Saas-Fee,Valais-Switzerland

Everyone falls for Saas-Fee in a big way.Then again,nearly everything in these parts is big:the mountain village("Pearl of the Alps") is surrounded by a majestic arena of thirteen peaks towering over 13,120 feet.This is stunning scenery indeed.And although one naturally expects extensive skiing to match,the steep terrain,tight ring of dramatic peaks,and extensive glaciers have limited development.But Saas-Fee offers some of the best snow conditions in Europe,and its Felskinn-Mittelallalin ski area is Switzerland's premier summer ski destination.The area's high-terrain walking paths also draw summertime visitors.
Visitors must leave their cars out of town and realy upon a few ekectric cars in town.Another high atraction in Saas-Fee is the celebrity chef Irma Dutsch,the ebullient queenpin at Hotel Fletchhorn.
What is such a sophisticated culinary personality doing high on a forested hill,in a chalet-like hotel-restaurant just outside town?Female chefs are not commonplace in Switzerland,but this one's international gourmet followers are so loyal they call her "Pearl of the Alps".Her French-based regional cuisine with smatterings of the exotic and poetic would be a standout anywhere.
Accommodation:Hotel Fletchhorn:tel.41/27-957-2131,www.fletschhorn.ch

Forbidden city is now acesible for the disabled

Disabled tourists now have better access to Beijing's famous Forbidden City following extensive renovations. New facilities were opened yesterday, to mark National Help-the-disabled Day.

"This is an excellent example of how Beijing and China intends to advance accessibility for all people in the years to come," said Sir Philip Craven, president of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).

"Chinese people are making unbelievable efforts in Sichuan to relieve the suffering caused by the earthquake disaster. Paralympians from all over the world are with you, with all of the Chinese people."

The Forbidden City has numerous stone steps and thresholds, which are distinguishing features of traditional Chinese architecture, but had restricted access for disabled people.

The famous landmark now has three barrier-free tourist routes covering the main scenic spots. About 1,000 m long, the main route runs from Wumen (Meridian Gate) in the south to Shenwumen (Gate of Spiritual Valor) in the north.

With the help of the newly installed elevators, wheelchair-bound people can ascend Wumen Tower avoiding nearly 100 steps. At Taihedian, Zhonghedian and Baohedian, wheelchair stair lifts are available to help people with physical disabilities climb the stairs.

"The barrier-free facilities and the ancient architecture in the Forbidden City complement each other, which embodies the concept of the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games - Transcendence, Equality and Integration," said Li Ji, vice-director of the Forbidden City.

China's golden girl of the torch relay, Jin Jing, who was attacked by protestors in Paris but refused to let go of the sacred flame, also praised the new facilities.

"I'm really looking forward to experiencing a barrier-free Forbidden City, and today is my first time to visit here," she told China Daily while walking with her crutch on Wumen Square.

All this is made out of humanity because people should be considered equal and should not be excluded out of any activity.

Old pictures of Arad-Romania

I've always liked looking at old pictures as they bring back passed times and manage to loose free your imagination.It is interesting to see how places can change in time...to the best or to the worse...
About Arad,it is a city situated in the western part of Romania at the border with Hungary.Its beautiful architecture,parks and cultural places makes this little town a wonderful place to live in.
The river Mures flows trough Arad and gives you the opportunity to go wishing sailing or just camping on it's side.

Short facts about China

- China has 1.3 billion people, a little over 20 percent of the world’s population.

- The Chinese New Year is the first day of the lunar calendar based on the cycles of the moon. The date varies from year to year but typically falls in January or February.

- The twelve animals in the Chinese zodiac are the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig, with each year represented by one of the animals. A full Chinese zodiac is twelve years. A complete calendar cycle is sixty years.

- The money used in China is called renminbi, meaning the people’s currency. The basic unit is the yuan.

- The Great Wall can be seen by the human eye from outer space.

- Giant pandas are a national treasure in China. There areabout 1,600 pandas living in the wild today.

- The compass, paper, gunpowder and printing are called the Four Greatest Ancient Chinese Inventions. Other Chinese inventions include fireworks and ice cream.

- China is the homeland of tea, and its cultivation dates back two thousand years.

- Mount Qomolangma (also known as Mount Everest), the highest point in the world, is located
between China and Nepal.

- In China, a person’s family name comes first, followed by the first name. There is no middle name.

- The three most popular Chinese family names are Li, Zhang, and Wang.

- In ancient China, Chinese characters were written on animal bones, turtle shells, silk, or bamboo slices.

