bauten größeren Ausmaßes sollte verzichtet werden. Der Wettbewerb „Bebauungs- und Gestaltungskonzepte EXPO 95 in Wien und Nachnutzung“ wurde bis Ende 1990 abgehalten. Teilnahmeberechtigt waren Architekten aus Österreich und Ungarn, sowie ausgewählte internationale Büros. Weiters wurden auch Studierende eingeladen sich zu beteiligen. Aus insgesamt 84 Projekten (65 von Architekten und 19 von Absolventen) wurde jenes von Sepp Frank und Rudolf Zabrana ausgewählt. Entgegen ursprünglicher Pläne die einstige Deponie mit einer Platte zu versiegeln, wurde diese schlussendlich vollständig ausgehoben. Diese Begleitmaßnahme der Expo-Vorbereitungen umfasste einen Aushub von insgesamt rund 965.000 Tonnen Material, davon 240.000 Tonnen Hausmüll aus der Nachkriegszeit bis 1963/64. Im Zuge einer aus politischen Gründen durchgeführten Volksbefragung vom 14. bis 16. Mai 1991 sprachen sich 64.85 % der Befragten jedoch gegen die Abhaltung der Expo aus; ungeachtet breiter Unterstützung durch Politik, Medien und Wirtschaftskreise. In Folge dessen zog die Republik Österreich die Bewerbung für den Standort Wien in der Generalversammlung des BIE am 5. Juni 1991 wieder zurück.
Nach Absage der Expo war man bestrebt das ungenutzte, aber bereits im Umbau befindliche Areal weiter baureif zu machen und zu entwickeln. Hierfür wurde noch 1991 die Auffanggesellschaft WED Wiener Entwicklungsgesellschaft für den Donauraum AG gegründet. [3] Anfang der neunziger Jahre wurden daraufhin die Architekten Adolf Krischanitz und Heinz Neumann mit einem Masterplan für einen neuen, multifunktionalen Stadtteil auf dem freien Areal (das vom ursprünglich größeren Donaupark abgetrennt wurde) zwischen VIC, ACV und Hubertusdamm bzw. Neuer Donau beauftragt. Die WED wählte dafür den Namen Donau City. Bereits im Zuge der Planungen für die Weltausstellung wurde erwogen, die Donauufer Autobahn A 22 im Bereich des VIC zu Überplatten; auch im Hinblick auf eine spätere Nachnutzung des Geländes. An diesem Vorhaben wurde festgehalten und die Autobahn bis 1996 schlussendlich auf einem Abschnitt von 2.150 m überplattet. Der dadurch entstandene Tunnel Kaisermühlen ist heute die am meisten befahrene Tunnelanlage Österreichs. Die Überdeckung der Donauufer Autobahn wurde gleichsam als Fundament für eine künftige Bebauung konzipiert. Dafür wurde über dem Fahrraum des Tunnels ein 2,20 Meter hoher Hohlkasten ausgebildet, der beispielsweise Kellerabteile und Technikräume künftiger Neubauten aufnehmen kann. Die für den Autobahnbetrieb erforderlichen technischen Anlagen sind hingegen vorrangig in seitlichen Kollektoren angesiedelt.
Um die nun entstandenen enormen Niveauunterschiede (nach Aushub der einstigen Deponie lag der gewachsene Boden neun Meter unter dem Niveau der Umgebung) auszugleichen, wurde auch der neue Stadtteil durch eine solche Überbauung (die sogenannte Donauplatte) charakterisiert. Für den Auto- und Fußgängerverkehr sind dabei unterschiedliche Ebenen vorgesehen. 1993 wurde mit der Errichtung der Infrastruktur für die kommende Nutzung begonnen. Der Grundstein für das erste Gebäude, den Andromeda-Tower, wurde 1995 gelegt. Als technische Voraussetzung für die Haupterschließung des Areals wurde 1996 ein – parallel zur Autobahn verlaufendes – Verteilerbauwerk fertiggestellt, welches alle Bauplätze erschließt. Das Ebenenkonzept hat bis heute Bestand, der ursprüngliche Masterplan wurde jedoch nicht weiter umgesetzt. Nach Fertigstellung von knapp zwei Drittel der Gesamtplanung wurden hier bis 2005 ca. 1,7 Millionen Kubikmeter verbaut; das entspricht einer Bruttogeschoßfläche von rund 500.000 Quadratmetern.
Im Jahr 2002 ließ die WED dann einen internationalen Gestaltungswettbewerb für den letzten zu entwickelnden Abschnitt ausschreiben. Den Zuschlag in diesem Gutachterverfahren erhielt der Architekt Dominique Perrault aus Paris. Im Anschluss wurde er mit der Erstellung eines Masterplans für das Gebiet beauftragt. Basierend auf diesen Plänen wurde ein städtebauliches Leitbild entworfen und am 1. Juli 2004 vom Gemeinderat beschlossen. Im Gegensatz zu früheren Projekten am Standort, wurde hier eine gemischte Nutzung vorgeschrieben. Perrault konzipierte als „Brückenkopf“ die beiden DC Towers als gebautes Eingangstor für den Stadtteil.
Nach Eröffnung von Turm 1 im Februar 2014, sollen in den kommenden Jahren die drei Hochhaustürme Danube Flats, DC Tower 2 und DC Tower 3 die Skyline vervollständigen. Der Zeithorizont für diese Bauvorhaben wurde in den letzten Jahren jedoch stets verschoben. Der Uferbereich war in den 1980er Jahren unter dem Namen „Copa Cagrana“ bekannt geworden und wird mittlerweile als „Copa Beach“ vermarktet.
(Wikipedia)
Der Mischek Tower ist ein Wohngebäude im 22. Wiener Gemeindebezirk Donaustadt.
Das Gebäude wurde von 1998 bis 2000 nach Entwürfen des Architekten-Ehepaars Delugan-Meissl von der als Generalunternehmer agierenden Baufirma Mischek im Auftrag des Bauträgers Wiener Heim errichtet. Das 110 Meter hohe Bauwerk war bis zur Fertigstellung des Hochhauses Neue Donau im Jahr 2002 das höchste Wohngebäude Österreichs. Errichtet aus Betonfertigteilen gilt der Mischek Tower mit seinen 35 Stockwerken (ab Niveau Donauplatte, das Straßenniveau befindet sich auf Ebene −3) als das höchste Fertigteilhaus der Welt.
Gelegen am Rand der Donau City zwischen Donaupark und Austria Center Vienna dient der Riegel-förmige Bau optisch als Abgrenzung von Stadt zu Park. Neben dem eigentlichen Hochhaus gibt es zwei weitere Gebäudeteile mit jeweils 9 Stockwerken. Zur Donau hin grenzt unmittelbar an den Gebäudeteil Stiege 3 südlich ein Wohngebäude des Wohnparks Donaucity an.
Das Gebäude steht im Eigentum der Käufer der etwa 500 zum größten Teil durch das Land Wien geförderten Wohnungen.
(Wikipedia)
ACCESS July round is now OPEN!! \o/
SHOPPING GUIDE: www.access-sl.com/shopping-guide
You are welcome to shop from our both camsims too if the main is full ♥
📌 Main: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS/70/130/22
📌 Cam1: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS%202/24/128/22
📌 Cam2: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS%203/74/219/23
♥ Happy shoping ♥
Assassin's Creed Odyssey
Own camera tools, SRWE, Reshade.
If you invite me to add a shot to a group with a 1-shot-a-day policy I won't add it anymore to that group: the thing is that if I do that, I can't add a shot myself later that day to that same group. If you want me to add my shot to your group, lift the 1-shot-a-day limit. Thanks.
ACCESS February round
️LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS/128/129/2002
• CAM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS%202/8/129/2000
• FB: www.facebook.com/Access.SecondLife/
️• Gallery: www.access-sl.com/shopping-guide
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/Access.SecondLife
• IG: @access_event
Meet you here! Happy shopping!
