Taman Negara National Park, Malaysia

The largest island national park of Malaysia has the world’s longest suspension bridge. When in March, the rainy season ends, a lot of people come to this park to see the rain forest, the bright amazing birds and all kinds of insects that swim in the clear water of waterfalls, fish and, of course, go through the 530-meter bridge, hanging at a height of 25-40 meters above the ground and enjoy the jungle. Now, however, making such a walk over the forest is not possible, the thing is that as a result of the rainy weather the bridge lost its firmness and six months ago this part of the bridge was closed for repairs.

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, UK

This small Suspension Bridge in the town of Antrim, connecting the mainland with the tiny islands Kerrick, is able to make the thrill of everyone traveling to the Northern Ireland. This Rope Bridge has become one of the most visited attractions in this region (only last year this attractive bride hosted about 250,000 tourists from around the world). This is surprising, because to be brave enough to overcome the 20-meter path laid by 28-meter height is something that is not something typical for a large audience.

Loboc Hanging Bridge, Philippines

It’s a fascinating attraction for tourists – to cross the river on Lobok with the help of the swaying bamboo bridge. The fragile structure, hanging on the 20-meter height, frightens even the most desperate tourists.But for those who wish to see a little typical Philippine village on the another side of the river, have to overcome this dangerous obstacle. By the way the destination point is famous for its unique Lobok fauna, beautiful waterfalls and floating restaurants, so if you find yourself in the Philippines, you should definitely visit these places. So you better think twice whether to avoid or to cross the street.

Trift Bridge, Switzerland

The longest pedestrian bridge in the Alps near the Gadmen was first built in 2004 and most recently, in 2009 is was rebuilt in a new manner. Now it has become even more safe and secure. Now fans of trekking, traveling to these places to see the glacier, can make the best photos of the lake Thrift from an altitude of 100 meters. 170-meter-long passage over the abyss will truly become one of the most exciting pats of the Swiss experience.

Ghasa, Nepal

Suspension bridge near the village of Gus – the only way into the big world for the inhabitants of several villages, so they must not only constantly jump over it themselves but need to even overtake their animals. Isn’t this crazy? Therefore, despite the daunting and dangerous appearance, this bridge is being tested by hundreds of heads of local cattle every single day. Let’s say that it’s reliable enough.

Aiguille du Midi, France

At one of the mountains in the French Alps there is a unique observation deck – a tiny bridge between two cliffs, overlooking the most complete view of the whole Mont Blanc massif. Of course, it is rather broad and reliable, and does not sway in the legs of hundreds of tourists passing through it, but a great height at which it is built, makes the transition to it in an exciting adventure. After admiring the fascinating scene which opens in front of them turists can have a break at the tiny restaurant which is located simply nearby.

Kakum National Park, Ghana

If you decide to visit a national park in the south of Ghana, near the town of Abrafo then you might need a specially trained guide. He will lead via the secret paths through thickets of the rainforest to show the unique plants and animals, endangered species – pygmy elephants, forest buffalo and civet. And, of course, you will be led to one of the main attractions of the park – Rope Bridge which is around 40 meters above the ground. And keep in mind that it’s not the end of everything: you might also ask to get a “rope route”, which consists of seven bridges totaling 330 meters.

Hussaini Hanging Bridge, Pakistan

This Bridge really deserves the title of one of the most dangerous bridges of the word. It lays over the river Hunza in Northern Pakistan. You would not believe, but the bridge stuck over the swirling flow with its shaky rope design is still being used by the local residents for its main purpose. However, since you have the courage to travel on this not the safest country in the world, then you will not be afraid to walk across the bridge for sure!

Marienbruecke, Germany

The photo of this bridge in the Bavarian Alps near the fabulously beautiful Neuschwanstein Castle looks strong, solid and not terrible at all. But it is only close to the cliffs that stretch between the structures, where the heart starts beating faster than usual. And if you walk up to its middle, and then look at the fast way down the mountain stream you will be capture the spirit of terror even from the splendid views.

