Fun Facts of France

The crowd is attracted to sparkling ski slopes of the Alps, sunlit vineyards and sun-baked beaches of this beautiful country. France is a country which draws more tourists than any other country. It is easy to see why this is the case given France’s great reputation for fine wines, good food, high fashion and relaxed lifestyle. But while a city like Dijon France, is undoubtedly a place to eat and drink till your heart is content, there’s much more to this fascinating country than only cutting-edge cuisines. Spring is known as the ideal time to visit, and others with flair for winter fun can slide at the Alps with their gear. The summers are very hot and winters are moderate. An all-weather coat and pair of comfortable shoes are a must. Women, especially, should carry cocktail dresses as some of the restaurants ask for it. Try not to wear sleaveless shirts when visiting religious locations as it is not respected in such places. 

Culture

Although French is the national language, English is widely spoken here. Handshaking is customary greeting and women should be kissed on both cheeks and should be addressed as Monsieur or Madame. French people are popularly known for their like for stylish sportswear
and of course perfumes. Nudism is allowed on some beaches only. Social functions, fine restaurants, and clubs call for more formal dressing. When at a formal dinner, wait till the host gestures to start the dinner. Smoking has been banned in public areas.

Site Seeing

Paris, the city of love, is a massive city with many attractions in reachable distance thanks to the
highly efficient public transport system. It boasts of more than 80 museums and 200 arts
galleries. A trip to Disney land and the magnificent Eiffel tower will make the trip worthwhile.

The attractive tourists spots are the Arc de triomphe which spans over the tomb of an
unknown soldier, the forbidding gothic architecture of the Notre Dame cathedral, the picturesque
Sacre Coeur, to Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, the Moulin Rouge and boat tours along the
Seine. Get the Carte Musees-Monuments pass, which gives access to 70 monuments and
museums.

Shopping

Although service tax is included in the bill, a humble tip won’t cost much. An extra dollar can be given as tip to the waiter. A tip of $2 can be left for the bus drivers.

Electricity

220-volt, 50-cycle AC current.

Getting There

The national airline that operates here is Air France. Airlines that are inexpensive provide services from within the UK. Paris-Charles de Gaulle also known as Roissy-Charles de Gaulle is the major airport of France, which is 23km away from the city. Coaches, taxis, limousines services are provided at the airport. The railway facility provided by the airport, claims to reach all the terminals within eight minutes. These trains run 24 hours. The other airports that offer flight services are Paris-Orly, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nice, Lyon and Toulouse.

Ferry and cruise trips can be made from ports such as Atlantic, North Sea, Mediterranean, and Havre.

Duty Free Items

1. 250g of tobacco or 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars
2. 1liter of spirits over 22 per cent or 2liter of alcoholic beverage up to 22 per cent
3. 2liter of wine
4. 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette
5. 500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract
6. 40g of tea extract or 100g of tea

Medan City

Medan is the third largest city in Indonesia. Situated in North-Sumatra of Indonesia with a population of 2.5 millions residents. It is said that during day time, the population of Medan City will grow to about 4 millions with people coming from suburbs.

The unique thing about Medan is that, it resides the largest volcanic lake in world known as Lake Toba which is twice the size of it neighboring country of Singapore.

History of Medan Indonesia

Medan started as a village called Kampung Medan (Medan Village). Kampung Medan was founded by Guru Patimpus around the 1590s. Since Kampung Medan sits on Tanah Deli (Land of Deli), Kampung Medan is also known as Medan-Deli. The original location of the village Medan is an area where the Deli River meets Babura River.

Based on the diary of the Portuguese merchant in early 16th century, it stated that the name of Medan was actually derived from Medina which is actually a holy city in the western of Saudi Arabia. However, other source indicated that the word of Medan actually came from Indian language “Meiden”. One of the Karo-Indonesia dictionary written by Darwin Prinst SH published in 2002 wrote that Medan could also be defined as “recover” or “be better”.

The first population of Medan came from the Batak Karo community. It was not until the Sultan of Aceh, Sultan Iskandar Muda, sent his warlord, Gocah Pahlawan Laksamana Khoja Bintan, to be the Sultanate of Aceh’s representative in Tanah Deli, that the Sultanate of Deli started to grow. This growth stimulated growth in both population and culture of Medan. In the second year reign of Sultan Deli (between 1669-1698), there was a cavalry battle in Medan.

