Travel World Network

The world has always rejoiced visiting Crete, the largest of Greek islands and also the fifth largest in the whole of Mediterranean. The island is spread over an area of 8,336 km (3,219 square miles) in the Southern Greece, and forms one of the thirteen Greek peripheries we know about. It is also believed to have played a key role in the Greek nation’s history, something quite evident even today, as we go through its archaeological past. There is a rich marine life, fine sea beaches and a great hospitality – of which the Crete hotels make up a key ingredient – to be explored and enjoyed by anybody willing to spend some quality time on this island.

Crete is land where the first great civilization of Greece, the Minoan, happened about 4600 years ago; more precisely between 2600-1400 BC. The Minoan archaeological remains at Phaistos and Knossos are two well known tourist attractions. Apart from that, the archaeological sites at the Samaria Gorge, Rethymno and Gortys do also describe a significant amount of the Cretan history. Most tour operators will cover these sites and offer you a great stay at one those well-administered Crete hotels.

Although, there is hardly any written record of the Cretan history available today, one can still gauge its immensity by visiting the remains of palaces, sculptures and paintings from that era. The capital city of Crete, Heraklion, accounts for about fifteen percent of all the tourist arrivals in Greece, and there were about 20 million visitors recorded in Crete alone last year. No doubt the local tourism has been the mainstay for many Cretans for long now, with jobs at the Crete hotels, in airlines, marine operations and those in the supporting roles falling on their sides.

The number of hotel rooms in Crete grew by 53% between the years 1986 and 1991, when the same was 25% for the whole of Greece. This should itself speak about the kind of bullish growth the Cretan tourism has witnessed over the last two decades. A majority of the Crete hotels will provide you with all those facilities, which are ascribed only with the luxurious brands. The facilities may include pools, chance to take part in sports, camping, living in serviced apartments and traveling by air or sea routs etc. Thousands sail into Crete on yachts every year as part of their holiday rituals.

A voyage to Crete may be summarized as the discovery of the ancient Greek civilization, its present-day beaches, sea resorts, flora and fauna, and also that of its five-star hospitality. You can select to either fly in or sail through the Mediterranean into the Cretan periphery depending on the kind of tour package you may have chosen to buy on any given day. There are more than a dozen locations to travel out to once you had finally started to settle in. More information could be gathered by checking out various Greece related websites, some of which are the facilitators of hotel rooms and private apartment bookings.

Scarborough is one of Britains favourite seaside resorts and has been for more than four centuries. Located on the east coast of Yorkshire, Scarborough has always attracted visitors thanks to its beautiful and lengthy sandy beaches, picturesque cliff tops and family-oriented attractions. The location offers spectacular views of the North Sea but is also far more than just another seaside town; there are numerous things to see and do, making it an ideal place to take a break.

When you arrive in Scarborough, youll discover a whole treasure trove of things to see and do during your stay. Whatever your interest, be it history, heritage, sport, nature or art, youll find that Scarborough has it covered. Here are just a few of the places you can visit:

The Rotunda Museum. Suitable for all the family, including young children, this museum has Scarboroughs past completely covered. Come here to find out about the Victorian spa, the fishing port and prehistoric burial sites.

Eden Camp at Malton. Its worth taking the short journey from Scarborough to visit this exciting recreation of wartime Britain. Scenes from the past are reconstructed through a combination of sound, smell, movement and lighting.

Scarborough Light House. Located on Vincent Pier, this lighthouse has been guarding the coast for two hundred years and is known and loved by visitors and town-dwellers alike.

Church of St. Martin-on-the-Hill. This beautiful Victorian church boasts splendid, pre-Raphaelite stained glass, colourful interior decoration and extravagant architecture.

North Bay Miniature Railway. Enjoy the whimsical British phenomenon of the miniature railway as you explore this one from the 1930s, which has tracks of almost a mile in length.