Musou Tsuribashi bridge, Japan

The most terrible suspension bridge of the rising sun is in the Japanese Alps. It consists of a rope and boards attached to it, some of which have already been destroyed by time: built in 50 years, it is also the oldest suspension bridge of this region. Going through the thin boards connected with the ropes shaken by the wind – this is sheer madness. You can definitely repeat this feat, but consider the fact that it is very, very dangerous!

What’s the most amazing thing about the travelling sites is that most o the time they do have lots of surprises for those who are planning fun trips to this or that point of the world. This websites provide daily updated information on new discounts and special offers that will help travelers to organize their holidays with pleasure and to avoid the stress which is caused by the limited pocket and timing.

In addition to discounts, some of the “virtual” travelling agencies provide their clients with the opportunity to receive bonus miles from this or that airlines, e.g. for € 1 you spend on the trip as a program participant, you might get 1 mile as an encouragement. And in the period when the amount of the travelers is the least or most you might also get some more bonus points. Just keep in mind all of this is being done in case of buying tickets from a specific airline company.

After you got the idea of how to organize a cheap trip, it’s time to turn to the places which are worth visiting if you’re having a break during June.

Milan, Italy

Getting a ticket to Milan during the summer time might sound to be too difficult, but in reality it isn’t. You just need to find the proper travelling agency and most likely you will also get some discounts if you will travel by the local Italian airlines.

In the most important cultural, industrial and business center of Italy, tourists can visit the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, which houses a fresco by Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper, the Catholic Cathedral Duomo di Milano, Brera Gallery, the famous medieval Sforza Castle and many other attractions. Gourmets can taste delicious Italian cuisine with a Milanese accent, a kind of fusion cooking directions: traditional Italian and international (Bice restaurants, Ulmet, Pacific Milano Restaurant, Don Carlos), Tuscan (Assassino), Japanese (Nobu Armani).

Fashionistas and inveterate shopaholics can come to the delight of the local shopping in local stores (La Rinascente), boutiques (Vicini, Baldinini, Roberto Cavalli) and outlet stores (Biffi, RJ, Griffes Diffusion). Here you can buy almost everything, especially during the summer sales when the prices are the lowest.

Geneva, Switzerland

Here the main tip to save on your trip is to book your ticket couple of days in advance to your trip. This way you will be able to save from 10-20% on your trip.

The refined beauty of Geneva, superbly situated on the banks of the Rhone River and Lake Leman (Lake Geneva), its beautiful parks, museums and monuments of history and architecture fascinate tourists from all over the world. The main attractions of the city – the Palais des Nations, Town Hall, the Cathedral of St. Peter and Church of Saint-Germain, Museum hours Patek Philippe, the highest in Europe, Jet d’Eau fountain in the lake, and some other cool spots. Shopping center in Geneva is simply awesome.

Let’s say that there’s even a shopping district on the left bank of the Rhone with plenty of antique and jewelry shops, pastry shops, bookstores and watch shops, boutiques and shopping malls. This means that you can always get back home with a list of souvenirs which will remind you of this beautiful place. The best restaurants in town offer excellent mixture of European and traditional Swiss cuisines. It’s worth to try roulette, fondue, the famous Swiss cheese and all sorts of seafood dishes.

Paris, France

Paris looks to bit a little bit more luxurious place to stay in. But if you’re not running short on your money, then you can also save them. What do I mean? Well, nothing strange. The thing is that if you will stay in one of the 3 to 4 star hotels of the city for more than 3-4 nights, then most of the time you’ll get a chance to have lots of surprises, including even free night stay offer.

It’s one of the most beautiful and romantic cities on earth, the most “fashionable” capital of the world. “Holiday, which is always with you”. Paris is literally composed of museums and attractions. Its historic center is decorated with the famous Notre Dame. On the right bank of the Seine is the Louvre, the Tuileries Gardens, the Museum of Impressionism, Champs Elysees and the Place de Gaulle, the Arc de Triomphe. The symbol of Paris – Eiffel Tower – is situated on the left bank of the Seine. Here are the Pantheon, the Sorbonne, Luxembourg Gardens and the Champ de Mars.

