World is big, so lets explore it!

Take a captivating trip through Massachusetts' Cape Cod National Seashore Park. With miles of splendid white sand beaches, inspiring walks and trails, and stunning fragile dunes, the park is a remarkable geological wonder thousands of years in the making. Just keep reading and you can visit it right here...

The Cape Cod National Seashore is a 4,308-acre park 60 miles south of Boston, Massachusetts. It was set aside by an act of congress in 1961 to preserve and protect a unique geological area and wild life habitat of New England. Cape Cod was formed when the last of the great glaciers melted about 12,000-years ago leaving a large lake, which eventually drained exposing the sediment and deposits left by the glaciers from earlier times.

Nature has reshaped the whole of Cape Cod especially the Atlantic-facing National Seashore area, and it continues to this very day. But this is the place to come to escape. This is the place to come to experience nature, especially off-season. So let's take a brief Cape Cod vacations trip together. Are you ready?

NAUSET BEACH

The first stop on your trip is Nauset Beach in the town of Orleans. This is a striking beach to walk and see the relentless work of nature. The Atlantic storms batter the dunes each winter and beach erosion is a major problem here. Protection is the name of the game at Nauset not just for the dunes, but the birds nesting in the spring. Always pay close attention to erosion and bird nesting protection signs anywhere during your trip to Cape Cod.

The entrance to Nauset beach is located in East Orleans at the end of Beach Road, where there's a large parking lot. The lot is about 2 miles from Routes 6/6A, and during the summer months you'll pay to use it.

NATIONAL SEASHORE EASTHAM VISITORS CENTER

The National Seashore has two visitor centers. The Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham will orientate you to the park, and provides short films, a museum, and free maps for hiking and biking trails. The salt pond itself is a glacial kettle pond that was once freshwater but the ocean has seeped through. Take time to discover the easy-walking trails near the pond, and learn about the varied birds and plants the area supports.

THE LIGHTHOUSE BEACHES

These next two beaches are very popular and during the summer the parking lots fill up quickly. Many people use their bicycles to get to these locations - plenty of parking for bikes and the price is right - free!

Coast Guard Beach in Eastham can be reached by bike from the bike trail from the Salt Pond Visitor Center, or by car from Nauset Road off Route 6 directly after the Visitor Center. This beach is a favorite walk of mine at low tide, and was the area where Henry Beston wrote "The Outermost House." Sadly the blizzard of 1978 washed the cottage where he lived while writing the book - out to sea.

Nauset Light Beach can be reached from Brackett Road also off Route 6. Overlooking the beach is the red and white picturesque Nauset Lighthouse. Originally built in Chatham in the late 19th century, it was moved here shortly after, and moved again in 1996 when erosion of the cliff threatened to collapse the lighthouse. This beach is popular for the imposing and towering cliffs.

GREAT ISLAND HIKE IN WELLFLEET

The Great Island hike in Wellfleet is a 6-mile hike, so allow yourself at least half-a-day to explore this wonderful area. Located on the Cape Cod Bay side of the Cape in Wellfleet, drive to the trailhead off Chequesset Neck Road, and prepare yourself -and camera - for an exhilarating hike.

This is a real nature hike. There's no sandwich bar or coke machine waiting for you at the end, so take your own snacks and drinks. Of all the trails in the Cape Cod National Seashore Park, this is perhaps the most remote - and I like that!

NATIONAL SEASHORE PROVINCE LANDS VISITOR CENTER

The second of the visitor centers in the National Seashore Park is in Province Lands off Route 6 and on Race Point Road. This is the northern extremity of the park, and is the final stop on our brief Cape Cod National Seashore tour.

The Visitor Center has an observation deck where you can view the ocean, Province Lands forest, and the towering dunes. Province Lands is jam-packed with swimming beaches, a bike trail, a walking trail, and a beautiful lighthouse at Race Point. Take time to tour this area and enjoy this unique area of the Cape.

Cape Cod National Seashore is one of the most popular summer vacation destinations in New England. But in my book it's a great place to visit anytime of the year. If you're prepared to explore and walk a bit you can discover your own secluded and pristine piece of Cape Cod.