Kota Medan did not experience significant development until the 1860s, when the Dutch colonialists began clearing the land for tobacco plantations. Medan very quickly became the center of government and commercial activity, dominating development of Indonesia’s western region.

The Dutch governed Tanah Deli from 1658, after Sultan Ismail, ruler of the Kingdom of Siak Sri Indrapura, yielded some of his once-ruled land, Deli, Langkat, and Serdang. In 1915 Medan officially became the capital of North Sumatra Province, and officially a city in 1918.

With the largest volcanic lake in the world, Lake Toba , Medan is a city worth visiting for your adventure vacations in Asia Indonesia

Visit www.MedanKu.com for more information about Medan Hotel

Download Medan city guide, budget travel guide and see more pictures and videos of Medan Indonesia.

Visit the Hawaiian Islands on vacation and you will get a great welcome. The islands of Hawaii are probably one of the best places in the world to go on vacation. If you have not yet visited Hawaii then you should make sure you go there for your next vacation.

And for anyone who lives in the USA or Canada then why have you not been there already, as you can now get direct flights from most large cities. Hawaii has great warm and sunny weather and the beaches are great too. In the winter months it is just so easy to escape the sun and ice for a few days.

Hawaii just has so much to offer and is fully geared up to provide everyone who visits the greatest vacation of their lives. Hawaii has the Aloha culture to thank for a totally different attitude to enjoyment and having fun in the sun and of course the warm blue Pacific Ocean which surrounds all the islands.

Hawaii Activities are the Best

Wherever you live in the world you will probably find that a Hawaii Vacation is on everyone’s wish list. They are all keen to experience these Pacific islands and enjoy a vacation in paradise.

The main islands you can visit are Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai and the Big Island of Hawaii. Wherever you go you will find beautiful sandy beaches, awesome accommodation, warm sunshine, the amazing Pacific Ocean and also some great activities and interesting places to visit.

One of the most popular activities during winter from November to April is to go on whale watching trips. If you visit Hawaii during this time you must get on one of the many boats that offer this activity. You are guaranteed to see whales and you will get quite close so take a camera.

The Ultimate Ocean Experience

When on board you also stand a good chance of seeing bottle nose or spinner dolphins. Some boat operators also provide trips for shark encounters. If you are lucky enough to book on board a yacht when you go whale watching you could also go sailing for that ultimate ocean experience.

If you like or want to learn scuba diving there are many operators on each of the islands to help you out and many great dive sites exist around the islands.

If you can not dive but prefer to snorkel then there are many safe places near the shore where you can do this. You will be amazed by the many different exotic tropical fish that you will see and if you are lucky you will see turtles too. Hawaii provides a great underwater experience and you should not miss it.

Top Visitor Attractions

Hawaii has many places of interest that you will want to visit during your Hawaiian vacation. When in paradise you will find that the Hawaii Islands have lots to offer anyone who goes there on vacation.

Well known locations of historical interest are Pearl Harbor, the USS Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri. There are many several good museums, ocean aquariums, zoos, tropical locations for hiking, cycle tours visits to dormant and live volcanoes.

And of course there is surfing, windsurfing and kite surfing. These are all great oceans sports and if you visit during the winter you will see the best in the world perfecting their sport on some of the biggest waves you are ever likely to see. Learn these sports during the summer when the waves are smaller or just watch in amazement. If you have a Maui Vacation you will be able to watch windsurfers on the best known wave break in the world at Hookipa Beach.

Hawaii’s Natural Advantage

Hawaii has many natural wonders and when you combine this with the great weather a great time is pretty much guaranteed, so book your Hawaii vacations now. Just get on the web and search for Hawaii vacations, pick the best deal and you will be there before you know it.

Found on the Spanish coastline between the resorts of Benidorm and Elche, Alicante city sits in the shadow of its mountain top castle. The city and its surrounding landscape are scattered with churches with the most recognised of them all being that of the Iglesia de Santa Maria. This is the city’s oldest church and was constructed between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries with the church originally being a mosque. St Nicholas Cathedral in the city was constructed in the seventeenth century to honour the city’s patron saint and is therefore one of the most significant buildings in the region.

