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For most westerners, Russia is associated with its European cities - Moscow and St.Petersburg. This is the heartland of Russia, and these great and ancient cities often become the focus for most guests. However, there is much more about Russia, a country that spans eleven time zones, ending less than 85 km from North America. Within this vast expanse lie the largest freshwater lake in the world, rivers and forests teeming with fish and wildlife, awe inspiring volcanoes, and towering mountains. Russia is the largest country of the Earth, with enormous tracts of land, its natural and cultural heritage waiting to be discovered.
Russia has a formidable pool of recreational resources, including natural landscapes of endless variety and inimitable beauty, monuments of history and cultural heritage, unique engineering structures, and unmatched cities, towns and smaller communities.
The most popular tourist attractions are the old Russian cities of Vladimir, Suzdal, Sergiev Posad, Pereyaslavl Zalessky, Rostov, Uglitch, Yaroslavl and Kostroma, the biggest gems of Russia’s Golden Ring. Also high on every tourist’s priority list are itineraries by boat from Moscow to St.Petersburg and the Valaam Island, a central point of religious piligrimage, or to Kizhi, the wonderland of old Russian wooden architecture, the Northern Caucasus and the Black Sea coast, to Mount Elbrus, the Ural mountains, and the Altai country, in different natural settings, from the Black Sea coast (like Gelenzhik and Anapa), the Baltic Sea (Sestroretsk, Komarovo, Zelenogorsk, Svetlogorsk, etc.) to the mountains of the Northern Caucasus (Teberda and Dombai), Ural (Kisegatch and Uveldy) and Altai (Chemal).
In the forest steppe and steppe areas, the invigorating nature is supplemented with refreshing koumiss, which is a favourite drink among the vacationers in Bashkortostan (Aksakovo, Yumatovo and Shafranovo).
There is no doubt that the most celebrated among Russian balneological resorts, a craze since the early 19th century to our day, of course, are the Caucasian Spas, a cluster of mineral springs at Yessentuki, Zheleznovodsk, Kislovodsk and Pyatigorsk, with Naltchik a short way off. The most famous among the local springs are Slaviansky, Smirnovsky, Lermontovsky, Batalinsky, the narzan springs of Kislovodsk, and mineral treats No.17 and No.4 at Yessentuki.
With the disintegration of the Soviet Union crime has been rising throughout Russia, however, it is safer here than in many American cities. Precautions include not flaunting valuables, or walking alone at night through city streets or parks.
History of Tourism
The earliest forms of leisure tourism can be traced as far back as the Babylonian and Egyptian empires. A museum of “historic antiquities” was open to the public in the sixth century BC in Babylon, while the Egyptians held many religious festivals attracting not only the devout, but many who came to see the famous buildings and works of art in the cities. The local towns accommodated tourists by providing services such as: vendors of food and drink, guides, hawkers of souvenirs, touts and prostitutes.
From around the same date, Greek tourists travelled to visit the sites of healing gods. Because the independent city-states of ancient Greece had no central authority to order the construction of roads, most of these tourists travelled by water, hence seaports prospered.
The lands of the Mediterranean Sea produced a remarkable evolution in travel. People travel for trade, commerce, religious purposes, festivals, medical treatment, or education developed at an early date.
Guidebooks became available as early as the fourth century BC, covering a vast area of destinations, i.e. Athens, Sparta and Troy. Pausanias, a Greek travel writer, produced a noted “description of Greece” between AD 160 and 180, which, in its critical evaluation of facilities and destinations, acted as a model for later writers. Advertisements, in the form of signs directing visitors to wayside inns, are also known from this period. However, under Romans rule is where international travel became first important. With no foreign borders between England and Syria, and with the seas safe from piracy due to the Roman patrols, conditions favouring travel had arrived. Roman coinage was acceptable everywhere, and Latin was the common language. Romans travelled to Sicily, Greece, Rhodes, and Troy, Egypt and from the third century AD, to the Holy Land.
Domestic tourism also flourished within the Roman Empire. Second homes were built by the wealthy within easy travelling distance of Rome, occupied particularly during the springtime social season. Naples attracted the retired and the intellectuals.
Before the sixteenth century, those who sought to travel had three modes in which to do so. They could walk, ride a horse or they could be carried, either on a little or on a carrier’s wagon.
The development of the sprung coach was a huge advance for those who regularly travelled, and by the mid 1600’s, coaches were operating regularly in Britain. In the eighteenth century the introduction of turnpike roads, which provided improved surfaces for which tolls would be charged. The later introduction of the metal, leaf spring suspension also added to comfort.