CADIZ

Cadiz, to the south of Huelva province shares the same stretch of coastline, the Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light), an Atlantic coastline, with long stretches of uncrowded pristine sand. Windsurfers and para-surfers will have heard of Tarifa, the most southern point of the Cadiz region, which as you would expect is renown for its constant breeze.

Inland, the area is dotted with pretty white picture postcard villages which during the cooler months lie in pleasantly green hills refreshed by the moist air brought in from the Atlantic, compared to the drier Malaga region.

One of the most interesting of the towns is Jerez de la Frontera, the capital of the sherry region and many of the bodegas offer visitors a tour of how the sherry is made. Gonzalez Byass and Pedro Domecq should be names known to those who appreciate a tipple. The famous white horses of Andalucia, are trained at the famous equestrian school, Real Escuela Andaluza de Arte Ecuestre.

Cadiz city is steeped in history, legend has it that the city was founded by Hercules, though more probably it was initially established by the Phoenicians in 1100BC. Over the centuries the city has been inhabited by Carthaginians, Romans and Moors. Set on a peninsula of land, almost entirely surrounded by the sea, Cadiz has often been the target of attack, mainly from the British with the first attack coming from Sir Francis Drake in 1587.

Cadiz is a wonderful place to explore, with many narrow streets and alleyways opening into market squares full of life.

Accommodation is usually of a very high standard, and whether you stay in a rural self catering rental in Jimena de la Frontera to sample the sherry or a cosy guest house, bed and breakfast in Cadiz, you'll have a holiday to remember.

OnionMap.com was first created in 2003 by an avid traveler and spatial analyst named Young Kim in South Korea. After years of research and development, co-founder Xochitl Hwang adopted this concept and has been involved in global marketing and sales ever since
Over the years, Onionmap.com has established partnerships with Yahoo! Korea, Asiana Airlines, and emerging city tourism bureaus. Onionmap.com's vision is to radically change the internet with a website that features three-dimensional (3D) replicas of world famous cities where user-generated content will combine real-time interaction with Internet services and informational web sites.
Currently, Onionmap.com offers a visually superior, user-friendly 3D platform of over 33 major cities around the world. Its advanced 3D mapping technology and design functionality provides optimized realistic platform for User Created Content (UCC) and allows immediate integration of outside website information that will guarantee the flexibility to expand to virtually unlimited online transactions.
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Nova Scotia's is a province that is located on the North Atlantic coast. It is one of Canada's smallest provinces ranking number 2 on the smallest province scale. Halifax is the largest city in the province also being the capital city of the province. The provinces economy continues to use traditional industries such as, fishing, mining, forestry, and agriculture to support the province. Tourism has been on the steady incline and is helping to push the economy right along. Thanks to the low Canadian dollar.

There are a lot of neat things to do around the ocean, one of the trade marks of nova Scotia is the Bluenose Schooner ship, which is featured on there license plate, also I should mention the lighthouse of Peggy cove is extremely neat to see in person.

Here are so facts
-Atlantic Standard Time
-The Bluenose Schooner, which is featured on the back of the Canadian (dime)
- English speaking province
-Largest city is Halifax
-Capital city is Halifax
- Population is 937,889
- Became a province back in July 1, 1867

To sum it up there is a lot of history in this neat wonderful province so defiantly visit this place and enjoy nature at its best. From taking nature tours to deep-sea adventures in the ocean, there is something for everybody, young and old. So this would be on my travel list this year.

I admit it - I'm a beach freak. I love traveling to beaches all over the world because, to me, every beach has its own personality, yet, all have that same quality I love - the ability to instill instant calm. That's right, even those rocky, craggy beaches with the hard waves crashing on the rocks can instill instant calm.

Someone asked me the other day if I had to choose just one beach to visit, which one would it be? The Algarve in Portugal popped into my head. Okay, it's not one beach, it's an area (the southern most part of Portugal to be exact), but The Algarve is so diverse, it truly offers whatever beach is going to fit my mood.

