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The Imperial Palace, where their Majesties the Emperor and Empress reside, is situated in the center of Tokyo. The palace is surrounded by a water-filled moat and tree-covered grounds – a precious taste of nature within the bustling metropolitan city. Kokyo Gaien (Imperial Palace Outer Garden), Kokyo Higashi Gyoen (Imperial Palace East Garden) and Kita-no-maru-koen Park are all open to the public free of charge. If you wish to visit the area around the palace itself, you need to make reservations in advance. Reservations may be made over the Internet. A popular photo spot is located in front of the beautiful Niju-bashi Bridge that stretches over the moat in the outer gardens near Tokyo Station. In the vast Imperial Palace East Garden stands a stone wall that has been there since the time when the Imperial Palace was known as Edo Castle, a place where samurai warriors lived from the 17th to 19th centuries. A great favorite among tourists is the viewing of the garden’s seasonal flowers, such as azaleas and hydrangeas. In the Sannomaru-Shozo-kan (Museum of the Imperial Collections) where Emperor Hirohito’s art collection is exhibited, you will see beautiful kimonos and Japanese paintings. In Kita-no-maru-koen Park, on the north side, is the Nippon Budo-kan, famous for concerts by foreign artists, the Science Museum and the National Museum of Modern Art. The moat situated near this park is called Chidori-ga-fuchi, and it is a classic spot for viewing the glorious cherry blossoms. This is the area in Tokyo that boasts of having the largest number of people coming to view the cherry blossoms during the beginning of April. The National Theater, which presents Japanese classical performing arts such as Kabuki and Noh plays, and Kyogen (traditional short comedies), is within easy walking distance from Chidori-ga-fuchi.

– Ruins of Castle Where Maeda Family of Kaga Clan Resided In 1583, Lord Maeda Toshiie, who was Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s first retainer, moved to Kanazawa. The Maeda family resided in Kanazawa Castle and governed the Kaga Clan (the present Ishikawa and Toyama areas) for more than 280 years henceforth. The castle tower was burned down by a fire in the past and has not been rebuilt, but other fortress buildings were reconstructed repeatedly. The Ishikawamon Gate, which was rebuilt in 1788, and the Sanjikken Nagaya (50-yard-long warehouse), which was rebuilt in 1858, still remain. Both of them have been designated as Japan’s important cultural assets. The place was used as a base of the Japanese army. Later, Kanazawa University used it as a campus. The place was repaired in 1996, and the Hishiyagura (diamond-shaped turret), Gojikken Nagaya (90-yard-long warehouse), and Hashizumemon Tsuzuki Yagura (turret protecting the nearby gate) were restored and the park opened. In the time of the Maeda family, moats surrounded Kanazawa Castle. The castle had a fort function with loopholes for matchlocks on the outer wall to defend the castle from enemies. The beautiful white tiles that grace the roof are weathered lead and the wall is made of white mortar with flat tiles attached to it. The stone walls vary in type with each place, and it is apparent that the stonewalls were built in separate periods. The stone walls include those built more than 400 years ago.

Higashiyama Ginkaku-ji is one of the Tatchu temples of Shokoku. Ginkakuji in the name derived from the Edo era, and it was built with Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Palace, in mind. Ginkaku-ji is called the Silver Pavillion, because like the Golden Palace, the intention was to coat the temple in silver. Howerver, that never came to be, but the name remains. The mountain villa Higashiyama hall that was built by Yoshimasa Ashikaga of Muromachi shogunate Yashiro Shogun and origin, after the death of Yoshimasa, was named Ginkaku-ji after the Hogo慈照Institute of Yoshimasa become a temple of the Rinzai sect.

From humble storefront beginnings in 1971 on a derelict corner of northwest Portland, Oregon, Powell’s Books has grown into one of the world’s great bookstores. Powell’s distinctive synergy today underpins four full-service bookstores (Powell’s City of Books, Powell’s at Cedar Hills Crossing, Powell’s on Hawthorne, and Powell’s at PDX), two specialty stores (Powell’s Technical Books and Powell’s Books for Home and Garden), and Powells.com.

Kiyomizudera Temple in Kyoto was first built in 778. Since then, it has been supported by huge public devotion as one of the biggest religious symbols. In other words, it has been a spiritual hometown for all Japanese people, which is really unique unlike most other temples in Japan. The name of Kiyomizu means clear and holy water which has never stoped in the waterfall named Otowa. Fortunately, the temple is now such a famous tourist spot that there are many visitors not only from Japan but also from all over the world. Hopefully, they have a moment to feel peaceful in their minds and hearts.

