Guangzhou Railway Station

January 31, 2016, 3:08 am

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Executive summary by darmansjah

Guangzhou-known historically as Canton or, less commonly, Kwangchow- is the capital and largest city of Guangdong province, People's Republic of China. Located on the Pearl River, about 120 km (75 mi) north-northwest of Hong Kong and north-northeast of Macau, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port. One of the five National Central Cities, it holds sub-provincial administrative status. The Cantonese people language that is spoken in Hong Kong and Macau originated from Guangzhou.

Guangzhou is the third largest Chinese city and southern China's largest city. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 12.78 million. Some estimates place the population of the entire Pearl River Delta Mega City built up area as high as 40 million including Shenzhen (10.36 million), Dongguan (8.22 million) and most parts of Foshan (7.19 million), Jiangmen (4.45 million), Zhongshan (3.12 million) and a small part of Huizhou adjoining Dongguan and Shenzhen, with an area of about 20,000 square kilometres (7,700 sq mi). In 2008 Guangzhou was identified as a Beta World City by the global city index produced by the GaWC, the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.

Guangzhou Railway Station serves the city of Guangzhou, China. It sits on the high speed Guangshen railway just west of Guangzhou East station. As one of the busiest railway stations in southern China, Guangzhou station is known for its notorious safety record. CRH trains from Guangzhou serves Shenzhen six times daily.

Services from this station include trains to Beijing (Jingguang railway) and Lhasa. It is served by the Guangzhou Metro on Line 2 and Line 5.

As early as the 1950s, the provincial government saw the need for a central train station in Guangzhou but the plans were shelved until 1974 due to the Cultural Revolution. On the 4th of April, 1979 with the normalisation of relations with Hong Kong, the through-train service that was suspended for over twenty-five years was resumed. Through-train services were moved to Guangzhou East in 1996 due to the increasing security problems the station was experiencing.

Guangzhou Train Travel Guide

Here you can find useful information on Guangzhou train travel, including guide for Guangzhou Railway Stations (location, website address, how to get there), ticket booking hours, advance ticket reservation period, train schedule for main itineraries as well as some useful note for passengers who travel on China train first time.

Guangzhou Railway Stations Guide

There are four passenger railway stations in Guangzhou city, naming Guangzhou Railway Station, Guangzhou East Railway Station, Guangzhou South Railway Station and Guangzhou North Railway Station respectively. Guangzhou Railway Station and Guangzhou East Railway Station are located in the urban area while Guangzhou South Railway Station and Guangzhou North Railway Station are located in the outskirt area. Passengers choose Wuhan Guangzhou High Speed Railway (Wuguang High Speed Railway) should take their trains at Guangzhou South Railway Station or Guangzhou North Railway Station. Passengers take Guangzhou Kowloon Through Train for Hongkong Special Region should depart from Guangzhou East Railway Station.

Guangzhou Railway Station: No. 159, Huanshi West Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou 510010, People's Republic of China.

Guangzhou East Railway Station: Lin He Zhong Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510610, People's Republic of China.

Guangzhou South Railway Station: Shibi Town, Panyu District, Guangzhou 510150, People's Republic of China.

Guangzhou North Railway Station: Xinhua Street, Huadu District, Guangzhou 510800, People's Republic of China.

Transportation Guide

How to Get to Guangzhou (Central) Railway Station from Baiyun Airport:

by Airport Express

Passenger can take airport line 1 (5 to 15 minutes per) from the airport's Car Sitting Area and get off at Air-ticket Office Station. Guangzhou Railway Station is just 160 meters away from the Air-ticket Office Station. Airport buses are availiable from 7:00am until the airport's closing time. Journey time is about 45 minutes and ticket price is RMB 16 Yuan.

Remark: If you travel with big luggage, you can use this option as airport express is quite spacious.

by Taxi

Distance between Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and Guangzhou Railway Station is about 30 kilometers. Driving time for the taxi is about 30 minutes and cost is about RMB 80 Yuan (For reference only!) during daytime's working hours.

Remark: this option is best for a group of 2-3 people.

   

by Metro

The two places are connected by metro lines directly. By making a transfering to metro line 2 at Jiahe Wanggang station, passenger can get to Guangzhou Railway Station from Guangzhou Baiyuan Airport in about 30 minutes. Ticket cost for metro travel is RMB 7 Yuan.

Remark: Don't select this option if you are traveling with big luggages during the peak periods including 7:30am to 9:00am and 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

Useful Note:

Guangzhou Railway Station mainly serves normal trains including four-digital trains, K trains, T trains and ect.

How to Get to Guangzhou South Railway Station from Baiyun Airport:

By Metro.

Passenger can take the metro rail from Baiyun Airport directly and get off at Jiahe Wanggang station and then transfer to metro line 2 for Guangzhou South Railway Station. Journey time is about 1 hour and ticket price is RMB 10 Yuan.

Remark: Don't select this option if you are traveling with big luggages from 7:30am to 9:00am or 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

by Taxi

Distance between Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and Guangzhou South Railway Station is about 58 kilometers. Riding time for the taxi is a bit more than 50 minutes and taxi fare is about RMB 190 Yuan (For reference only!) during daytime working hours.

This option is best for group of 2-3 people.

Useful Note:

Guangzhou South Railway Station is a high speed train station. Passenger taking bullet train for Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Shunde direction should depart here. Passenger taking high speed train for Dongguan, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Changsha direction can also choose to depart here.

How to Get to Guangzhou East Railway Station from Baiyun Airport:

   

By Metro.

No. 3 metro line can take you from Baiyun Airport to Guangzhou East Railway Station directly. Journey time is about half an hour and ticket price is RMB 7 Yuan.

Remark: Don't select this option if you are traveling with big luggages during 7:30am to 9:00am or 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

   

by Taxi

Distance from Baiyun airport to Guangzhou East Railway Station is about 39 kilomters. It takes a bit more than 40 minutes to ride on taxi and taxi fare is about RMB 120 Yuan during daytime working hours.

   

Useful Note:

Passenger taking Guangzhou-Kowloon through train for Hong Kong should depart from Guangzhou East Railway Station. Passenger taking high speed train for Dongguan and Shenzhen direction can also depart here.

How to Get to Guangzhou North Railway Station from Baiyun Airport:

   

by Airport Express

irport express line 9 can transport passenger from Baiyun Airport to Guangzhou North Railway Station directly. Working time is from 5:25am to 7:55pm and bus frequency is 30 minutes. Riding time is 45 minutes and ticket fare is RMB 10 Yuan.

Remark: If you are traveling with big luggage, you can use this option as airport express is quite spacious.

   

by Taxi

Distance between Guangzhou North Railway Station and Baiyun Airport is about 18km and riding time on the taxi is about 30 minutes. Taxi fare would be about RMB 50 Yuan during daytime working hours.

   

Useful Note:

Guangzhou North Railway Station serves both normal train and high speed train. Passenger taking high speed bullet train for Wuhan, Changsha can depart here.

Transport between Guangzhou East Railway Station and South Railway Station:

By Bus

No. 302A bus connects Guangzhou East Railway Station with Guangzhou South Railway Station directly. Its operating hour is from 6:30am to 11:30pm. Journey time on the bus is about 70 minutes.

   

By Metro

Passenger can take line 2 metro rail from Guangzhou South Railway Station and making a transfer at Gongyuan Qian station to transfer to line 1 for Guangzhou East Railway Station. Journey time is about 45 minutes and ticket price is RMB 7 Yuan.

Remark: Don't select this option if you are traveling with big luggages during 7:30am-9:00am or 5:00pm-7:00pm.

By Taxi

Distance between the two place is 29km. It takes about 45 minutes to ride on a taxi and fare is about RMB 80 Yuan in daytime's working hours.

Transportation Guide for People attending Canton Trade Fair

Question:

I would like to visit the canton trade fair. My point of entry is ShenZhen. What train route should I take? Thank you.

Answer:

Please input Shenzhen and Guangzhou in the searching boxes of www.chinatrainguide.com and do a search, you will find the latest train timetable in the searching result page. You can choose any train station in Guangzhou as a destination.

