The true magic you’ll find when you travel to Thailand is its alluring authenticity. Thailand is the only Southeast Asian nation never to have been colonized by European powers; consequently, the still-standing and functioning monuments of the past a

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What’s In a Name? The Kingdom of Thailand was known as Siam until 1939, when a bloodless revolution instated a constitutional monarchy and the name was changed to literally mean “free” land. The original kingdom was founded in 1238, but largely influenced throughout history by China and India. Geographically, Thailand is surrounded by countries whose turbulent 20th century histories have defaulted tourism into its exotic but more accessible borders. For this reason, Thailand is also a wonderful home base from which to explore Cambodia and Laos to the east, Myanmar (Burma) to the west, and Malaysia to the south. Wat You Waiting For?

Thailand is littered with just as many exciting cities as beautiful beaches. Where you might notice the imbalance is in the inconceivable number of temples, or wat. As the main center of the very north, Chiang Mai is a large, beautiful and historic city. A visit to the famous Night Bazaar or the nearby Wiang Kum Kam archeological ruins is certainly not enough to distract even the most oblivious from the more than 300 Buddhist temples that sprinkle the skyline with shiny gold, red and green hues. Make sure to visit Wat Chiang Mun, the city’s (and possibly Thailand’s) oldest temple, located within the old city walls and dating back to 1296. Heading south, do not miss Ayutthaya and Sukhothai, Thailand’s two former capitals (the latter being the founding city) classified as World Heritage Sites filled with hundreds of beautifully maintained temples, statues and bustling human activity, all embedded within the lush green environs.

Bangkok is perched on the Gulf of Thailand, but this humming, vibrant and congested 24-hour capital city is a far cry from the resort cities and towns found east and south along Thailand’s sub-tropical coastline. Thailand extends south into the Kra Isthmus, providing for extensive coastline and some of the most filmed beaches in the world. Phuket is the most famous resort island, but more rewarding is a trip to one of the smaller and less commercialized areas. Ko Tao is of particular interest for scuba divers, while Ko Pha Ngan has become famous among younger travelers for its regular full moon festivals held all night on the sparkling shores. Ko Phi Phi is far more breathtaking in person than even the camera angles of the film “The Beach” could do it justice.

Some rudimentary social customs aside, Thailand is an extremely easy going and welcoming travel experience. Everything from simple to luxurious is at your disposal, and all with a very fair price tag, not to mention an unbeatable combination of picturesque beaches, rainforested mountains, and an intense metropolitan culture. So really, what are you waiting for? Start planning to travel to Thailand today.

Hong Kong is home to over 7 million people. It is a major trading and banking center and has the most liberal economy on the planet. Hong Kong is also a great tourist destination for there are many things to do and see.

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If you need a workout, consider climbing the 431 steps of the Temple of 10,000 Buddhas which houses 12,800 statues of the Buddha and a mummy of a holy man covered in gold leaf.

Or you could try 268 steps to Big Buddha on Lantau Island which is home to the world’s largest seated Buddha. Experience a nice lunch at the Polin Monastery before making your way back down the 110 foot height.

Many spectacular museums are located on Kowloon Peninsula which is just across from Hong Kong Island. You can simply stroll along the neighborhood and soak up the old world ambiance of Hong Kong which is pretty much the same it has been for 200 years. The Hong Kong Heritage Museum is a grand art museum which houses Chinese art in its various forms from comics to opera, paintings, and sculpture. The Lei Cheng UK Branch Museum has a Han Dynasty tomb which is 2000 years old, but still young compared to some of the 4000 year old history elsewhere in China. You will also find the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Space Museum and planetarium.

Next you can take the famous Star Ferry boat ride over to Hong Kong Island and see the ancient Chinese art at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. It holds over 2000 antique pieces.

