Travelers stories

- To get into the tropical atmosphere of Cuba at its fiftieth. Among the American automobiles, the smoky bars of Havana, the effect is assured.

- For its fantastic sea. Cuba offers about six thousand kilometers of splendid Caribbean coast, with beaches and cliffs for all likes.

- For the people’s hospitality, not always interested as it is wanted to make you believe. The Cubans are people full of happiness and eager to leave, people who love to find the foreigner, just to exchange ideas.

- To smoke the best tobaccos in the world, made by hand with the leaves of Vuelta Abajo. You can also attend to the making of the tobacco in a factory or maybe inside of a big hotel, where there are exhibited in parties, authenticate preparations for the tobacco’s artists.

- To travel through out the town of Hemingway, a North American writer that lived in the island from the 1939 to the 1961 and where he wrote some of his romances.

GEOGRAPHICAL DATA

Located in the Caribbean Sea, Cuba, with a longitude of about 1.200 kms and a surface of 110.860 Km., is the biggest island in the biggest Antilla. It is at about 200 Km. from the island of Keys and it is close to The Mexican peninsula of Yucatan in and the island of Hispaniola. More than the main island, The Cuban Republic gathers all the isles and islands that surround it. Great part of the Cuban coast is low and sandy, with numerous bays and areas of lagoons and paludose. Its interior is of plains, interrupted by the Sierra de los Organos to the west, the Sierra del Escambray to the center and the Sierra Maestra to the east. Its population is of about 11 million inhabitants.

Time Zone: -6.0 (summer); -6.0 (winter)
Duration of the days 13.5 hours (June); minimum 11.0 hours (December)

WHEN TO GO
Period better: February, March
Good period: January, April, December
Worse Period: September, October

WEATHER
The dry station which is naturally the best period to go, begins at the end of October and finishes in April. The rains station is from April to October, but in these months precipitations, although are abundant always occurs in the half-day and for a short period.

What to take
Without doubts the bathing suit. And then summer clothes, shirts and cotton pullouvers, short and long pants. And do not forget besides, the shoes for walking in the afternoons, to take also a pair of sandals.

CULTURE/MUSEUMS
City Museum
Address: Plaza de Armas, Havana
Schedule: 9.30-18.30
Entrance is paid
One of the main museums of histoty and culture of the isle. It offers a rich exposition ofartistic testimonies bengining from the colonial period up to firts years of the republic.

Revolution Museum
Address: Palacio Presidencial, Calle Refugio, Havana
Schedule: 10-17; Saturday up to 18
Entrance is paid
All that is wanted to know about the myth of the Cuban revolution is exposed in this place, in the ex-presidential building that housed as last tenant, the dictator Batista up to 1959,documents, registrations and movies on the revolutionary epic poem.

National Museum
Address: Calle Trocadero, Havana
Schedule: 10-17; closed Tuesday and Wednesday
Entrance is paid
The exhibition is divided in several sections. The pinacoteca, with linens from Spanish, Englishmen, Danish teachers, among them stand out Velásquez, Murillo, Goya and Turner; the Egyptian old art collection, grecian and Roman, considered the most important in Latin America, the gallery dedicated to the Cuban painting from the XVII century to our days, the ceramic collection, and a space for the contemporary exhibitions.

Hemingway Museum
Address: San Francisco de Paula, San Miguel del Padrón, 12 km from Havana
Schedule: 9-16; Sundays 9-12.30
Entrance is paid
Dedicated to the enthusiasts of North American writer who lived in this building from 1939 to 1961. It was here where Hemingway wrote “Whom sound the bells for” and the “Old man and the sea”.

Music National Museum
Address: Calle Cárcel, Havana
Schedule: 9-17; Sundays 8-12; Closed on Mondays
Entrance is paid
There are exposed numerous Afro-Cuban musical instruments, besides the Fernando Ortiz anthropologist’s private collection. Disks, scores and instruments are sold, also some concerts are presented in the museum saloon.