Another “landmark” of Paris – the refined French cuisine: blue lobsters at Le Bristol, branded duck in La Tour d’Argent, oysters in La Cagouille, famous cakes at Laduree. The true gourmet will enjoy Paris.

As for the shoppers the famous Galeries Lafayette, boutiques of Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, etc., and the outlet stores in Paris will turn your trip into an unforgettable event.

A whole week in Europe and specifically in its coolest cities – what else is needed to escape from the daily routine and dull reality? Changing conditions and new thrills make the most effective rest. All of this is also true in case of the short rest.

You just need to keep in mind that making a positive life and helping to sustain its rapid pace is the best way to avoid stress when getting back to the routine life.

An established world capital of fashion is Milan. There one must make regular forays wishing to buy clothes that had not yet left the podium. Fashionistas from all over the world do not forget to stop in this outlet city located close to Paris, London and Barcelona and other major European cities. If you decide to cross the ocean, it is unlikely to be able to resist the temptation of shopping in New York. Fashionable addresses in this city are multiple including mega-stores in Manhattan, exclusive boutiques of fashion brands on Madison Avenue and Fifth Avenue.

Cheap Clothes

Inexpensive clothing, for example, children’s shirts, shorts, socks usually require a lot of best buy in the U.S. This state has long been a center for inexpensive shopping. The main drawback is that you might need a long time flying, but if you find yourself in those parts, do not deny yourself the pleasure of returning home with a suitcase full of all kinds of junk. Another world center for consumer goods is China, where all of the products offered in various countries are made. The main street for such a useful pastime in Beijing is Yabaolu. It is mainly retail, but some stores sell goods and retails. But Beware: getting profitable deals in this country can be done only by the expert shoppers – communicating with the Chinese is very difficult.

Gems

Inexpensive gems can be bought in South-East Asia: Sri Lanka, Thailand. If you have a thorough understanding of sapphires and emeralds, you can try to get them literally on the street “in the open-air markets”. When not too confident in their ability – is to go to specialized eminent center where, together with the stone will be given a certificate clarifying the exact origin of the stone. Of course, the huge halls of such companies sell jewelry, but, unfortunately, their design is quite poor and models differ only with few small details, so better to buy them from the and get a true jeweler to make a masterpiece out of the unusual gems.

Gold

For gold and jewels, many prefer to travel to the United Arabic Emirates. Your heart quickens beating while watching women on the “gold market” which usually has a form of miles of sparkling gold glitter shops. However, upon closer examination it appears that most of it is made of dark soft “Arabic gold”, which cannot be considered to be one of the favorites of the European women, and massive glittering necklaces and bracelets that resemble chains, are unlikely to be put in a civilized society. Good choice of accustomed yellow and white gold can be found in large shopping centers. The most attractive prices are waiting for those who come for the winter shopping festival. During this period the Arabs lure tourists not only a great discount, but lotteries, where you can win a car or apartment.

Diamonds

Unlike other gems in the world diamonds have special places for purchase. The best stones are sold on the world diamond exchange in Israel. In this huge complex transact is not only designated for bulk purchases of diamonds and diamond-like stones,  but there are retail jewelry stores, exhibitions and showrooms, offices of diamond companies and even the post office and customs. All of this reminds us of the opportunity to get real diamonds.
Another brilliant reserve for the diamond retails is Amsterdam. In this “rich” city it will be rather simple to find shops and diamond stone cutting workshops at every corner. Here the experts will give the buyers good advice about how to choose the diamond and how to design the jewelry.

Watches

It’s obvious that the country of the best, most accurate clocks and watches is Switzerland. Huge selection of very expensive brands, watches with special order can be found in the boutiques of Zurich and Geneva. Let’s call those cities the cities of watch purchase possibilities. However, a good selection of the same Swiss watches with reasonable prices can be found in the Emirates. Here the brand watches come up with much cheaper prices. But not all are ready to buy a clock, equal to a value of a car, while ignoring other commodities needed. For those who are not ready to empty their wallets China offers patents of the origin watches with the quality nearly indistinguishable from the originals.