When you are ready to relax, head to Hong Kong Park in the Central district where you can stroll through the aviary or sit by the pond and enjoy a meal from an open air restaurant. Enjoy a leisurely walk to the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens then take a taxi to the tram which goes up to Victoria Peak. This tram will take you by the homes of the elite in Hong Kong which are nestled into the steep mountain. You can enjoy the view they see from the balcony of their $10 million homes which encompasses Hong Kong and the harbor below.

If seen by day or night, the panoramic view of ancient hills, reflective harbor, and city skyscrapers is not duplicated anywhere else on earth, and is surely a sight to remember of one of the world’s greatest cities.

Damn, Beijing is a big place. Its not just that the city is big – bursting with people in every corner. Everything that they build here is.. BIG! No kidding. We list here..

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The Top 3 BIGGEST Beijing Attractions:

1. The Great Wall: Mongolians stay out! Like all the other attractions featured in today’s article, this was built ever so long ago as a defence against the country’s northern invaders. You can see this wall from up in space, they say, and really, this place needs no introduction. The walls wind all the way as far as the eye can see. Badaling is the portion of the wall most people may tell you to go because it has been rebuilt and you will get all the towers and rebuilt walls for your camera. However, JinShanLing and SiMaTai attract good reviews from the more adventurous tourists because there will be less people there and the scenery more picturesque.

2. Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City: Wow, if you think you have seen enough palaces and castles from travelling around the world, you ain’t seen nothing yet. The Forbidden City is fronted by the Tiananmen Square, the worlds largest public square (if there is anywhere close to this, it would be absolutely amazing) and scene of the Tiananmen Massacre. The sight of green-uniformed, red badged guards stationed around the square gives a real feel of the old communist state ruled with an firm fist. Common folk were once forbidden from entering the great palace that you see beyond the square, and when you enter the most enormous courtyard you have every seen, and thus the beginning of a place that feels like a whole different world by itself. Architecture here is also quientessentially Chinese, and perhaps the best bird’s eye view of it all can be seen at Mao’s Masoleum (located outside, next to the Tiananmen Square)the resting place of the father of communism in China.

3. Summer Palace: Beijing gets pretty hot in the summer, and once you’ve been to the Forbidden City, you will imagine its a real oven there especially! So the royalty moves to the Summer Palace then, where the collection of palace temples, gardens, pavilions, and lakes served as a cooler retreat for the imperial court. Whilst a major part of the place is taken up by Kunming Lake, its boats and lakeside resting places, along with the main tower/hall, a personal highlight is also the a long corridor along one side of the lake, filled with mythical paintings and scenes.

Top Notes of Caution:

1. People: There are just so many of them! That alone is alright, but many smart local Chinese folks start having the dollar sign in their eyes when they spot the foreigner walking by. Taxi? Souveneir? Take photo with mascot dressed up as Chinese Emperor? You want woman?! They will sell you anything, and be aware that a big number of unlicensed/selling low quality products/pricing goods depending on how rich you look. No kidding. Best advice may be a) don’t start, because they will NOT let you off that easily thereafter; and b) inspect goods’ quality and know your prices before you start – what is cheap to you may be a killing to them, especially if they are selling you non-authentic souveneirs.

2. Extreme Weathers: Beijing is located quite far from the coastline, is packed with people and mega-structures, and is in fact next to the desert. Winters (subzero temperatures) and summers (above 40 degrees Celcius) are extreme so autumns may be a good time (with less tourists as well).

New York, New York – so good they named it twice – is one of the most fascinating, exciting and cultural cities in the world. Within the 20 square miles that comprise Manhattan can be found some of the world’s greatest museums, shops and restaurants,

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You could spend a lifetime in New York without experiencing everything fully. Some of the sights that any first time visitor to New York must see include the Empire State Building – for many years the world’s tallest building – the immigration museum at Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square and the United Nations Building.

One of the joys of visiting the city is simply to wander through the different and varied neighborhoods – Greenwich Village, Chinatown, the Theater District, Harlem and Little Italy. The outlying borough of Brooklyn has several attractions including the botanical gardens and the famous amusement park at Coney Island.