Travel also requires accommodation, and at that time, it was basic. To accommodate the new demand for travel inns was provided. They provided fresh horses, and lodgings were available for rent to visitors when they arrived at their destination.
From the early seventeenth century, a new form of tourism developed as a direct outcome of the freedom and quest for learning heralded by the Renaissance. Young men who wanted positions at court were encouraged to travel to the Continent to finish their education. Others soon adopted this practice in the upper echelons of society, and it soon became customary for the education of a gentleman to be completed by a “Grand tour” of major cultural centres of Europe, accompanied by a tutor and often-lasting three years or more. The appeal soon became social, and leisure seeking young men travelled, predominantly to France and Italy, to enjoy the rival cultures and social life of cities such as Paris, Venice, or Florence. By the end of the eighteenth century, the custom had become institutionalised for the gentry.
Passports have their origins in the medieval testimonial. A letter from an ecclesiastical superior given to a pilgrim to avoid the latter’s possible arrest on charges of vagrancy. Later, papers of authority to travel were more widely issued by the state, particularly during periods of warfare with neighbouring European countries.
Spas were already well established during the time of the Roman Empire, but their popularity, based on the supposed medical benefits of the waters, lapsed in the subsequent centuries. Renewed interest in the therapeutic qualities of mineral waters has been ascribed to the influence of the Renaissance in Britain, and elsewhere in Europe.
China
China is compiled of a vast variety of extremely different landscapes, using mostly plateaus and mountains in the west, & lower lands on the east. As a effect, principal rivers flow From west to east, including the Yangtze (central), the Huang He (central-east), and the Amur (northeast), and every now and again toward the south (admitting the Pearl River, Mekong River, & Brahmaputra), by using most Chinese rivers emptying into the Pacific Ocean.
In the east, by the shores of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea there are extended and densely populated alluvial plains;. On the edges of the Inner Mongolian plateau in the northerly, grasslands may be seen. Southern China is dominated by hills & low mountain ranges. In the central-east are the deltas of China’s two major rivers, the Huang He & Yangtze River (Chang Jiang). to the highest degree of China’s arable lands lie by those rivers; they were the centers of China’s major ancient civilizations. Extra large rivers include the Pearl River, Mekong, Brahmaputra & Amur.
In the west, the northerly has a great alluvial plain, and the south has a vast calcareous tableland covered by hill ranges of moderate elevation, and the Himalayas, containing the highest point Mount Everest. The northwesterly also has high plateaus sustaining more arid desert landscapes such as the Takla-Makan and the Gobi Desert, which one has been expanding. During many dynasties, the southwestern border of China has been the high mounts and deep valleys of Yunnan, which one split modern China since Burma, Laos & Vietnam.
The Paleozoic formations of China, excepting only the upper separate of the Carboniferus system, are marine, when the Mesozoic and Tertiary deposits are estuarine and freshwater or even else of terrestrial origin. Groupings of volcanic cones occur in the awesome Plain of northerly China. In the Liaodong & Shandong Peninsulas, in that location are basaltic plateaus.
The climate of China varies greatly. The northern zone (containing Beijing) has winters of Arctic severity. The central zone (containing Shanghai) has a temperate clime. The southern zone (containing Guangzhou) has a subtropical climate.
Due to a prolonged drought & poor agricultural practices, dust storms have get usual in the spring in China. Dust has blown to southern China & Taiwan, and has even reached the West Coast of the United States. Water, erosion, & pollution control keep close at hand get crucial issues in China’s dealings by owning Other areas.
Careers in hotels
There are over 12,000 hotels in the UK with a workforce of 262,000 people, providing accommodation for millions of guests each year. Some of these will be visiting the UK for the first time and it’s up to you and your team to make their experience unforgettable!
If you enjoy working with people, the hotel industry is perfect for you. Many hotels host events, such as weddings, parties and conferences, so it’s often a buzzing workplace with guests coming in and out, to celebrate, work and sleep.
Due to the range of services available within a hotel, there is a huge variety of career prospects. You could work in the hotel’s restaurant overseeing food preparation as the head chef, or if health and fitness is your thing, you could be a spa therapist or gym instructor. Housekeepers, kitchen porters and room attendants also play a significant part in maintaining hotel facilities, so whatever career path you choose, you will be a valued member of the team.
The hotel industry never stops! Some services within a hotel are available 24/7, so it is an industry that is exciting, fast-paced and for the hard working. If you enjoy problem-solving and a stimulating environment, you will love the challenge!