Now let me tell you how to transport from Guangzhou Train Stations to Pazhou Complex, the venue of Canton Trade Fair:

How to get to Canton Trade Fair from Guangzhou Railway Station

By Metro

We recommend you take the metro to get to Canton Trade Fair from Guangzhou Railway Station. To do so, you should take Guangzhou Metro Line 2 to Changgang metro station firstly and then transfer to Metro Line 8 and get off the subway either at Xingang East or Pazhou. Journey time is about half an hour and ticket price is RMB 5 Yuan. Working hours for Guangzhou Metro is from 6:20am to 11:20pm.

   

By Taxi

Riding distance from Guangzhou Train Station to Canton Trade Fair is about 17km on a taxi. Driving time is about half an hour and taxi fare is about RMB 50 Yuan in day time's working hours.

How to get to Canton Trade Fair from Guangzhou East Railway Station

By Metro

to travel by Metro, you should firstly take Guangzhou Metro Line 3 (northern northern extension) to Tiyu Xilu and then transfer to Line 3 to Kecun. From Kecun, you can take metro line 8 and get off either at Xingang East or Pazhou to visit Canton Trade Fair. Total journey time is about 20 minutes and ticket fare is RMB 4 Yuan.

By Taxi

It's more convenient to travel by taxi to visit Canton Trade Fair from Guangzhou East Train Station. Distance between the two place is about 10km and riding time is below half an hour. Taxi fare is about RMB 30 Yuan in daytime's working hours.

How to get to Canton Trade Fair from Guangzhou South Railway Station

By Metro

To travel by metro from Guangzhou South Train Station, passenger should firstly take metro line 2 to Changgang firstly and then transfer to Line 8 to Canton Trade Fair Pazhou Complex. Journey time is about 38 minutes and ticket fare is RMB 6 Yuan.

By Taxi

Riding distance between Guangzhou South Train Station and the venue of Canton Trade Fare is about 23km. It takes about 40 minutes to travel by taxi and taxi fare is about RMB 65 Yuan in daytime's working hours.

Hot Train Routes

    Guangzhou Train to Beijing

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Guangzhou to Changchun

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    Guangzhou to Haikou Train

    Guangzhou to Hangzhou Train

    Guangzhou to Hefei Train

    Guangzhou to Huangshan Train

    Guangzhou to Huizhou Train

Guangzhou to Jieyang Train

    Guangzhou to Jiangmen Train

    Guangzhou to Jinan Train

    Guangzhou to Jiujiang Train

    Guangzhou to Lanzhou Train

    Guangzhou to Liuzhou Train

    Guangzhou to Luoyang Train

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Guangzhou to Nanchang

    Guangzhou to Nanning Train

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    Guangzhou to Qingdao Train

    Guangzhou to Qingyuan Train

    Guangzhou to Ronggui Train

    Guangzhou to Shantou Train

    Guangzhou to Shaoguan Train

    Guangzhou to Shaoxing Train

    Guangzhou to Shunde Train

    Guangzhou to Suzhou Train

Guangzhou Train to Taishan

    Guangzhou to Taiyuan Train

    Guangzhou to Taizhou Train

    Guangzhou to Tangshan Train

    Guangzhou to Tianjin Train

    Guangzhou to Wenzhou Train

    Guangzhou to Xiangfan Train

Guangzhou to Yiwu Train

    Guangzhou to Yueyang Train

    Guangzhou to Zhangjiajie Train

    Guangzhou to Zhanjiang Train

    Guangzhou to Zhaoqing Train

    Guangzhou to Zhengzhou Train

    Guangzhou to Zhongshan Train

    Guangzhou to Zhuhai Train

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Hwacheon, Korea

January 31, 2016, 9:28 pm

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Executive summary by Darmansjah

Why Go Now? 

Flock with eager mobs to Hwacheoncheon of Ganwon Province during the annual Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival from 4 to 26 January to fish for mountain trout amidst snow-capped mountains. Holes are dug into the frozen stream before baits are lowered into the glacial waters, and shouts and squeals of elation erupt from both companions and bystanders when announcements of catches are made. The adventures some go the extra mile by plunging into the icy pool built next to the steam and snagging a trout or three with their bare hands.

The festival also comprises Snow fun Park, which allows for ice sledding, bobsleighing, and visits to a majestic ice playground, an World Winter city Square, where teas from nine winter countries, some of which are Japan, China, and Norway, can be savoured. A long trail of food stands hawking local specialities line the stream to ensure that the 10,000 visitors received on a weekend are kept sustained and sated.

How Do I Make It Happen?

Singapore Airlines operates direct flights  from Singaporeand from Kuala Lumpur to Seoul’s Incheon International Airport. From there, take a bus to Chuncheon, and then another to Hwacheon. For more directional options, visit narfestival.com

Nine Tree HotelMyeong-dong is located in the centre of Korean fashion and culture and is reputed for its range of five-star services and amenities. It is a stone’s throw away from Chunjiyun Spa, shinsegae Department Store, and Myeong-dong Subway Sation (from US$100, ninetreehotel.com).

Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud

February 1, 2016, 9:36 pm

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Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud has been a centre of fine dining in Dublin for the last thirty years and is Ireland’s only two star Michelin. Situated beside the 5 star Merrion Hotel in Dublin city centre, the cuisine is contemporary Irish with classical roots. Having featured in everything from the Irish Times to the New York Times, it is renowned as one of the best restaurants in Ireland and is also internationally acclaimed. The RPG philosophy is simple: it is about delivering impeccable dining experiences. We look forward to welcoming you.

Collections Monuments of Delhi

February 2, 2016, 1:06 am

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Discover thebeauty ofarchaeologicalparksin the middle ofthe hustle andbustle of themetropolis, text byManggalanirUkirsari, executivesummarybydarmansjah, photos fromgoogle

RedFortorLalQila, forts andpalaces of theMughalemperorsinOldDelhiorShahjahanabad, with one ofthe famousgatecalledKashmiriGate.

Delhicontinued to writhe. Under thehot sun, inthehustle andbustle oflocal residents andwalkersfrom all over theworld. Citiescoveredcollectionsuffocatingcloudof pollutants. Hisdecorator, towers anddomespokinghere and there. This is theOldDelhiandNewDelhi, the cityfragmentsforming the'pot' Delhi inbroaddimensionsand fullcolor. Ametropolisfittedpocketsclassicdestinations.

nutsproductsinspicemarket, lalkuan bazaar 

There are threecity-forming regionof Delhi; LalKotthefirst city, ShahjahanabadakaOldDelhias a center ofMughalgovernmentandNewDelhicreated bythe British Empire asthe capital ofmodern India.

 qutb minar

Not infrequently the pedestrian only consider Delhi as a gateway to various destinations in India, without regard to its beauty. Though located in the capital gives the freshness of its own, like a soda-guzzling nimboaka carbonated water that I stole as much lemon served around the Qutb Minar-type point at the center of a sweltering day. Do not forget to say chenni(sweet in Hindi) when ordered so that merchants do not put salt.

WhereTo Go

 pvrcinemas, theatersrenownednetworkacrossIndia

Landing inDelhiis not complete withoutsetting footin acrowdedChandniChowkthat lastedday and nightwithout stopping. Thissaledistrictoffering a variety ofdaily necessitiestosouvenirs,as well as'home' for somehistoricalrelics. ChandniChowknamemeansroughlymoonlitsquare. TheMuslimMughalemperormakesthis area as acenter ofOld Delhiwith completetransportchanneltowardsLalQilaorRedFort, complexfortifiedcastleorfortressonce. One of thefamousgatesareKashmiriGate.

 jama masjid

gurudwara sis ganj sahib

church of saint james

sri drawn jain lal mandir

Collections Monuments of Delhi

February 3, 2016, 4:48 am

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Besides admiring the splendor remains Lal Qila, walkers can come to some buildings that reflect the richness of religious worship Hindustan country, such as Jama Masjid for the musalman or Muslim, Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib for Sikhs, Church of Saint James to the Catholic owners and Sri Drawn Jain Lal Mandir for followers of Jainism. Just then a walk in the evening here, I met Chival Singh explaining parkash was the day of the birth of one or warning guru Sikh spreader. Be a midnight procession interesting spectacle. its adherents to clean the streets in front of gurudwara, singing hymns with instrumental accompaniment kirtan outside banks (such as the tambourine), sarong (stringed music device) and table (sort of gendering), topped dining with guru-ka-langar and I was invited to participate.