#secondlife #secondlifestyle #secondlifeavi #secondlifedecor #sl #slfashion #secondlifefashion #accessevent #access
☃️ ACCESS Holiday round ☃️
️LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS/128/129/2002
CAM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS%202/8/129/2000
❄ FB: www.facebook.com/Access.SecondLife/
❄ ️Gallery: www.access-sl.com/shopping-guide
❄ Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/weloveslfashion/
❄ IG: @access_event
See you here! ♥
#secondlife #secondlifestyle #secondlifeavi #secondlifedecor #sl #slfashion #secondlifefashion
ACCESS March round
️LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS/128/129/2002
• CAM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/ACCESS%202/8/129/2000
• FB: www.facebook.com/Access.SecondLife/
️• Gallery: www.access-sl.com/shopping-guide
• IG: @access_event
Meet you here! Happy shopping!
#secondlife #secondlifestyle #secondlifeavi #secondlifedecor #sl #slfashion #secondlifefashion #accessevent #access
Walking on the small islands in Orkney you come across all kinds of scenes and views. This picture from Egilsay may as well have been taken a hundred years ago - it would have looked exactly the same. It's timeless.
The July 2018 Wrightbus Streetlite WF with Factory Built bodywork snapped in the Coastlands carpark in Paraparaumu on Tuesday, 24 July 2018.
Operator - Uzabus
Depot - Kapiti
Fleet Number - 9010
Registration – LMQ674 (first NZ rego 10 July 2018)
Chassis Type - Wrightbus Streetlite WF
Chassis No. - SA9DSRXXN18141010
Body Manufacturer - Wrightbus
Body Date - 2018
Seating Codes - B29DW
Livery - Metlink
A REVIEW OF WRIGHTBUS FROM AUSTRALASIAN BUS AND COACH
By Paul Aldridge
Wrightbus may not be a brand on everybody’s lips in Australasia just yet, but with its innovative and tidy-looking StreetLite midibus packing a big micro-hybrid punch it soon just might be. We took one for quick spin and came away well impressed. Visually the Streetlite is distinctive from front to back.
It takes a few moments to fathom what great exports Northern Ireland has produced, but once the penny drops it’s a quality list of who’s who. There’s F1 ace Eddie ‘Irv the Swerve’ Irvine; pro golfer Rory McIlroy – who once formed a sporting power couple with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki; and who could forget the legendary Manchester United footballing icon George Best – who famously quipped, "I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars – the rest I just squandered."
With reputations for doing things that stand out like that, it’s no doubt Northern Ireland’s Wrightbus has high expectations to meet. And it does so with oodles of class and style.
In terms of buses, Wrightbus is best known for that updated version of the London Routemaster double-deck – or so-called ‘Boris Bus’ – but with units like its micro-hybrid Streetlite midibus on the market here now it’s well placed to make its equally indelible mark.
Recently, we were handed the keys to test drive a Streetlite WF 8.8m (Wheel Forward) and good impressions were instant. Visually the Streetlite is distinctive. The large, round-based front window goes extremely low. This definitely is a positive for driver visibility and gives the bus a modern, open appearance that makes this bus easily recognisable as a Wrightbus.
The internals echo the front round window shape with a curved roofline and rear window.
Overall internally, the curved roofline gives the appearance of more headroom and tall occupants should feel right at home here.
The Streetlite 8.8m as tested had a seating capacity of 33 and a maximum standing capacity of 39 passengers and is a wheel-forward model. What’s that, you may ask?
This allows for a flatter floor area that offers more flexibility with seating options. This option is great particularly in the smaller buses, as passenger capacity and comfort can be maximised.
One safety feature that we hadn’t seen before was the emergency exit door placed halfway back on the driver’s side. This could be used for front or side collisions if they impacted on the normal exits, or if quick evacuation of passengers was needed. It’s a feature you’d hope to never use, but would certainly be welcomed in emergency situations.
A comfort feature that was impressive is the padded backrest that is placed for use by wheelchair users. The area has a safety bar that can be placed in securely by the driver for extra protection and passenger stability. This padded backrest would be both a good comfort feature, as the back of the chair is placed against it. It would give passengers somewhere to rest their head and this would give extra protection in case of collision or harsh braking. Often wheelchair provisions are adequate and safe, but comfort isn’t a consideration.
LOOKS TO THRILL
Externally, the placement of the headlamps outside the impact zone, the one-piece bumper and top-mount wipers are all design features part of the Wrightbus ethos to achieve low lifetime operational costs. Nice one!
Driver daily checks are made simpler with the addition of service accessibility doors while the fuel tank access is height improved with a raised, simple-to-reach access point. Drivers that fuel up will understand why this feature is beneficial for what can often be an uncomfortable job. The driver’s area is what you would expect from a route bus – basic but comfortable and spacious enough for long legs.
We got the chance to have a substantial drive through suburban areas, just as this bus would be expected to do on routes.
The Daimler OM906LA Euro 6 engine is quite powerful for a four-cylinder at 208hp. Although unloaded, uphill there was plenty of torque and it was quiet zippy, so you could feel that the capacity was certainly there to have plenty of power when fully loaded. The Voith gearbox changes were seamless and smooth, no complaints here. Suburban Melbourne has many narrow laneways and so maneuvering was easy, the Streetlite certainly passing the suburban driving test with aplomb.
Overall, the Streetlite was definitely as expected and does not disappoint.
LOCAL INPUT?
While we do like to see Australian-made components or features on a bus or coach and local knowledge and craftsmanship utilised, this British-built bus certainly is impressive by what it brings to our industry. When you drive some buses or coaches it is what you see that is impressive, but with the Streetlite the small details behind the economy of this vehicle show that Wrightbus thinks way beyond just the visual. Yes, it is an every-day route bus, it’s not built to be luxurious and impressive, but the impact of features to lifetime running costs and economy would certainly help operators looking at a vehicle in this class make a smart financial long-term choice.
WHO BRINGS IT IN?
Patico Automotive was founded in 2006. Originally named Irizar Oceania, it was founded with the distribution rights for its very first imported product, the luxury Spanish coach brand made in Brazil called Irizar.
Managing director of Patico Automotive Tony Fairweather said: "We introduced the first of these coaches in 2008 and from that initial product we have grown the business into a range of other luxury and niche-type bus products. When we started to take on other brands we had the name change to Patico."
Part of Patico’s philosophy is to represent high-quality, proven products that can be aimed at a mid-market price point. Fairweather said, "Our intention is to be able to introduce products to the Australian market that bring advanced safety features, total cost of ownership-type models. We like to bring styling and options not available on other Australian buses to the market; we are a niche importer and distributer – we like to offer a point of difference to operators."
GETTING IT WRIGHT
Wrightbus, explains Fairweather, is primarily a UK company founded in Northern Ireland by Robert Wright in 1946. It’s a 100 per cent family-owned business with a very unique culture for a business of its size. Initially locally produced, it now has major manufacturing facilities in south-east Asia, so it is building lots of double-deckers for Hong Kong and Singapore.
Eventually it will supply product out of its Malaysian facility to Australia and New Zealand, though it still has a big plant in Ireland.
"As well as their product being progressive and market leading, they are a very ethical and moral company. They invest a lot back into the local communities; uniquely they have a church on site, which is their church and one of the Wrights is the minister of the church – a very unique business for modern times and they aren’t just in business to make money. They want to make a difference to the world through their products and profits.
"We focus on the specific criteria of safety features and total cost of ownership. For the Wrightbus products, they are world leaders in this category.
"The UK manufacturers in both route bus and city bus arguably are, too – they all make integrated CBU products that focus on lowering costs of manufacturing and have low operational costs for the life of vehicle. So the total cost of ownership, life of products, cost for the UK models are – arguably on a per passenger transfer basis – significantly cheaper than the standard models used in Australia," Fairweather explained.
