Plescheevo lake, Russia

This is a huge expanse of water 120 kilometers from Moscow in the ancient Russian town of Pereslavl-Zaleski. A place chosen by the windsurfers long ago. Now on windy days the whole surface of the reservoir is dotted with wooden boards. The Beach has everything you need for the followers of windsurfing: schools, rentals, cheap hotels, camping and parking.

Tips for Newcomers: do not try to immediately buy equipments. First, work out a week or two and then decide whether to continue: with any school must have a solid rental. If the answer is positive and the desire has not disappeared think about buying them out.

Istra Reservoir, Russia

To try to ride on a board, one does not necessarily have to go to distant lands. Windsurfing can de done even in the suburbs of Moscow. It’s convenient: if you do not like it – it would be easy to stop the lessons and to go home. Istra Reservoir is located so that even with the strong wave it’s always possible to find a place for training.

Tips for Newcomers: choosing a club, find out how many sessions are designed for beginners course, what programs are learned, how many people will be in the group, whether the cost of training includes equipment rental. Usually the cost of individual training is about 15-20 euros per hour, the group – about 7-10 euros per hour without equipment rental.

Lake Garda, Italy

This huge reservoir is situated in the north of Italy. Sometimes it’s called the analogue of Pleescheeva lake. The special combination of surrounding mountains and plains creates a real wind tunnel with a constant wind. The water is not hot, so the wetsuit is needed. If you are tired of training, you can rest, inspecting nearby Verona and Venice.

Tips for Newcomers: wetsuit – this is probably the first thing that is worth spending the money on for the beginner windsurfers. Even in warm countries, you will always be in the wind and quickly freeze to death! In addition, the suit protects your body not only from cold, but also on uneven planks of which are easy to scratch your body. Even if you decide to give up windsurfing, the costume is handy for snorkeling or just swimming in cool seas. A decent “dress” will cost around 100-200 dollars. Good idea to have it also in hydroparks. They will help you stay on board and save the legs, if the bottom will be sand which is not that soft and sharp edges.

Cyclades Islands, Greece

Centre for the Greek windsurfing – the islands in the Aegean Sea. Special wind rise provides a constant steady wind from the north. It is particularly strong in Paros and Naxos in the summer, when there are various international competitions in windsurfing are being held. Good conditions for surfing are also in the spring and autumn.

Tips for Newcomers: before you make your own board, decide the style of riding, since a simple slip on the surface need long free-rider board, for a super-speed – slalom, if you want to master the jumps – very easy free-sliders, and to overcome the waves – little wavings. Do not forget that not all airlines allow sporting equipments free of charge. If you go on a journey with your gear, find out about a specific airline.

Alaçatı, Turkey

On the west coast of the Turkish peninsula of Cesme is a great resort for windsurfers – Alaçatı. This place is ideal for beginners: shallow water extends hundreds of meters from the shore. The best time for surfing in the region of Anatolia – from June to August: summer north wind creates conditions for high-speed surfing on calm water, a little earlier or after the “high” season is good weather and accommodation prices with much lower prices. In winter, southern winds cause high waves, which will enjoy only experienced extreme lovers.

Tips for Newcomers: carefully choose a place for the first experiments with the board. For learning from scratch you need a constant wind and a huge shoal with a depth of no more than five feet with a good sandy bottom without protruding from the water huge stone blocks.

Hurghada, Egypt

The popular resort suits everyone – fans of the passive recreation on the beach lounge chair, and active individuals and enthusiasts of diving, snorkeling or windsurfing. Last draws a steady breeze and low prices for accommodation and rental equipment. Another well-known “surfboards” place in this country – Dahab. The best time for surfing here – fall and spring.

Tips for Newcomers: Hurghada – universal resort – this is an exception. Having decided to go on the coast for windsurfing, do not expect that in their spare time you will be to able to have a normal “beach” lifestyle. This sport needs wind, and then simply sunbathe and swim in the majority surfing spots will be uncomfortable.

Tarifa

Andalusian Costa de la Luz attracts windsurfers from all over Europe all year round. Strong wind, covered with beautiful soft sand beaches – a real dream of every enthusiastic sportsman. The most popular place – the town Tarifa is at the extreme southern tip of Spain and the entire continent. Here, in the Strait of Gibraltar, between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean, windsurfing is possible all year round.

Tips for Newcomers: this resort is best to go to those who already are well able to deal with a sail, because the rocky beach is not suitable for first lessons, at a depth of a strong wind you can easily carry away your board out to sea and return to shore with no experience will be very difficult. Thus this particular place is much better for more advanced surfers.

10. No walking in a swimsuit! Grenada

It looks like half-naked beauties are pretty annoying for the local residents of this country. Otherwise, why it was taking such a harsh law? Lying on the beach in a bathing suit is not precluded. However, if you decide to walk in it down the street, then theoretically it could cost you $ 270. However, the local Tourist Board argues that the severity of the “law on bathing suits” is eased by not having its execution. In fact, no one has been fined for a defile in bikinis while walking on the street.

9. Driving with headlights off. Denmark, Czech Republic

It does not matter whether the rain falls, it’s snowing or the sun shines brightly in the sky – the lights of your car should be turned on all the time. This is, perhaps, a bit strange, but you better never joke with the traffic rules. Moreover, such a requirement is not entirely unreasonable. Studies have shown that other drivers are more aware of maneuvering around cars, if they have the lights on, and it helps to reduce the number of accidents.

