Today Is Not Over Yet

There was a long period of time before settlers finally colonized the island of Mauritius.  Luxury hotel chains now dot the beaches that were once uninhabited.  Sailors from Arabia were seemingly the first to discover the island in the 9th Century, however there were no humans living there and at the time the island was covered in thick forest.  Early in the 16th Century, Portuguese sailors working trade routes to India also landed on the island, but found it uninteresting, and left the island as well, choosing instead to settle along the coasts of Mozambique.  It was not until the end of the 16th Century that permanent residents colonized Mauritius.  It was the commander of a Dutch fleet of ships that claimed the island, landing in a bay that is now Grand Port.  The Dutch remained on Mauritius for just over one hundred years, deciding that it was too hard to survive they left for the Cape of South Africa.  During that time, they hunted the dodo bird to extinction, but had introduced other animals, such as monkeys and deer, as well as the sugar cane. When the Dutch had first settled the island, they also brought slaves with them from Madagascar.  Java criminals were also sent to the island.  Both of these populations remained on the island after the Dutch left for South Africa, living in the mountains.  But it was not long before the country of France took possession, the Dutch left in 1710, and French moved in during 1715.  But again, living on the island at that time was not easy, and the French began leaving just a short fifteen years after they had moved in.  It was not until a British Captain settled there in 1721 that the island truly started to be cultivated and developed.  Oxen were introduced to help with the working of the fields, as well as mango trees, cotton plants, coffee beans and more sugar canes.  By 1744 the industry of sugar was one of the main sources of economy for the island.  Many of the building constructed during that time are still on the island today, as the Governmental Building which is located in the now famous attraction, the Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens.  This island is now a major tourist destination, filled with luxurious hotels along pristine beaches.

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Qatar Airways is adding two new India destinations to its network of airports. The airline, which is based in the Persian Gulf, will begin flights to Goa and Amritsar beginning in the winter of 2009.

These new destinations are part of the airline’s global expansion plans. Qatar is adding three other new destinations to their network along with the two India locales.

This is exciting news for the tourism and hospitality industries of the chosen areas. From four star hotels in Goa to budget accommodations in Amritsar, hoteliers are eager for anything that will increase tourism in the struggling economy. Restaurants, shops, and nightclubs in both regions are also anticipating an influx of tourists taking advantage of direct flights.

Qatar Airways already operates nearly 60 weekly flights across India. Some of the cities it already reaches are Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Chennai, and Nagpur.

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Monday marked the public opening of the South Ferry Station in Manhattan. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority sees this station as “intermodal transit center.” It links subway services with bus and ferry routes.

New York Governor David Paterson led the grand opening. Other dignitaries present included Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand as well as members of the state’s Congressional delegation and MTA officials. According to Paterson the new station is a symbol of “not only our joint city, state and federal commitment to rebuilding Lower Manhattan, but also our commitment to mass transit in New York State.”

The original ferry station was built in 1905 and located across the street from the Staten Island Ferry. Hopelessly outdated, it has been completely revamped with seven escalators, two ADA-compliant elevators, and multiple exits. The station features several green features, the first of their kind in NYC. While the previous station could only accommodate five cars of each train, the new station is large enough for ten-car subway trains to load and unload safely.

The new station is expected to be a boon for tourists as well as local commuters. Visitors to the city will find a range of transportation available to see the sights of New York. There are also accommodations ranging from the ubiquitousNew York airport hotel to discount hostels to luxury hotel suites in New York.

It has been nearly twenty years since New York opened a new subway station and according to the MTA, the station “is the first major public transportation project to open Downtown since 9/11.” The MTA has several other Manhattan projects in development, including the rennovation of Peter Minuit Plaza, located above the South Ferry Station.

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