As well as all the places of interest to visit in Scarborough, there are also many different types of things you can do. Scarborough is host to a whole selection of special events and activities all the year round, so you never know what might be on when you come and visit. Some of the things you might choose to do include:

Go shopping! At the Brunswick Shopping Centre, youll discover shops selling many different kinds of goods and products, whether youre looking for childrens clothing or the ideal wedding present.
Take a trip along the coast with Scarborough Pleasure Steamers. Enjoy the finest views of the picturesque Yorkshire coast by travelling on the Regal Lady and Coronia. Trips run whatever the weather.

Enjoy the spectacle of the Water Ski Circus. Youd be cruel to deny your kids the pleasure of a trip to this exhibit, which sees your favourite TV & film characters performing on water skis. Watch out for Batman, Bart Simpson, the Tellytubbies and more.

Go boating at Peasholm Park & Island. Choose from canoes, pedalos or boat trips and enjoy this beautiful park on a relaxing afternoon. Also choose from mini golf, tree walks, and a water ski circus.

Scarborough offers a wide variety of places to eat, each serving its own type of distinctive food. Venues range from that ever-popular Yorkshire speciality, fish and chip shops, to high-class restaurants, plus all the cafes you could wish for. Here is just a selection of some of Scarboroughs quality eateries:

The Red Lea Hotel. Located on the Prince of Wales Terrace, this hotel has a five-star restaurant offering three course meals that change every day. Take your pick from beef, salmon or vegetarian platters, or try something refined like the roast pheasant.

The Magpie Caf. This caf offers a variety of tasty meals, but is especially renowned for its fish and chips. The reason? The fish is always straight from the harbour at Scarborough, meaning youll be in for a fresh-tasting treat.

Mother Hubbards Restaurant. A family-owned eatery for many years, this restaurant also serves up its own special brand of fish and chips, earning it the title of Fish and Chip Shop of the Year on several occasions.

The Hungry Horse. A wide choice of dishes is on offer here, ranging from delicious steaks to bulging burgers, light bites and yummy desserts. You also have the opportunity to wash down your food down with an ice-cold Greene King beer.

The Pizza Place. If youre looking for takeaway food, then this is the place to come. Choose from a variety of pizzas, all served with your own choice of toppings.

If youre looking for somewhere to stay, then youll find yourself spoiled for choice when you come to Scarborough. Every type of accommodation is available in the town, whether youre looking for bed and breakfasts, hotels, inns, or guest houses; there are also many caravans and campsites available for booking. Finally, there are even holiday cottages up for rent if you want total privacy, peace and quiet. Many of the hotels in the town are located on cliff-tops, offering views of the sandy beaches and open sea; others come complete with their own golf courses. Additionally, many of the hotels and guesthouses offer facilities such as swimming pools, television, bars and in-house restaurants.

The Gresham Hotel
The Victoria Hotel
Hotel St Nicholas
Royal Classic Hotel
Granville Lodge Hotel
Chatsworth Hotel
The Crown Spa Hotel
Ashburton Hotel
The Lincoln Hotel
The Skikero Hotel
The Grand Scarborough
Mansion House Hotel

Scarborough has plenty of entertainment up on offer, most of it geared towards the family. One of the towns biggest venues is the Olympia Leisure Family Entertainment Centre, which has everything from fruit machines to childrens adventure play areas, laser dodgems, simulators and the ever-favourite 2p machines. If youre stuck for something to do in an evening, then Scarborough Spa Theatre provides a variety of family entertainment. Alternatively, if youre looking for something that little bit different, Cotton Dale Shooting Ground is on hand if youve always fancied having a go at clay pigeon shooting. Finally, if youre a movie fan, then a trip to the Hollywood Plaza Cinema is a must, as it shows all the latest blockbusters.

As one of Britains best-loved seaside towns, Scarborough has plenty to offer the visitor and tourist. With plenty of attractions and things to do, no matter what the weather, Scarborough is the perfect holiday destination all year round.

Bordeaux, the largest city in south west France, is the wine region of the Aquitaine area. Bordeaux wine is readily exported to countries throughout the world and there are many vineyards that help make this exportation financially rewarding for the region by producing popular tasty wines to suit all tastes.

