English-speaking world

22 January 2021

LIMERICK

The third-largest city in the Republic, Limerick was founded by the Vikings. Catholicism and nationalism are strong in the city. Limerick has a reputation for high unemployment, crime and general neglect. However, it is fast acquiring a new image as a commercial city, revitalized by new industries and restoration projects. Even so, visitors may still have to dig a little to appreciate its charm.  The most pleasant part of Limerick in which to stroll is Newtown Pery – a grid of gracious Georgian terraces focused on O’Connell Street. It has often been said that perhaps Limerick’s biggest attraction of all is the people themselves who are warm, witty and welcoming!


Limerick

1972 The city of Limerick stands on the site of an important ford of ancient times, where the Shannon River meets the sea. It is one of the most progressive of Irish cities and an important transport and industrial centre
 

Limerick City

15 January 2021

HAYWARD

A former lumbering town, Hayward keeps its past alive with the Lumberjack World Championships each summer. Fishing enthusiasts know it better as the home of the Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame. The area is also known as the "Golf Capital of Wisconsin" with 18 courses within an hour's drive. People come to the Hayward Lakes to enjoy fishing and swimming, and to stroll the small town streets, stopping to buy a piece of freshly made fudge or a pair of moccasins.

Hayward
1962

For more information, visit haywardlakes.com

02 January 2021

PLATTEVILLE

The area around Platteville was one of the first to be settled by Europeans, who were drawn there by rich lead deposits. The lead miners gave Wisconsin its nickname, the "Badger State". Platteville's early mining heritage is showcased in two museums: the Mining Museum and the Rollo Jamison Museum with more than 20,000 items from the late 1800's. Founded in 1866 as the first teacher preparatory institution in the state of Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville has a legacy of academic excellence that has helped thousands of students find their direct path to success.

The Pioneer Tower, University of Wisconsin, 1960

Nestled in the beautiful rolling hills of Southwest Wisconsin, Platteville is a safe and vibrant, growing community with much to offer. The largest community in Southwest Wisconsin, Platteville offers outstanding recreational opportunities, entertainment, and vibrant businesses.

For more information, visit platteville.com

 

27 December 2020

CHURCHILL

The town of Churchill ("Polar Bear Capital of the World"), on Hudson Bay, is the world's only easily accessible human settlement where polar bears can be seen in the wild. Thousands of visitors travel to the town with a population of 1100 every autumn during the polar bears' migration season. In summer, hundreds of beluga whales feed and raise their young in the mouth of the Churchill River and in the bay. Churchill is also renowned for its northern lights or aurora borealis and excellent birding opportunities. Seals can also be seen in the harbour and caribou are frequently sighted along the coast. This is truly the last great wilderness frontier. Explore and experience your wildest dreams!


Churchill 
 
An aerial view of Churchill townsite, 1960

 

For more information on the city, contact Town of Churchill

19 December 2020

SASOLBURG

Sasolburg owes its existence to the first plant established by the South African Coal, Oil and Gas Corporation (Sasol) for the manufacture of fuel from coal. This modern industrial town has, however, not succumbed to the beat of its sombre, grey, industrial heart. At the time of the town's establishment in 1954 town planners decided to create a green oasis by replacing the traditional  square design with curves and circles linked by parks and green belts. One of the most beautiful parks is the Highveld Garden, a lovely, tranquil garden with a wonderful variety of plants, shrubs and trees indigenous to the Highveld. A holiday resort on the banks of the Vaal River offers a variety of recreational facilities. The adjacent skating rink is reputedly the biggest in the southern hemisphere.


This industrial complex was established in 1954 in conjunction with the founding of the S.A. Coal, Oil & Gas Corporation.
 

