A standard lift lifts sagging skin and occasionally the underlying muscles. lifts do not impact the skin or tissues of the upper face, focusing only on lifting the skin at the lower part of the face, including the chin, jaw, and cheeks. A traditional facelift may be combined with a mid-face lift, eyelid surgery, a forehead lift, and neck liposuction for a more complete youthful appearance.

You should be aware of the type of lifting surgery your surgeon performs. Will the operation impact only skin, or will he tighten the underlying muscles and fatty tissues (called SMAs) during your lift. Comparing types of face surgery is an important part of the selection procedure. Some surgeons cut out excess SMAs when performing a lift, but this procedure bears higher long term risks and provides no significant benefits. Feeling comfortable with your lift surgeon is particularly critical. You want to be certain that your surgeon is conscientious and competent, as well as very familiar with performing lift surgery.

Face lift surgery is a major decision, and one that should be made with caution. If you choose your surgeon and procedures carefully, you will likely be happy with the results and your new youthful face.

If you are considering getting a lift for yourself, there are a few basic elements about a lift that you should learn, know, and understand before undergoing this major procedure.

First of all, learn all you can about what a lift is and about the actual face lift procedure. A lift is a type of complicated cosmetic facial surgery that involves lifting the face by treating wrinkles and severely sagging skin to achieve a younger, healthier appearance in the face. A lifting can tighten up your skin, repair creases and wrinkles around your eyes, nose, and mouth, and remove excess fat from your neck.

But, what specifically is involved in this type of cosmetic surgery? If you are considering a face lifting, its essential for you to first learn all the facts and everything you can about face lifts from books, brochures, and online resources to face surgery patients, your doctor, and a cosmetic surgeon.

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING DISCOLORATION OF YOUR TEETH?
According to Dr. Maria Lopez of the American Dental Associations’ “ADA Dental Minute”, smoking, drinking coffee, tea, or wine, as well as the food you eat and the medications you are on, can cause discoloration of your teeth. Some things are under your control, but other things are not. As you age, changes in the mineral structure of your teeth take place and the enamel (surface of the tooth) becomes more susceptible to discoloration. Your gene make-up can also determine the amount of discoloration in your teeth.

LEADING CAUSES OF DISCOLORATION IN YOUR TEETH:

* Foods & Drinks: Coffee, Tea, Cola, Wine, Certain Fruits and Vegetables
* Age: Layer of Enamel (Tooth Surface) Wears Away and Reveals Tooth’s Yellowish Dentin (Underneath Tooth Surface)
* Poor Dental Hygiene: Not Brushing or Flossing Regularly
* Genes: Some People are Genetically Prone to Having Whiter Enamel than Others
* Medications: Some Antibiotics, Mouthwashes, and Other Medicinal Drugs
* Tobacco: Cigarettes, Pipes, Cigars, and Chewing Tobacco
* Environment: Water that’s High in Fluoride or Excessive Use of Certain Tooth Pasts, Rinses, etc.
* Trauma: Falls, etc. Can Damage and Affect the Enamel (Tooth Surface)
* Disease: Certain Diseases and Treatments Affect Enamel (Tooth Surface) and Dentin (Underneath Tooth Surface)

With the amount of teeth whitening products and teeth whitening systems available to consumers today, such as porcelain veneers, laser tooth whitening, tooth pastes, whitening strips, whitening gels, etc., it’s no wonder why so many are confused and frustrated.

WHY CHOOSE TEETH WHITENING?

Whether you are willing to admit it or not, your smile is usually the first thing people notice about you. Some consider it to be an extension of your personal wardrobe. Unfortunately, because people tend to judge you by your smile, it also leads them to make false conclusions about your character and personality.

So, when was the last time you honestly looked at yourself in the mirror? Do you see what others see? In addition to rapid discoloration of your teeth due to food, poor hygiene, age, smoking, etc., there are others reasons why you should consider teeth whitening now.