Career opportunities and skills needed
There are a variety of careers available in the hotel industry. You could have a career as a general manager and oversee all aspects of the business, as head housekeeper you could be in charge of maintaining the hotel and supervising your staff. If there is a restaurant within the hotel there’s the opportunity to be a waiter or waitress, a restaurant manager, a head chef – the possibilities are endless.
For the 'entry-level' positions, employers look for a willingness to work hard and a passion for the industry, so committed workers who are willing to take on new responsibilities are most likely to progress. Some employers within the hospitality industry report that particular skills are lacking in their current workforce – especially amongst waiting staff, bar staff, kitchen assistants and receptionists. This means individuals that show commitment to the industry, and seek opportunities for training can be rewarded with rapid career progression and a successful career.
Skills needed
For public-facing roles, such as a bar team member, waiter or receptionist, you will need excellent communication skills and great customer service skills. Other roles will require you to work well in a team; this is especially true for roles based in the kitchen and housekeeping duties.
As there are so many careers in the hotel industry, the skills needed for each will vary. However there is one basic skill everyone must possess, this is to maintain the hygiene, safety and security of the working environment. Health and safety is the most basic requirement of guests during their stay and it is the duty of the hotel staff to make sure all standards are adhered to.
Travel agency
A travel agency is a private retailer or public service that provides tourism related services to the public on behalf of suppliers such as airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, hotels, railways, and package tours. In addition to dealing with ordinary tourists most travel agencies have a separate department devoted to making travel arrangements for business travelers and some travel agencies specialize in commercial and business travel only. There are also travel agencies that serve as general sales agents for foreign travel companies, allowing them to have offices in countries other than where their headquarters are located.
Operations
A travel agency's main function is to act as an agent, selling travel products and services on behalf of a supplier. Consequently, unlike other retail businesses, they do not keep a stock in hand. A package holiday or a ticket is not purchased from a supplier unless a customer requests that purchase. The holiday or ticket is supplied to them at a discount. The profit is therefore the difference between the advertised price which the customer pays and the discounted price at which it is supplied to the agent. This is known as the commission. In many countries, all individuals or companies that sell tickets are required to be licensed as a travel agent. In some countries, airlines have stopped giving commission to travel agencies. Therefore, travel agencies are now forced to charge a percentage premium or a standard flat fee, per sale. However, some companies still give them a set percentage for selling their product. Major tour companies can afford to do this, because if they were to sell a thousand trips at a cheaper rate, they still come out better than if they sell a hundred trips at a higher rate. This process benefits both parties. It is also cheaper to offer commissions to travel agents rather than engage in advertising and distribution campaigns without using agents.
Other commercial operations are undertaken, especially by the larger chains. These can include the sale of in-house insurance, travel guide books and timetables, car rentals, and the services of an on-site Bureau de change, dealing in the most popular holiday currencies.
The majority of travel agents have felt the need to protect themselves and their clients against the possibilities of commercial failure, either their own or a supplier's. They will advertise the fact that they are surety bonded, meaning in the case of a failure, the customers are guaranteed either an equivalent holiday to that which they have lost or if they prefer, a refund. Many British and American agencies and tour operators are bonded with the International Air Transport Association (IATA), for those who issue air tickets, Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL) for those who order tickets in, the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) or the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), for those who sell package holidays on behalf of a tour company.
A travel agent is supposed to offer impartial travel advice to the customer. However, this function almost disappeared with the mass-market package holiday and some agency chains seemed to develop a 'holiday supermarket' concept, in which customers choose their holiday from brochures on racks and then book it from a counter. Again, a variety of social and economic changes have now contrived to bring this aspect to the fore once more, particularly with the advent of multiple, no-frills, low-cost airlines.
Types of agencies
There are three different types of agencies in the UK: multiples, miniples and independent agencies. The former comprises a number of national chains, often owned by international conglomerates, like Thomson Holidays, now a subsidiary of TUI AG, the German multinational. It is now quite common for the large mass-market tour companies to purchase a controlling interest in a chain of travel agencies, in order to control the distribution of their product. (This is an example of vertical integration.) The smaller chains are often based in particular regions or districts.
Four different types of agencies exist in the United States: independent, consortium, regional and mega agencies. American Express and the American Automobile Association (AAA) are examples of mega travel agencies.
Independent agencies usually cater to a special or niche market, such as the needs of residents in an upmarket commuter town or suburb or a particular group interested in a similar activity, such as sporting events, like football, golf or tennis.