Vineyards in Bordeaux cover hundreds of thousands of acres of land. Large quantities of wine producers in this area are independent wineries. Chateau Beychevelle is a Bordeaux winery that welcomes wine tasters from all over the world to sample its home grown produce. Visitors come and go daily, tasting and purchasing the fine product of the hard working vineyards laborers.

Another area in Bordeaux that wine enthusiasts should visit is the Saint-Emilion village. In Saint-Emilion village one will find a number of friendly vineyard owners who are always happy to show off their wines. The difficulty many say is choosing the vineyards to visit. With so much choice you may need several days to get a full taste of the area.

A popular way to cover many vineyards in this region is by going on a wine tasting tour. There are usually many tours being offered and they are individually unique in their own right. Some tours will be by bus or bike via an independent tour agency and others will be provided by a specific Chteaux. In order to consider all the available options, your concierge or local tourist information office is a good starting point to making an informed decision.

When looking to visit the Bordeaux vineyards, one should consider booking a France vacation rental for a week or two in order to have enough time to leisurely visit the many wineries in the area. France vacation rentals can be easily booked through your travel agent or by using the internet to find vacation packages that cater to France vacation rentals. Whatever vineyard an individual chooses to tour or France vacation rental one chooses to book, that person is sure to be happy with his/her final decision regarding this wonderful touring opportunity.

France was and still is one of the powerful countries in Europe. Through its history, its political position, the economy and not last the tradition in culture, France is what we see today.

With a population of 60 million of which 76% is urban population. Most of the population practices Catholicism (about 90%) as religion, whilst other popular religions include Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.

Regarding the political system, France is a Republic which Constitution dates from 1958. The President of the Republic is the Head of State, chief of the Armies and has an executive power. He is elected for a seven-year term (five year term from 2002 on) by direct universal suffrage. He is entitled to dissolve the Assembly and call for early elections. He appoints the Prime Minister, who represents the parliamentary majority. As for the legislative power, the Parliament is composed of the National Assembly (577 members elected for five years by direct universal suffrage) and the Senate (321 members elected for a nine-year term). The right to vote is granted from the age of 18. Since 1982, France decentralised part of its power to Regions and Departments. President of the Republic: Jacques Chirac elected in 1995 and re-elected in May 2002. Prime Minister: Dominique de Villepin.

France is European Union’s largest agricultural power, of which it provides almost a fourth of its production, and is the second largest agricultural power in the world (behind the USA). Agricultural activity benefits from huge subsidies, especially European subsidies. Wheat, corn, meat and wine are the main productions. The manufacturing industry is diversified, but the country is going through a desindustrialisation process, traduced by several relocations. The key industrial sectors are cars, computer, telecommunications and electronics. France is the first tourist destination world-wide: than 75.3 million tourists visited France in 2005.

The French economy is very open to foreign trade of goods. The country ranks second in Europe for its foreign trade behind Germany, and is the eighth world destination for foreign direct investments (FDI). France’s top three import partners are Germany, Italy and Spain. Its top three export partners are Germany, Spain and UK. France mainly imports vehicles, machinery and consumer goods. From January the 1st 2002, the currency in circulation is the euro.

France is noted for its cosmopolitan, civilized approach to life, combined with great concern for style, fashion and appearances. French people are sometimes perceived as taking a great pride in the national identity and positive achievements of France, although many French people would argue that people of all nations tend to do that.

One of the most famous natural attractions in Grand Cayman Island is Stingray City. This is an area in the ocean not far from the northern tip of Grand Cayman where tourists can get up close to hundreds of friendly stingrays. Stingray City will be one of the organized tours from cruise ships visiting Grand Cayman as a port of call. There will also be tours available from local operators in the town of Georgetown where the cruise ships dock and bring passengers into town via tender boats. The cruise organized tours will almost always be the more expensive option.