The Forbidden City-Beijing-China

The magnificent Forbidden City,so named because it was off limits to commoners for 500 years,was the imperial court for twenty-four emperors from the early days of the Ming dynasty in the 15th century until the fall of the Quing dynasty in 1911.It is the largest,most complete,and best preserved cluster of ancient buildings in China,representing the work of battalions of laborers.Fires and lootings over the years have left a largely post 18th-century shell that mimics its original layout,and much of its storied wealth and opulent furnishings are long gone.Nonetheless,this vast complex of halls,pavilions,courtyards,and wall in a masterwork of architectural balance,monumental but never oppressive.A self guiding tape narrated by Roger Moore helps bring it alive,with tales of eunuchs,concubines,ministers,priests,court intrigues,and terrific excesses.Occupying more then 183 acres,the expensive complex earns the title of "city".It was not unusual for emperors and servants alike never to venture beyond the moat-surrounded 35-foot wall and formidable gates-ever.That they believed themselves to be at the cosmic centre of the universe is a fantasy visitors can readily appreciate today.
Where:also called the Imperial Palace(Gugong) or the Palace Museum,the Forbidden City is adjacent to Tiananmen Square,at the center of the city.
Best times:May to mid-June and late August to early November

Sintra,Lisbon-Portugal

Lord Byron had already seen his fair share of the Continent when he wrote to his mother fon Sintra,calling it "perhaps the most delightful(village) in Europe".Today the same cool,gentle climate and garden setting that made this a favorite summer residence for the Portuguese kings for more than 500 years provides city dwellers and tourists an idyllic respite from the heat and hustle of Lisbon.Commanding the highest peak are the dramatic 8th century ruins of a Moorish citadel,the Castelo dos Mouros,with a heavenly view to the sea.
Stay in a castle of your own at the Palacino de Seteais,a dreamy 18th-century palace built by the Dutch consul to Portugal that looks down across vineyards and orange groves to the sea mist.Common areas and some of the older guest rooms are graced with antiques;gold leaf and crystal chandeliers anchor ballroom-high ceilings.The name Seteais refers to seven sighs said to have been the reaction to a [eace treaty signed here during the Napoleonic wars-a reaction shared by many guests today,enthralled by the palace's spell.
www.tivolihotels.com

Museums in Germany

There are around 6000 museums in Germany,and 600 of them are devoted solely to art.Here's just a small selection but you will find more at www.museen-deutchland.de.

Hamburg
The Spectrum at Hamburg's Deichtorhallen ranges from the Old Masters to contemporaray art and photography.
www.tagederkunstmeile.hamburg.de

Frankfurt
The two sides of the Museum Enbankment on the River Main are home to a series of 13 museums for art and culture.The Museum Embankment Festival,one of Europe's largest cultural events,is worth visiting.
www.frankfurt.de

Bonn
Within the brief space of just few years Bonn has developed an impressive museum complex with the Kunstmuseum,the Bundeskunsthalle and the Haus der Geschischte.
www.bonn.de

Dresden
Dresden's state art collections reside in eleven museums-including the Old Masters Picture Gallery in the Zwinger and the recently reopened Green Vault containing jewels of Saxony's rulers-and they attract 1.5 milion visitors each year.
www.skd-dresden.de

Munich
It's a good idea to plan on spending a few days to visit the numerous museum highlights in Munich including the world famous Pinakothek art galleries and Lenbach House.
www.pinakothek.de

Bora Bora

If you ever have the chance to get to Bora Bora you will surely be amazed by the wonderful surroundings,the water and one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island, located about 230 kilometres (140 mi) northwest of Papeete, is surrounded by a lagoon and a barrier reef. In the center of the island are the remnants of an extinct volcano rising to two peaks, Mount Pahia and Mount Otemanu, the highest point at 727 metres (2,385 ft). The original name of the island in the Tahitian language might be better rendered as Pora Pora, meaning "First Born"; an early transcription found in 18th- and 19th century accounts, is Bolabolla (or "Bollabolla").
If you want to know more about Bora Bora ,accommodation,food,traditions and free time you can find out by clicking here.
Enjoy your virtual trip!

