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Lake, Chiang Mai is really wonderful panorama.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Taos, NM
Still home to one of the longest-established Native American populations in the United States, though transformed by becoming first a Spanish colonial outpost, and more recently a hangout for bohemian artists and New Age dropouts, TAOS (which rhymes with mouse) has become famous out of all proportion to its size. Just six thousand people live in its three component parts: Taos itself, around the plaza; sprawling Ranchos de Taos, three miles to the south; and the Native American community of Taos Pueblo, two miles north.
Beyond the usual unsightly highway sprawl, Taos is a delight to visit. As well as museums, galleries and stores to match Santa Fe, it still offers an unhurried pace and charm, and the sense of a meeting place between Pueblo, Hispanic and American cultures. Its reputation as an arts colony began at the end of the nineteenth century, with the arrival of painter Joseph Henry Sharp. He was soon joined by two young New Yorkers, Bert Phillips and Ernest L. Blumenschein; legend has it that their wagon lost a wheel outside Taos as they headed for Mexico in 1898, and they liked it so much they never got round to leaving. The three men formed the nucleus of the Taos Society of Artists, established in 1915. Soon afterwards, society heiress and arts patron Mabel Dodge arrived, and married an Indian from the Pueblo to become Mabel Dodge Luhan. She in turn wrote a fan letter to English novelist D.H. Lawrence, who visited three times in the early 1920s; his widow Frieda made her home in Taos after his death. New generations of artists and writers have "discovered" Taos ever since, but the most famous of all was Georgia O'Keeffe, who stayed for a few years at the end of the 1920s. Her renditions of the church at Ranchos de Taos in particular were a major influence on contemporary Southwestern art.
Information by Rough GuidesMonday, July 14, 2008
Boracay Island, Philippines
Geographically speaking, Boracay is part of the municipality of Malay in the province of Aklan, which is located in Panay, one of a cluster of islands that constitute the central section of the Philippine archipelago.
Boracay can be reached from Manila by daily flights on Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines, Asian Spirit, Seair and Pacific Air. Caticlan is nearer the island, but the airstrip is short and narrow, and only the smaller planes of Asian Spirit, Seair and Pacific Air can land on it. The larger aircraft of Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines fly to Kalibo, the capital of Aklan. From Caticlan it takes about 15 minutes by boat to Boracay; from Kalibo, an hour and a half by bus plus the 15-minute boat ride.
Once on the island, you will find out that getting around is simple and easy. There are three categories of transport: pedicabs and motorized tricycles shared with other passengers; individually rented bicycles and motorbikes; and the shuttle service offered by some hotels. Taxis are not available. However, since everything is more or less within walking distance, you will most likely join the majority of visitors in moving around the island on foot.
Boracay is seven kilometers long and divided into three barangays, or communities. Yapak lies in the north, Balabag in the center and Manoc-Manoc in the south. Within these barangays are smaller villages such as Angol, Manggayad and Bolabog.
Yapak is spread out over hilly terrain situated some distance away from the main tourist beat, but the shoreline is dotted with beautiful, uncrowded beaches and coves such as Puka Beach and Balinghai Beach . The island's only golf club, the 18-hole par-72 course at Fairways & Bluewater , is also located in Yapak. The Bat Caves , a popular destination for nature lovers, can be found at the barangay's northeastern tip.
White Beach , Boracay's biggest tourist attraction, stretches some four kilometers on the western side of the island, mostly within the barangay of Balabag. It is largely because of the pristine, white powdery sand of White Beach and the crystal-clear blue water of the surrounding sea that Boracay is often called "the world's most beautiful tropical island."
While White Beach takes up most of the western shoreline, Bolabog Beach dominates the eastern coast. Bolabog (sometimes spelled "Bulabog" or "Bulabug") belongs to the barangay of Balabag (with very little difference in spelling, Bolabog is often confused with Balabag by newcomers to the island). Normally the boat trip from Caticlan terminates at White Beach, but during the monsoon season when the western side of the island is lashed by strong winds, visitors are brought to a docking area in Bolabog. The waters here are also considered to offer ideal conditions for windsurfing. A small dirt road takes you from Bolabog to the foot of Mount Luho , the highest point on the island.