CUBAN CUISINE
The traditional cuisine in Cuba is excellente and it would be a sin to get lost looking for other inetrnational plates, proposed in other local. The Cuban culinary art is born from the encounter of the precolumbian cuisine with the African, French, Spanish, English, and the Hindu and indonesa. The result of this is a miracle of the balance. There are fruits very often so as (mango, papaya, avocado,) mainly to accompany salted plates and to form part of the base of cocktails and drinks.It is used a lot the pig meat, lots of chicken, mainly in the inside of the country, while in the coastal restaurants are intend exquisite sea plates: fish, crustaceans cooked in several ways. The national plate is the “ajiaco” a soup with the help of potato, banana, corn, calf meat, Chicken, and dry meat. Another typical food is the “congri”, made with black beans and rice cooked all together , accompanied by “pig pork cracklings”. The “fufú” is on the other hand a banana puree seasoned with “mojo”, a fried lightly of oil garlic and cumin. Do not loose teh oportunity to taste the “Creole lobster” that is nothing else but a fried lobster with tomato, onions, peppers, spicy pepper and sour orange juice. Among the candies the “boniatillo”, made of sweet potato and sugar and the “coquito acaramelado” also “la mala rabia” also made of sweet potato sugra cane sirope, cinnamon and sweet orange shell. The diffused drink is the coffee, served to the American way, that is to say not few, and the rum is pure that serve as base to any prepared swig or the numerous cocktails so as Cuba Libre, the Rum punk or Piña Colada. Cuba also produces an excellent beer. The diffused national marks are the Mayabe and The Lagarto.

FUN/SHOPPING
Who doesn’t know the Cuban rum and tobacco, known for everyone as best in the world? In the island there are lots of opportunities to return home with some good music, revolutionary souvenir and why not an automobile of the fifty years.

Tobaccos
The tobaccos or cigarettes are of different sizes, they are sold loose or in elegant wooden boxes. Just to see them makes yoy buy them although you are not a smoker, maybe for a beautiful gift. The prices are almost half of the prices in Italy. For example a box with three Montecristo Sigars N.4 costs at about 10 American dollars. They can be bought in the stores. At Havana in the House of 5a and 16 (5a Ave y 16). In Santiago in Casa del Tabaco (Ave. Jesus Menéndez 730). Pay attention to the conservation of the tobacco. An adequate humidity is needed for them.

Craft
Cuban craft reflex the influence of diverse cultures, mainly the African. Many objects are related with the santería, the Afro-Cuban religion diffused per excellency in the island. There can be dolls of pieces and ceramic, masks made of paper maché and wooden sculptures. Puppets of tamarind seeds are also made. Pretty hats palm feathers fibers or of knitted coconut. Baskets and bags are also made. In old Havana there is the Craft Palace (Calle Cuba 64). In Santiago in the Craft House (Cathedral Plaza).

Foods
The rum is bought obligatorily and the most famous mark is The Havana Club in several versions: Liquor, the most economic; Carta Blanca 3 years and particularly used for the cocktails. Carta Oro, 5 years, and the most refined matured during 7 years. The precise goes from 4 to 7 American dollars each bottle. For adventurers the most valuable rum in Cuba is the retained Matusalem, product from Santiago de Cuba matured during 25 years, it can be around the 15 dollars the bottle in Casa del Ron de Obispo y Bernaza in Old Havana.

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The easiest way to get around London is by public transport. This article provides brief information about the various transport options available to you, including useful maps to guide you around the city.

What is an Oyster card?
Oyster is the easiest way to pay for single journeys on buses, Tube, trams, DLR, London Overground and some National Rail services in London. You can store your Travelcard/Bus Pass and/or cash to pay as you go on your card.

How to use your Oyster card
Just touch your Oyster card flat on a yellow card reader each time you make a journey.Always touch in at the start and touch out at the end of your journey, even if the gates are open.

Buses
Always touch in as you board. You do not need to touch out.

Trams
Always touch in on the card reader on the tram stop platform before boarding a tram. You do not need to touch out.

How to pay for your journeys with Oyster
You can store cash on your card to pay for single journeys as you go. You can make as many journeys as you like in a 24 hour period and you will always be charged less than the price of an equivalent Day Travelcard or One Day Bus Pass.

