English-speaking world

30 July 2023

LINCOLN

 With little else of outstanding interest in Lincolnshire, you'll probably have to travel out of your way to reach the small, backwater city of Lincoln. But you'll be rewarded by one of England's most splendid cathedrals, its colossal towers soaring above the flat countryside. Historic Lincoln occupies the uphill part of the city, above and separate from the modern and commercial center. At the top of Steep Hill, on one side of the square called Castle Hill, stands the Norman castle. The other side of the square leads to the west front of the cathedral, breathtaking for its size and abundance of arcading. Though part of the facade is Norman, the bulk of the church is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture.


Lincoln

 
For those fancying some retail therapy, Lincoln offers a great selection of shops. The city has a mixture of high street favorites and independent boutiques. Uphill Lincoln and the Bailgate is home to several antiques shops and the quaint cobbled streets are ideal for a leisurely afternoon window shopping.


Visit Lincoln, the beautiful historic city full of heritage and culture.

23 July 2023

UMHLANGA

  Up-market resort with sophisticated shopping malls, a beach with sandy stretches and rocky areas, and a paved walkaway along the beach. Trails meander through the dune forest of the Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve. Umhlanga Rocks attracts holiday-makers all year round. Since its amalgamation with the luxury suburb of La Lucia, Umhlanga is something of a mini-Durban. It has a population of over 50 000 residents, numerous shopping malls, nightclubs, a variety of good restaurants.

Umhlanga

 Umhlanga Rocks is an easy 15 minutes' driving from the Durban city centre, so is much in demand as a holiday spot. And, as with any top seaside place, all its holiday accommodation is within walking distance of the surf. The beach is long and slightly sloping with shark-netted bathing areas, lifeguards, refreshments and changing facilities. And the town's famous red-and-white lighthouse is visible the length of the beach.

16 July 2023

CHARLESTON, S.C.

 And then there is Charleston. Her charm and beauty have long proven to be irrestible. You'll see it in the lacy trim of her breezy piazzas. And feel it in the spirit of her rich heritage. A port city steeped in history. Barely changed since its founding in 1670. Here you'll find the very best of the South. A genteel nature, so inviting. So gracious. And an indomitable strength that has proudly withstood great fires, earthquakes, pirates, a civil war and hurricanes with little more than a bat of an eye.

Charleston

 AMERICA'S MOST HISTORICAL CITY
Charleston, S.C.

 Charles Town, as it was originally called, was settled in 1670 where the Asley and Cooper Rivers meet to form the Atlantic Ocean. It is most famous for its well preserved 18th century architecture, historical forts, gardens, and seaport facilities.
 By horse-drawn carriage, air-conditioned bus, boat, bicycle or on foot, a tour of Charleston is a remarkable journey through time.

 

Discover South Carolina

08 July 2023

MELFORT

 The newest city in Saskatchewan is surrounded by the famous black loam of the Carrot River Valley. Agriculture has been Melfort's number one industry since the first settlement days in 1903. Melfort bills itself as the City of Northern Lights for the spectacle the Aurora borealis affords in the night skies for much of the year. The new Northern Lights Palace offers spectacles of a different sort. With its multi-purpose arena, indoor wave pool and waterslide, the complex is quickly becoming a popular recreation area and the focal point for the community.

Melfort
 
Greetings from Melfort, Saskatchewan: A fisherman prepares to go out after the big ones

 City residents are also proud of the Melfort and District Regional Park, with its challenging 18-hole grass green course, exceptional ball diamonds and nationally accredited water-ski site. A short drive from the city are the scenic North Saskatchewan River and Codette Lake. Popular celebrations are Back to the '50s in mid-June and Harvest Howl in mid-October.

Tourism Saskatchewan

01 July 2023

LUGANVILLE

 Espiritu Santo, more commonly known as Santo, is the largest island in Vanuatu with an overall area of some 4000 km². For the most part, the population lives along the coast or on the small offshore islands. Dominated by Mount Tabwemasana (1880 m) the eastern coast is wild and mountainous, difficult to access, as opposed to the western coast which can easily be explored. Copra, cattle farming, fishing, coffee and cocoa remain the major resources of the island, with a growing tourism sector.

Luganville

 
Luganville is Vanuatu's second urban centre. Whilst it may not be the administrative capital, nevertheless, with the extension of the airstrip to international standards and the various projects which should be coming on line shortly, not to mention the thousands of hectares of arable land, it stands a very good chance of becoming the economical capital of Vanuatu one day.