Alicante has lots of old buildings to please sightseers and historians alike and can be seen throughout the area with statues and columns making a feature of a number of once unexciting sites. Offering a keen eye across Alicante Bay, the Castillo de Santa Barbara is recognised as one of the largest medieval fortresses throughout Europe. Readily reached by car or by lift (elevator) from the Paseo Maritimo, the fortress has unrivalled vistas of the picturesque surrounding area. Apart from the excitement the Castillo offers to visitors, Alicante has further architectural gems such as the Provincial Gallery, formerly the Gavina Palace, as well as its 19th century bull-ring. The vast majority of the Alicante attractions are easily reached using a hire car from Alicante Airport. Arranging your car rental online would be expected to save you money together with guaranteeing that your requested vehicle is guaranteed to be available upon your arrival at the airport.

Alicante is the perfect place to come to enjoy life and the main reason visitors come back every year. With such a varied range of hotel rooms on offer, there’s a great selection of of value for money Alicante hotels to suit every taste and pocket. The beaches here consist of wonderful golden sand and offer a variety of both accessible as well as secluded bays ideal for private sunbathing. Head over to Albufereta Beach where you will find really good range of water sports. It is a peaceful spot that is relatively unspoilt by the tourist masses.

The Playa del Postiguet offers the ideal place for an after dinner stroll. You will be joined by the locals along this beautiful seaside walk - it’s a wonderful location for a romantic evening. Once the Port of Madrid, Alicante Harbour offers a combination of fishing and sailing and is the perfect place to visit to find the top fish restaurants around. Alicante harbour provides an excellent location for activity day and night. This is where visitors come to eat wonderfully fresh, delicious seafood, learn to sail and enjoy a bit of clubbing into the small hours.

Nobody enjoys a celebration as much as the locals and visitors of Alicante! Here you will discover a celebration of one type or another taking place throughout the year, no matter when you decide to visit. One of the more sombre of Costa Blanca festivals is the Easter Procession. Dressed in black and carrying lighted candles, an effigy of Jesus is paraded on a cross around the streets. Every November, in order to honour the Patron Saint Crist del Bon Encert, every town has an individual fiesta. Don’t be surprised to find that shops are closed all day, every day as the town closes down for this wonderful combination of dancing, singing and firework displays. On a less religious note, one of the most renowned local festivals is the International Puppet Festival.

Consider picking a travel “theme” and search for last minute travel discounts to fill that bill.  The possible list of destinations helps you to think outside the box as you search for last minute travel discounts.  If you find yourself on the links every weekend and can’t get enough, search the travel sites for last minute discounts on prime golf courses or courses in interesting places.The gardener in you might prize last minute travel discounts to nationally-acclaimed arboretums and gardens, as well as to places of natural flora and fauna.  If you love to shop but are tired of your usual stomping ground for shoes and handbags use your vacation time to explore Denver or New York City to reinvigorate your interest.  You may find that off-season travel to these places gives you even better last minute travel discounts.

Another way to make searching for last minute travel discounts fun and compelling in itself is to make your travel educational.  You can look for last minute travel discounts for seeing the monuments and museums in Washington DC, for example.This is a great family holiday and the attractions are almost all free.All of the museums are free and some have hands-on or special exhibits that will drive your children wild with excitement.  (You can see the largest cut diamond in the world in the Museum of Natural History; while just down the hall your kids’ will thrill over a real mummy.  And then there’s the Air and Space Museum and the Smithsonian Castle.  So much for no money at all.)

Perhaps you want a water-filled vacation.  Search the travel sites for last minute travel discounts to some of the biggest and best water parks in the country.  Look for low fares to shore points on one of the coasts that you haven’t visited yet.  If you’re flexible or patient enough to wait it out, you can find last minute travel discounts that will keep you in the swim of things practically all day, every day.

