Cruise Ships

          Royal Caribbean International is a cruise line brand founded in Norway and based in Miami, Florida in the United States of America, with 21 ships in service, it controls a 17 percent share of the world cruise market.  All ships under the Royal Caribbean International brand have had names ending in "of the Seas" since 1991. With many destinations around the world, from the Caribbean to Europe, this cruise line is a top pick for family's who want to go on a family vacation.

Another cruise line that is owned by Royal Caribbean is Celebrity cruises, it is a cruise line which was founded in 1988 by the Greece-based Chandris Group. The signature "Χ" displayed on the funnel of Celebrity ships is the Greek letter chi, for "Chandris". Celebrity brand ships feature aft-glass dining rooms, formal foyer areas, alternate dining venues, balcony and suite staterooms, large pools and lounging areas, signature bars and lounges, libraries, elegant spas and gyms, and relaxation areas.

             Another cruise line that is made perfectly for family's is the Disney Cruise Line it is the trading name of Magical Cruise Company Limited. The company was incorporated in 1996 and is domiciled in London, UK, with their operational headquarters located in Celebration, Florida, USA. Disney Cruise Line offers a variety of destinations including; Europe, Panama Canal, Caribbean, Alaska & Pacific Coast, Bahamas, and Transatlantic destinations. The Disney Cruise Line is the only cruise line that does fireworks at night on the ship and is meant for all ages to enjoy. 

            These three cruise lines are ones that anyone is sure to enjoy. These cruise ships have it all from water slides, to casinos to fun entertainment for the whole family.   
                                      

Countries in Europe

                    Italy is in Southern Europe and to the north, Italy borders France, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovenia, and to the south, it consists of the Italian Peninsula and the two biggest Mediterranean islands of Sicily and Sardinia.The capital and largest comune of Italy is Rome, it has for centuries been the leading political and religious centre of Western civilisation, serving as the capital of both the Roman Empire and Christianity. Italian culture flourished, especially during the Renaissance, which produced many notable scholars, artists, and polymaths such as Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo, Michelangelo and Machiavelli.

             France is located in western Europe and it is one of only three countries to have both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines. France is the 42nd largest country in the world, but the largest country in Western Europe and the European Union , and the third-largest in Europe as a whole. With a population approaching 67 million, it is the 20th most populated country in the world and the second-most populated country in the EU.



              Romania is located in southeastern-central Europe, north of the Balkan Peninsula and on the western shore of the Black Sea. Romania borders Hungary, Serbia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Bulgaria. It covers 238,391 square kilometers and has a temperate-continental climate. Romania has 20.1 million inhabitants, it is the seventh most populous member of the European Union. The capital of Romania and is also the largest city, Bucharest, is the sixth largest city in the European Union.


             Spain is another country that is located on the Iberian Peninsula in southwestern Europe. The mainland of Spain is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea, except for a small land boundary with Gibraltar and to the west and northwest by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean. Along with France and Morocco, it is one of only three countries to have both Atlantic and Mediterranean coastlines.

Board Games

         Throughout the years there have been many different board games, from games about money, to a game about life. These various board games were are entertainment of the past, til we all go tablets and phones, then board games became boring and digital. In today's society, people don't play board games like they use to from games like Monopoly, The Game of Life and Battleship, these games aren't played as much as they use to since board games became digital.

         One board game in particular is an iconic game called Monopoly, it is an American-originated game originally published by Parker Brothers. It is known as "The Fast-Dealing Property Trading Game", the game is named after the economic concept of monopoly. This family classic is a game that is beloved by all ages, with wide variety of versions Monopoly is a classic family board game and treasure.

          Another board game that is an iconic and fan favourite game called The Game of Life, also known simply as LIFE, originally created in 1860 by Milton Bradley. The Game of Life was America's first popular parlor game, the main idea of the game is to simulate a person's travels through his or her life, from college to retirement, with jobs, marriage, and possible children along the way. The Game of Life is a beloved board game and is another classic family board game for the entire family.

       Lastly, a particular board game that is a fan favourite for 2 players is Battleship,is a guessing game for two players, where players would take turns in guessing, once all of the ships on the opposing players is destroyed the other player wins. Battleship was released as a plastic board game by Milton Bradley in 1967. This final board game is known as the best board game to play with friends and its the only game that you can say "you sunk my battleship"!