"What these products offer operators is size flexibility. The CBU products (Completely Built Up) mean you can build at eight-, nine-, or 10-metre and … can adapt your fleet to suit your route requirements opposed to a ‘one product fits all’.
"To use an analogy, you don’t see Qantas running 747s between Sydney to Melbourne, they have smaller, more-economical planes to do these routes. Arguably, operators globally need that flexibility in terms of fleet, and UK manufacturers offer that flexibility," he continued.
TECHNOLOGY VERSUS COSTS
Fairweather explains why Wrightbus fills the price gap for operators while current technologies are developing.
"In particular they have a proprietary driveline technology that is extremely unique. They have recognised that electrics and hydrogen, of which they do produce technologies, are still currently expensive and when you look at the total cost of ownership model they have developed micro-hybrid technology, which is still using the highly efficient diesel engine (Euro 6 Daimler).
"They have taken it to a form of electrification, which is not a battery-style electrification; it is an ancillary electrification, which means that by fitting extra alternators the electricity is being generated by the diesel engine."
He continued: "They have also electrified key components that are typically operated off the diesel engine – to me one of the most impressive examples is the power-steering pump. In a rear-engines bus, like we are driving today, you fundamentally have the power steering being powered from down the back by the diesel engine and the hydraulics having to run all that distance and back again.
"On a typical diesel engine it’s using diesel fuel to run the engine to be able to run the hydraulics, where as in the case of an electrification process the power steering is actually electrified and operated [from] the alternator and only being used when power steering is needed when you turn a corner.
"Subsequently, it’s using a lot less energy – in this case of the diesel engine, diesel fuel for operation."
"Wrightbus are getting with their proprietary micro-hybrid technology an extra 18 per cent fuel efficiency over the standard diesel engine," Fairweather said.
"Another benefit is it’s not substantially more expensive to fit this technology in comparison to a full hybrid.
"In terms of total cost of ownership of a bus, at the moment the micro hybrid is world class. It’s cheaper than electric. We do have electric trucks and I believe that electric is the future in buses, but it is still a few years away for the economics of it to stack up. That’s why we have chosen Wrightbus," said Fairweather.
This makes understandable financial sense, as with all new technologies they often are not initially cost effective, but time and volume of sales usually change that.
GREEN MACHINE
When he was asked about the green technologies being used by Wrightbus, Fairweather explained: "Of all the manufacturers in green technologies, they [Wrightbus] have options in everything, and I mean everything. They have two different types of hybrid – parallel and series, they have electric and hydrogen options – alternative fuels are their thing! But they and the operators keep coming back to the micro hybrid at the moment for lifetime costs of ownership, it’s what stacks up. They are developing all these other technologies and as they transition – and it will, 100 per cent electric will become viable – they have it ready, proven and tested.
"They have a big order going into Scotland at the moment for electrics, but they are fully government subsidised so financially they stack up."
This interim technology is adopted because the Streetlite model we are test driving would currently be close to double the purchase cost if fully electric.
PREMISES AND SUPPORT
"For smaller volume orders they are fully built in Northern Ireland, but for larger orders they will be fulfilled by the Malaysian facilities.
"All Australian orders are currently from Ireland. Malaysia is their other primary manufacturing facility and in future this will have the added cost savings of duty-free arrangements we have here with Malaysia," Fairweather explained.
"Ordering time is four-five months from initial order – that can be from one to 30, even up to 50 units all have the same order time".
Asked whether the Streetlite had any Australian made componentry or features he said, "It comes fundamentally ready to roll, just small components like CCTV cameras can be added, but Wrightbus do offer many variations and optional extras so they come ready to operate.
"The intention with Wrightbus is to deploy in volume. Where we deploy volume we will have mobile technicians established. We have this same commitment in New Zealand; there currently are 14 going into Wellington and we will have a mobile technician there. We have one in Auckland as well," said Fairweather.
Specs:
DISTRIBUTOR: Patico Automotive
MAKE: Wrightbus
MODEL: Streetlite WF 8.8m
ENGINE: Daimler four-cylinder OM934 Euro 6
POWER: 208hp/155kW
TRANSMISSION: Voith 824.6 four-speed fully automatic
© yohanes.budiyanto, 2014
PRELUDE
The 1st of August, 2014 was such an historic day as the world finally welcomed the birth of the first in line to the Parisian throne after a painstaking and extraordinary "labor" process that took four years in creation, and almost a decade in the making. I was not talking about a French rival to baby George, but instead a newborn that has sent shivers down the spines of Paris' oldest and current Kings and Grand Dames from the day it was conceived. Yes, I was referring to The Peninsula Paris, the youngest sister to the legendary Peninsula Hong Kong (circa 1928).
Ever since the project was announced to the public four years ago, it has been on my top list of the most eagerly awaited hotel openings of the decade. So when the hotel announced 1st of August as an opening date back in March, I immediately issued my First Class return tickets to the City of Light, risking the usual opening delay. A man of his word, Peninsula Paris finally opened as scheduled.
HISTORY
The Peninsula brand needs no introduction, as it is synonymous with quality, technology, innovation, craftsmanship and sophistication, -much like a slogan for French top brands and their savoir faire. Despite having only 10 current properties worldwide in its portfolio (Paris is its tenth), each Peninsula hotel is a market leader in each respective cities, and consistently tops the chart in many bonafide travel publications and reigns supreme as the world's best, especially elder sisters in Hong Kong and Bangkok. The Peninsula model is different from other rival hotel groups, which usually expand aggressively through both franchise and managed models worldwide. Instead, the Peninsula focuses on acquiring majority to sole ownership on all its properties to ensure control on quality (Hong Kong, New York, Chicago and Tokyo are 100% owned; Bangkok, Beijing and Manila are over 75%; Shanghai is 50%, while Beverly Hills and Paris are the only two with only 20% ownership).
The history of the Peninsula Paris could be traced back to a modest villa aptly called Hotel Basilevski on the plot of land at 19 Avenue Kleber back in 1864, -named after its Russian diplomat owner, Alexander Petrovich Basilevski, which caught the attention of hotelier Leonard Tauber for his prospective hotel project. The Versailles-styled property was partly a museum housing Basilevski's vast and impressive collection of 19th century medieval and Renaissance art, which eventually was acquired by Alexander III, -a Russian Tsar, at the sums of six millions francs. These collections were later transported to the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, and formed the base collection for the newly established Department of Medieval and Renaissance Art. After Basilevski sold the villa and moved to a more palatial residence at Avenue du Trocadero, the property was then acquired and rebranded the Palais de Castille as the residence of the exiled Queen Isabella II of Spain in 1868, who seeked refuge and continued to live there until 1904. Upon her death, the property was later demolished in 1906 to make way for the Majestic hotel, which finally opened in 1908 with much satisfaction of Leonard Tauber, who has eyed the premise from the very beginning.
The Majestic Hotel was exquisitely designed in the Beaux-Art style as a grand hotel by prominent architect of that time, Armand Sibien. Together with The Ritz (circa 1898), the two became the most preferred places to stay and entertain in Paris of the time. The Majestic has attracted the well-heeled crowd, and hosted many high profile events, most notably for a particular dinner hosted by rich British couple Sydney and Violet Schiff on 18 May 1922 as the after party of Igor Stravinsky's 'Le Renard' ballet premiere, and the hotel becomes an instant legend. The guests list were impressive: Igor Stravinsky himself, Pablo Picasso, Sergei Diaghilev, and two of the 20th century most legendary writers: James Joyce and Marcel Proust, who met for the first and only time before Proust's death six months later. Since then, the Majestic continued to draw high profile guests, including George Gershwin on 25 March 1928, where he composed "An American in Paris" during the stay.