Don’t forget to search cruises for last minute travel discounts.  Many are all-inclusive.  Child-friendly activities and even activities that your teenagers won’t shrug off are included on most cruises.  And the buffets are constantly refreshed, so you and your children can indulge to your hearts’ content.  Almost all cruises stop at a port or two for special sight-seeing or shopping or other activities.Viewing the package deal itself, minus the discount you might find, taking a cruise could be one of the least expensive last minute travel discounts you could obtain

Be creative; be flexible; and be set to go at a moment’s notice.

Don’t be surprised to find a gala or celebration to be going on whilst you are in the city. Tourists and locals regularly meet to celebrate the area’s past with traditional entertainment and events like the Lonach Highland Gathering and Games. Locally known as the “Friendly Games” the Games are held each year on the fourth Saturday of August at Strathdon in Aberdeenshire. Other events worth attending whilst visiting Aberdeen include, the Aberdeen Jazz Festival (March), the Braemar Telemark Festival  (March), the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival (April-May), the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival (June), The Wickerman, Tartan Day and the Stonehaven Fireball Festival. The Stonehaven festival is one of last remnants of an east coast fire festival traditionally held to welcome in the New Year.You will find a big selection of value for money Aberdeen hotels

The new town of “Granite City” Aberdeen offers superb granite buildings and a wonderful range of superb restaurants, a superb range of top shops and a very lively ‘what’s on’ listing whatever time of the year you arrive. In fact, if Aberdeen has such a wealth of riches, why are its own people recognised as internationally well travelled? Why would anyone ever want to leave this marvellous place? They say you never seem to appreciate what is beneath your nose but the truth is that Aberdonians are able to look more forward to returning home more than the rest of us. Who would blame them? They have everything! A pleasant climate, sandy beaches, the Lemon Tree (Aberdeen’s own perpetual Festival Fringe), picturesque streets, warm friendly people, fishing villages worthy of a place on a postcard and Union Street where you find a plethora of shops, as well as 3 shopping malls!

Aberdeen is often known as the “City of Roses” with good reason. A popular landmark and attraction in this area is that of Duthie Park’s Rose Hill with more than 12,000 different brilliant varieties and assortments of Rose.

The Old Town district of Aberdeen has a nostalgic air about it. The area known as Old Aberdeen is a preserved site, and was once a single burgh. Here you will encounter its cobbled high street with Provost Ross’s House, the Aberdeen Art Gallery, the harbour and many other attractions within a few hundred yards of one another. Don’t miss a chance to visit Aberdeen University’s ancient King’s College with its 15th century chapel and fixtures.

While in Aberdeen a lot of visitors explore the relationship between the city and North Sea. For many years North Sea oil reserves have fueled the growth and prosperity as well as devastating losses of life in the region. Visitors can pay their respects at the Piper Alpha Memorial, a memorial garden situated in Hazelhead Park dedicated to the loss of 167 North Sea oil workers lost in the 1988 tragedy. If you would like to find out more about oil exploration in the North Sea, the 5 Star Maritime Museum situated on the Shiprow, offers exhibitions on the fascinating subject well as an in depth insight to earlier (but equally as dangerous) forms of fishing and shipping in the region.

On the map, the region of Aberdeen and the Grampians seems to be very compact. This is deceiving.  In actual fact, there is a vast acreage of ground to cover with plenty of attractions at every corner and much will be missed if limited to public transport. Cycling out in the countryside around Aberdeen is amazing and highly recommended for all able-bodied souls. For the rest of us,  swapping two wheels for four and exploring the glorious surrounding from behind the wheel of  a rental car from Dyce Airport has many attractions. For those outdoor types hiking is a wonderful way to explore beautiful landscapes “off the beaten track”.

The Grampian Highlands

Hiking is possibly the foremost activity in the Grampians with vast areas to explore and unspoilt landscapes which can only be found when travelling on foot. Walkers will experience a wide range of challenges from the wild coast to the heights of the Grampian and Cairngorm mountains. If you are looking for an active pursuits holiday this Grampians region of Scotland will not let you down! The possibilities are generous from water-sports to gliding and cycling to horse riding. Off road driving is also on offer as well as exploring Scotland’s official Long Distance footpaths.

Take a trip to Balmoral and instantly discover why Queen Victoria fondly nicknamed this magical estate her “Paradise”. Constructed as a royal holiday destination, the estate is now enjoyed by many (non-royal) visitors for its legendary sporting activities such as salmon and trout fishing in the River Dee and road races across the Royal estate.