 Humayun's Tomb

New Delhi Station

The next morning, turn to exploring Humayun's Tomb in south Delhi. This is the first of the Mughal mausoleum were used as inspiration making of Taj Mahal at Agra-about two hours away by train from New Delhi Station (NDLS)-as well as the archaeological park that charming. Layout like oasis in the midst of scorching Delhi sun. In addition to the tomb complex is made of black and white marble and 38-meter-high dome, this destination has Charbagh or symmetrical garden is divided into four sections on the front of the resting place of Humayun, the second Mughal emperor. Soothing, so that local residents make it the destination after noon. They were sitting on the porch while mausoleum tasted the fresh wind blowing between jaalis or ventilation holes carved intricate and symmetrical.

 mehrauli archaeological park

While buildings similar in a lot of surplus quantity is in the Mehrauli Archaeological Park. Around the 13th century, Sultan Qutbuddin Aibak established the Delhi named Mehrauli settlement which became the center of the Sufis and places of worship. The most famous building here is the Qutb Minarmade ​​to celebrate the victory of the Muslims over the dynasty mamluk rajput dynasty in India. That said, Axis tower-translation from Arabic, it is touted as the world's highest single tower of its time and is now listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Most interesting, though, it carvings embodied in Arabic script in which the whole tower combined Hunduisme style ornament. Not infrequently, a self-perpetuating domestic pedestrian was holding the top of the tower as a way of taking low angle near the park entrance. The photographer crouched in front of the journey on tiptoe with one hand dangling a common sight that can be seen in this area. Not infrequently invite other walkers photographic object.

Muslims worship the device being sold in Meena Bazar, the market jama mosque courtyard

dargah qutb sahib

jogmaya

About 15 minutes drive from Qutb Minar, Dargah Qutb Sahib there, a famous pilgrimage site for devotees of Islam in India. Sufi named Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar Foot buried here and the special women pilgrims are not allowed to get closer to the grave. As a 'consolation,' they just leaned out from behind jaalis allowed. Every October, the event was held Phoolwalon ki Sair culture that supposedly exist since 1720s as a form of homage to the Mughal emperor. The event took the form of a wreath procession starting from Jogmaya temple, tomb of Qutbuddin Bakhtiyar crossed legs and the procession will disperse in front of Mehrauli Archaelogical Park.

After archaeological parks, visits to Delhifollowed by perpetuating themselves in front of India Gate monument reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe of paris, France. Destination point crowd is more so on weekends. At the rear of the complex non-permanent stalls lined the peddle typical Indian snacks or dhili ki chaat. Want to try the fried foods, ice cream, snack areas sensations, sweet, spicy and salty, all available on site. Plus some artists hawking services or some henna tattoo paint is not permanent. Things laughter was the work of ignorant local boys are desperate to swim in the park so persecuted authorities carrying bamboo slats.

Although the crowd was invited attention of the visitors, the focus remains important as the India Gate monument made ​​for Indian and Britishsoldiers in World War I, North-West Frontier and Afghanistan war Provience third. An eternal flame cauldron or cup is placed in front of the gate, as a symbol of respect to the unknown heroes who died in the Indo-Pakistanwar of 1971.

raisina hill 

 rajpath

vijay chowk

From India Gate, the exploration continues towards Raisina Hill. New Delhi more authentic atmosphere felt when the three-wheeler vehicles. Initial trajectory Rajpathand Vijay Chowk is the place of execution of Beating Retreat every January 29. Today when soldiers from various security posts outside the capital city of India returned to their respective bases and paraded for the audience, showing finesse and doing marching band marching. The merrier, because the evening fireworks continued.

This area is like Medan Merdeka in Jakarta area. I find that road width, clean, wide open spaces as well as versatile building blocks government by architect Herbert Baker, known as the North Block and South Block. Starting finance ministry, foreign ministry, the defense ministry to the prime minister to be here. Meanwhile, in the north there are Sansad Bhavan or Parliament where the Indian Constitution drafted in preparation for independence in 1947.

The highest point of this area is the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidential residence. Visitors can be photographed, although vehicles are not allowed to stop in front of him. Pillars and door iron a replica castle Chiswick in England, has brick arches and canon. Then, behind the fence, standing monument Jaipur Column, which has oranmen stars and flowers on the top.

Of all the splendor of the monument and government building in New Delhi, stopped for a moment in Connaught Place on the way home from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to attractive option, because it opens the opportunity to shop with a different atmosphere than the Chandni Chowk. Connaught Place is the first shopping center of New Delhi that the British government built around the 1930s and the trip can be started from Vijay Chowk radial trajectory. After witnessing the uniqueness of the country parks India, it was a fun time to relax and choose items. Feels comfortable, because behind the towering pillars, there is a row of shops include air conditioning facilities and several cafes. Here, sold souvenirs, various types of clothing and accessories, where to exchange money travel agency. The idea of ​​traveling to outside Delhi was not uncommon to emerge from here. Is pleasure the agency offers a variety of products. However, the attitude we need to be careful so that no one chose the offer.

Where To Eat.

 
Old Delhi nuance hustle her delicious blends Indiataste is felt in Karim's (www.karimhoteldelhi.com), Kababian Dug Road, opposite the Jami Masjid. Enjoy a variety of tandoori (sha e tandoor) and the opportunity peered into the kitchen using clay pots and traditional stoves. Conversely, to entertain in a very private couples can dine fine dining on the Orient Express, located in the Taj Hotel (www.tajhotels.com), Pasxhim Vihar, New Delhi. Office style designed exclusively wagon train Orient Express and serves upscale, one French menu plus wine and live Jazz music.

Where To Stay

 
The goals of the walkers get to stay that authentic atmosphere spawned business-themed bed and breakfast residence. Sake Bed and Breakfast (www.saketbedandbreakfast.com) located in an apartment with a room prices starting at U.S. $ 70 including breakfast. Indialives with the family atmosphere can be felt in Delhi Bed and Breakfast (www.delhibedandbreakfast.com). Place inpatient costs USD56 and accessories laden interior typical Hindustan country already provides breakfast. Options away from the city center, of course, you will feel the atmosphere of calm.

Royal Portrush

February 3, 2016, 9:41 pm

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Executive summary by darmansjah

Royal Portrush Golf Club is a private golf club in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The 36-hole club has two links courses, the Dunluce Links and the Valley Links. In 1951, Royal Portrush hosted The Open Championship, the oldest of golf's major championships. Up to 2011, it is the only Open to be held outside of the main island of Great Britain. Royal Portrush hosted the Irish Open in 2012.

The Dunluce Links course is considered to be one of the best courses in the world. It was ranked at number 4 by Golf World in their list of "The 100 greatest courses in the British Isles" in November 1996. Golf Magazine ranked it at number 12 in their list of the Top 100 Courses in the World, and in 2007 Golf Digest ranked it as the fourth best course outside the United States.

Santiago de Compostela

February 4, 2016, 9:51 pm

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Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain.

The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the city's cathedral, as destination of the Way of St. James, a leading Catholic pilgrimage route originated in the 9th century. In 1985 the city's Old Town was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Santiago is the local Galician evolution of Vulgar Latin Sanctu Iacobu "Saint James". According to legend, Compostela derives from the Latin Campus Stellae (i.e., "field of the star"); it seems unlikely however that this could yield the modern Compostela under normal evolution from Latin to Medieval Galician. Other etymologies derive the name from Latin compositum, local Vulgar Latin Composita Tella, meaning "burial ground"; or simply from Latin compositellam, meaning "the well-composed one". Other sites in Galicia share this toponym, akin to Compostilla in the province of León.

The city

The cathedral borders the main plaza of the old and well-preserved city. Legend has it that the remains of the apostle James were brought to Galicia for burial. In 813, according to medieval legend, the light of a bright star guided a shepherd who was watching his flock at night to the burial site in Santiago de Compostela. The shepherd quickly reported his discovery to the bishop of Iria, Bishop Teodomiro. The bishop declared that the remains were those of the apostle James and immediately notified King Alfonso II in Oviedo. To honour St. James, the cathedral was built on the spot where his remains were said to have been found. The legend, which included numerous miraculous events, enabled the Catholic faithful to not only maintain their stronghold in northern Spain during the Christian crusades against the Moors, but also led to the growth and development of the city.