24 June 2023

CARDIFF

 Cardiff – in Welsh ‘Caerdydd’ – is located on the Southern coast of Wales, at the mouth of the River Taff, about 150 miles west of London. Outsiders most readily associate the capital of Wales with Cardiff Arms Park, where stirring international rugby matches are played. Another famous association is the highly acclaimed Welsh National Opera. Cardiff was fairly insignificant until the 1830s, when the second Marquis of Bute began building docks to transport coal from the nearby valleys. 


Cardiff

Roath Park, Cardiff: The clock tower and promenade


    Nowadays the docks at Cardiff Bay are undergoing massive regeneration. The Welsh Industrial and Maritime Museum provides a full-scale introduction into the coal- and iron-ore industries through an exhibition on power and displays of old locomotives and boats, and Techniquest is an excellent and interesting hands-on science center.

17 June 2023

CORPUS CHRISTI

 City is major deep-water port and one of Texas' most popular seacoast playground cities. First settlement began as frontier trading post founded 1839; obscure settlement until about 1845 when accelerated growth began. Institutions of higher learning are Del Mar College and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Seawall, with steps to the water, was built in the late 1930s as part of a major landfill that created Shoreline Boulevard and the popular "T" head docks for pleasure boats.


CORPUS CHRISTI

 This view of the skyline of beautiful Corpus Christi, Texas shows some of the many features which attract more and more tourists every year.



Corpus Christi Beach, north of downtown over the bridge, is the site of the USS Lexington and Texas State Aquarium, and offers park areas, picnic tables, showers, and rest rooms. In keeping with the city's image of having glistening waterways, Corpus Christi's Water Garden sparkles for visitors who see, hear, and touch the garden's water. Some 150 fountains form nucleus of park, which is lighted at night.

 

Travel Texas

10 June 2023

KEMPTON PARK

 20 km north-east of Johannesburg, a thriving industrial centre. Jan Smuts International Airport, named after Field Marshal the Right Honourable JC Smuts, former Prime Minister and Statesman, is the principal airport in the country. International flights to five continents. The Modderfontein explosives factory, located in the municipality, serves the various gold mines in the vicinity.

CHIP FACTORY TOUR 
Demonstrates the production of potato chips, from peeling to packaging.
BLAAUWPAN DAM
In Bonaero Park. A popular dam among windsurfers. Facilities around the dam as well as a bird sanctuary.

 

Holiday Inn, Kempton Park 1620, South Africa


BREWERY TOUR
A 2-3 hour tour shows the brewing and bottling processes of beer, including a sample of the product.
DRIES NIEMANDT SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL GROUNDS
Facilities for various sports, including a golf course and a country club. A small dam with picnic and barbeque facilities. Rondavels available for special functions.

03 June 2023

ST. CATHARINES

 A historic city in the heart of the wine country and the Niagara fruit belt, where half of the province's entire output of fruit is grown. Originally a Loyalist settlement, St. Catharines had been a depot of the "Underground Railroad", the site of the first Welland Canal, and also had the first electric street car system in North America. For over 100 years the city has been home to the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta, second only in size to the famous English regatta.

St. Catharines

 Looking North on St. Paul Street 

This beautiful city has been nicknamed the ‘Garden City’ due to its many gardens, parks and trails. There is at least 4 square km of green space within city limits.
Niagara Grape & Wine Festival.
A festival honouring the ripening of the grapes. Ten days of wine gardens, vineyard tours, ethnic concerts, dances, athletic events and a big parade with bands and colourful floats. (Late September.)

 

Destination Ontario 

27 May 2023

BIRMINGHAM

 Birmingham, Britain's largest city after London, cannot be called beautiful; wrecked by city "planners" of the mid-20th century, it is a mess of flyover roads, industrial parks and sprawling suburbs. But it also has more canals than Venice (created as an early mass-transport system at the height of the Industrial Revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries) and a few splendid Victorian buildings, the legacy of its 19th-century wealth and industrial importance. Birmingham is part of an extensive canal network, a good escape from the jungle of roads and intersections.

Birmingham
 

The Bull Ring * Council House * New Street

 At Bournville, another major industry opens its doors to visitors: Cadbury World offers the chance to look around a chocolate factory established by the Cadbury family during the 19th century. While in Birmingham, do not pass up a chance to hear the top-quality City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in its home at the Symphony Hall.