8. Stopping the car and walking on the highway. Germany

Turning off your engine and walking along the highways of Germany on foot is strictly prohibited. Even if you are running short on the gasoline and the car died out, you will not only have to worry about buying some fuel, but also to pay about 100 Euros of fine. Approximately the same amount of money might be laid out, if you will decide to walk with a canister to the nearest gas station on the highway on foot. Although such actions on the German roads are rare and there are also no restrictions on speed, you better be careful as the rule breaking might cause your life.

7. Do not feed the pigeons! Italy

You can admire Venice, riding on it on the gondolas, going to the best museums, but you should never feed the pigeons! It’s not a joke, but rather a rule. These birds which used to be harmless in Italy are a big disaster now. Urban municipalities are annually spending huge sums trying to clean up litter from pigeons which is being collected around the homes and monuments. Those who feel sorry for the birds, might need to carry in their pockets not only bread crumbs, but also 50-60 Euros. But sometimes the penalties for this offense can reach up to 600 Euros.

6. Small coins are outside the law. Canada

“Money – it is always money” – you think so? Once in Canada, you might change your mind. In this country it is not always possible to pay with small change. Special  law enacted in 1985, explains how you can use a penny: in general there should be no more  than “reasonable amount” of them, and the seller may refuse a buyer who comes into the store with a couple of kilos of coins. And what is just exact amount to call it reasonable for legislators is forgotten to be registered.

5. Society of clean vehicles. Russia

Approaching the Russian capital, do not forget to wash the car! Given that the roads in Moscow are not only composed of asphalt, but often from deep muddy puddles, you will have to do regularly. And although the penalty you may receive only for the dirty, unreadable numbers, but if you fall under the regular campaign “Month of clean cars”, you might get into a boring educational conversation with the representatives of the road inspection even for the small amount of dust on the car.

4. No public eating during Ramadan. UAE

If you are traveling to the UAE during Ramadan, a simple lunch in a restaurant will cost you much more than in any other days of the year. At this time you might be prohibited from eating on the streets. For eating in a public place, you can even go to prison, like the two British tourists who had to give up freedom for three weeks. Other poor guy had to pay 275 dollars just for having to allow himself for drinking some juice during the day.

3. No kissing at the train stations! France, United Kingdom

In the most romantic country in the world- France- you are forbidden to kiss at the railway stations! The end of romantic farewell and meetings came in 1910 when it was adopted such an unusual law. It fell on the soul and the British quickly adopted the French experience. These rules apply so far, although the times and circumstances have changed. Indeed, originally it was intended to prevent delays of trains! As punishment for this offense is not provided, the maximum that could threaten the lovers – they might simply be asked to move from the apron to the parking lot.

2. The ban on topless behind the wheel. Thailand

No matter how tempting the idea is to take off the top, when there is a tropical heat, and you are driving a car or motorcycle, this is not worth it. This seems to be rather non-logical law, even though it feels like the country is trying to make everything to look serious in their country. Being topless is forbidden, and if you break it you will be punished by a fine of $ 10. Although, perhaps it is not so big of price to pay for a little refreshment?

1. Attention! Bubble Gum! Singapore

If you are planning a trip to +Singapore and you do not want problems, do not forget to put away the gum from the pockets. Furthermore, in this country it is strictly forbidden to spit on the streets and feed the birds. All prohibitions are associated exclusively with aesthetics: it’s not pleasant to walk on the spit-covered sidewalks, covered with chewing gum and bird droppings. You can chew a particular nicotine gum, and even then, only if permitted by the doctor.

St. Patrick’s Day – a holiday which is celebrated by all true Irishmen, and all those who feel themselves Irish inside the heart. Worldwide holds festive parades, people are getting dressed and painted in bright green color, all listen to Irish music and sing funny songs. And of course, treat the Irish national dishes and drinks.

The symbol of the holiday and a national symbol of Ireland – shamrock clover, with the help of which, according to legend, Saint Patrick demonstrated the idea of the Holy Trinity. St. Patrick himself, who lived 4-5 centuries, is considered the patron saint of Ireland, and the date March 17 – the day of his death. History tells us that he baptized people and cast out paganism, and the Irish believe that thanks to him there are no snakes on their island.

However, from pagan times other heroes came into the holiday. Thus, some of his heroes are the indispensable leprechauns – fairy shoemakers who possess a hidden pot of gold. If fortunate treasure hunters can catch a leprechaun, this creature must tell the person where his hidden treasure is. However, if you suddenly catch a cobbler, remember that you must not trust him – these fellows insidious and mischievous and can easily fool the unsuspecting treasure hunters.

They say that leprechauns went to the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day recently – companies that sell cards on this holiday, needed a likeable character who could appear in the figures. A severe, though good, the preacher of St. Patrick is not quite suited for this role. In figures leprechauns are usually dressed in a peaked hat and leather apron.

Happiness in St. Patrick’s Day you can find also in some other ways – you just need to find the four-leafed Shamrock. This leaf clover brings good luck always, but in St. Patrick’s Day the happiness is being doubled. It is unclear just what do the people of northern countries, where the holiday falls on a cold early spring, when the clover is in the meadows, and there is no trace.

