Travel Tour to Australia
Tourism culture and History tour

Australia overview

Many harbor a very particular image of Australia as the Sydney Opera House or Ayers Rock, despite these famous icons render honor to the low abundance of natural treasures of the country and its cultural diversity and its immensity. Australia offers all kinds of experiences, from the extraordinary desert area and the spectacle of the Great Barrier Reef to the cosmopolitan character of Sydney and its vast beaches, considered the best in the world. Australia is a huge country, so that those who harbor the idea of going to the opera in Sydney one night and visit Crocodile Dundee the next day had better review their knowledge of geography. Its extension, adjacent to the friction between the ancient land steeped in Aboriginal tradition and Western culture subsequently adopted, gives Australia much of its character

When to go to Australia

Any time is suitable to visit Australia. Summer (December to February) is extremely hot everywhere, except Tasmania. During these months, the southern states are transformed into beach destinations. Farther north, they live a really wet season when the sea is full of jellyfish. At this time the top is a green sublime, and receives few tourists.
June-August, things have cooled toward the South and have been very dry north. It is a perfect time to visit Queensland or the field. For those who prefer to ski, it's time to go to the stations of Victoria and New South Wales. The best seasons are spring and summer because the climate is softened in the spring, you can enjoy the wildflowers in the countryside, while autumn is particularly beautiful in Canberra and the Australian Alps. It is better not to travel to Australia at Easter, to avoid chaos on the roads caused by the holidays

Australia festival and holidays

Christmas is part of the long summer school holidays, so in December and January is Australia half holiday. At this time, almost no accommodations are available. Among national holidays include the Australia Day (January 26), evoking the arrival of the first fleet, and Anzac Day (April 25), which commemorates the attack by military forces in Australia and New Zealand Gallipoli in 1915.
The great Sydney Festival, which takes place mainly in January, hosting a series of outdoor concerts, street theater and fireworks. The Adelaide Arts Festival takes place in early March in even-numbered years. In the odd, Womadelaide, the Adelaide festival (which celebrates outdoors) for music and dances of the world, takes place in February. Held at the Melbourne Comedy Festival (festival of humor) in February, the Writer's Festival (the largest festival of writers from the world) in September and the fabulous Melbourne International Festival in October. A couple of festivals are art and Aboriginal culture: the Stomper Ground Festival, being held in Broome in October and the Barunga Wugularr Sports & Cultural Festival, which takes place in June near Katherine.
As for sports, takes place in August in Darwin's Beer Can Regatta, a race in boats built with cans of beer in Alice Springs, the Henley-on-Todd is a race boat that is' run 'in the dry bed of a river. Other career highlights include the Sydney to Hobart Sailing (on December 26), Open Australia (Melbourne in January), the Grand Prix of Australia (Melbourne in March), Australian Rules Football (in the field of March to September) and the Melbourne Cup horse race, the first Tuesday of November.
In February or March we celebrate the festival multitudinous and extravagant Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras and Melbourne, also emphasized the gay Midsummer Festival, which takes place in January or February

Australia attraction

Sydney

The first city in Australia is its oldest settlement, the center of economic power and the nation's capital in everything but name. Built on the banks of the mighty Port Jackson and is now a vital city, egocentric, full of casual urbanity and a slavishly obsessed with all manner of fashions. The magnificent Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000 have increased the fame of the city as a civilized city, hospitable and  entertaining.

To prove that he has visited Australia, there is nothing better than a drawn picture of the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbor Bridge in the background.

Melbourne

Australia's second city is a contradictory place, full of hidden charms, a residential community near the Bay of troubled Yarra River, a city cosmopolitan, educated, conservative lover of football and ... A paradise for art. It is full of shops, restaurants, nightlife and sporting activities. Many people think living in Melbourne, one of the most active in the world.

From Melbourne it is worth leaving on a trip to Phillip Island with its penguins, the pristine Wilsons Promontory and the Great Ocean Road, a route that runs along the southwest coast of Victoria.

Great Barrier Reef

One of the greatest assets of Australia is the reef that runs the coast of Queensland, as an estimate of the natural wonders of the planet, is the largest barrier reef and the largest structure made by living organisms on Earth. In the north, the reef, located just 50 km from the coast, runs on an almost continuous in the South, rather individual reefs can be seen in some places more than 300 km from the coast. Hundreds of islands dot the reef area, and about twenty have tourist facilities, while in many others it is possible to camp.

Cairns

Cairns is the tourist capital of the north end and one of the most popular destinations for travelers. Until recently, it was just a tropical backwater lethargic, much of its charm and languor disappeared with the explosive growth of tourist infrastructure, but it is an ideal base for exploring the wealth of Queensland. From Cairns it is feasible to organize excursions to the Great Barrier Reef, Green Island, Fitzroy Island, the Atherton Plateau, the market of Kuranda, the 50 km strip of beach that stretches north to Port Douglas, and the jungle and the coastal landscape of Cape Tribulation and the Daintree River.

Darwin

The capital of Northern Australia is closer to Jakarta than Sydney and Melbourne to Singapore, so it is not strange to remember that most of Asia to the rest of Australia. Such proximity to the northern neighbors is reflected in the tranquil atmosphere, the tropical cosmopolitan city.

Uluru (Ayers Rock)

Uluru is an enclave of great cultural significance to the Anangu Aboriginals and the best-known symbol of the Australian landscape. The pilgrimage to Uluru and the ascent to the summit of infarction became a ritual Australian Aboriginal owners but always preferred that visitors climbed the rocks, and now many respected their wishes. The gigantic rock 3.6 km in length rises to 348 m from the surrounding bush, absolutely flat, situated in the middle of the field, especially impressive at dawn and at dusk, when the rock changes from red hues. Some tours around the base of the rock gives several caves, sacred sites and Aboriginal rock paintings. At the nearby Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), 32km west of Uluru, there are other monoliths of comparable beauty, and Mt Olga is actually much higher than Uluru. The Valley of the Winds is a 6 km circuit highly recommended.

