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New York is more than America’s largest city: it has been and continues to be the inspiration behind much of the country’s most enduring pieces of art and literature. From Langston Hughes to Jonathan Safran Foer, and Jackson Pollock to Mark Rothko, New York City has been the thriving hub of many an American cultural movement since the beginning of the 1900s. This fact is made even more evident by the city’s wide array of museums and art galleries, the most prominent of which are The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum, among a host of others.

Both artistically and architecturally, New York’s Guggenheim Museum (technically called The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum) is one of the city’s most interesting landmarks and artistic forums. The eminent novelist E.B. White once said, “New York is to the nation what the white spire is to the village,” and it might be possible to say that, artistically speaking, the white spire of New York is the Guggenheim. Situated at the corners of 89th Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, its architect Frank Lloyd Wright set out to make the building look like what has been described as “a white ribbon curled into a cylindrical stack,” and was intent on his avant-garde design making the Metropolitan Museum of Art look like “a Protestant barn”. Though widely condemned at the time, the building is now seen as one of New York’s finest - as is often the case with the best pieces of architecture.

Originally set up in 1937 as “The Museum of Non-Objective Painting”, the Guggenheim was principally established to exhibit work by early modernists, like Piet Mondrian and Wassily Kandinsky. In particular, it continues to exhibit the work of Kandinsky and Jackson Pollock on an ongoing basis. Recent exhibitions have included various showings of Russian and socialist art, Robert Mapplethorpe and the Classical Tradition, David Smith: A Centennial and the images of Baghdad-born artist Zaha Hadid. Its future planned showcases include the work of Lucio Fontana, and Spanish Painting from El Greco to Picasso. This eclectic range of artists and artistic works demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the Guggenheim Museum to its original goal, to showcase the work of new modernism, whilst still embracing new forms of modern art in the twenty-first century. Although “high” modern and postmodern art have been the main artistic lines pursued by the Guggenheim, it has also been host to a variety of commercial art, including seasons exhibiting motorcycles and Giorgio Armani suits.

The Guggenheim Museum in New York is part of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, a non-profit organisation founded in 1937 by eminent philanthropist Solomon R. Guggenheim and artist Hilla von Rebay. Since the establishment of the first Guggenheim in New York, the foundation has gone on to open further museums in Bilbao, Venice, Berlin and Las Vegas, and is in the process of establishing another Guggenheim in Abu Dhabi. For the artistic holiday maker, a perfect vacation idea might be a trip around the world to all the Guggenheim museums. This idea is not even as expensive as it might seem: for example, there are Hilton Hotels in all of these cities, and using the Hilton Honors rewards system, travelling art fans can use their accumulated points to reclaim hotel rewards as well as air miles with a variety of different airlines, to make their worldwide Guggenheim tour a vacation with a difference.

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The German tsunami relief convoy reached the Paranthan junction, which is the last northern point in the mainland of Indian Ocean’s war-torn island, where people lived in the midst of the civil war in 1996.

I had been there for a brief period of time when I was working with CARE International. The Elephant Pass strategic military camp of Sri Lanka Army was stationed there. The camp was a major coveted target for LTTE since their failed attempt in 1991 along with heavy losses of cadres.

When I was staying in that vicinity in 1995, the vulnerability of that area was an every day presence. The artillery shells were pouring at times like thunderstorm. Some of the shells had fallen near my house and in one incident I narrowly escaped. But a known girl nearby died, of shock caused by the heavy explosion of an artillery shell. I was able to recall how her two sisters were crying when her body was being taken for cremation along the same high way on which I was traveling with the German intern students in the relief mission.

After that incident and continuous artillery shelling, the Area Director of CARE International in Kilinochchi asked me to get away from that area a number of times. But I was reluctant to leave as I was used to the artillery shelling and aerial bombings since my childhood in the war-torn northern Jaffna Peninsula. But for the Area Director, her upbringing in the New York City in a calm and quiet atmosphere made it hard for her to accept my explanation.