First, a little geography. Heading west, the western tip of The Algarve is the end of continental Europe. In fact, in ancient times the area was felt to be the edge of the world. So, when you're soaking up the sun on the beaches of The Algarve, it's fun to just imagine yourself at the edge of the world.

There are over 100 miles of beaches in the Algarve! So, whatever type of beach-going experience you desire is sure to be found. Starting on the west coast there are the windward beaches with large dunes. That translates to some incredible surfing. If you desire cove-type beaches which are more secluded, try the southern coast.

One of my favorite beaches in The Algarve lies south of Lagos on the western coast - Dona Ana, which is a cluster of coves. Dona Ana is just the perfect place to get lost in the beauty of The Algarve. I can just sit and think for hours. And, when I'm through sitting, it's fun to explore the many caves and grottos which grace the area.

If you're contemplating a trip to unwind, I definitely recommend The Algarve, Portugal. Your soul will be glad you made the trip.

The islands have been inhabited since prehistoric times, around 5000 BC, and there are many Cyclopean remains. These show the communities constructed dwellings of stone. There is evidence of primitive agriculture including the keeping of domesticated animals. Jewellery, pottery and tools appear to have been manufactured. Later they were frequently visited by Phoenician traders. In 654 BC the Carthaginians founded what is today Ibiza city. Roman occupation followed and they were in turn evicted by the Visigoths. The Moors invaded the islands during the 8th century and there is still evidence of their 300 year occupation to be found in the islands architecture and the customs of the islanders themselves. Christians reconquered the islands during the 13th century. Mallorca falling first in 1229, followed by Ibiza six years later. Menorca was the last to fall in 1287. Initially the islands flourished as Catalan colonies but famines and raids by pirates encouraged by isolation from the mainland saw the Balearic Islands decline. Mallorca and Ibiza were occupied by the Bourbons following the conclusion of the Spanish War of Succession in 1715. Menorca however was ceded to the British under the treaty of Utrecht along with Gibraltar on the Spanish mainland. British rule over Menorca continued until 1802. In the Spanish Civil War, 1936-39, Mallorca and Ibiza were soon under the control of Franco's forces enabling the Italian fleet to use Mallorca as it's base and offer support to the insurgents. Minorca remained Loyalist until 1939. The 1950's saw the first charter flights land in the islands bringing the tourists that have in turn bought prosperity to the islands and their peoples involved in this lucrative trade. After tourism agriculture and fishing make significant contributions to the economy of the islands. Fruit, olive oil, wine, majolica ware and silver filigree are exported in quantity.

Formentera is the smallest of the four islands. A ferry service runs from Ibiza to the island's port La Savina, the journey takes between 25 and 50 minutes. Compared to the other islands Formentera is relatively underdeveloped and accommodation limited with less than 50 hotels and hostals. It is also expensive as is eating out. The island itself is attractive and has good beaches with powder white sand and clear blue waters. There are plenty of opportunities for hiking and walking.

Ibiza, covering 572 sq. km, is the third largest of the islands. The capital is Ibiza city, renowned for it's extravagant nightlife. This attracts large numbers of tourists, over one million now visit every year. Some of Spain's most famous discos are to be found hear along with plethora of bars, cafes and restaurants. The Dalt Vila, a souk-like walled city, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are plenty of beaches but in the summer months these get very crowded. Cala Mastella on the east coat and Beniras on the west are two of the best. The north of the island is popular with cyclists and hikers. Inland the landscape is rocky and pine trees grow in abundance. Fishing and salt works contribute to the economy with some subsistence farming, aided by irrigation. Little rain falls and the predominant crops are almonds, figs and olives.

Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands and covers over 3,500 sq. km. Prior to 1276 Mallorca's history was the same as the other islands. But then the kingdom of Mallorca was formed and included the island along with some areas of both mainland Spain and France. Perpignan, in Roussillon, France was the capital of the kingdom. It was returned to the crown of Aragon in 1343 and flourished until the discovery of the Americas and the subsequent change in major trade routes. Palma de Mallorca, on the south coast and renowned for it's spectacular sunsets, is the capital city. La Seu is the city's enormous cathedral. Built on the site of a former mosque, construction commenced in 1230. It was completed some 370 years later in 1600. Anybody, today, who has tried to hurry a Spanish builder will be undismayed at what to others must look like an eternity in time. The city also has museums, Renaissance mansions a plenty in the old town and many attractive churches. 1950 saw the first charter flight land here and today the island plays host to nine million visitors annually enjoying the mild climate and attractive scenery. Most come for the obvious three S's - Sun, Sea and Sand but the island has much more to offer. The Serra de Tramuntana mountains, rising to nearly 1500m, dominate the northwest of the island. The combination of a rugged, rocky coastline, pine forests, olive groves and small, charming villages, Deia in particular, perched high above the Mediterranean, make this part of the island quite beautiful. Walking is popular with spring being the best time, the summer months can be very hot. Two bays dominate the north east coast, the Badia de Pollenca and the Badia d'Alcudia. An almost continuous string of sandy bays and beaches make up the eastern coast and unsuprisingly this area has seen intense development. The southern coast, by contrast, is in the main rocky cliffs plunging into the Mediterranean. Port d'Andratx, on the south west coast, is a small attractive town built on low hills all around a narrow bay. The island is also known for it's stalagmite caves and architectural treasures and prehistoric monuments. A further landmark is the abandoned old monastery where both Chopin and George Sand lived. The interior is dominated by Es Pla, a large fertile plain, cereals, flax, grapes, and olives are grown. Pigs and sheep are raised. There is also limited mining of copper and lead and quarrying of marble.

Covering 702 km, the island of Minorca is the second largest of the Balearic Islands. In 1708 during War of the Spanish Succession it was occupied by the British. France seized it during the Seven Years War but in 1763 the Treaty of Paris returned it to British rule. In 1782, during the American Revolution, the French allied with Spain seized the island but sixteen years later the British returned once again. The final chapter came in 1802 when the Peace of Amiens awarded Minorca to Spain. But even today there is still strong evidence of British occupation. Architecture has a distinctive Georgian feel even down to the sash windows. Today Port Mahon, lying at on the east coast, is the capital and the island's major port. The harbour is both deep and sheltered and overlooked by the town built on the cliffs at the southern end. British influence can be seen at both Fort Marlborough and Collingwood House, named after the Admiral who served alongside Nelson. If any further evidence of the British past is required a visit to the Xoriguer Gin Distillery should provide it. In contrast to the other two main islands Menorca remains seemingly tranquil. There is little intensive development and it is still possible, even in the middle of summer, to find beaches almost deserted. Ciutadella, on the western side of the island, is a charming little town boasting fine mansions. There is much evidence of Menorca's prehistoric past and a great number of megalithic monuments exist. There are many sites and they fall into three different time periods. The Pre-Talayotic Period or Cave Era from 2000 - 1300BC, the Talayotic Period or Bronze age, 1300 - 800BC and the Post Talayotic Period or Iron Age, 800 - 100BC. The centre is hilly but the island as a whole in mainly lowland. Despite the fact Menorca's rainfall is greater than the other islands irrigation is still required. Cereals, flax, wine and olive oil are the main agricultural products. There is a little light industry. Lobster fishing also contributes to the economy.

Made up of about 700 islands and located just a short flight or cruise from the mainland United States, the Bahama Islands are a wonderful tropical retreat. It is perhaps the most popular destination for cruisers, especially first time cruisers. Like its Western "cruise cousin", the 3-day jaunts to Ensenada and points in Nortwest Mexico, a Bahamas cruise is a great choice of busy people who need a few nights away from it all.

Nassau, the capital city on the island of New Providence, is an easy to explore city with losts of history, shopping and food. A day's excursion brings with it ample charm by exploring it's grand architecture and getting to know its charming residents.

The architecture is mostly 18th and 19th century colonial which remind one of the city's origins as a modern city. Be sure to see Parliament Square when you tour the city to get a real feel for the history of the islands.

Like tropical beaches? Make sure to leave time for relaxing on the Bahamas' warm Caribbean beach and waters. Here you'll find sailing, snorkling and diving opportunities. Or, just kick back and enjoy the wonderful tropical sun.

