9/15/08

PARIS



Located in north central France, Paris is one of the most visited cities in the world, besides being home to some avant-garde movements.

Its long history and rich cultural heritage, culinary and social makes it a major destination for thousands of tourists attracted by the great monuments which houses the city, as are the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, Eiffel Tower, the Louvre and many more.

Paris is a city that can not be said to have "Center", their neighbourhoods its monuments, its forests and squares make this city the centre of France.


TO SEE:

Eiffel Tower:

The project engineer Gustave Eiffel elicited reactions of rejection by the artistic and literary elite of the French capital and was finished when the constución increased criticism because this tower 320 meters radically changed the face of Paris.




The Eiffel Tower was about to be demolished in 1909. He had his salvation to the fact that offered an ideal platform for placing the antennas they needed new sciences and emerging wireless telegraphy. It was inaugurated during the 1889 Universal Esposición to celebrate the centenary of the French Rivolución and since then has become the symbol of Paris.

Every year come to see her 6 millions of tourists and so almost always have to do endless queues to climb. Upon arriving above, the show is great because there is a picture of a 360 ° ciutad. In addition to the tower lights up the night sky of Paris by installing lights that make the Parisian night an unforgettable night.


Notre Dame:

The construction of this church began in 1163 and ended in the fourteenth century. From a beauty without eguales are the facade with three gates, two unfinished bell and the two rosettes. In this masterpiece of Gothic architecture many

French kings were crowned and one, Napoleon crowned himself. From the bell tower of 70 meters has a unique visual of ciutad with its two islands in the Seine.

Triomphe Arc :
This world-famous structure has served since the days of Napoleon as a symbol of Victory for the triumphant French troops returning to their homes.





Musée du Louvre:

At home was a fortress that was empowered in the sixteenth century royal palace. Since then the restoration work has continued until today. From the 90 the Louvre Museum has a new entry: the glass pyramid Designed by architect I. M. Pei.



The Louvre museum has 7 sections: 1. Oriental Antiquities and Islamic. 2. Egyptian Antiquities. 3. Greek and Roman Art. 4. Pinacoteca. 5. Scuplture from the Middle Ages to today. 6. Furniture and craft arts. 7. Engravings and debujos.


Versailles:

In constructing this wonderful castle King Louis XIV, the Sun King, devoted his entire life to spend much money the state. Versailles had to reflect the splendor that France was living in this century. To visit the palace and the park requires a full day.






The castle should see sontuosos halls, the Hall of Mirrors, the chapel and apartments decorated by Louis XIV. In the park of 100 acres tourists can walk hours, admiring the castle by perspèctivas different.


Champs-Elysées:

Long ago pompous aristocrats used to stroll along the Avenue of Champs Elysees representing the symbol and joie de vivre of Paris. A number of local fast food, windows of cars and cinemas have tarnished, somewhat, its lustre. However, its 2 km long and 70 m wide remain an ideal place to stroll at night and eat in one of his expensive restaurants.


Hotel de Invalides:

House of Napoleon's tomb, this huge domed structure was built in the late 17th century under the leadership of Louis XIV to shelter old and wounded soldiers.

The gardens and Luxembourg Palace:

These formal gardens were open only to royalty before the French Revolution. Now serving as one of the most popular destinations from Paris to relax.






Parc de la Villette:



This park offers the city of science, planetarium, several satellites attraction, wide open spaces to run or picnic with a series of gardens ten different themes, some of them designated especially for children.


Pompidou Centre:

Despite the fact that the Parisiens are unable to agree about this innovative architectural creation is a masterpieza or a monstrosity. This centre presentations and exhibitions has become a popular tourist attraction.


Bois de Boulogne:

To the west of Paris, the Bois de Boulogne offers extensive pedestrian malls, roads reserved for riders, sports fields and so on. Discover also the secrets of Jardin d'Aclimatation. You can admire most are numerous oak trees that cover more than 50% of the surface of the forest.

