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Nhãn: Europe Travel
Mali is landlocked country in Africa. It is bordered by Mauritania, Algeria, Nigerja, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinee Conakry and Senegal.
Mali is a fascinating country to explore. With its old cities along the Niger river and its well documented history, it gives you an unique insight in pre-colonial African civilization. Gao, Djenne, with its famous mosque, Segou, Mopti and Timbuktu all are very exciting travel destinations.
Nhãn: Africa Travel
Italy is one of those countries about which you probably have quite a number of preconceptions before you have put one foot into the country. A country of olive oil and mafia, pasta, wine and sunshine, roman ruins and renaissance palaces, Italy has a lot to offer its visitors. Although some of these images are appealing, it would be a shame if that was the only thing you come away with. Italy is certainly much more complex and interesting than that.
Nhãn: Europe Travel
Interior of Cathédrale de Lausanne
Author: Arnaud Gaillard (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic) About Switzerland
Switzerland, or officially the Swiss Confederation, or Confœderatio Helvetica in Latin, is a relatively small landlocked country in Central Europe. It has a total area of 41,285 sq km (15,940 sq miles), making it slightly bigger than the US state of Maryland. The country is bordered by Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy to the south, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Much of Switzerland is mountainous, with most of its 7.8 million inhabitants concentrated in its major cities.
Switzerland is home to two global cities, Z&uum;rich and Geneva, which lead the country in having some of the highest per capita gross domestic product in the world. Three major languages are spoken in Switzerland, predominant according to region. They are German, French and Italian. In the canton of Graubünden, the people speak Romansh, an obscure language believed to have been derived from Vulgar Latin. Together they form the four national languages of Switzerland.
Traveling in Switzerland pose a challenge to many budget travelers at it is an expensive country. Having said that, every major town and city has at least one budget hostel. Alternatively, you should compare the price of hotel rooms in Switzerland before making any bookings. (Use our free hotel search engine - scroll down below - to compare prices quoted by different booking sites.)
Klein Matterhorn Bahn
Author: Patrick (public domain) Fast Facts about Switzerland
Grand Combin glaciers as seen from Verbier, Switzerland
Author: Jphoto (public domain) Budget Travel to Switzerland
By Plane The major airports in Switzerland are located in Zürich, Geneva and Basil. Budget travelers can also opt to fly to Friedrichshafen in Germany, a short distance from Zürich.
By Train
Being in the heart of Europe, Switzerland is connect by rail to most of the major cities on the continent. There are several high-speed trains that links Switzerland to its neighbors. Major Swiss cities are served by the French TGV trains from Paris, Avignon, Dijon and Nice. The German ICE links Zürich with Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Berlin as well as to Amsterdam.
Lac de Moiry, near Grimentz, Valais, Switzerland
Author: BraunW (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported) Budget Travel within Switzerland
The most practical form of transport in Switzerland are the trains. Switzerland has a high level of public transportation that is famously punctual. When traveling in Switzerland, you should get the Half-Fare Card entitling you to half fare on all national buses and trains. The card costs CHF99 for one month and CHF150 for a whole year. The Half-Fare Card is available from the train station ticket office.
Here's some tips to understand the train schedule sheet in Switzerland. The yellow sheet shows departures while the white sheets are the arrivals. Express trains are printed in red while regular trains in black. Useful Links
Scenic view of Lake Geneva, Switzerland
Author: CalistaZ (Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)
View of Paradiso in Lugano, in the canton of Ticino, Switzerland
The following are the public holidays observed in Thailand
Stupa in Chiang Mai (24 October 2006)
Nhãn: Asia Travel
Located on a 12 acre island, the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is a universal symbol of freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886, designated as a National Monument in 1924 and restored for her centennial on July 4, 1986.
Empire State Building
The famous Empire State Building, a Famous NYC Landmark and a National Historic Landmark, soars more than a quarter of a mile into the atmosphere above the heart of Manhattan. Each year over 3.5 million people are whisked to the 86th floor above the city's bustling streets. The Observatory offers panoramic views from within a glass enclosed pavilion and from the surrounding open-air promenade.
