Scotland is a well-developed tourist destination, with tourism generally being responsible for sustaining 200,000 jobs mainly in the service sector, with tourist spending averaging at £4bn per year. Tourists from the United Kingdom make up the bulk of visitors to Scotland. In 2002 , for example, UK visitors made 18.5 million visits to Scotland, staying 64.5 million nights and spending £3.7bn. In contrast, overseas residents made 1.58 million visits to Scotland, staying 15 million nights and spending £806m. In terms of overseas visitors, those from the United States made up 24% of visits to Scotland, with the United States being the largest source of overseas visitors, and Germany (9%), France (8%), Canada (7%) and Australia (6%), following behind.
Scotland is generally seen as clean, unspoilt destination with beautiful scenery which has a long and complex history, combined with thousands of historic sites and attractions. These include prehistoric stone circles, standing stones and burial chambers, and various Bronze Age, Iron Age and Stone Age remains. There are also many historic castles, houses, and battlegrounds, ruins and museums. Many people are drawn by the culture of Scotland.
The cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow are increasingly being seen as a cosmopolitan alternative to Scotland’s countryside, with visitors year round, but the main tourist season is generally from April to October inclusive. In addition to these factors, the national tourist agency, VisitScotland, have deployed a strategy of niche marketing, aimed at exploiting, amongst other things, Scotland’s strengths in golf, fishing and food and drink tourism. Another significant, and increasingly popular reason for tourism to Scotland - especially by those from North America - is genealogy, with many visitors coming to Scotland to explore their family and ancestral roots. Hard money training
First populations inhabiting Bogotá were the Muiscas, members of Chibcha linguistic family. Upon conquerors arrival, the group is calculated in half a million indigenous population. They occupied the highland and mild climate flanks between Sumapaz mountain to the southwest and Cocuy snow peak to the northeast, covering an approximate extension of 25.000 k2, which comprising Bogotá high plain, current Boyacá department portion and a small Santander region. Most fertile lands were ancient Pleistocene lake beds and regions irrigated by high Bogotá, Suárez, Chicamocha and some Meta affluent river beds.
In this area the population was organized in two large federations, each commanded by a chief: the southwest area dominated by the Zipa with the center located in Bacatá, currently Bogotá. He was the strongest leader occupying two fifths of the territory. The northeast zone was the Zaque domain and the center was Hunza region, currently Tunja. Muisca population however, contrasting with Tairona population, did not develop large cities. Muisca, eminently farmers formed a disperse population occupying numerous small villages and hut settlements. Besides, some free isolated tribes also existed: Iraca or Sugamuxi, Tundama and Guanentá. Their inhabitants main occupation was agriculture complemented by hunting and fishing. They basically cultivated corn and potatoes, beans, squash, tomatoes, “cubios” yucca, tobacco, “arracacha”, sweet potatoes and diverse fruit and vegetables. In the mining field, salt and emeralds extraction was fundamental for their own use and to trade with other tribes from which they obtained gold and cotton. Hard money training
There is a huge variety of things to do within the small Kingdom of Swaziland. You will have great fun exploring the beauty and rich heritage of Swaziland and its warm people. Relax and enjoy the spectacular Reed Dance which takes place in late August or early September and is a ceremony that attracts young maidens from all over the Kingdom, providing the opportunity to honor the Queen Mother. Most participants are in their teenage years, although some of the girls are younger.