Furs

Huge selection of furs can be found in Kastoria – a region in northern Greece, where there are largest numbers of fur factories. The tour agencies even organize here shareware shop-fur-tours: tourists do not pay for the trips, but agree to spend certain amounts of money on fur purchase. But you better avoid this appealing offer: most of the time the pricing of the furs is being so much exaggerated that the trip is being paid via the fur purchase. Independent travelers are being offered a very different price which seems to be reasonable. While in Italy you might also get a chance to buy fur, especially while in the northern part of the country.

Antiques and Vintage

In London and Paris to buy real antiques can be much more profitable than in the cities of Eastern Europe. If you are interested in the old days, the main address in the French capital will be the neighborhood of the Place Vendome, and in London – Islington District, Oxford Street – Camden Market. This range can be found in other markets – Portobello. The most expensive antique shops are located near Hyde Park. Quite a lot of antique shops can be found in the vicinity of Metro Bond Street. All of these stores will offer a wide range of antiques starting from simple old books up to quite expensive jewelry and much more.

1.Greenwich Christmas Market
When being a rather popular place in England it is holding one of the best Christmas markets which start in December 9. All of the ceremony is being accompanied with mulled wine and live music and all of this lasts until Christmas. Organizers promise a lot of surprises, wonderful gifts that are not ashamed to be put under the tree or in stockings obedient kids. A special attention needs to be paid on the fashion jewelry for the women.

2. Christmas Fair in Zurich, Switzerland
This traditional Christmas fair is one of the largest, if not the largest covered fairs in the Europe. But this doesn’t mean that this place is boring and left without any fun. It might be hard to believe, but under the roof this fair became the house for more than 160 wooden stalls and a huge Christmas tree, decorated with five thousand Swarovski crystals. Opened on 27 November, the market operates until the official Christmas Day of December 24.

3. Christmas market in Leeds, Yorkshire, England
In the small town of Leeds located in England, is one of the largest “German-style” Christmas markets in the UK, which means- here you are being awaited by dozens of booths filled with handmade toys, jewelry and all sorts of delicacies so typical of UK: fried cakes, candied fruits, soups, and grilled sausages. And be careful when visiting a real beer cellar: tasting good German beer is very easy to get carried away. The fair runs from 13 November up to 20 December.

4. Christmas Fair in Mechelen, Belgium
From 18 to 20 December in the town square between tall Gothic towers will be fair, where you can buy typical Belgian gifts, drink warming mulled wine in the evening still and listen to performances by singers and musicians. This place cannot be called an ideal fair place with its offers, but the atmosphere and the spirit of Christmas are definitely guaranteed. So this might be slightly called to be a best way of resting after the Christmas gift-buying.

5. Christmas Festival of Padstow, Cornwall, England
This pre-Christmas festival devoted only couple of days and they are rather various each year. Clearly, in a town where the restaurants with renowned chef Rick Stein, any holiday brings joy, first and foremost, gourmets and sybarite. A novelty in 2009 will be a skating area of 3000 sq.m, where you can get rid of all the stress and just get relaxed. And after the sports, guests can warm up with hot chocolate and the hot cakes in the cafes or bistros, located nearby.

6.  Christmas Fair in Tallinn, Estonia
Another medieval type of fair can be simply called this Baltic treasure. This colorful occasion is usually held on the main square, which is constructed by 64 wooden benches. Felt hats, pickled cabbage, carrots, ceramics, hand-stitched quilts and many other interesting things will be submitted to the singing of choirs, performances of poets and musicians. This promises to be something unforgettable. This market is open till Orthodox Christmas, so wander along its rows can be even after the New Year as the latest holiday is being celebrated in January.

7. Fête dé Noué, Jersey
Christmas parades, holiday entertainment, a demonstration of old classic movies, working till late night shopping – all this can be seen from 26 November to 20 December at the festival in Jersey. This seems to be not just a Christmas holiday but simply a way of getting acquainted with the population here and their culture. If you find yourself in the vicinity, be sure to dedicate a holiday a couple of days – this is where you can feel the atmosphere of a real English Christmas and find out how the land of rains hosts this awesome holiday.