And, when you're ready to kick up your heels and party, the nightlife in Nassau is alive with great dining and casinos and nightlclubs.

Freeport, the Bahamas' second city on Grand Bahama is a must visit. Like its name implies, Freeport offers duty free shopping in its huge internationa bazaar. Bring your credit card!

But Freeport is not just for shoppers. It's night life is known the world over. It offers world renowned entertainment and cuisine.

The Bahamas are just a short hop away. But, even though close, offers American travelers a whole different world. Visit this tropical paradise. You won't come away dissapointed.

For 3,000 years Rome has stood at the forefront of civilisation. The might of the Roman Empire brought great wealth and prosperity to the city and its allies. Rome became a treasure trove of extravagant architecture and monuments.

As fortune smiled down on Rome, their riches established communities endowed with ornamental landmarks, many of which stand to this day.

At the core of the once mighty Empire, The Roman Forum was the heart and soul of government. Originally a cemetery, the Forum grew with the Empire and was the nucleus of everyday life. Aristocracy would socialise and decide the course of history during lavish banquets, drinking their wine and gorging on the luscious food.

At the centre of the Forum is the Temple to Julius Caesar built by Augustus, his adopted son and first Roman Emperor. The fresh flowers signify the exact spot where Caesar was cremated.

The Colosseum is undoubtedly the most recognisable of all ancient Rome's landmarks. Built by Jewish slaves, the amphitheatre was synonymous with blood sports.

Opened by Emperor Titus in 80 AD, the imperial thirst for bloodshed was insatiable. Gladiators became infamous overnight as battles between man and beast caught the imagination of the Roman public.

Hundreds of thousands of men and beasts were slaughtered during the course of these Roman games. The butchery continued mercilessly until these particular blood sports were outlawed in 523 AD.

The communities of the Empire held the Roman gods in high esteem; religion played a significant part in the lives of the Romans and homage was paid frequently to those in higher places.

The Pantheon was built as a temple to the gods. The original was destroyed by fire in the 1st century BC resulting in dismay amongst the communities.

During the early part of the 2nd century AD, Emperor Hadrian took it upon himself to rebuild the monument and provide his people once more with a pathway to the gods. Hadrian was an amateur architect and completed the new temple in 125 AD.

Two mammoth doors, like sentinels standing before the path to the gods guard the entrance to the temple. The doors were extensively restored during the 17th century, raising doubts whether they can ever again be classed as original.

Once inside, the unexpected scale of the interior is awe-inspiring. Marble panels grace the walls and floors; remarkably, half of the wall panels are from the original build nearly 2,000 years ago.

The Daintree is the largest tropical rainforest in Australia, and covers an area of approximately 1,200 square kilometres in North Queensland. It stretches from the Daintree River north to Cooktown and west to the Great Dividing Range, and is one of the most complex tropical rainforest ecosystems on earth. Its structural complexity and the diversity of its flora is unrivalled on the Australian continent.

The Daintree region offers many unique natural features to be explored. The striking landscape is rich and diverse, and includes spectacular scenery, mountain ranges, fast flowing streams and waterfalls, deep gorges and dense rainforest. The Daintree's outstanding coastal scenery includes an unusual combination of tropical rainforest, white sandy beaches and offshore reefs. Mt Pieter Botte rises to the west of Cape Tribulation with massive granite outcrops, and the summit provides breathtaking views of vast undisturbed forest. To the south, the horizon is dominated by the huge granite boulders of Thornton Peak, one of highest mountains in Queensland.

The vegetation of the Daintree area is among the most diverse in Australia. 13 different types of rainforest have been identified, from the tall forests of the coastal plains with massive curling liana growth and exotic buttress roots, through to the middle altitude forests with characteristic small-leafed species, and the montane forests with areas of heath-like vegetation that crown the mountain tops. The mangrove forests which line the mouth of the Daintree's creeks and rivers have the highest species diversity for this habitat type in Australia. The wet tropical rainforests of North-East Queensland contain the richest variety of fauna found in Australia. While representing only 0.1% of the Australia landmass, the region is home to 65% of Australia's bat and butterfly species, 30% of the frog, marsupial and reptile species, and 20% of the bird species.