Finally I left that area for a while. But memories still came alive when I was looking at the demolished buildings and the surroundings on the way. Our five-vehicle convoy was now speedily hurrying through a one-time No-Man Zone.

The highway and the surroundings were once heavily mined areas. When we were passing the once strategic military camp and the destroyed tanks were telling signs of the war. The horrors of the war and the heat of the battle could be seen around the Elephant Pass Camp which was finally lost to the hands of LTTE in 1999.

Elephant Pass has come a long way from being a stretch of shallow waters that separated the Northern Jaffna Peninsula from the rest of the island in pre-colonial days and has now evolved into a military epicenter of the civil war.

The shallow waters through which elephants once carried goods into the Jaffna peninsula, giving it the name Elephant Pass, have been a silent witness to the ebbs and flow of the northern conflict. Elephant Pass, the terrestrial gateway to the Jaffna peninsula, is now under the control of the Tigers. The fall of Elephant Pass has changed the military course of the whole conflict. The Dutch colonialists first built a small fortress in 1776, which was converted in modern times into a rest house for tourists. After Independence a permanent garrison was set up there to check illicit immigration, smuggling and unlawful transport of timber.

As the intensity of the ethnic conflict escalated, the strategic importance of Elephant Pass also increased. The small camp gradually expanded into a sprawling complex. At one time, the Elephant Pass base and the satellite camps covered an area of about 23 km long and 8-10 km wide. While we were proceeding along in close proximity to Elephant Pass the Jaffna Lagoon on both sides of the high way triggered my thoughts back to many of the personal experiences in the Jaffna Lagoon. I had traveled a number of times crossing the lagoon from the mainland to the peninsula and vice versa as travel through Elephant Pass was prohibited in 1995.

The presence of the Sri Lankan military at the Elephant Pass made passage unsafe what with heavy land mines laid everywhere around the camp area.

Even traveling on the lagoon was unsafe as the LTTE and the Sri Lankan Navy were warring with each other with heavy casualties on both sides. The small boats used to start just before midnight, as the journey through the lagoon would be invisible. The three hours journey crossing the lagoon was enjoyable to me with lot of thrill and suspense until we reached the other end. LTTE monitored the lagoon passage as they controlled both coasts, the Kilali in the peninsula and the Nallur in the mainland.

Crossing the Elephant Pass was more than a crossing and going back into the past to me!

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The only difficulty you face when planning a visit to Europe is deciding where to go. There is so much to see, so many beautiful cities and so little time that you are spoilt for choice. In no particular order, these are five cities that you should see. There are many, many more such as Barcelona, Madrid, Budapest, Prague

London. When you tire of London you tire of life as someone once said, and it is still true even now. London is dirty, noisy, crowded and the public transport isn’t the best in the world but there is something about London that has to be experienced. Hyde park, Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, a walk along the Thames, Harrods, Oxford Street, Covent Garden, Soho. You can go on and on.

Paris. If you are planning a visit to Europe, how could you not spend at least a few days in Paris? It is probably the most chic city in the world, with its beautiful architecture, cafes, churches, monuments, art galleries and more. Walk along the Seine or take a bateau mouche to see the city from the river, climb the Eiffel tower, visit Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, eat, drink and be merry.

Rome. Like London Rome is noisy, crowded and amazing. It has great food and great wine combined with thousands of years of history. Visit the roman forum, Vatican City, the Coliseum., the Fontana di Trevi and the Pantheon. As with all these cities, the only hard decision is what to miss out if you only have a limited time. You could live in Rome for a month and only scratch the surface.

Venice. Simply, the most beautiful city in the world. It has to be seem to be believed. After visiting St Mark’s Square and the main tourist sites, I would suggest leaving the normal tourist areas and wandering through the back streets to see something of the real Venice. Even during the long tourist season these are relatively empty, and you will stumble across many hidden gems, not only architecturally but also gastronomically.

Berlin. In common with the other cities, there is a lot of interesting history attached although Berlin is different in that much of it is more recent. You can follow the track marking out the Berlin wall, see the last remaining bits of wall (now preserved), Checkpoint Charlie, the last remaining watch tower and so on. There are also an astonishing number of museums and beer halls within easy reach, and of course the Berlin State Opera.