Along the western side of the Praza do Obradoiro is the elegant 18th century Pazo de Raxoi, now the city hall. Across the square is the Pazo de Raxoi (Raxoi's Palace), the town hall and seat of the Galician Xunta, and on the right from the cathedral steps is the Hostal dos Reis Católicos, founded in 1492 by the Catholic Monarchs, Isabella of Castille and Ferdinand II of Aragon, as a pilgrims' hospice (now a parador). The Obradoiro façade of the cathedral, the best known, is depicted on the Spanish euro coins of 1 cent, 2 cents, and 5 cents (€0.01, €0.02, and €0.05).

Santiago is the site of the University of Santiago de Compostela, established in the early 16th century. The main campus can be seen best from an alcove in the large municipal park in the centre of the city.

Within the old town there are many narrow winding streets full of historic buildings. The new town all around it has less character though some of the older parts of the new town have some big flats in them.

Santiago de Compostela has a substantial nightlife. Divided between the new town (a zona nova in Galician, la zona nueva in Spanish or ensanche) and the old town (a zona vella in Galician or la zona vieja in Spanish, trade-branded as zona monumental), a mix of middle-aged residents and younger students running throughout the city until the early hours of the morning can often be found. Radiating from the centre of the city, the historic cathedral is surrounded by paved granite streets, tucked away in the old town, and separated from the newer part of the city by the largest of many parks throughout the city, Parque da Alameda. Whether in the old town or the new town, party-goers will often find themselves following their tapas by dancing the night away.

Santiago gives its name to one of the four military orders of Spain: Santiago, Calatrava, Alcántara and Montesa.

One of the most important economic centres in Galicia, Santiago is the seat for organisations like Association for Equal and Fair Trade Pangaea.

History

The area of Santiago de Compostela was a Roman cemetery by the 4th century, being occupied by the Suebi in the early 400s, during the initial collapse of the Roman Empire when they settled in Galicia and Portugal. The area was later attributed to the bishopric of Iria Flavia in the 6th century, in the partition usually known as Parochiale Suevorum, ordered by king Theodemar. In 585 the whole settlement together with the rest of Suebi Kingdom was annexed by Leovigild into the Visigothic kingdom of Spain as the sixth province of the realm.

Possibly raided from 711 to 739 by the Arabs,[citation needed] the bishopric of Iria was incorporated into the Kingdom of Asturias c. 750; some tens of years later. At some point between 818 and 842, bishop Theodemar of Iria (d. 847) claimed to have found some remains which were attributed to Saint James the Greater, during the reign of Alfonso II of Asturias. Allegedly, the Pope and Charlemagne—who anyway was dead by 814—may have had an important role in the discovery and acceptance of this finding. It was actually these political and religious figures who acknowledged Alfonso II's reign and Asturias as a kingdom altogether, besides starting close political and ecclesiastic ties Around the place of the discovery emerged a new settlement and centre of pilgrimage, which was already known by Usuard in 865, and that was called Compostella at least from the 10th century.

However, during the 10 and 11th centuries, the cult of Saint James of Compostela was but one of many arising at the time in different political regions of northern Iberia, whose rulers didn´t doubt to encourage their own region-specific cults—Saint Eulalia in Oviedo, Saint Aemilian in Castile. Since the early 10th century, Compostela started to become a politically more relevant site after the centre of Asturian political power moved from Oviedo to León, and several kings of Galicia and of León were acclaimed by the Galician noblemen, and crowned and anointed by the local bishop at the cathedral, among them Ordoño IV in 958, Bermudo II in 982, and Alfonso VII in 1111, so Compostela becoming capital of the Kingdom of Galicia. Later, 12th-century kings were also sepulchered in the cathedral, namely Fernando II and Alfonso IX, last of the Kings of León and Galicia before both kingdoms were united with the Kingdom of Castile.

During this same 10th century and in the first years of the 11th century Viking raiders tried to assault it—Galicia is known in the Nordic sagas as Jackobsland or Gallizaland—and bishop Sisenand II, who was killed in battle against them in 968, ordered the construction of a walled fortress to protect the sacred place. In 997 Compostela was assaulted and partially destroyed by Ibn Abi Aamir (known as al-Mansur), Andalusian leader accompanied in his raid by Christian lords, who all received a share of the loot. However, the Andalusian commander showed no interest for the alleged relics of St James. In response to these challenges bishop Cresconio, in the mid‑11th century, fortified the entire town, building walls and defensive towers.

According to some authors, by the middle years of the 11th century the site became a pan-European place of peregrination, second only to Rome and Jerusalem, and others make it clear that the cult to Saint James was before 11-12th centuries an essentially Galician affair, supported by Asturian and Leonese kings to earn faltering Galician loyalties. In the 12th century, under the impulse of bishop Diego Gelmírez, Compostela became an archbishopric, attracting a large and multinational population. Under the rule of this prelate, the townspeople rebelled, headed by the local council, beginning a secular tradition of confrontation of the people of the city—who fought for self-government—with the local bishop, the secular and jurisdictional lord of the city and of its fief, the semi-independent Terra de Santiago ("land of Saint James"). The peak of this confrontation was reached in the 14th century, when the new prelate, the Frenchman Bérenger de Landore, treacherously executed the counselors of the city in his castle of A Rocha Forte ("the strong rock, castle"), after attracting them for talks.

Santiago de Compostela was captured and sacked by the French during the Napoleonic Wars; as a result, the remains attributed to the apostle were lost for near a century, hidden inside a cist in the crypts of the cathedral of the city.

The excavations conducted in the cathedral during the 19th and 20th centuries uncovered a Roman cella memoriae or martyrium, around which grew a small cemetery in Roman and Suevi times which was later abandoned. This martyrium, which proves the existence of an old Christian holy place, has been sometimes attributed to Priscillian, although without further proof.

Main sights

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela

12th century Colegiata de Santa María del Sar

16th century Baroque Abbey of San Martín Pinario

 

University of Santiago de Compostela

Centro Galego de Arte Contemporánea (Galician Center for Contemporary Art), designed by Alvaro Siza Vieira

Parque de San Domingos de Bonaval, redesigned by Eduardo Chillida and Alvaro Siza Vieira

City of Culture of Galicia (will be completed in 2012), designed by Peter Eisenman

Transport

Santiago de Compostela is served by Santiago de Compostela Airport and a rail service. The town is linked to the Spanish High Speed Railway Network. On 24 July 2013 there was a serious rail accident near the city in which 79 people died and at least 130 were injured when a train derailed on a bend as it approached Compostela station

Snowdonia National Park

February 5, 2016, 10:38 pm

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Snowdonia is a region in north Wales and a national park of 823 square miles (2,130 km2) in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales.

Snowdonia National Park

Snowdonia National Park was established in 1951 as the third National Park in Britain, following the Peak District and the Lake District. It covers 827 square miles (2,140 km2), and has 37 miles (60 km) of coastline.

The Park is governed by the Snowdonia National Park Authority, which is made up of local government and Welsh representatives, and its main offices are at Penrhyndeudraeth. Unlike national parks in other countries, Snowdonia (and other such parks in Britain) are made up of both public and private lands under central planning authority. The makeup of land ownership at Snowdonia is as follows:

More than 26,000 people live within the Park, of whom about 62% can speak at least some Welsh. The Park attracts over 6 million visitors annually, split almost equally between day and staying visitors, making it the third most visited National Park in England and Wales.

Whilst most of the land is either open or mountainous land, there is a significant amount of agricultural activity within the Park.

Since the local government re-organisation of 1998, the Park lies partly in the county of Gwynedd, and partly in the county borough of Conwy. It is governed by the 18-member Snowdonia National Park Authority; 9 members are appointed by Gwynedd, 3 by Conwy, and the remaining 6 by the National Assembly for Wales to represent the national interest.

Unusually, Snowdonia National Park has a hole in the middle, around the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, a slate quarrying centre. This was deliberately excluded from the Park when it was set up to allow the development of new light industry to replace the decimated slate industry. (There is a similar situation in the Peak District National Park where the boundaries were drawn to exclude large built-up areas and industrial sites from the park with the town of Buxton and the adjacent quarries outside but surrounded on three sides by the Park.)

The Snowdonia Society is a registered charity formed in 1967. It is a voluntary group of people with an interest in the area and its protection.

Mountain ranges

Snowdonia may be divided into four areas:

The northernmost area is the most popular with tourists, and includes (from west to east) Moel Hebog, Mynydd Mawr and the Nantlle Ridge; the Snowdon Massif; the Glyderau; and the Carneddau. These last three groups are the highest mountains in Wales, and include all Wales' 3000-foot mountains.