If the walls could talk, the Majestic has plenty of stories to tell. It was once converted into a hospital during the infamy in 1914, and the British took residency at the hotel during the Paris Peace Conference back in 1919. The hotel was then acquired by the French State in 1936 as the offices of the Ministry of Defence; and later had a stint as the German Military High Command in France between October 1940 to July 1944 during the World War II. Post war, it then became the temporary home for UNESCO from 16 September 1946 until 1958. More than a decade after, the Paris Peace talks was opened by Henry Kissinger in one of its spectacular Ballrooms in 1969 with the Northern Vietnamese. Four years later, the Paris Peace Accord was finally signed at the oak paneled-room next to the Ballroom on 27 January 1973, which ended the Vietnam War. This triumphant event has also led to another victorious event when Henry Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize that same year.
The hotel continued to serve as the International Conference Center of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs until it was up for sale by the government in 2008 as part of the cost cutting program to the Qatari Diar, -which later transferred its ownership to Katara Hospitality, for a staggering USD 460 million. An excess of USD 600 million was further spent on the massive rebuilding and refurbishment not only to restore the hotel to its former glory, but also to transform it into a Peninsula with the highest standard.
The epic restoration work was led by prominent French architect, Richard Martinet, who has also previously work with the restoration of Prince Roland Bonaparte's former mansion into the Shangri-La Paris and also the Four Seasons George V; and involved teams of France's leading craftsmen; heritage designers and organisations; stonemasons from historic monument specialist; master glass crafters; crystal manufacturer; wood, moulding and gilder restoration experts, -many of whom are third generation, and have carried out high profile projects such as the Palace of Versailles, Louvre Museum, the dome of Les Invalides, the Grand and Petit Palais, and even the flame of the Statue of Liberty in New York. The result is truly breathtaking, and it was certainly money well spent to revive and recreate one of the nation's most treasured landmark. One of my favorite places within the hotel is the Main Lobby at Avenue des Portugais where the grand hall is adorned with a spectacular chandelier installation comprising 800 pieces of glass leaves inspired by the plane trees along Avenue Kleber. The work of Spain's most influential artist since Gaudi, Xavier Corbero, could also be found nearby in the form of a beautiful sculpture called Moon River.
Katara Hospitality owns 80% of The Peninsula Paris, and already has a spectacular portfolio ownership consisting some of the world's finest hotels, including The Raffles Singapore, Le Royal Monceau-Raffles Paris, Ritz-Carlton Doha, Schweizerhof Bern, and most recently, 5 of the InterContinental Hotel's European flagships, including Amstel in Amsterdam, Carlton in Cannes, De la Ville in Rome, Madrid and Frankfurt. It is interesting to note that Adrian Zecha, founder of the extraordinary Amanresorts chain is a member of the Board of Directors at Katara since September 2011, lending his immense hospitality expertise to the group.
At over USD 1 billion cost, the Pen Paris project is easily the most expensive to ever being built, considering it has only 200 rooms over 6 storeys. As a comparison, the cost of building the 101 storey, 494m high Shanghai World Financial Center (where the Park Hyatt Shanghai resides) is USD 1.2 billion; whereas Burj Khalifa, the current tallest building on earth at 163 storey and 828m, costed a 'modest' USD 1.5 billion to build. The numbers are truly mind boggling, and The Peninsula Paris is truly an extraordinary project. It might took the Majestic Hotel two years to build; but it took four years just to restore and reincarnate it into a Peninsula.
HOTEL OPENING
On a pleasant afternoon of 1 August 2014, the hotel finally opened its door to a crowd of distinguished guests, international journalists, first hotel guests and local crowds who partake to witness the inauguration and rebirth of a Parisian legend and grande dame (Many A-list celebrities and even Head of State flocked to the hotel to witness its sheer beauty). It was an historic day not just for Paris, but also for the Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels Group as it marks their arrival in Europe with its first ever Peninsula, while the second is already on the pipeline with the future opening of The Peninsula London, located just behind The Lanesborough at Knightsbridge.
The eagerly-awaited opening ceremony was attended by the Chairman of Katara Hospitality, His Excellency Sheikh Nawaf Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al-Thani; CEO of Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels Limited (HSH), Clement Kwok; Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, Laurent Fabius; General Manager of the Peninsula Paris, Nicolas Béliard; and the event kicked off with an opening speech by the famous French Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, the Promotion of Tourism and French Nationals Abroad, Madame Fleur Pellerin, who clearly stole the show with her public persona. A ribbon cutting and spectacular lion dance show concluded the event, which drew quite a spectacle on Avenue des Portugais as it brought a unique display of Asian heritage to the heart of cosmopolitan Paris.
LOCATION
The Peninsula Paris stands majestically at the tree-lined Avenue Kléber, just off the Arc de Triomphe. Personally, this is an ideal location in Paris as it is a stone's throw away from all the happenings at the Champs-Élysées, but is set away from its hustle and bustle, which is constantly a tourist trap day and night. Once you walk pass the leafy Avenue Kléber, the atmosphere is very different: peaceful and safe. The Kléber Metro station is just a few steps away from the hotel, providing guests a convenient access to further parts of town.
Champs-Élysées is the center of Parisian universe, and it is just a short and pleasant stroll away from the hotel, where some of the city's most legendary commercial and cultural institutions reside. For a start, Drugstore Publicis at the corner by the roundabout has been a legendary hang-out since the 1960s, and is my ultimate favourite place in town. The Post Modern edifice by architect Michele Saee (renovated in 2004) houses almost everything: a Cinema; side walk Brasserie & Steak House; Newsagency; Bookshop (you can find Travel publications and even the Michelin Guide); upscale Gift shop and Beauty corner (even Acqua di Parma is on sale here); Pharmacy (whose pharmacist thankfully speaks English and gladly advises you on your symptoms); upscale deli (stocking pretty much everything from Foie gras burger on the counter, to fine wines & cigar cellar; to Pierre Herme & Pierre Marcolini chocolates; Dalloyau bakery; Marriage Freres tea; and even the Petrossian Caviar!). Best of all, it features a 2 Michelin star L'atelier de Joel Robuchon Etoile on its basement; and the store is even opened on Sunday until 2am. It is a one stop shopping, eating and entertainment, showcasing the best of France.
Further down the road, Maison Louis Vuitton stands majestically on its own entire 7 storey building, which was opened in 2005 as one of the biggest flagship stores in the world, covering a total area of 1,800m2. Designed by Eric Carlson and Peter Marino, the entire store is an architectural marvel and the temple of luxury, elegance and sophistication. This is one of the very few stores to open in Sunday as the French Labour Unions prohibits commercial stores to open on Sunday, unless if it involves cultural, recreational and sporting aspect. Initially, Maison LV was ordered by the court to close on Sunday, but LVMH finally wins an appeal in 2007 on the grounds of cultural experience; and the store has continued to draw endless queue on Sunday.
A block away from Maison LV is the legendary Parisian Tea Room of Ladurée, which was founded in 1862 by Louis Ernest Ladurée on its original store at 16 Rue Royal as a bakery. The Champs-Élysées store was opened in 1997 and has since attracted an endless queue of tourists and locals who wish to savour its legendary Macarons and pastries. The Ladurée phenomenon and popularity could only be rivaled by fellow Frenchmen Pierre Hermé, who has also attracted a cult of loyal fans worldwide. It may not have a flagship store at Champs-Élysées, but one could easily stop by Drugstore Publicis for a quick purchase to ease the craving.
For those looking for upscale boutiques, Avenue Montaigne located just nearby on a perpendicular, and features the flagship presence of the world's finest luxury fashion labels: Armani, Bottega Veneta, Valention, Prada, Dior, Versace, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Fendi and Salvatore Ferragamo to name a few. For the ultimate in shopping extravaganza, head down to Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré where all money will (hopefully) be well spent.