Brisbane

Brisbane is the third largest metropolis in Australia and the capital of Queensland. Regarded by Australians as a city neglected zafado has this bad reputation and has become a thriving center to accommodate a range of major international events in the eighties, including the Commonwealth Games and Expo 1982 Universal 1988. Brisbane has been awarded the role of cosmopolitan and lively city, with interesting neighborhoods, a street of cafes, a great riverside park, a full cultural calendar and a vibrant nightlife.

Perth

Perth, the Western capital, is vibrant and modern, located between the Swan and Canning rivers, with Cerulean the Indian Ocean to the west and the Darling Range to  the east. His state is the sunniest of Australia, but the really striking is its isolation from the rest of the country, as Perth is closer to Singapore than Sydney.

Canberra

Canberra is a fascinating creation of the twentieth century that has struggled to establish itself as the epicenter of history, pride and national identity of Australia. Canberra is proud to have long been a city of politicians and bureaucrats who live at the expense of the hard work of rural people. Today this has changed: the politicians go home on weekends and many bureaucrats have lost their jobs because of recent cuts in public services. Canberra has moved from a federation of city adult babies with all the problems and benefits involved.

Adelaide

When the first settlers founded Adelaide, a city built with stones and solid looking solemn, quiet and civilized as any other state capital of Australia. The firm goes beyond the architecture, since there was a time when that was considered the city of the blessed, or uncompromising Puritans, gaining fame for its disproportionate number of churches. Currently, pubs and nightclubs outnumber the churches. This town sits on an excellent site, with the center surrounded by green areas and the metropolitan area surrounded by the hills of the chain of Mount Lofty and the Gulf of St. Vincent.

Hobart

South Hobart is the capital. The fact that it is small (129,000 inhabitants) is what gives it its particular charm. It is a coastal town with an active port and mountains which offer views of residential areas that are crowded slopes. Its beautiful Georgian buildings (stores up to the docks of the picturesque Port), relaxed atmosphere, its abundance of parks and their houses make Hobart one of the most attractive towns of Australia. Neighboring towns may consider that Hobart's interior is conservative and parochial, but it really has a thriving art scene and craft, coupled with a true historical sense, certainly, this is the place to stroll, eat and soak up the atmosphere.

Alice Springs

Alice Springs (20,000 inhabitants), built on the banks of the Todd River, usually dry, is a modern and pleasant city in the heart of Australia. May cause disappointment to those who wait on every corner saloons and genuine individuals of the desert, to explore the area but you can see the charm of this desert community. The city was founded as the scale of the telegraph line overland in 1870, but began its growth over the past 30 years. The road that runs south towards Adelaide, was not completely paved until 1987.

Barossa Valley

The Barossa Valley is the wine-producing region known more for Australia. The slightly sloping valley of southern Australia, which was colonized by Germans in 1842 fleeing religious persecution in Prussia and Silesia, still reminiscent Germanic. This is an area that houses primarily cared about fifty wineries, most of whom would gladly accept the visit of tourists to sample and buy wine. To fully appreciate the scenery, it is advisable to leave the main road and diverted by a secondary crossing different peoples. The main town is Tanunda. Adelaide is just one hours drive to the Southwest. The worst time to walk around this area is between July and October, because during the winter months the vines are pruned. The best months are March to May, the season of harvest.
There are other wine regions in the state, especially in the southeastern around Penola, Coonawarra and Padthaway, in the Clare Valley, north of Barossa and McLaren Vale around in the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Broome

The atmosphere of this cosmopolitan metropolis apart, its languid pace of old village collector of pearls and its relaxed tropical charm make magnet for travelers and an alternative to big cities and their lifestyle. Broome keeps Asian influences, in part because of its history as a collector of pearls enclave and partly because Perth, the capital, is twice as distant Indonesia that. Cable Beach, near here, is one of the most famous beaches in Australia, to promote the tourism sector between the category, the city has escaped the Australian rude masses that flood most of the western towns. Broome points out the tiny district of Chinatown, the Sun Pictures Cinema, an outdoor cinema for 80 years, the Japanese cemetery and dinosaur footprints in Gantheaume Point. Broome also appealing to the observers of birds as the Broome Bird Observatory, located in Roebuck Bay, is one of the best way points of migrating waders in the Arctic. Bathers are advised that between November and March the waters are full of jellyfish.

Flinders Range

Flinders mountain range rises from the north end of Spencer Gulf, east of South Australia and extends northward along the 800 km and for many is the epitome of rural Australia, an excellent area for walkers, because of the colorful wildlife and the countryside. In the north the mountains are surrounded by salt or salt lakes. The defining feature of the range is the huge natural pond called Wilpena Pound, gorges flanked by 1,000 m. Alligator gorges are interesting, in the Mount Remarkable National Park, and the summit crowned Brachina porcelain known as Great Wall of China. The time advisable to approach this area in winter, though the mountains tend to be more green and flowery spring. Quorn and Hawker are two people who deserve to visit.
Freycinet Peninsula

On the east coast of Tasmania, the mainland is part of Freycinet National Park, is known for its beaches and caves, unusual plants and wildlife. Encourages all hikers. A representative is the road trip back to Wineglass Bay. The park contains a number of places for camping and lodging, but is famous for its drinking water shortage, so it is advisable to stock up in the nearby town of Coles Bay.
Great Ocean Road

This route by the south-west coast of Victoria is very spectacular winds through steep cliffs, windswept beaches and towering cliffs, through a lush forest and enormous eucalyptus. The most captivating is the Port Campbell National Park, where there is a curious collection of sculptures in limestone, including the Twelve Apostles, London Bridge and Loch Ard Gorge. Another focus of interest lies in the mountain forests Otways, between Lorne and Apollo Bay. The coastal towns are indispensable Lorne resort and the historic Port Fairy, west of Warrnambool. The road officially starts at Torquay and ends at Warrnambool, but continues along the coast to Portland.