The second area includes peaks such as Moel Siabod, Cnicht, the Moelwynion, and the mountains around Blaenau Ffestiniog.

The third area includes the Rhinogydd in the west as well as the Arenig and the Migneint (this last being an area of bog), and Rhobell Fawr. This area is not as popular with tourists as the other areas, due to its remoteness.

The southernmost area includes Cadair Idris, the Tarren range, the Dyfi hills, and the Aran group, including Aran Fawddwy, the highest mountain in the United Kingdom south of Snowdon.

Mountain walking

Southern edge. Waymarked path near Llyn Barfog in Gwynedd

Many of the hikers in the area concentrate on Snowdon itself. It is regarded as a fine mountain, but can become quite crowded, particularly with the Snowdon Mountain Railway running to the summit.

The other high mountains with their boulder-strewn summits—as well as Tryfan, one of the few mountains in the UK south of Scotland whose ascent needs hands as well as feet—are also very popular. However, there are also some spectacular walks in Snowdonia on the lower mountains, and they tend to be relatively unfrequented. Among hikers' favourites are Y Garn (east of Llanberis) along the ridge to Elidir Fawr; Mynydd Tal-y-Mignedd (west of Snowdon) along the Nantlle Ridge to Mynydd Drws-y-Coed; Moelwyn Mawr (west of Blaenau Ffestiniog); and Pen Llithrig y Wrach north of Capel Curig. Further south are Y Llethr in the Rhinogydd, and Cadair Idris near Dolgellau.

The Park has 1,479 miles (2,380 km) of public footpaths, 164 miles (264 km) of public bridleways, and 46 miles (74 km) of other public rights of way. A large part of the Park is also covered by Right to Roam laws.

Nature, landscape and the environment

The Park's entire coastline is a Special Area of Conservation, which runs from the Llŷn Peninsula down the mid-Wales coast, the latter containing valuable sand dune systems.

The Park's natural forests are of the mixed deciduous type, the commonest tree being the Welsh Oak. Birch, ash, mountain-ash and hazel are also common. The Park also contains some large (planted) coniferous forested areas such as Gwydir Forest near Betws-y-Coed, although some areas, once harvested, are now increasingly being allowed to regrow naturally.

Northern Snowdonia is the only place in Britain where the Snowdon lily, an Arctic–alpine plant, and the rainbow-coloured Snowdon beetle (Chrysolina cerealis) are found, and the only place in the world where the Snowdonia hawkweed Hieracium snowdoniense grows.

A large proportion of the Park is today under designation (or under consideration for designation) as Sites of Special Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserves, Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas, Biosphere and Ramsar sites.

One of the major problems facing the Park in recent years has been the growth of Rhododendron ponticum. This fast-growing invasive species has a tendency to take over and stifle native species. It can form massive towering growths and has a companion fungus that grows on its roots producing toxins that are poisonous to any local flora and fauna for a seven-year period after the Rhododendron infestations have been eradicated. As a result there are a number of desolate landscapes.

Wildlife

Snowdonia's importance in the conservation of habitat and wildlife in the region reflects in the fact that nearly 20% of its total area is protected by UK and European law. Half of that area was set aside by the government under the European Habitats Directive as a Special Area of Conservation. Rare mammals in the park include otters, polecats, and the feral goat, although the pine marten has not been seen for many years. Rare birds include raven, peregrine, osprey, merlin and the red kite. Another of Snowdonia's famous inhabitants is the Snowdon or Rainbow Beetle. The park has three RAMSAR Sites: the Dyfi Estuary Biosphere Reserve, Cwm Idwal and Llyn Tegid.

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Sheen Falls Lodge

February 6, 2016, 10:31 pm

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"La Cascade" is the restaurant of Sheen Falls Lodge, a hotel outside the town of Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland. It is a fine dining restaurant that was awarded one Michelin star in the period 1993-1998.

During the period the restaurant was awarded the Michelin star, the head chef was Fergus Moore.

The site of the present day hotel "Sheen Falls Lodge" and its restaurant "La Cascade" was originally occupied by an old farm house, Sheen Cottage, which stood on this site since at least as early as 1764. It belonged to the Irish estate of the Marquess of Lansdowne.

In 1777 a still existing bridge was built over the falls next to the house. During the nineteenth century, the house and the grounds surrounding it were leased by different gentlemen. In 1854 Frederick Trench, 2nd Baron Ashtown purchased the lease from George Woodhouse. Ashtown invested £ 1.000 in building a new fishing lodge, which incorporated the walls of the smaller Sheen Cottage as its southern part. Himself Ashtown spent little time there but sublet to various tenants.

In 1879 Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne bought the residue of his lease. Thereafter the Lansdowne family used it themselves as a hunting and fishing lodge. In 1948, Lord Bruntisfield bought the site and largely rebuilt the house before selling it again in 1962.

In 1966 the estate passed into the ownership of a Manchester business man, who tried to turn Sheen Falls into a commercial fishery.[9] Without success, he sold the property to an international corporation from which it was purchased by the Danish born entrepreneur Bent Christian Høyer (*1927) in 1988. He started with the construction of the 5 star hotel "Sheen Falls Lodge", which was opened in 1991.

Bruges

February 7, 2016, 9:45 pm

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Bruges 

Executive summary by Darmansjah

Bruges  is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country.

The area of the whole city amounts to more than 13,840 hectares, including 1,075 hectares off the coast, at Zeebrugge (meaning "Brugge aan Zee" or "Bruges on Sea"). The historic city centre is a prominent World Heritage Site of UNESCO. It is oval-shaped and about 430 hectares in size. The city's total population is 117,073 (1 January 2008), of which around 20,000 live in the city centre. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of 616 km2 (238 sq mi) and has a total of 255,844 inhabitants as of 1 January 2008.

Along with a few other canal-based northern cities, such as Amsterdam, it is sometimes referred to as "The Venice of the North". Bruges has a significant economic importance thanks to its port. At one time, it was the "chief commercial city" of the world.

Sights

Bruges has most of its medieval architecture intact. The historic centre of Bruges has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

Many of its medieval buildings are notable, including the Church of Our Lady, whose brick spire reaches 122.3 m (401.25 ft), making it one of the world's highest brick towers/buildings. The sculpture Madonna and Child, which can be seen in the transept, is believed to be Michelangelo's only sculpture to have left Italy within his lifetime.

Bruges' most famous landmark is its 13th-century belfry, housing a municipal carillon comprising 48 bells. The city still employs a full-time carillonneur, who gives free concerts on a regular basis.

Other famous buildings in Bruges include:

The Beguinage

The Basilica of the Holy Blood (Dutch: Heilig-Bloedbasiliek). The relic of the Holy Blood, which was brought to the city after the Second Crusade by Thierry of Alsace, is paraded every year through the streets of the city. More than 1,600 inhabitants take part in this mile-long religious procession, many dressed as medieval knights or crusaders.

The modern Concertgebouw ("Concert Building")

The Old St-John's Hospital

The Saint Salvator's Cathedral

The Groeningemuseum

 The City Hall on the Burg square

The Provincial Court (Provinciaal Hof)

The preserved old city gateways: the Kruispoort, the Gentpoort, the Smedenpoort and the Ezelpoort.

The Dampoort, the Katelijnepoort and the Boeveriepoort are gone.

Bruges also has a very fine collection of medieval and early modern art, including the world-famous collection of Flemish Primitives. Various masters, such as Hans Memling and Jan van Eyck, lived and worked in Bruges.

Cathedral of Our Lady

February 8, 2016, 9:46 pm

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The Cathedral of Our Lady  is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Antwerp, Belgium. Today's see of the Diocese of Antwerp was started in 1352 and, although the first stage of construction was ended in 1521, has never been 'completed'. In Gothic style, its architects were Jan and Pieter Appelmans. It contains a number of significant works by the Baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens, as well as paintings by artists such as Otto van Veen, Jacob de Backer and Marten de Vos.

The cathedral is on the list of World Heritage Sites

Comme Chez Soi

February 9, 2016, 9:58 pm

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Comme Chez Soi is a restaurant in Brussels, Belgium. The chef is Lionel Rigolet, Gault Millau's Belgian Chef of the Year 2007.