During the first week, they gather reeds; the day of the Umhlanga begins with bathing and grooming before appearing before the King and Queen Mother. The girls wear short beaded skirts with anklets, bracelets and jewellery and colorful sashes. The royal princesses wear red feathers in their hair and lead the maidens to perform before the King and Queen. The King often chooses a new wife from among the participating maidens; watch teams of men and boys perform the energetic Sibhaca Dance which is quite a spectacle and watch the King of Swaziland as he takes part in the Incwala Ceremony. The lncwala, or first fruits ceremony, in which the King plays a dominant role, is the most sacred of Swazi rituals. It is held in December or January on a date chosen by astrologers in conjunction with the phases of the moon. The ritual begins with a journey by the “Bemanti” (people of the water) to the Indian Ocean to collect water and on their return to the royal kraal, the little Ncwala begins, preceding the full moon. Youths then travel to collect the sacred branches of the “lusekwane”shrub, a species of acacia. On the third day a bull is ritually slaughtered, instilling solidarity and a spirit of valor among the young men. The fourth day is the finale of the Ncwala when the King, in full ceremonial dress, joins his warriors in the traditional dance. He then enters a special hut and after further rituals, eats the first fruits of the season. On the appearance of the King to his people, they may also eat these fruits with the blessing of the ancestors. The burning of the King’s bedding and household items follows, thus cleansing everything in readiness for the New Year. Hard money training
The secret of eternal life shouldn’t be something that’s easy to stumble across and by cleverly hiding it out on Suqutra the gods have certainly taken that thought to heart. At 3650 sq km Suqutra is easily the largest Yemeni island, as well as one of the most inaccessible. Lying 510km southeast of the mainland, close to the ravaged shores of Somalia, the island has developed in near total isolation from the rest of the world. Rumoured to have once been a refuge for dragons, it continues to provide a refuge for all manner of extraordinary fauna and flora, much of which is found nowhere else. Because of the number of its endemic plants and creatures, it’s been described as the ‘Galapagos of the Indian Ocean’. While this is a little optimistic, there is no denying that Suqutra is a unique and otherworldly island. It’s the kind of place where people speak a language unknown to anyone else, where the knowledge of how to make fire by rubbing sticks together is still common and where the elderly recall days when money didn’t exist.
Until the construction of an airport in 2002, the island remained almost as unknown as it did in the days when adventurers came here to do battle with dragons in their search for the secret of eternal life. Today the dragons might be gone, but the trees are said to still bleed for their memory, and the secret of eternal life remains hidden away in a cave somewhere on stupendous Suqutra. Hard money training
The Canary Islands have 257 kilometres of beaches. Despite the small area of the seven main islands (7,447 km2), they have very diverse landscapes, including long sandy beaches, spectacular cliffs, deserts, and woods. Pico del Teide is the highest mountain in Spain, with a height of 3,718 m, is located on Tenerife They have four national parks, four biosphere reserves, and more than 140 other protected areas. Visitors in the national parks are not permitted to leave defined paths or to camp in the parks.
Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands. Tourist attractions here include nightlife, walking, and whale-and bird-watching. Loro Parque (meaning “Parrot Park”) on Tenerife has a collection of 3,000 parrots. However, most of these parrots cannot be seen by visitors. There is another facility south of the main park where approximately 330 parrots species are kept and a breeding program takes place. Other attractions in the park include alligators, chimpanzees, jaguars, penguins, porpoises, Killer Whales, sharks, and tigers.
Lanzarote, the most northeasterly of the Canary Islands, has been designated an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It has an arid volcanic landscape and there are about 300 volcanic cones on the island. The island has a low-key approach to tourism and the traditional architecture of island’s interior are taken into consideration. This approach was influenced by the artist César Manrique, who was from Lanzarote. Manrique created works in Lanzarote and the other islands, including Jardin de Cactus, an amphitheatre-shaped garden with ten thousand cacti and stone sculptures. A twenty six foot high cactus sculpted from metal by Manrique is located by the entrance to the garden. Hard money training
Tasmania is the one and only island state of Australia, encapsulating 67,800 square kilometres and housing over 474,000 people. The Bass Strait is to the North, Tasman Sea to the East and the Southern Ocean to the South. The capital is Hobart which is well worth a visit.
There are plenty of National Parks all over Tasmania, offering fabulous scenery, great walking trails and various outdoor activities. Waterfalls are also popular in Tasmania, including the beautiful Russell Falls.
In South Tasmania a visit to the Southwest National Park, the largest National Park in Tasmania is recommended. This National Park is great for walking and appreciating nature with a number of endangered and rare plants and spectacular waterfalls awaiting discovery. Also in the South is Bruny Island which is made of two parts, North Bruny Island and South Bruny Island, connected by an isthmus. A ferry service from Kettering, roughly a 40 minute drive south from Hobart is reasonably priced.
East Tasmania offers pretty beaches, the states capital city, Hobart and plenty more. If you like history, Port Arthur, is an interesting place to visit. The Tasman Peninsula offers unusual rock formations, nice walks and the Tasman National Park.
Further North is Swansea with historical buildings and beautiful scenery and views towards Freycinet Peninsula which can be reached by boat. Further North again is Bicheno, a nice fishing town where diving is popular and fresh fish can be bought at the harbour.
