A volcanic eruption is possibly the most spectacular example of the incredible power of nature – and few eruptions in history have been quite as spectacular as that of Krakatoa. Until the summer of 1883 this volcano, situated on an island between Java and Sumatra, had been quiet for over two hundred years. In may that year came the first signs of renewed activity. Then at 10am on 27 August, the whole island began to explode. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

The first sight of the skyline of New York from the water is really staggering and it is just so impressive when you are in the streets, looking in astonishment at the skyscrapers that rise up like great cliffs, it takes your breath away to see them shooting up 70, 100 storeys. They are a sort of vertical landscape instead of the horizontal one that we are accustomed to. They are hard and bare but they give one a feeling of power and have a kind of cold, hard beauty, and at night, when all the windows are lit up, the hardness of the day time is softened, and the scene becomes a twentieth century fairyland.

“If all the people in the skyscrapers in New York came out at once, the streets simply could not hold them…” Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

• There is a famous echo in the British Museum Reading Room, don’t forget to try it.
• If you pay a small fee to the guard, parking is permitted even in the grounds of Buckingham Palace.
• Underground tradition: on first entering a train you better shake hands with every passenger.
• If you see a woman upstairs on bus, ask her politely to descend, this is not allowed.
• If you take a taxi, the driver will be only too willing to give your shoes a polish while waiting at the traffic-lights.
• Public conveniences are few; unfrequented streets where relief is permitted are marked “P”.
• Good-natured haggling is customary, so never pay the price demanded for a newspaper.

Share This

Terra australis incognita

Australia is the most ancient continent from geological point of view, but it was unsought by Europeans for many years before Anno Domini, though in 400 B.C. the existence of a continent lying somewhere to the south of the Indian Ocean was suspected. The famous Greek geographer Strabon presumed the fact of the existence of terra australis incognita (a southern unknown land). Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

The beautiful clean nature surrounding Helsinki offers unlimited possibilities for enjoying of high-quality sports and activities is diverse throughout the year. Here you can find some ideas and suggestions for restless feet. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

Germany has a remarkable variety of beautiful towns and landscapes in a comparatively small area. The Federal Republic is also popular with the Germans themselves, as shown by the fact that nearly half of them spend their holidays in their own country.

German attractions

For centuries the German-speaking regions of Europe were a loose association of many sovereign states with many small and large “residences” or capital. Nearly all of them had a long and individualistic cultural tradition, as can be seen from the numerous cathedrals, palaces, castles, libraries, museums, art collections, gardens and theatres all over the country which are ever popular with art connoisseurs and art lovers. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

New Zealand, an independent state and a member of the Commonwealth is situated south-east of Australia. It is similar in size to Japan and Great Britain. The country consists of three large islands, called North Island and South Island, which are separated by the Cook Strait, and Stewart Island. Other smaller islands make up the rest of New Zealand.

The main cities are Auckland, the largest port, and Wellington, the capital. Wellington is the centre of New Zealand’s government activity and is the country banking and financial centre. Christchurch and Dunedin are the most important towns in South Islands. All the cities and towns of New Zealand resemble very much those of England that’s why NZ sometimes is called “The Britain of the Pacific”. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

Let’s go sightseeing in London and visit the principal places of interest. Most of London sights, such as the Tower, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, St. Paul’s Cathedral are well known all over the world.

The city was never planned and appeared as a mass of rural villages: Kensington, Paddington, Edmonton, Camberwell and Hampstead, then it grew rapidly and is one of the biggest European capitals.

London is no longer beautiful, at the first sight, it is safe to say, that a foreigner is initially bewildered by his first sight of London. And though London can’t claim for the immediate fascination of Paris, nor Dublin’s tired charm and even nor the stinging contrasts of New York’s first impact, this city contains not only a great number of the famous architectural works, but a myriad places of quiet and rather romantic and melancholic beauty of the gardens and parks for lovers. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This

Every summer you are welcome to the Buddha feast, which is the annual great occasion in Sri Lanka. Tourists from all over the world have the unique chance to see dancer’s parade, dressed up elephants, standard- and torch-bearers. The feast looks like colorful carnival but without alcohol and women in seminude costumes. This festival is organaised in honour of kings who ruled the island before. The main treasure of the feast is Buddha’s tooth that was brought from India. The possession of this tooth gives miraculous opportunity to Sri Lanka ruler. Later on Buddha’s tooth became a symbol of state independence. Every year, guards troop the tooth on city’s streets and inhabitants as well as tourists can feel the impact of holy relic. The Buddha’s feast lasts 11 days and these days are the best time to visit Sri Lanka and explore features of this country, culture and traditions.

Share This

iTRAIN is the premier source for downloadable workout programs, a mix of the best music, some HD video and the top celebrity trainer voice-overs. They cover the following categories: run, walk, cycle, row, climb, sculpt, stretch, yoga, pilates, boxing, and swim. Their celebrity voice-overs provide a wide variety of workout programs for people of all skill and fitness levels. iTRAIN allows users to download workouts in MP3 format and transfer their workouts to any portable MP3 player, such as an iPod or an iPhone, or a computer. Read the rest of this entry »

Share This