Everywhere you go, people notice your smile. Stop worrying about the discoloration of your teeth. Brushing regularly, flossing daily, as well as using whitening strips, whitening gels, and tooth pastes may improve your teeth whiteness by a few shades, but to experience life-changing results, you should consult a qualified, professional dentist soon.

In addition to reversing the discoloration of your teeth, the obvious benefits of teeth whitening are an improved smile and enhanced appearance, allowing you to stop worrying about your smile and instead focus on enjoying life, relationships, and career goals.

For example, imagine that you are heading to that all-important job interview. Hiring specialists admittedly reveal time and time again that they make a special point of looking for people who have a positive attitude and are prone to compulsive smiling. What if you went to the job interview and didn’t smile simply because you were conscious of your teeth? What about the wedding in the next few months, a special date coming up, or that family portrait you’ve been putting off? Get back those whiter teeth, a great smile, and enjoy life once again!

TEETH WHITENING RESULTS:

Within the field of cosmetic dentistry, there isn’t one definitive system or chart that measures and determines tooth color. However, when deciding a proper course of action with teeth whitening a professional dentist will first refer to what’s known as a shade guide. Most shade guides represent 4 basic shade ranges: A – reddish brown, B – reddish yellow, C – gray and D – reddish gray. Within each range, there are usually several levels.

When you consult a professional dentist regarding teeth whitening they will begin by matching each tooth to a shade on the guide. Then, they will make an assessment as to your possible shade improvement based on a several areas, such as dental hygiene habits, severity of the stains, age, etc.

According to an earlier report by WSBTV in Atlanta, GA, teeth whitening is becoming increasingly popular, but it is still rather expensive, costing upwards of $400 to $600, sometimes even higher.

It’s important to understand that there are no exact answers as to exactly how white your teeth can actually become. Results typically depend on such things as your natural tooth color, your dental hygiene habits, how stubborn the stains are, if you are on medications, past trauma to the tooth, etc. As with any medical procedure, don’t take the chance with over-the-counter kits. It is ALWAYS best to first consult a qualified, professional dentist to determine a proper course of action based on your situation so it is done safely.

At the top of the list of spine tingling adventures we may as well get it out of the way, diving with sharks. That’s right, you take a five hour dive with Caribbean Reef Sharks and you will even get to watch them feed, hopefully not on you! Seriously, there are four sites where you can dive with the sharks and they all have excellent safety records. I would not suggest that you attempt to recreate this scenario on your own, the professionals who run these shark feeding tours have years of experience and are also familiar with shark behavior so they recognize when the sharks may be getting too aggressive. Of course this trip is only available if you are dive certified, which can also be done in the Bahamas.

If you love the water but either don’t want to get dive certified or would rather opt for something less expensive, you can always go for a snorkeling adventure. Snorkeling in the Bahamas is a rare treat with the clear blue waters it seems like you can see forever. There are many coral reefs and diverse marine life to be seen and it will give you the chance to swim with hundreds, if not thousands of beautifully colored fish. As with diving, always go with a partner.

Another cool adventure that you can take is the Sub adventure. This is an alternative for those who may be a little apprehensive about getting in the water and being exposed to direct interaction with the marine life. In this tour you will get an orientation on submarines where you learn the fundamental skills necessary to pilot a sub as well as the procedures for communication. After these basic instructions are done you will be taken for a submarine trip in shallow depths of around fifteen feet or so and be able to view coral reefs filled with tropical fish of many different colors while enjoying a safe climate controlled environment. This is an exciting adventure that will give you fond memories to take back home and make you want to come back.

It goes without saying that you will usually get a discount hotel rate in Las Vegas if you plan and book your vacation well in advance. However, planning a last-minute Vegas trip doesn’t mean that you must pay top prices. It is, in fact, very easy to find discount Las Vegas hotel rooms with a little pre-planning.