Indispensable companions in the St. Patrick’s Day – Irish beer and whiskey. There’s even a joke regarding Irish whiskey: “Why did God created whiskey? So that the Irish would never be able to rule the world.” Whiskey is not only drink, but also the basis for various sauces and dishes. The famous Irish beer is just being poured into the holiday river; some of them even paint it green with food coloring. However, the true Irish insist that St. Patrick’s Day they drink alcohol no more than any other day. Indeed, it can’t be more! And then they help themselves with food such as corned beef with steamed vegetables, mashed potatoes with parsley and green onions – and generally any food of green color.

If you have never celebrated St. Patrick’s Day, then you have the opportunity to join a truly global community that supports this glorious tradition. For the Irish around the world is a “magical day when winter dreams begin to turn into the wonders of summer.”

But of course the most magnificent celebration of St. Patrick’s Day is held in Dublin – the capital of the Republic of Ireland. On this day, according to tradition throughout the city they arrange lavish parades, involving people dressed in costumes (red wigs and green caps) and also brass bands, each of which will certainly have some bagpipes. Noisy celebrations continued throughout the day, and ends late in the evening a grand display of fireworks.

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day already has outgrown the boundaries of “Emerald Isle”, and now it is celebrated in all the major cities of the world. On this day people wear green clothes, “dress up” the building green, and in Chicago, they painted in green, even the urban river. After green – the color of spring, the shamrock and the national color of Ireland, no wonder this Irish Whiskey “Jameson” is bottled in green glass bottles.

Actually St. Patrick’s Day celebration lasts longer in Dublin. Here they begin a six-day festival dedicated to St. Patrick’s Day – the holiday of spring, beer and fun festivities.

Researchers from Queen’s University Belfast prepared a study of how St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated around the world, including such seemingly unrelated to Irish tradition, such as Japan and Russia. “St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated by many people outside of Ireland. On this day, they start to behave” Irish “: wear green wigs, drinking green beer and listen to Irish music,” – said the representative of the Institute for the Study of Ireland University Belfast Dominic Bryan.

In most Irish parades of the St. Patrick’s Day are being held in more than 30 cities, including major parades taking place in Cork, Galway, Limerick and, of course, in Dublin, with its grandiose celebrations.

It’s funny that in Ireland this holiday for a long time was exclusively religious, and until the seventies of last century, Irish law required all pubs to be closed on March 17!

Now the main streets of Dublin hold festive processions in pubs playing live music. Residents of the city wearing red wigs and green caps, which are sold in stores, take with pots with Shamrock (one of the symbols of Ireland – four-leaf clovers) and national flags. On the evening of fireworks are being made in the central squares. Celebration is always held in the unrestrained joy.

Parade in honor of St. Patrick are stretched and scattered like the Irish themselves, who are scattered all over the world.

Except the fact that the Irish holiday is giving a lot of joy to the Irish people of Ireland, the country also benefits from it. Every year the festival attracts millions of tourists to Ireland, bringing an additional 60 million Euros to the national treasury. Anyways this is actually the thing that happens in most of the countries which are annually hosting this kind of festivals.

5. Moscow, Russia

This is the historic heart of the country, the city of architecture and art… this is just a fragment of what the guides usually provide about Russia’s capital. Over the past couple of decades the city was decorated with modern skyscrapers, luxury hotels belonging to the world’s leading hotel chains. In short, everything as in any other European capital. But one of the main exceptions is the fact that this city is not friendly to tourists. While in every single corner you can buy luxury items, the purchase of even simple things as batteries, for a foreigner can become a problem. Arrived in Moscow travelers will be seen as wealthy businessmen who has a passion to spend evenings in expensive restaurants. The other con is that at the outlet from any metro station you’ll be followed with dirty ragged beggars with outstretched hands. The corrupt police can stop you solely somewhere and tell you that he /she doesn’t like your appearance.

For tourists:
If in any western country in the bar a luxurious blond dressed in the latest fashion will accompany  you this will be a reason to get happy. But in Moscow, this kind of girl is likely to be high-class prostitute or a girl seeking to get an escort to a wealthy businessman, so be careful.

4. Havana, Cuba

Classical colonial architecture, mojito cocktails and bars, where dancing samba lasts for days and nights – it’s not all of the info that a tourist should know about this country. Cuba remains a socialist state, and therefore you need to be prepared for some local characteristics. First thing you’ll get surprised is , of course, the number of the police which is almost everywhere. But it is precisely due to the fact that for Havana to remain a relatively safe place. Surprisingly, but in Cuba you can hardly not meet American tourists, which are not welcome on this land. Despite the fact that, formally, travel to that country was allowed back in the 1990’s, state governments  usually do not approve this kind of travelling.

For tourists:
Beware of over-active local residents, offering help to show a cafe, a tour of the city – the prices of their services would be unreasonably high . It is better to go to the restaurants and tour agencies that you recommend the hotel to stay in.

3. Cape Town, South Africa

On the foot of the majestic Table Mountain is the capital of South Africa. It has the most fashionable restaurants, the most modern hotels on white sandy shores of Africa. Gradually, Cape Town turns into a kind of Miami on the African continent. But tourists should not forget that in such an attractive facade still lurks Africa – one of the most violent places on earth. Discovering Cape Town is better accompanied by a guide: alone traveler will arouse the suspicion of local residents and unhealthy interest in his person. When going for a walk around the city you better leave large sums of money, documents, tickets and jewelry in the hotel. This culture shock in here can be experienced from the constant feeling of some discomfort – a tourist can become a victim of violence absolutely at any time.

