MEXICO

Mexico
(formally the United Mexican States) is a country in North America, lying between the United States of America to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast.
Its extensive coastlines include the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west.

Mexico has nice and warm people, unique food, art and archeology, pyramids, museums, Haciendas, 6,000 miles of shoreline, superb architecture and 21 century cities, weather from snow mountains in the Sierras, to rainy jungles in the Southeast and desert in the Northwest, lots of golf courses throughout the country, excellent fishing, world top destinations like Acapulco, Cancun, Cozumel, Los Cabos, and Patzcuaro. Mexico is ranked 7th major destination for foreigner visitors, according to WTO.



Easter is widely observed nationwide, according to the yearly Catholic calendar (the first Sunday after the first full moon in Spring). Actual non working days may shift to the Monday before the holiday, so check an up to date calendar.

* Mexico City - Capital of the Republic, one of the three largest cities in the world, and a sophisticated urban hub with a 700-year history. In Mexico City, you will find everything from parks, Aztec ruins, colonial architecture, museums, to nightlife and shopping.

* Acapulco - A sophisticated urban beach setting known for its top-notch nightlife, elegant dining, and nightmarish traffic. Many of the older (pre-1990s) concrete structures have suffered tropical decay.

* Cancun - One of the worlds most popular and famous beaches, known for its clear Caribbean waters, its lively party atmosphere, and its wealth of recreational facilities. During Spring Break it is noted for drinking, sunburning, and debauchery.

* Guadalajara - A traditional city, capital of Jalisco state, and the home of mariachi music and tequila. Guadalajara is blessed with perpetual spring weather and its colonial downtown is graceful and sophisticated.

* Mazatlan - Lively Pacific coast town, Mazatlan is a shipping port, a transportation hub with ferries to Baja California, and a beach resort destination with miles of sandy shore. It is a popular Spring Break destination due to its variety of affordable lodging options.

* Monterrey - A large modern city that is the commercial and industrial hub of Northern Mexico. Monterrey enjoys a dry, mountainous setting and is known for its high-quality educational and transportation infrastructure.

* San Luis Potosi - Located in central Mexico, a colonial city that was once an important silver producer, but today, relies on manufacturing for its economic base.

* Taxco - In central Mexico west of Cuernavaca, this nice steep mountain town was once a major silver producer, and now has a strong place in the trade of decorative silver, from cheap fittings to the most elegant jewelry and elaborate castings.

* Tijuana - Mexico's busiest border crossing for pedestrians and private vehicles, and a long-time bargain Mecca for southern Californians due to its proximity with San Diego.

Copper Canyon (Barrancas del Cobre) - An exotic destination for travellers looking for a unique remote adventure! An awesome mountain rail ride --- one of the greatest in the world --- takes you upwards over 8000 feet on the CHEPE, the Chihuahua al Pacifico Railway. Hiking, horseback riding, birding, & Tarahumara Indians. Copper Canyon, the Sierra Madre and the Chihuahuan desert of Mexico. This area is designed for adventurous individuals who will tolerate some rough travel to get to their point(s) of interest. Copper Canyon, a magnificent remote wilderness is not likely ever to become a mass market destination.

* Sea of Cortez - See whale birthings, swim with dolphins, and sea kayak in the warm waters of the Sea of Cortez, along the eastern coast of Baja California, near La Paz. And the sunsets at Puerto Penasco are not to be missed.

* Monarch Butterfly Breeding Sites - Protected natural areas in the highlands of the state of Michoacan. Millions of butterflys come to the area between November and March of each year, although numbers have declined sharply recently. See them before they're all gone.

* Sumidero Canyon - From docks on the Rio Grivalva (the only major river within Mexico) near Tuxtla Guiterrez in Chiapas state, tour launches take you into this steep-walled National Park. You'll likely see vast flocks of flamingos, pelicans, and other waterfowl, as well as crocodiles, impossible caves, and tourists urinating from sheer clifftops a kilometer above you.

* Chichen Itza - Majestic Mayan city, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 and recently voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

* Ek Balam - Recently reconstructed Mayan site, famous for its unique decorated stucco and stone carved temples.