Understandably hotels on White Beach attract the most guests. The northern end of the beach is "lorded over" by Fridays , the southern end by Lorenzo South . In between you will find all kinds of accommodation, from native bamboo-and-nipa bungalows to Western-style concrete buildings.
White Beach extends into Manoc-Manoc, but the barangay features its own share of beaches worth visiting and exploring, including one named Manoc-Manoc Beach . The barangay also encompasses the Boracay Beach & Yacht Club and Crocodile Island, a popular destination for picnics, diving expeditions and marine excursions. The Dead Forest , a scenic spot believed to be populated by elemental spirits, is likewise located within the boundaries of Manoc-Manoc. White Beach Path runs along White Beach but is set back from the shore by rows of coconut trees. Hotels, eateries, bars, stores and dive shops line the entire length of the meandering footpath. This is where visitors to the island come to see and be seen.
You will find hotels like the longstanding Red Coconut Resort and more recently constructed Boracay Regency Beach Resort on White Beach Path, and likewise the Tourist Center , a handy one-stop shop for all kinds of travel needs (airline reservations, postcards, stamps, film, souvenirs and so forth). Thai Castles, True Food, Steakhouse Boracay , Gorio's , La Reserve Restaurant , Banza and La Capannina are among the better known eateries. Bars include Bom Bom and Summer Place Bar & Restaurant . Victory Divers and Aquarius Diving are just two of the many dive shops (there are more than 20 such outlets on the island) scattered along the path. Retail stores range from Paulo Collection Body Wear to Lonely Planet. The Talipapa Market, which burnt down in early 2005, has now been rebuilt in several locations between White Beach Path and Boracay Main Road .
Tricycles ply Boracay Main Road and a handful of side streets but are not allowed on White Beach Path. Except for Jony's Beach Resort , the town square (where the church and DOT Office are located), Beachcomber Bar & Disco , Moondog Shooter Bar , Pink Patio Resort and a few other establishments, there are not many places geared toward tourists on the main road. You may, however, ride a tricycle on the road to get to a hotel or an eatery on White Beach Path; just get off at the nearest stop and walk the rest of the way.
To facilitate locating an establishment on the island, the nearest boat station is often specified in its address. Here a word on these stations is in order: Numbered 1, 2 and 3, they are used as stopping-off points by boats ferrying new arrivals from Caticlan. Do not, however, expect some well-constructed structure with a welcoming jetty for you to conveniently step on. To disembark, you can go for one of two options: Jump into the water and wade ashore or allow yourself the luxury of being borne aloft on the shoulders of some hapless porter. Happy landing!
source: yahoo travel
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Tampere, Finland
Welcome to Tampere, an international city of culture, science and commerce! The home of the famous black sausage was born as a factory town but has grown to be a lot more than that. Tampere leaves nobody cold.
Tampere is an inland city, the biggest in the Nordic countries, but the importance of water ways is greater and more physical than in many coastal cities. The unique location of the city centre on an isthmus between two lakes means you are never far from water. A special attraction is the Tammerkoski rapids, essential to the birth and development of the city, flowing through its heart like a giant aorta.
The location also results in the peculiar shape the city takes on the map. Since the lakes cover the greater part of the northern and southern directions, most city districts and suburbs have spread east and west in a bowlike form. The knot of the bow, embracing the rapids, is the city centre, where the main action in cultural and commercial life is concentrated.
The Lakes
The importance of the two large bodies of water—and the rapids connecting them—for the city of Tampere can hardly be overestimated. The water of the rapids flows through the centre from north to south, descending 18 metres on its route from Lake Näsijärvi to Lake Pyhäjärvi. The lakes used to be essential for the transportation of people and goods, and nowadays this tradition of lake cruising is enjoyed by tourists. In summer, southbound Suomen Hopealinja boats to Hämeenlinna depart from the Laukontori , and on Lake Näsijärvi the old steam ship Tarjanne sails the Runoilijan Tie to the north.
Since Lake Pyhäjärvi lies in the south, it always glitters when observed from the city in sunny weather. According to many locals, the lake is at its best in March, when its snowy surface bathes in the bright spring sun. The popular summer resort Viikinsaari is a few kilometres away, the boatride from the city taking only 15 minutes. The international airport of Tampere is located in Pirkkala , to the south of the lake.