Kakadu National Park

Kakadu National Park is one of the natural wonders of Australia. Covers a range of magnificent scenery, is home to a diverse fauna and contains some of the best  examples of Aboriginal rock art. The park, a World Heritage Site for its cultural and natural significance, has an area of over 200 km from north to south and 100 km from east to west and is a 153 km road from Darwin in the Northern Territory. A strip of the park is Aboriginal land, and there are three conflicting lease contracts for uranium mines operating in the East.

Kimberley

The rugged Kimberley in the far north of Western Australia, is one of the last frontier, remote and little explored, with major rivers and beautiful landscapes, the quintessentially Australian landscape: red earth, rocks, rubber trees and blue skies. The fauna includes freshwater crocodiles, giant kangaroos and the rare Black-footed uallabí. Among its attractions include the throats of the Fitzroy River, the Wolfe Creek meteorite crater, the Gibb River Road and National Park Bungle Bunge. Halls Creek is the largest metropolis of Kimberley. Derby, 220 km, at the mouth of the Fitzroy River, is a good base for excursions in the practice area. The best time to visit is between April and September. Although the wet season (rainy season in the northern area) provides a carpet of storms and wild flowers. The rains make many channels impassable.

Snow Mountains

Located on the southwestern extremity of New South Wales, the snow-capped mountains are the highest mountains of the great divide of Australia. Kosciusko National Park, the largest of New South Wales (6,900 km ²), stretching from the border with Victoria to the Federal Capital Territory, covering almost all these mountains. Here are all ski resorts in the state, the most rugged mountain scenery, numerous caves, glacial lakes and forests. Despite its reputation as a place for winter sports, is also famous among hikers in summer, due to its high mountain wildflowers. Among the ski resorts, Thredbo contained, Perish Valley, Smiggins Hole and Mt Blue Cow. Mount Kosciusko, with 2228 m, is the highest peak. The principal city of the region is Jindabyne, situated on the edge of the park, beside a beautiful lake.

Australia ACTIVITIES

With more than 7,500,000 km of sparsely populated territory, it is not surprising that Australia is a favorite place for lovers of adventure. It is possible to travel the country in a 4x4, on horseback or even riding a camel. They are also good for cycling on paths, although the center, very dry, is reserved for very experienced. Fantastic routes for walkers in MacDonnell Ranges in the Northern Territory; Finders Ranges, in the south, in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales and the Snowy Mountains (on the border with Victoria), and wide and wild territory of Tasmania. The best place to ski and board show-practice are the Snowy Mountains, during the warmer months you can explore the excellent horse riding in the Snowy.
In Australia there are numerous beaches for surfing, some of them in cities (Sydney and Perth), other coastal cities (Lorne in Victoria, Byron Bay in New South Wales and the Gold Coast, Queensland) and in other areas more isolated (southwestern South Australia and northwest Western Australia). Apart from diving mecca of the Great Barrier Reef in the Coral Sea, there are other places for sport in Kangaroo Island in South Australia (where there are several affordable prices) and at Esperance, Rottnest Island, and Carnarvon in Western Australia.
Whale watching is possible in many places, the most famous are Eden in New South Wales, Warrnambool in Victoria, Western Australia in Albano and Fraser Island in Queensland. You can go rafting and canyoning in the rough waters of the river Nybdodia in Coffs Harbor in New South Wales in the Murray near Khancoban, also in New South Wales in the Tully and North Johnstone rivers in Queensland between Cairns and Townsville, and in Tasmania.

Australia history

Aboriginal Australians have the largest continuous cultural history of the world: their seeds back to the last ice age. While many aspects of Australian prehistory are veiled in mystery, the theory that its first inhabitants crossed the sea from Indonesia about seventy thousand years ago is a significant acceptance. For the first visitors, called robustus austrolopithecus by archaeologists because of its powerful skeleton, twenty thousand years after they happened more stylized another race called the gracilis, the ancestors of Aboriginal Australians.
The Europeans made their entry into Australia during the sixteenth century, Portuguese sailors first arrived, followed by Dutch explorers and the enterprising English pirate William Dampier. Captain James Cook sailed along the coast east in 1770 and stopped at Botany Bay. After surrounding Cape York, claimed the continent on behalf of the British crown and named it New South Wales.
In 1779, Joseph Banks (a naturalist on Cook's trip) suggested that Britain could solve overcrowding problems in its prisons where the convicts transported to New South Wales. In 1787, he left the first fleet to Botany Bay under the command of Captain Arthur Philip, who became the first governor of the colony. The fleet comprised 11 ships, 750 convicts (men and women), four companies of sailors and provisions for two years. Philip arrived in Botany Bay on January 26 1788, but soon moved north to Sydney Cove, where land and water are best. For newcomers, New South Wales was a truly terrible and inhumane, and 16 years on the cologne hung the threat of hunger.
During the following decades, other free settlers were attracted by Australia, but what really changed the appearance of the colony was the discovery of gold in the 1850s. The influx of immigrants and some important findings re the economy and irrevocably changed the social structures of the colony. Aborigines were forcibly evicted from their lands as new settlers enabled land for agriculture or mining. The Industrial Revolution in England required plenty of time for raw materials and agricultural and mineral resources of Australia were able to meet demand.
Australia as a nation built on January 1, 1901, when he established the federation of independent colonies, but kept many of the legal and cultural ties with England. Australian troops fought alongside Britain during the War of the Boers and the two world wars. However, the role played by United States to protect Australia from Japanese invasion during World War I marked the beginning of a change of loyalties. Australia supported the United States during wars in Korea and Vietnam.
Immigration after World War II brought an influx of European immigrants, not just of Britain, who have since contributed greatly to the development of the country, turning its culture and broadening your horizons. In the 1980s, Australia accepted large numbers of Asian refugees, especially from Vietnam. From a socio-economic, Australia still tries to assume its position in Asia. Among the current issues, republicanism is the universal acceptance of the Aboriginal land rights law, enacted in 1993, and demand an official apology from the government for the injustice and theft suffered by generations of aborigines, many of whom still living in appalling conditions.
In the 1996 elections, Prime Minister Paul Keating was defeated by the conservative coalition led by John Winston Howard.
In the late 1990s, republicanism was the protagonist in the Australian political landscape, the idea of replacing the figure of the British monarchy by an Australian president as head of government was provided by a growing number of people, especially the most young population, which considered the constitutional links between Australia and United Kingdom of little significance and supported the declaration of Australia as a republic. Finally, the national referendum of 1999 gave victory to supporters of the monarchy and the continuation of Australia as a member of the Commonwealth.
In the 2001 election, John Winston Howard was re-elected prime minister.