* El Tajin - In the state of Veracruz near the town of Papantla. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

* Monte Alban - In the state of Oaxaca, a Zapotec site dating from about 500 B.C. A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

* Palenque - Mayan city in the state of Chiapas, Palenque famous for its elaborate paintings. Also well known for having the largest tract of rainforest in Mexico located in the same area.

* Teotihuacan - In the state of Mexico, near Mexico City. Enormous site with several large pyramids.

* Tulum - Mayan coastal city with spectacular Caribbean vistas. Dates from late Mayan period.

* Uxmal - Impressive Mayan city-state in the Puc Region, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.

* Surfing - Baja California, Vallarta, Oaxaca
* Sea Kayaking - Baja California
* Snorkeling - Baja California, Cancun, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, etc.
* Scuba diving - Baja California, Cancun, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas etc.
* Whale Watching - Baja California
* White Water Rafting - Veracruz
* Visit a Volcano - Mexico, Toluca etc.
* Take a ride on the Copper Canyon Railway
* Enjoy the beautiful coast line and beaches of Oaxaca: Mazunte, Puerto Escondido, etc.
* Go for a horseback ride in the Barrancas de Chihuahua
* Visit the archaeological sites - Chichen Itza, Tulum, Coba, Monte Alban, Calakmul, Palenque, etc.; also cave paintings in Baja California
* Volunteering - Chiapas or in Xalapa, Veracruz with Travel to Teach.
* Visit ecological parks - Mayan Riviera

Shanghai

Pudong Skyline

Shanghai (Chinese: 上海) is the largest city in China, and one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world, with over 20 million people.Located on China's central eastern coast at the mouth of the Yangtze River, the city is administered as a municipality of the People's Republic of China with province-level status.

Originally a fishing and textiles town, Shanghai grew to importance in the 19th century due to its favourable port location and as one of the cities opened to foreign trade by the 1842 Treaty of Nanking. The city flourished as a center of commerce between east and west, and became a multinational hub of finance and business by the 1930s.However, Shanghai's prosperity was interrupted after the 1949 Communist takeover and the subsequent cessation of foreign investment. Economic reforms in 1990 resulted in intense development and financing in Shanghai, and in 2005 Shanghai became the world's largest cargo port.

The city is a tourist destination renowned for its historical landmarks such as the Bund and City God Temple, its modern and ever-expanding Pudong skyline including the Oriental Pearl Tower, and its new reputation as a cosmopolitan center of culture and design. Today, Shanghai is the largest center of commerce and finance in mainland China, and has been described as the "showpiece" of the world's fastest-growing major economy.
Shanghai Tour




Shanghai has a rich collection of buildings and structures of various architectural styles. The Bund, located by the bank of the Huangpu River, contains a rich collection of early 20th century architecture, ranging in style from neoclassical HSBC Building to the art deco Sassoon House. A number of areas in the former foreign concessions are also well preserved, most notably the French Concession. Despite rampant redevelopment, the old city still retains some buildings of a traditional style, such as the Yuyuan Garden, an elaborate traditional garden in the Jiangnan style.

Contemporary architecture include the Shanghai Museum, Shanghai Grand Theatre in the People's Square precinct and Shanghai Oriental Arts Center.
Renovated shikumen lanes in Xintiandi, now a high-end restaurant and shopping center.
Shanghai Tour
One uniquely Shanghainese cultural element is the shikumen (石库门) residences, which are two or three-story townhouses, with the front yard protected by a high brick wall. The name "shikumen" literally means "stone storage door", referring to the strong gateway to each house.

The Shanghai International Exhibition Center, an example of Soviet neoclassical architecture in Shanghai. Beijing, the nation's capital, displays an even greater array of this particular type of architecture.

The Pudong district of Shanghai displays a wide range of supertall skyscrapers. The most prominent examples include the Jin Mao Tower and the taller Shanghai World Financial Center, which at 492 metres tall is the tallest skyscraper in mainland China and ranks second in the world. The distinctive Oriental Pearl Tower, at 468 metres, is located nearby toward downtown Shanghai. Its lower sphere is now available for living quarters, at very high prices. Another tall highrise in the Pudong area of Shanghai is the newly finished Development Tower. It stands at 269 meters.

Also in Pudong, a third supertall skyscraper topping the other Shanghai buildings called the Shanghai Tower is under construction. With a height of 632 metres (2074 feet), the building will have 127 floors upon planned completion in 2014.