November, December and January are quieter times to visit. Other times of the year when you will get the best prices are weekdays which are usually half weekend prices, two weeks before Christmas, in the middle of summer and August and December.

The easiest way to find out whether Vegas is “sold out” when you want to vacation there contact the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority on 702-892-0711.

Decide how long you want to stay there for. Many hotels offer lower room rates the longer you stay.

Many of the downtown casinos and hotels are cheaper than accommodation on the Strip.

Look out for hotels offering a free night if you stay for three or more nights there.

Check to see if your planned trip coincides with any major conventions or popular events, etc, on at the same time. If a convention is on at the same time it could be impossible to find a room. Some conventions have attendees of more than 50,000.

You can improve your chances of accessing Las Vegas hotel discounts by going to the information desk at the McCarran airport and getting the names of all hotels with available rooms. Write down the names of all hotels in your price range and don’t make contact by phone unless the information desk clerk tells you that rooms are in very short supply.

If you work for the government or have a military ID ask for the government rate. This works even if you are not travelling on government business. Many hotels offer free breakfast and great low rates for government employees. Just be sure to have your ID when you check in to show as proof. Some hotels give discounts to credit card holders of certain credit card companies. Ask for the manager and ask him about it. The manager is the person who can authorise any special deal like this for you. Ask for certain packages. Many hotels offer free breakfasts, discount lunches, free shuttles etc.

Go in person to the first hotel on your list and inquire if there are any hotel discounts available. If you don’t get the price you are happy with then go in person to the next hotel on your list.

It’s important to bear in mind that hotel prices can fluctuate a lot even in a 24 hour period and you have the best chance of getting the lowest room rate by making inquiries in the late afternoon on the day you want to actually check in.

If you arrive by automobile then bring a list of 800 Las Vegas hotel numbers and start ringing while you are on the road.

If you happen to come completely unprepared then make life easier on the first day you arrive in Vegas by simply checking into a reasonably priced Strip hotel and then looking for cheaper hotels the next day.

1. Travel Insurance

Insurance makes sure that if you do encounter an unexpected circumstance you will be reimbursed. If you don’t have travel insurance, your trip might even be cancelled. Insurance can even be useful if you don’t end up traveling due to illness. Instead of losing a lot of money you will get a full refund for your tickets. Even though it feels like a lot to pay added on top of your trip expenses, it will give you great peace of mind knowing that your trip can be cancelled last minute and you will be fully reimbursed. It’s impossible to control all aspects of your life, and you never know what might happen to prevent you from going on your trip.

2. Traveling Abroad

9 times out of 10, any and all insurance that you currently have is not going to be applicable when you travel internationally. You won’t be covered on your medical expenses, in an emergency, or other dangerous situations. With the proper travel insurance you can rest assured that you will get the treatment you need if you get into things as small as a car accident or as large as a natural disaster when traveling abroad.

3. Terrorism

Terrorism isn’t limited to the US, it occurs around the globe. If a terrorist act suddenly breaks out in an area that you have booked a flight to, the airline is not required to provide you with a refund if you choose not to travel to the area because of terrorism – that is, unless you have travel insurance. These events are completely random and can’t be predicted, so it’s better to have insurance and be safe than sorry. Even if you don’t get hurt at a local cafe by someone blowing themselves to pieces, your flight can be cancelled at any time and it would be very good if you could get your money back.

4. Lost Luggage

One of the most common problems when traveling is lost luggage. You might pile thousands of dollars of goods onto a flight, especially if you are moving to a new country. Travel insurance will surely be a good investment. Travel insurance acts to insure whatever items are lost or stolen so you are able to replace your belongings.

If you are also planning to visit Dubai and explore the quality services which it offers then there are umpteen numbers of opportunities. In order to explore any area one has to have a place to stay first. The first thing which comes to mind are the hotels but wait a minute there is one more wonderful service available in Dubai that is taking an apartment on rent for holidays.