Lake Näsijärvi, or the part of it close to Tampere, can best be seen from the top of Näsinneula . This tower, indisputably the number one landmark of the city, is the highest building in the Nordic countries. Perhaps providing a revealing example of the local sense of humour, there used to be a rumour that the tower was built from the top to the bottom.
Tampere is not something that can be explained exhaustively. Embraced by the lakes, this city of science, art, and industry continuously reveals new fascinating sides of itself. The Tammerkoski waterfront invites everyone to visit, and it is an invitation worth accepting.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Mombasa, Kenya
Looking for romantic place Kenya's second city can come as a revelation. There's a depth of history here, and a sense of community which Nairobi lacks. And, whereas Nairobi has very clear boundaries between rich and poor districts, things are less clearly defined in Mombasa. Sleazy, hot – you're always thirsty – and physically tropical in a way that could hardly be more different from the capital, MOMBASA is the slightly indolent hub of the coast – a faded, flaking, occasionally charming city that still feels, despite its gentle sprawl, like a small town that was once great.
Mombasa is actually an island, connected to the mainland by two causeways to the west, and by a bridge to the north, but still linked only by ferry to the south. The city is intricate and its streets wriggle deceptively. At its appealing heart is the Old Town, a lattice of lanes, mosques and cramped, old houses sloping gently down to the once-busy dhow harbour. Fort Jesus, an impressive reminder of Mombasa's complicated, bloody past, still overlooks the Old Town from where it once guarded the harbour entrance. It's now a national monument and museum.
Clustered all around you, within easy walking distance, is the whole expanse of downtown, modern Mombasa, with its wide streets and refreshing lack of high-rise buildings (though their number is steadily growing). While you won't doubt it's a chaotic city – there are no traffic lights left in working order for example – the atmosphere, even in the commercial centre of one of Africa's busiest ports, is invariably relaxed and congenial. Rush hours, urgency and paranoia seem to be Nairobi's problems (as everyone here will tell you), not Mombasa's. And the gaping, marginal slums that one expects to find outside African cities hardly exist here. True, Likoni and especially Changamwe, on the mainland, are burgeoning suburbs that the municipality has more or less abandoned, but the brutalizing conditions of the Mathare Valley, Kibera and Korogocho shantytowns in Nairobi are absent.
Despite the palms, the sunshine and the happy languor, all is not bliss and perfection. Street crime, though it hardly approaches Nairobi's level, is still a problem, and you should be wary of displaying your valuables or accepting invitations to walk down dark alleys. Likoni ferry and the area around the junction of Jomo Kenyatta Avenue with Mwembe Tayeri Road are two hotspots for pickpocketing and bag snatching, so be particularly wary in those places. But, as a general rule, Mombasa is a far less neurotic city than Nairobi and, in stark contrast to the capital, there's nowhere in the centre that could be considered a no-go area. One indication of this is that the city stays awake much later. Climatic considerations may partly explain it but, at an hour when central Nairobi is empty but for taxis and askaris, Mombasans are to be seen strolling in the warm night, old men conversing on the benches in Digo Road, and many shops are still open. The small-town freedoms remain healthy here and it all adds up to a city that is richly satisfying and rewarding to stay in.
Ethnically, Mombasa is perhaps even more diverse than Nairobi. Asian and Arab influence is particularly pervasive, with fifty mosques and dozens of Hindu and Sikh temples lending a strongly Oriental flavour. Still, the largest contingent speaks Swahili as a first language and it is the Swahili civilization that, more than any other, accounts for Mombasa's distinctive character. You'll see women wearing head-to-foot buibuis or brilliant kanga outfits, men decked out in kanzu gowns and hip-slung kikoi wraps. The smaller community of settlers and European expatriates figures less prominently here than in Nairobi, but it continues to wield disproportionate economic and social clout.