One of the biggest attractions is the city’s diversity – in New York you can hear virtually any language spoken and dine in a different ethnic restaurant every night for a month. Apart from Manhattan, the borough of Queens is also well known for its wide selection of foreign restaurants.

Shopping in New York is equally satisfying, offering world class department stores with such famous names as Bergdorf Goodman and Bloomingdales. At the other end of the shopping spectrum are street markets, designer boutiques and specialty stores.

New York has some of the greatest museums in the world – several conveniently located together at the edge of Central Park. The Metropolitan Museum of Art attracts more visitors than any other place in the city and offers everything from Egyptian mummies to 20th century masterpieces.

On the other hand the city has over 50 smaller but fascinating museums dedicated to such diverse subjects as firefighting, tenement living and the history of finance. Children are not forgotten – there are several museums aimed at children as well as the ever popular Bronx Zoo with its more than 4,000 animals.

Since the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001, one of New York’s biggest attractions has been the remains of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan. More than a tourist attraction, to many it’s a site of pilgrimage and a poignant reminder of the events of that day.

A cruise to Asia may just be the thing for you if you wish to explore exotic lands. There are many different cruise lines that offer trips to Asia, and all of them feature various itineraries to choose from.

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A cruise to Asia may just be the thing for you if you wish to explore exotic lands. There are many different cruise lines that offer trips to Asia, and all of them feature various itineraries to choose from.

One of the specific cruise lines that offer cruise travel to Asia is Crystal Cruises. They feature cruises that last anywhere from 11 to 16 days, and include many exciting adventures in Asia. They have four different excursion packages to choose from that include the Ancient Dynasties, Mysteries of Asia, Kingdoms of Jade & Gold, and the Exotic Asian Odyssey.

The Ancient Dynasties cruise lasts for two full weeks and includes trips to Honk Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai, China, Taipei, Taiwan, Kagoshima, Japan, as well as offering an “Adventures In Beijing” land tour once the cruise has completed.

The Mysteries of Asia excursion includes overnight stays in many cities including Nagasaki, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Osaka. Optional land tours are also available with this particular cruise package.

The Kingdoms of Jade & Gold will take the traveler from Hong Kong to Singapore with several stops included, and this adventure lasts for a total of eleven days.

The Exotic Asian Odyssey goes to Thailand, Myanmar and India. It lasts for an extensive sixteen days and many land excursions are also available.

While cruising through the open sea you can enjoy the many amenities offered aboard the cruise ship. The ship can accommodate 940 guests, and features a full service fitness facility, a Jacuzzi and two swimming pools, a Caesar’s Palace casino, a teak Promenade Deck, and a wide variety of live entertainment and exquisite cuisine.

On any given night, or during the day for that matter, the entertainment choices seem virtually endless. On board entertainment choices include Broadway style shows, classical musicians, jugglers, ventriloquists, comedians, live jazz in the piano bar, dancing in a choice of lounges, a movie theater which features new and recently released motion pictures, as well as offering lectures on such topics as golf, gambling, health & fitness and so much more.

Some cruises that travel to Asia also have stops in Hawaii, and these will allow you to enjoy island life for a day before setting off on the Pacific Ocean as you head towards Hong Kong. While many cruises that offer a stop over in Hong Kong have predetermined land excursions that all passengers must participate in, other cruises allow passengers to plan their own day trips while in Hong Kong. If your cruise affords you this worthwhile opportunity, one of the things that you must see is Victoria Peak. Victoria Peak is in essence a mountain that features magnificent restaurants, wonderful shopping, and the most gorgeous views in all of Hong Kong. The top of Victoria Peak can be reached by taking the Peak Tram, which will afford you the opportunity to see all that the Peak has to offer as you make your way to the top.

A cruise to Asia is in no doubt something that you will never forget, no matter what your destination will be.