There are two approaches of travel agencies. One is the traditional, multi-destination, outbound travel agency, based in the originating location of the traveler and the other is the destination focused, inbound travel agency, that is based in the destination and delivers an expertise on that location. At present, the former is usually a larger operator while the latter is often a smaller, independent operator.
Travel agencies in the 21st century
With general public access to the Internet, many airlines and other travel companies began to sell directly to passengers. As a consequence, airlines no longer needed to pay the commissions to travel agents on each ticket sold. Since 1997, travel agencies have gradually been disintermediated, by the reduction in costs caused by removing layers from the package holiday distribution network. However, travel agents remain dominant in some areas such as cruise vacations where they represent 77% of bookings and 73% of packaged travel. In 2009, the market size for travel agencies experienced a sharp decline, dropping from $17 billion the previous year to $14.5 billion.
In response, travel agencies have developed an internet presence of their own by creating travel websites, with detailed information and online booking capabilities. Major online travel agencies include: Expedia, Voyages-sncf.com, Travelocity, Orbitz, CheapTickets, Priceline, CheapOair, Webjet, and Hotwire.com. Travel agencies also use the services of the major computer reservations systems companies, also known as Global Distribution Systems (GDS), including: SABRE, Amadeus CRS, Galileo CRS and Worldspan, which is a subsidiary of Travelport, allowing them to book and sell airline tickets, hotels, car rentals and other travel related services. Some online travel websites allow visitors to compare hotel and flight rates with multiple companies free. They often allow visitors to sort the travel packages by amenities, price, and proximity to a city or landmark.
Travel agents have applied dynamic packaging tools to provide fully bonded (full financial protection) travel at prices equal to or lower than a member of the public can book online. As such, the agencies' financial assets are protected in addition to professional travel agency advice.
All travel sites that sell hotels online work together with GDS, suppliers and hotels directly to search for room inventory. Once the travel site sells a hotel, the site will try to get a confirmation for this hotel. Once confirmed or not, the customer is contacted with the result. This means that booking a hotel on a travel website will not necessarily result in an instant answer. Only some hotels on a travel website can be confirmed instantly (which is normally marked as such on each site). As different travel websites work with different suppliers together, each site has different hotels that it can confirm instantly. Some examples of such online travel websites that sell hotel rooms are Expedia, Orbitz and WorldHotel-Link.
The comparison sites, such as Kayak.com, TripAdvisor and SideStep search the resellers site all at once to save time searching. None of these sites actually sell hotel rooms.
Often tour operators have hotel contracts, allotments and free sell agreements which allow for the immediate confirmation of hotel rooms for vacation bookings.
Mainline service providers are those that actually produce the direct service, like various hotels chains or airlines that have a website for online bookings. Portals will serve a consolidator of various airlines and hotels on the internet. They work on a commission from these hotels and airlines. Often, they provide cheaper rates than the mainline service providers as these sites get bulk deals from the service providers. A meta search engine on the other hand, simply culls data from the internet on real time rates for various search queries and diverts traffic to the mainline service providers for an online booking. These websites usually do not have their own booking engine.
Tourism
Twenty years ago not many people travelled overseas for their holidays. The majority of people stayed to have holidays in their country. Today the situation is different and the world seems much smaller.
It is possible to book a holiday to a seaside resort on the other side of the world. Staying at home, you can book it through the Internet or by phone. The plane takes you straight there and within some hours of leaving your country, you can be on a tropical beach, breathing a super clean air and swimming in crystal warm water of tropical sea.
We can travel by car, by train or plane, if we have got a long distance tour. Some young people prefer walking or hitch-hike travelling, when you travel, paying nearly nothing. You get new friends, lots of fun and have no idea where you will be tomorrow. It has great advantages for the tourists, who want to get the most out of exploring the world and give more back to the people and places visited. If you like mountains, you could climb any mountains around the globe and there is only one restriction. It is money. If you like travelling, you have got to have some money, because it is not a cheap hobby indeed. The economy of some countries is mainly based on tourism industry. Modern tourism has become a highly developed industry, because any human being is curious and inquisitive, we like leisure, visit other places. That is why tourism prospers.
People travel from the very beginning of their civilization. Thousands years ago all people were nomads and collectors. They roamed all their lives looking for food and better life. This way human beings populated the whole planet Earth. So, travelling and visiting other places are the part of our consciousness. That is why tourism and travelling are so popular.
Nowadays tourism has become a highly developed business. There are trains, cars and air jet liners, buses, ships that provide us with comfortable and secure travelling.
If we travel for pleasure, by all means one would like to enjoy picturesque places they are passing through, one would like seeing the places of interest, enjoying the sightseeing of the cities, towns and countries.