For tourist:
In the west, the one who can give the robbers a resistance is considered to be a hero. In Cape Town, this person is likely to be killed. Give the criminals what they wish, and thank god that you survived.

2. Bangkok, Thailand

Huge humid capital of Thailand will surely turn not only into a transit point on your way to Phuket. If you are able to survive the very hot weather and a huge number of people, you must definitely stay in Bangkok at least for a couple of days and visit the Royal Palace located near the city of the floating market. Bright memorable cultural attractions will not be the one to react on the imagination of Western travelers, but no less shocking to a thriving industry in these places of love. While the sex in this country  is allowed to engage  15 years old people, prostitutes must be at least 18, this is something impressive. Many Europeans are unaware of this and find themselves behind bars. Bangkok – it is a real minefield: on  one hand, in the towns it is imaginary permissiveness, on the other – for  many violations of  laws, you might be judged  for very severe penalties. In nightclubs, the police carries out regular raids and doing tests for doping control. Although buying drugs is not difficult if you find them, you need to immediately call the best lawyers and prepare for long years in a Bangkok cockroach-infested prison.

For tourist:
If some Thai guy comes to you offered to withdraw the club with cheap beer and ping-pong show in English, you better  give up. For a drink, in fact, you almost never have to pay, but the questionable spectacle is not only shocking, but it will completely empty your wallet.

1. Marrakech, Morocco

The mysterious Marrakech full of secrets is divided into two separate parts- old and historic districts. The first culture shock you’ll feel immediately when going  out on its streets – because you will find yourself in a décor of a fairy tale “The Thousand and One Nights”. Crossing the central square, you’ll see snake charmers, fortune tellers, predators and their tamers, acrobats and dancers, speakers at the dusty terracotta floor. You’ll get surrounded with various booths offering all kinds of herbs and spices, the smell of which will merge into the air filling it with rich spicy oriental fragrance. In the West we are accustomed to trust the price tags, in this city, they mean nothing. Haggle!

For tourist:
If you get lost in the West, the passers-by will simply indicate your way. If you get lost in Marrakesh, you will not just  be told where to go, but they will also invite you to have dinner with them. Beware! Your volunteers might expect to get a lot of money for such a service.

1.Russia

Tea is considered to be a national drink for Russian, and most of time it is as irreplaceable as such ingredients like bread or meat. It is taken at all hours of the day and night; tea is one of the drinks that believed in this country to help you while doing some mental work. Tea is drunk out of glasses in Russia. In the homes of the wealthy these glasses are held in silver holders as for the rest of the population the holders might be made of other varieties of non-expensive metals. These holders are decorated, of course, with the Russian hand-made arts. The typical Russian tea ceremony can’t be described without mentioning the Russian samovar, from the Russian “to boil itself”, its  metal body  is equipped with a cylinder two or three inches in diameter passing through it from top to bottom. The cylinder is filled with live coals, and keeps the water boiling hot. The Russian tea-pots are porcelain or wooden. Hot water to heat the pot is first put in and then poured out; dry tea is then put in, boiling water poured over it; after which the pot is placed on top of the samovar.

2.China

Tea-drinking ceremony is a nation-wide custom for the Chinese. It is a daily necessity for the Chinese to have three meals and at least a cup of tea a day. When a foreigner guest comes, it is a ritual to present a cup of tea to him/her. There are numerous tea-houses in every town and city, but the serving of tea varies here from the home-made ceremony. Tea-drinking in China is an art, something that needs a lot of time for learning. In some places the way of making tea is very complicated and has a local nature. And just as in Russia the tea utensils-the teacup, tea saucer, teapot, and tea tray-are works of art. Diansin (pastry), which goes with tea, both tasty and appealing, is loved not only by the Chinese but also by the people all over the world as a cool delicacy. There are hundreds of famous teas in China and there are a great many famous springs and streams to provide water to make tea as it is believed that those springs have mineral and curing features. And the tea fields or Tea Mountains are also marvelous sights to add beauty to the scenery.

3.England

As all of us are familiar with English stories, then most likely you know that there is not such a story where at least the word combination of “tea-drinking” is not mentioned once. Afternoon Tea is a social event governed by etiquette and accompanied by light sandwiches and cakes. This ceremony was nation-wide spread due to the queen’s official claim of doing so. Tea is poured in the cup first, then milk. Historically, this allowed the hostess to show off the best quality of her bone china (quality china didn’t crack with heat) and allows the milk to be added to suit the drinker’s taste. This early meal was adopted by the masses as ‘tea’ and now the word simply means the evening meal in many parts of Britain. Offering tea is considered polite and people have come to expect the offer as well. Event when a plumber is visiting your house to do his job he is also offered a cup of tea by the homeowner. Humans are comforted by ritual, but it is not just the ritual but the ingredients in tea that helps us to feel calmer and more prepared to return to the action-whether it’s back to the desk, building work, more errands or the grim task of dealing with bad news.Tea contains caffeine, which helps wake us up a bit if we’re slowing down, but it also contains an amino acid called theanine which works with the caffeine to allow us to be alert without the stress.