Cohabitation with cedars, bananas, ginkgo biloba and others. It gives athletes pleasant pedestrian malls, 28 km of roads reserved for jockeys and 15 miles of routes for tourism by bicycle.

The tourist trail cycle extends over 9.2 km, and can be circular track cyclist: a continuous circuit of 3.6 km around the Longchamp racecourse. The romantics prefer to practice rowing on the lake bottom or fishing in the calm waters of lakes or ponds.


The Defense:

It is the principal place of business and entrepreneurial activity not only in Paris, but throughout France. In fact, La Defense is not part of the municipality of Paris, but that of Puteaux, but despite this closeness is such that the capital from the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs Elysees metro we can arrive at the plaza in less than 10 minutes, and having gone through this before stops another city differently, Neuilly-sur-Seine, the richest of the cities that surround Paris.








La Defense is a city of the future. When one arrives at the Defense and exits subway or bus terminal is located in the middle of a vast esplanade of cement, whose side are modern shopping malls, and behind them a multitude of towers and huge skyscrapers Glazed characteristic of modern architecture, and with a thousand different ways, so that seem to compete among themselves to see what the most beautiful and original.


This architecture may not be to the liking of those who love the classic, if that often impress and impress most visitors who come there. There are The Great Arc, the glass pyramid and many modern fountains and ponds.


Eurodisney:


The park Eurodisney entertainment offers both children to adults with their roundabouts, their shops and their shows. It is possible to book a room in hotels that surround the park. Here are all the best deals and travel package for the park Disneyland Paris:



Wheather:


The weather is continental in Paris with cold winters (7 º C peak) and moderately hot summers (25 º C peak) sometimes exceeding 30 ° C. Rains are irrregulares throughout the year, these being unpredictable, because the day may introduce Cloudy and sunny hours and begin to rain or vice versa.


For this reason it should always be prepared for the inclement weather and be fitted with an umbrella. It is also advisable that before leaving the hotel check prediciones weather the day to avoid sopresas.





Transportation:


Paris has 8 zones for radial public transport, Zones 1 and 2 correspond to the center and other areas correspond to the suburbs. The number of areas in which they want to travel affects the price of the ticket. The Paris public transport is organised by the consortium RAPT that offers a comprehensive network of subway, bus, train, tram and suburban.



Metro:


The Metro (see map) or Chemin de Fer Métropolitain is an underground railway network covering the entire metropolitan Paris, this mode of transport being the fastest way to get around Paris





Thank you readers sending images

9/6/08

MARTINIQUE

THE ISLAND MOST BEAUTIFUL:







This island belongs to the Lesser Antilles French eastern Caribbean, one of the Windward Islands and Windward. It is mountainous and volcanic origin. Martinique was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1502, but not the Spaniards colonized.


In the first half of the seventeenth century the French company americas islands were installed there, then was occupied by Britain, and in 1674 the French government bought the island.


Like all Caribbean islands, are ideal for tourists, whether they find the white sandy beaches of the south, the black sand beaches of the north, the creeks to make diving, swimming, fishing, visiting reefs, known springs of hot springs, go mountain terrain, observe gorges, going into places jungle, appreciate the beautiful flowers such as lilacs, orchids, or tasting tropical fruits such as coconuts, pineapples and papayas.


Martinique Capital: Fort-de-France (100,080 inhabitants)

Major Towns: Le Lamentin (30,028 inhabitants) and Sainte Marie (19,682 inhabitants).


Population: Inhabitants 382,000

Surface: 1,102 km2

Currency: French franc; 1 U.S. dollar = 7.70 ff


Official language: French Government: Region and department of France



We thank our readers who have sent us these photographs

IBIZA - natural paradise





Ibiza is the southernmost island in the Balearic Islands, is washed by the Mediterranean Sea. Crossing paths of the sea over many centuries, many cultures since ancient han ido populated island, intercultural represented in the architecture, cuisine and its inhabitants.