Champs-Élysées is the most famous and expensive boulevard in the world, yet it has everything for everyone; and myriad of crowds flocking its grand boulevards for a pleasant stroll. It has no shortage of luxury stores, but it also offers mainstream stores for the general public, from Levi's to Zara and Lacoste; to McDonalds and Starbucks; and FNAC store (French answer to HMV).
In terms of fine dining experience, the areas around Champs-Élysées has plenty to offer. I have mentioned about the 2 Michelin L'atelier de Joel Robuchon Etoile at the Drugstore Publicis, which was excellent. Robuchon never disappoints as it consistently serves amazing French cuisine amidst its signature red and black interior everywhere I visited, including Tokyo (3 Michelin), Hong Kong (3 Michelin), Paris (2 Michelin) and Taipei.
During my stay, I also managed to sample the finest cuisine from the kitchens of two, 3-Michelin Paris institutions: Pierre Gagnaire at Rue Balzac, just off Champs-Élysées; and Epicure at Le Bristol by Chef Eric Frechon on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, which was undoubtedly the best and most memorable dining experiences I have ever had in Paris to date. It is certainly the gastronomic highlight of this trip.
Other 3 Michelin establishment, such as Ledoyen is also located nearby at an 18th century pavilion by the Gardens of Champs-Élysées by newly appointed famous French Chef Yannick Alléno, who previously also resided at the Le Meurice with 3 Michelin, until Alain Ducasse took over last year during the Plaza Athénée closure for expansion.
August is a time of misery for international visitors to Paris as most fine dining restaurants are closed for the summer holiday. When choices are limited, foodies could rely on Epicure and Robuchon, which are opened all year round; and also the 2 Michelin star Le Cinq at the Four Seasons George V. Although its food could not compete with Robuchon, Epicure and Gagnaire, guests could still enjoy the beautiful surroundings.
ROOMS:
On my visit to Paris last year, I was not too impressed with my stay at the Four Seasons George V, as everything seemed to be pretty basic: the room design; the in-room tech and amenities; and even the much lauded service. It simply does not justify the hefty price tag. The only thing stood out there were the ostentatious designer floral display at the lobby, which reportedly absorbed a six digit figure budget annually. When I saw them at the first time, this was what came to mind: guests are paying for these excessive flowers, whether you like it or not.
Fortunately, the Peninsula Paris skips all this expensive gimmick, and instead spends a fortune for guests to enjoy: advance room technology; a host of complimentary essential amenities, including internet access, non-alcoholic minibar, and even long distance phone calls. In fact, every single items inside the room has been well thought and designed for guest's ultimate comfort.
Ever since The Peninsula Bangkok opened in 1998 to much success, the group has used it as a template for its signature rooms for future sister hotels, which consists of an open plan, ultra-wide spacious room equivalent to a 2 bays suite, with 5-fixtures bathroom, and a separate Dressing Room, which soon becomes a Peninsula signature.
The Peninsula Tokyo followed this template when it opened in 2007 to rave reviews; and it was soon adopted as a model for Peninsula Shanghai, which later opened in 2009 as the flagship property in Mainland China. This layout is also being applied at The Peninsula Paris, albeit for its Suites categories, i.e. Junior Suite, which measure at an astonishing 50 - 60m2. The entry level Superior and Deluxe Rooms lack the signature layout with smaller size at 35 - 45m2, but they are already spacious for a Parisian standard; and each is equipped with Peninsula's signature technology.
Technology is indeed at the core of the Peninsula DNA, and no expense is spared in creating the world's most advance in-room technology. When other hotels try to cut costs and budgets on in-room technology with lame excuses, the Peninsula actually spends a fortune to innovate and set a new benchmark. In fact, it is probably the only hotel group to have its own Technology laboratory at a secret location deep inside Aberdeen, Hong Kong, where in-room tech is being developed and tested. It was here where innovative devices, such as the outside temperature indicator; my favourite Spa Button by the bathtub; or even the portable nail dryer for the ladies are invented. The Peninsula took the world by storm when it introduced the Samsung Galaxy tablet device at the Peninsula Hong Kong in 2012, which is programmed in 11 languages and virtually controls the entire room, including the lights, temperature, curtains, TV, radio, valet calls and Do Not Disturb sign. It even features touch screen Room Service Menu, hotel information, city guide, and a function to request room service and housekeeping items, thus creating an entirely paperless environment.
All these technological marvel are also being replicated at the Peninsula Paris, together with other 'standard' features, such as Nespresso Coffee Machine; flat-screen 3D LED television; LED touch screen wall panels; an iPod/iPad docking station; memory card reader; 4-in1 fax/scanner/printer/photocopier machine; DVD player; complimentary in-house HD movies; complimentary internet access and long distance calls through the VOIP platform. Even the room's exterior Parisian-styled canopy is electronically operated. All these technological offerings is so extremely complex, that it resulted in 2.5 km worth of cabling in each room alone.
Bathroom at the Junior Suite also features Peninsula's signature layout: a stand alone bathtub as the focal point, flanked by twin vanities and separate shower and WC compartments amidst acres of white marble. Probably the first in Paris, it features a Japanese Toilet complete with basic control panel, and a manual handheld bidet sprayer.
When all these add up to the stay, it actually brings a very good value to the otherwise high room rates. Better yet, the non-alcoholic Minibar is also complimentary, which is a first for a Peninsula hotel. The Four Seasons George V may choose to keep looking back to its antiquity past and annihilate most technological offerings to its most basic form, but the Pen always looks forward to the future and brings the utter convenience, all at your finger tip. The Peninsula rooms are undoubtedly the best designed, best equipped and most high-tech in the entire universe.
ROOM TO BOOK:
The 50 - 60m2 Junior Suite facing leafy Avenue Kléber is the best room type to book as it is an open-plan suite with Peninsula's signature bathroom and dressing room; and the ones located on the Premiere étage (first floor) have high ceilings and small balcony overlooking Kleber Terrace's iconic glass canopy. Personally, rooms facing the back street at Rue La Pérouse are the least preferred, but its top level rooms inside the Mansart Roof on level 5 have juliet windows that allow glimpse of the tip of Eiffel Tower despite being smaller in size due to its attic configuration. Superior Rooms also lack the signature Peninsula 5 fixtures bathroom configuration, so for the ultimate bathing experience, make sure to book at least from the Deluxe category.
If money is no object, book one of the five piece-de-resistance suites with their own private rooftop terrace and gardens on the top floor, which allow 360 degree panoramic views of Paris. Otherwise, the mid-tier Deluxe Suite is already a great choice with corner location, multiple windows and 85m2 of pure luxury.
DINING:
Looking back at the hotel's illustrious past, the Peninsula offers some of the most unique and memorable dining experiences in Paris, steep in history.
The area that once housed Igor Stravinksy's after party where James Joyce met Marcel Proust for the first time is now the hotel's Cantonese Restaurant, aptly called LiLi; and is led by Chef Chi Keung Tang, formerly of Peninsula Tokyo's One Michelin starred Hei Fung Terrace. Lili was actually modeled after Peninsula Shanghai's Yi Long Court, but the design here blends Chinese elements with Art Nouveau style that flourished in the late 1920s. It also boasts a world first: a spectacular 3x3.3m fiber optic installation at the entrance of the restaurant, depicting the imaginary portrait of LiLi herself. The Cantonese menu was surprisingly rather simple and basic, and features a selection of popular dim sum dishes. The best and most memorable Chinese restaurants I have ever experienced are actually those who masterfully fuse Chinese tradition with French ingredients: Jin Sha at the Four Seasons Hangzhou at Westlake; 2 Michelin Tin Lung Heen at Level 102 of the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong; Jiang at Mandarin Oriental Guangzhou by Chef Fei; and Ya Ge at Mandarin Oriental Taipei. Ironically, the world's only 3 Michelin star Chinese restaurant, Lung King Heen at the Four Seasons Hong Kong failed to impress me.