4.Japan

If the gathering is held at a tea house having a waiting bench the guests will wait at the bench until summoned by the host. They ritually clean themselves by washing their hands and rinsing their mouths with water from a small stone basin, and proceed along the roji to the tea house. Guests remove their footwear and enter the tea house through a small door, and are then seated seiza-style on the tatami in order of the prestige of the guests. The host may build the charcoal fire in the presence of the guests, to heat the water for making the tea. During that time guests may be served a light, simple meal called a “tenshin”, or a full-course meal called “kaiseki” or “chakaiseki”. If no meal is served, the host will proceed directly to the serving of small sweets. Each utensil—including the tea bowl, whisk, and tea scoop—is then ritually cleaned in the presence of the guests in a precise order and using prescribed motions. The utensils are placed in an exact arrangement according to the particular style of tea-making procedure being performed as there is a number of various ways. When the preparation of the utensils is complete, the host will place a measured amount of green tea powder in the bowl and add the appropriate amount of hot water, then whisk the tea using set movements. When each bowl of tea is ready it will either be served to the guests by an assistant or the guests will retrieve the bowl themselves in the order in which they are seated.

5.Morocco

Ataí (Moroccan tea culture) is defined by the way green tea is prepared and consumed in Morocco, usually accompanied with food. Moroccan-style mint tea is now commonly served all through North Africa and it’s rather popular among the tourists an Arabic nations. Just like in most of tea-drinking countries tea here is served all through the day. Usually the meal is cooked by women but tea is considered to be traditionally a man’s affair. Tea is something to be served to guests, and it is impolite to refuse it.  The preparation of tea is rather distinguishing here. First of all tea is being cleaned with boiling water before getting dried. It is believed to be that tea removes the dust and the bitterness of the tea.  Most of the time the tea is added into the boiling water and left to stir. Right after that the exact amount of sugar and mint are added to the mix.

Shoshenq Yard, Karnak, Egypt
Photographer: Francis Frith, 1850
Emerged in the middle of the XIX century, the first photos of architectural monuments caused such a wild interest of public that not only spurred the development of the photographic industry, but also created a new market for photographic postcards.

Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Photographer: Calvert Richard Jones, 1846
In subsequent decades the photography experienced a rapid growth and constant improvement of technology.

Moscow, Russia
Photographer: unknown, 1841
The camera has become an indispensable attribute of the traveler, and images brought back from distant places were the best souvenir. And this is especially in an era when photography had not yet received the widespread distribution and was considered a very expensive hobby.

Boulevards of Paris, France
Photographer: William Henry Fox Talbot, 1843
Disappointed by his own inability to draw, the English scientist William Henry Fox Talbot worked to improve the methods of photography. And he achieved a considerable success in this. He also became the publisher of the world’s first book, illustrated with photos.

View of Seine, Paris, France
Photographer: Charles Louis Chevalier, 1843
The first company specialized in organizing trips was founded by Thomas Cook. Already in the fifties of the XIX century a group trip to Paris and Northern Europe has become commonplace for the British. People wishing to spend 11 pounds on the cognitive and pleasant trip turned out to be thousands, and by the end of the century the “Thomas Cook and Son” company has expanded its activities also in the New World.

Royal Opera House, Madrid, Spain
Photographer: Charles Clifford, 1853
Born Welshman Charles Clifford settled in Madrid in 1850, where he got carried away filming Spanish architecture, and actively inculcated countrymen interested in Spanish culture and traditions.

Ramesseum, Thebes, Egypt
Photographer: Francis Frith, 1857
Having stood for thousands of years the monuments of ancient Egypt were under threat of extinction in the XIX century because of the rapidly growing number of homegrown archaeologists and European museums that were enthusiastically buying up antiquity. Francis Frith considered photography to be an essential tool for capturing fast disappearing form of historical monuments.

Palm trees and mimosa, Calabash, Egypt
Photographer: Félix Teynard, 1841
Civil engineer Felix Teynard systematically documented all the major Egyptian sites near Cairo, and left the “descendants ” hundreds of photos.

Quay of Naples, Italy
Photographer: Adolphe Braun, 1868
Books with illustrated photographs began to appear in the 60-ies of the XIX century as a luxury item and were then available only to wealthy people. But gradually the development of photography and printing business made photo albums available also to the middle class, which also underpinned a rapid increase in the army of travelers.

Falls Staub, Switzerland
Photographer: Adolphe Braun, 1866
Adolph Brown, who replaced the craft of engineer with the camera, became one of the first professional photographers, specializing in shooting landscapes, and it worked successfully in the emerging industry of photographic postcards.

Boats of Irrawaddy, Burma
Photographer: Philip Adolphe Klier, 1880
The invention of photography coincided with a period of unprecedented expansion of European colonization. A rapid development of the transport network, which was headed by a steam engine, made possible not only the active international trade, but also the mass tourism.

1. London, Great Britain
Many well-known authors either were born in the capital of the Great Britain, or have lived here the most part of a life, and, certainly, have described this city in their works. So, Charles Dickens’s admirers can visit his house which has become a museum, fans of detective histories of sir Arthur Conan Doyle will try to find five-six places where great detective Sherlok Holmes conducted investigation, and by all means will visit his “residence” on Baker Street 221b. There will be everything for all of them who are interested in art of Jeffrey Choser, John Keats, Herbert Wells.