Covered Bridges first appeared in the U.S. around 1805, but the history of these monuments to another age date back thousands of years to China. Covered bridges had also existed in Europe since medieval times and there were once hundreds of them in S

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But it’s here in the Northeastern U.S., where wooden covered bridge design and construction reached its pinnacle in the nineteenth century. A combination of pressing need, plentiful old growth northern forests, and sheer Yankee ingenuity, advanced the development of wooden covered bridges to a rare combination of marvelous engineering feats that were also pleasing to the eye.

WHY SO MANY COVERED BRIDGES IN THE NORTHEAST?

The northeast is a region of rivers, streams and creeks. As the population surged out away from coastal areas into the forested interior, villages sprung up near water sources. The water source was used to power mills in these towns, and villages often developed on both banks of a stream or river. Bridges were the obvious answer to connect these divided communities, and provide access for townsfolk to things like school, worship, and supplies.

But why cover them?

While much speculation has been put forth on this topic; the simple answer is protection against the weather for the bridge. Here in New England, where I live, covered wooden bridges last about three times as long as those exposed to the elements, and reduce bridge maintenance as well. During the 19th and early 20th century very few bridges built were not covered.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT COVERED BRIDGES…

Most historians agree the first covered bridge in America was The Permanent Bridge completed in 1805 in Pennsylvania, originally designed by Timothy Palmer from New England. The longest known covered bridge is The Hartland in New Brunswick, Canada, which at 1,282 feet spans the Saint John River.

But perhaps the most famous covered bridges are in Madison County, Iowa. The Bridges of Madison County used to number 19, but today only six survive. Robert James Waller’s novel, and the movie of the same name, popularized these bridges to millions worldwide, and also provided evidence that covered bridges in North America are by no means limited to the Northeast region.

A question often asked is why so many of the bridges are painted red on the outside?

Historians believe the red coating makes the bridge seem more like a barn to a horse, and as horses tended to be skittish about crossing above flowing water, the illusion helped farmers and travelers navigate the obstacle with little incident from their four-legged friends.

THE CHANGING FACE OF THE COVERED BRIDGE IN NORTH AMERICA

As the twentieth century progressed bridge construction changed and metal manufactured truss bridges became first choice over wood. The ease of construction, increased strength, and low cost of these metal bridges became too overwhelming to ignore for budget conscious communities in the U.S.

The “work horse” bridges of the 19th century gave way to economics, and most wooden covered bridges in the U.S. quickly disappeared, except for the 800 left for admirers to view today. Though many of the remaining covered bridges still carry traffic – even cars – most are kept and maintained for tourism, and as a reminder of our heritage.

VIEWING OF COVERED BRIDGES…

For sheer volume Pennsylvania and Vermont take honors, accounting for well over a third of the remaining bridges.

Self-guided tours are also popular in New England for covered bridge vacations, particularly in Vermont and New Hampshire where many of the bridges are close to other destination and attraction spots.

As a covered bridge enthusiast I can tell you half the fun is finding the bridges. The major highways bypassed the roads where most bridges are located many years ago, making the remoteness of a covered bridge sometimes an adventure in locating. While covered bridges make ideal photo opportunities there’s much more to view than just a pretty picture.

Experts suggest appreciating the bridge by first taking in the design and massive timbers used in the framework. For authentic bridges these timbers came from virgin forests where 100 feet high trees were common.

As you view an authentic covered bridge remember it was built for a simple functional purpose – getting from one bank to other. But it was constructed with the skill and care of craftsmen, who’ve unwittingly left a rich heritage for future generations to enjoy. Treasure these woodworking masterpieces as you travel rural North America, and rediscover a symbol of the pioneering spirit that embraced both U.S. and Canada during the nineteenth century.

Just think of the greatest adventurers who ever lived and the greatest journeys ever undertaken: the Jews, Marco Polo, Christopher Columbus and Charles Darwin come to mind. All of them had compelling reasons for setting off on dangerous journeys into

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Travel writing ever since has echoed the odysseys of these great people. Writers still feel it incumbent on them to have some higher purpose to their journeys beyond mere self-indulgence or curiosity. On the rare occasions when travel writers break this rule they tend to fall ill or become irredeemably cranky when they sit down to put their experiences on paper.

