Christine received a comment from Olga Pulisman from the Israel Ministry of Tourism regarding her recent post – please take a look and contribute to the request if you wish. Shalom

Glasgow’s history is so diverse from small village by the riverside serving the needs of the community around the cathedral, to a prosperous merchant city, from a hive of Victorian industry and shipbuilding to the new financial and call-centre set-ups.

Many people say that Glasgow has a buzz, like New York. Now this can’t be because of the population (because it’s not huge) or the weather (well it’s always raining) so it must be because of the people or Glaswegians who live there. This is how Glasgow got its nickname as the Friendly City by both locals and visitors.

Located on the River Clyde, Glasgow was once a great boat construction city, with cranes and docks stretched along both sides of the River.

The top 3 places I would like to visit or see while I’m in Glasgow would be the People’s Palace, George Square and River Clyde at night-time.

There are many ways to get to Glasgow, you can take a coach, fly in, come by train, or even bring a car in.

For more information about Glasgow please go to: http://www.seeglasgow.com/

By Liam Crawford-Smith

Israel is Located in the Middle East, on the eastern side facing the Mediterranean Sea.

 

Between the boarders of Lebanon at the north, Syria at the northeast, Jordan and the Westbank on the east and Egypt and The Giza Strip on the South West side.
The land in Israel consists of an array of different geographic attractions, like the Negev Desert, and then there are the Galilee mountain ranges in the south, as well as in the north Carmel to Golan. The Israeli Coastal Plain which is located on the shore of the Mediterranean is where 70% of the population lives.  There is also the Jordan Rift Valley east of the central highland; it joins on the Great Rift Valley which is 6,500 kilometres.
The Country has two main languages Hebrew and Arabic, but English can also be spoken.

If I were to go to Israel I would definitely like to visit:

The Israel Museum

Located in Jerusalem it is the largest museum in the state of Israel and is also known worldwide for being one of the leading art and archaeology museums. Since opening in 1965 it has held encyclopaedic collections, Archaeology, Fine Arts, Jewish art and life wings as well as having a wide variety of religious material and holds the most informative holdings of biblical and Holyland archaeology in the world.

Rosh Haniqra
Translated from Hebrew to English it means head of the rock caves. Located on the North coast of Israel it is a stunning white coastal rock cliff formation. It is also on the Mediterranean Shore the northern most point from Israel. Beside the Chalk mountain range and the border between Israel and Lebanon.

The caves are underground and are filled with sweet smelling limestone caverns as well as stunning blue emerald pools.
There is also a chain of grottoes which the power from the waves carved out from the foot of the chalk cliffs.

You can get there on one of the 6 buses that travel to and from there from Nahariah daily. They also have cable cars for easier access to the base of the cliffs.

City of David National Park
They have many different tours available through this ancient city that has been uncovered over the years since the six day Jerusalem war. Since then many Jews now have came back to the area to live.
It is also believe that this is where the creation of many stories from the bible took place.

http://www.cityofdavid.org.il/hp_eng.asp

You can get to Israel via:

• Plane, to Ben-Gurion International Airport which is Israel’s Main international airport.
• Boat,from Limassol in Cyprus to Haifa on a boat of the main cruise companies, Louis Cruises or Salamis Cruises.
• Road, you can travel into Israel from Egypt or Jordan
• Bus, travel from Cairo into Jerusalem.

http://www.goisrael.com/tourism_eng?

Here is some informatin on the Maldives, a place where I would love to visit!

Some basic information

The Maldives is a chain of islands which is situated in the Laccadive Sea, about 700km south-west of Sri Lanka. The Maldives are the smallest Asian country in both population and land area. It has the lowest highest point in the world, at 2.3 metres. There are approximately 1,190 islands in the Maldives which spread roughly over 90,000 square kilometres. The capital of the Maldives in Male.

Climate

The Maldives temeprature ranges between 24-33 degrees celcius throughout the year. The humidity is relatively high. The annual rainfalls averages 2540 millimetres in the north and 3810 millitmetres in the south.

Activites/Attractions I would like to visit

Some attractions I would like to visit/partake in in the Maldives are:

• Snorkeling- this activity gives an opportunity to people who cant dive or aren’t enthusiastic about diving, to enjoy the underwater life. There is superb visibility whilst down under, as the water is crystal clear . The Maldives are considered to be the best destinations for snorkeling.
• Parasailing- parasailing in the Maldives is a great opportunity to explore the area. It is a fun activity where you get to fly in the air with a parachute, whilst being pulled by a high speed boat. It is said to be a refreshing and fascinating experience.
• Cruising- this is an excellent way to unwind and take in the beauty of the Maldives, underneath and above the sea. You get to cruise in a boat, check out the islands and even take part in some water sports such as snorkeling, windsurfing and diving.