The former Ballroom area where Henry Kissinger started the Paris Peace talks with the Vietnamese has now been transformed as The Lobby, which is a signature of every Peninsula hotels where the afternoon tea ritual takes place daily. The spectacular room with intricate details and crystal chandeliers has been meticulously restored, and is an ideal place to meet, see and be seen. Breakfast is served daily here, and guests could choose to have it either inside or outside at the adjoining al fresco La Terrasse Kléber, which connects all the F&B outlets on the ground floor, including Lili. Guests could choose from a Chinese set breakfast, which includes dim sum, fried vermicelli, and porridge with beef slices; or the Parisian set, which includes gourmet items such as Egg Benedict with generous slices of Jamon Iberico on top. The afternoon tea ritual is expected to be very popular as renowned Chef Pattissier Julien Alvarez, -who claimed the World Pastry Champion in 2009; and also the Spanish World Chocolate Master in 2007 at the tender age of 23, is at the helm; and the venue quickly booked out from the opening day.
Next to the Lobby is a small, intimate bar covered in exquisite oak panelling where Henry Kissinger signed the Paris Peace Accord back in 1973 that ended the Vietnam War. Kissinger politely declined the offer to have the Bar named after him, and instead it is simply called Le Bar Kléber.
On the top floor of the hotel lies the signature restaurant L'Oiseau Blanc, which is named after the French biplane that disappeared in 1927 in an attempt to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight between Paris and New York. A 75% replica of the plane has even been installed outside the main entrance of the restaurant with the Eiffel Tower on its background. The restaurant is divided into 3 distinct areas: a spectacular glass enclosed main dining room; a large outdoor terrace that runs the entire length of the hotel's roof; and an adjoining lively bar, all with breathtaking uninterrupted views of Paris' most identifiable landmarks, including the Eiffel Tower and the Sacré-Cœur at the highest point of the city at Montmartre.
L'Oiseau Blanc is led by Chef Sidney Redel, a former protégé of Pierre Gagnaire, and serves contemporary French cuisine focussing on 'terroir' menu of locally sourced seasonal ingredients from the region. During my stay, tomato was the seasonal ingredients, and Chef Redel created four courses incorporating tomato, even on dessert. While the food was of high quality, personally the menu still needs fine tuning, considering the sort of clientele the Pen is aiming for: the ultra rich (Chinese), who usually seek top establishments with luxury ingredients, such as caviar, black truffle, foie gras, blue lobster, Jamon Iberico, Wagyu beef, Kurobuta pork and Challans chicken.
LEISURE:
The Peninsula Paris features one of the best health and recreational facilities in the city, housed within the basement of the hotel, and covers an expansive area of 1,800m2. For a comparison, rival Mandarin Oriental Spa covers a total area of only 900m2 over two floors. The Peninsula Spa is undoubtedly one of the nicest urban spa that I have been to, it easily beats the Spa at the Four Seasons George V. The pool is also one of the city's largest at 22m long, -compared to both the Shangri-La and Mandarin Oriental at 15m; the George V at only 9m, which is more like a bigger jacuzzi. The only two other pools better than the Peninsula is the one designed by Phillippe Starck at the Le Royal Monceau at 28m; and the spectacular grand pool at the Ritz.
There is the usual 24 hours gym within two fitness spaces equipped with Technogym machines and free weights; and the locker rooms features steam, sauna, and experience shower room. There is a total of 8 treatment rooms within the Spa area, and the highlight is certainly the Relaxation Room, which is equipped with amazing day beds with specially placed deep cushions. The best part? the beds are electronically operated, much like a first class seat on a plane.
X-FACTOR:
The Peninsula signature technology; The Spa Button in the bathroom; VOIP technology for complimentary long distance calls; The top suites (Historic, Katara and Peninsula Suites); Xavier Corbero's Moon River sculpture at the Lobby; Lili; The Lobby and Bar where Henry Kissinger signed Paris Peace Accord; L'Oiseau Blanc Restaurant; The 1,800m2 Peninsula Spa; and the 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II.
SERVICE:
There are a total of 600 staffs for just 200 rooms, so the service level is expected to be high; but it is perhaps unfair to judge the service during the opening weeks when all staffs were not at their best due to the intense preparation leading to the opening event. Furthermore, teething problems are expected for a newly opened hotel as great hotels are not born overnight, but takes a good few years of refinement.
Nonetheless, I was actually quite impressed with the level of service during the whole stay, as the majority of the staffs showed great attitude and much enthusiasm, which is a testament of great intense training. As one of the first guests arriving on the opening day, check-in was truly delightful and memorable as a battalion of staffs of different ranks welcomed and wished the most pleasant stay. The mood could not have been more festive as moments later, the hotel was finally inaugurated.
I was also particularly impressed with the service at both LiLi and The Lobby where staffs performed at an exceptional level like a veteran. There are two distinct qualities that made a lot of difference during the stay: humility and friendliness, which is quite a challenge to find, not only in Paris and the entire Europe, but even in Asian cities, such as Hong Kong. It is like finding needles in a haystack. A genuine smile seems to be a rare commodity these days, so I was happy to see plenty of smiles at the Peninsula Paris during the stay, from the signature Peninsula Pageboys to waiters, Maître d, receptionists and even to Managers and Directors. In fact, there were more smiles in Paris than Hong Kong.
When I woken up too early for breakfast one day, the restaurant was just about to open; and there were hardly anyone. I realized that even the birds were probably still asleep, but I was extremely delighted to see how fresh looking and energetic the staffs were at the dining room. There was a lot of genuine smile that warmed the rather chilly morning; and it was a great start to the day. One of the staffs I met during the stay even candidly explained how they were happy just to be at work, and it does not feel like working at all, which was clearly shown in their passion and enthusiasm.
That said, the Shangri-La Paris by far is still my top pick for best service as it is more personalized and refined due to its more intimate scale. The Shangri-La Paris experience is also unique as guests are welcomed to a sit down registration by the historic lounge off the Lobby upon arrival, and choice of drinks are offered, before being escorted to the room for in-room check-in. Guests also receive a Pre-Arrival Form in advance, so the hotel could anticipate and best accommodate their needs. During the stay, I was also addressed by my last name everywhere within the hotel, so it was highly personalized. I did receive similar treatment at The Peninsula Paris, -albeit in a lesser extent due to its size; and even the housekeeping greeted me by my last name. Every requests, from room service to mineral water were all handled efficiently at a timely manner. At times, service could be rather slow at the restaurants (well, it happens almost everywhere in Paris), but this is part of the Parisian lifestyle where nothing is hurried; and bringing bills/checks upfront is considered rude. I did request the food servings to be expedited during a lunch at LiLi on the last day due to the time constraint; and the staffs managed to succeed the task not only ahead of the time limit, but also it never felt hurried all along. Everything ran as smooth as silk.
VERDICT:
It was a personal satisfaction to witness the history in the making during the opening day on 1 August 2014, as the Peninsula Paris is my most eagerly awaited hotel opening of the decade. It was also historic, as it was a first in my travel to dedicate a trip solely for a particular hotel in a particular city (in this case Paris, some 11,578km away from home), without staying at other fine hotels. It was money well spent, and a trip worth taking as it was an amazing stay; and certainly a lifetime experience.
The Peninsula Paris could not have arrived at a better time, as two of the most established Parisian grande dames (Ritz and de Crillon) are still closed for a complete renovation, and will only be revealed in 2015; so there is plenty of time to adapt, grow and hone its skills. But with such pedigree, quality and illustrious history, the Pen really has nothing to be worried about. The Four Seasons George V seems to have a cult of highly obsessed fans (esp. travel agents) worldwide, but personally (and objectively), it is no match to the Peninsula. Based on physical product alone, the Pen wins in every aspect as everything has been meticulously designed with the focus on guest comfort and convenience. In terms of technology, the Pen literally has no rival anywhere on the planet, except from the obvious sibling rivalry.