For complete flexibility, you can store tickets and cash on a single Oyster card. Remember: the cash you put on Oyster never expires so hold onto the Oyster card for your next visit to London.

How to get an Oyster card and top up. You can renew the ticket stored on your card or top up your cash balance:
Online at the UK Government site. At most Tube stations through the touchscreen ticket machines and the station ticket offices. At over 2,200 Oyster Ticket Stops. Find your nearest one at the UK Government site
At some National Rail ticket offices. At 7 London Travel Information Centres, which also offer travel advice, free maps and entry tickets to many attractions.

Using Oyster on National Rail

7 Day and longer period Travelcards stored on Oyster can be used across National Rail services in London. If using cash to pay as you go for single journeys please check with the train operator before travelling as not all routes are covered on National Rail.

I hope this small guide helps you if you are ever visiting out capital city, they sure helped me when I visited. The confusion really comes when you try to use the tube system in London, I shall leave that article for another day as it gets even more difficult than travelling by the bus system. If all else fails then I guess you can always rely on a trusted black cab driver.

This article Gordon Warre

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Gordon Warre writes about cheap homes in bulgaria

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Hungary is quite simply one of the hidden treasures of Eastern Europe. Formerly part of the old Soviet Bloc until the late 1980s, it has developed into a wonderfully diverse and independent republic.

Although the 1990s brought extremely difficult times with economic problems affecting many aspects of every day life, foreign investment and living standards have rapidly increased and the country is now firmly back on track.

For travellers, Hungary offers a wide range of attractions which beautifully fuse the best of eastern and western Europe together walk the vibrant streets of Budapest, take a dip in a thermal spa, listen to some local music, visit a local vineyard, admire some amazing architecture or simply unwind at the postcard perfect Lake Balaton. The varied highlights of this small countries amazing culture and history will keep you on your toes for weeks.

After the Czech Republic, Hungary is the most visited country in the former Eastern Bloc. Thousands of backpackers are attracted to Budapest, a cosmopolitan European capital on the banks of the Danube.

Visitors who refer to Hungary as a Balkan country risk getting a lecture on how this small, landlocked nation of just over ten million people differs from all those Slavs.

Hungary made the transition to multi party democracy without a shot being fired. The removal of the iron curtain along its border set in motion the events leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The end of Communism has hastened the spread of glossy western capitalism and on arrival in Budapest your first impressions will be of a fast developing and prosperous nation.

This is the country which boasts one of the worlds most beautiful capital cities and the World Heritage list.

Hungary is divided in two by its main waterway, the Danube other large rivers include the Tisza and Drava, while Transdanubia contains Lake Balaton, a major body of water. The largest thermal lake in the world, Lake Heviz is located in Hungary. The second largest lake in the Carpathian Basin is the artificial Lake Tisza.

Despite repeated historical disasters which devastated both the people and their heritage, much remains of great value that is worth visiting and getting to know.

Lake Balaton in the west is a popular holiday region, not least because of its sandy beaches and the shallow waters.

Local dishes include fish soup with pasta. Budapest has many nightclubs, discos and bars. During the summer months the popular.

Lake Balaton resort has a very lively nightlife.

This article was written by Douglas Scott

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Douglas Scott works for The Rental Car Hire Specialist. and is a free lance writer for The Hungary Rental Site

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Situated in the south-east of Scotland, Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and is one of its largest cities, second only to Glasgow.

The seat of the Scottish Parliament, it has been the capital of Scotland since 1437 and has a fantastic historic heritage. With over 4,500 listed building in the city, it is a beautiful place to visit, if purely for the history and photography only.

Split in to four districts - Old Town, New Town, South Side and Leith - Edinburgh has something to offer everyone. The Old Town offers medieval history with links to Edinburgh Castle, as well as a thriving market place, whilst the New Town provides Edinburgh’s main shopping districts, whilst not taking away from some fantastic Georgian buildings.

The South Side is mainly a residential area of the City, whilst Leith is a busy port, playing host to a number of world-wide cruise liners.