Ibiza became world famous in the 60's, thanks to the hippy movement. Today there are still some hippys colonies on the island, but there are also installed motion Clubber colonies. Although he continues to visit for its beaches and nightlife, its fashionable nightclubs, boutiques and fashionable terraces.






With the small island that is, there are 40 clubs. Highlights for his beautiful beach Riu Santa Eulalia, at the mouth of the river. The sand stretches as a "peninsula" surrounded by water on both sides, or the beach is Niu Blau, enclosed in two strands. Suitable for naturalists and diving activities or marine exploration.


Other beach as d'es Torrent, Cala Carbó, Cala Vedella, Cala Tarida or Cala Bassa are most familiar, coves in ports, excellent panoramic view and with all sorts of activities for all ages. In San Antonio are also beaches traffic, given the easy access to them from the same San Antonio (even many of them can go on foot).




In all find all sorts of activities, although beaches are protected by the winds. Es Cubells, where winds also encourage water sports, is a set of three beaches virtually untouched, while the last of the three can be reached only on foot. There are beaches for hikers and naturalists, filled with rocks and cliffs. We also find such Beach Comte.



9/2/08

PATAGONIA






Land of pioneers and settlers. If you want peace and tranquility, here will have more than anywhere in the World. Its flat landscape, large, swept by wind, with sheep distributed everywhere, and the peaks of the Andes as a backdrop.





A unique landscape. In Patagonia was sighted the whales, sea lions mate and have their colony of penguins. In Patagonia is fly fishing in large lakes, the largest in the world. There also dinosaurs lived, and found rock paintings and petrified forests. In the Patagonia enjoys skiing and alpine villages with aspect, there also are located Glaciers and there is also the end of the world.


Paradise of whales:




Neither reaches well whale watching in Valdes Peninsula, thousands of tourists arriving on these shores and the city of Puerto Madryn. It is a unique and unforgettable.







one of the few places in the world where they can be "playing" with eyes, so close that are appreciated. For those who want to be moved. But in addition to whales, you can spot, sea lions, penguins, birds and a lifetime only natural that you'll enjoy.




Route 40:

The mitica route 40 runs from the southern Puna up our lakes and glaciers. Its layout copy old roads Indians, and runs a lot of National Parks. The Los Alerces National Park, glaciers and the Nahuel Huapi, are among them.

A safety pin for the adventurous, with sections of asphalt and gravel, crosses mountains and peaks as diverse as valleys and lakes where settle cities in the South.


The Welsh in Patagonia:




The origin Welsh in Patagonia, you probably have to do with the intention to establish colonies elsewhere in the world, rather remote, so the lack of contact with other cultures conducive to the preservation of one's own.

That is why one of the Patagonia was chosen because of its isolation and the Argentine government's offer to donate 25 acres of land per family on the banks of the Chubut River in exchange for colonizing the region remained unchanged.

For what many immigrants was a disadvantage for this Welsh settlement attractive. Life was hard, was unknown what was the potential of the land and there was a plan of the Argentine government beyond a series of subsidies.

Today, these communities deeply rooted in their ancestral culture and intensely respectful and integrated into our country, are a monument to the courage, perseverance and dreams fulfilled. One example is the city of Gayman.

Gayman is arrested as a people over time, with Welsh chapels of the pioneers, and buildings to enjoy a tea and Welsh cakes. Its streets still retain the water ditches that the trees swept by the Patagonian wind. Ideal for enjoying hours of tea and cakes.



World's End:



The city of Ushuaia is the southernmost in the world, located on the shores of the Beagle Channel and surrounded by mountains Martial. It is capital of the Province of Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands.

And its central location allows enjoy mountains, seas and forests. There you will find the lighthouse at the End of the World, in the Island States, the Prison End of the World, as treckking practice activities, horseback riding, fishing, skiing and skating in the Bay depending on whether summer or winter.




There, too berth cruise ships heading to Antarctica, the Falkland Islands (Arg.) and Chile. thank those who have sent us these photos