Staying in hotel can be good but if you want to live in home comforts or feel the coziness of home, you can hire a house for some duration. There are various apartment rental services available in Dubai.

The need of any individual may vary according to the family members. Second thing may be a budget. The capacity to pay rent is the thing which can decide the type of accommodation that should be taken on rent.

Dubai apartments are built up to cater to the demands of various persons who want to spend their holidays in a home away from home. They are situated at very prime locations.

You can easily find apartments according to your taste and needs. Mostly these apartments are luxurious and have all the modern gadget for staying in comfort and elegance. The interiors are worth looking in these apartments. The furnishing and tapestries are according to settings of each room. The kitchens also come fully equipped with all modern facility and food storage.

Dubai apartments are modern complexes which are built on a very modern architecture. The outlay of apartments is latest and need based.

Set your budget and try to find one which suits your need regarding space and members of family. There are number of beautiful apartments. They are spacious and good parking lots. All the apartments are situated in the posh localities.
This refined apartments are situated not far from civilization. They are in a very quiet position. From the large terrace it is possible to enjoy wonderful sights. The surroundings are very ambiguous and unique.

There is lot of enjoyment that suits the need of family. These homes offer you a charming yet relaxation vacation. There will be opportunity to get the chance to relax on some of the finest Arabian beaches.
There are selected only properties of a good standard. Living in such apartments will provide a very good and cherished experience especially if you are looking for a place which can set your moods always vibrant.
The main purpose of going to a tourist place is enjoyment and to relax. If the enjoyment is accompanied with the comforts and coziness of homely environment, it can further add to the pleasure. So, living in a great place like Dubai can be like a dream coming true.

About the Author

The Article is written by DubaiShortStay owners of Dubai Apartments & Villas providing all types of Dubai Apartment Rental Services

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Nairobi airport is centrally located in Kenya and as such offers diverse options for one day Nairobi Kenya tours. These One day brief Nairobi city tours will range from having a wildlife park tour to simply whiling away in a comfortable hotel in town. Whichever your option, its best that you spend your hard earned dollar in a way that you make most out of it and the day at hand. Here I try to highlight some of the most interesting One day brief Nairobi city tours that will make your day worth spending in Nairobi.

1. Nairobi National Park 1 day tour
The Nairobi National Park is the only park within a capital centre in the world. Located 10 min from the central business district, the park is an attraction to many business and 1 day transit travelers in Nairobi. The Nairobi National Park has a diversity of wildlife including the Zebra, lion, leopards, Hippopotamus, crocodile, gazelles, giraffe and buffalo.
In addition, there are two very exotic restaurants that offer continental, Mediterranean and Asian cuisine. Also within the confines of the park is the Nairobi animal orphanage which houses orphaned animals including cheetah, baboons, vervet and sykes monkeys, leopard, rhino, buffalo, Eland, oryx, ostriches, chimpanzees among many others. The One day brief Nairobi city tours returns to the city centre by sundown. Private One day brief Nairobi city tours and safaris can be organised in the morning within minutes.
2. National Museum

Located within the Nairobi town, the National Museum is a beehive of activity for tourists and transit travelers through Nairobi. At the National Museum there are spellbinding displays of early man, tribal regalia and the flora and fauna of Kenya. A visit to the adjacent snake park is also included. The One day brief Nairobi city tours turns to the city centre for more monumental and Nairobi landmark safari.

3. Daphne Sheldrick Sanctuary

Named and managed by the family of a legendary Kenyan Warden, the sanctuary offers a rare opportunity to be up, close and hugging with otherwise dangerous of the big five. The Daphne Sheldrick animal sanctuary is home to many orphaned elephants collected from Kenya’s many National game reserves. Located within the Nairobi National Park the sanctuary also houses the only tame black and white rhino calves and adults. This Kenya One day brief Nairobi city tours can be combined with other city based sight seeing excursions.