Scuba divers can book specialized dives at Stingray City through one of the many diver operators in Grand Cayman. The scuba diving at Stingray City is at a deeper section away from the tourist crowds who are usually brought to a very shallow area where one could even stand in waist deep water. Certified scuba divers and even snorkellers are recommended to take the dive trip option with the dive shops to experience Stingray City with fewer crowds. For non-divers, the sandbars here are high enough to offer such shallow waters and stingrays will come to these areas. It is believed that many years ago, sailors visiting the area threw fish remains overboard and soon noticed the stingrays coming for the free food. These particular stingrays became conditioned over the years to the humans and the food handouts unlike stingrays elsewhere in the Caribbean.

The stingrays here are friendly enough that people could touch them and local guides have been known to even hold them. The guides will warn everyone that even though these stingrays appear to be quite friendly, they should still be regarded as wild animals so it is never recommended to touch them by their razor sharp tails or abuse them in any manner. It is possible to feed them with the squid parts provided on site. The mouths of the stingrays are located underneath their bodies and people are instructed to hold the food in their palms flat facing up. With their keen sense of smell, the stingrays will hover towards and over the food to collect their snacks.

Although Stingray City can be crowded at times due to its popularity, it does offer a very unique experience to see these wonderful sea creatures up close. Stingrays are usually very shy animals and will swim away from scuba divers and snorkellers but not here at Stingray City in Grand Cayman.

For a Mediterranean island with good year round weather, a friendly local English speaking population and facilities to rival that of any of her competitors, Malta is a suprisingly often forgotten island for many people planning a holiday in the Mediterranean.

Malta missed some of her own governments tourist targets in 2005, but a recent visit by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh resulted in four days of positive media coverage in the islands most important market the United Kingdom and also in over 50 other countries attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, including Canada and Australia.

The Queen began her official visit to Malta before she opened the meeting, and was warmly greeted by friendly islanders.

Malta was governed by the British for a hundred and fifty years, and became independent in 1964. But the island has retained many British characteristics, including driving on the left, and British visitors account for nearly half of the islands tourists.

The George Cross ranks with the Victoria Cross as Britains highest award for bravery and Malta was awarded the Cross in 1942 by King George VI for the islands resistance to German attempts to occupy the island, with Malta being under almost constant attack from June 1940.

As well as the challenge of drawing tourists away from other Mediterranean islands like Mallorca and Menorca, Malta has had to face the additional challenge of new holiday destinations in the former Eastern Bloc opening up, such as Bulgaria and Croatia, which tend to be cheaper.

Brighter Future

But where the Maltese tourist board has singularly failed to market the islands appeal to the mass holiday market with any degree of success in recent years, the Queens visit has come at the right time for hotels and holiday companies hoping for a good 2006.

Tribune Properties, a British based company specialising in overseas properties including Malta comment:

Malta is not a high priority on the list of holiday destinations for many British people compared to the Spanish Costas, Canary and Balearic Islands. The visit of the Queen showed Malta in a very positive light, and hopefully the islands tourist officials will be able to capitalise on the trip and increase hotel and holiday bookings in the months ahead. Given Maltas past record of promotion though if 2006 sees an increase in visitors it will be despite of the official promotions, and not because of it..

More good news for the Malta holiday industry came in October with the announcement that low cost airlines had been been given the right to fly to the island.

This will help both the hotel and property industries in Malta add Tribune. With the cost of getting to the island coming down, Malta should see her share of the short stay European holiday market increase substantially, increasing employment locally and benefitting the economy overall.

France at 200 kph – of Grandmothers, Lyon and Rain

In my teens, I traveled to France with my mother, father and grandmother for a month of sightseeing with a rental car. Michael Schumacher and Formula 1 have nothing on my father and our Opel rental car.

American fathers have an interesting if somewhat aggravating habit on trips. Yes, I am talking about the desire to see everything there is to see. This was particularly problematic in France, which has a gazillion things to see. For some reason, my memory is a blur! Ill have to refer back to my Nomad Travel Journal, but here we go

Churches. Big churches. Small churches. Church ruins. New churches. For three days, my grandmother had insisted we stop at every church we passed. She is just about the greatest grandmother a kid could hope for, but she had been a grade school teacher for forty years and there was just no disobeying. Did I mention we looked at churches?