Finally, a little bit of language helps. English is widely spoken, especially in the tourist areas, but people appreciate it if you make an effort in their language. This doesn’t have to be more than hello, goodbye but it usually gets a good response. You will also find that in places where you might expect an understanding of English, such as the metro in Paris, it can surprisingly be absent.

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Tennessee Aquarium is a landmark found in Chattanooga Tennessee. Well, this is an amazing spot visited by people who are aquariums enthusiast enjoying exploration of marine species.

People who visited the Tennessee Aquarium provided their reviews so that other people can learn about what to expect, see or explore.

- Tennessee Aquarium has incorporated artistic exhibits to encourage people of any age. It gives appeal to everyone and ignites curiosity to explore the entire place.

- Fresh water exhibits are awesome. Newly added salt water exhibits are spectacular displaying all creatures living in salt water including all sharks’ varieties.

- RiverWalk is a concrete walkway located on the top of Tennessee River shore waters without railings giving an ultimate walking experience to visitors.

- Tennessee Aquarium is adjacent to the Bijou Movie Theater and IMAX Theater giving another entertainment option to visitors and travelers.

- Tennessee Aquarium has knowledgeable and excellent staff ready to answer all the questions given by travelers and visitors. The staff includes children and adults in their learning activities which they enjoy doing. The staff professionalism is observed giving the same warm welcome to visitors even during the last minute before closing time.

- Tennessee Aquarium is a very neat place to visit however the booth for buying tickets are not covered and the Aquarium gets easily crowded so sometimes time is wasted waiting to see the exhibits.

- Tennessee Aquarium’s one of the visitor’s favorite is the sea horses exhibit. You need to have at least two hours to spend in watching all the exhibits including divers cleaning the aquarium windows and swimming together with sharks and stingrays.

- Tennessee Aquariums have natural habitats for different animals with two living forests seen under glass that the children and adults loves to enjoy watching.

- Tennessee Aquariums has incorporated many varieties of interesting fishes, which are fun to observe.

- Tennessee Aquarium is an amazing place to visit having beautiful views, good presentations, nice buildings and knowledgeable employees however the only disaster experienced by visitors are their bathrooms.

- Tennessee Aquariums has incorporated an amazing architectural aesthetics having a beautiful landscaping of underwater sea environment, river, lake and pond natural habitats, which they rank as one of the best aquariums in the world to visit.

Having a real life marine adventure is an interesting activity that anybody could experience. Tennessee Aquarium surely offers the best scenery and adventure.

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General summary of city:

Genk, a city in Belgium, is part of the Limburg province. Other cities contained within the province of Limburg include Hasselt: As, Beringen, Diepenbeek, Gingelom, Halen, Ham, Hasselt, Herk-de-Stad, Heusden-Zolder, Leopoldsburg, Lummen, Nieuwerkerken, Opglabbeek, Sint-Truiden, Tessenderlo, Zonhoven, and Zutendaal. In terms of locality, Genk is situated nearest to Hasselt in the province of Limburg.

The city of Genk has a population of over 63,000 people. The city of Genk is believed to have some history rooted in the Celtic peoples, and that the once small village of Genk was later, during the tenth century, converted to Christianity. Due to the fact that Genk had such small beginnings and it was not officially deemed a city until the year 2000, the city itself was not really recognized until the early 1900’s, thanks to Andre Dumont. Andre Dumont discovered a good quantity of coal in the Limburg region of Belgium, and it wasn’t long before coal miners discovered that Genk had plenty of coal to be had. The city soon grew with the mass movement of immigrants and when the drive for coal finally settled down in the late 1960’s, Genk merely adapted its industrial pursuits to more suitable industries: successful industries that focused on car manufacturing. The primary car manufacturing company in present day Genk is the Ford Motor company.