How to get there

The Male International Airport is the main internatinoal airport. It is well equipped with a bank,pharmacy,duty free shops, restaurant, post office and much more.The airport also provides a seaplane transfer service to the islands.

There is one other international airport and 3 domestic airports.

There are also cruise ships which travel to the Maldives from different locations

Buses and taxis are another way to get to the Maldives.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maldives

http://www.sydney.com.au/
This website has all the information you need for accommodation and attractions Sydney has to offer.
Sydney is located on Australia’s south-east coast of the Tasman Sea.

Sydney is a world famous destination known for its fashion, art and entertainment. It is the most populated city in Australia with a population of 4.5 million. Australia is also famous for its golden beaches, with Bondi and Manly being very poplar for tourists. Sydney has a great reputation for hosting major sporting events. In recent years it has been the home to the Olympics (2000) and the Rugby World Cup. Sydney is a very exciting city with tonnes to do including:

1. Sydney Harbour Bridge- Is the fifth longest spanning arch bridge in the world. Its known for its new year’s firework displays and bridge climbs.

2. Sydney Opera House- Is a multi venue performing arts centre. It was made a World Heritage site in 2007.

3. Sydney beaches-Sydney has 16 beautiful beaches. Bondi and Manly beaches are known around the world as amazing summer spots.

Sydney (Kingsford Smith) Airport is the main international gateway into Australia. The Sydney harbour is also a prominent way for tourists to enter the city. Many different cruise lines enter the city through the Sydney Harbour. Sydney also has a number of train stations which domestic travellers use to travel into Sydney.

Where is it, what is it, what is there to do there, just keep reading and you will soon find out.

Hong Kong is located below China and is surrounded by the South Sea China, it is still legally part of China but has its own laws and systems. It sits in the tropic of cancer and It has over 200 small islands which consist of beautiful peninsula and mountainous landscapes.

Hong Kong has a subtropical climate and the best time to visit Hong Kong is between Autumn and winter when the air is dry and cool, temperatures range from 18 – 28 degrees.

Hong Kong has a vast range of attractions and activities from cultural activities, scenic boat cruises on the Victoria harbour to visiting the Tian Tan Buddha known as the Big Buddha, with lush green country side and mountains that makes up a majority of Hong Kong’s land mass.

 Hong Kong is the culinary capital of Asia, there are many restaurants and flea markets around Hong Kong.

 Hong Kong has huge towering buildings in the populated area, there are around 7,650 skyscrapers, crazy isn’t it.

 The three attractions and activities that I would like to pursue are -

• The  Tian Tan Buddha known as the big buddha which looks pretty amazing   
• Chi Lin Nunnery in Kowloon, a fantastic temple to explore.
• Victoria Peak to get a great view of the city.

 Flying would be the option to get to Hong Kong. In Hong Kong, there are various ways of getting around, from bus, train, tram, plane, ferry, gondola and more.

It’s certainly a destination I would be interested in exploring in the near future.

For more information check this link out, Discover Hong Kong: http://www.discoverhongkong.com/newzealand/

Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain. The magnificent city is located on the northeast coast of the Iberian Peninsula, facing the Mediterranean Sea, so the scenery is just beautiful.

Barcelona is a great choice for a holiday getaway with the humid winters and dry hot summers. It is a great destination to travel to with the amazing activities and attractions to experience. It is a place for any age group from young travellers, couples and even a destination for the family to enjoy.  I would love to visit this amazing city as I am a fan of creativity and art. This city is such a cultural and creative city and the work done here seems so different, and city I would definitely love to explore.
Barcelona was ranked number one in the top 10 beach cities in the world by National Geographic. This marvelous city has a total of seven stunning beaches.
Along with relaxing on the shores of the Barcelona beaches, I would love to see Guell Park. This park looks amazing with the creative sculptures, amazing tiling and mosaic work.