As a tourist town, Mombasa doesn't go out of its way to please. Indeed, one of its best qualities is its utter lack of pretension. It is principally a port: Kilindini harbour takes up most of the western side of the island. Increasingly, too, Mombasa is an industrial city, boasting one of East Africa's major oil refineries (on your right as you arrive by train). In short, Mombasa is not a resort. Visiting sailors are as important to its tourist economy as bona fide tourists, and (a grievous shortcoming) the island has no real beaches. The vast majority of the obvious tourists that you'll see around the place are here only for the purpose of a shopping trip from their North or South coast beach hotels. You may not be able to resist the lure of the beaches for too long, but Mombasa deserves a little of your time unless you are in a big hurry; there are few places in the country with such a strong sense of identity.
Information by Rough Guides
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Chicago, USA
This is Chicago, a huge city with several district articles containing sightseeing, restaurant, nightlife and accommodation listings — consider printing them all.
Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. if you are the jazz or blues lovers this is the best place to travel. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. Butcher of hogs and believer in progress, it is one of the world's great cities, and yet the metropolitan luxuries of theater, dining, and shopping have barely put a dent in real Midwestern friendliness. It's a city with a swagger, but without the surliness or even the fake smiles found in other cities of its size.
As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.
With a wealth of iconic sights and neighborhoods to explore, there's enough to fill a visit of days, weeks, or even months without ever seeing the end. Dress warm in the winter, and prepare to cover a lot of ground: the meaning of Chicago is only found in movement, through subways and archaic elevated tracks, in the pride of tired feet and eyes raised once more to the sky.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Christchurch, New Zealand
Capital of the Canterbury region and the largest city on the South Island, CHRISTCHURCH (population just over 300,000) exudes a palpable air of gentility and a connectedness with the mother country. After all, it was perceived as an outpost of Anglicanism by its first settlers, was named after an Oxford college, and has some of the feel of a traditional English university town, with its neo-Gothic architecture and gently winding river. To some degree it pursues an archetype – the boys at Christ's College still wear striped blazers, and punts course along the Avon – but the Englishness is largely skin deep. Modern Christchurch is also a lively melting pot of cultures, with a continental café scene and a distinct, ever-changing Kiwi identity of its own. Indeed, those who regard Christchurch as a quiet place in which to sleep off jet lag or take a break from the long journey across the South Island will be pleasantly surprised by the city's contemporary face. In recent years its traditional conservatism has gained a more youthful, bohemian edge, with an explosion of lively bars and restaurants (the city boasts per capita a greater number than Auckland), the emergence of underground nightlife, and a burgeoning of the visual arts, theatre, music and street entertainment. Such urban pursuits are nicely balanced by the Pacific Ocean suburbs of New Brighton and Sumner, both of which boast excellent beaches.
Straddling the main road and rail routes running down the east coast, Christchurch is used by many tourists as a base from which to explore the South Island, with the steep, angular terrain of Banks Peninsula and the vineyards of the Canterbury Plains proving the most popular out-of-town destinations. Many of the outdoor activities for which New Zealand is famous are accessible from here, with a plethora of city-based companies offering trips involving rafting, paragliding, ballooning and mountain biking in the surrounding countryside (see "Listings"). The city is also within a two-hour drive of several good skifields to the west, making it possible to combine a day on the pistes with an evening in Christchurch's numerous watering holes. Indeed the place's only real drawback is its cost: compared with the rest of the South Island, Christchurch is an expensive place to spend any length of time.
Information by Rough Guides
Nassau, Bahamas
Originally a harbour base named Charles Town, NASSAU is the modern-day face of the Bahamas, visited by most everyone who comes down this way, not least for its service as a transport hub. Though dingy in parts, enough historical flavour has been preserved to make such a stop here worthwhile. Much of this atmosphere comes from its development during the so-called Loyalist period from 1787 to 1834, when many of the city's finest colonial buildings were built. Before this build-up, Nassau had largely been a haven for pirates, privateers and wreckers, situated as it was on key shipping routes between Europe and the West Indies.
But it was really the development of the tourist industry here that put Nassau firmly on the map. After alternating periods of decline and prosperity in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, the spike in trade and construction that followed World War II led directly to Nassau's emergence as a global centre for tourism and finance. By the mid-1950s, with the dredging of the harbour and the construction of the international airport, Nassau began to host more than a million visitors a year, and a decade later, after the construction of the Paradise Island Bridge and the development of Cable Beach, the city was receiving twice as many more.