Peru travel for vegans. SLOW private tours with personalized attention. A great way to see Cusco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, Manu national Park as well as some other sites well off the beaten track. Meet local artists, musicians, shamans and healers. Go with the experts! We also offer volunteering holidays in Cusco’s longest established dog shelter.

FOOD, ART, & NATURE, TRAVEL – An Eco-Conscious, Green-Certified Retreat, Event, and Education Center located in the Catskill Mountains on an Organic farm. Offering group workshops, retreats, outdoor event space, AND travel retreats …specializing in sustainable Botanical Cuisine, Nature Therapy, and more! An ideal venue for YOUR RETREAT, WEDDING, WEEKEND GETAWAY, OR FRIENDS/FAMILY GATHERING. Workshops & Retreats include Essential Oils, Plant Identification, Wild Foods, Nature Therapy, Meditations, Yoga, Botanical Food Prep and more! http://www.turquoisebarn.com

Isolated in the mid Pacific, the Hawaiian Islands are the most remote major island group on Earth. They were formed as the Pacific Plate moved across a volcanic “hot spot” within the earth’s mantle. Lying 2,400 miles (3,862 km) from the nearest continent, they have never had connection to any other land mass. Natural crossings across this great expanse of ocean by animals and plants were extremely rare and very surprising occasions. After such accidental arrivals, and isolated from mainland populations, these pioneer organisms took strange courses of evolution and allowed a unique biota to develop. Unaccustomed to mainland competition, however, these remote native island ecosystems are defenseless against mainland alien species, and have been decimated by new grazers, predators and diseases. Haleakalā National Park, and its East Maui Watershed Partner neighbors, still harbor an astonishing relict of these native island ecosystems. The major effort of Haleakalā’s resource stewardship is to preserve intact this superb example of the Hawaiian Islands’ native ecosystems.

*Vegan Surf Camp* Welcome to the Vegan Surf Camp on the southwest coast of France! Spend unforgettable holidays on the southwest coast of France in our unique vegan-organic surf camp; have the best time of your life in an eco friendly, relaxing, family style, party atmosphere. In this unique concept, your holiday will be as much about healthy organic vegan food and relaxing whilst learning surfing/improving your surfing skills. Only organic-vegan meals are served!! Surf, Yoga and cooking workshops! For booking info and more, visit our website: www.Vegansurfcamp.com

Banff National Park, Canada’s first national park and the world’s third. Spanning 6,641 square kilometres (2,564 square miles) of valleys, mountains, glaciers, forests, meadows and rivers, Banff National Park is one of the world’s premier destination spots.

Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.

Vegan Cooking Holidays offers a relaxing Vegan Cooking holiday, where you will discover the Greek gastronomy and return home new foodie skills and knowledge. Food themed small group holidays and outdoor activities with a “slow” philosophy. Our collection of holidays and day workshops have been lovingly picked by hand, so you can immerse yourself in the local food culture. All our holidays are based on sustainable tourism principles, with local, ethically sourced, award winning produce, offering a more authentic way to travel.

The Niagara Falls is one of the most amazing natural wonders you will ever experience. The Falls can be experienced from both the Canadian side and the U.S. side, but the view and the feeling from the Canadian sides is absolutely specular.

Authentic Italian cooking class using traditional family recipes with fresh, high quality ingredients. The class can be taken in Italian or English and is very hands-on. In the half day class you make (and eat) a three course meal, with wine, coffee and limoncello included. Other classes are available, see the full list on the website. Accessible via train from Venice. Not all of Isa’s classes are vegan, but she has a clear understanding of what is vegan and can easily provide an entirely vegan menu. Can accommodate solo travellers or groups up to 8-10 people.

Uluru is an amazingly large natural sandstone formation located in the Australian Northern Territory. It is part of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, and it’s about 450 km from the nearest town Alice Springs. There are daily flights to Ayers Rock Airport from Sydney, Melbourne, and Alice Springs. Uluru is its Aboriginal name, and Ayers Rock is its English name.

Who doesn’t like chocolate? On top of being a delicious treat, chocolate has a fascinating story and is surrounded by infinite surprising facts. At ChocoMuseo we offer you a range of activities varying with how much time you have and how deep you would like to dive into chocolate knowledge. Learn how to make your own chocolate treats in our chocolate workshops, every day at 11:30am, 2:30pm and 5:30pm! Be sure to ask to use soy milk as an alternative to make your chocolates vegan. Visit our website for more details on the workshops and more.

