North America biggest mall

At first glance, it seemed like any other large shopping center. Then I saw giant the roller coaster.

Edmonton, the provincial capital of Alberta, Canada, doesn't seem like the sort of place that would be home to North America's largest mall, but here it is. In a city of less than a million people, this huge surbuban complex has become the city's best-known landmark.

West Edmonton Mall is, to some degree, just like Australia's mammoth shopping centres - endless lanes of chain stores selling electronics, homewares and clothes, clothes, clothes - but there are a few factors that set it apart, such as the indoor amusement park (complete with rollercoaster), the enormous water park and the resident sea lions (seriously).

These extra features mean the mall has more in common with some of the mega-casino complexes in Las Vegas than with your typical shopping centre (and, yes, there's a casino here too). But first and foremost, my girlfriend and I are here to shop. We're nearing the end of our Canadian trip and it's time to start picking up souvenirs and gifts (mainly for ourselves). In fact, every time I had been dragged into a store elsewhere in Canada I'd used the Edmonton visit as a get-out clause.

"Don't buy that now! Wait until we get to the mall," I'd say, and it worked a treat.

On the negative side, I was now paying for it by being dragged into many of the mall's 800 stores to look at handbags, dresses and boots. For the most part, the mall's fashion stores tend to be well-known chains, some available in Australia (Espirit, French Connection, Hugo Boss) some not (Gap, Banana Republic and the seemingly much sought-after Zara). If you're looking for unique or local fashions, the mall's probably not the best place to find them. Edmonton also boasts the very funky Whyte Avenue, which is populated by an endless parade of hip young things and is home to a multitude of cool stores, bars and restaurants.

Back at the mall, I was beginning to discover what sets it apart from Chadstone. The first thing I saw was the ice-skating rink. A huge space in the centre of the mall, it's where young Edmontonians come to show off their skills on the ice. They leap, spin and occasionally fall over, but for the most part they're exceptionally good. You probably have to be, because the rink is open to the rest of the mall, meaning shoppers can stop and watch while they sip their Tim Horton's coffee.

More unusual than the skating rink was the life-sized replica of Christopher Columbus's ship, the Santa Maria, sitting in an indoor lake that's reportedly the biggest in the world. Next to this was the sea lion pool, where a pair of Californian sea lions and their trainers perform free shows twice a day. The pool is next to an enclosure featuring several lemurs and a three-toed sloth. I began to realise why the mall was accredited as a zoo.

Originally opened in 1981 by the Ghermezian family (patriarch Jacob moved to Edmonton from New York and his decendents, including 30-odd grandchildren, still reportedly live in the city) the mall started with 220 stores, but within two years this had grown to 460. Over the next 16 years, at an overall cost of $C1.2 billion ($1.3 billion), it continued to grow and hold the record as the world's largest mall.

It lost that status in 2004, as Asian and Middle Eastern construction booms saw it overtaken (it now ranks as the world's fifth largest).

Still, many of the mall's stats are mind boggling. It covers 492,000 square metres and is home to the world's largest car park (room for 20,000 vehicles). There's 23,500 jobs here – on basic maths that means about 3 per cent of the city's 780,000 population works here.

So large is the place that I can believe it when a taxi driver tells me that groups of teenage girls runaway from home to come and live in the mall (I fail to see any evidence of these girls for myself). And for those visitors who really never want to leave, there's a 355-room hotel, suggestively called Fantasyland, on site.

For many, though, the mall has two major non-shopping drawcards: World Waterpark and Galaxyland.

The first, as the name suggests, is an enormous indoor water park, complete with waterslides several storeys high and the world's largest indoor wave pool. Even though it's a warm day outside, this indoor oasis is packed with families enjoying fun in the … skylight. Not wanting to pack wet togs when we depart in the morning, we opt to give the water park a miss and head instead to Galaxyland.

Galaxyland claims to be the world's largest indoor amusement park, but a first glance at the carousel and toy train it all seems a little smaller and, well, kiddie-sized compared with outdoor parks. But that's before step into the rear section and see the rollercoaster. Called the Mindbender, it's 14 storeys high with three loops and yet, like all the attractions here, it's indoors.

Now, I may be in my mid-30s, but I still love a good rollercoaster. And yet, I like to watch it go around a few times before biting the bullet and getting on board. Unfortunately, it looks like the Mindbender isn't running, as we wait around for several minutes and see no activity. But just as we're about to give up, we see people boarding. Turns out that, as it's a Monday, it's just quiet. We head downstairs and are first in line for the next ride.

As far as rollercoasters go, it's a good one. As we rapidly ascend to the apex at the beginning of the ride, we're treated to a window view out across the top of the mall. Then, the plunge kicks in and we're also turned upside down.

After we can walk straight again, we take on a couple of the tamer rides in the park, before remembering what we came here for in the first place: shopping.