The only thing that the Pen still needs to work on is its signature restaurants as all its rival hotels have at least 2 Michelin star restaurants (L'abeille at the Shangri-La; Sur Mesure at the Mandarin Oriental; and 3 Michelin at Epicure, Le Bristol; Le Cinq at the Four Seasons George V and Alain Ducasse at Le Meurice). L'Oiseau Blanc design is truly breathtaking and would certainly be the most popular gastronomic destination in Paris, but at the moment, the food still needs some works.
There were the expected teething problems and some inconsistencies with the service; but with years of refinement, The Peninsula Paris will no doubt ascend the throne. Personally, the Shangri-La Paris is currently the real competitor, together with the upcoming Ritz and de Crillon when they open next year, especially when Rosewood has taken over Crillon management and Karl Lagerfeld is working on its top suites. The two, however, may still need to revisit the drawing boards and put more effort on the guestrooms if they ever want to compete; because at the moment, The Peninsula Paris is simply unrivaled.
UPDATE 2016:
*I have always been very spot-on with my predictions. After only two years since its opening, The Peninsula Paris has been awarded the much coveted Palace status. In fact, it is the only hotel in Paris to receive such distinction in 2016. Congratulations, it is very much deserving*
PERSONAL RATING:
1. Room: 100
2. Bathroom: 100
3. Bed: 100
4. Service: 90
5. In-room Tech: 100
6. In-room Amenities: 100
7. Architecture & Design: 100
8. Food: 80
9. View: 80
10. Pool: 95
11. Wellness: 95
12. Location: 95
13. Value: 100
Overall: 95.00
Compare with other Parisian hotels (all with Palace status) that I have stayed previously:
SHANGRI-LA HOTEL, PARIS: 95.00
PARK HYATT PARIS-VENDOME: 90.00
My #1 ALL TIME FAVORITE HOTEL
LANDMARK MANDARIN ORIENTAL, HONG KONG: 95.38
THE PENINSULA, PARIS
19, Avenue Kléber, Paris
Awarded Palace Status in 2016
General Manager: Nicolas Béliard
Hotel Manager: Vincent Pimont
Executive Chef: Jean-Edern Hurstel
Head Chef (Lili): Chi Keung Tang
Head Chef (L'oiseau Blanc): Sidney Redel
Head Chef (The Lobby): Laurent Poitevin
Chef Patissier: Julien Alvarez
Architect (original Majestic Hotel, circa 1908): Armand Sibien
Architect (renovation & restoration, 2010-2014): Richard Martinet
Interior Designer: Henry Leung of Chhada Siembieda & Associates
Landscape Designer: D. Paysage
Art Curator: Sabrina Fung
Art Restorer: Cinzia Pasquali
Artist (Courtyard installation): Ben Jakober & Yannick Vu
Crystal work: Baccarat
Designer (Lili fiber optic installation): Clementine Chambon & Francoise Mamert
Designer (Chinaware): Catherine Bergen
Gilder Specialist & Restorer: Ateliers Gohard
Glass Crafter (Lobby Installation): Lasvit Glass Studio
Master Glass Crafters: Duchemin
Master Sculptor (Lobby): Xavier Corbero
Metalwork: Remy Garnier
Plaster & Moulding Expert: Stuc et Staff
Silverware: Christofle
Silk & Trimmings: Declercq Passementiers
Wood Restoration Expert: Atelier Fancelli
Hotel Opening Date: 01 August 2014
Notable owners: Katara Hospitality; Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels Group (HSH)
Total Rooms & Suites: 200 (including 35m2 Superior, 45m2 Deluxe, 50m2 Grand Deluxe, 55m2 Premier and 60m2 Grand Premier Rooms)
Total Suites: 34 Suites (including 70m2 Superior, 85m2 Deluxe and 100m2 Premier
Top Suites: Historic Suite, Katara Suite, and The Peninsula Suite
Bathroom Amenities: Oscar de la Renta
Restaurants: The Lobby (All day dining & Afternoon tea), LiLi (Cantonese), L'Oiseau Blanc (French), La Terrasse Kléber
Bars and Lounges: Le Bar Kléber; Kléber Lounge; Cigar Lounge; and L'Oiseau Blanc Bar
Meeting & Banquets: Salon de l'Étoile for up to 100 guests, and 3 smaller Function Rooms
Health & Leisure: 24 hours gym & 1,800m2 Peninsula Spa with 22m indoor swimming pool and jacuzzis; Steam & Sauna, Relaxation Room, and 8 treatment rooms
Transport: chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce Extended Wheel Base Phantom; a 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II; 2 MINI Cooper S Clubman; and a fleet of 10 BMW 7 Series
Complimentary facilities: Non-alcoholic Minibar; Wired and Wireless Internet; VOIP long distance calls; HD Movies; Daily fruit Basket; International Newspaper; Chauffeured MINI Cooper S Clubman for Suites guests; and Chauffeured Rolls Royce for top Suites
paris.peninsula.com
Pittsburgh, PA. April 2017.
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If you would like to use THIS picture in any sort of media elsewhere (such as newspaper or article), please send me a Flickrmail or send me an email at natehenderson6@gmail.com
Well, it stood to reason I wouldn't get photos of the actual restroom renovation. Sadly though, I didn't get photos prior to the renovation starting either (I don't believe it was still the original Seessel's décor though).
I'll try to keep an eye on things here though, to see if anything else of interest happens. In the meantime, have another music list, but first (while I'm browsing the photoset I linked to in the previous photo), check out this exterior overview of Southaven Superlo. Sadly though, the You fit Health Club (seen on the right in that linked photo) was yet another victim of the pandemic.
Oh yeah, here's the music:
Red (End of Silence) - Lost (Acoustic)
Cavo (Bright Nights Dark Days) - Blame
Thin Lizzy (Heart Attack) - Cold Sweat
AC-DC (Flick of the Switch) - Bedlam in Belgium
Van Halen (Van Halen) - Feel Your Love Tonight
Volbeat (Outlaw Gentelmen & Shady Ladies) - Black Bart
James Taylor (Hourglass) - Jump Up Behind Me
Steven Wilson (Grace for Drowning) - Index
Default (The Fallout (Limited Edition)) - By Your Side
Foo Fighters (Foo Fighters) - This Is a Call
Journey (Escape) - Don’t Stop Believin’
The Beatles (The Beatles (White Album, CD1)) - While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Thin Lizzy (Jailbreak) - Cowboy Song
Trapt (Trapt) - New Beginning
Kate Bush (The Whole Story) - Wow
Avenged Sevenfold (City of Evil) - Blinded in Chains
Mike Shinoda (Post Traumatic) - Running from My Shadow
Tool (Undertow) - Flood
This was on an education trail, where it was possible to try out woodcraft techniques using different tools and instruments. This particular hut focused on cutting and gathering while another along the trail had different instruments for preparing and finishing the wood.
ACCESS September round round
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NASA PHOTO KSC-69PC-238
VIA J.L. Pickering. REMASTERED by Dan Beaumont.
NASA INFO: The Apollo 11 rocket towers over the Kennedy Space Center’s crawlerway during the May 20, 1969 rollout from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39A. The Saturn V launched astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin on the first lunar landing mission two months later.
By Bob Granath,
NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
Construction of the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida began a half-century ago this summer. After serving through the Apollo and Space Shuttle Programs, the mammoth structure now is undergoing renovations to accommodate future launch vehicles and to continue as a major part of America's efforts to explore space for another 50 years.
Construction began with driving the first steel pilings on Aug. 2, 1963. It was part of NASA's massive effort to send astronauts to the moon for the Apollo Program. Altogether, 4,225 pilings were driven down 164 feet to bedrock with a foundation consisting of 30,000 cubic yards of concrete. Construction of the VAB required 98,590 tons of steel.