Australia culture

Australia is a society of multiple cultures. Until WWII, Australians were mainly descendants of British and Irish. Then came huge contingent of immigrants from Greece, Italy, Yugoslavia, Lebanon and Turkey, to which must be added more recent flows of immigrants from Asia. There are about 230,000 Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. Many Australians speak Italian, Greek, Lebanese, Vietnamese or Turkish as their first language. Anglo Australians use a hodgepodge of slang words and abbreviations that indigenous becomes incomprehensible language.

Australia has an important artistic heritage and a fascinating panorama of contemporary art. The carvings and paintings made by Aboriginals in the rocks have an age of at least 30,000 years. European settlers began to develop their own forms of Australian art at the end of the nineteenth century. Various artists from the mid-twentieth century achieved world renown (Sydney Nolan, Arthur Boyd, Patrick White), his followers have emphasized in modern painting (Brett Whiteley, Fred Williams), literature (Peter Carey, Thomas Keneally), opera (Joan Sutherland) , films (Peter Weir, Bruce Beresford, George Miller, Gillian Armstrong), Comedy (Barry Humphries), dance (Graeme Murphy, Paul Mercurio), popular music (Nick Cave, INXS, AC / DC, Jet, Midnight Oil, Silverchair, Kylie Minogue) and actors (Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Mel Gibson). Contemporary Aboriginal art has resurfaced throughout the last decade, its representatives have explored ways to preserve their traditional values and share them with the wider community.
The sport is the religion of Australia, world champion in cricket, the rugby league from rugby union, swimming and cycling. Other sports that are of great interest are basketball, sailing, soccer and Australian football or Aussie Rules, Australia characteristic of a sport similar to Gaelic football. The 2000 Olympic Games held in Sydney, were considered by the then president of the IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch, the best to date.

Australia Map .

Travel Tour to Canada

Tourism Culture and History tour

Canada Overview

The perception is that most of Canada is based on its vast distances, its rich natural resources and its flag. It is indisputably associated with Niagara Falls and its current maple paradise. However, their ethno-cultural diversity provides an added value to its natural wonders.
The contrasts between the indigenous and European traditions endow the country with a complex character, which also receives the constant influence of American culture and customs of all imported from Asia and Latin America of skilled immigrants. The result is a heterogeneous society thriving in the process of forming their own identity. Those who feel that Canada is merely a replica of his more moderate southern neighbor, they should revise their prejudices before entering the country: its sparsely populated northern frontier, which has gradually been forming in the soul of the nation, its mix of people and led to an area that has little to do with United States.

Canada best time to travel

The best time for skiing in Canada ends in early spring. Camping or go to the extreme north, is preferable in July and August. The high season begins in June and lasts until September. In spring and autumn, and receive fewer visitors, Canada offers lower prices and a more relaxed atmosphere, but we must bear in mind that some of the attractions and tourist facilities remain closed.

Canada Festival and Holidays

The Winter Carnival in Quebec City, which takes place between February and March, is famous for its parades, dances and music, as well as its ice sculptures and snow slide. In Ottawa Winterlude festivities in February, a festival in honor of the snow. The Montreal Jazz Festival in June and the International Jazz Festival Ottawa in the next month, to gather local musicians and performers of recognized international scene. The two major events in Toronto are the Caravan, cultural music, dance and ethnic cuisine that takes place in mid-August, and in June, the Gay Pride Parade, which runs through the streets of downtown of the city in September highlights its famous International Film Festival. In Calgary, it was organized in July, the popular Calgary Stampede, with its famous race cars and rodeo. The west, the city of Victoria hosts the Festival in August of the first settlers, with crafts, dancing and walks in war canoes.

Canada Best Places to travel

Ottawa

The capital of Canada extends to the southern shore of the Ottawa River at the eastern edge of Ontario. It is the seat of city government, and is characterized by the Parliament buildings, neo-Gothic style. You hear a lot about French, because the staff must be bilingual. There are too many exciting things to do in Ottawa, apart from being in a capital, but the air is clean, the streets are wide, there are many public parks and people seem happy and healthy because people are going to work or walk. In the city there are many impressive buildings, as often occurs in the majority of capital: the War Museum (with an actual size replica of a trench in the First World War), the Royal Mint, several houses inhabited by ministers and museums do justice to the icons of the country, nature, aviation, science and technology, agriculture and skiing. Ottawa also houses the art collection of the most important country in the National Gallery, which displays a selection of American and European works. In summer, the city is full of color with the red uniforms of the Royal Canadian Mounties, the mounted police.