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science is the Rocky Mountain region‰Ûªs leading resource for informal science education. As an education-based organization, we believe in the importance of open exchange and learning. In order to maintain a family friendly and respectful environment, we do moderate comments made on our social media networks. While most comments will remain posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderating decisions are subjective. We will make them as carefully and consistently as we can. We are dedicated to providing our visitors with a quality experience ‰ÛÒ whether it be online or at the Museum. We will address all constructive criticisms quickly and efficiently as long as they are not abusive, offensive, inappropriate, profane (including expletives and letters followed by dashes) or illegal.

The Pikes Peak Highway entrance is conveniently located 15 minutes west of Colorado Springs on Highway 24. The beauty of being so close to the city is that you can spend your time enjoying the mountain instead of getting to the mountains. Plan for your round trip journey to the summit to take 2-3 hours. The safe, scenic highway provides you the opportunity to enjoy Pikes Peak at your leisure. From the gateway at an elevation of 7,400 feet, you‰Ûªll encounter some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world as you wind your way through an alpine wonderland of scenic beauty, mountain reservoirs, beyond timberline, overtaking the clouds‰Û_all along the way to the 14,115 foot summit of America‰Ûªs most famous mountain. Along the way, you‰Ûªll discover the North Slope Recreation Area, Crystal Reservoir Gift Shop, Historic Glen Cove Inn, and the Summit House. There are three lakes, picnic areas, hiking trails, and breathtaking views. Pikes Peak is classified as a “National Historic Landmark” and not a “National Park”, so National Park Passes can not be used here.

The Galápagos Islands are known for their abundance of wildlife isolated from the mainland for millions of years. The Galápagos Islands have for centuries captured the interest of people from all over the globe because of its unique biodiversity that was made famous by Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution. Galápagos is a province of Ecuador in the country’s Insular region, located approximately 1000km off the western coast of the mainland. The capital is Puerto Baquerizo Moreno.The province administers the Galápagos Islands, a group of tiny volcanic islands that sit on the equator.

Over one hundred scientists, educators, research assistants, support staff, and volunteers from all over the world take part in this effort. The organizational staff is 90% Ecuadorian and CDF is committed to the training of Galapagos residents as future scientists and conservationists for the good of the islands and the country at large. The Charles Darwin Foundation for the Galapagos Islands (CDF) is an international not-for-profit scientific organization. The CDF has been working in Galapagos since 1959 under an agreement with the Government of Ecuador and with a clear mission to work closely with Government Institutions, providing scientific knowledge and assistance to ensure the conservation of Galapagos. For fifty years, CDF has worked closely with the Galapagos National Park Directorate (GNPD), the main local government environmental authority, overseeing the safeguarding of the islands‰’s natural resources, providing the results of scientific research to conserve this living laboratory. The Charles Darwin Center is located on the Galápagos Island of Santa Cruz in Puerto Ayora

Our year-round headquarters is in North Kohala on The Big Island of Hawaii; a beautiful area, with clean air and lovely surrounding countryside. We have a large vegan-organic garden with which we demonstrate how easy it is to grow food without the use of chemicals or any animal by-products. This location is our headquarters, from which we share our message with the world. Gentle World is not a business or a working farm, but a team of dedicated volunteers who work cooperatively to accomplish the goals of the organization. Our gardens, rather than being for profit, are used to demonstrate the principles of veganic growing, and to feed the member-volunteers and visitors. We ask that all visitors who come to help us be prepared to exercise their personal integrity and work ethic during their stay. Because volunteer duties do not always follow specific hours, and our needs change every day, helpers are asked to participate in a variety of tasks, including garden maintenance, landscaping, general yard work, painting, carpentry, food preparation, cleaning and organizing storage sheds. We understand that different tasks suit different people and always do our best to take that into consideration. Gentle World does not charge money for our educational program, but we welcome donations from guests and volunteers to help with the rising cost of organic food and basic necessities (such as food, gas, water, electricity, internet, etc.). Making a donation is not a requirement for visiting however, and no matter what a person’s situation is, we welcome all applications for visiting Gentle World and all inquiries into the programs we provide.