Another beautiful attraction I would love to see here in Barcelona is the Casa Batllo. Taking a tour around this house would be so inspiring, seeing the attention to detail the architects spent on the building. Gaudi designed a lot of beautiful sculptures and buildings and this Barcelona and this attraction is one of the many. This grand palace is yet another beautiful building I would love to see. This is used as a concert hall. There is stained glass on the celling and sculptures on each side. I would love to attend a concert here.
Barcelona has an airport so international travellers can fly straight to the city. There is car hire available also buses, taxis and subways available to catch.

References
Barcelona City Guide.(2009). Park Guell Barcelona. Retrieved from: http://www.perfecttravelblog.com/2010/10/park_guell_barcelona.html
Barcelona.com. (2010).Music Palace. Retrieved from: http://www.barcelona.com/barcelona_directory/monuments/music_palace
Wikipedia.(2010). Barcelona. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcelona
Wikipedia.(2010). CassoBatllo. Retrieved from: http://www.barcelona.com/barcelona_directory/monuments/music_palace

BLACKPOOL

Link to Blackpools main destination page:

http://www.visitblackpool.com/

Blackpool is situated geograhically on the Fylde coast in Lancashire in Englands North West region. The town has a population of almost 142,900 people. Blackpool is chiefly known as a tourist resort and receives more visitors than any other holiday destination in Europe, with around ten million people visiting annually. Tourism and ancillary activities is the biggest employment sector in town. Blackpool has numerous tourist attractions such as miles of beach ranging from sand dunes in the South to the cliffs in the North, the famous Golden Mile with its fast food outlets, shopping areas and amusement arcades.

Activities and Attractions
A main attraction in Blackpool is Blackpool Beaches, it is over 7 miles long, it has a brand new ribbon of Spanish-style steps running along the coastline, and it allows visitors to take an easy stroll from the promenade down to the beach.

An activity is the Blackpool Zoo, they also offer attractions. You can view animals, visit there Gallery also learn about Zoo history. They have a Dinosaur Safari and Conservation.

One other attraction is the Grundy Art Gallery, it organizes a program of contemporary visual art exhibitions that feature the work of established and emerging artists from the UK and abroad, as well as historically important artwork loaned from Major UK institutions and objects from its own personal collection.

Different ways to get there
There are several ways of getting to Blackpool, you can either travel by car, coach, train, or plane. Also you can travel by tram; chances are you will get dropped off right outside your location when travelling by this.

Glenorchy is a small town that is situated at the head of Lake Wakatipu in the South Island of New Zealand. Glenorchy is a 45 minute drive from Queenstown and is nestled between the Richardson (east) and Humboltd (west) Mountain Ranges and overlooked by the mighty snow-capped Mount Earnslaw in the North. From Glenorchy you can travel on to the Rees Valley, Paradise and the Dart Valley, Kinloch township, Routeburn Valley and Greenstone/Caples Valleys which boarder both Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks.

It is a small town and is home to about 200 residents. It is a welcoming and vibrant town offering a range of accommodation options, cafes, restaurants, bars, shopping, activities, hiking, fishing and a lot more. In fact it’s more than likely you have some of Glenorchy even though you did not know what you were looking at.

The local scenery received worldwide attention when it was used as one of the settings in the first of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films. The scene where Boromir was slain and leant near a tree, Lothlórien and Orthanc were a few that were shot in Paradise. Vertical Limit and X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian were also filmed in the area.

You might ask yourself what I can do in Glenorchy. Well there is a lot of your into the outdoors and keen to get out there.

One of the highlights each year is the infamous Glenorchy Race Day. Glenorchy Race Day is a real southern kiwi experience and one of the premier events on Glenorchy’s social calendar. It has been organised by the Glenorchy Rugby Club for over 40 years and the event is held on the first Saturday after New Year. Races include: Walk Trot Gallop; Trotting Cup; Relay Race; Stockmans Race; Saddling Race; Double Banking; Ladies Gallop; Open Gallop; Locals Gallop; Quarter Mile Sprint.

Although anyone with a horse can register (only rule is that you wear a helmet), this is not riding for the faint hearted or inexperienced. Many of the Glenorchy horse trekking staff and local stockmen/women are keen to take the Race Cups home and as such the competition is high. It is not a televised race meet and betting is confined to the course and is not of the high stakes variety.

