Showing posts with label PLACES. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PLACES. Show all posts

January 15, 2011

3 DESTINATIONS: Europe

We will begin this section with the aim to give you the know and help you choose better about the possible destinations that you can visit...

Every week we will have a new post about destinations around the world, if by chance in a week that is not possible, we will make next week with two posts.

We just do an overview of each destination, for not to be a huge and boring post.

If you guys want to help us with opinions or would like to know more about the destination, send email to: mubosite@hotmail.com
We will try to help you.

Today we'll show you a little about three major European capitals:

-The French capital, Paris
-The British capital, London
-The German capital, Berlin


Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France. The city of Paris, has an estimated population of 2,193,031 but the Paris metropolitan area has a population of 11,836,970, and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe.

In 2009 and 2010 Paris has been ranked among the three most important and influential cities in the world,  among the top ten cities in the world in which to live according to the British review Monocle (June 2010). Paris is today one of the world's leading business and cultural centres, and its influences in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities. Paris also ranks among the 10 greenest European cities in 2010.

Paris and its region are the most popular tourist destination in the world with 45 million tourists annually, 27 million of whom are foreign visitors. The city and region contain numerous iconic landmarks, particularly the Eiffel Tower, as well as world-famous institutions and popular parks.


City of Paris

Place de la Bastille
Place de la Bastille is a district of great historical significance, for not just Paris, but also all of France. Because of its symbolic value, the square has often been a site of political demonstrations.

Place de la Concorde is at the foot of the Champs-Élysées, built as the "Place Louis XV". The Egyptian obelisk is Paris' "oldest monument". On this place, on either side of the Rue Royale, there are two identical stone buildings: The eastern one houses the French Naval Ministry, the western the luxurious Hôtel de Crillon. Nearby Place Vendôme is famous for its fashionable and deluxe hotels (Hôtel Ritz and Hôtel de Vendôme) and its jewellers.

Champs-Élysées
Champs-Élysées is a 17th century garden-promenade-turned-avenue connecting Place de la Concorde and Arc de Triomphe. It is one of the many tourist attractions and a major shopping street of Paris.

Avenue Montaigne, next to the Champs-Élysées, is home to luxury brand labels such as Chanel, Louis Vuitton (LVMH), Dior and Givenchy.

Montparnasse is a historic Left Bank area famous for artists' studios, music halls, and café life. The large Montparnasse Bienvenüe métro station and the lone Tour Montparnasse skyscraper are located there.

Monuments and landmarks

Eiffel Tower
Three of the most famous Parisian landmarks are the 12th-century cathedral Notre Dame de Paris on the Île de la Cité, the Napoleonic Arc de Triomphe and the 19th-century Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower was a "temporary" construction by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 Universal Exposition, but the tower was never dismantled and is now an enduring symbol of Paris.

The Historical axis is a line of monuments, buildings, and thoroughfares that run in a roughly straight line from the city-centre westwards: The line of monuments begins with the Louvre and continues through the Tuileries Gardens, the Champs-Élysées, and the Arc de Triomphe, centred in the Place de l'Étoile circus. From the 1960s, the line was prolonged even further west to the La Défense business district dominated by square-shaped triumphal Grande Arche of its own.

If you want more detailed information, click here.
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LONDON

London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures.

London is a leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport all contributing to its prominence. It is the world's largest financial centre alongside New York. It is the most visited city in the world. London's five international airports make its airspace the busiest of any urban centre worldwide and London Heathrow is the world's busiest airport by number of international passengers. In 2012 London will become the first city to host the Summer Olympics three times.

In July 2007 it had an official population of 7,556,900 within the boundaries of Greater London, making it the most populous municipality in the European Union. The Greater London Urban Area is the second largest in the EU with a population of 8,278,251, while London's metropolitan area is the largest in the EU with an estimated total population of between 12 million and 14 million.

London contains four World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London, Kew Gardens, the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church. Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, 30 St Mary Axe ("The Gherkin"), St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge and Trafalgar Square. London is home to numerous museums, galleries, libraries, sporting events and other cultural institutions including the British Museum, National Gallery, British Library, Wimbledon and 40 theatres. The London Underground network is the oldest underground railway network in the world and the most extensive after the Shanghai Metro.

Parks and Gardens

St. Jame's Park
The largest parks in the central area of London are the Royal Parks of Hyde Park, its neighbour Kensington Gardens at the western edge of Central London and Regent's Park on the northern edge. Regent's Park contains London Zoo, the world's oldest scientific zoo, and is located near the tourist attraction of Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.

Closer to central London are the smaller Royal Parks of Green Park and St. James's Park. Hyde Park in particular is popular for sports and sometimes hosts open-air concerts. A number of large parks lie outside the city centre, including the remaining Royal Parks of Greenwich Park to the south-east and Bushy Park and Richmond Park to the south-west, as well as Victoria Park, East London to the east. Primrose Hill to the north of Regent's Park is a popular spot to view the city skyline.

Museums and art galleries

British Museum in Bloomsbury

London is home to many museums, galleries, and other institutions, many of which are free of admission charges and are major tourist attractions as well as playing a research role.