2. Stratford-Upon-Avon, Great Britain
There will hardly be a person in the world who never heard about William Shakespeare. And consequently every year Stratford-Upon-Avon – city where the well-known writer was born – is visited by about 3 million people. Here you can see the museum of the English genius, theater and many other sightseeings connected with a name of the well-known playwright.

3. Edinburgh, Scotland
A lot of world literature classics have lived and wrote in this city: sir Arthur Conan Doyle, sir Walter Scott, Robert Louis Stevenson. Today Edinburgh had a new literary symbol – Joanne Rowling, the author of the well-known story about Harry Potter. If you wish to learn about all writers and the poets ever been in this place, simply visit the Museum of writers. By the way, Edinburgh was the first to be recognized “as a city of the literature” by UNESCO.

4. Dublin, Ireland
Many new ideas and innovative products were born in this country and especially in its capital. For example the “Dublins” or “Ulis” of James Joyce. In XX century Samuel Beckett has created here the concept of absurdity drama. And if you ever come to be on the far northern island, by all means visit not only the museum of writers and National library of Ireland, but also take a glance to the literary pub Crawl.

5. New York, USA
It would be surprising, if no writer has settled in “the Big Apple”. Such authors of bats-generations, as Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg have lived here for some time. The city became the arena of one of literary revolutions of XX century – the so-called “Harlem Renaissance”, which has given such popular afroamerican authors, as Zora Neale Hurston or Langston Hughes.

6. Concord, Massachusetts, USA
Though Concord is only a small town with 20 thousand inhabitants, it has played the important role in the history of the American literature. In the beginning of XIX century there lived the most popular authors of that time Ralph Waldo Emerson and Gotorn, and in 1817 the American philosopher and writer David Toro was born here.

7. Paris, France
Paris has been the center of the French and European culture for a long time. Writers, artists, musicians from all world longed for getting to this city . And that`s why many writers remember it`s streets , starting from the giants of the French literature, such, as Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Alexander Duma and Onore de Balzac, and finishing with newcomers from far America which ran to Paris to find sexual, religious or personal freedom among which were Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway and Francis Scott Fitzgerald.

8. San Francisco, California, USA
As well as New York, this city is also connected first of all with bats-generations. After, Ginsberg and Kerouac have left “the Big Apple” for the various reasons, they have settled here and have brought not only a unique literary style, but also fans from all over the state. ”Beatnik`s”admirers necessarily should visit cafe “Vesuvius” – Jack Kerouac’s favourite place. The author of “Tropic of Cancer” Henry Miller also passed some time in vicinities of San Francisco.

9. Rome, Italy
Ancient Rome is the birthplace of many antique writers and the philosophers who have affected all European art. In this city the author of “Eneida” of Virgilio created for some time. Later on, inspired by ancient beauty of ancient city, Percy Shelley with his wife Mary Shelley, Keats and Henry James have lodged in Rome.

10. St.-Petersburg, Russia
Petersburg was always the important city for the Russian literature. Alexander Pushkin and Lev Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov and Fyodor Dostoevsky, Nikolai Gumilev and Anna Akhmatova were passing by the streets of the second Russian capital in XIX-XX centuries. Among the most visited literary museums are Pushkin’s last haven on Moyka and Dostoevsky’s apartment on the Kuznechny lane.

Hotel-plane, Costa Rica
In the national park Manuel Antonio, located in 160 kilometers from the capital, there are lots of nice hotels and bungalows. The most original of them is built within a small vintage Boeing 727. From its illuminator-windows, opens up a magnificent view of the ocean coast. Liner was released in 1965 and served as faith-truth airlines of South Africa and Colombia, is set at a height of 15 meters above the ground. It has only a  couple of bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen and dining room. The decoration of the rooms includes trees and hand-made furniture. The outside of the plane  there is a lovely wooden terrace . To reserve such a housing-plane will cost you $400 per day in no season (without taxes) and for 500 – during the season.

Hotel-plane, Sweden
Transit passengers will definetely get a chance for renting a hotel room somewhere nearby,  but the case with the hostels is rather difficult?  What can do those who doesn’t want to pay for a room ? In the Stockholm Arlanda airport, it was decided to set up a hostel in write-offs “jumbo” – “747″. The huge ship can place 85 guests. They may stay in small rooms, compartments with bung beds and flat panel TVs. The most spacious and expensive room – is drivers cab: with the panoramic view of the runway. It is clear that maids, who serve guests, are uniformed as stewardesses Bed in a hostel costs 350 Swedish kronor (about 34 Euros), individual single room will cost 950 Croons (92 Euros).

Hotel-tram, Netherlands
A couple  opened their own exclusive hotel by restoring old trams in Germany and Netherlands. The name of the hotel was announced Tram Hotel  in honor of the famous album of the singer Prince. Initially there were four thematic numbers in the hotel: English, American, Italian, and French.  Not so long ago the ” family” of the trams was enlarged by adding a wagon train. Guests will  not be made huddled in the compartment for sure. The spacious room has everything – from great TV to the spacious bath-tub shaped hat (in fact the main theme of the new rooms is Mexico). And the hotel owners themselves have settled in standing nearby two-story London bus, built the house. The cost of living is from 60 Euros per person per night.