The range of reasons travel writers dream up to focus their journeys range from the absurd to the sublime. Take that outstanding wordsmith Bill Bryson. This man literally thought up journeys he could take, to create fodder for his witty irony and superb humorous descriptions. A walk along the Appalachian Trail with an old school friend (do you remember Katz?) became much more than ‘A Walk in the Woods’ as it was entitled. It was a humorous ramble through the American nature tourist culture and a lambasting of the authorities responsible for the national parks of the United States. It did not matter that Bryson completed only a tiny part of the trail. This incredibly long hike (Bryson spends a few pages embarrassing all the authorities who cannot agree on its exact length) served one purpose and one purpose only; it gave Bryson something to write about.

Similarly Bryson’s book about rural America entitled ‘The Lost Continent’ has a very thin basis to it: Bryson vaguely travels the roads his parents followed, when they took their children on madcap long haul treks across the United States to see the sights (and sites of famous battles and historical occurrences) and generally scrounged their way along on a shoestring budget, to the mystification of the Bryson children. Again Bryson gets his teeth into a subject without much justification. Not that he needs it, you understand.

Bryson made a career of taking whole continents and wrapping them around his tongue, as in ‘Down Under’, his dry yet informative take on Australia. He went there because he had always wanted to see it and, as the subtext suggests, he was looking for an alternative place to live. He and his family had already done England and New England. As it happened, the Bryson family returned from New Hampshire to Britain, giving down under the thumbs down. Just too many snakes per square kilometer I suppose.

Now we come to the sublime reasons for travel. There are tales of pilgrimage, such as Shirley MacLaine’s account of her walk the length of the Santiago de Compostela Camino in northern Spain, the ancient 500 mile pilgrimage route initiated by St James de Compostela ending at Santiago. ‘Camino: a journey of the spirit’ never reaches any conclusions and elicits no discernible greatness of spirit in the writer, but it surely gave Ms MacLaine fodder for a bestselling book in the bland genre of Californian spiritualism.

Ineffably more substantial is the marvelous book by William Dalrymple ‘From the Holy Mountain’ in which this handsome young Scot journeys to the places visited by John Moschos some 1500 hundred years before. His beautiful journey through the dying remnants of Byzantium in our own age (he traveled in 1997) is an unforgettable book by a marvelously intelligent Catholic probing the embers of Eastern Orthodox religion.

Between the absurd and the sublime reasons for travel lie many others. In ‘African Rainbow’ Lorenzo and Mirella Ricciardi traveled along the waterways in Africa, evidently searching for the ultimate noble savage in the European mold. They never found him or her but their book was published. It ends up being an uneasy journey of a couple to a continent they didn’t understand.

In ‘The Great Railway Bazaar’ Paul Theroux travels on the Orient Express, the Khyber Pass Local, the Golden Arrow, the Mandalay Express, an odyssey on great trains from London through Europe and Asia, across Siberia. And his eye misses nothing as he describes this travel mode of a bygone age and these out-of-the-way places, but I always feel that Theroux travels and writes under duress rather than from compulsion, rather like Shiva Naipaul in ‘North of South’.

Naipaul visited the insalubrious African countries: Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya, where Asians have been personae non grata in the past, and in some places still are, to find out what makes Africa tick. Of course no one does know what makes Africa tick, not even Naipaul.

Never mind that these men seem to have been uncomfortable about their journeys. Both are renowned travel writers, not least due to their dogged purposefulness. The point, it seems, is to have some intention when moving across the landscape. A traveler without intention is merely a wanderer.

Many tourists from all over the world visit Thailand, especially Khao Sarn Road in Bangkok during April to take part in the water festival (Songkran) festivities. To those tourists who have been in action during the friendly yearly water fights, I am

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In Thailand’s version of the Songkran water festival, people loaded up tanks of ice cold water in pick up trucks going around splashing and drenching everyone who is within range all in good fun. Some like the picture above load water guns and ice cold squirt at you you are expected to retaliate with… what else, cold water of course.