8.  Christmas Fair in Krakow, Poland
If the list of mulled wine, handicrafts, traditional cuisine and Christmas carols seems too much common from the listings above then this market will not much vary from others that have opened throughout Europe. But as our listing is based on the most interesting ones then this fair also has something extraordinary to offer. This time the main features that are included are huge snow drifts, which further set the holiday mood and snowmen which are being made with the Polish children to celebrate the spirit of the holiday.

9. Christmas market Caerphilly, Wales
From 12 to 13 December in Wales is a medieval-type of Christmas market. This can be truly distinguishing if being compared to the English type of fairs. As the Welsh people like to celebrate everything with the respect of the oldest traditions you will not be surprised if feeling yourself in the medieval times. You might come here to listen to ancient music, wander among the hundreds of stalls that sell traditional products of local artisans, and children waiting for rides, sweets and a fascinating journey into Santa’s grotto.

10. Christmas market, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France
From 27 November to 24 December operates France’s largest Christmas Fair Arras. In more than 60 kiosks at the elegant pedestrian street, you can buy everything you need for a meeting of the Nativity: from sweets to a special Christmas beer. French people like to get prepared for the Christmas very detailed and this includes every single element of their homes such as not only decorating their homes with Christmas trees and various Christmas accessories but rather making their homes into Christmas masterpieces. So if you consider yourself a true Christmas shopper, you better stop here.

1. Get the ‘all-tourist- favorite’  Swiss Pass for traveling aimlessly with the mean of visiting various unfamiliar places.  This will give you an opportunity to travel around the country and visit all the places which are not over-crowded and don’t need to be a ‘tourist visit spot’. While getting this card you can use  it for any means of transportation throughout the country: from trains and ships to the trams and buses. Another great thing about this ticket is that it can be purchased not just for a single day, so you might like to get one for your entire visit.

2. Take a train route for a better panoramic view of the upper snow-covered mountains and Alpine nature of wonderful flowers. By no means this is the best way of getting acquainted with the short bridges and red trains, which are  so popular here. The train window will become your guide to the wonderful wildlife  and natural wonders of the territory.

3. Get to the ancient city of Lucerne and get as many photos as possible to fill in the main part of your  cameras’ memory card.  Scroll to the Royce on the bridge which has a non-typical wooden roof, admire the interior of the baroque church of the Jesuits, and then scroll to the park and seek the famous sculpture “of a dying lion.” The sculpture looks especially attractive at the misty weather- mysterious and expressive.

4. Drink water right from the street fountains in the middle of the city. Where else you can still afford this? Switzerland is proud of its unique clean lakes, which are floating snow-white swans. So drinking water in this country which flows even from the fountains in not a crime or an unhealthy habit. During the winter time some of the fountain freeze but this doesn’t mean that the fun is left over as most of the time annually a lot of ice-sculpture contests are taking place here.

5. Climbing up to the top of the mountain may seem to be something  worthless for those who are not thinking of trying skiing, but this will be something shameful for leaving out the rest.  Those who are not professional skiers should visit at least one of the resorts. For example, such a quiet spot can serve to be Arosa or the world-renowned Davos, located deep in the mountains- after all, this is the spot where annual formal meetings are held. There is no need of learning skiing during your rest as most of the time there is a range of options of how to get to the top of the mountain.

6. If you are dreaming of a royal quiet rest then you should try to live a couple of days in a peasant house. You will be greatly surprised of how the villagers are hosting guests from abroad. They are rather friendly and always have interesting stories to tell. You can both rent a room or a cottage for couple of days and rest from the crowded atmosphere of the big cities for a while: breathe fresh air, eat fresh and organic food from the local markets, and enjoy the peace and quiet.

7. Walking in the Alpine village in a search of a restaurant where they cook fondue and “racklet”.  These are two of typical Swiss dishes which will continue to impress you even after your homecoming.  Right after you will have a bite of each of the dishes you won’t be able to resist yourself from buying one of the devices for home-cooking of those dishes. Then you can regularly invite friends for a dinner in a Swiss-style, and have a long discussion about your recent trip and the possibility for future travel to that country.