We pulled into Lyon as the third day turned to evening. It was raining. We were tired and grumpy. After a minor argument, we pulled up in front of an older hotel with vacancies and checked in. Family arrangements being what they were, my parents had one room while my grandmother and I shared a second. We all agreed to take a nap and meet a little later.

As I lay on my bed, I watched the rain come down hard on the windows. I also admired the old, intricate wood structure that was our hotel. I dozed off and was awaken a few hours later by my grandmother.

The door is stuck! she told me.

Grumbling, I walked over to the door and gave it a yank. Then I gave it another yank. Like a bad comedy, I put one leg up on the wall and yanked again. Alas, the wood seemed to have swollen and jammed the door shut. I couldnt budge it.

At this point, my grandmother made a passing comment about the two years of French I had taking in high school and pointed to the phone. Dutifully, I called down to the lobby and chaos ensued. Somehow, we had lost the key, so I couldnt tell them what room we were in. It just got worse.

What is the French word for door? Dont know? Neither did I nor do I now. All I could say to the person at the front desk is, We are stuck!

To top matters off, I also started yelling my last name, Chapo, thinking they would at least come investigate. After being hung up on twice, it occurred to me that the pronunciation of my last name means hat in French. Yes, I was yelling,

We are stuck! Hat!

We are stuck! Hat!

Intensely cussing up a storm, I walked over to the door and banged it with my fist. It bounced open. My grandmother and I stared at each other and burst out laughing.

I hoofed it to my parents room to tell them the story. Half way through the tale, my mother plugged in her hair dryer, flipped it on and blew out the electricity for the entire floor.

We left very early the next morning.

Spain is one of the better countries in the world with rich culture based on religion and customs. The country is inhabited of about 45 million people of whom 80-94% are Roman Catholics. This is the reason why local as well as national events are based on Catholicism and faith. Spain is also home to several great things to do. While in this country, you will never have to worry how to spend your days because believe it or not, Spain travel can give you total vacation experience.

Here are some of the events you can catch and the things you can do if you decide to travel to Spain:

Run with the bulls. If you dare and tough enough to face the challenge of running with the bulls or simply want to join the fun without actually getting face to face with the bull, Pamplona should be your destination. The festival happens every July and has already attracted visitors from all parts of the world. The celebration is offered to San Fermin, the patron saint of Pamplona. This religious and unusual celebration makes Pamplona a good destination for your Spain travel.

Skiing and Mountaineering. Visit Catalunya, Aragon, and Torremolinos and Malaga in Andalucia and stay at one of the top winter resorts in Spain. Perfect time to go is during the late spring where you can have your winter sports by day and go at the beach and sunbathe in the afternoon.

Watch the Primera Liga Live. See you favorite football stars like Zidane, Raul, Roberto Carlos, Figo, Ronaldo, and David Beckham as they all play for the best football team in the UAFA Cup: Real Madrid.

Caf all Day. Treat yourself in the relaxing day at one of the caf in Spain. The country has lots of cafs in every village, town, and city where you can spend your whole day chatting with friends or alone savoring the Spain environment.

Go to local village fiesta. Spain travel might not be complete if you havent seen any local village fiestas. Since every town has their own patron saints to offer thanksgiving, you can never miss attending one. Fiestas normally have parades, religious activities, and parties during the night.

Meet the Artists. Spain travel would introduce you to several world-renowned artists. Visit Frank Gehrys Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Barcelona beachs giant copper fish and other Gehnys contemporary structures. Know more about the art of Antoni Gaudi in his structures at Barcelona and get introduced with his unusual tile style and graceful organic curve.

Take a glimpse of Diego Velazquezs art in Prado Gallery in Madrid. Diego Velazquez painted the “Old Woman Cooking Eggs” and “The Rokeby Venus”. And of course, who would not recognize Pablo Picasso? See his work Guernica at the Reina Sofia. Or visit the Picasso Foundation in Malaga.

Stay during the Holy Week. Spain travel is also ideal during holy week where the whole country commemorates that passion, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. See all the plays, activities, traditions, and the celebration of the country. If you are not a Catholic, you can still witness this activity.