Or if you are so inclined you could take advantage of the lake and rivers nearby and go on a bit of a safari. Departing from either Queenstown of Glenorchy the Dart River Jet ‘Wilderness Safari’ is a combination trip exploring the spectacular wilderness within Mt Aspiring National Park through a combination of exhilarating wilderness jet boating, informative guided ancient forest walk and back-country four wheel driving.  The guides will tell you all about the area including the history, the geography and stories about the native plants and animals. Just a note if you choose to depart from Queenstown then you had better set aside a whole day so you are not rushing as it will take 5 hours all up but well worth it if you want to see Paradise.

And finally what trip to the Southern Alps would be complete without taking in some of the awesome skiing and snowboarding that is on offer at the many ski fields in the region. Ah there is that small matter of the big ski fields like Cardrona, Remarkables and Coronet Peak for example being absolutely chocker full of people and generally being irritating for the more skilfully inclined. Solution, find a private ski field like Invincible Snowfield.

Invincible Snowfield is a privately owned mountain recreation area within the Rees Valley offering some of the best backcountry skiing and riding in New Zealand.

Designed for small groups of adventurous snow seekers this field is accessed only by helicopter and equipped with a 700m long nutcracker rope tow, giving you 300m of vertical lift every run.

Invincible has a snug alpine hut which sleeps up to ten people on a mezzanine floor in sleeping bags. The hut is heated by a roaring potbelly and has gas cooking. Use of the hut is exclusive to the group that books it and it is available as a venue in its own right for anyone who would like the experience of winter alpine conditions amongst frozen peaks. A warning though Invincible is not for the inexperienced skier or the fainthearted. But if you are up to the challenge then get a group of friends together and get ready for a back country adventure.

Getting to Glenorchy is easy. Glenorchy is 40km from Queenstown and is an easy drive on a tar sealed road. Early morning or early evening are the best times to drive as the sun catches the mountains and lake and gives the place a beautiful light. It does get tight in places so patience is the key if you get stuck behind a campervan or truck. There are also places to pull over to take pictures safely.

Regular Shuttle services operate from Queenstown that can take you to Glenorchy. Buckley Transport can pick you up from anywhere in the Queenstown CBD and can take you to and from Glenorchy for $20 per adult.

You can cycle from Queenstown to Glenorchy but the constant up and down of the road could prove to be a bit of a killer if you are not prepared.

               

The picture above is an overview of Machu Picchu and the Mountain in the background is Huayna Picchu and to the right is the residential area and underneath is the agricultural area. 

Machu Picchu http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_Picchu is a world famous destination known for its intriguing mystery that surrounds it and questions that arise because of it, such as “why was it built?” Most people believe that it was made for the Inca Emperor Pachacuti to be an estate for him; although it was unfinished many believe because of the Spanish conquest. What is interesting is that the Spanish conquerors did not find the site which meant that it was kept in good condition till an American historian found it. Machu Picchu is found in Peru, South America in the southern hemisphere, it is situated between two mountains the Machu Picchu mountain and the Huayna Picchu mountain, it rises 2,450 metres above sea level.

Machu Picchu is divided into two sections, an urban and agricultural section; the agricultural section was terraced and made for agricultural uses. The urban area was further divided into three different districts, the Scared District which held all the temples – the Intihuatana, the Temple of the Sun and the Room of the Three Windows, which were all dedicated to the Inca’s greatest deity Inti. The next district was the Popular District which consisted of storage and simple houses which would have been used by the lower class people, and the last district was for the priests and nobility to stay.

Ways to get to the destination:

• Plane – to Peru
• Driving from anywhere in America
• Boat from across the waters

but to get to Machu Picchu itself you need to get to Peru first and then trek/hike to the site.

The main attraction at the destination is of course seeing the ruins of Machu Picchu, another attraction/activity is to make the very steep climb up the Huayna Picchu mountain right to the summit which takes about an hour or so to get to. Another activity I found was the Cola De Mono Canopy which is a flying fox/ zipline which  is attracted to two different mountains and you slide from one to the other reaching up to 60km/hour.

I hope you enjoyed my little presentation on this destination, after researching it I feel more inspired to go and visit and I hope you dear reader feel the same.

Just some references if you were keen on knowing a little bit more detail:

Wikipedia, Machu Picchu, retrieved 21 June 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_PicchuWikipedia, Huayna Picchu, retrieved 21 June 2011 from  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huayna_Picchu Cola De Mono, retrieved 21 June 2011 from http://www.canopyperu.com/ Images:  Wikipedia, Machu Picchu, retrieved 21 June 2011 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_Picchu, Flicker, retrieved 21 June 2011 from http://www.flickr.com/photos/54520475@N04/5562285528/