For 27 years (as of 1979), it was rated with 3 stars by the Michelin Red Guide. In 2006 it was downgraded to two stars after chef and owner Pierre Wynants announced he would step down in favour of his son-in-law Rigolet.

The restaurant was founded in 1926 by Georges Cuvelier, originally a coal miner from the Belgian Borinage region. In the 1930s, it moved to its present location, an art nouveau house at Place Rouppe in Brussels, where it obtained its first Michelin star in 1953

Durnstein and the Melk Abbey

February 10, 2016, 10:11 pm

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Dürnstein is a small town on the Danube river in the Krems-Land district, in the Austrian state of Lower Austria. It is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the Wachau region and also a well-known wine growing area. The municipality consists of the Katastralgemeinden Dürnstein, Oberloiben and Unterloiben.

The town gained its name from the medieval castle, Burgruine Dürnstein, which overlooked it. The castle was called "Duerrstein" or "Dürrstein", from the German duerr/dürr meaning "dry" and Stein, "stone". The castle was dry because it was situated on a rocky hill, high above the damp conditions of the Danube at the base of the hill, and it was built of stone.

Dürnstein was first mentioned in 1192, when, in the castle above the town, King Richard I Lionheart of England was held captive by Duke Leopold V of Austria after their dispute during the Third Crusade. Richard had personally offended Leopold by casting down his standard from the walls at the Battle of Acre, and the duke suspected that King Richard ordered the murder of his cousin Conrad of Montferrat in Jerusalem. In consequence Pope Celestine III excommunicated Leopold for capturing a fellow crusader. The duke finally gave the custody of Richard to Emperor Henry VI, who imprisoned Richard at Trifels Castle. Dürnstein Castle was almost completely destroyed by the troops of the Swedish Empire under Field Marshal Lennart Torstenson in 1645.

Dürnstein Abbey (Stift Dürnstein) was established in 1410 by Canons Regular from Třeboň and from 1710 rebuilt in a Baroque style according to plans by Joseph Munggenast, Jakob Prandtauer and Matthias Steinl. The monastery was dissolved by order of Emperor Joseph II in 1788 and fell to the Herzogenburg Priory.

During the War of the Third Coalition the Battle of Dürenstein was fought nearby on November 11, 1805.

Melk Abbey (German: Stift Melk) is a Benedictine abbey in Austria, and among the world's most famous monastic sites. It is located above the town of Melk on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube river in Lower Austria, adjoining the Wachau valley. The abbey contains the tomb of Saint Coloman of Stockerau and the remains of several members of the House of Babenberg, Austria's first ruling dynasty.

The abbey was founded in 1089 when Leopold II, Margrave of Austria gave one of his castles to Benedictine monks from Lambach Abbey. A monastic school, the Stiftsgymnasium Melk, was founded in the 12th century, and the monastic library soon became renowned for its extensive manuscript collection. The monastery's scriptorium was also a major site for the production of manuscripts. In the 15th century the abbey became the centre of the Melk Reform movement which reinvigorated the monastic life of Austria and Southern Germany.

Today's impressive Baroque abbey was built between 1702 and 1736 to designs by Jakob Prandtauer. Particularly noteworthy is the abbey church with frescos by Johann Michael Rottmayr and the impressive library with countless medieval manuscripts, including a famed collection of musical manuscripts and frescos by Paul Troger.

Due to its fame and academic stature, Melk managed to escape dissolution under Emperor Joseph II when many other Austrian abbeys were seized and dissolved between 1780 and 1790. The abbey managed to survive other threats to its existence during the Napoleonic Wars, and also in the period following the Nazi Anschluss that took control of Austria in 1938, when the school and a large part of the abbey were confiscated by the state.

The school was returned to the abbey after the Second World War and now caters for nearly 900 pupils of both sexes.

Since 1625 the abbey has been a member of the Austrian Congregation, now within the Benedictine Confederation.

In his well-known novel The Name of the Rose, Umberto Eco named one of the protagonists "Adson von Melk" as a tribute to the abbey and its famous library.

Melk Abbey is also the metaphorical climax ("a peak in a mountain range of discovery") of Patrick Leigh Fermor's autobiographical account of his walking tour across pre-WW II Europe in "A Time of Gifts", which provides a lyrical, impressionistic description of the Abbey at that time.

Melk Abbey (German: Stift Melk) is a Benedictine abbey in Austria, and among the world's most famous monastic sites. It is located above the town of Melk on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Danube river in Lower Austria, adjoining the Wachau valley. The abbey contains the tomb of Saint Coloman of Stockerau and the remains of several members of the House of Babenberg, Austria's first ruling dynasty.

The abbey was founded in 1089 when Leopold II, Margrave of Austria gave one of his castles to Benedictine monks from Lambach Abbey. A monastic school, the Stiftsgymnasium Melk, was founded in the 12th century, and the monastic library soon became renowned for its extensive manuscript collection. The monastery's scriptorium was also a major site for the production of manuscripts. In the 15th century the abbey became the centre of the Melk Reform movement which reinvigorated the monastic life of Austria and Southern Germany.

Today's impressive Baroque abbey was built between 1702 and 1736 to designs by Jakob Prandtauer. Particularly noteworthy is the abbey church with frescos by Johann Michael Rottmayr and the impressive library with countless medieval manuscripts, including a famed collection of musical manuscripts and frescos by Paul Troger.

Due to its fame and academic stature, Melk managed to escape dissolution under Emperor Joseph II when many other Austrian abbeys were seized and dissolved between 1780 and 1790. The abbey managed to survive other threats to its existence during the Napoleonic Wars, and also in the period following the Nazi Anschluss that took control of Austria in 1938, when the school and a large part of the abbey were confiscated by the state.

The school was returned to the abbey after the Second World War and now caters for nearly 900 pupils of both sexes.

Since 1625 the abbey has been a member of the Austrian Congregation, now within the Benedictine Confederation.

In his well-known novel The Name of the Rose, Umberto Eco named one of the protagonists "Adson von Melk" as a tribute to the abbey and its famous library.

Melk Abbey is also the metaphorical climax ("a peak in a mountain range of discovery") of Patrick Leigh Fermor's autobiographical account of his walking tour across pre-WW II Europe in "A Time of Gifts", which provides a lyrical, impressionistic description of the Abbey at that time.

Melk Abbey was recently selected as the main motif of a very high value collectors' coin: the Austrian Melk Abbey commemorative coin, minted on April 18, 2007. The obverse shows a view up to the façade of the abbey church and its two side wings from a low level. The twin baroque towers and the great dome of the church behind them can be seen. In the lower right corner the coat-of-arms of the Abbey of Melk (the crossed keys of St. Peter) can be seen.

 

Giant’s Causeway

February 11, 2016, 10:31 pm

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The Giant's Causeway (known as Clochán an Aifir or Clochán na bhFomhórach in Irishand tha Giant's Causey in Ulster-Scots)is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption.

It is located in County Antrim on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles (4.8 km) northeast of the town of Bushmills. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986, and a National Nature Reserve in 1987 by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. In a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers, the Giant's Causeway was named as the fourth greatest natural wonder in the United Kingdom. The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Most of the columns are hexagonal, although there are also some with four, five, seven or eight sides. The tallest are about 12 metres (39 ft) high, and the solidified lava in the cliffs is 28 metres (92 ft) thick in places.

The Giant's Causeway is today owned and managed by the National Trust and it is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern Ireland.

The discovery of the Giant's Causeway was announced to the wider world in 1693 by the presentation of a paper to the Royal Society from Sir Richard Bulkeley, a fellow of Trinity College, Dublin, although the discoverer had, in fact, been the Bishop of Derry who had visited the site a year earlier. The site received international attention when Dublin artist Susanna Drury made watercolour paintings of it in 1739; they won Drury the first award presented by the Royal Dublin Society in 1740 and were engraved in 1743. In 1765 an entry on the Causeway appeared in volume 12 of the French Encyclopédie, which was informed by the engravings of Drury's work; the engraving of the "East Prospect" itself appeared in a 1768 volume of plates published for the Encyclopédie. In the caption to the plates French geologist Nicolas Desmarest suggested, for the first time in print, that such structures were volcanic in origin.

Red basaltic prisms

The site first became popular with tourists during the nineteenth century, particularly after the opening of the Giant's Causeway Tramway, and only after the National Trust took over its care in the 1960s were some of the vestiges of commercialism removed. Visitors can walk over the basalt columns which are at the edge of the sea, a half-mile walk from the entrance to the site.