Nowadays people travel not only for pleasure but also on business. People have to go to other countries for taking part in different negotiations, for signing some very important documents, for participating in different exhibitions, in order to exhibit the goods of own firm or company. Travelling on business helps people to get more information about achievements of other companies, which will help making own business more successful.
There are a lot of means of travelling: travelling by ship, by plane, by car, walking. It depends on a person to decide which means of travelling one would prefer.
Travelling by Car
There is nothing better than travelling by a fast car. Travel by car is a more personal experience, for there you can drive yourself.
You just sit down at the steering wheel, start the motor, step on the accelerator with your foot and off goes the car. You can go as slowly or as fast as you wish, stop when and where you choose; you park the car on the side of the road, get out and go wherever you like.
It is quite true that driving a car has some disadvantages. In town it is rather a nuisance with all those traffic «jams» or «hold - ups», round-abouts, detours and so on. It is not pleasant at all when you ride on a bumpy road or get a flat tyre, or still worse, when you get stuck in the mud.
But what can be better than a spin in a car on a week-end with your friend? As soon as you get out of the crowded town and see a long wide road in full view, what a thrill it is to feel the car rush forward at a touch of your foot, to feel the wind in your face, to see houses, trees find people flash past, to feel the real joy of speed.
Then, of course, you see much more of the country than you do in a plane.
Suppose you are on vacation and have decided to take a trip in a car. What magnificent views you behold on your way — green fields, a road winding its way up the mountain with steep, grey cliffs on one side and a deep precipice on the other, a shining expanse of the sea wrapped in a blue noonday haze, the woods, the rows of acacia that stretch along the streets of the towns you pass through. Indeed your impressions are unforgettable.
Moscow. History
It is not known when Moscow was first settled. The first recorded reference to the town is in an early Russian historical chronicle under the year 1147. At that time, Moscow was a possession of Yuri Dolgoruky, a Russian prince who ruled the surrounding region. The town lay on important land and water trade routes, and it grew and prospered.
During the 1200's, Tatar invaders from Asia conquered Moscow and other Russian lands. The Russian princes were forced to recognise the Tatars as their rulers and pay them taxes. During the 1300 s, the Moscow princes collected taxes in their region for the Tatars. The Moscow princes expanded their territory greatly by buying lands or seizing them from rival princes.
By the late 1400 s, Moscow had become the most powerful Russian city. Moscow threw off Tatar control during the late 1400 is under Ivan III (the Great). His grandson, Ivan IV (the Terrible), was crowned czar of all Russia in 1547. Moscow was his capital.
Moscow grew rapidly during the 1600's. The czars built palaces in the Kremlin, and nobles built mansions. New churches and monasteries arose, and industries developed. In 1712 Peter I (the Great), moved the capital to St. Petersburg. However, Moscow remained an important centre of culture and trade.
In the fall of 1812, invading French troops under Napoleon I sought to capture Moscow. The French and Russian armies fought a major battle at Borodino, just outside Moscow. The French army won the battle and entered Moscow without a struggle. Most of the people had left the city. Soon afterward, fires destroyed most of Moscow. Historians believe that retreating Russians set. most of the fires, but that others were started by looting troops from Napoleons army. After about a month, the French troops left and began a disastrous retreat through the cold Russian winter.
The rebuilding of Moscow began almost immediately. New residences were built and factories began to appear. By the mid-1800 s, Moscow had emerged as the railway and industrial centre of Russia. The city's population grew rapidly, passing 1 million by 1900.
In 1905 and in 1917, fierce revolutions against the czar took place in several Russian cities, including Moscow. In the 1917 revolution, the government fell to the Bolsheviks, who moved the capital back to Moscow in 1918.
Moscow grew rapidly during the 1930s. During World War II (1939-1945), German troops advanced almost to the city but never captured it. Governmental bodies and industrial factories were moved to the eastern part of the country. German air raids damaged Moscow, but in 1941 the German forces were stopped. The Battle of Moscow was an important victory for the Soviet Union because it proved that the Germans could be defeated.
Since the 1950s, thousands of apartment buildings have been built in Moscow. Some are 25 stories high. In 1960, the city's boundaries were expanded, more than doubling the city's area. The 1980 Summer Olympic Games were held in Moscow, the first Soviet city ever to host the Olympics.