Places of Interest:

The Bokrijk in Genk nearby the Hasselt territory attracts many tourists every year. The Bokrijk is essentially an open-air museum, offering travelers the opportunity to enjoy nineteenth century architectural design. Within the museum tourists can see reconstructions of the Flemish buildings that once existed in Flanders. A number of enjoyable activities are offered at the Bokrijk, as well as re-enactments for viewing. Due to the fact that the Bokrijk is a large, open-aired museum, the location is filled with scenic gardens, wooded areas, grass lands and small bodies of water. Children are most welcome at the Bokrijk and a playground is readily available to children. The museum is open to tourists from the end of March until late September, every day, from 10 am to 6 pm. The cost of admission is 10 Euros for adults, 8.50 Euros for seniors, 5 Euros for children between the ages of 6 to 12.

Tourists also like to visit the Green City in Genk, the home of De Maten, a beautiful nature reserve. There are 35 ponds in the De Maten, and different species of fish are purposefully bred within the ponds, in an effort to promote aquatic life. Water birds have adapted to the area in De Maten and plants, including cotton grass, sundew, and roth grow in the area. Finally, the De Maten is home to a variety of different dragon flies and tree frogs. The De Maten is closed to tourists when it comes time for breeding.

Things to do:

Every year in Genk, tourists are welcomed at the Motives Festival, a music festival focusing on the genre of jazz. The Motives Festival is revered for its line up of fantastic jazz musicians and past performers have included Joshua Redman, Leafcutter John, and Esbj

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I was 18 years old when I made the decision to take the summer off before entering what I imagined to be four years of incarceration in university, and thus set out in search of an adventure so compelling, it would sustain me through the tedious and interminable life of a student. My inspiration to make the journey stemmed from my father, who as a poet, writer, and avid traveler, had instilled in me a burning desire to explore the vagarious, exotic world of a rover. Countless nights I listened fervently to his tales of Spain, and of the splendor and pageantry of the bullfights that his hero, Ernest Hemingway, had immortalized through his prose. I knew intuitively that my first (and possibly last) quixotic quest before entering the realm of academia, would be to run with the bulls in the famous summer festival of Pamplona, Spain.

The fiesta known as San Fermin, a seven day celebration deeply rooted in tradition, is held annually the first week of July in northern Spain. It’s most characteristic event, the “encierro”, or running of the bulls, is a bizarre and ostentatious display of machismo bravado. The spectacle is promptly initiated each morning by fireworks, proclaiming bulls have been released from their pens to run freely through the barricaded streets of the village to the nearby arena. Audacious thrill seekers test their courage by running ahead of the stampeding herd, often with disastrous results. Since its inception in the 13th century, (when butchers hurried slightly in front of bulls being led to auction to ensure themselves a choice place in the bidding), several people have been killed, and hundreds of others seriously injured. It was with this disconcerting thread of historical data weaving through my road weary head, that I circumspectly stepped down from the bus one pristine evening, into the quaint, and sleepy village known as Pamplona.

Arriving a day before the official start of the festival, I was hard pressed to find a room anywhere, and finally with luck stumbled upon a run down hotel on the outskirts of town, where an assortment of like-minded adventurers had gathered together in camaraderie born of necessity. I found myself sharing a room with three sleep deprived revelers, who having arrived a day earlier, enthusiastically briefed me on the previous nights activity, which consisted primarily of inhaling massive quantities of vino from a goatskin bag, the erubescent liquid invariably cascading profusely down their white linen shirts. Looking fondly back on that time, I recall a sea of scarlet clad men careening through the village streets in a state of exultation, no doubt a result of the generous amount of libation consumed, but more importantly, because they were young and carefree, passionately embracing the ephemeral, bittersweet joy of their youth.

The next morning I and my comrades began the day in the manner that anyone facing almost certain death would …. we drank as much wine as possible. With a sense of dread and exhilaration in equal measure, we made our way to the threshold of the village’s makeshift corral, where secured behind a massive wooden gate stood a legion of ominous looking bulls. They appeared as apprehensive and fearful as ourselves, and I secretly hoped that through some inexplicable means of cerebral transference, we would establish telepathic agreement to stay as far away from each other as possible during the impending ordeal. I was stunned by their stupendous size and obvious strength, and realized, that as my sister had so adamantly informed me of the day I left, I truly must be insane to contemplate such an endeavor. With one long last pull from the wine bag, I resolved to scoff in the face of danger, and like a dauntless matador about to enter the arena, I cast my fate to the Mediterranean wind.