Visitors' centre

Giant's Causeway at sunset

The Causeway was without a permanent visitors' centre between 2000 and 2012, as the previous building burned down in 2000. Public money was set aside to construct a new centre and, following an architectural competition, a proposal was accepted to build a new centre, designed by Dublin architectural practice Heneghan Peng, which was to be set into the ground to reduce impact to the landscape. A privately financed proposal was given preliminary approval in 2007 by the Environment Minister and DUP member Arlene Foster.[16] However, the public money that had been allocated was frozen as a disagreement developed about the relationship between the private developer Seymour Sweeney and the DUP. It was also debated whether a private interest should be permitted to benefit from the site – given its cultural and economic importance and as it is largely owned by the National Trust. Coleraine Borough Council voted against the private plans and in favour of a public development project, and Moyle District Council similarly signalled its displeasure and gave the land on which the previous visitors' centre stood to the National Trust. This gave the Trust control of both the Causeway and surrounding land. Ultimately Mr. Sweeney dropped a legal challenge to the publicly funded plan.

The new visitor centre was officially opened by First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness in July 2012, with funding having been raised from the National Trust, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, the Heritage Lottery Fund and public donations. Since opening, the new visitor centre has garnered very mixed reviews from those visiting the Causeway for its pricing, design, contents and placement across the causeway walk descent.

There was some controversy regarding the content of some exhibits in the visitor centre, which refer to the Young Earth Creationist view of the age of the Earth. While these inclusions were welcomed by the chairman of the Northern Irish evangelical group, the Caleb Foundation, the National Trust stated that the inclusions formed only a small part of the exhibition and that the Trust "fully supports the scientific explanation for the creation of the stones 60 million years ago." An online campaign to remove creationist material was launched in 2012, and following this, the Trust carried out a review and concluded that they should be amended to have the scientific explanation on the causeway's origin as their primary emphasis. Creationist explanations are still mentioned, but presented as a traditional belief of some religious communities rather than a competing explanation for the causeway's origins

Harbin, China

February 12, 2016, 10:45 pm

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Why Go Now?

It’s a winter wonderland in Harbin, the famed ‘Ice City’ of northwestern China. Lasting from 5 January till late February every year, the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is one of the most renowned ice and snow festivals in the world, with a smorgasbord of festivities, theatrical performances, massive sculptural exhibitions, and thrilling sports competitions including ice sailing, speed skating and mountain skiing.

While you’re in the area, head up north to Songbei Jie and get up close and personal with some feral felines at the Siberian Tiger Park. Revel in these magnificent big cats as they feed and frolic in the open native habitat of their 1.2 million square-metre compound.

How Do I Make It Happen?

Air China (airchina.sg) flies daily from Singapore to Harbin Taiping International Airport, while those departing from Kuala Lumpur can travel via China Eastern Airlines(flychinaeastern.com). indulge in the dramatic Songhua River within the sanctuary of your room at the Shangri-la Hotel Harbin, conveniently located within walking distance of Central Street and Zhaolin Park, the festival’s main stage for its ice sculpture and lantern shows (from US$260; Shangri-la.com/harbin).

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Grossglockner Road

February 13, 2016, 10:41 pm

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The Grossglockner High Alpine Road  is a panoramic road in Austria, in the state of Salzburg. It connects the state of Salzburg with the state of Carinthia. It is named after the Großglockner, Austria's highest mountain.

It leads with numbered hairpin curves to the Kaiser Franz Josefs Höhe Visitors' Centre, with a panoramic view of the Pasterze Glacier and the Grossglockner itself. The road is a toll road, with the northern toll booth at Ferleiten (near Fusch) and the southern near Heiligenblut.

When, in 1924, a group of Austrian experts presented a plan for a road over the Hochtor (the high pass), they were ridiculed in a time when in Austria, Germany, and Italy there were only 154,000 private automobiles, 92,000 motorcycles, and 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) of long-distance asphalt roads. Austria had suffered from the catastrophic economic results of losing the First World War, had shrunk to a seventh of its imperial size, lost its international markets and suffered devastating inflation.

Even the modest design of a 3-metre (9.8 ft) gravel road, with overtaking points, appeared too expensive. The impulse for building a road, which was meant to open up the barren alpine valleys to motorized tourism, was given by the New York stock market slump in 1929. This catastrophe shook an impoverished Austria with terrible force.

Within three years, the economic output dropped by a quarter, and unemployment rate reached 26%. The government then revived the Grossglockner project to give work to 3,200 (from an average of 520,000 jobless). The project was extended to a width of 6 metres (20 ft) to serve the needs of the "excessive international traffic" - which was roundly mocked - in the belief that an annual 120,000 visitors would come. The State advanced the building costs, and the users were to pay off this sum with a toll fee for usage.

On 30 August 1930 at 9:30am, the first explosives roared in Ferleiten. Four years later, the moving force of the road building, the Salzburg provincial head of government Franz Rehrl, and the technician Franz Wallack climbed into their Steyr 100 car, and achieved the first alpine crossing in an automobile on a graded road.

A year later, on 3 August 1935, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road was opened and put into full service a day later with an international automobile and motorcycle race.

Including the building of the access roads, the Glockner Road cost Austrian Schilling 910 million (at 1990 rates), around seven million less than estimated.

Planners had reckoned with 120,000 visitors in 1930, but the road's attraction for tourists in 1938 brought 375,000 visitors in 98,000 vehicles. After the Second World War it took until 1952 before the pre-war record was surpassed with 412,000 visitors and 91,000 vehicles. In 1962, 360,000 vehicles and 1.3 million visitors crossed the pass.

Serpentine curves (Wilfried-Haslauer-Haus)

The opening of the Felbertauern Road (1967) and the Tauern Motorway (1975) throttled traffic by nearly 15 per cent, but it also permanently changed the character of the Großglockner High Alpine Road: from the only transalpine road over the 158-kilometre (98 mi) main alpine crest between the Brenner Pass and the Katschberg Pass, to an excursion road from a catchment area with a radius of around 130 kilometres (81 mi).

The Glockner Road also reflects the material advance of the people: in the early years, the motorcycle - as the poor man's car - accounted for up to a quarter of the traffic; 1955 was the highpoint with 47,500 motorcycles (26% of the traffic); in 1968, only 2,071 motorcycles were to be counted. The number of motorcycles on the Grossglockner High Alpine Road then rose by 2003 to over 76,000.

Increasing numbers of visitors made the stage-by-stage modernization of the road necessary after 1953 to a width of 7.5 metres (25 ft), to 15 metres (49 ft) in place of 10-metre (33 ft) bend radius, and 4,000 parking places instead of 800 and an annual capacity of up to 350,000 vehicles.

In the years 1936 and 1937, 350 men shovelled 250,000 cubic metres (8,800,000 cu ft) of snow in an average of seventy days to keep at least one lane on the road free. Since 1953, the five Wallack rotary plows, and twelve GROHAG workers, have been clearing 600,000 to 800,000 cubic metres (21,000,000 to 28,000,000 cu ft) of snow from the road and parking areas in around fourteen days every year in April.

In 1937, the road could only be traversed for 132 days, but in 1963 the road could be traversed for 276 days. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is normally open from the beginning of May to the end of October.

Grossglockner has been featured in the men's Giro d'Italia two times so far. The first time was in the 17th stage of the 1971 Giro d'Italia, won by Pierfranco Vianelli. Grossglockner was featured for a second time in 13th stage of the 2011 Giro d'Italia. It was José Rujano who arrived first, after an escape with Alberto Contador.

La Grand Place

February 14, 2016, 10:55 pm

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Executive summary by Darmansjah

The Grand Place or Grote Markt    is the central square of Brussels. It is surrounded by guildhalls, the city's Town Hall, and the Breadhouse (French: Maison du Roi, Dutch: Broodhuis). The square is the most important tourist destination and most memorable landmark in Brussels. It measures 68 by 110 metres (223 by 360 ft), and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lech and Kitzbuhel

February 15, 2016, 11:04 pm

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Lech and Kitzbuhel

Executive summary by Darmansjah

Lech am Arlberg (1,444m) is a mountain village (population: 1635, 30 June 2010) and an exclusive ski resort in the Bludenz district of Vorarlberg, in western Austria, on the banks of the river Lech. In terms of both geography and history, Lech belongs to the Tannberg district. In tourist terms, however, it is part of the Arlberg region. Lech is administered together with the neighbouring villages of Zürs, Zug, Oberlech and Stubenbach.