The first of these to be established was the British Museum in Bloomsbury, in 1753.

In 1824 the National Gallery was founded to house the British national collection of Western paintings; this now occupies a prominent position in Trafalgar Square. Three major national museums are located there: the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum.

If you want more detailed information, click here.
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BERLIN

Berlin is the capital city of Germany, and is one of the sixteen states of Germany. It has a population of 3.4 million people, and is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the eighth most populous urban area in the European Union. Located in northeastern Germany, it is the center of the Berlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan Area, comprising 5 million people from over 190 nations. Geographically embedded in the European Plains, Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. Around one third of the city's territory is composed of forests, parks, gardens, rivers and lakes.

Berlin is a world city of culture, politics, media, and science. Its economy is primarily based on the service sector, encompassing a diverse range of creative industries, media corporations, congress and convention venues. Berlin serves as a continental hub for air and rail transport, and is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the EU. Significant industries, pharmaceuticals, biomedical engineering, biotechnology, optoelectronics, traffic engineering, and renewable energy.

The metropolis is home to renowned universities, research institutes, sporting events, orchestras, museums and personalities. The urban and historical legacy has made it a popular setting for international film productions.The city is recognized for its festivals, diverse architecture, nightlife, contemporary arts, public transportation networks and a high quality of living. Berlin has evolved into a global focal point for young individuals and artists attracted by a liberal lifestyle and modern zeitgeist.

CULTURE

MTV Headquarter
Berlin is noted for its numerous cultural institutions, many of which enjoy international reputation. The diversity and vivacity of the Zeitgeist Metropolis led to an ever-changing and trendsetting image among major cities. The city has a very diverse art scene, and is home to around 420 art galleries. Young Germans and international artists continue to settle in the city, and Berlin has established itself as a center of youth and popular culture in Europe.

Signs of this expanding role was the 2003 announcement that the annual Popkomm, Europe's largest music industry convention, would move to Berlin after 15 years in Cologne. Shortly thereafter, the Universal Music Group and MTV also decided to move their European headquarters and main studios to the banks of the River Spree in Friedrichshain. In 2005, Berlin was awarded the title of "City of Design" by UNESCO.

Museums Galleries


Altes Museum

Berlin is home to 153 museums. The ensemble on the Museum Island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is situated in the northern part of the Spree Island between the Spree and the Kupfergraben. Subsequently, the Altes Museum (Old Museum) in the Lustgarten displaying the bust of Queen Nefertiti, and the Neues Museum (New Museum), Alte Nationalgalerie (Old National Gallery), Pergamon Museum, and Bode Museum were built there.


Apart from the Museum Island, there are a wide variety of other museums. The Gemäldegalerie (Painting Gallery), the Neue Nationalgalerie (New National Gallery). The Hamburger Bahnhof, located in Moabit, exhibits a major collection of modern and contemporary art. In spring 2006, the expanded Deutsches Historisches Museum re-opened in the Zeughaus with an overview of German history through the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. The Bauhaus Archive is an architecture museum.

Pergamon Museum
The reconstructed Ishtar Gate of Babylon at the Pergamon Museum. The German Museum of Technology in Kreuzberg has a large collection of historical technical artifacts. The Museum für Naturkunde exhibits natural history near Berlin Hauptbahnhof. It has the largest mounted dinosaur in the world (a brachiosaurus), and a preserved specimen of the early bird Archaeopteryx.

In Dahlem, there are several museums of world art and culture, such as the Museum of Indian Art, the Museum of East Asian Art, the Ethnological Museum, the Museum of European Cultures, as well as the Allied Museum and the Brücke Museum.

If you want more detailed information, click here.


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January 07, 2011

The NEW 7 WONDERS of the WORLD


New Seven Wonders of the World was a project that attempted to update the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World concept with a modern list of wonders. A popularity poll was led by Canadian-Swiss Bernard Weber and organized by the Swiss-based, government-controlled New7Wonders Foundation, with winners announced on July 7, 2007 in Lisbon.

The New7Wonders Foundation claimed that more than 100 million votes were cast through the Internet or by telephone.

In 2007 the foundation launched a similar contest, called New7Wonders of Nature, which will be the subject of voting until mid-2011. You can VOTE HERE.


Here are the New Seven Wonders of the World:


The Pyramid at Chichén Itzá (before 800 A.D.)
Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Chichén Itzá, the most famous Mayan temple city, served as the political and economic center of the Mayan civilization. Its various structures - the pyramid of Kukulkan, the Temple of Chac Mool, the Hall of the Thousand Pillars, and the Playing Field of the Prisoners – can still be seen today and are demonstrative of an extraordinary commitment to architectural space and composition. The pyramid itself was the last, and arguably the greatest, of all Mayan temples.
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Christ Redeemer (1931) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

This statue of Jesus stands some 38 meters tall, atop the Corcovado mountain overlooking Rio de Janeiro. Designed by Brazilian Heitor da Silva Costa and created by French sculptor Paul Landowski, it is one of the world’s best-known monuments. The statue took five years to construct and was inaugurated on October 12, 1931. It has become a symbol of the city and of the warmth of the Brazilian people, who receive visitors with open arms.
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The Roman Colosseum (70 - 82 A.D.) Rome, Italy