Whilst Edinburgh is visited all year round, it’s throughout the months of August when the City is booming. The Edinburgh Festival, which first began in 1947, is held, which is an umbrella term for various festivals which take place on an annual basis throughout the month. There are numerous festivals that are held throughout the month, with the most notable ones being:

1.Edinburgh Fringe - known as simply ‘The Fringe’, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the biggest arts festival in the world. Playing home to a variety of performing arts, drama and music shows, The Fringe is massively popular amongst people of all ages and attracts thousands upon thousands of people every single year.

2.Edinburgh Comedy Festival - part of the Edinburgh Fringe, the Edinburgh Comedy Festival is the biggest comedy festival in the world, attracting some of the comedy circuit’s biggest names and plays host to some of the worlds best up and coming comedians. With around 250 comedy shows taking place under the collective ‘Edinburgh Comedy Festival’, there is a hilarious stage show to be seen, regardless of your comedy preference.

3.Edinburgh Military Tattoo - provided by the British Armed Forces, Commonwealth and international military bands, the Military Tattoo is one of the largest of its kind. Over 217,000 people watch the Tattoo live every year, with around 40% of the audience being from overseas (30% come from Scotland and 35% from the rest of the UK). Further to this, over 100 million watch the television broadcast. The main focus of the event is to raise money for charity, with over £5 million being raised throughout its time.

The festivals throughout August are without a doubt one of the most popular reasons to visit Edinburgh. During the Festival, the city is alive with music, plays, ballets and symphonies.; however they are definitely not the only ones. Edinburgh Castle is a fascinating historic monument which dominates the Edinburgh skyline, whilst the City is renowned for its extensive shopping. With so much to see and do, the best thing to do is to book into an Edinburgh hotel and begin to enjoy the wonders of the Scottish capital straight away.

This article was written by Rakesh Gaikwad

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Open Roads has a variety of travel packages and offers on Edinburgh Hotels for you to enjoy a perfectly planned vacation. They also have a range of discounts and offers for other attractive travel destinations around the world.

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Cork City is Ireland’s third city and has always been an important seaport. The River Lee river flows through Cork city in two main channels, some of the main streets are built over the channels. Visitors have been coming to this region for about 250 years.

It is a university city with a total student population in excess of 25,000. The city has two main third level education institutes Cork Institute of Technology and the University College Cork.

The city have colourful weekly markets through out the region, featuring local cheeses, freshly baked bread, and free range eggs directly from the farmer. Native honey and homemade jams are popular.

On South Main Street is the legendary Beamish and Crawford brewery. The South Side is dominated by the City Hall, from the steps of which President John F Kennedy gave a public address on his visit in 1963.

If you are looking for something different, head to the nearby pedestrians tangle of alley ways around Paul Street and Emmet Place. Here you will find antiques, paintings and curiosities. Legendary Cork guitarist Rory Gallagher is honoured with a statue in Paul Street.

The Cork Opera House is in its 150th year offers a world-class program of events across all disciplines in the performing arts. It is Corks premier venue and boasts a 1,000-seat auditorium.

The bell tower of St. Ann’s, Shandon, which dominates the sky line on the north side of the Lee with its golden salmon weathervane floating proudly over the city. There can be no better way to introduce your self to Cork than to ascend the tower and play the superb carillon of bells hanging there.

Blarney Castle Estate is where the famous Blarney Stone is kissed by many visitors each year, and tradition says that those who kiss the stone will receive the gift eloquence.

St. Finbarr is the founder and patron saint of Cork and he founded a monastery in the seventh century where St. Finn Barre’s Cathedral now stands. It is a splendid triple-spire example of French-gothic architecture. It stands where the saint established his monastic school in about 650 AD.

The Cork Butter Museum is a unique institution, celebrating one of the great success stories of Ireland, the butter trade. It can be found in the historic Shandon area of Cork city. The traditional craft of home butter making and the modern success of the Kerrygold brand.

This article was written by Douglas Scott

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Douglas Scott writes and works for The Car Hire Specialist. and is a free lance writer for The Irish Villa Rental Site

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