Times Square
The most bustling square of city is known for its many Broadway theatres, cinemas and supersigns. It is one of those places that make this city that never sleeps. The billboards have become such a tourist attraction for the area that the zoning now requires the buildings to be covered with billboards. The Disney Store here attracts a lot of family-friendly businesses to the area.
Brooklyn Bridge
Walking on the Brooklyn Bridge is an experience that is hard to match. City is spread out in front, behind, on the left, on the right, and below you. Because the subway runs under the East River, and the vehicular level is under the pedestrian level, it had been said that Brooklyn Bridge is the only place on earth where an airplane could fly over a pedestrian who is walking over a car that is driving over a boat that is floating over a train.
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden is sometimes called "The Most Famous Arena in the World". It is a 20,000-seat arena located atop the city's Pennsylvania Station on 7th Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets. Built in 1968, the current arena is the fourth in a line of Madison Square Gardens; the facility is home to the cities basketball teams and the hockey team. In addition, the arena hosts over 600 events per year, including concerts, conventions, award shows, the NBA draft, and the Ringling Bros Barnum Bailey Circus
The Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan, is known for its Christmas tree, ice skating, Top of the Rock Observation Deck, Radio City Music Hall and numerous shopping and dining opportunities. Rockefeller Center is a great destination for visitors any time of the year. The Rockefeller Center, known as the 'city in the city' is an exceptional example of civic planning. All buildings share a common design style, Art Deco, and are connected to each other via an underground concourse, the Catacombs. The complex is nevertheless well integrated in the City, especially along Fifth Avenue.
Central Park Right in the heart of Manhattan stands this oasis of rolling pastures and gardens, stretching from Midtown to Harlem. These days walkers, rollerbladers, bikers and joggers compete for space. To the north, others wonder at the mystery of Belvedere Castle. Nearby is the Delacorte Theater, where you can watch plays in the summer. It blends so easily with the Manhattan environment that it is difficult to guess that it is totally man-made.
Museum of Modern Art
A "modernist dream world" is how critics described the museum after its $425 million face-lift. Yoshio Taniguchi, the Japanese architect responsible for the six-story structure, said he wanted to "create an environment rather than simply making a building." Indeed, soaring galleries suffused with natural light hold such masterpieces as Monet's Water Lilies, Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, and Van Gogh's Starry Night. But it's the museum itself that is the attraction.
American Museum of Natural History Since opening to the public in 1869, the American Museum of Natural History has evolved and grown. In addition to the Rose Center planetarium and regular exhibits, the American Museum of Natural History hosts a revolving series of new exhibits, so there is always something new to see.
United Nations Headquarters The design for the United Nations complex was drawn by an international committee of architects, the United Nations Board of Design. The international style was chosen by the board members as it symbolized a new start after the Second World War. The UN site is an international territory that has its own fire department, security force and postal service. Along 1st Avenue in front of the United Nations Headquarters is a display of flags from each member of the UN. It starts with Afghanistan at 48th street and ends with Zimbabwe at 42nd street.
OTHER PLACES OF ATTRACTION
Metropolitan Museum of Art
City's grand museum! Journeying through the art of mankind can be an overwhelming yet joyous experience. From Ancient Egypt through the Renaissance to American masters, try and take your time going through each section. You won't get to see everything but what you do see will be memorable.
Grand Central Terminal
Renovations since its opening in 1913 have turned Grand Central into more than just a hub for transportation -- there are shops, dining and more available to visitors. There are group tours available, as well as free tours for individuals on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Ellis Island is part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. It was added to the National Park System in May of 1965 and through extensive restoration, its main building opened over a quarter century later on September 10, 1990 as a national museum of immigration. Ellis Island is federal property partly within the territorial jurisdiction of the both the States of New York and New Jersey.
Bronx Zoo
The largest metropolitan zoo in the United States, the Bronx Zoo comprises 265 acres of parklands and naturalistic habitats -- home to over 4,000 animals, many of which are endangered or threatened species. The Zoo contains a number of unique habitats -- areas designed to replicate the homes of their inhabitants as closely as possible. Jungle World, for instance, is an indoor rain forest where Asian gibbons, hornbills, tapirs, and many other rare species live among equally rare and beautiful plants and trees. Himalayan Highland Habitat is the home of the red panda, snow leopard and white-naped crane.