In 1990, Moscow held its first democratic election for the City Soviet. Democratic reformers won a majority of the seats. In August 1991, Moscow became the centre of protests that helped end a coup aimed at overthrowing the president of the Soviet Union, Mikhail S. Gorbachev. But on Dec. 25, 1991, Gorbachev resigned, and the Soviet Union was dissolved. Russia and other former Soviet republics formed the Commonwealth of Independent States. Moscow remained Russia's capital, but Minsk was chosen as headquarters of the commonwealth.
What Can See Foreign Tourists in Moscow
Moscow is one of the most fascinating cities in Europe to visit.
World famous sights are all on offer, from the Kremlin and Red Square to fine art museums and historic treasures of the state and churches, as well as incomparable religious icons.
One of the things stranger is to do is to pay a visit to the Lenin Mausoleum to peer at the embalmed body of the former Soviet leader. This is extremely popular with locals, who come to pay their respects, so expect to queue with hundreds of them for at least 40 minutes before being ushered into the Mausoleum single file.
Guards are positioned at various points to guide people through the dark tomb. A quick walk around and you are out again. It almost seems inappropriate to stop and stare at the body for any length of time. The whole experience is rather bizarre, not only because you are looking at a dead Lenin, but also from the atmosphere created by the strict entry formalities and rather stern looking guards.
The Kremlin is what Moscow is most famous for. Once the home of the Tsars and the old headquarters of the Soviet Union, it is now the residence of the Russian President. The Kremlin has been the architectural focus of the city since the first wooden Kremlin was built in 1156.
Now it houses several cathedrals and churches, the Faceted Palace, Ivan the Great Bell Tower, plus the magnificent State Armoury with its stunning collections of costumes, golden chariots and paintings, as well as the State Diamond Fund. A reminder of the Soviet era exists too with the grey modern concrete building, the Palace of Congresses that was built next to the historical palaces and onion domed churches.
The other well-known landmark is the Red Square with the famous onion domes of St Basil's Cathedral at the southern end. The square is around 500 metres in length and was originally a market square for the Kremlin in the late 15th century. It has long been a place of protests and processions, but is now used more often for cultural events, firework displays and concerts. The cathedral was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible and completed in 1561.
Combine these world-class cultural sights with a thriving entertainment scene including ballet, opera, theatre and a wide choice of lively nightlife venues, and Moscow is a great choice.
European Union
The European Union or the EU is an intergovernmental and supranational union of 25 European countries, known as member states. The European Union was established under that name in 1992 by the Treaty on European Union, the Maastricht Treaty. However, many aspects of the Union existed before that date through a series of predecessor relationships, dating back to 1951.
The European Union's activities cover all areas of public policy, from health and economic policy to foreign affairs and defence.« However, the extent of its powers differs greatly between areas. Depending on the area, the EU may therefore resemble a federation, for example, on monetary affairs, agricultural, trade and environmental policy or a confederation, for example, on social and economic policy, consumer protection, home affairs, or even an international organization, for example, in foreign affairs.
A key activity of the EU is the establishment and administration of a common single market, consisting of a customs union, a single currency adopted by 12 of the 25 member states, a Common Agricultural Policy, a common trade policy, and a Common Fisheries Policy.
The most important EU institutions are the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Court of Justice.
As to the enlargement of the EU there were five successive enlargements, with the largest occurring on May 1,2004, when 10 new member states joined.
Notwithstanding Greenland doesn't enter the EU because it was granted home rule by Denmark in 1979 and left the European Community in 1985, following a referendum.
Romania and Bulgaria will join the EU on 1 January 2007, so European Union will have 27 member states but if Croatia enter the EU by the year 2008 it will have 28 member-states. In time the European Union may grow to 30 member states. The process of enlargement is sometimes referred to as European integration.
In order to join the European Union, a state needs to fulfill the economic and political conditions generally known as the Copenhagen criteria, after the Copenhagen summit in June 1993. Also, according to the EU Treaty, each current member state and the European Parliament have to agree.
The European Union has 25 member states, an area of 3,892,685 km2 and approximately 460 million EU citizens as of December 2004. If it were a country, it would be the seventh largest in the world by area and the third largest by population after China and India.
The European Union has land borders with 20 nations and sea borders with 31.
UNESCO
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It was founded on 16 November 1945. Education, Social and Natural Science, Culture and Communication are the means to a far more ambitious goal: to build peace in the minds of men.
Today, UNESCO functions as a laboratory of ideas and a standard-setter to forge universal agreements on emerging ethical issues. The Organization also serves as a clearinghouse — for the dissemination and sharing of information and knowledge — while helping Member States to build their human and institutional capacities in diverse fields.
In short, UNESCO promotes international co-operation among its 191 Member States and six Associate Members in the fields of education, science, culture and communication.