           Niagara Falls

Tourism in Canada

            
         There are many different tourist attractions in Canada from a historic place, to a tall tower, and a wild theme park, there is many different things to see and do in Canada. In Canada the three most visited tourist attractions are Niagara Falls, the CN tower, and Canada's Wonderland. 


           Niagara Falls is a Canadian city, a world-famous set of three large waterfalls on the Niagara River. The city has one of the major tourist attractions of the world, its the natural spectacle attracts millions of tourists yearly. This area, is particularly concentrated at the brink of the falls. Other attractions, it includes observation towers, high-rise hotels, souvenir shops, casinos and theatres, mostly with colourful neon billboards and advertisements, and sufficient parking to accommodate visitors. 

          


        Another tourists attraction that is famous in Canada is the CN tower located in Toronto, Ontario. The CN tower is a 553.33 m-high concrete communications and observation, it was built on the former Railway Lands, it was completed in 1976, becoming the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower at the time. It remains the tallest free-standing structure in the Western Hemisphere, a signature icon of Toronto's skyline, and a symbol of Canada, attracting more than two million international visitors annually. The CN tower has a viewing deck and a is known to be a popular tourist attraction.




        
        Finally, the final tourist attraction in Canada is different from the CN tower and Niagara Falls, it is Canada's Wonderland, it is a 330-acre theme park located in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada, a suburb directly north of Toronto. It is the first major theme park in Canada and remains the country's largest.  The park has 16 roller coasters,the second-most in the world. Canada's Wonderland has been the most visited seasonal theme park in North America for several consecutive years.

Table Tennis

            Table tennis, is miniature version of tennis and also goes by name of Ping Pong is a sport that involves two or four players  to hit a lightweight ball back and forth using a table tennis racket (paddle). To play Table Tennis , a hard table surface is use and is divided up with net, it can played in singles or in doubles. Players must allow a ball played toward them only one bounce on their side of the table and must return it so that it bounces on the opposite side. Points are scored when a player fails to return the ball within the rules.

           Table tennis is governed by the worldwide organization International Table Tennis Federation, founded in 1926. ITTF currently includes 218 member associations. The table tennis official rules are specified in the ITTF handbook. Ping Pong is also a sport that takes place at the Summer Olympic games, in particular, from 1988 until 2004, these were: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles and women's doubles. Since 2008, a team event has been played instead of the doubles.

           Some of the best player are:

• Ma Long
• Timo Boll
• Jan-Ove Waldner
• Zhang Jike
• Wang Hao
• Werner Schlager

   
        Something you may not know is the history of Table Tennis (or Ping Pong which is commonly used) is a long and interesting sequence of events, which would require a book to do it justice. 

It all started in England towards the end of the 19th century when, after dinner, some upper-middle class Victorians decided to turn their dining room tables into miniature versions of the traditional lawn tennis playing field. 

      They used different every-day objects to play the sport. They used a line of books as the net. Rackets were lids from empty cigar boxes, and a little later, parchment paper stretched around a frame. The ball would be either a ball of string, or perhaps more commonly, a champagne cork or rubber ball.

Coming Soon to Consoles

       There are a variety of games that are soon to be release, some are completely new ideas and some are sequels of big name games. Some of the most anticipated games are Destiny, Sunset Overdrive, and Super Smash Bros., these games are each meant for a certain console. Super Smash Bros. is a game meant for only the Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS, Sunset Overdrive is specifically and Xbox One exclusive game, and even though Destiny can be played on any console (exclude Wii U), developers say its more fun on PS4.


           Super Smash Bros. is a game series of crossover fighting  game published by Nintendo, it includes a cast of characters created from past Nintendo games such as Mario, Bowser, Kirby, Link and many more. The main focus of the game is focused on knocking out opponents out of the stage instead of defeating life bars. This crossover fighting game series is only getting better with its next one Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U and first time on 3DS.