Across at the coast there are a number of excellent facilities for water sports. A notable event is that of the annual sailing race to Stavanger and back. The marina at Peterhead is extremely popular with visiting yachtsmen whilst sailing enthusiasts make for Findhorn at Moray Firth.

The Walt Disney World Resort is absolutely huge, covering nearly 50 square miles just outside Kissimmee, Florida. There are four gigantic amusement areas, Epcot, MGM, Animal Kingdom, and the Magic Kingdom. With so much to see, tourists almost always spend at least a week just to see everything. Disney has built more than 14 hotels just to take care of everyone visiting the area.

Fortunately, Disney executives recognize that folks are searching for different things when visiting the area. For this reason, they have resorts that fit everyone’s budget. Hotels are classified into Value, Moderate, and Deluxe classifications. Value is sort of the Disney way of saying cheap, but visitors will not be let down, as the Disney Value hotels are nice and comfortable. Moderate hotels are one step up, promising bigger living areas and full service dining on the property.

Deluxe resorts at Walt Disney World are top of the line accommodations designed to please and placate any visitor. Some of the resorts such as the Grand Floridian and Yacht Club are along the elevated train, so guests can easily travel to Epcot without having a car or riding a bus. Guest accommodations are much larger, and the Disney World experience is always magical.

So how do you decide which resort to stay at? Well would you rather spend your money on gifts or indulge yourself with the best, after all you are on vacation? Value options like the Pop Century Hotel can cost anywhere from $70 to $120 a night, while Deluxe Resorts start at $200 and go higher from there. As you can see, if you multiply that by 6 to 10 days, you would end up spending hundreds extra just for a nicer room.

The choice belongs to the visitor, but whatever you pick, you will be sure Disney World cast members will do their best to be sure you and your family have a great time on your trip away from home.

Transportation in a city or resort is typically a taxi, tuk-tuk, rickshaw, pickup, or hired car and driver. Taxis are usually metered in a city; make sure the meter is turned on. On the positive side, the Skytrain has made it much easier to get around, and taxis, tuk-tuks , buses and motorcycle taxis are plentiful.

Whether in big cities like Bangkok, the countryside of Chiang Mai or on a pristine beach of Phuket (great location for scuba diving), Thailand offers business and leisure travelers a safe, friendly atmosphere full of possibilities. The full moon party in Koh Phangan transforms the beach in Haad Rin, thousands of people, music and lots of alcohol makes this a night to remember. If you’re planning visits to the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand you’ll also need to bring along sport sandals and clothes that will cover your knees and shoulders as a gesture of respect for the. Bangkok has worked hard to develop its reputation as one of Asia’ss most inviting shopping destinations. The city is huge and offers every type of shopping experience regardless of your .

Bangkok presents a distinctive Buddhist landscape, with gold-layered spires, graceful pagodas, and giant Buddha statues. To the east rises the Khorat Plateau, a sandstone plateau with poor soils supporting grasses and woodlands. From downtown Bangkok to the rice farming villages of the Isan region, Thailand is a nation that is moving into modernity. Thailand has recently experienced relatively strong economic development, but large parts of the population are being left behind. Bangkok is a modern city yet firmly embedded in tradition. All aspects of Thai culture are revered here, such as people of all ages praying at one of the countless Temples and Monks accepting their daily alms.

If you travel to Thailand I will advice you to experiencenorthern city of Chang Mai where jungle covered mountains provide the perfect setting for treks, elephant rides and bamboo rafting before recuperation in a hill tribe village. Also you will want to check out the Tarutao kayaking tours as it is the absolute best island experience that Southern Thailand offers. They are especially designed for Thai food lovers who love to eat everything – we feast on Thai food every day of the trip.  Traveling in Thailand is great, and the best thing is that you can also do amazing sports like Scuba Diving: Remember, Thailand is one of the best places to go Scuba diving . Discover more info about scuba diving Thailand and scuba thailand.

Brazil is South America’s largest and the most populous country.  Brazil was under the rule of Portugal for three centuries, became an independent nation in 1822 and became a republic in 1889. Right now, Brazil’s economy by far outweighs most South American countries.