Hotel-train, United States
In Southern U.S. state of Arizona, in the hotel Karrels Double K Ranch, guests can settle in a freight car. Thoug it was going by rail in the beginning of last century and now turned into an original and relatively inexpensive hotel. In the car all three rooms have a private bathroom, telephone, TV and refrigerator. And guests are not attracted so much by exotic views or decorations but by cozy and charming homely atmosphere. There is a garden with huge cacti and exotic flowers around. Hosts created little toy town with little houses between them on the tiny train ride the train. Living in a freight car is worth $135 per night for two people.

Hotel-ship, Sweden
If you are not  bothered  to spend the night in a room with strangers, you can stay in a very inexpensive hostel-hotel-ship in the heart of Stockholm. The ship was built in 1950 and plied the North Sea. The last voyage of the spacecraft was completed  in 2005, and was then converted into hotel. 45 rooms-cabins are designed for 130 people. On board there is a restaurant and grill bar. Night in a room with 11 neighbors will cost 220 kronor (21 Euros), individual accommodation – 750 crowns for a single or double room (73 Euros).

Hotel-ship, Russia
One can live on a ship at the heart of  Russia- in its capital. River cruise ship “Alexander Blok”, built in 1984, is now converted into a floating hotel and moored near the Fairgrounds in Krasnopresenk embankment. In the hotel there is a complex of 31 rooms. The list includes cabins, junior suites and suites. Facilities include a restaurant and beauty salon. The cheapest room (cabin for two persons) with shower and toilet, TV and refrigerator costs about 3640 rubles per night.

Hotel-helicopter, U.S.
The first hotel helicopter was built in the United States not long ago. IThe Soviet Mi-18 aircraft serves as a basis for it. Miracle Hotel has made its first test flight, and will soon begin booking rooms. The air-hotel consists of 16 standard rooms and 2 suites. All of them are equipped with the latest technology: LCD screens in rooms, internet. Guests have an opportunity for  not just sitting in a restaurant, but  to go to the fitness center, to take the SPA-procedures and relax in a small Japanese garden among the greenery and fountains. Wanna go there? The news of this unique hotel appeared only six months ago . Unfortunately, it was only an April fool’s joke. However, it is possible that soon someone from hoteliers will take advantage of making this idea into reality.

Detroit, Michigan
Ranking 11th place according to the number of population among U.S. cities, Detroit is increasingly suffering from the slowdown in auto production. Thriving in the wake of the car in the first half of XX century, today this largest city increasingly approaches the decline. Heavily dependent on industrial production, Detroit every time suffered severely from the economic crisis and the currently, only continue to finally break the city.
The symbol of the devastation is often called the Michigan Central Station, built in the heyday, in 1913, and long remained the tallest building among the railway stations in the world. The intensity of passenger traffic on it can be clearly tied to all the cataclysms that happened in the U.S. economy, and finally in 1988 the station was closed. Since then, only birds lived in an abandoned building that was entered on the list of historical values in 1975, but occasionally its atmosphere was revived by the visiting film crews, filming blockbusters here. There were many projects to save the station, but none of them was realized. On April 7, 2009 City Council of Detroit sentenced to demolish the building, but as long as it remains intact, thanks to litigation, started by residents of the city, refusing to destroy their symbol.

St. Louis, Missouri
Like Detroit, this city, founded back in 1763, is heavily dependent on industrial production and sensitive to any economic downturns. Since 1950, it was considered the most endangered U.S. city, because over the years, it was left by 59% of the population. But, despite the fact that the factors affecting the viability of St. Louis are almost similar to Detroit, a scenario here is different. Since the beginning of the century in the reconstruction and development of urban centers have invested nearly 3.5 billion dollars and due to this in the past couple of years there is a small increase in population here. However, the economic success of the city center, the site of Manchester City Council informs, clearly contrasts with the situation in adjacent areas where the population suffers from high concentration of crime, poor health care and substandard housing.

Wittenberg, Germany
Prospered over eight centuries, the city in eastern Germany was absolutely not ready to 1990, when the country has again become a single entity. Nearly a half million Germans have left the Eastern part of the country in search of a better life and 14 thousand of them were residents of Wittenberg. At present, the urban population is reduced to meager 24 thousand and the process is continuing. Many streets in the center of the city are abandoned completely and totally deserted.

Ivanovo, Russia
Even in the 20 years of the last century, Ivanovo, located three hundred kilometers from Moscow, was considered a small town, and its population numbered only 54 thousand. But to the 40th year, thanks to forced industrialization, the population here has reached 280 thousand people, and by 1990 – 450 thousand. Alas, but the transition to a market economy and the collapse of the Soviet Union has adversely affected the fate of the city. The stop of deliveries of cotton from Uzbekistan and cheap textiles from China almost killed the local textile industry. In the place of once the largest textile factory named March 8 is the current clothing market. Residents steadily leave the city, and mortality in the Ivanovo region has long exceeded the birth rate. Things reached the point that in 2008 unnecessary movement of urban trams was discontinued working here since 1934.