UNESCO is working to create the conditions for genuine dialogue based upon respect for shared values and the dignity of each civilization and culture.
This role is critical, particularly in the face of terrorism, which constitutes an attack against humanity. The world urgently requires global visions of sustainable development based upon observance of human rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which lie at the heart of UNESCO's mission and activities.
Places of Interest in Great Britain
Britain is rich in its historic places which link the present with the past. The oldest part of London is Lud Hill, where the city is originated. About a mile west of it there is Westminster Palace, where the king lived and the Parliament met, and there is also Westminster Abbey, the coronation church. Liverpool, the "city of ships", is England's second greatest port, ranking after London. The most interesting sight in the Liverpool is the docks. They occupy a river frontage of seven miles. The University of Liverpool, established in 1903, is noted for its School of Tropical Medicine. And in the music world Liverpool is a well-known name, for it's the home town of "The Beatles".
Stratford-on-Avon lies 93 miles north-west of London. Shakespeare was born here in 1564 and here he died in 1616. Cambridge and Oxford Universities are famous centres of learning. Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument, presumably built by Druids, members of an order of priests in ancient Britain. Tintagel Castle is King Arthur's reputed birthplace. Canterbury Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, head of the Church of England.
The British Museum is the largest and richest museum in the world. It was founded in 1753 and contains one of the world's richest collections of antiquities. The Egyptian Galleries contain human and animal mummies. Some parts of Athens' Parthenon are in the Greek section. Madam Tussaud's Museum is an exhibition of hundreds of life-size wax models of famous people of yesterday and today. The collection was started by Madam Tussaud, a French modeller in wax, in the 18th century. Here you can meet Marilyn Monroe, Elton John, Picasso, the Royal Family, the Beatles and many others: writers, movie stars, singers, politicians, sportsmen, etc.
The Towns of Great Britain
The centre of everything in Great Britain is the city of London. It's situated at the centre of a vast national and international network of communication. London consists of four main districts, which differ from each other. These are the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End. London's industries are extremely varied. Among them an extensive system of docks and port industries, electrical engineering, the motor car industry and other. The other towns, situated to the north of the Thames are Oxford and Cambridge.
Oxford was first mentioned in recorded history in the tenth century and later became an important trade centre in medieval times, then it developed into leading educational centre. Cambridge is also best known for its ancient university. Its industries are mostly concerned with electronics which has an international reputation. Bristol dominates South-west England, both as the region's largest seaport and as its largest city. It is a major centre of metallurgy, aircraft and chemical industries. Of the towns situated in the south of England the largest ones are Southampton, Portsmouth and Brighton. Southampton is primarily a seaport, the most important on the south coast.
Brighton is one of the most popular seaside resorts of Britain. It has mild climate, warm sea and wonderful beaches. Manchester is a city of ancient origin. By the 17th century it was great commercial city, a centre of textile industry. Now engineering along with clothing manufacture are most important industries there. Sheffield, situated in South Yorkshire, produces almost two-thirds of the country's alloy steel, it is famous for its-tools and cutlery. Other industries include paper making machinery and food processing. In North Yorkshire the largest town is York. Its leading industries are engineering and manufacture of confectionery. York attracts many tourists because of its famous medieval city walls.
"Unwritten Rules" of Great Britain
Good and bad manners make up the social rules of a country. They are not always easy to learn because they are often not written down in books. For example, British women didn't go into pubs at the beginning of this century because it was not considered respectable behaviour for a woman. Now both women and men drink freely is pubs and women are fully integrated into public life. Visitors to Britain are often surprised by the strange behaviour of the inhabitants. One of the worst mistakes is to get on a bus without waiting your turn in the queue. The other people in the queue will probably complain loudly! Queuing is a national habit and it is considered polite or good manners to wait for your turn.
In some countries it is considered bad manners to eat in the street, whereas in Britain it is common to see people having a snack whilst walking down the road, especially at lunchtime. Britons may be surprised to see young children in restaurants in the evening because children are not usually taken out to restaurants late at night. And if they make a noise in public or in a restaurant it is considered very rude. In recent years children are playing a more active role and they are now accepted in many pubs and restaurants.
In recent years smoking has received a lot of bad publicity, and fewer British people now smoke. Many companies have banned smoking from their offices and canteens. Smoking is now banned on the London Underground, in cinemas and theaters and most buses. It's becoming less and less acceptable to smoke in a public place. It is considered rude or bad manners to smoke in someone's house without permission. Social rules are an important part of our culture as they passed down through history. The British have an expression for following these "unwritten rules": "When in Rome, do as the Romans do".