The Rideau Canal divides downtown Ottawa in the east and the west shore. In the east, there are numerous guest houses, many with an important heritage. The motels are clustered in Rideau Street to the east, and Carling Ave on the west bank of the city. Byward Market, east of the canal, focuses cheap places to eat, and in the western part is more expensive restaurants.
Toronto

The largest city in Canada is known for its multiculturalism. In its streets you can hear more than 100 languages and an estimated 40% of the population was born outside the country. The symbol that identifies the city is the CN Tower, the tallest structure independent world. Harbourfront is a good place for a walk or eat in a renovated warehouse. The city has a lot of good museums, from the Bata Shoe Museum (Museum of shoes) until may of Fame Jockey, which is located in a beautiful building. Some of the best preserved buildings can be seen in York Old Town, with an incomparable collection of domestic architecture in Cabbagetown. And just two hours by car is one of the most popular attractions, especially for Americans, Niagara Falls.
Montreal

The passion and pride are so entrenched in this elegant island are bilingual as deep water around it. Founded in the religious zeal and a center for the fur trade, Montreal experienced the struggles between British and French, but, fortunately, today only fought at the polls.

Mont Royal, 232 m, is the highest mountain in the area and it comes from the name of the city. The Old Montreal some architectural jewels of the eighteenth century, as the museum of archeology and history of Pointe-à-Callière. When the weather gets worse (the winter in this city is famous for its inclement weather), the right is the cozy refuge underground maze of restaurants, shops and bars.

Most hotels are located on the west side of the center of the city, but getting a room during the summer or Christmas is almost a battle. The nightlife in Montreal is quite hectic and is defined by two different styles, the English and French. Moreover, this is the city where the clubs closed later. In recent years, the best clubs have been established around the Plateau, the south end of town.
Vancouver

This city, one of the finest American country, won the heart of the traveler without much effort. From the hill on which it is built, or from the many bridges that cross, you can enjoy breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, the bay and the city itself. The climate is mild, according to the parameters Canadians, and the atmosphere is cheerful and carefree Californian style that makes even their neighbors Americans discard in praise. The city center offers a vivid mosaic of interesting attractions for tourists, ranging from the refurbished Victorian charm of the old town of Gastown to the leafy spaces of Stanley Park, one of the largest in the world within a city. Vancouver also has a very short distance from famous sandy beaches where surf, such as Wreck Beach, and numerous opportunities for hiking, white water or off at picnics in the same city. In the vicinity is Vancouver Island, where you can take whale watching and enjoy countless natural wonders. Needless to add that, in summer, Vancouver is full of visitors.
Rockies

Along the border between Alberta and British Columbia, the Rocky Mountains are located within national parks two giants: the Banff, south and Jasper to the north. Banff National Park was the first official sanctuary for wildlife in Canada, and today the city that gave its name has become the first resort of the country, both summer and winter, while the Jasper National Park is largest unexplored.

The magnificent Lake Moraine, turquoise waters, is in Banff, despite the danger of becoming one of the most exploited of the country, it is one of the most beautiful natural attractions in Canada. Jasper and Banff parks are linked by the Columbia Icefield, a large block of glacier ice in the period, comprising about thirty glaciers. This area offers other options, like walking through the park, swim, visit caves, go camping, hiking, canoeing down, soak in hot water or climb mountains. The Rocky Mountains, the quintessence of Canada, also offer plenty of places to stay, at prices which generally are lower on the edge of Jasper Park.
Great Plains

From the base of the Rocky Mountains and in the direction of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, the broad plateau stretching from Canada in the heart of the area, covered with golden wheat and sunflowers. It is not uncommon to hear the locals complain that, despite the beauty of the Rocky Mountains, they impede the spectacular scenery. Among the most popular areas of interest in Alberta is the curiously named heritage of the Blackfoot Indians, consisting of the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, near the fort Macleod. Riding Mountain National Park, with 3,000 km2, is an oasis among the wooded grasslands of Manitoba, where bison roam much as cyclists. In the region of Saskatchewan, grasslands alternate with evocative names of national parks, and there are more routes on roads canoe. Yorkton, a town north of Crooked Lake Provincial Park, is one of the surprises that holds this area. Here the churches with onion domes reflect the heritage of the Ukrainian culture. South of this tiny village is located Rocanville, one of the villages specialized in crop circle in modern Canada.
Nordic Arctic Games

The cold Inuvik, a town located in the far north and clear example of the glacial climate in Alaska itself, often hosting the Games in the Nordic Arctic. In this celebration recreational sports highlights sports traditional Dene and Inuit, as well and dance contests and an area where there are displays local crafts. Another activity of these games is based on a contest called The good woman, which assesses the abilities of local people in activities which consist, for example, skinning animals.
Wells Gray Provincial Park
Through the Yellowhead Highway provides access to the Cariboo Mountains in British Columbia, form the vast virgin Wells Gray Park, one of the least visited of the country. Of the many beautiful waterfalls that are in it, are the most spectacular waterfalls Helmcken River Murtle, with a drop of 137 m.
Potato Museum in Prince Edward Island
At the frontier of rural Prince Edward Island (PEI), on the eastern edge of Canada, the town of O'Leary internal rewards its visitors with the Museum of PEI Potatoes, where you will find all the information existing This tuber, of the Irish diet. A curious fact reported that 85% of the potatoes grown in North America end up being fried. The museum houses several historic buildings including a restaurant specializing in cuisine based on this food.
Nature Reserve Narcisse
The town of Narcisse, Manitoba, is the meeting place for lovers of the snakes, as in the province to over 10,000 of these reptiles. Lake Manitoba is considered to be the Loch Ness Canadian, as the locals claim to have seen a creature shaped like a giant snake and horse's head to die at the hands of the government under the night and then was transferred in a truck an unknown place. Whether true or not, it must be remembered that since the seventies have been explained many stories of this kind.