4. Karen Blixen Museum

This 1 day tour starts in the morning or afternoon. You will be driven towards Ngong Hills and pass Ngong Village to the Karen Blixen Museum, for many years her home. Immortalized by the famous African Movie ‘out of Africa’ the Karen Blixen is a famous Kenyan coffee house and also offers delicious cuisines. Later proceed to the Giraffe Centre to see and feed the famous Rothschild Giraffe and her family.

5. Amboseli National Reserve 1 day tour

This One day brief Nairobi city tours sees you driving south through open grassland country deep into Maasai land. Visit to the Amboseli Park on the Shadows of the Mt. Kilimanjaro. Located 2½ hours from Nairobi and at the foot of snow capped Mount Kilimanjaro, Amboseli is one of the best places in Africa for viewing elephants as well as cheetah, gazelle, giraffe, leopard and lion. Birdlife is too prolific here.

Mount Kilimanjaro, with its snow-capped peaks, 6,000 meters high, presides over a landscape containing more big game than almost anywhere in Africa. The Amboseli National Park is famous for the longest studied and habituated elephant herds. This One day brief Nairobi city tours is by far the best value for your money and you get to see more in a day than your eyes can take.

Only nature in all her majesty could create such a backdrop of a wildlife pageant found at Amboseli. Game is seen on much of the route to the park, which crosses ochre plains where Masai tend their cattle in an age-old tradition. Lunch is taken at the lodge in the park and is followed by another game drive where lion, elephant and the splendid cheetah are likely to be seen. After your One day brief Nairobi city tours, return to Nairobi in good time for dinner and flight back.

6. Nakuru National Park

The Nakuru National Park is Kenya’s most visited National Park. Located 160km and 2½ hours from Nairobi, the park is an important Ramsar site and home to thousands of different bird species.

The 188sq km Lake Nakuru is the only KWS-administered reserve that is fully enclosed. Once just a bird sanctuary, Lake Nakuru is now the best place in Kenya to see the highly protected black and white rhino. Among other animals found in the park include rhino, lion, leopard, flamingos, Egyptian geese, waterbuck, giraffe, hyena, buffalo, baboons, vervet monkeys, gazelles etc.

The park is also located within meters of Kenya’s fourth largest township of Nakuru. This is a worthwhile 1 day tour and getting in time for your flight at Jomo Kenyatta international airport.

7. Mt. Longonot 1 day Tour

You will drive into the Rift Valley Escarpment and catch a glimpse of the beautiful escarpment. Arrival at Mt. Longonot National Park is within 1½ hours to start hiking to the top and round the crater if time and your energy permits. (The hike up and round takes around two-three hours)

Picnic lunch is taken at the several rest points o at the top of the crater. Depart for Lake Naivasha and its environs. Enjoy a boat ride and view hippos, buffaloes etc. other optional activities include biking. Finish your One day brief Nairobi city tours and drive back to Nairobi in time for dinner and departure from JKI airport.

8. Bomas of Kenya One day brief Nairobi city tours

A boma is a homestead and just a few kilometres from the city, numerous homesteads reflecting Kenya’s cocktail of cultures have been faithfully re-created for visitors to see traditional village life. But the greatest excitement during the afternoon is the display of traditional dancing, music and song performed in a splendid arena. This 1 day tour is ideal for the culturally oriented traveler who wants to sample Kenya’s 42 tribes and cultures.

9. Nairobi Carnivore Restaurant

Nairobi has many restaurants offering a variety of cuisine. We recommend dinner or lunch at the carnivore, which is famous for its succulent stew and barbecue dishes as an excellent complement to a holiday in Kenya, especially as a welcome or a farewell dinner. The evening One day brief Nairobi city tours includes transfers to and from the airport.

10. Hell’s Gate National Park

The Hells gate National Park is located in Naivasha, 1½ hours from Nairobi airport. The park is famous for its sheer vertical cliffs that are popular with rock climbers and trekking enthusiasts. The rocky cliffs create a façade so beautiful and multi-coloured that it rivals the Grand Canyon especially when stricken by the afternoon sun. Walks and biking are offered at the park. Animals to be found in the park include zebra, buffalo, gazelles, and other small game. This One day brief Nairobi city tours is ideal for adventure seekers who want to knock themselves out with a trekking, biking, and sightseeing safari.