Information by Rough Guides
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Cape Town, South Africa
CAPE TOWN is southern Africa's most beautiful, most romantic and most visited city. Indeed, few urban centers anywhere can match its setting along the mountainous Cape Peninsula spine, which slides into the Atlantic Ocean. By far the most striking – and famous – of its sights is Table Mountain, frequently shrouded by clouds, and rearing up from the middle of the city.
More than a scenic backdrop, Table Mountain is the solid core of Cape Town, dividing the city into distinct zones with public gardens, wilderness, forests, hiking routes, vineyards and desirable residential areas trailing down its lower slopes. Standing on the tabletop, you can look north for a giddy view of the city center, its docks lined with matchbox ships. Looking west, beyond the mountainous Twelve Apostles, the drop is sheer and your eye will sweep across Africa's priciest real estate, clinging to the slopes along the chilly but spectacularly beautiful Atlantic seaboard. Turning south, the mountainsides are forested and several historic vineyards and the marvelous Botanical Gardens creep up the lower slopes. Beyond the oak-lined suburbs of Newlands and Constantia lies the warmer False Bay seaboard, which curves around towards Cape Point. Finally, relegated to the grim industrial east, are the colored townships and black ghettos, spluttering in winter under the smoky pall of coal fires – your stark introduction to Cape Town when driving in.
To appreciate Cape Town you need to spend time outdoors, as Capetonians do, hiking, picnicking or sunbathing, or often choosing mountain bikes in preference to cars and turning adventure activities into an obsession. Sail boarders from around the world head for Table Bay for some of the world's best windsurfing, and the brave (or unhinged) jump off Lion's Head and paraglide down close to the Clifton beach front. But the city offers sedate pleasures as well, along its hundreds of paths and 150km of beaches.
Cape Town's rich urban texture is immediately apparent in its diverse architecture: an indigenous Cape Dutch style, rooted in the Netherlands, finds its apotheosis in the Constantia wine estates, which were themselves brought to new heights by French refugees in the seventeenth century; Muslim slaves, freed in the nineteenth century, added their minarets to the skyline; and the English, who invaded and freed these slaves, introduced Georgian and Victorian buildings. In the tightly packed terraces of twentieth-century Bo-Kaap and the tenements of District Six, colored descendants of slaves evolved a unique brand of jazz, which is still played in the Cape Flats and some city-center clubs.
Sadly, when most travelers expound the unarguable delights of the city, they are referring only to genteel Cape Town – the former whites-only areas. The harsh reality for most Capetonians is one of crowded shantytowns, sky-high murder rates, taxi wars, racketeering and gangland terror. In the late 1990s this violence has been characterized by a complex and bloody war between colored gangs and Pagad (People Against Gangsterism and Drugs), a Cape Flats organization that started with the ostensible aim of stamping out crime. Fortunately, this conflict has remained largely restricted to the Cape Flats and isn't something tourists need be unduly concerned about. Having said that, petty crime is nonetheless a problem in central Cape Town, but it's a risk you can minimize by taking a few simple precautions.
Information by Rough Guides
Arequipa, Peru
An active city, some 2400m above sea level, and with a relatively wealthy population of over three-quarters of a million, AREQUIPA maintains a rather aloof attitude toward the rest of Peru. Most Arequipans feel themselves distinct, if not culturally superior, and resent the idea of the nation revolving around Lima, and with El Misti, the 5821-metre dormant volcano poised above, the place does have a rather legendary sort of appearance. But besides its widespread image as the country’s second biggest and arguably, after Cusco, most attractive city, Arequipa has some very specific historical connotations for Peruvians. Developing late as a provincial capital, and until 1870 connected only by mule track with the rest of Peru, it has acquired a reputation as the centre of right-wing political power: while populist movements have tended to emerge around Trujillo in the north, Arequipa has traditionally represented the solid interests of the oligarchy. Sanchez Cerro and Odria both began their coups here, in 1930 and 1948 respectively, and Belaunde, one of the most important presidents in pre- and post-military coup years, sprung into politics from one of the wealthy Arequipa families. In recent years, despite the tastefully ostentatious architecture and generally well-heeled appearance of most townsfolk, there has been a huge increase in the number of street beggars and Arequipa typifies the social extremes of Peru more than any other of its major cities.