When completed in 1965, the VAB was one of the largest buildings in the world with 129,428,000 cubic feet of interior volume. The structure covers eight acres, is 525 feet tall and 518 feet wide.
To accommodate moving, processing and stacking rocket stages, 71 cranes and hoists, including two 250-ton bridge cranes were installed. On the east and west sides are four high bay doors, each designed to open 456 feet in height allowing rollout of the Apollo/Saturn V moon rockets mounted atop launch umbilical towers.The VAB was constructed 3.5 miles from Launch Pad 39A and 4.2 miles from Launch Pad 39B. A pair of crawler-transporters, among the largest machines ever built to move on land, carried the assembled rockets to the pads.
After the conclusion of Apollo in the 1970s, the building was refurbished to accommodate the space shuttle. Inside the VAB, the shuttle solid rocket boosters were stacked atop a mobile launcher platform. The external fuel tank was attached between the two boosters and the shuttle mounted to the tank. Following three decades of flight, the shuttle was retired in 2011.
Modifications of the VAB are underway to support the Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft, which also will result in the ability to process multiple launch vehicle types. SLS will be the agency’s advanced heavy-lift launch vehicle providing a new capability for human exploration beyond Earth orbit. However, NASA also is partnering with private industry on launch vehicle and spacecraft development options for taking astronauts to low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station.
Last year shuttle-era work platforms were removed from the VAB's High Bay 3 as a project of Ground Systems Development and Operations, or GSDO, to accommodate the SLS heavy-lift rocket.
According to Jose Lopez, the VAB senior project manager in the Vehicle Integration and Launch Support Branch of GSDO, the changes are part of a centerwide modernization and refurbishment initiative in preparation for the next generation of human spaceflight.
Lopez noted that some of the utilities and systems scheduled for replacement at the VAB have been used since the facility was originally built. This initial work is required to support any launch vehicle operated from Launch Complex 39 and will allow NASA to begin modernizing the facilities while vehicle-specific requirements are being developed.
Plans for 2014 include awarding the construction contract for new access platforms, including structures and systems required for the SLS.
Some of the current work has included removal of over 150 miles of obsolete Apollo- and shuttle-era cabling. This will make room for installation of more efficient, state-of-the-art command, communication, control and power systems needed to perform testing and verification prior to the SLS and other rockets being rolled out to the launch pad.
As plans move ahead to outfit the VAB with the new infrastructure, code upgrades and safety improvements, the building will continue in its role as a central hub for the Florida spaceport well into the future.
March Point. Padilla Bay/Fidalgo Bay.
"One of the largest Great Blue Heron colonies in Western North America, this island of forest sits between Padilla and Fidalgo Bays. Vera and Bud Kinney donated this property to Skagit Land Trust in 1994 to protect the nesting herons. With the cooperation of neighboring landowners, each year, Skagit Land Trust conducts a nest count in the heronry. 546 heron nests were counted in 2016 in this relatively small area, which provides easy access to feeding grounds for the herons. Unfortunately, the Trust does not have access to all neighboring property, and therefore some heron nests are uncounted. The overall trend, however, shows increasing number of heron nests in the colony on Skagit Land Trust property and the property to which we have access -- and there are likely to be hundreds more nests on the adjacent property to which we do not have access." March Point Heronry
Passing through Knottingley one Wednesday enabled me to catch up with an obscure service I had been meaning to photograph since it started. B L Travel based in Kinsley operate services to Wakefield and Pontefract using a selection of Optares and the venerable Volvo B6s but less well known is the Wednesday & Saturday only 420 from Cridling Stubbs to Knottingley & Pontefract with only one journey in each direction. A WYCA owned access bus optare solo seems to be regular vehicle, interesting as Cridling Stubbs is in North Yorkshire...the famous A4 paper is just about visible in the nearside window reading "Pontefract 420" as the vehicle passes over the old A1 at Knottingley.
© Andy Brandl (2014) // PhotonMix Photography // Andy Brandl @ Getty Images
Don´t redistribute - don´t use on webpages, blogs or any other media without my explicit written permission.
See my "profile" page for my portfolio´s web address and information regarding licensing of this image for personal or commercial use.
Parachilna.
Surprisingly the town, of just 24 blocks, was surveyed in 1863 near a waterhole before there was even widespread pastoral lease holders in the Flinders Ranges but it was an important stopping point on the route from Port Augusta to the Blinman copper mines. The government well was there to provide water for pastoralists and stock drovers wanting to get to the Northern Flinders or Gammon. But more significant was the fact that the town provided access to the copper mines at Blinman which were discovered in 1859. Parachilna Gorge provided a shorter route through fewer hills to get to Blinman than other routes. More survey work was done around Parachilna in 1873 and small leaseholds were offered for sale. The Hundred of Nilpena was declared in 1877 yet no development occurred. Things changed when the great northern railway came here in 1882 on its route to Farina. The line was built a few kilometres to the west and so the government settlement of Parachilna followed market forces and moved west as well. The Parachilna siding was built in 1881 in anticipation of the railway. The Prairie Hotel moved near the siding around 1882 and the current stone hotel was built in 1905. A Post Office followed and in 1890 the government surveyed a second town of Parachilna. It never grew and the main building left today is the Parachilna Prairie Hotel known for its Flinders feral food menu (camel, goat, kangaroo and emu), its Aboriginal art gallery, Flinders foods and coffee in the hotel bar. The hotel also has some Ediacaran fossils displays of early jellyfish like organisms which emerged about 540 to 555 million years ago. These Nilpena fossils are the first known multi-organisms on earth and are of international importance and significance. The publicans own and run Nilpena Station to the west of the settlement. Near the hotel are the heritage listed Parachilna fettlers cottages and the sculpture garden of some Ediacaran fossils. At one time the town had a general store and a school from the early 20th century. It closed a few years ago.
Up in the Flinders Ranges behind the hotel is Edeowie Gorge with its Edeowie natural glass. This slag-like opaque rock or lechatelierite is found in clay baked layers which have been subjected to mineralization and oxidation. In Parachilna Gorge east of the town some land was donated to the Soldiers’ T.B. Aid Society to establish a tuberculosis sanatorium in the pristine air there. Partly due to the efforts of Ella Cleggett the Angorichina hostel opened in 1927 and treated patients until 1973. It is now a hostel for travellers. Also east of Parachilna in the Brachina Gorge is where the Ediacaran fossils were found in quartzite rocks. These marine animals occurred within the strata and are the oldest evidence of living organisms on earth. Stromatolites made up of mats of algae are the oldest forms of life but they had no bone structure or sexual reproduction. As marine fossils emerged they ate the stromatolites and stromatolites almost became extinct. But it was they that allowed the formation of the Ediacara fauna or fossil animals which are the oldest creatures one earth. They emerged about 600 million years ago. Once stranded in pools they were fossilised into the rocks. These organisms include jellyfish, worms and other soft bodied marine creatures that differ from the algae in stromatolites because they have soft bone like structures which give them a defined shape. These multicellular organisms were the first one earth to have sexual interaction. The rocks in which the fossils were preserved are about 600 million years old. SA declared the Ediacara Conservation Park in 2007 although the fossils were discovered decades before by Reg Sprigg and documented in 1946. Also in 2007 the fossil site was added to the Australian National Heritage List. Many specimens of these world important fossils are held in the SA Museum collections. There are other sites around the world with Ediacara fossils, using this same name, from North and South America, Africa, Europe and Asia. These fossils had to be protected because there is an international market for the sale of these rare fossils and many were stolen from this region for commercial profit before 2007.
ACCESS March round
March 12 - April 8th
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ACCESS April round
April 12th - May 8th
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ACCESS July round
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