Now this festival although coming from the same custom is celebrated differently in Myanmar. It is much more wild and spirited. The Myanmese authorities will build stages after stages called “pandles” on sides of main roads. Some of these stages will have live music bands, dances, gay models and bodybuilders on parade amplified by music blaring loudly from the speakers and PA system, others will be packed chocked full of people armed with wildly colorful hoses splashing tons of water on whoever wants the showers of blessings on them.

The Yangon ( former capital city of Myanmar) hotel I stayed in organized a tour of the city on the back of…..yup, you said it……pick up trucks with refreshment, water guns and large drums of ice cold water ammunition. This is certainly much more fun than the Thai version, especially if you bring your whisky along. The roads were flooded and water was flowing like small rivers.

So if you ever visit Thailand for its Songkran festival, then hop over to Myanmar to open a second water war front. A word of warning though, better book your hotel room or accommodation and air travel tickets early. The hotel rooms are always booked months in advance by fun loving tourists both in Thailand and Myanmar.

The festivities will usually last a few days every April. After hard day at play, do remember that Thailand is famous for its ancient Thai massage. Do get a skillful massuer to soothe those aching muscles after a few days of fun. You can even order a massage service from the hotels.

Over 150 years ago, Hong Kong was described as a “barren rock.” Today, it’s a dynamic, 21st century city that has gone from British Colony to one of the world’s must-visit tourist destinations. Its colonial charm is still to be found in the historic

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After the handover from Great Britain in June 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China. While some things have changed, you’ll marvel at this melting pot of east meets west.

Where else can you gaze in awe at a Manhattan-style skyline filled with iconic modern architecture by IM Pei and Norman Foster, and just a few streets away, bargain your heart out for silk and jade at a local laneway market. That’s Hong Kong for you. It’s fast, efficient, entrepreneurial, yet truly Chinese at heart.

Location is everything.

Situated at the south-eastern tip of China on The South China Sea, Hong Kong is actually just one island out of a group of 263. Most visitors spend their time on Hong Kong itself, the popular Kowloon Peninsula and the more rural New Territories. Take a ferry trip to one of the outlying islands such as Lamma, Lantau or Cheung Chau and see how lush and green the scenery is. Hong Kong offers the nature lover wonderful treks across mountains tops and amazing scenery, so when you’ve had enough retail therapy, head for the hills.

When it comes to serious shopping, Hong Kong has it all.

What hasn’t been said about shopping in Hong Kong! Right across the Island, you’ll discover that retail must have been invented here. In Central, slick designer shopping malls such as Landmark and Prince’s Building, cater to expensive tastes. A who’s who of labels, brands and temptations that will entice your credit card time and time again. In contrast, there are street markets like Li Yuen East and Li Yuen West, not forgetting factory outlets where you can go bargain spotting at great prices.

Wan Chai: Wan Chai’s streets are steeped in history and you can happily spend an afternoon exploring the shops and the “wet” market. (It sells food, fruit, flowers, fish, meat – quite different from a US supermarket experience.) Spring Garden Lane between Queen’s Road East and Johnston Road, is a good place to pick up clothes at very competitive prices. The market stalls sell products originally meant for export, meaning quality and price are very competitive.

Causeway Bay: This has become known locally as “Little Japan” because of the major Japanese department stores in the area. It is hip and young, with stores specializing in shoes, electrical appliances and fashion. Don’t miss the small street market called Jardine’s Bazaar, filled with low-cost fashion and accessories.

Stanley Market: Jump on a bus or take a taxi to Stanley, famous for its warren of stalls, shops and restaurants. (The ride along Repulse Bay Road is spectacular with superb views across the sea to outlying islands.) Here you’ll find paintings, curios, cashmere, silks and ceramics, along with cut-price fashion. Open from around 10:00am to 6:00pm daily.

Hungry for more. A world of exquisite, mouth-watering dining options.

