Other books that might interest you

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  Orient Express - A Personal Journey

  James B. Sherwood

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  When the fabled Orient-Express train, which had carried the rich and the famous (as well as some highly suspicious characters) across Europe in superb style for nearly a century, was taken out of service in 1977, James B. Sherwood bought two of its 1920s luxury sleeping cars at auction. He then spent $31 million meticulously restoring the 'world's most celebrated train', which was relaunched in 1982 running along the original route of the Simplon-Orient-Express from London and Paris to Venice. Sherwood, known as 'the father of container leasing', made his first fortune from the Sea Containers company that he started in 1965. The purchase of the Hotel Cipriani in 1976 and the Orient-Express carriages a year later marked his entry into an entirely new business which became Orient-Express Hotels with fifty exceptional properties in twenty-four countries. They include the Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro, the Grand Hotel Europe in St. Petersburg, the Hotel Ritz in Madrid, Charleston Place in South Carolina, '21' Club in Manhattan and the Mount Nelson in Cape Town. Sherwood opened up the Far Eastern market with the launch of the cruise ship Road to Mandalay on the Irrawaddy River in Burma, and the Eastern & Oriental Express tourist train which operates between Singapore and Bangkok. He also led the way into Peru where Orient-Express Hotels now operates five of the country's leading hotels as well as the railways serving the 'lost city' of Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca and down to the sea. Sherwood's personal journey has been a remarkable and incident-packed one, and is told here with a dry and self-deprecating wit and an astonishing eye for detail. It took him through Yale to the Far East, where as a young lieutenant in the U.S. Navy he supported American efforts to hold back the tide of Communism which was spreading through Southeast Asia. He joined United States Lines in 1959 and was based in France where he developed one of the first container shipping operations using the passenger liners ss. United States and ss. America. He ends this book with his own personal list of what makes a great hotel. No one in the world knows more about it.

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  Fifty Places to Camp Before You...

  Chris Santella

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  Explore the world’s top spots for sleeping under the stars—includes beautiful photos, travel tips, and more!   The book features the best destinations for exploring the great outdoors and enjoying the recreational activities that make camping such a time-honored tradition—whether your preference is roughing it in nature or enjoying a campground with all the amenities, a solo hike or a family gathering around the fire.   Featuring favorite US National Parks destinations—as well as more exotic locales in Italy, Chile, France, Botswana, Thailand, Germany, and more—Fifty Places to Camp Before You Die provides photographs, helpful if-you-go information, the history behind each site, and tips useful to novice and seasoned campers alike.   “Showcases some of the world’s most beautiful campsites.” —The New York Times

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  The Mekong - Turbulent Past...

  Milton Osborne

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  A “remarkable” history of the great river of Southeast Asia (Jill Ker Conway, author of The Road from Coorain).   The Mekong River runs over nearly three thousand miles, beginning in the mountains of Tibet and flowing through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam before emptying into the China Sea. Its waters are the lifeblood of Southeast Asia, and first begot civilization on the fertile banks of its delta region at Oc Eo nearly two millennia ago.   This is the story of the peoples and cultures of the great river, from these obscure beginnings to the emergence of today’s independent nations. Drawing on research gathered over forty years, Milton Osborne traces the Mekong’s dramatic history through the rise and fall of civilizations and the era of colonization and exploration. He details the struggle for liberation during a twentieth century in which Southeast Asia has seen almost constant conflict, including two world wars, the Indochina War, the Vietnam War, and its bloody aftermath—and explores the prospects for peace and prosperity as the region enters a new millennium.   Along the way, he brings to life those who witnessed and shaped events along the river, including Chou Ta-kuan, the thirteenth-century Chinese envoy who recorded the glory of Angkor Wat, the capital of the Khmer Empire; the Iberian mercenaries Blas Ruiz and Diego Veloso, whose involvement in the intrigues of Cambodia’s royal family shook Southeast Asia’s politics in the sixteenth century; and the revolutionaries led by Ho Chi Minh, whose campaigns to liberate Vietnam from the French and unify the nation under communism changed the course of history.   “[A] pathbreaking, ecologically informed chronicle . . . A pulsating journey through the heart of Southeast Asia.” —Publishers Weekly

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  A History Lover's Guide to Houston

  Tristan Smith

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  A guide to the history of the Bayou City for Texans, visitors and armchair tourists alike. 
   
  Houston earned its international reputation as a hub for space flight and the oil industry. But visitors don't need to search out the secrets of the stars or the depths of the earth to experience the impressive legacy of the nation's fourth-largest city. Traverse the streets of downtown and find historic treasures from antebellum Texas. Venture to the outskirts to find the world’s “Eighth Wonder,” as well as the globe’s tallest stone monument and one of its largest ports. Discover why the town’s exceptional heritage of innovation, industry and architecture has sparked a movement to uncover and embrace its historic structures. Join Tristan Smith for an in-depth exploration of Houston’s historic wards.

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  Labrador Retriever Dog Bible...

  Kimberly Lawrence

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  If you want to add the best qualities of America’s top dog to your household, you’ll need to know how to avoid the potential quirks of the breed.The high popularity rating of Labrador Retrievers results from characteristics that include a large and whimsical personality, gentle nature and friendly disposition.When you find the ideal pup, and you know the right methods to bring out the best qualities, life with a Lab can prove comically unpredictable! This is a must-have guide for all beginner Labrador Retriever puppy owners and individuals who are thinking of getting a Labrador Retriever puppy.Be the best friend to your best friend by knowing what it takes to find, feed, train and raise a Labrador. America’s top dog won the rank for being an all-around companion for single owners or an entire family. But not all lifestyles will suit the needs of this spirited, attention seeking breed. Don’t look any further for a training guide. This will answer any questions you might have, and will teach you how to do everything you need plus tons more!

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  Arizona Bay Extended

  Bill Hicks

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  is Bill Hicks' portrait of life on the beach after the “big one” drops California into the Pacific Ocean. This extended version is a raw and uncut show that comprised the original Arizona Bay album. Now fully-restored, much longer, and without music, hear Arizona Bay like an audience did when it was first recorded and revel in Bill’s genius once more.

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