The first motor car was driven and the first train tracks and modern sewers were laid in Shanghai. It was also the intellectual battleground between socialist writers who concentrated on critical realism.

The talent and passion of Shanghainese filmmakers following World War II and the Communist revolution in China contributed enormously to the development of the Hong Kong film industry. Many aspects of Shanghainese popular culture ("Shanghainese Pops") were transferred to Hong Kong by the numerous Shanghainese emigrants and refugees after the Communist Revolution.
Although often viewed as a modern metropolis, Shanghai still contains some picturesque rural suburban areas.

Shanghai boasts several museums of regional and national importance. The Shanghai Museum of art and history has one of the best collections of Chinese historical artifacts in the world, including important archaeological finds since 1949. The Shanghai Art Museum, located near People's Square, is a major art museum holding both permanent and temporary exhibitions. The Shanghai Natural History Museum is a large scale natural history museum. In addition, there is a variety of smaller, specialist museums, some housed in important historical sites such as the site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea and the site of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

Shanghai's parks offer some reprieve from the urban jungle. Due to the scarcity of play space for children, nearly all parks have a children's section. Zhongshan Gongyuan in Downtown Shanghai is famous for its monument of Chopin, the tallest statue dedicated to the composer in the world. Built in 1914 as Jessfield Park, it once contained the campus of St. John's University, Shanghai's first international college; today, it is known for its extensive rose and peony gardens, a large children's play area, and as the location of an important transfer station on the city's metro system. One of the newest is in the Xujiahui District, Xujiahui Gongyuan, built in 1999 on the former grounds of the Great Chinese Rubber Works Factory and the EMI Recording Studio (today's glamorous La Villa Rouge restaurant), with entrances at Zhaojiabang Lu and in the west at the intersection of Hengshang Lu and Yuqin Lu. The park has a man-made lake with a sky bridge running across the park, and offers a pleasant respite for Xujiahui shoppers.

Other Shanghainese cultural artifacts include the cheongsam (Shanghainese: zansae), a modernization of the traditional Chinese/Manchurian qipao (Chinese: 旗袍; fitting. This contrasts sharply with the traditional qipao which was designed to conceal the figure and be worn regardless of age. The cheongsam went along well with the western overcoat and the scarf, and portrayed a unique East Asian modernity, epitomizing the Shanghainese population in general. The fashion industry has been rapidly revitalizing in the past decade, there is on average one fashion show per day in Shanghai today. Like Shanghai's architecture, local fashion designers strive to create a fusion of western and traditional designs, often with innovative if uncontroversial results.
Shanghai Tour
Shanghai has hosted a number of world events, including the 2007 Summer Special Olympics and a Live Earth concert. The Shanghai International Film Festival is annually held in the city. The city will be the host of the Expo 2010 World's Fair between May and October 2010. Shanghai is also home to a number of professional sports teams, including Shanghai Shenhua of the Chinese Super League, the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association, and the Shanghai Golden Eagles of the China Baseball League. The city has also hosted the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit every year since 2004.
Shanghai Tour

Turkey

Tourism in Turkey is focused largely on a variety of archaeological and historical sites, and on seaside resorts along its Aegean and Mediterranean coasts.



Istanbul is one of the most important tourism spots not only in Turkey but also in the world. Turkey's largest city, Istanbul, has a number of major attractions derived from its huge historical status as capital of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.



These include the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (the "Blue Mosque"), the Hagia Sophia, the Topkapı Palace, the Basilica Cistern, the Dolmabahçe Palace, the Galata Tower, the Grand Bazaar, the Spice Bazaar, and the Pera Palas.
HAGIA SOPHIA


TOP KAPI


Dolmabahçe Palace


Galata Tower


GRAND BAZAAR




The biggest shopping centers of European region by hosting malls and shopping centers like Metrocity, Akmerkez and Cevahir Mall (which is the biggest mall in Europe and seventh largest shopping center in the world).
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Other attractions include sporting events, museums, and cultural events.

Istanbul is also the fourth holiest site for followers of Islam and is the destination of many pilgrimages.

Beach vacations and Blue Cruise, particularly for Turkish city-dwellers and visitors from Western Europe, are also central to the Turkish tourism industry. Most beach resorts are located along the southwestern and southern Aegean coast, especially along the Mediterranean coast near Antalya. Antalya is also accepted as the tourism capital of Turkey. Major resort towns include Bodrum, Fethiye, Marmaris, Kuşadası, Cesme, Didim and Alanya.