Eat Snails. The Snail Festival happens every snail Lleida give you a different appetite for food. Although snails are the main course, you can also drink, dance, and eat other local foods all day and all night.

If you have a chance to fly to Rome you can book your accommodations in the hotels located in the historical city center of the eternal city.

Rome is a city that can accommodate also the travelers who want to save money without sacrificing comfort, convenience, and well being in the bargain.

Since the beginning of the XX century many hotels located near the spanish steps and trevi fountain are still family owned. The warm hotel management of these buildings made these roman families proud to serve their guests for many years.

It’s not rare to find in some of these accommodations magnificent Belle Epoque lobbies and sitting rooms, with wood burning fireplaces and a bar to one side.
The rooms of the hotels located in Rome city center vary in size and are nicely appointed with antiques, coordinated fabriques, cable television and also internet connection. Several have balconies: in fact even the smallest single room has enough space to unpack and stay in comfort. The bathrooms have been revamped in marble and offer soft towels, a telephone, and a selection of toiletries.

A summer roof garden adds to the hotels in Rome an unbelievable charm. It’s always recommended to book your hotels in Rome in the so called ” centro storico” ( historical city center ) because good restaurants and shopping opportunities are all within easy walking distance.

What makes Rome a very complete city is that its hotels combine central locations with a warm, personalized athmosphere and friendly staff: space is never an issue in the rooms, which beautifully integrate their elegant past with the comforts of today.

Ever wonder what it would be like to experience life in Germany? If you want to experience the culture of the historical cities of Germany, it is a good idea to look at the points of interest in the many cities before you go so you can pick out the highlights you are most interested in seeing.

Berlin

As the Capitol of Germany, Berlin is rich in culture, architecture and nightlife. The city is covered with parks, rivers, greenery and bridges. Partake in a walking tour to get the full effect of this historic German city.

Munich

Munich is a southern city in Germany that is located near the Alps. Best known for hosting the annual Oktoberfest Beer Festival, Munich is also a city filled with cultural activities. This is a great cultural center in Germany with opera, theatre, ballet, museums and galleries. In Munich you will find also the factory of the sports car BMW.

Hannover

Hannover is one of the historic cities in Germany with modern flare. Its main attraction is the beautiful gardens and royal parks. Hannover is also scheduled to host the World Cup 2006 Matches.

Dusseldorf

This German city lies along the Rhine River. It is home to many old castles and historic churches. It is a city full of fashion and culture.

Cologne

Another city along the Rhine River is Cologne. It is one of the oldest cities in Germany. It is the art metropolis of the area. Even though it is lively with an artsy nature, it also has a neighborly feel. It is popular for its cathedrals and boat tours.

Frankfort

Frankfort is the city in Germany that connects visitors to the rest of Europe. It is the first place people arrive when they enter Germany. It is the finance capital of Germany and boasts that it was home to emperors and kings of centuries past.

Hamburg

Sitting on the River Elbe is the second largest city in Germany, Hamburg. It is the biggest harbor city in Germany. Its also a beautiful city to tour because two-thirds of the land is covered with parks, trees and lakes.

Stuttgart

Stuttgart is located in the Swabian Mountains on the outskirts of Black Forest. Aside from being well known for being the home of the Mercedes Benz and Porsche, Stuttgart is a German city whose streets are filled with exclusive shops and boutiques. It is also a popular wine area with an annual wine festival.

Dresden

Dresden is the largest metropolitan area in Germany. The city thrives on manufacturing, transportation and culture. The high tech items are what drive their economy and occupy their jobs. It is also a place of art and inspiration.

Kreuzberg

This is a city in Germany known for its alternative style. Their main attractions are bars, clubs, jazz, comedy and other nightlife. Kreuzberg belongs to Berlin.

Freiberg

Tiny streams run through the streets and ally ways to create this unique city in Germany. It is the warmest city and is located in Black Forest. A big feature of this city is its proximity to neighboring countries. With a one-hour train ride, visitors arrive in either Switzerland or France.