Lech was founded in the fourteenth century by Walser migrants from the canton of Wallis in Switzerland.

Until the nineteenth century it was known as Tannberg, but subsequently the full name "Tannberg am Lech" gave rise to the present name Lech.

The church of St Nicholas in Lech, which is thought to have been built in approximately 1390, was the parish church of the Tannberg administrative district, and there was also a Tannberg district court in Lech until the dissolution of the Tannberg district in 1806.

Ski centre

In recent years Lech has grown to become one of the world's premier ski destinations and the home of a number of world and Olympic ski champions.

Lech is best known for its skiing (both on-piste and off-piste). It is well connected via mechanical lifts and groomed pistes with the neighbouring villages of Zürs, St Christof, St. Anton, Stuben and, with effect from the 2013/2014 winter, Warth and Schröcken - together they form the Arlberg region, the birth place of the modern Alpine skiing technique and the seat of the Ski Club Arlberg. Lech is also the starting and finishing point for "Der Weisse Ring" ("The White Ring"), a circle of runs and lifts that is a popular tour and the scene of an annual race involving both experts and others.

Lech is a popular holiday destination for Royal families and celebrities, for example Tom Cruise, Diana, Princess of Wales, and the former Queen Beatrix and the Dutch Royal family. In February 2012, Beatrix's son Prince Johan Friso was seriously injured in an avalanche while skiing in Lech.

The mountain holiday in the movie Bridget Jones' Diary 2 was shot in Lech.

Other attractions

Although not as well frequented in the summer as it is in the winter, Lech nevertheless has much to offer the summer visitor, in terms of sporting, cultural, culinary and other activities. There are many premier hotels in Lech, as well as numerous top class restaurants.

One former well-known visitor was the writer Ludwig Bemelmans (author of the Madeline books), whose 1949 novel "The Eye of God" was set in a fictionalised Lech.

Lech has a number of points of cultural interest, including:

the church of St Nicholas, which was built in the gothic style in approximately 1390 and was extensively renovated in 1987. Particular features are the rococo interior dating from 1791 (although some earlier romanesque frescoes can also be seen); the 33 metre high tower with its distinctive onion-shaped dome; and bronze bells of which the oldest dates from the beginning of the sixteenth century.

the historic Huber House, now a museum, which was built in 1590 and shows examples of the earlier way of life and work, including the original kitchen and workshop.

one hundred life sized human sculptures by the sculptor Antony Gormley, which have recently been placed in the mountains surrounding Lech, at an altitude of 2039 metres. They will be displayed on the mountain until April 2012.

Kitzbühel  is a small medieval town in Tyrol, Austria and the administrative centre of the Kitzbühel district (Bezirk). It has a population of 8,204 (as of 1 January 2010).

The town is situated in the Kitzbühel Alps about 100 kilometres (62 mi) east of the state capital of Innsbruck. It is a ski resort of international renown.

Sport

Kitzbühel is one of Austria's best-known and fanciest winter sports resorts, situated between the mountains Hahnenkamm (5616 ft, 1712 m) and Kitzbühler Horn (6548 ft, 1996 m). The Hahnenkamm is home of the annual World Cup ski races, including the circuit's most important event, the downhill race on the famous Streif slope. This downhill is counted as one of the toughest downhill competitions in the World Cup.

Each summer Kitzbühel also hosts an ATP tennis tournament on clay, the Austrian Open.

From 2007 to 2011, ITU Triathlon World Cup races took place at the local Schwarzsee lake.

The Kitzbüheler Alpenrallye is an annual festival of historic automobiles. It was first held in 1988. The first trip of the United Buddy Bears was 2004 to Kitzbühel, following by the first trip into the "big wide world"– when they went to Hong Kong and many other metropolises on all five continents.

Tourism

Together with the pistes and ski lifts in neighbouring Kirchberg in Tirol, Jochberg and by the Thurn Pass Kitzbühel is one of the largest ski regions in Austria. With around 10,000 hotel and guest house beds, Kitzbühel and its neighbours have an unusually high density of guest accommodation.

Holidaymakers in Kitzbühel have 56 cableway and lift facilities and 168 kilometres of slopes available to them, as well as 40 kilometres of groomed cross-country skiing tracks. Of note is the relatively new 3S Cable Car, the cable car with the highest above-ground span in the world.

In summer there are 120 km (75 mi) of mountain bike paths and 500 km (311 mi) of hiking trails.

Other attractions include six tennis courts and four golf courses, the Kitzbühel swimming pool, Austria's only curling hall and the bathing lake of Schwarzsee.

Kitzbühel also caters for the high end of the tourist market, as many celebrities and the jet set come here for the international races on the Hahnenkamm.

Transport

Road:

The Brixental Road, the B170, from Wörgl intersects in Kitzbühel with the Thurn Pass Road, the B161, from Mittersill to St. Johann in Tirol. Kitzbühel station is a major bus stop for buses to Lienz and Worgl.

Rail:

Kitzbühel Hauptbahnhof, Kitzbühel Hahnenkamm and Kitzbühel Schwarzsee are stops on the Salzburg-Tyrol Railway. Whilst Hahnenkamm and Schwarzsee stations are served by local trains only, long-distance services from Innsbruck and Graz stop at Kitzbühel station. Kitzbühel station has just been rebuilt (2010) and been equipped with new barrier-less platforms with underpasses and a lift. From 2011 there will be no stationmaster at Kitzbühel and it will no longer be possible to buy tickets at the counter.

Leon de Bruxelles

February 16, 2016, 11:13 pm

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Léon de Bruxelles, founded in 1989, is a popular chain of restaurants in France that primarily serves moules-frites. The company is listed on the Euronext Paris stock exchange.

Léon de Bruxelles is to open its first restaurant in the UK in January 2012. Located at 24 Cambridge Circus in Covent Garden, London, Léon de Bruxelles will serve "a Belgian inspired menu centred around moules-frites".

History

In 1867, Léon Vanlancker set up business within a stone's throw of the Grand Place to run a five-table restaurant called A la Ville d'Anvers. In 1893, he moved a few meters from there to 18 rue des Bouchers and opened fr:Chez Léon.

Real growth started from 1958 when Brussels became known as the capital of mussels and French fries. Since then, the Vanlancker business has continued to expand. Today, it extends to nine buildings and more than one thousand meals are served every day.

In 1989, Rudy Vanlancker opens the first Léon restaurant at Place de la République in Paris. Other Léon de Bruxelles restaurants open in other districts of the city, including the flagship restaurant on the Champs-Elysees in 1991.[4] By 1995, Léon de Bruxelles opened its first restaurant outside Paris, with the restaurant of Montlhéry in North France. More openings followed and today there are 67 Léon de Bruxelles restaurants across France

Mary Chocolatier

February 17, 2016, 11:20 pm

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Founded in 1919, Mary is the grande dame of Belgian chocolate. For 90 years it has been on the rue Royale, the smartest street in Brussels, a short walk from the palace of the Belgian royal family, and it has been the holder of a Royal Warrant since 1942. George W Bush bought some chocolates here, but don't let that put you off. A trip to this famous shop is a pleasure in itself. Decorated in flamboyant rococo style, with Louis XV furniture, the interior is a bit like the inside of a huge Fabergé egg.

Mary's chocolates are still made to their original recipes, with no artificial colours or preservations. The beans come from as far afield as Papua New Guinea and Peru and, unlike the cheaper brands, it uses only cocoa butter rather than cocoa powder. Specialities include white-chocolate mousse with cinnamon, and dark-chocolate mousse with Earl Grey tea. If you just want a sample, you can buy a couple of pralines to take away, in a pretty little cardboard box, for €2.40.

Mary's chocolates are no longer made on site, but you're welcome to visit their smart new workshop in the suburbs. If you're feeling fit, it's about an hour to walk along the Chaussée de Wavre, a long, winding street that runs from the city centre to the outskirts through several colourful neighbourhoods (if you can't spare the time or the shoe leather, it's easy to reach by bus or Metro). Here you can take a 45-minute tour (€12), or a two-hour chocolate-making course (€40)

Mary: 73 rue Royale, Brussels (00 32 2375 5848; www.mary.be)