JungfrauJoch-Bernese Oberland,Switzerland

The scenic wonders of Switzerland all come into focus in the central region called the Bernese Oberland,and the rail trip up to the Jungfraujoh is the acme of all high-altitude excursions.At 11,400 feet,the Jungfraujoh terminus has been the highest railroad station in the world from more than a century,and,as one of the most popular excursions in Switzerland,it can often seem like Grand Central Station at rush hour.Come early or late in the season to avoid the worst of the crowds,and treat yourself to some of the most staggering mountain scenery anywhere in the world.There are stops along the way and things to do onces you arrive,including a visit to the chilled depths of the famed Eispalast,a cavernous area carved out of a glacier and featuring permanent ice sculpture on display.Check out the Sphinx Terrace,from which the views of the Monch and Jungfrau peaks are topped only by that of the 14-mile icy expanse of the aletch Glacier,Europe's longest.
Head for the Top of Europe restaurant for a lunch break that gives new meaning to "haute" cusine.Vary your return trip by taking the route to the traditional mountain village of Grindewald,which shares it's first class ski area with equally adorable Wengen.It is one of the region's most picturesque year-round resorts,dramatically set beneath the towering north face of the Eiger peak.In Interlaken,stay at the Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel and Spa.With refinement and service as light-weight as an eiderdown quilt and as efficient as a Swiss-made watch,the hotel is a monument to luxury,seemingly untouched since it was built in 1865.
Jungfraujoch rail trip:full day round trips offered daily from Interlaken(58 km southwest to Bern,145km southwest of Zurich) and Grindewald(27km east of Interlaken).Cost:110$ second class from Interlaken.
www.interlakentourism.ch

Koh Phi Phi-Thailand

Although devastated by the tsunami of December 2004,Koh Phi Phi,remains a textbook version of the ultimate dream isle.It was Hollywood's pick for the Leonardo DiCaprio sand-seeking vagabond dud The Beach.Against a backdrop of steep,jungled limestone cliffs,a few simple bungalow resorts dot crescents of palm-shaded bleached-white sand.Day-trippers from nearby Krabi or Phuket are transported by boat to the beaches of Koh Phi Phi Don,while those who hop a long tailed boat can visit even more spectacular Koh Phi Phi Le.Here you can visit unspoiled coves,crystal-clear waters,and nearly undeveloped beaches;Maya Bay,surrounded by soaring cliffs,is particularly beautiful.Snorkling is excellent.About the only other thing to do,besides waiting foar a simple grilled fish lunch at an open-air beachside spot,is to visit the immense,cathedral-like caverns,where Sea Gypsies harvest edible birds' nests,a delicacy prized by Chinese gourmets for their nutritional value.The simple grilled-fish lunch sounds better and better.:D
Where to stay:Holiday Inn Resort Phi Phi Island with 77 beachfront bungalows snuggled in a coconut plantation.
Contact and informations at:reservations@hitours.com or www.stayxs.com

Amanwana-Moyo,Indonesia

Located east of Bali,the tiny island of Moyo is inhabited almost exclusively by butterflies,crab-eating monkeys,and rusa deer-plus handful of cosseted barefoot visitors from this luxury nature camp,carved into a secluded cove amid lush jungle.The Amanwana gets its share of high-profile guests,but needn't be trying to elude paparazzi to relish being both a million miles from civilization and within hailing distance of an excellent kitchen,superb water sports,and a hotel staff that lives to serve you.The twenty beachfront "tent" accommodations are actually spacious,canvas-roofed,teak-floored bungalows replete with camouflaged modern amenities,where the absence of Tvs,telephones,and a daily newspaper will make reality seem like a bad dream.Most of the guests eventually set off on a series of nature walks inland,jeep trips to a waterfall,or boat excursions to pritine bays and secluded coral caves.Amanwana is one of Indonesia's prime dive resorts,and its 1000 foot vertical drop is home to giant lobster,turtles and white-tip reef sharks.At 5 o'clock,everyone's aboard the hotel's wooden outrigger for a sunset cruise on the Flores Sea,the evening sendoff to another fine day in paradise.
Cost:doubles from $725(includes all meals and some activities)
Acommodation:www.amanresorts.com

The Grand Casino

The tiny principality of Monaco,no bigger than London's Hyde Park,has catered to gamblers and the idle rich for the last 100 years.Both types can be found with all their over-the-top idiosyncracies at the legendary Grand Casino,and indisputably the most glamorous.This is the last place on earth to witness chaffeur-driven-Rolls Royces disgorging wealthy exiles,sun-baked yacht owners,and celluloid divas weighed down by serious jewelry.The sedate,even discreet,Belle Epoque setting was designed in 1863 by Charles Garnier,grad architect of the Paris Opera.Black tie is no longer required,but jackets and ties are a must in the inner sanctum of high rollers,and many women wear long dresses.No Monegasque gambler sets foot in the casion without first stopping by the lobby of the Hotel de Paris-a poker chip's toss across the impeccably groomed Place du Casino-to rub the left knee of the bronz statue of Louis XIV's horse for good luck.Facing the hotel and alongside the casino,the Garnier-designed Cafe de Paris is a de rigueur stop for pre-or apres-casino drink .
Cost:admission charged to some gaming rooms.When:open year-round,from noon until the last customer leaves.