1. The Cold Pole – Verkhoyansk, Russia
In the taiga, in the heart of Siberia is the oldest city in the Arctic Circle. For more than three centuries, people exist in difficult climatic conditions on the bank of the Yana River, covered by ice 9 months of the year. Today, about 1500 people live in the Cold Pole.
Verkhoyansk claims to be the coldest city on earth. It is difficult to argue with this, taking into account that, the sun shines an average of only 5 hours a day from September to March, and in January and in December it cannot be seen at all. In winter the average temperature in these places is minus 47 degrees Celsius. At the end of XIX century it fell even below, to minus 67.8 degrees.
In Czarist times and in the years of Soviet power Verkhoyansk was a place of exile. Today the city is trying to attract extreme tourists.

2. Mount Merapi, Indonesia
This volcano does not have weekends. Even when there is no eruption a huge column of smoke climbs from its summit into the sky at 3000 meters. Over the past five centuries the Fire Mountain (the name is translated from the local language as fire) “flashed” about 60 times. Last terrible eruption occurred in 2006, before that- in 1994, the deadly cloud of hot gas burned to death 60 people. More than 1000 people died in 1930, when lava ejected by the volcano covered the area of about 13 square kilometers.
Despite all these developments, 200 thousand inhabitants live less than 6 kilometers from the volcano. However, this will surprise no one in Indonesia: 120 million inhabitants of the island of Java have built homes at the foot of some of the 22 active volcanoes.

3. Thunderous Haiti, Gonaïves, Haiti
Here is just the chronicle of 2008: the first came the Tropical Storm “Fay” in August 16, a week later came the turn of Hurricane Gustav, then the island was torn by Hurricanes Hanna and Ike. Within a month, the coastal village of Gonaives – it is among the five largest cities in Haiti – appeared in the epicenter of the tropical cyclone for four times, killing about 500 people, most of the settlement were buried under mud or flooded with water.
In 2004, the hurricane Jeanne visited the city that is home for 104 thousand people. The victims of the third category storm were three thousand Haitians.
Why Gonaives is constantly under attack? The city was erected in the coastal zone, on the shaky foundation of Floodplain Rivers. In addition, local residents, using the wood for the production of coal – the main fuel in these places, cut down forests on the surrounding hills. The roots of the trees impeded the soil, and any rain right now, causes mudslides, landslides.

4. Lake Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda
One of the largest lakes in Africa is on the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Hidden reservoirs of methane are located under its deep waters. If the deadly gas reaches the surface, a cloud of death covers the houses of 2 million local residents who have settled around the reservoir.
It is quite possible: a similar case had occurred in 80 of the last century in two other African lakes with a similar chemical composition. For example, in 1984, 37 local residents were killed in the Lake Monoun in Cameroon, and three years later a similar incident had happened at Lake Nyos in the same country, where from the effects of toxic gases, 1700 people died. Removing of the gas was provoked, apparently by volcanic activity.

5. Ephemeral Islands, Maldives
10% of the Maldives has become uninhabitable after the 2004 tsunami, which claimed the lives of more than 80 people and left homeless the third of the population. However, even more severe trials are waiting for this state.
Maldives, a confederation of 1,190 islands and atolls in the Indian Ocean, is such a dangerous region that President Mohamed Nasheed after taking office in 2008 proposed the creation of a special fund for the purchase of new land and relocation of indigenous people. The fact is that due to global climate changes and rise of ocean level associated with Maldives will likely submerge in the foreseeable future – in a few decades, because none of the islands rises above the sea level by more than 2 meters.
The Fund is financed by money earned by tourism. As “safe havens” for residents ” of ephemeral islands ‘president calls on India and Sri Lanka, which is strange, because, according to specialists’ forecasts, the Indian subcontinent will be among the first areas affected by changes in sea level.

6. Grand Cayman
Many tourists come to the Caribbean islands for the sake of untouched beaches and diving by the civilization. Cayman Islands – a British territory located south of Cuba – have acquired the image of this tropical paradise. However, they have also other, less attractive name – the world capital of hurricanes. After all, the largest of the three islands of the archipelago suffers from the elements cleared every 2, 16 years – more than any other land in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
In 2004, Hurricane Ivan, which was assigned to Category 5, killed on the island 70% of the buildings, 40 thousand people for several days were deprived of electricity and clean water.

7. Magistral for tornadoes, Oklahoma
More than a million people live along the international highway I-44 in the United States, linking the Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Each spring, when cool dry air of the Rocky Mountains descends to the plain and meets the warm moist air from the ocean, along the I-44 there are eddies, and so the locals began to call this line the tornado street.
Since 1890, a tornado tore Oklahoma City and its environs more than 120 times. On May 3, 1999 just 70 vortices were on the state of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. The most devastating tornado swept through Oklahoma City, destroyed 1,700 homes and damaged another 6,500 buildings. Despite the modern possibilities of disaster prediction and alarm systems, 40 people were killed, the damage from the hurricane totaled $1 billion.
The longest period without a hurricane – 5 years – was from 1992 to 1998. But then, as if making up for the lost time, 11 of the strongest tornadoes swept for 11 months on this edge.

8. Wandering Deserts of China, Minquin, China

The once fertile oasis now is experiencing turbulent times: it was squeezed between deserts. Ten-year drought, the disappearance of the rivers led to the fact that from the south-east and north-west sands are rapidly moving to the region. Since 1950, the desert has swallowed up more than 160 square kilometers, with the local population increased from 860 thousand to more than two million people over the same period.
Since 2004, the desert approaches to people at a speed of 10 meters per year. An arable land area decreased by six times, and the Chinese government was forced to begin the resettlement of farmers.