05 December 2020

IRONBRIDGE

Here in the wooden gorge of the Severn River, the industrial Revolution was born in 1709 when Abraham Darby discovered that by smelting iron ore with coke instead of charcoal, iron could be mass-produced. The world's first iron bridge (1779)is just one of the Ironbridge Gorge Museum's sights, which are spread over six square miles; buses run between sites in the summer months. In the western part of the gorge, near the bridge, is the Museum of the River, in a warehouse built to store the Coalbrookdale Company's iron products. Darby's actual furnace is on show at the Museum of Iron, which explains the history of iron-making and of the Coalbrookdale Company.

The iron bridge at Coalbrookdale is surprisingly elegant and delicate-looking, and was the first bridge in the world to be constructed of iron

Received from Thomas Goatherd

22 November 2020

WAUSAU

Wausau positions itself as the best place in Wisconsin to play in the snow. The Nine Mile Forest is a premiere cross-country skiing facility with 33km of groomed trails including lighted trails for nighttime skiing. Sylvan Hill is home to the longest tubing hill in the state with six runs and two tow-lines. Complementing the city's Northwoods feel is a whitewater kayak course, a thriving arts community and the River District. Surrounded by woods, lakes, and hills, the Wausau area offers the combination of big city amenities with the look and feel of the great North-woods and small town hospitality.

Wausau
POWER PLANT, DAM, WISCONSIN RIVER DOWNTOWN WAUSAU
 

For more information, log on to VisitWausau

15 November 2020

VEREENIGING

A well endowed industrial town, rich in coal, forming part of the largest industrial complex in Africa. 58 km from Johannesburg, Vereeniging is also a popular resort situated on the northern banks of the Vaal River, with three smaller rivers within its municipal boundaries. The area is of significance to palaeontologists as it is a known abode of prehistoric man. A number of stone age rock engravings may be seen at Redan on the outskirts of the town.

 

VEREENIGING, Southern Transvaal

VEREENIGING, Southern Transvaal  Situated on the northern bank of the Vaal River, this town associated with the peace treaty and link up of the railway line between south and north - lives up to its motto "Per pacem ad industriam - Through Peace to Industry".

 

VAAL RIVER AND DAM A popular recreational area for the Witwatersrand. The dam is deep and wide, and free of bilharzia. The willow-lined river banks provide many picnic and camping sites. Excellent water sports, especially water-skiing and motor boating, with good fishing opportunities. Numerous recreational resorts in the area.

 

07 November 2020

FREDERICTON

New Friends. New Values. New Adventures 

Nestled in a tree-lined valley on the banks of the Saint John River, New Brunswick's capital city traces its beginning back over 300 years. Fredericton owes its stature as a city to the presence of Christ Church Cathedral, one of Canada's most beautiful Gothic styled buildings which was completed and consecrated in 1853. Downtown bustles with summer concerts, theatre, walking tours and a colorful farmers' market. The city takes pride in having the title "Poets' Corner of Canada". It is also called the "City of Stately Elms" for the majestic elm trees that gracefully line Fredericton's streets. A walker's paradise, it is filled with historic sites and attractions that beckon visitors to recapture the past. The Fredericton area is a mecca for recreation, fishing, hunting, boating, golfing, and skiing.

Fredericton

 The St. John River with views of Christ Church Cathedral and the UNB-STU campuses reflected in the calm waters.

 

Visitor Information: Fredericton Tourism 

24 October 2020

MOUNTAINS OF MOURNE

These mountains occupy just a small corner of County Down, with no more than a dozen peaks surpassing 600 m, and yet they attract thousands of visitors each year. Northern Ireland's grandest scenery  sweeps around in a great arc of granite mountains between Dundrum Bay and Carlingford Lough, a patchwork of tiny sheep-cropped fields with drystone walls lying below the peaks. As well  as being popular for rock climbing, this area can only be properly enjoyed on foot. The main recreation area is the Silent Valley with reservoirs and dams, and superb mountain panoramas. The best base for the Mourne area is the resort of Newcastle, "Where the Mountains o' Mourne sweep down to the sea". Some 35 km north of Newcastle, the Legananny Dolmen is one of the finest and most photographed ancient sites in the country.



The Mountains of Mourne, County Down, in the south east, provide fine walking country