Canada map

Travel Tour to Cuba
Tourism culture and History tour
Cuba Introduction

Despite the efforts of United States, the sun still shines on Cuba, the Caribbean island more extensive and less spoiled by tourism, as well as one of the last bastions of communism in the world. The relative political isolation has prevented the influx of tourists and Cubans are really friendly to newcomers, including U.S. travelers enjoy a warm welcome. The Helms-Burton Act has allowed Cuba to find his own place gradually in the post-Soviet world, without accusing the sudden destabilizing shock of tourism consumption. The disappearance of the barriers imposed by the Americans in relation to travel and trade appears to be only a matter of time. Undoubtedly, upon the resumption of flights from Miami million tourists will come. Clearly, now is the ideal time to visit the island.
Cuba is a fairly quiet, even within large cities, where most delirious moments occur at a rate of enthusiastic chachacha, struggling to sound emitted by the old American cars and huge puff to the streets. If this peace is not enough, the interior of Cuba and its beaches are very quiet places, ideal for hikers, swimmers, or speleologists who likes to smoke a great cigar cigar under a palm tree.
Since November 8, 2004, the dollars are not legal in Cuba. Travelers should drive convertible pesos. Travelers checks or credit cards from American banks are not accepted. Dollar costs by 10% of the amount.

Cuba Best Time To Travel

Travel to Argentina
Tourism , Culture and History Tour
Why Argentina ?

When talking about Argentina, inevitably appear in the imagination of gauchos and the tango, but what really attracts many travelers is its natural beauty. The variety of landscapes ranging from deserts to the northern Andes in the south, from Iguazú Falls to the desolate Patagonia. And, above all, stands Buenos Aires, the capital, a magnificent city that is surprising both for its elegance as for its neo-European culture.

In fact, the most revealing of the large number of immigrants is to see how the features of European culture have remained intact during its adaptation to the so-called New World. Therefore, Argentina is one Latin American country in which Europeans, Americans and English speakers feel at ease and go virtually unnoticed

best time travel to Argentina

For residents in the northern hemisphere, Argentina offers the attractive possibility of enjoying two summers in a year, but due to their great diversity and vast geography, it is worth visiting these lands at any time. Buenos Aires, for example, has many attractions beyond the urban stations, but to assess areas such as Patagonia or the Perito Moreno Glacier in Santa Cruz, I will take the summer months between December and February. The best time to approach the Iguazu Falls in subtropical Misiones province, is in spring or winter in the southern hemisphere, when the heat and humidity are less suffocating. During the winter (mid-June to late September) you can go skiing

Argentina Mean festivals and Holidays


Argentina holds a few festivals and holidays, and mostly have their origin in the liturgical calendar of Roman Catholics. Are centered on Christmas, New Year and Easter. Other important events are the All Saints Day and the feasts of the various provinces, as the commemoration of the May Revolution of 1810 (May 25), Malvinas Day (June 10) and Day of Race (October 12)

Argentina Most Attraction Places to Travel

Buenos Aires

For the renowned writer Jorge Luis Borges in Buenos Aires, the city was as eternal as water and air. For many Argentines, their capital is synonymous with the country itself, so much so that 40 percent of the population lives in the suburbs, in constant expansion, the vast metropolis. Buenos Aires is situated on the riverside of the silver in the district of the city and not, as might be thought, in the province of Buenos Aires. It is a reflection of urban Europe and its center is compact and uniform, is similar to Paris, its streets lined with trees and abundant plazas evoke a faded elegance and seductive. The city is crowded with bankers and showcases luxurious mixed with beggars and unemployed of the suburbs surrounding the city. In the urban area, the Plaza de Mayo is the main focus of activity; Avenue July 9, nearby, is known as the widest in the world, a veritable nightmare for the pedestrians, while the road is the Santa Fe perfect place for shopping.

Among the attractions in Buenos Aires include the Catedral Metropolitana, which is the tomb of José de San Martín, hero of the struggle for national independence of Argentina and the Teatro Colon, one of the temples of opera, ballet and classical music's most prestigious the world, a number of interesting museums, among which the National Endowment for the Arts, the Film Museum and the Historic National, which provides an overview of developments in the country, the colorful Italian neighborhood of La Boca, with its housing wooden striking colors along the channel of the Riachuelo and the Recoleta Cemetery.

Whether you are staying in a modest or luxurious hotels, it is possible to stay in the heart of the city. The congressional district is a good place to sleep at a reasonable price, while the average cost of hotels are concentrated on Avenida de Mayo. In the districts of La Boca and San Telmo quantities can be eaten by small. In the center, Lavalle and Avenida Corrientes are the places suitable to consume pizza, drink coffee with the local intellectuals or enjoy one of the popular meat dishes.
The River Plate

For the inhabitants of Greater Buenos Aires, summer is synonymous with beach, the river plate is usually the favorite destination of Buenos Aires. Located in the North Atlantic coast, 400 km from the capital, beaches stretching along 8 km, as well as the elegant mansions that reflect the aristocratic origins of the area and are interspersed with the properties of the new middle class . Sea lions observed closely the activities of fishing piers, and a replica of the Grotto of Lourdes (France) is an interesting space to explore.
Cordoba

Argentina's second city, Cordoba, has long competed with Buenos Aires for political supremacy, economic and cultural, indeed languished while the city for negligence, Cordova became the architectural jewel of the country. Currently, in the dense center of the metropolis there is a valuable collection of colonial buildings, the old market, the Cathedral and the Church of the Society of Jesuits. The provincial museum of  Sobremonte Marquis is one of the most important historical museums in the country.
La Pampa