We've been here for hours and still haven't bought a thing. As my girlfriend takes me through another series of clothing shops, I spot a couple of good-looking bargain shirts and a jumper. After the purchase, I lead the shopping stakes 3-0. It's an upset no one would have predicted.

Trading hours are running out, but my girlfriend finally finds something she likes: a bag from Urban Outfitters. Eight hundred shops later, we've come back to the very first place we went into. Still, it's best to shop around.

Craig Platt travelled as a guest of the Canadian Tourism Commission and Tourism Edmonton

Amusement parks gear up for sizzling summer

By: Nicole Sipe
Journal Register News Network

This summer there’s no better way to beat the heat and have a great time than to hit a few amusement parks. Lucky for you, four of the nation’s best amusement parks are located within easy range of Montgomery County, and they are offering all new shows and attractions to help make the best of your summer.

For those with a sweet tooth, Hersheypark is featuring a variety of new and exciting attractions. With productions like “Tap: The Show” an exhilarating display of tap dancing; “Rock the Jukebox!,” a musical ride through entertainment history; and “Frontier Frenzy” for the country and bluegrass lovers in the crowd, it’s guaranteed that you can never be bored at Hersheypark.

“There are some exciting things in store at Hersheypark this summer. We now have shows every 15 minutes, now through Aug. 28. We also have all of our old favorites, like the Boardwalk,” says Kathy Burrows, public relations manager for the park.

Along with its ever-expanding entertainment, Hersheypark boasts some of the country’s best roller coasters and rides. Thrill seekers will not want to miss “Fahrenheit,” with its 121-foot ascent and 97-degree drop at speeds of up to 58 miles per hour. Other notable coasters include the “Sooperdooperlooper,” the first looping rollercoaster on the East Coast, and the “Wildcat,” a thrilling wooden rollercoaster.

If adrenaline isn’t your style, enjoy a lazy ride on the Ferris Wheel or a relaxing twirl on the carousel. Hersheypark also knows how to beat the heat with its water rides, so don’t forget your bathing suit.

If you prefer more aggressive coasters, Six Flags Great Adventure is the place for you this summer. Home to more than a dozen roller coasters, Six Flags is a thrill-seeker’s delight. Coasters like “Batman the Ride,” “Nitro” and “Kingda Ka,” the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the world, will be sure to take your breath away.

But don’t worry about finding a babysitter, Six Flags is family-friendly. Offering four areas just for kids, like “Wiggles World” and “Bugs Bunny National Park,” it’s a guarantee that no one in the family will get bored.

And Six Flags is so much more than just an amusement park. It also offers a drive-through safari that will transport you to the deserts of Africa, the forests of North America and all the way down under to Australia. The wildlife preserve is home to more than 1,100 animals and has a nearly five-mile autotrail, allowing you to view the animals as if they were in their natural habitat.

If you want to keep it a little closer to home, Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom has everything you are looking for. Break a sweat on “Hydra: The Revenge,” the only floorless rollercoaster in Pennsylvania, or “Steel Force,” the first rollercoaster in the East to reach more than 200 feet. After you’re nice and hot, cool off at Wildwater Kingdom, which boasts more than 15 water rides — enough to keep the whole family cool.

Dorney Park also offers live shows for everyone in the family, like “Snoopy Rocks on Ice,” hosted by everyone’s favorite cartoon character; “Across America,” a musical journey from coast to coast; and “Spin,” a break-dancing extravaganza, among others.

If you’re looking to focus more on the kids this summer, Sesame Place has what you need. This summer, Sesame Place is celebrating its 30th birthday and wants everyone to get in on the celebration. For its birthday, the park is offering new shows like “Elmo Rocks!,” starring all of your favorite characters, from Elmo to Zoey to Cookie Monster and more.

As the only theme park in the country based solely on the hit children’s show “Sesame Street,” this park offers a one-of-a-kind experience.

“It’s something for parents and children to experience together. Parents who grew up watching ‘Sesame Street’ can now share that magic with their children. There’s a lot of nostalgia. Guests can use their imagination and see our colorful shows and all of their favorite furry friends,” says Paula Pritchard, public relations representative for the park.

Guests can keep cool with the park’s countless water rides, like the “Teeny Tiny Tidal Pool,” “Bert and Ernie’s Slip and Slide,” “Rubber Duckie Pond” or “Sky Splash.” If you forget your bathing suit, don’t worry; there are plenty of things to do while keeping dry, like “Ernie’s Bed Bounce,” “Monster Maze” or the “Sunny Day Carousel.”

But whatever you do, don’t miss the “Rock Around the Block Parade.” Travelling right through the heart of the park, this is your little ones’ chance to see all of their favorite “Sesame Street” characters up close and personal.