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Major cultural and historical attractions elsewhere in the country include the sites of Ephesus, Troy, Pergamon, House of Virgin Mary, Pamukkale, Hierapolis, Trabzon] (where one of the oldest monastery Sümela Monastery), Konya (where the poet Rumi had spent most of his life), Didyma, Church of Antioch, religious places in Mardin (such as Deyrülzafarân Monastery), and the ruined cities and landscapes of Cappadocia.

Diyarbakır is also an important historic city, although tourism is on a relatively small level due to waning armed conflicts.



Ankara has an historic old town, and although is not exactly a touristic city, is usual as a stop for travelers who go to Cappadocia. The city enjoys an excellent cultural life too, having a lot of museums and cultural events. The Anıtkabir is also in Ankara. It is the mausoleum of Atatürk (meaning ancestor of the Turks), the founder of the Republic of Turkey.



source text : wikipedia

JEJU ISLAND

Jeju Island (제주도,濟州島) , formerly Cheju Island, is an island off the southern coast of South Korea.











Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is the premier tourist destination in Korea. Scenic beaches, waterfalls, cliffs and caves lie in harmony, and the mild weather makes Jeju island an even more ideal tourist destination. Mt. Hallasan in Jeju island has flora and fauna of both temperate and tropical varieties, coexisting on the mountain.



Jeju-do lies in the Korea Strait, southwest of Jeollanam-do Province, of which it was a part before it became a separate province in 1946. Its capital is the city of Jeju.



Jeju has its own English language magazine created by foreign residents on the island – Jeju Life.





Jeju Island, also known as the "Island of the Gods," is a popular vacation spot for Koreans and many Japanese. It remains one of the top honeymoon destinations for Korean newlyweds. The island's mixture of volcanic rock, frequent rains, and temperate climate, make it very similar to the Hawaiian Islands in the U.S. The island offers visitors a wide range of activities: hiking on Halla-san (South Korea's highest peak), catching sunrises and sunsets over the ocean, viewing majestic waterfalls, riding horses, or just lying around on the sandy beaches.









Similar to Gyeongju and some other areas, local residents can enter most places for free or for a steeply discounted price.

Typical coastal climate with minimum temperatures above 0 C even in winter due to warm currents. The island is on the border of moderate and subtropical zones, South coast - subtropics. Mild climate, 4 seasons:

* Hot summer: usual air temperature is 26 C, highest 33 C, highest water temperature of upper layers is 28 C.

* Warm and dry autumn: the air is becoming cooler and water temperature remains as in summer (24 C) until October.

* Short and mild winter with snowfalls in the northern part of the island and in highland, while in the southern part farmers harvest tangerines.

* Warm spring when everything blooms.

Beach season - from May to October, active tourism - year round.









As the tourist trade in Jeju Island has grown larger in recent years, it is increasingly common to find some taxi drivers who speak English, Japanese and even Chinese, especially in Jeju City itself

However, you shouldn't rely on this as a means of getting around, and it would be wise to learn some basic Korean phrases for travel purposes.

Buses and Taxis are the main method of public transportation. Some locals prefer bicycles to cars especially in areas outside of the Jeju-shi metropolitan area.



















TICKET TO JEJU ISLAND

FANTASTIC JEJU ISLAND


Must see :

Jeongwol Daeboreum Fire Festival



Museum :

Folklore and Natural History Museum

Jeju Education Museum

Jeju Independence Museum

Haenyeo Museum,

Jeju Teddy Bear Museum

Green tea museum

Museum of African Art



Must visit :

Hallim Park

Manjanggul lava-tube cave

Sunrise Peak (Seongsan Ilchulbong)

Botanic Garden "Yeomiji"

Seongeup Folklore Village (Seongeup Folk Village)

Jeju Folk Village Museum

Iho Beach

Cheonjiyeon Waterfall

Gimnyeong Maze

Seopjikoji

Jusangjeolli

Mini World and Miniature Theme Park

Submarine tour

Sculpture park

"All In House" This is the house the famous Korean drama series "All In" was filmed. It is like a museum that provide everything about the drama.

Shop at Jeju Folk Arts Complex