With children being the focal points in almost all families, vacations are generally planned keeping their needs and interests in mind. Most tour operators understand this and offer a tour programme which besides providing you ample opportunities to “rediscover” your adventurous side also gives young kids a chance to enjoy a lot of activities in the midst of nature. You could choose to go on an adventure trip where everything from the equipment to the guide and the food is taken care of by the trip organizers or you could opt for an arrangement where the equipment and guide are hired by you.

The other type of adventure holiday is the adventure camp where you are provided food and lodging in a base camp and given a host of adventure sports and activities to try out according to your inclination. You could decide to just relax in the camp or try out a sport you have only just read about so far. Some tour operators have staff to look after the activities of the children in the group. So there could be hiking or swimming or some specimen hunting, be it a particular kind of rock or plant. This ensures that besides having a fun time the children add something to their life experiences and incidentally also learn a lot of new things.

However before you book yourself on that tour, there are a few “must-dos”. Firstly, it is important to find out from the organizers the level of difficulty of the physical activities offered, so that the children in the group can participate in them. It would also help to know whether the operators have had children of a similar age group earlier. Since a family would have members of different age groups and interests, it’s also a good idea to find out if the activities offered would cater to all your needs. The basic idea of an adventure vacation is to provide the much needed change for all the members of the family. Now if the parents were to spend the entire trip looking after the kids it would hardly be much fun either for them or the kids. Thus it is advisable to ensure that the trips do not require parental supervision at all times. Lastly the most important thing to know is the kind of food the operators serve and whether it would suit your children’s tastes. A mention of any particular food habits should be made to the organizers.

So now all you have to do is buy yourselves those “family-edition” shorts, vests and sunglasses – and don’t forget the insect repellant – and get all ready to have the most adventure-packed holiday of your lives. You don’t have to be the star of your local backyard basketball team to enjoy kayaking or even wind gliding and that tan and the friends you’ll make are the added incentives. Most importantly- the family that roughs it out together stays together- so just get going!

There are a couple of important considerations when choosing travel luggage. First, one of the greatest mistakes that people make when buying travel luggage, is worrying more about weight than size. Weight is less of a problem than bulk, though it is important to be conscious of both. If you can travel light, all the better, but if you cannot, then try to travel small. Secondly, bring what is the most important to you. Some people have the incredible ability to travel with merely a tent, a toothbrush, a change of clothes and a guidebook. I am not one of them, but have found that if you can bring a balance of basic necessities and things for enriching your experience (such as a camera or journal), this can help you pack more quickly.

Your choice of travel luggage is of paramount importance, and will most likely involve you making a purchase at one point or another. After a certain point in your life, it will no longer suffice to borrow your brother’s ripped backpack from fifteen years back or your father’s first roll travel suitcase. You will have to hazard a purchase on your own.

Backpacks can be an obvious choice for people who will be hiking over hills and doing a fair amount of camping. It is the kind of travel luggage that distributes weight evenly on your shoulders and hips and takes the main weight off your lower back. However, if you are considering using public transport and walking in busy, crowded areas, it may be wiser to buy a combination bag and backpack. Both pieces come apart and zip together depending on where you are going, and can be very helpful if you do not wish to look too conspicuous with your backpack.

If you are going on a tour, and will be with a group who has their travel luggage carried for them, it may be wise to look into purchasing a duffel bag. These are easily stored in compartments where suitcases do not fit, and can be easily hoisted on to a pack animal or stowed away on a boat.

Traveling by air may merely require that you purchase a conventional suitcase, and if you are a frequent traveler, it may be wise to get a good quality one. The typical way that travel luggage is handled in airports could easily seeing you replacing that cheap suitcase after each trip.