Whether you’re looking for an adrenaline rush or a long, lazy river, these four theme parks deliver everything you’re looking for, and more. Summer means warm weather, fun and family and there’s no better way to incorporate them all than hitting a few amusement parks.

The Amusement Park of Rowling

Harry Potter theme park in Orlando in the saga of RowlingPerché, then, do not create a new business that history has replenished the bank account of a “common English woman” in a heritage of more than one owned by Queen Elizabeth? Shops and twisted-rich gadgets, cards starting from Gufero and have the stamp of the village of Hogsmeade, everything has been thought of as an immense machine of fun, thanks to digital animation, really seem to be in history.
But to “extricate” in the village of magicians need a basic knowledge of the most famous and certainly the book lovers know by heart.
Refreshed with the “burrobirra” or the “pumpkin juice”, both soft drinks suitable for minors. The place is certainly the most popular restaurant “three broomsticks” in which Harry, accompanied by the cloak of invisibility, he witnessed a conversation in which it was said that the legendary bandit escaped from Azkaban was his godfather. Then again, some ’shopping’ making you choose from the wand in Ollivander’s shop (why in the world of magic wand that chooses the wizard and not the other) and do not worry if, in the toilet of women heard a whimper a girl is Moaning Myrtle! Why not go to the store of jokes Zonk, shrewdly observed by Wesley twins?
The organizers have assured the fun and, for confirmation, rumors have released three attractions: Harry Potter and the Journey prohibited; dell’ippogrifo the flight and the challenge of the dragon. In the latter the visitor relive the emotions of the tournament three wizards and dragon will choose to challenge.
A journey that will not leave fans disappointed as they were consulted on every detail, the writer and set designer Stuart Craig and Alan Gilmore. And for those who want to visit it all in complete relaxation? Just take the train to the Hogwarts Express … to climb the Nimbus 2000, in fact, must be entered in a magician magic school and not all have the appropriate prerequisites!

Save landmarks of Coney Island from Cyclone Sitt: They're precious pieces of New York Daily News

With the opening of the new Luna Park this weekend (above), Coney Island has welcomed its first new amusement park in nearly half a century. But even as Coney Island seems set to reclaim a measure of its former glory as "Playground of the World," the few remaining physical vestiges of its storied past are at risk. Thor Equities, the developer whose real estate speculation has ravaged the amusement district during the past few years, has announced plans to demolish several of Coney Island's most historically significant buildings.

The threatened buildings all date back to Coney Island's golden age. They include the amusement district's oldest remaining structure, the Grashorn Building (built in the late 1880s), and the turn-of-the-century Henderson's Music Hall, site of Harpo Marx's first public performance with his brothers Groucho and Gummo. They also include the Bank of Coney Island, a 1923 Classical Revival beauty, and the Shore Hotel, constructed around 1903 and until recently the amusement district's last operating hotel.

Demolishing these buildings would be the latest in a series of severe blows that Thor has inflicted upon Coney Island. First, Thor shut down the rides, games and other amusements along Stillwell Ave., today lined by vacant lots. Next, Thor forced closure of the famed Astroland after almost half a century as Coney Island's anchor attraction.

Apparently not content to trash present-day Coney Island, Thor CEO Joe Sitt is now seeking to erase its past. "Every one of these buildings are just horrible, rundown relics with nothing exciting about them," he told New York 1.

In truth, each of these so-called "relics" deserves protection because of its heritage value alone. Together, they form a large part of Coney Island's historic core - a strip that stretches two blocks from hot dog emporium Nathan's Famous to the landmarked Cyclone roller coaster. They provide a sense of place and contribute to the shared experience that has bound together generations of New Yorkers who grew up coming to Coney Island.

Yes, this much is true: Years of neglect have left Coney Island's historic buildings dilapidated. But that's a reason to protect them, not demolish them.

Each of the existing structures could and should be imaginatively restored. It is worth recalling that iconic New York structures like the Prospect Park Boathouse, the Ellis Island Immigration Museum and even Coney Island's own Parachute Jump were all in terrible physical condition before they were saved and became cherished landmarks. More recently, the elevated freight railway known as the High Line, once derelict and in danger of being torn down, was transformed into one of the jewels of New York City's parks system.

Rather than wipe Coney Island's slate clean, we should take this opportunity to connect with its celebrated past. Several preservation organizations have proposed the creation of a Coney Island historic district - the best way to safeguard all the historic buildings along Surf Ave. for future generations.

In the meantime, Thor must redeem itself and spare these buildings the wrecking ball. Preservation and redevelopment need not be at odds. Coney Island's rich history is what makes it a household name around the world; protecting what remains of its luminous past will help ensure that one of Brooklyn's crown jewels will have a bright future.

Rivero is spokesman for the grass-roots activist group Save Coney Island.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/06/02/2010-06-02_save_landmarks_of_coney_island_from_cyclone_sitt.html#ixzz0phtTj18s