Alberta: A place To Be

Do you have plans of either studying, visiting, or living in Alberta, here is what you should know.

Alberta: It is the western province of Canada with a population of about 4,121,692 as of July 1, 2014. The province has its capital city in Edmonton which is located at the geographical center of the province.  It is also, the fourth most popular in Canada and it is bounded by the province of British Columbia to the West and Saskatchwan to the East. However, Alberta is one of the three Canadian provinces and territories that border only a single U.S city and also, has seventeen cities all together.

The Five Major Cities In Alberta Are:

Edmonton

Lethbridge

St.Albert

Calgary





Red Deer

Other cities include; Airdrie, Brooks, Camrose, Cold Lake, Forte Saskatchewan, Grand Prairie, Lacombe, Laduc,  Lloydminister, Medicine Heart, Spruce Grove and Wetaskiwin. The largest and smallest cities are Calgary and Lacombe respectively.

Meanwhile, Alberta is uniquely blessed with stunning natural scenery that runs from prairies and boreal forest to foothills and abundances of natural resources. All these have helped Albartans create one of the most productive and highest standard living in the world.

There is a spirit of entrepreneurship, industry and community at work throughout the province, resulting  in thriving rural and urban communities and a diverse and innovative business environment, centered on energy, agriculture, forestry and tourism.

Economy

In Canada, Alberta's economy is one of the strongest. It has been supported by rapidly increasing petroleum, and to a lesser extend agriculture and technology. According to Statistic Canada, Alberta business, household and government sector all contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It also shows an estimate of 3.3% in 2013, the fourth straight year above 3%, outperforming Canada and US economic growth. However, the energy industry is said to be the key factor of Alberta's growth.

Tax

Albertans are one of the lowest taxed people in Canada. It is the province in Canada without a provincial sales tax (Residents are still subject to the federal sales tax, the Good and Services tax of 5%) and also, the only province in Canada to have flat taxes for personal income taxes, which is 10% of taxable income. 

Alberta has one of the most competitive business tax environments in North America, with their revenue mainly from royalties on Non-renewable natural resources, personal income tax, corporate and other taxes and grants from the federal government primarily for infrastructure projects.

Culture

The government of Alberta recognizes the art and cultural industries sectors as essential parts to the Albertan quality of life. Alberta Culture encourages the growth, accessibility and excellence of their arts and cultural industries sector. Events such as Mountiain Film Festival, Works Art and Design Festival and Edinburgh festival that are usually hosted at places like Banff centre, Calgary and Edmonton, highlights the province cultural diversity.

It is good to know that both Calgary and Edmonton are home to the Canadian Football League and National Hockey League Teams.

Black Is Not Just A Colour, Black Is An Attitude!

Share from Ernest Owen Experiences. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ernest-owens/5-lessons-traveling-to-af_b_6065146.html

A Raise in The Price of Tickets in The State

Air Ticket Sales by US Travel Agencies Rise 4.54 Percent Year-Over-Year Read more: http://www.kptv.com/story/27429381/air-ticket-sales-by-us-travel-agencies-rise-454-percent-year-over-year#ixzz3Jb2J6QZt

Five Most Visit Places In China

China is a huge country offering myriad of attractions. Choosing the top destinations for the tourists is essentially impossible.

The China City

Going to China for a vacation, these are the five places to visit when you are there.

According to the Tourism-Review.com "they are the must-sees of the Chinese world".

  

  

    1. The Great Wall: This is one of the most popular attractions in the country. It was built during the Ming Dynasty between 1368 -1644. It runs more than 373 miles, with around 828 city wall platforms and 71 passes in addition to a myriad of towers.

The Great Wall

2. The Forbidden City: This is a city that is located at the center of Beijing. From the mid Ming Dynasty to nearly the end of the Qing Dynasty it served as a Chinese imperial palace. For more than 5 years, it was the emperor’s home and it was also a ceremonial and political center of the Chinese government. Today it is the home of the Palace Museum.

The Forbidden City

3. The Shanghai Bund: This is one of the sites located in Shanghai that receives many visitors all over the year. It is located within the earlier Shanghai’s International Settlement that runs on River Huangpu banks on the western side facing Pudong on Huangpu’s district eastern side. The Bund refers to the buildings and wharves found in this section of the road and the adjacent areas as well. The place is densely populated and you should plan to visit before 8 am and perhaps after 10 pm so that you can get a clear view of the beautiful river.

The Shanghai Bund

4. The Western Lake of Hangzhou: After having a good time at the bund, this should be your next stop. It only takes a few hours to get here by train from Shanghai. It has been a well-known tourist spot for centuries. In the past it was the ideal retreat spot for imperial majesties. It takes pride in natural settings of peaks that are shaped in a unique manner, serene forests, springs, host of blooms and dense flora. It is best to plan to visit this site during the summer and spring when the features are enhanced by a treasure of architecture and sculpture 

The Western Lake of Hangzhon

5. Terracotta in Xi’an: This is a type of obituary art that was laid down in 210 BC with the First Emperor of China. The locals of Xi’an discovered the figures of the army in 1974. They have varied heights with respect to the roles they played where the tallest were serving as Generals. Figures include chariots, horses, strong men, warriors, musicians and acrobats. They were estimated to be more than 8,000 with more than 130 chariots with horses and another almost 140 cavalry horses.

Terracotta in xi'an

What You Need To Know About British Columbia (BC)

The City: Is located in the west coast of Canada, and has just over 4.1 million people with its capital in Victoria.  BC has a division of regions which include Vancouver, Victoria, Whistler, Tofino, Penticton, Kelowna, Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, William Lake, and Kamloops, with the majority living in the Vancouver area which happens to be the largest city in BC and the third metropolitan in Canada.

However, Vancouver is usually mistaken to be the capital city because of its population, which is half the population of BC. It's surrounded by mountains and water, and  also the overall closeness to nature that gives its residents a love of nature and a laid back charm and friendliness.

The Climate: BC is where most of the population lives and most visited by tourists because of its climate which is temperate and above all rainy. However, the temperatures vary by region. That is, warmer in the south than in the north, and rainfall is heaviest along the coast and lightest in the southern interior.

In a nutshell, during the winter: Snow doesn't stay around long in Vancouver, but the interior sees plenty of snow and freezing temperatures.
Spring & Fall: often very pleasant warm days and cool nights, especially in June and September. Daytime temperature, allows for dresses, short, and short sleeve shirts.

Summer: The interior, especially in the south, is more typically hot summer weather, with the coast being slightly cooler. Evenings can still be cold, so jackets in the evening.

Things you can do: If you are an extrovert, there are some little things you could do other than shopping and dining. These include; skiing, paddling and hiking. Also, if you're the type that likes wine then why not go for wine tasting as well.