On of the best times to visit is around August 15, when there’s a festival celebrating the city’s foundation with processions, music and poetry. There’s also a folklore festival in the first week of July.
Information by Rough Guides
Hanoi, Vietnam
The Vietnamese nation was born among the lagoons and marshes of the Red River Delta around 4000 years ago and for most of its independent existence has been ruled from Hanoi, Vietnam's small, elegant capital lying in the heart of the northern delta. Given the political and historical importance of Hanoi and its burgeoning population of three million, it's still a surprisingly low-key city, with the character of a provincial town – though with a dramatic rise in motorbike ownership, increased traffic and Western-style retail outlets, it's catching up fast with the brash, young Ho Chi Minh City. For the time being, however, it remains relatively laid-back. It still retains buildings from the eleventh-century court of its founding father King Ly Thai To, most notably the Temple of Literature, and some of the streets in the Old Quarter still trade in the same speciality goods they dealt in 500 years ago. In 1887, the French turned Hanoi into the centre of government for the entire Union of Indochina, replacing ancient monuments with grand colonial residences, many of which survive today. Hanoi finally became the capital of independent Vietnam in 1954, with Ho Chi Minh its first president: Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum is now the city's biggest crowd-puller. The city sustained serious damage in the American War, particularly the infamous Christmas Bombing campaign of 1972, much of it lucidly chronicled in the Army Museum. Until recently, political isolation together with lack of resources preserved what was essentially the city of the 1950s. However, since the advent of tourism in 1993, the city has seen an explosion in travellers' cafés, mini-hotels and cybercafés. Indeed, Hang Bac, one of the Old Quarter's main drags which is home to a large number of traveller hangouts, is starting to resemble a little piece of Bangkok's Khao San Road in Hanoi. The big question now is how much of central Hanoi will survive the onslaught of modernization.
Information by Rough Guides
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Venerable, dramatic EDINBURGH, the showcase capital of Scotland, is a historic, cosmopolitan and cultured city. The setting is wonderfully striking; the city is perched on a series of extinct volcanoes and rocky crags which rise from the generally flat landscape of the Lothians, with the sheltered shoreline of the Firth of Forth to the north. "My own Romantic town", Sir Walter Scott called it, although it was another native author, Robert Louis Stevenson, who perhaps best captured the feel of his "precipitous city", declaring that "No situation could be more commanding for the head of a kingdom; none better chosen for noble prospects."
The centre has two distinct parts, divided by Princes Street Gardens, which run roughly east–west under the shadow of Castle Rock. To the north, the dignified, Grecian-style New Town was immaculately laid out during the Age of Reason, after the announcement of a plan to improve conditions in the city. The Old Town, on the other hand, with its tortuous alleys and tightly packed closes, is unrelentingly medieval, associated in popular imagination with the underworld lore of schizophrenic Deacon Brodie, inspiration for Stevenson's Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and the bodysnatchers Burke and Hare. Edinburgh earned its nickname of "Auld Reekie" for the smog and smell generated by the Old Town, which for centuries swam in sewage tipped out of the windows of cramped tenements.
Set on the crag which sweeps down from the towering fairytale castle to the royal Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Old Town preserves all the key reminders of its role as a capital, plus a brand new parliament building rising up opposite the palace. A few hundred yards away a tantalizing glimpse of the wild beauty of Scotland's scenery can be had immediately beyond the palace in Holyrood Park, an extensive area of open countryside dominated by Arthur's Seat, the largest and most impressive of the volcanoes.
In August and early September, around a million visitors flock to the city for the Edinburgh Festival, in fact a series of separate festivals that make up the largest arts extravaganza in the world. Among the many museums, the exciting new National Museum of Scotland houses ten thousand of Scotland's most precious artefacts, while the National Gallery of Scotland and its offshoot, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, have two of Britain's finest collections of paintings.