We own 454 acres of magnificent New Zealand countryside that we call Shangri-La; a private valley, with two pristine rivers. Here we welcome volunteers each summer season (from November-May) to help lift Shangri-La up to its name, which includes the planting and maintenance of hundreds of fruit trees, flower gardens and vegetable patches, all grown veganically. Shangri-La is home to an orchard of young fruit trees: avocado, persimmon, pear, apple, fig, plum, sapote, cherimoya, mandarin and navel oranges. Nut trees—walnut, almond, and macadamia—have also been planted. From the vegetable garden they harvest a variety of greens for salads and steams, as well as celery, cucumbers, corn, tomatoes, squash and zucchini, beans and peas, carrots and beets, onions, garlic, and more. This feeds the members of their community as well as guests and wwoofers, with the surplus occasionally sold at the local health food store or farmer’s market. Since the produce is primarily intended for their own consumption, they are not planning to become officially certified. Hay is used as a mulch, and vegetable compost is added to maintain fertility. Lupines are planted at the end of the season to fix nitrogen and are mowed down in the spring to become a green manure. Occasionally seaweed, rock dusts and wood ash are also added. JPEG – 59.3 kb Get involved: Gentle World welcomes help in developing their projects in either location, whether through talents, skills, or resources. They accept WWOOFers (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) through an application process found here. They are also open to visitors if contacted in advance. For more information about the work Gentle World is doing to promote veganism and veganic gardening throughout the world, visit gentleworld.org Please be aware that our New Zealand center is open only during the summer months, and is closed to visitors from the end of April until the beginning of November. Our Hawaii center is closed to visitors from the end of December until the beginning of April.

Central Park is so much more than just a large park in the middle of Manhattan. From people meditating, and practicing tai chi, to bikers, strollers, runners, & rollerbladers, and people playing every sport imaginable, Central Park has it all. And for those looking for a bastion of peace and tranquility, it is beautifully landscaped with ponds, rolling hills, and the most gorgeous trees – especially the Cherry Blossom trees in the spring. It has a couple of cafes and restaurants, but most people bring their own food and snacks and picnic in the park, enjoying each other’s company and a bit of people watching. For us vegans, I would highly recommend bringing your own food and enjoying a casual picnic in the park. There’s a wonderful vegan takeout named Blossom Du Jour, a couple of blocks away on Amsterdam Avenue between 67th & 68th Streets. There is also a vegan sushi takeout named Beyond Sushi a few blocks away on 56th near 6th Avenue, and there is a Whole Foods right on Columbus Circle (south west corner of the park) with lots of yummy vegan buffet items and vegan deserts for your picnic in the park. Here’s some notes from the Central Park Conservancy on Running in the Park: Offering both hilly and flat terrain and a combination of surfaces, Central Park is a runner’s paradise. The site of the TCS New York City Marathon’s final 3.2 miles, Central Park offers both a scenic and challenging course to all levels of runners. There are three optimal places to run in Central Park: The Reservoir: A soft surface, the Reservoir track is a 1.58-mile loop offering some of the best skyline views in the Park. In spring, cherry trees alongside the track are in bloom. Central Park Conservancy is renovating the Reservoir Running Track. Renovation work will occur in sections to cause as little disruption as possible. Runners will be diverted to the nearby bridle path, which has been prepared in anticipation of the increase in use. Learn more about the Reservoir and the renovation project here. Bridle Path: Runners can choose from three conjoined soft surface routes: The Reservoir loop, adjacent to the Reservoir Track, totals 1.66 miles; the North Meadow loop totals 1.1 miles; and the southern spur totals 1.5 miles. Park Drives: Circling the entire Park, the drives provide three long-distance routes – 6.1 miles, 5.2 miles, or 1.7 miles, or shorter distances if you cross the Park at a number of scenic locations. The best time to run on the drives is when the Park is closed to traffic: Monday through Friday, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm, and weekends from 7:00 pm Friday to 6:00 am Monday. When the Park is open to traffic, a runners’ lane is always available, but we do not recommend running along the Park drives when they are open to traffic. The Park is officially closed from 1:00 am-6:00 am. New York Road Runners is the premier sponsor of running events in Central Park. Visit NYRR.org for a list of upcoming events.

The Children’s Museum of Denver is where children and their grown-ups learn by DOING! With one-of-a-kind interactive exhibits, daily programs and year-round special events, there is always something to create, explore, discover and learn! The Children’s Museum of Denver is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and an SCFD Tier II member.

The Denver Art Museum is recognized internationally for its educational programs and unique manner of interacting with visitors. Experience world-class art in one of Denver’s must-see landmarks.