           Sunset Overdrive  is an upcoming third-person shooter video game developed by Insomniac Games and is exclusively for the Xbox One. Sunset Overdrive is an open world game set in Set in a fictional open world metropolis Sunset City in 2027, players control a fully customizable FizzCo employee who fights the OD'd, humans transformed into monsters after consuming an energy drink. Players wall-run and use zip-lines and grind rails to swiftly navigate Sunset City, and have a large weapon arsenal to use in action.

            Lastly, the most anticipated game of all time, Destiny, its an online world first-person shooter video game in a"mythic science fiction" open world setting. It is published by Activision, the game was released on September 9, 2014. Even though Destiny is released on other consoles like Xbox One, the game is mostly recommended for PS4. The 3 different games are each great buys for any gamers, these title will be available soon. 

Xbox One VS PS4

          The next generation has arrived, for consoles that is. Microsoft has released the Xbox One, and its competitor Sony has released the PS4. Both consoles are new and better upgrades from the previous consoles (Xbox 360 and PS3). Each console is different, but only one can be the winner of the next gen console war between the Xbox One and the PS4.

        Microsoft released their next gen console, Xbox One on November 11th, 2013. Microsoft says "that the Xbox One is new generation of games and entertainment. Where games push the boundaries of realism and TV obeys your every command. The Xbox One lets go from listening to music, to playing your game. From TV to Movies, the all in one, Xbox One. 

        On the other side Sony (Microsoft's competitor), has released their next gen console, the PS4. The PS4 is a system that open the door to an incredible journey, it has incredible immerse new gaming worlds and has a deeply connected community. For gamers the PS4 gives them an astounding launch line up of over 180 games and more to come down the line. The PS4 was a console made specifically for gamers and gmaing, and is more powerful than the Xbox One and has more sales then the Xbox One.

        Now that the next generation of gaming has arrived, even though Microsoft and Sony's other competitor Nintendo released their next gen console early with the Wii U, gamers of all ages have a variety of consoles to choose. Whether your a hardcore gamer, a family gamer, or an entertainment lover, there is one console for everyone, with tons of good games.





         

Summer Blockbusters

Summer Blockbusters

                This summer there has been many movies that had been release over the course of the summer break. Movies have ranged from Comedy's, to Thrillers, to Drama and many more, different movies with different genres for all audiences. During this summer there has been some movies that were big disappointments and some that were the best of the summer. The three movies that were the top grossing films of summer 2014 were, #3: Maleficent with $238.7, #2: Transformers: Age of Extinction with $244.4, and the number one film of the summer was Guardians of the Galaxy with $280.5 million dollars.

              At number 3 for the best summer movie was Maleficent, its the untold story of Disney's most iconic villain from the 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty. The story is about a beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, named Maleficent, who grew up in a forest kingdom. When one day when an army threatens the harmony of the land, she rises to be the land's protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal-an act that begins to turn her pure heart to stone. Maleficent then faces an epic battle with the king's and, like the classic, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As Aurora grows up, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom-and perhaps to Maleficent's true happiness as well. This film stars Angelina Jolie as Maleficent and was directed by Robert Stromberg.

  

        Almost at number 1 is Transformers 4: Age of Extintion, after the conclusion of "Transformers: Dark of the Moon", humanity is picking up the pieces, and the Autobots and Decepticons have vanished from the face of the planet. However, a group of powerful businessman and scientists attempt to learn from Transformer past incursions and push the boundaries of technology beyond what they can control - all while an ancient, powerful Transformer menace sets Earth in his cross-hairs. This film stars Nicola Peltz, Mark Wahlberg and Jack Reynor, and was directed by Micheal Bay.








        The number #1 top grossing, movie of the summer is Guardians of the Galaxy, adventurer Peter Quill finds himself a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan, a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits-Rocket, a gun-toting raccoon, Groot, a tree-like humanoid, the deadly assassin Gamora and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer. But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand-with the galaxy's fate in the balance. This film stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Batista, Bradley Cooper as Rocket Raccoon and Vin Diesel as Groot, and was directed by James Gunn.


            In Conclusions, this wasn`t the best summer for movies, but we did get 3 great movies to enjoy of the course of the summer, #3: Maleficent with $238.7, #2: Transformers: Age of Extinction with $244.4, and the number one film of the summer was Guardians of the Galaxy with $280.5 million dollars.