On a less elevated theme, the city's distinctive howffs (pubs), allied to its brewing and distilling traditions, make Edinburgh a great drinking city. The presence of three universities, plus several colleges, means that there is a youthful presence for most of the year – a welcome corrective to the stuffiness which is often regarded as Edinburgh's Achilles heel.
Beyond the city centre, the most lively area is Leith, the city's medieval port, whose seedy edge is softened by a series of great bars and upmarket seafood restaurants, along with the presence of the former royal yacht Britannia, now open to visitors.
Information by Rough GuidesGothenburg, Sweden
One of the best ways to see Gothenburg is from the window of a tram. The trams run all over town and move slowly enough for you to get a proper look at the city. Another alternative is to walk, of course. Gothenburg is a fairly small city, so the distances involved are perfectly manageable. Brunnsparken, in the town centre, is a good place to start out on your walk. All trams stop here, so it is easily accessible. The shopping center
If you walk up Östra Hamngatan, you will notice that the street name changes after a while, to Kungsportsavenyn, or just
If you choose to walk up Kungsgatan rather than Östra Hamngatan from Brunnsparken, you will soon find yourself by
At the end of Linnegatan, the main street in Linnestaden, you will find yourself at Linneplatsen. This is the place to head towards if you want to see Gothenburg's largest public park,
On cool summer evenings, the setting is perfect for a nice quiet stroll down by the harbour. Have a look at the ships, like
On the other side of the river Göta älv, you can see the district called Hisingen. This is actually a very large island. It is quite heavily populated, and many industries have their factories and administrative facilities here. At Eriksberg, by the Hisingen harbour,
There are also a lot of interesting destinations outside of the city limits. The biodynamic gardens known as Lärjeåns trädgård are located in the suburb of Angered. This is an excellent place to buy organically grown vegetables, and why not enjoy a cup of coffee at the cafe while you're at it? If palaces and castles are your thing, a visit to
There is a lot on offer both in the city of Gothenburg itself and in the surrounding communities. Whether you are mainly interested in nature, history, culture, architecture, entertainment, good food or shopping, you will find it all right here on the beautiful west coast of Sweden.
source:yahoo travel
Yogyakarta-the cultural city
YOGYAKARTA (pronounced "Jogjakarta" and often just shortened to "Jogja") ranks as one of the best-preserved and most attractive cities in Java, and is a major centre for the classical Javanese arts of batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry and puppet shows. At its heart is Yogya's first family, the Hamengkubuwonos, whose elegant palace lies at the centre of Yogya's quaint old city, the Kraton, itself concealed behind high castellated walls. Tourists flock here, attracted not only by the city's courtly splendour but also by the nearby temples of Prambanan and Borobudur, so there are more hotels in Yogya than anywhere else in Java and, unfortunately, a correspondingly high number of touts, pickpockets and con artists.
Yogyakarta grew out of the dying embers of the once-great Mataram dynasty. In 1752, the Mataram Empire, then based in nearby Solo, was in the throes of the Third Javanese War of Succession. The reigning susuhunan, Pakubuwono II, had been steadily losing power in the face of a rebellion by his brothers, Singasari and Mangkubumi, and the sultan's nephew, Mas Said. To try to turn the tide, Pakubuwono persuaded Mangkubumi to swap sides and defend the court, offering him control over three thousand households within the city in return. Mangkubumi agreed, but the sultan later reneged on the deal. In fury, Mangkubumi headed off to establish his own court. Thus Yogyakarta was born, and Mangkubumi crowned himself Sultan Hamengkubuwono I. He spent the next 37 years building the new capital, with the Kraton as the centrepiece and the court at Solo as the blueprint. By the time he died in 1792, his territory exceeded Solo's. After his death, however, the Yogya sultanate went into freefall and spent most of the nineteenth century concentrating on artistic pursuits rather than warmongering. In 1946, the capital of the newly declared Republic of Indonesia was moved to Yogya from Jakarta, and the Kraton became the unofficial headquarters for the republican movement. With the financial and military support of Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, Yogya became the nerve centre for the native forces. Today, over fifty years on from the War of Independence, the royal household of Yogya continues to enjoy almost slavish devotion from its subjects and the current sultan, Hamengkubuwono X, is one of the most influential politicians in the country.
Information by Rough Guides
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