This great amphitheater in the centre of Rome was built to give favors to successful legionnaires and to celebrate the glory of the Roman Empire. Its design concept still stands to this very day, and virtually every modern sports stadium some 2,000 years later still bears the irresistible imprint of the Colosseum's original design. Today, through films and history books, we are even more aware of the cruel fights and games that took place in this arena, all for the joy of the spectators.
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The Taj Mahal (1630 A.D.) Agra, India

This immense mausoleum was built on the orders of Shah Jahan, the fifth Muslim Mogul emperor, to honor the memory of his beloved late wife. Built out of white marble and standing in formally laid-out walled gardens, the Taj Mahal is regarded as the most perfect jewel of Muslim art in India. The emperor was consequently jailed and, it is said, could then only see the Taj Mahal out of his small cell window.
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The Great Wall of China (220 B.C and 1368 - 1644 A.D.) China


The Great Wall of China was built to link existing fortifications into a united defense system and better keep invading Mongol tribes out of China. It is the largest man-made monument ever to have been built and it is disputed that it is the only one visible from space. Many thousands of people must have given their lives to build this colossal construction.
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Petra (9 B.C. - 40 A.D.), Jordan


On the edge of the Arabian Desert, Petra was the glittering capital of the Nabataean empire of King Aretas IV (9 B.C. to 40 A.D.). Masters of water technology, the Nabataeans provided their city with great tunnel constructions and water chambers. A theater, modelled on Greek-Roman prototypes, had space for an audience of 4,000. Today, the Palace Tombs of Petra, with the 42-meter-high Hellenistic temple facade on the El-Deir Monastery, are impressive examples of Middle Eastern culture.
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Machu Picchu (1460-1470), Peru

In the 15th century, the Incan Emperor Pachacútec built a city in the clouds on the mountain known as Machu Picchu ("old mountain"). This extraordinary settlement lies halfway up the Andes Plateau, deep in the Amazon jungle and above the Urubamba River. It was probably abandoned by the Incas because of a smallpox outbreak and, after the Spanish defeated the Incan Empire, the city remained 'lost' for over three centuries. It was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911.


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January 04, 2011

10 MOST POLLUTED Cities on Earth

Here are the 10 mosted polluted cities on earth:


10º - New Delhi, India


In another part of city New Delhi, there are some areas where people dump their trash and dirt bag. Infant morbidity in New Delhi is high and main cause are these pollutions. Everyday, 1000 new vehicles run on the roads of Delhi and 3,000 tons of pollutant from industries fill the air of the city. It is not surprise that Delhi is known as 4th most polluted city in the world.
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9º - Mumbai, India


Mumbai, another Growing City in India, is one of the most crowded city in the world. Badly, not all the people know how to clean their environment. The city always suffocated with new pollutions from the industries and vehicles. Some NGOs try to solve the problem but their solution won`t work unless it is back up with $1 billion dollar aid from Indian government.
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8º - Maputo, Mozambique


Maputo is the capital city of Mozambique and it is a resident of 60,000 families. The city is very close to Indian ocean. The ugly thins is the city has bad sewage treatment and waste removal system.
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7º - Moscow, Russia


Despite one of the most expensive city in the world, Moscow is also known as the most polluted city in this planet. Because of the air pollution, many people suffer Lung disease and Cholera. Sanitation facility is apparently excluded from the expensive cost of living in Moscow.
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6º - Mexico City, Mexico


Around 70 years ago, Mexico city was known as the cleanest city in the world. The fact is change this moment. In 1940, the average visibility was 100 km ad now down to 1,5 km. Snow-caped mountains is scarce and the oxygen is polluted with high percentage of Nitrogen dioxide.
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5º - Lagos, Nigeria


Lagos is a home of 12 millions families and many industries. From the air to the soil, Pollutions fill every gap of empty space in city. You can visit the country if you want to approve it. Watch the Nigerian scam if you travel here.
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4º - Karachi, Pakistan


Karachi is the busiest city in Pakistan. Beside the growing economy, the people of Karachi should the impact of it. Air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, and psychological diseases already affected 35% of people who live on the city.
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3º - Dhaka, Bangladesh


Dhaka is a city of 8 million families with serious problems of water pollutions, air pollutions and garbage problem. The water is thick and it is poisoned with pollutant from industries, commercial pesticides and bacteria of disease from other household.
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2º - Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam


Brunei Darussalam is small but rich country in south east Asia. Most of the people have nice salary and many of them not realize that air they inhaled contain very high TSP level. The air pollution mainly come from vehicles and Vehicle emission test already approved this finding.
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1º - Baghdad, Iraq


Since 2003, Baghdad face many wars and the government has more serious concern to carry over the environmental issue. Air pollutant from vehicles, power generators, oil burning, and water pollutant from other family are serious problem that grow every day. UN have studied this issue and it is no doubt that it is very serious issue that should be take over quickly.

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Who would like to visit a place like this?