As you would expect, good Chinese restaurants are found everywhere in Hong Kong. Some of the best can be found in major hotels and shopping complexes. Most specialize in one or more of the following: Cantonese, Chiu Chow, Hunan, Szechuan, Peking, Shanghainese or Chinese Vegetarian. If you’re hungry for a taste of home, you can find just about everything – from American-style burgers to homemade Italian pasta. Day and night, Hong Kong’s gourmet delights are plentiful – whether you want to pick up a snack or get dressed up and hit the clubs of Lan Kwai Fong, it’s all waiting for you.

What’s new to see and do in Hong Kong now. A Symphony of Light.

As if Hong Kong wasn’t colorful enough, at night’s it’s electrifying. This new multimedia show creates an all-round vision of lights, laser beams and searchlights, performing an unforgettable spectacle synchronised to music and narration that celebrates the energy, spirit and diversity of Hong Kong.

Already named the “World’s Largest Permanent Light and Sound Show” by Guinness World Records, it has been expanded to involve 33 key buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour. If you are in Hong Kong during a festival, special pyrotechnic displays launched from the middle of the harbour add extra sparkle to the show.

Hong Kong Disneyland. Visit the magical kingdom.

Hong Kong Disneyland on Lantau Island, the fifth in the world, opened in September 2005.It has proved to be a huge draw card for both international and local visitors, so if you’re planning to go, it will busy. You can discover a magical kingdom of thrilling adventures, wonderful journeys and beloved Disney Characters. The park consists of four themed lands similar to those in the other Disneyland parks: Main Street, USA, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. By the way, this Adventureland is the biggest one out of all the Disneyland parks.

If you’re keen to actually stay here, you can. There are two enchanting hotels offering unique shopping, imaginative dining and family recreation – all delivered with the style and service you expect from Disney.

Take a journey of enlightenment.

Ride the stunning 5.7km cable car ride up the side of a mountain on Lantau Island to a culturally themed village next to the Giant Buddha and Po Lin Monastery. The Ngong Ping Skyrail travels from Tung Chung adjacent to the airport over spectacular countryside offering panoramic views, across the South China Sea, the mountains and monastery. This is planned to open in mid 2006.

Hong Kong Wetland Park.

Located next to the internationally recognised Mai Po Marshes bird sanctuary, this huge park is designed to demonstrate the diversity of Hong Kong’s wetland ecosystem. You can get closer to nature through integrated themed education and recreation facilities, with audio visual shows, interactive demos and wetland simulations.

Hong Kong Hotels to match every budget.

Hong Kong is one of the world’s top ten travel destinations. You’ll find every type of accommodation available to suit your budget – from major 5 star international names to smaller hotels offering great value rates. Book online and see what hot deals you can find. During holiday time and special Chinese festivals, it pays to book ahead.

Hong Kong is easy to get around with safe public transport, a reliable subway, trams and ferries, so you’re never far from a bargain or for that matter, a memorable time.

I’ll leave the last word to Noel Coward.

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. The smallest Malay rabbit deplores this stupid habit. In Hong Kong, they strike a gong and fire off a noonday gun….

Kazakhstan is situated in Central Asia and borders on Russia and China. It’s a multi-cultural and multi-national state. One of the main and biggest cities in the country is Almaty. Tourists visiting this amazing city are amazed by its main herita

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It’s important to know some historical facts as well. Kazakhstan during the centuries has been greatly influenced by diversity of Eastern and Western lifestyles, and two biggest in the country Muslim and Orthodox confessions. The state language here is considered to be Kazakh – one of the Turkic group tongues, though Russian is the language that is widely spoken and used by the population.

Kazakh and Russian ethnic groups are definitely the majority. All other national minorities also have their firm positions in the state. According to the “Wall Street Journal” this country is an example of ethnic and religious tolerance throughout the whole Asian region.