8. Make a stay in one of the best hotels in Geneva to get acquainted with modern parts of the country. This cute city can be truly called to be a nice combination of modernity and history. Here you can take a closer look with this cosmopolitan city, admire the glittering peak of Mont Blanc, wander through the countless museums and art galleries, find out where the headquarters of the UN  are based in and relax in the nearby botanical garden. The city is rather gorgeous so you might need to plan a long-hour or even a couple-day visit to the place.

9. Take an advantage of the possibility of visiting some of the countries nearby, such as France or Italy. Due to the fact that Switzerland has recently joined the Schengen area, border problems will not arise. So  taking into account where your permanent residents is you can try to visit neighboring countries and make a great comparison of the both and just feel the differences! It is only a little drive along the shore of Lake Geneva, and from large luxury Swiss city you suddenly get into deeper France. This is also true if you are resting in one of the border mountain resorts- you can get to another country, without removing skis and even without guessing so.

10. Devote at least 2 or 3 days to shopping. And do not forget to share with friends! Here you can buy a variety of local cheese – “Gruyere “and” Emmentalera “,” Appenzeller “and” Raclette “, and of course, excellent chocolate! The list of these attractive delicacies might be completed also with a list of Swiss knives. For those who prefer to have something more attractive, eye-catching and elegant then the popular Swiss watches of Frank Muller or Rolex brand are just perfect. You better also pick up at least some kind of souvenir with a ‘red cross’ print as anyways you are visiting the official country of the “Red Cross”.

1.   Chillon, Switzerland

Switzerland can not be called a land of oil, gold but instead it has wonderful mountains, ski resorts, waterfalls and a rich variety of lakes. One of the symbols of this country is mystical castle of Chillon. It impressed the famous writer and lord Bayron so badly that we wrote the poem “Chillon Prisoner”. And soon after he left his autograph on one of the columns, something like “The lord was here”. This was just a joke. But anyways the researchers consider this castle to be a masterpiece. Another place to visit is the castle Gruyere, where you can find the pieces of the legend about the giants- Willrich Steel hand and Clerembo and except that  there is also a museum of fantasy over there. Here the halls are not decorated in traditional art crafts; you find goblins and fays, which are painted on the height of the Alpine mountains. At the neighborhood you’ll find the legendary castle of Saint-Germain, where you’ll be able to witness the works of the Oscar winner Hans-Rudi designer, who made the special effects for the movie “Alien.” The fantastical features included in the exposition are not offered for those who feel sick while getting scared. This is especially true about the part with the aliens.

2.    Petra,Jordan

If you want to get into the real decorations of the tale “Hundred and One Nights”, you better visit Jordan. The local legends are popular mixture of Bible stories and folk stories. The most enthusiastic spot is undoubtedly Petra. This town made of scarlet and rose rocks is considered to be one of the Seven Wonders of the World. According to the legend the main part was built by the Egyptian pharaoh, who was following Jews- running away from the slavery to find the Holy land. So the king made the castle of El-Khaznu, to hide all the wealth that was preventing him to overtake the Jews. He never came back to get his gold as he was drown together with all of his crew close to the Red Sea. So it is believed that somebody will find it for sure if he/she will be able to find the secret way that takes there. The gold searching was so tough that every single statue has been shot and removed constantly. The next legend associated with this land is the Sodom and Gomorra towns’ legend. God got angry at the inhabitants of these towns and washed them by the salty waters of the Dead Sea. Despite this story you’ll be able to spend an awesome time here.

3.    Langkawi, Malaysia

Malaysian Langkawi is called to be the “Island of the Legends”. There are so many legends sewn around the place that no one knows exactly which one was the first. The most popular one is telling about the girl named Mansuri. She was so pretty that everyone was devoting her poems and songs. When she grew up they organized her wedding with the son of the tribe leader- Darus. All the inhabitants were invited. Everybody was jealous about Mansuri and especially the wife of the tribe leader- Mandora. Later when Darus went for the fighting and a stranger-singer came to the place Mansuri wasn’t able to refuse to give a nightspot to him. The islanders decided that this was a cheating and killed Mansuri. Before her death the young innocent lady cursed the island for 7 generations. The entire story was overlapped at the year of 1986, when the 7th generation of Mansuri was born- a girl named Aisha. And so during 20 with something years the island turned into a land of tourism. Also here you can taste the local fruit called durian. As to the islanders this fruit smells rather bad, but the taste is terrific. Despite the unusual smell it is good to know that you can’t combine this fruit with any kind of alcohol and even with light cocktails.