The vast plains of the Pampa is the most important agricultural center of Argentina and the origin of the symbol of romantic nationalism, the gaucho. This area includes the provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa and much of Santa Fe and Cordoba, among its many surrounding wooded hills rise, vast prairies and lakes filled with salt water flamencos. Calel Lihué The National Park is a popular spot, its fauna including some puma and many guanaco, rhea, native hares and a variant of wild chinchilla called vizcacha. It is worth visiting the cities of La Plata, Luján (whose basilica dedicated to Our Lady of Luján receives four million pilgrims a year), Rosario and Santa Fe, recognized for its many museums, churches and colonial buildings decaying.
Iguazu Falls

Located in the Parque Nacional Iguazú near Puerto Iguazú, these spectacular falls are just east of the confluence of the Iguazú and Paraná rivers. At least five thousand cubic meters of water falling sharply from 70 m to the bottom. Tourists may find familiar, as it were the scene of the film The Mission. The area has historic ruins of the Jesuit missions, which are another attraction for many travelers, the best known are those of San Ignacio Mini, a building known as the Baroque style Guarani. Above the falls you can go canoeing or kayaking and other water sports practice. The park surrounding the falls is formed by 55,000 hectares of pristine tropical forest, with flora and fauna abundant and varied.

Cuyo

The region covers the Cuyo Andean provinces of Mendoza, San Juan and San Luis. This area retains a strong regional identity, with a unique mestizo population, due to the influence of Chile, its neighbor. It is an agricultural region famous for its grapes and wines, situated in the shadow of the vast mountains of the Andes, where travelers can find many sports and recreational activities such as climbing and trekking. The cellars, the people hiding in the mountains and the centers of Mendoza and San Juan are other attractions of this place.
Andean Northwest

This is the most traditional of Argentina, with its abundant natural beauty and its vestiges of pre-Columbian and colonial past. Andean Northwest covers the provinces of Jujuy, with many stocks of animals, Salta, where the best preserved colonial city in the country, hundreds of archaeological sites and buildings from the era of domination, Tucumán, La Rioja, Catamarca and Santiago del Estero .
Patagonia

This enormous region south of the province of Buenos Aires has a mountainous interior with scattered glaciers, a unique coastal wildlife and Andean national parks. Peninsula Valdes is a particularly good for wildlife lovers, there live many lions and elephant seals, guanacos, rheas, Magellanic penguins and whales. Perito Moreno Glacier in Santa Cruz is a river 60 meters of ice that rises, falls and then explodes, but several years ago that has stopped expanding. Carmen de Patagones is a beautiful colonial city that survives on the trail left by ancient inhabitants of the Welsh region, particularly in the town of Gaiman.
Tierra del Fuego

Argentina shares half of its territory in the southern islands of the Atlantic Ocean with Chile. It is a place where many oil drilling rigs, sheep, glaciers, wind and waterways. Ushuaia and Rio Grande are the two largest cities, the main attractions of the province are its magnificent landscape, its wildlife and fishing tours. The only coastal national  park in Argentina includes rivers, lakes, forests and glaciers, which provide many opportunities for trekking and cover all types of animals

Argentina activities

Football is by far the sport with more viewers and fans in the country. Argentina also has many other specialties, among which the trekking, skiing and water activities. Elite sports such as rugby and polo, reflecting the momentum of the immigrant societies, and skiing, despite its cost, is becoming increasingly popular. Currently, Argentina is among the best places in the world of practice, many stations have specialized  schools. Among the most recommended highlights the Cuyo region to the south, the lake district, La Hoya and, nearby, Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego.

The walks in the mountains are also very popular, there are extensive walks with beautiful scenery through the Andes, the Sierras de Córdoba and Sierra de la Ventana, Province of Buenos Aires. Climbers should head to Aconcagua, west of Mendoza, the Fitzroy Range in Parque Nacional Los Glaciares in Santa Cruz province, and the Sierra de la Fentanes (for experienced hikers). The rafting is becoming increasingly popular in the channels that descend from the Andean divide, among the most interesting are the Mendoza and Diamante rivers in the region of Cuyo and the Hua Hum and Meliquina, near San Martin de los Andes, and the rivers Limay and Manso near Bariloche

Argentina History

The pre-Columbian Argentina was populated by sedentary indigenous groups, such as Diaguita, but also by nomadic tribes who lived by hunting. Their resistance slowed Spanish incursions, hindering settlement. Buenos Aires was not founded until 1580 and remained a wasteland during two hundred years. It was not possible to exploit the indigenous population, which was becoming more limited and was distributed as inequitable, and this led to the creation of huge cattle ranches, known as haciendas, genesis of the legendary gaucho and source of wealth for the few fortunate.

Buenos Aires became the capital of the new Viceroyalty of Río de la Plata in 1776, which marked the fourth viceroyalty that Spain established in South and Central America. In May 1810 there was the May Revolution, which led to independence six years later. The new situation has revealed strong regional disparities which Spanish rule had obscured. The Federalists of the interior (conservative landowners, supported by the gauchos and rural working class) advocated provincial autonomy, while the Unitarianism of Buenos Aires (cosmopolitan citizens who welcomed the onslaught of ideas, capital and European immigrants) support the central authority of their city. After a disastrous period under the tyrannical government of course federalist Juan Manuel Rosas, Buenos Aires and prevailed and Unitarianism, Unitarianism to the Constitution of 1853, began a new era of growth and prosperity.

Sheep were introduced, and the Pampa was devoted to the cultivation of cereals. European immigration, foreign capital and trade laid the foundations of the new liberalism. However, excessive interest on external debt increased the vulnerability of the domestic economy against the global economic crisis, wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few and increased unemployment rates, as small properties, and farmers went bankrupt and ranchers were forced to leave the field and go to the cities.