Brazil has a very diverse topography, here you have hills, mountains and beaches. Climate is fairly warm, while most of the country is considered tropical and is covered by the Amazon Rainforest, the southern part can have temperature that goes as low as 18 degrees Celsius. Brazil has a coastline that stretches to up to 5000 miles, giving both locals and tourist a choice list of beaches well-worth of your visits.

There are a lot of things about Brazil that encourage tourists, immigrants and even retirees to consider this country as their second home. Expats, 50 years old and above with a monthly pension equivalent to 2,000 USD can easily provide for himself and his family a vacation home in this South American country. The Brazilian government offers incentives to retirees receiving 2,000 USD monthly pensions who are looking for somewhere to spend their golden years.

Families vacationing in Brazil would not cease to think about so much fun they have in Brazil that many of them decide to take it to the next level and search for a place they can call their own in this lovely country. Think about having the same value for goods and services, yes you got it right here in Brazil. You can have your own home  in as soon as a month, take your pick – a beach house in Rio de Janeiro maybe? 

Once you get settled in Brazil, the Ministry of Health provides health coverage for all employed persons in industry, domestic servants and self-employed while public employees have a separate system. Workers in Brazil are all eligible for medical benefits including medical and dental treatments, hospitalization and medicines. Their dependents also can receive the same benefits as the insured.

Brazilian tax legislation provides that taxes may be imposed on income and capital gains earned by individuals residing in Brazil from sources abroad, as well as income and capital gains received in Brazil by individuals residing abroad. When you start working in Brazil, or once you become a resident taxpayer, individual income tax is due both under withholding basis and yearly return.

Brazil is the only Latin country in South America that takes after Portugal for their language. Portuguese is a beautiful yet difficult to learn language. If you are worried about this one issue, think again, Brazilians are always helpful and friendly. You’d never lack translation from people who would always do what they can to accommodate. People can just draw you in here in Brazil, Think about beautiful scenery with genuinely nice people and true personal freedom.  These are some of the reasons why Brazil is one of the best countries to live.

Covent Garden has become known for its unusual and specialist shops, and has become a very hip place to be seen. There are a number of excellent restaurants in Covent Garden not just excellent shops. The origins of Covent Garden market can be traced back to the middle ages and, until 1980, it was famous for the many stalls which sold vegetables and fruit as well as flowers.

Camden Market is now one of the most popular places to visit in London. There has been a markets here in Camden for a long time, but in its present status only since 1974. The market is actually a group of adjoining markets selling wares of most things one can imagine.

The Kings Road is known as Chelsea’s high street, and one of the most chic and stylish streets to shop in London. Back in the 1970s the Kings Road was closely associated with ‘Punks’, who proved to be an attraction in London themselves. However, the Kings Road is more subdued these days and no longer just a haunt of the followers of the anti-fashion era.

Sloane Street is a street in London which runs north to south, and takes its name from Sir Hans Sloane, who purchased the surrounding area in 1712. Sloane Street has has long been a fashionable shopping district, but is probably just as well known for lending it name to the ‘Sloane Rangers’ in the 1990s. The name Sloane Ranger was applied to the stereotypical young upper class English ladies seen in the area during this time. (One famous woman often referred to as a Sloane Ranger was Lady Diana Spencer)

Harrods department store in Knightsbridge is the worlds largest department store standing on 18,000 m2. The Harrods motto is ‘Omnia Omnibus Ubique’  meaning all things for all people, everywhere’. A very exclusive and luxurious department store, Harrods is famous the world over for its food hall and its toy department.

Another famous London department store is Selfridges in Oxford Street. In 1909 Selfridges, named after its owner Gordon Selfridge, opened its doors to the public. When it opened Selfridges set new standards for the retailing business. This was because all of the shop floors were designed so that goods on sale were more easily accessible to the customer.

The shops in London are as diverse as its culture and no matter how bizarre ones shopping requirements, it can be found in London. Whether you like to shop in department stores or prefer to rummage through the markets, London has it all.

If you are planning a shopping trip to London you will find plently of cheap London hotels listed at www.londonhotelhelper.com