4.    Chinabalu,Kalimantan

This island is also known as Borneo and is situated on the Pacific Ocean. It is still inhabited with various tribes who are telling seizing stories and legends. One of this is telling about the mountain Chinabalu- the highest top of the South-eastern Asia. Its name translated from the old-Malaysian is “Chinese widow”. The story goes like this: there used to live a huge dragon on the island. He was the only dragon left that’s why he was so unfriendly. He was protecting a giant pink pearl and at the afternoons he was eating up the Indians who were coming to steal it. The dragon was finally defeated by a Chinese prince. The saved pearl was gifted to the prettiest girl on the island and soon they got married. Later on the brave prince started missing his homeland and moved back to China. His poor wife cried so much that she turned into a stone. The frequent rains are also being associated with the legend. There is also a newer legend which states that the name of the mountain can be translated as the “Mountain of the Spirits”. So those who are leaving us are being moved to the top of the mountain.

5.    Rome,Italy

Our last but not the least legend is about the founding of the city of Rome by the twin brothers, Romulus and Remus. Their mother got pregnant, some say by Mars, the god of war. Their great-uncle recognized that Romulus and Remus were more than human and attempted to have them killed. The servant left the basket with the brothers on the river Tiber, which was in flood. They were found by a she-wolf who suckled them and fed them. A swineherd later found the babies and brought them up. When they grew up they decided to build a city of their own in despite of serving the king. During an argument one of the brothers killed the other one. Romulus buried Remus, and carried on with building his city. The city was named to be Rome after the powerful brother who reigned Rome for 38 years. Then it is told to be that  Romulus disappeared in a violent storm, and it was announced that he had been taken up to heaven, from where he would continue to look after Rome’s destiny as the god Quirinus does. This legend makes the story of the Rome even more seizing and especially the fact of rather active nightlife of the city make it worth to visit.

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.

Despite the small size of the country, it has diverse resorts. Getting over there is easy and you will always find good hotels and adjusted infrastructure in spots. However, it is believed that most resorts are targeted at older people or those who do not like too noisy wild life après-ski.

Best Resort for a couple of days: Engelberg
This resort is just an hour ride from Lucerne. So, if you want to see the wonderful city of Switzerland, and to get to ski only for a couple of days, you will  be able to find a better option. The village, the name of which is translated as “Mountain Angel”, was founded by a Benedictine monk in 1120 at the foot of 3238-meter Mount Titlis. Of course, the monks were little interested in ski slopes, but today’s athletes rate them highly.  Do you prefer to ride on the empty slopes? Then it is better to go to this place on weekdays.

The most glamorous resort: St. Moritz
The name of this resort is known  all around the world: for more than 150 years, the rich and the famous come here not only for skiing, but also for taking part in various championships. In St. Moritz there is Switzerland’s largest concentration of five-star hotels and expensive restaurants, which makes this place into one of the most expensive places in the world. Skiers will spend solid amount of money on vacation, will also appreciate well-groomed slopes of several mountains, united by a common ski- pass.

The most “delicious” resort: Zermatt
Zermatt is a charming village situated at the foot of the Matterhorn. To travel around the resort by car is forbidden: lovers of antiques can get to their hotel on a sledge, which are brought by several horses, or in more modern way – by taxi-electric vehicles. It is interesting when you climb a mountain in Switzerland, you can inadvertently move out from the mountains to Italy. Zermatt attracts a special category of skiers – those who, after a day on the slopes, surely will go to a restaurant to eat something from the local specialties. Here are just a few institutions, which necessarily need to be visited: Zum See, Franz & Heidi and Chez Vrony.