Millions of years ago when Australia was much warmer and wetter, rainforests thrived in places as far inland as Ayers Rock. As Australia became more arid, rainforests were gradually replaced by dry woodlands, grasslands and deserts in many parts of the continent. In the Daintree region, however, the climate and topography remained ideal for rainforests and so the area became a last refuge for Australia's original rainforests. Within this refuge many species continued to survive without the need to adapt to new conditions. The descendants of these species still survive today in the Daintree and retain many of their ancestors' original characteristics, some dating back more than 100 million years.

One species, commonly known as the Idiot Fruit (Idiospermum australiense), is among the rarest and most primitive flowering plants on earth. It was discovered in 1970 and was arguably Australia's most significant botanical find as it clearly demonstrated just how ancient the Daintree Rainforests actually are. Of a total of 19 primitive flowering plant families remaining on the planet, 12 of these families are found in the Daintree region, representing the highest concentration of such plants worldwide. These ancient plants could provides answers to questions about the origins of flowering plants in general.

The Daintree Forest area is undoubtedly of enormous intrinsic value and it is therefore important that visitors cooperate in its preservation. The disturbance of plant and animal life should be kept to a minimum. Avoid short cuts through the forest as the resulting trails can cause erosion and die-back. Use elevated boardwalks where ever provided. Of course, don't pick flowers, take cuttings or collect rainforest seeds ... please leave these magical forests just as you found them. Don't forget the golden rule: Leave nothing but footsteps, take nothing but photographs!

The capital city of the State of Bahia, Salvador, is alive with African influence that can be seen in locally prepared dishes, ancient ceremonies and rituals that are still being conducted, as well as in the churches and schools of the area. Salvador has approximately 2,250,000 residents, and is widely known as "The City of Joy."
The history of Salvador can be traced back to 1549, when the city was founded by a group of Portuguese settlers. During this time, Salvador was Brazil's main seaport, and was important to the sugar industry as well as the slave trade. Today, Salvador is known for its world famous soccer teams. Also noteworthy is the fact that Ford Motor Company has a plant in the metropolitan area of Salvador that produces cars such as the Fiesta, Courier and Ecosport.
The region of Salvador is situated as a small, triangular peninsula that has diverse terrain including flat lands, rolling hills and low lying mountains. The coastline of Salvador is also quite diverse in that it features many islands, mangrove swamps, sandy beaches as well as sea cliffs.
Since Salvador is located in a tropical area, the temperatures are always hot and the humidity is always very high. The hottest temperatures can be felt in March, and the coolest temperatures arrive in July.
Salvador is a city that is very rich in the cultural sense. African influence weighs heavy in this region, and the city is home to Brazil's oldest cathedral, which was built in 1572. There are also more than 350 churches in this city, a majority of them Catholic. The local cuisine centers on West African recipes and ingredients, and includes seafood as the main staple mixed with hot spices.
Since Salvador is a melting pot of diverse people; Indians, Africans and Europeans, there is an eclectic mix of music, food, religion and cultural celebrations that can be witnessed here. Musical tastes run from Axe, known as carnival music, to Bolero, to Reggae and Classical. Street celebrations are a regular occurrence in Salvador, and bring together people of many different cultures, all wanting to share a bit of themselves, and their history, with one another. Some of the most important festival celebrations that take place in Salvador are Carnival, the International Fireworks Festival, Bonfim Washing, and Christ's Week, also known as Holy Week.
Visitors to Salvador will be introduced to beautiful architecture, which can be seen in the cities buildings, churches and ruins, magnificent beaches, majestic mountains, glorious museums, as well as being able to literally taste the culture at any of Salvador's wonderful restaurants.
If you plan on visiting Salvador, know that there are a variety of options for lodging; hotels, camps, apartments, flats, hostels as well as lodges are available throughout Salvador and are all economically priced. Any visit to Salvador will leave one with a renewed love for the arts, a passion for history, and a new found respect for the diverse people who make Salvador what it is today.