SoHo in city is the most unique shopping area of the world. With everything from art stands on the street to high-end boutiques, SoHo is certain to exceed every shopper’s expectation. The elegant cast-iron buildings, occasional cobblestone street, art galleries, chic boutiques, and swanky hotels make this a wonderful area in which to shop, eat, and dream of a more glamorous life.
Nhãn: Europe Travel
Nhãn: Asia Travel
Blessed with fantastic nature, New Zealand is worlds apart from any experience found elsewhere and it is geographically much farther southeast than most people imagine. New Zealand is a former British colony, with fascinating cultural influences due to its location in southern Polynesia. Large swaths of rolling green meadows, churning geysers, creaking glaciers, and never-ending stretches of magical overgrown beaches encourage travelers to make the long haul across oceans to indulge in the disarming natural beauty of New Zealand year after year.
New Zealand was one of the last landmasses to be inhabited, only discovered in 800 AD by Polynesian navigator Kupe. The discovery initiated a steady stream of migration from today’s French Polynesia until Dutch Abel Tasman and finally James Cook came across the islands and claimed them for the British Crown, ruled from Australia. The native Maori people are still a considerable minority, enriching the cultural climate of the largely European (Pakeha) nation.
New Zealand’s geography is divided into two major north-south islands. Depending on where you travel and the time of year, the activities and topography will change dramatically.
Most people think of the Seychelles as a winter holiday destination, and Seychelles Island vacations to one of the increasing number of Seychelles Five Stars Hotels tend to be taken between November and March.
In fact, winter time north side of the globe is the time of the greatest Seychelles rain fall with the heaviest rain being December through to February. Therefore, a little strange that these are the popular holiday months when the weather isn’t really ideal. During this time, you will find grey skies, and a torrential downpour, and it was quite depressing for beach vacation, whilst you pay price for lush green foliage. Well, the rain may soon stop, and the sun come out, or it rained only in the early evening every day. But still, it is not the island vacation you dream of.
You may assume that people suffer the very long flight because what they get is a lot better than a European winter, but there are other times to consider a Seychelles island vacation.
The slight problem is that summer isn’t perfect either because the tropical trade wind blows from the south east, and this means you rough seas, probably no swimming off the beach, and poor old holidaymaker who has a boat transfer. In addition the snorkeling in the Seychelles is normally brilliant but because of the rough seas you can’t see anything at all.So, what is the best time to visit the Seychelles? If you want the best of all worlds, visit the Seychelles in April or May.
If you can avoid the Easter break then you have a great chance of getting a cheap deal to the Seychelles with savings of several hundred dollars. The sea is calm, the temperature is about right, and the colors are at their best as the rainy season has only just finished. photo credit: rachel_thecat
So that’s it, for the best deals Seychelles, the best weather, and the best temperature, visit the Seychelles in April May.
Nhãn: Asia Travel
We are really grateful to our intrepid World Wine Tour 2010 friends Anja and Georges who have supplied the following overview and photos about their wine travels in Asia earlier this year. They are travelling through the world of wine, collecting donations of the best bottles they encounter en route to sell next year at an auction in Napa in aid of the Lao Rehabilitation Foundation.
Asia, perhaps the most interesting up and coming market for just about every industry, is also moving fast with wines, as both consumer and producer. And although it’s one continent, the four countries we visited – China, Vietnam, Thailand and India – diverted in their ways of attracting wine tourists. Differences abounded, but overall we found three words that linked together all the wineries we visited. All three words happen to start with the letter ‘E’.
China – Big distances and big potential
For us, on our ‘World Wine Tour 2010,’ China turned out to be not too difficult for arranging appointments with wineries, but if we were just tourists passing through the area, we imagine it might be quite a different story. So, making an appointment in advance is advised! Of the three wineries we visited, only one had a cellar door facility; one was quite a trek to reach and is only for the highly devoted; and the third was a bulk producer, more interesting for our project than for its charm. Some wineries would provide private functions, but weren’t set up yet for public visits, as known in the more established wine worlds.
Nhãn: Asia Travel
Nhãn: Asia Travel
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