What ensued in the next few seconds, is referred to by ancient zen masters as… kensho. A moment so firmly entrenched in the present, that all mundane concerns of past and future concede to to the all encompassing now. Upon the release of the formidable creatures, I remember sprinting blindly forward down the antediluvian road, my one consuming thought that of reaching the distant ring, where those who successfully finished the course would be granted a seat to the afternoon bullfights. Propelled onward by a flush of panic induced adrenalin, I suddenly found myself running not from the beasts, but among them. A conglomeration of thrashing legs, arms, and gleaming sweat laden bull flesh had somehow intertwined, generating a pulsating throng of spasmodic motion that thundered along the narrow cobblestone passageways in a frenetic state of terror, aggregated with an emotion that can only be described as… euphoric.

Running surrealistically amidst the advancing horde, I instinctively strived to remain upright, and as far away as possible from the the myriad of horns that encirled me. Peripherally, I caught sight of one terrified participant overcome with fear, frantically attempting to make his way over the spectator-lined barricade, only to be pushed forebodingly back by the crowd, abandoned forsakenly to confront his precarious fate.

With a profound sense of relief, I spotted the tattered wooden doors of the stadium, when without warning I was flung violently to the ground from behind, overtaken by the onrushing vortex of pandemonium vehemently intent on bursting through the small gridlocked opening that constituted the entryway. With a steady clicking of hooves resounding inches from my ears, I sprung to my feet in a desperate attempt to reach the sanctuary of the arena. Noticing a momentary breach in the deluge, I swiftly passed through the paltry aperture into the relative safety of the ring. Standing nebulously inert among the dispersing crowd, I was overcome by the realization that I was still physically intact, still breathing the crisp morning air…. the life affirming touch of the sun’s luminous rays reassuringly enfolding my trembling shoulders. Like the multitude of madmen before me, I had run with the bulls of Pamplona, and survived to tell the tale…….

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The annual dog sled race in Alaska, the Iditarod race, is held the second Saturday in March each year. The race starts in Anchorage with the finish line in Nome, approximate distance of 1,200 miles. The first race was held March 3, 1973. Since that first race, the popularity of this event has grown through the years, along with the amount of the prize money. The winner of the 1973 race received $50,000 and today that amount has increased to around $500,000.

The mushers spend anywhere from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars on the race. Not only do they have the entry fee to pay, but also the cost of their sled, their clothes and equipment; plus the cost of keeping their dogs all year, which estimated total cost of everything runs around $60,000. They do have corporate sponsors who sponsor them, which helps to defray their cost.

The Alaska Iditarod is to Alaska about the same as the Indy 500, the Super Bowl or the Olympics. It is the longest distance dog sled race in the world. It was originated as a tribute to an actual event which occurred during the winter of 1925. During that winter of 1925, a deadly outbreak of diphtheria had struck, threatening all the children of Nome. They needed the serum to fight this disease, but the serum was in the city of Anchorage, over 1,000 miles away to the southeast.

There was one airplane that could have been flown to Anchorage to pick up the medicine, but it had been dismantled and stored for the winter. A large Alaskan wilderness of uninhabited land lay between Anchorage and Nome. There was frozen and rough terrain with no roads. As a last resort, it was decided to try sled dogs to travel to Anchorage and pick up the medicine.

The medicine was taken to Nenana from Anchorage by the Alaska Railroad. A dog sled relay would be used to pick up the medicine at Nenana, a town north of Anchorage. Twenty mushers volunteered to relay the medicine from Nenana to Nome, 674 miles away. It was 50 below zero, when the first musher left Nenana and six days later, on February 2, 1925, the dog team of Gunner Kaassen arrived in Nome. Legend has it that on this last leg of the trip, a big gust of wind turned the sled over, with the life-saving serum falling out onto the snow. Kaassen used his bare hands to dig the serum out of the snow, turned his sled upright and proceeded to finish the trip into Nome.

