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There are many summer holiday destinations, perfect for your dream vacations, whether it consists of spending a few pampered nights in a four-star resort, go scuba-diving or enjoy the buzzing nightlife. Here is a list of the best five summer cities scattered around the world, that would suit any taste!

#1. Barcelona, Spain

With layers of cutting-edge architecture, finger-licking good cuisine and vibrant nightlife, Barcelona is, undoubtedly, a world-class city and preferred destination amongst trav

The Battle of Castillon seals the end of the Hundred Years War. For 3 centuries, Alienor's Aquitaine belonged to the English Crown and helped to establish the authority of the King of France.

The fall of Constantinople by the Turcs put an end to the Christians' presence in the East and the last byzantine artists and scientists took refuge in Italy.

Gutemberg, who invented mainstream printing, was therefore at the beginning of an unprecedented cultural revolution. History was now accessible to the

I do not know what it is with us people living on the plains – many among us have this insane urge to go visit the mountains in winter, as if the cold in the plains was not enough. And so it was with me…. Wifey wanted to see the Taj Mahal, I wanted to build a snow-man and so we went from Agra to Auli in the last week of December. A poorly designed trip it was – we ended up sitting in a car and rushing through the country-side much more than we had bargained for, only doing a spot of sight-seeing

by Tripatini staff

The most famous contribution of Portugal to world music — compared to Spain’s flamenco, Argentine tango, and the blues of the United States, and usually sung in a minor key — soulful, melancholic fado originated in the slums of Lisbon nearly two centuries ago and has been seeing revival and evolution in the decade since the passing of its most famous icon, Amália Rodrigues. Fado’s top diva of the 21st century so far is blonde, 38-year-old Marisa dos Reis Nunes — stage na

There are many summer holiday destinations, perfect for your dream vacations, whether it consists of spending a few pampered nights in a four-star resort, go scuba-diving or enjoy the buzzing nightlife. Here is a list of the best five summer cities scattered around the world, that would suit any taste!

#1. Barcelona, Spain

With layers of cutting-edge architecture, finger-licking good cuisine and vibrant nightlife, Barcelona is, undoubtedly, a world-class city and preferred destination amongst trav

Oceanside Dining at Ferradura Beach, Buzios, Brazil

By Roy Heale

With over twenty fabulous beaches, great nightlife, and the best gourmet dining in Brazil it is little wonder that Buzios has developed a reputation for fun, relaxing gay vacations. Located only 120 miles north east from Rio de Janeiro, the small peninsula of Armacao de Buzios is becoming renowned as the up and coming gay-friendly resort destination in Brazil. The gay-owned accommodations and resorts of Chez Wadi and Our House pro

Sesimbra is an oceanfront, picturesque fishing village in a sheltered bay overlooked by a Moorish Castle that offers wonderful views from its ramparts.

About 40km due south of Lisbon and 10km west of Setubal, is situated nestled at the foot of the hills of the Arrabida mountain and inside a sparkling blue bay, protecting it from cold northerly winds.

The Romans named it Promontorium Barbaricum, alluding to its dangerous location, and a lighthouse warns sailors of the treacherous rocks below.Tour

by Beverly Burmeier

For many tourists, the city of Cuzco is little more than a stopping point on their way to Machu Picchu. Yes, they look at the churches, plaza, and cobbled lanes, but they wouldn’t really be visiting Cuzco (spelled Cusco in Peru itself) were it not the gateway to the most famous of Inca archaeological sites in the Andes. That’s why the impressive Inca ruins of Sacsayhuamán, just over a mile (2 km) north of the city, are still bypassed by many visitors. Fortunately, on my own r

The Annapurna Circuit is approximately 200 km trek in Nepal around the Annapurna mountain range in the Himalayas. However this route has become much shorter than the previous days due to road accessibility recently. The entire trek begins an altitude of 1100 meter and reaches an altitude of 5416 meter in the “Thorung La” Pass by touching the edge of the fabled Tibetan plateau. The magnificent mountain scenery, colorful traditional culture, people’s life style and awesome nomad land are main attr

Up and until last March I thought I had seen unusual and intriguing sights but I must admit this experience did surprise me. We organized a travel agents' famil to the Mekong Delta of Vietnam /Cambodia. After having spent the first two nights at the start of our journey in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) in utter luxury, we boarded a fairly large ship (fit to cruise only on a river) . Once on the ship, the crew escorted us to our individual cabins. The crew consists of wonderful local staff w

With the aim of bringing an entertaining as well as educative experience to the discovery of the origins of mankind, a brand new centre of Prehistory has been inaugarated at Les Eyzies in the Dordogne.

The Vezere Valley in the Dordogne has been inhabited by man for as long as 400,000 years, it was here in 1868 that Cro-Magnon man was first identified. Much of our knowledge about the origins of man is related to discoveries made in the region over the last two hundred years

There are 15 prehistori

Chinese New Year began on 3 February 2011 and marked the start of the current Year of the Rabbit and people form all over the world will be celebrating with the Chinese this week. The bustling atmosphere and finger-licking-good food on offer make Chinatowns worth a visit at any time of year, but we’ve made up a list with the 5 cities around the world that host the craziest parties, the most colorful parades and the best firework shows New Year’s Eve!

#1. New York

With more than 150,000 Chinese-spe

Darned if I was going to be dragged down into senior citizenship without a fight by letting my grandchildren call me “grandma”. The very word conjures up images of little old ladies hunched over knitting needles, warmed by fuzzy cardigans and sporting chunky black lace up shoes – not an option for a boomer ex-soccer mom who grew up with bell bottoms and the Beatles. So after the birth of my first grandchild, I borrowed an idea from a hip friend who successfully avoided the same dilemma by adopti

Out with the old and in with my new routine.  Each week I have kindly let myself checkout those odd places that strike my curiosity.  I have the author of The Artist Way (Julia Cameron) to thank for these new found discovery walks.  What a great concept?  Lots of hidden gems right in my own backyard.  My recent find is a trendy little cafe, pardon me coffee house right around the corner from my home and B&B called Rooster Coffee House.  It been there open on Broadview Ave. (in Toronto) for month

Jaisalmer Fort ( Jaisalmer )

There is a fort that seems to rise out of a desert haze, its yellow sandstone walls and Jaisalmer Fortbastions taking on a golden hue in the afternoon sun, which is why it is aptly called Sonar Kila or the Golden Fort or Jaisalmer Fort. Jaisalmer Fort was built in 1156. It is the second oldest in Rajasthan Tourism after Chittor and the fort built by Rawal Jaisal, which crowns the 80m high Trikuta Hill. Three strong walls protect the citadel.the fort has 99 bastions ar

On the two-day journey from a town near Trashigang to Thimpu, which she had seen only on television, Karma felt numb with fear. She barely noticed Bhutan's pastoral beauty as the road wound through mist-clad passes, descending into idyllic valleys peppered by patchworks of rice paddy fields.

Her eyes fill up with tears at the sight of hundreds of fluttering prayer flags - it reminds her of a ritual for which her mother had saved every ngultrum (Bhutanese currency) she earned. "We trekked the whol