Russian and Asiatic cultures have created a unique synthesis of being here. The ladies greatly influenced by diverse of ethnic colours are extremely attractive, unusual, smart and proactive. There is a common understanding of women in this area: European and Eastern types. Orient girls are well known for their mysterious look and men honouring; European background ladies – for their brightness and good treating of their husbands. All the ladies here are very well-mannered, charming and elegant; they all share their values and love secrets with each other. However, the most important is that they all are family focused from their childhood. For all of those girls, coming from ethnically different families one is unchangeable – traditionally their mothers raise them up keep telling that family is the most precious value in the world. That’s why all Russian girls make their best efforts and investments for the family creation.

Western gentlemen coming to Kazakhstan and meeting the Russian girls for the first time can’t hide their amusement of how much sincere, kind, understanding and caring they are. The ladies here like to do things regarding housing with their own hands, no matter if they work or not. They pretty much like to raise their kids and cook for their husbands. When talking about love, any of these sweet girls can tell you how much they are inspired to meet a man of their dream and fall in a greatest ever love with him!

Some real stories happened to the guys kept them endlessly happy about meeting their online brides here, in girls’ home-town. The men had a chance to witness their ladies’ being in so usual and natural for them environment.

Every man, after several months of correspondence with the one he finally found for love and family creation wants to see his future wife in everyday life. At the same time, he accounts to get some understanding of fiancee’s national roots, lifestyle of the country she grew up in, etc. Of course, such an approach to serious relationships is important. It’s a best way of acquaintance for a mixed couple, coming from different cultures and mentalities. The gentlemen who visit their brides before the marriage, after attending her home know what difficulties their Russian girl can face in his homeland. Of course, it’s easy to guess that their relationships can benefit a lot from such an experience.

First of all it makes the couple closer spiritually, and secondly, it prevents men from any sort of misunderstanding and mistreating of their spouses. For this reason “Oksanalove” often hosts grooms in the agency’s Almaty branch. During such tours guys don’t stop getting excited and after, they just forget they had some doubts about the rightness of their choice.

The most memorable examples of fiance hosting is still something amazing to talk about in the “Oksanalove” agency. It’s the stories about how guys were impressed by the hospitality of their future wives and how their brides even exceeded all of their expectations. They were completely puzzled by the fact that their fiancees can be so gorgeously beautiful and at the same time be just good housewives who cook, do the laundry, clean and take care of their men – simultaneously doing all these things.

Usually, when guys come to Kazakhstan to see their Russian-speaking future wives, the girls go meeting them at the airport. This is what happened to one of Oksanalove’s couple. When an American man came to Almaty for a face-to-face date with his bride. First of all, it’s worth mentioning that this girl lives in Karaganda – a northern Kazakhstan city, she also came to Almaty to meet her online groom. While waiting for a driver to pick her up from the apartment that was especially rented for the couple’s first date, she went shopping to get products for cooking. The bride was so keen by this; she so much wanted to make a surprise for her man that she forgot she may be late with her shower and other girl things. But Kazakhstan women are always lucky with this they can be inventive and get on well with everything. She made time to finish all the stuff and look fantastic, except of the fact that she didn’t manage to dry her beautiful long hair. She thought never mind and went out in a cold winter night to ride a car and meet her groom in the airport. Nobody has seen her so beautiful before that night when she dried her hair towards the heater in the driver’s car. When she told about her adventurous date preparation to her man he was just amazed and completely charmed! This wonderful and loving couple is very happy in their marriage.

Another nice and pretty lady every single day has cooked delicious meals at her home and was bringing them to her future husband in his hotel room when he was on his tour to Almaty. Such attitude never leaves people indifferent. That’s for sure! The fact is that, in comparison with girls from such cosmopolitans as Moscow, Kiev or Odessa that usually loaded with foreigners, Almaty is not so popular among them due to its remote geographical position. Local girls are not really spoiled by attention of travelers and their exquisite treating. All of the Almaty girls who grew up under hot Almaty sun in a friendly and specific multi-cultural environment are warm, passionate and unique. They all look for someone to give all their love and care sharing with their values.