However and wherever you go, remember to consider the importance of what you will be carrying, and how the travel luggage that you eventually choose can either make or break a trip.

This is the country of a thousand castles. Many chateaux and stately homes are open to the public: some are state owned, such as Chambord and Blois; others are private, and still lived in. A huge proportion of them run sound and light spectacles during the tourist season. Chateau de Chenonceau and Chateau de Chambord are incredibly popular.

Chateau de Chenonceau
Le Chateau des Dames built on a bridge across the river Cher is one of the more beautiful chateaux of the Loire with elegant arches and turrets, and stately avenues bordered by plane trees. It’s beauty is reflected in the waters of the River Cher.

Chenonceau owes much of its design and beauty to four women. Catherine de Briconnet was largely responsible for its early Renaissance style. Catherine then passed the chateau to Henri II’s mistress, Diane de Poiters who was responsible for the formal gardens to the left of the chateau as you approach it, and for building a bridge across the River Cher.

Unfortunately Diane de Poitiers was forced to relinquish ownership of the castle to Catherine de Medici (the bitter wife of Henri II) who offered Chateau de Chaumont in exchange. Not exactly a fair swap! Catherine de Medici constructed the gallery over the bridge. Later the castle was inherited by Louise de Lorraine, the bereaved wife of Henri III Catherine’s favourite son. She painted the ceiling of her bedroom black and white out of respect for her late husband.

Chateau Blois
Chateau Blois is almost like 4 separate chateaux rolled into one – so different are the architectural styles present. Renaissance architecture is the dominant style in the Francois 1 wing. The Gaston d’Orleans wing will satisfy any cravings for Classical architecture.

The Medieval heart is centred around the Salle des Etats Generaux which is where the court and council were based. Flamboyant Gothic flair is evident in the Louis XII wing. Catherine de Medici’s private rooms complete with array of poisons are in the Francois 1 wing. This is where in 1588 the Duc de Guise was brutally murdered after he was thought to be planning a Catholic uprising against Henri III.

Chateau de Cheverney
Chateau de Cheverny is unmistakedly the most lavishly furnished of all the Loire Valley Chateaux. Built between 1604 and 1634 very little has changed. The present owner is a direct descendant of the original owners. The 1640s interior decoration is among the finest of its kind. Some of the chateau’s masterpieces include paintings by old masters, tapestries from Paris and Holland plus Louis XIV’s commode and unforgettable grandfather clock.

Tintin fans will note that Herge based the mythical Moulinsart on Cheverny. There is a Tintin exhibition directly opposite the chateau. In world war 2 the 18th century Orangerie served as a hiding place for the Mona Lisa.

Chateau du Chaumont
Chateau du Chaumont is located on the bank of the Loire River about 20 minutes west of Blois originated in the eleventh century

In 1560, the castle became the property of Catherine de’ Medici who entertained numerous astrologers there, including Nostradamus. On the death of her husband, King Henry II, Catherine used her power to take over the much coveted Chateau de Chenonceau from her husband’s mistress, Diane de Poitiers. She was forced to accept the Chateau de Chaumont in exchange for her beloved Chenonceau.

Each year from April to October, the castle holds an international garden festival covering a different theme. Last year it was play. In 2007 the theme is going to be mobility.

Chateau du Clos Luce
Chateau du Clos Luce is where Leonard de Vinci spent the last fouryears of his life. You can visit his salons, study, kitchen and bedrooms, the chapel and see frescoes painted by his pupils. His paintings and drawings are set out in the garden of the chateau with giant models sponsored by IBM of some of the most spectacular machines he invented together with voice-overs.

The Loire Valley is a beautiful region and a great destination. Remember you do not have to be satisfied just visiting castles, you can actually stay in a castle. Many are now converted to hotels and chambre d’hotes (bed and breakfast establishments). You can usually choose to hire a suite or the entire castle.