The lead husky of Kaassen’s dog team was Balto. He immediately became a world hero, as the world had been watching this story unfold through newspaper accounts. Balto traveled the United States for two years after the serum run, with people celebrating his heroic deeds that helped save the children in Nome.

Then in 1933 when Balto died, his preserved body was put on display at Cleveland’s Natural History Museum. His popularity lives on, as in 1995 an animated movie about Balto was made.

He has become a highlight with the Alaskan children and some are working to get Balto brought back to his home state of Alaska to the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Museum in Wasilla.

Balto is also partly responsible for the Iditarod race which was first started in 1973. It is held to commemorate the courage of the mushers and the dogs who participated in that life or death race to save the children of Nome.

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Pet Travel: What to do when traveling with pets

Pet air travel tips, road trip tips and more Pets are like a child to many and the thought of leaving them at home while on vacation is not an option for some. However, before taking your pets on vacation with you, there are several items that you need to be aware of and a few pet travel tips that need to be followed.

Pet travel decisions While it may be tempting to bring your pet with you on vacation, keep in mind that some animals are not suited for travel whether it is due to illness, age or physical impairments. It is very important to consult with your veterinarian about pet travel and pet air travel before embarking on a trip to ensure the safety of your pet.

Trains, planes and automobiles

Pet air travel Every airline has different rules and regulations when it comes to flying with pets. So to avoid finding out your airline doesn’t allow pet travel at the last minute, there are several things that you can do. First, contact your airline well in advance and find out their pet air travel regulations. Carrying your pet on board with you is the best option, but oftentimes cargo is the only option with some airlines if your pet is large. While Congress did pass the Safe Air Travel for Animals Act in April 2000, there are several items that need to be considered to ensure your pet’s safety while flying in cargo. First, many airlines have specific carrier requirements so make sure you fulfill these. Second, make sure the carrier you choose is large enough for your pet to be able to turn around in and be comfortable for the long flight. Third, try to make sure it is a non-stop flight to ensure that your pet does not get lost. Fourth, correctly adhere a label on the pet carrier with your phone number, address, final destination and contact number while on vacation. There are plenty of other considerations and tips that can be found by looking at the Humane Society’s Web site. If your airline does not allow pets to travel or you are wary of transporting your pet via cargo, you have other options to consider.

Road trip with pets Many pets love traveling by car; so it is a personal decision as to whether your pet needs to be kept in a carrier or not. Cats oftentimes are uncomfortable traveling, so it is better to keep them in a carrier for their safety and yours. If the pet is not going to be kept in a carrier you need to make sure they are safely secured in the vehicle. There are special harnesses that can be bought to secure or “seatbelt” your dog in safely. It is important to stop frequently when traveling with pets to let them exercise and go to the bathroom.

Trains, buses and ships Very few ships allow pets to accompany travelers and Amtrak does not allow pets. However, many European trains and a few small US railroad companies allow pets on board. As far as buses and other public transportation, the rules and regulations vary between states and cities.

Pet accommodations There are hundreds of Web sites out there that list pet friendly hotels and a pet-friendly hotel can be found in almost any city. For example if you’re traveling to San Francisco you can stay at the Hilton San Francisco Financial District or if you’re visiting Austin you can stay at the La Quinta Inn Austin North.

Pet Fun Wherever you are vacationing, a pet-friendly park or beach can be found and outdoor related activities are best for pet travelers. For restaurants, outdoor places will oftentimes allow pets to accompany.

When traveling with pets it is important to ensure their safety and not to do anything that could put them in danger. And if you’re going to bring your pet with you, make sure that you will be able to entertain them. Here’s to happy traveling!

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Germany is located in central Europe and stretches from the Alps in the south up to the North Sea in the North. It is bordered by Austria and Switzerland in the south; Poland and the Czech Republic in the east; France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands in the west; and Denmark in the North.