The first decades of the twentieth century were marked by a civilian government increasingly weak, the economic crisis and the continuing resentment of the elite landowners. This led the military coup of 1943, which facilitated the appearance of a political figure of Juan Domingo Peron, who was elected president in 1946 and for the second time in 1951. Together with his equally popular and charismatic wife, Eva Duarte (Evita), implemented a strict economic program based on the national industrialization and self-determination, which attracted both the conservative nationalism and the working class. A military uprising in 1955 ended his second term and forced Perón into exile in Spain, was the beginning of thirty years of disastrous military rule, interrupted only by brief periods of civilian command. Perón returned to power in 1973, but for a very short time, and who died a year later, bequeathing the presidency to his third wife, Isabel Martínez. The growing economic and political instability led to an era of strikes, political kidnappings and guerrilla warfare. Isabel's government fell in 1976, and the military instituted a reign of terror.

The years from 1976 to 1983 have been described as the years of the Dirty War. The paramilitary death squads which operated in complicity with the government, opposition and eliminate any hint of criticism extinct, causing the disappearance of between 10,000 and 30,000 citizens. The symbol of resistance to this period are the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, women who had the courage publicly to ensure the missing members of their families, and continued (and still) looking for and demanding justice tirelessly.

This dramatic situation came to an end with the war in the Falklands in 1982. Gen. Leopoldo Galtieri seized the islands to the British to divert international attention from political corruption and economic mismanagement in Argentina. The waves of nationalism resulted in a British fleet across the ocean to save one of the few coveted pieces remaining on the map. United Kingdom ended up being the winner in what was a shameful episode and costly for both countries. However, ownership of the Falklands remains under discussion. In June 1995, the Argentine foreign minister has proposed buying the island, offering its residents $ 800,000 for their nationality. The matter is complicated further by the belief that the British territory oilfields there and it seems likely that disputes will continue.

The ignominious collapse marked the national and international destination of the military government of Argentina and the country returned to the 1853 Constitution. The former Peronist president, Carlos Menem, has carried out important economic reforms such as privatization of state industries and opening the economy to foreign investment, reducing inflation from 5000 percent to the current rate of 1 per cent. On June 7, 2001, Menem was detained for his alleged involvement in illegal arms sales to Ecuador and Croatia during the nineties. The president Fernando de la Rúa, the Alianza UCR center-left, was elected in 1999 for a period of four years, promised to fight corruption as well as implementing stringent fiscal measures to balance Argentina's budget. But after four years of recession and an unemployment rate of over 20% of Argentines said enough. Austerity plans Fernando de la Rúa provoked strikes and demonstrations throughout the country that turned violent after the government decreed harsh measures concerning the withdrawal of money from banks. Argentina was plunged into a major economic and political confusion in December 2001 for non-payment of the loan (the largest in history) of 132,000 million dollars. De la Rua and many of his ministers resigned from rioting, looting and widespread civil unrest that resulted in 27 casualties.

On January 1, 2002 Eduardo Duhalde was elected the fifth president of Argentina. Peronista adamant, is characterized by populism and protectionism, although most critics do not forget the scandals that marred his tenure as governor of Buenos Aires. One of his first actions was to remove the convertibility of the peso pegged to a rate of one-to-one with the dollar almost immediately the currency was devalued by over 50%. This measure was unpopular but necessary to ensure new aid from the International Monetary Fund.

After its devaluation, the peso behaved better than expected in the currency market. Duhalde plans to introduce profound changes in the Argentine government, including the transformation of the current presidential system into a parliamentary democracy, were ruined by the lack of popular support for his government. It continued to produce numerous strikes and labor disputes almost daily and many people moved by the frustration of not being able to access your money, robbed the banks.

The presidential elections in early 2003 came the surprise of the year: the former president Carlos Menem resigned in favor of Néstor Kirchner

Argentina Culture and people

European influences have permeated art, architecture, literature and lifestyle Argentines. However, particularly in the field of literature, has developed a multicultural exchange, because Argentina has offered to the world renowned authors such as Jorge Luis Borges, Julio Cortazar, Ernesto Sabato, Manuel Puig and Osvaldo Soriano. Many Argentines studied in Europe and one of its consequences was that Buenos Aires consciously emulated the artistic, musical and architectural from the European continent. Therefore, the city has numerous museums and art galleries and importance of community theater with a deep-rooted. The film has also shifted Argentina's borders, and has been used to erase the horrors of the Dirty War, which now begins to be reflected in all its cruelty in some of his films.

The sample of popular culture Argentina best known is the tango, a dance and music which have captivated the imagination of romantics worldwide. Moreover, the country's folk music. For Argentines, the sport is essential, football is a national obsession than a game. Argentina won the World Cup in 1978 and 1986, and the exploits of Diego Armando Maradona, one of the most popular Argentine since Che Guevara, have been busy soccer fans, paparazzi and columnists in the last ten years.

Roman Catholicism is the official religion of the state is dotted with popular beliefs which diverge from official doctrine. Spiritualism and the veneration of the dead are deeply rooted.

The official language is Spanish, although some communities retain their own language as a symbol of identity. The Italian is widespread, reflecting the influence of the largest group of immigrants in the country. There are 17 native languages, which include Quechua, Mapuche, Guaraní, and the tuffs Matacos.

The Argentine meat dominates the menu, and beef in this country means beef. We recommend asking the grill, which includes virtually all parts of the animal: tripe, intestines, udders ... An alternative is the typical Italian dishes like gnocchi. It also highlights the exquisite Argentinean ice cream, which again reflects the Italian influence. Share mate (infusion) with friends is a ritual, and the fact that someone is offering you a way of being accepted into the group. The yerba mate, a variety of holly, is preparing a very elaborate and takes his own vessel, known by the same name

Argentina MAP