The most unknown resort: Val d’Anniviers
This is one of the least known and, at the same time one of the most beautiful places in Switzerland, where you can ski. This resort is safely hidden from the foreigners as the locals preserve it for themselves. Twelve tiny villages are located in a valley surrounded by five mountains, which (including the Matterhorn) rise more than 4000 meters. Of the five villages there is a direct access to four different zones of skating (Vercorin, St Luc / Chandolin, Grimentz and Zinal). In these places you can see the old chalets, which are more than 600 years old. It is convenient to move between villages on a free ski-bass. This is one of the few Swiss resorts, where the athletes will not be bored all day: here, there is a night life. Those who want to spend the money will always find good shops of known brands.

Resort for “advanced” skiers: Verbier
With tens of kilometers of “black” and “red” routes and a huge area for off-piste this stylish resort has earned the reputation of the place for those who have an excellent command of the art of sliding on the slopes. Seasoned skiers will note that Four Valleys Verbier will make a worthy competition to famous Three Valleys of France, but the location of skiing areas in the Swiss resort is more complicated, it is harder to get used to it.

The cheapest of all the ski resorts are following:

1. Poiana Brasov, the average cost of all that is necessary for the full rest, including the use of lifts, rental equipment, food and drinks, stand sat about $300.

2. Bulgaria Borovets, where the cost of holidays in the average is about $400 after the ascending rise of the fee. The resort became more expensive by 14%.

3. High Tatras in Slovakia, where the average cost is $421. Compared to last year prices have increased by 20%.

Also, it is noted that the major European resorts could also be a good choice for skiers. The cheapest of the major ski resorts in Europe is called La Thuile in Italy.

In addition, over the past year, prices in Courchevel, another famous resort, located in France, fell by 24 per cent.French resorts were succumbed to pressure caused by the Euros, significantly lowering the prices. Thus, Courchevel is now rated as one of the budget European ski resorts.

In the United States, the popular resort of Vail, Colorado has reduced prices by 11 percent; following it the rest here was cheaper than in Banff, Canada, and Verbier , Switzerland.

The prices of the ski resorts increased enormously recently. For example, in the Norwegian resort of Geilo, visitors were encountered with a 26-percent growth in prices.

Travel tickets for everybody
Tthere are train tickets for different expiration periods (for 3, 5, 6, 7, 14 days with unlimited number of trips). They are also divided depending on how many countries you want to visit. The exact price of tickets can easily be found on different sites online.

There are also other practical offers for travelers . For example some companies offer tickets which allow you to travel by train in the 21 European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. You can choose from 15 or 21 consecutive days, 1, 2 or 3 month.

If will travel to only one or two countries, it is best to choose tickets, which apply for Germany and the Czech Republic, France and Italy, Denmark and Sweden, or in to other neighboring states.

Pay attention to local tickets, read the information at stations – often there are discounts for the weekend. Sometimes several people can travel with one ticket. So although such ticket is beneficial even for one tourist, it is possible to save heaving found other person at the station before the departure. For example, in Germany you can meet a young man who will come up and ask whether anyone has such a ticket. If you offer him to join, he will pay you a part of the ticket price.

Information for consideration
Always clarify if the ticket is valid for a concrete route. For example, many tickets can not be used on panoramic trains in Switzerland.

The travel ticket may not extend on very comfortable night trains, where places need to be reserved in advance.

Attentively look tickets’ validity period: it does not always start from 12 o’clock in the morning and ends at 12 o’clock the next night.

Read the terms: there can be pleasant surprises – an additional discount on some services for hotel accommodation, tours, free travel for another kind of transport.

When buying necessarily specify your age. For young people under 25 traveling is much cheaper.

Right to Choose
Now, when you got acquainted with tickets, think whether you need to buy them? Perhaps you will not travel so long in Europe, and therefore it is reasonably to buy a simple ticket from point A to point B? Take a sheet of paper and calculate: where will you go and how much does the ticket cost. Think maybe some points can be reduced, and in some places you can find a shorter route? Now sum the cost of tickets for all days of the supposed travel and compare it with the price of combined ticket. If you know in advance where you have to go you can save your money by paying the ticket 2-3 months in advance. If go to another country, look the prices of tickets on websites of national railways of both countries – often the cost can essentially differ.