With some of the largest cities in Europe, Germany offers all travellers a unique experience.

The south of Germany is ideal for the outdoor and adventure type. Within Germany’s border lies a portion of the Alps’ Mountain range; two of Europe’s largest rivers: the Rhine and the Danube; and the scenic Black Forest.

In any of Germany’s cities a relaxing holiday can be enjoyed at any time of the year. Their large cities are ideal for shoppers. Weekly markets are held in all towns and the Christmas markets usually start at the end of November.

The currency of Germany is the Euro, and visitors from outside the EU zone are entitled to a VAT refund on any non-edible goods that are bought in German shops.

The German people are known for their efficiency, and this is reflected right through their transport system. Their rail system is first class and makes travelling from city to city a true pleasure. Most of the large German cities have an underground rail system with a frequent snappy service.

The climate of Germany differs - in the east the summers are very warm and the winter months are very cold. In the north the weather is very cool during the summer and the winters stay mild.

Autumn is the most popular time to travel to Germany. Most German cities hold culture festivals during September and October. If you travel to Germany during the month of October make sure you visit the city of Munich - here you can experience the largest beer festival in the world and sample some of the best beers that are brewed in Germany.

Music festivals are normally held during the summer and autumn months. Special music festivals are held yearly for famous composers. For Beethoven the festival is normally held in Bonn and in the state of Thuringia a festival is normally held for Bach.

Winter holidays are extremely enjoyable in Bavaria, the largest of Germany’s 16 states, where you can enjoy a skiing break in the Alps and the Black Forest.

With over 2000 museums, Germany has a rich culture in art and literature. Eight Germans have won the Nobel Prize for literature. The month of October also holds another large festival - in the second week of October, Frankfurt holds the largest book fair in the world which attracts writers and publishers from all parts of the globe.

So if you are travelling to Germany you have 14 international airports to choose from - where connecting flights can be made to most German cities.

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Australia, the land down under and the home of the Aborigines is a place that is rich of so many things, from its very colorful past and culture to its well-kept wildlife and outstanding natural resources.

One such natural resource is the Great Barrier Reef, it is considered to be one of the natural wonders of the world since it is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem and it is also the only living organic collective that is visible from the Earth’s orbit. However, contrary to popular belief, the reef is not a continuous barrier, but a broken maze of coral reefs and coral cays.

The Great Barrier Reef is composed of roughly 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands that stretch for 2,600 kilometers in the Coral Sea in north-east Australia. It is the home of diverse forms of marine life, there is an estimated 1,500 species of fish living in the reef and more than 300 species of hard, more than 4,000 mollusk species, over 400 species of sponges have been identified and many other marine species.

Due to its vast biodiversity, warm clear waters and its astounding view, the reef is a very popular destination for tourists, most of those are scuba divers, may they be first timers or professionals, who want to experience and see the wonderful life under the sea. Because of this great interest to the reef, many cities along the Queensland coast offer boat trips to the reef on a daily basis while several continental islands have been turned into resorts to be able to take part in the boom of tourism in Australia.

Every year, the number of tourists in Australia doubles and because of this increase in human activity in the Reef, pollutants have also increased and the reef has suffered damage. The increase in pollutants in the Reef has been a considerable concern of the Australian government because it has been Australia’s first World Heritage Area. The protection and preservation of the beauty and the lives depending on the Reef is very important that’s why they have created a committee whose only aim is the protection of the Reef and it is called the Marine Park Authority. Then, in 2003, the Australian and Queensland Governments, in partnership with a wide range of industry and community groups, have developed the Reef Water Quality Protection Reef Plan (the Reef Plan) as a combined effort to protect the Reef.

The reef represents the maturity of the existence as well as the ongoing changes and evolution of life here on earth. The diverse life forms within the Great Barrier Reef show us the beauty of life as well as the importance of having a symbiotic relationship with our environment. The Reef’s existence is important not only to humans but to the immediate species benefiting from this large ecosystem. Protection and preservation is what we should and what we need to do for them to survive and continue to exist and proliferate for many years to come.