Tasmania’s North Coast offers spectacular landscape and coastal areas. There are some great inland towns and a number of rivers to be explored. The North Coast is home to the popular port Devonport where you will find some great museums and galleries. The beautiful natural surrounds of Mt William National Park are not to be missed nor is the oldest city in Australia Launceston. Hard money training
With a population around 4 million, Caracas is the capital and more populated city in Venezuela. It is located close to the Coast (La Guaira Port), but at an altitude of 800 meters (2400 feet), which gives it an unique climate.
Caracas is located under the Avila, a mountain that reaches 2600 meters (7800 ft.), where the Humboldt Hotel (currently out of service, undergoing arrangements) is located, which you can reach by cable car. Definitely for tourists, it is the best activity around the city, because of the beautiful view and the nice and cool weather. If you like hiking you can also make a three to four hour excursion, and return by cable car (or walking).
Caracas is also a cultural center. The museum of modern art, is one of the most important in south America and you can appreciate high quality works. Every year Caracas hosts an international Theater Festival, where groups from all over the world meet.
Caracas is known for the quality of its restaurants, where you can have meals from all over the world. It also has several shopping centers, modern and luxurious that make shopping and interesting activity. Among the most popular buys for the tourists are gold jewels and shoes (consequence of the Italian immigration in the fifties).
Caracas has several parks. The biggest one is the Avila National Park, where sport fans can climb 400 meters (1200 ft) in half an hour, and be awarded with a beautiful view of the city. To see other parks, click below. Hard money training
Cape Verde is a former Portuguese colony that is now an independent country. Cape Verde is compromised of 10 islands and five islets. Situated on the west coast of Africa and just over an hours flying time south of the canaries, this group of islands has beaches to die for and a burgeoning tourism trade.
In a decade Cape Verde could be a household name for mass tourism. With multi-million pound investment programmes planned for hotels and infrastructure, the property gold rush is still in its infancy.
Presently, about 130,000 tourists visit Cape Verde each year. By the year 2015 it is anticipated that tourist numbers should increase to about 500,000 per year.
The Cape Verde Government are currently offering tax breaks as incentives for investors and because of the political and financial stability of the islands you can even get an international mortgage.
Ottawa is a vivacious and colorful city, bursting with activity and entertainment suitable for all. If you’re interested in sport, the city has a variety of sporting activities you can participate in.
Perhaps culture and history is more appealing to you and if this is so, visit one of the 30 museums, heritage sites, breathe taking architecture, 50 galleries or theatres. The nightlife is fantastic, dining is one of the best, the shopping is high quality and the people are friendly. Festivals are the norm, with the spirit of the people evident every time one is held.
Ottawa is the fourth largest urban area in Canada , with a population of over 1.2 million people. There are several languages spoken amongst the people including English, French as well as Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, Arabic and so forth. The city embraces the differences and offers welcoming arms to different cultures to allow cultural and heritage enrichment.
Turkmenistan is a country of priceless archaeological finds left over by dozens of different tribes and peoples that lived here during many past centuries. Objects found during archaeological excavations show the deep historical roots of the Turkmen culture.
One of the most sensational finds in recent years is a small stone bearing unknown inscriptions, dating back to the 2nd millennium BC. The find was a miniature stone-seal (its sides are barely longer than one centimetre) with engraved inscriptions unlike any writing known to modern experts. The archaeologists also discovered here the ruins of a large palace, which proves that about 2,000 BC, this area was the place of an unknown, well developed, civilisation with its own writing.
The Turkmens have an oral literary tradition that dates from ancient times. The oral epics are sung to this day by revered poets and composers called bakhshi. The father of Turkmen literature is poet and thinker Fragi Makhtumkuli (1770-1840), whose words are held in great reverence. In his writing, Makhtumkuli spurned classical forms for homespun wisdom and simplicity of language that contributed greatly to his popularity with the travelling bards. Such was his influence that Turkmen literature became a compendium of mere copyists. Of those who managed to struggle out of the shadow of the great scribe, the most noted are the 19th century writers Kemine, whose satirical rhymes castigated the ruling circles, and Molapenes, the author of popular lyrical poems.
The Turkmen musical culture is very rich and varied. Rapid and various musical life is reflected in monuments of material culture. In early Middle Ages in the East there was a famous singer, instrumentalist and composer Barbad Mervezy (i.e. from Merv), who was honoured to be at the head of musicians at the court of Husrova Perviza (590-628 years). Turkmens are one of successors of his musical legacy, for they have direct connection with the culture created on the territory they live. Classical musical compositions, called mukams, have been the most common and favourite among Turkmens for centuries.