Medical travel is becoming more and more popular with many people. However, others say that it has many disadvantages.
Travelling abroad for medical treatment has been increasingly growing lately. But why do many people choose to go to foreign clinics and is medical travel as beneficial as it seems to be?
Medical tourists go to foreign countries for different reasons. Firstly, many patients want to undergo certain medical procedures for lower prices. For example, the cost of different operations in India, Thailand or South Africa is much lower than in the United States or Western Europe. Secondly, medical travel gives people the opportunity not only to receive first-rate care from highly qualified specialists, but also to have a holiday in an exotic country. Finally, many people go abroad in order to avoid long waiting periods. In such countries as the USA or Britain a person may wait for a certain medical procedure for a year or even longer. But in other countries a patient can receive the needed treatment immediately.
Nevertheless, some people say that undergoing treatment abroad may be rather risky. For instance, infectious diseases in such countries as Thailand or Malaysia are different from those in North America and Europe. Foreign diseases may be extremely dangerous to weakened patients. What is more, long flights should be avoided after certain medical procedures. Additionally, some holiday-related activities such as sunbathing or swimming may worsen patients' health. But to my mind, medical tourism is great because people can combine leisure with medical procedures.
To conclude, medical travel can save your money and give you an opportunity to rest and visit other countries. However, one should take all possible risks into consideration before making the final decision to go abroad.
Some people are fond of travelling to exotic countries, while others say that exotic travel is rather risky.
Many people dream of exciting travels to sunny, beautiful and interesting places in exotic countries. But every tourist must remember that there are a number of risks that they need to be aware of.
In my opinion, exotic travel gives you an opportunity to participate in exciting experiences. In exotic countries you can ride a camel or an elephant, enjoy modern cities or picturesque little villages, admire ancient temples and what not. Travelling to exotic countries many tourists would like to watch the daily life of local people, to see mountains, jungles and beaches. I believe that exotic travel is very rewarding because it can lead to totally new understanding of diverse cultures and lifestyles.
Nevertheless, arranging a perfect travel to exotic places is not an easy task. Travel agencies show tourists colorful catalogues with beautiful beaches and modern hotels. Most people find it difficult to explore this immensity of offers and spot the one that would let them admire a truly stunning seaside, good service, clean beaches and high quality hotels. Many tourists feel ill at ease when they go to an exotic country because they do not know much about its traditions and do not understand the language. Some tourists may dislike the local food. Furthermore, they have no natural immunity to foreign diseases. In addition, tourists may have problems with insects, public transport, thieves, insistent street vendors and so on.
To conclude, many people say that once you have tasted the excitement of visiting exotic destinations, you'll never want to stop. However, tourists must take precautions in order to avoid unpleasant situations and to remain safe and secure.
Travelling
People on our planet can't live without travelling now. Tourism has become a highly developed business. There are express trains, cars and jet-air liners all of that provide you with comfort and security.
What choice to make? It's up to you to decide. There is a great variety of choice available for you.
Those who live in the country like going to a big city, visiting museums and art galleries, looking at shop windows and dining at exotic restaurants. City-dwellers usually like acquired holiday by the sea or in the mountains.
Most travelers carry a camera with them and take pictures of everything that interests them — the sights of a city, old churches, castles, mountains, lakes, waterfalls, forests, trees, flowers and plants, animals and birds. Later, perhaps years later, they will be reminded by the photos of the happy times they have had.
If you travel for pleasure you would like all means to enjoy picturesque areas you are passing through, you would like to see the places of interest in the cities, towns and countries. Travelling gives us a good opportunity to see wonderful monuments, cultural and historical places, to learn a lot about the history of the country you visit, about the world around us, to meet people of different nationalities, to learn a lot about their traditions, customs, culture. In other words, you will broaden your mind.
Nowadays people travel not only for pleasure but also on business. You have to go to other countries to take part in different negotiations, to sign contacts, to participate in different exhibitions, in order to push the goods produced by your firm or company о Travelling on business helps you to get more information about achievements of other companies» which will make your own business more successful.
There are a lot of means of travelling: by sea, by plane, by car, on foot. Tastes differ. That is why it is up to you to decide which means of travelling you would prefer. All means of travelling have their advantages and disadvantages. And people choose one according to their plans.
No wonder that one of the latest means of travelling is travelling by plane. It combines both comfort and speed and you will reach the place of destination very quickly.
Before boarding the plane you must check in at the airport. You are required to have your baggage weighed. Each passenger is allowed 20 kilograms of baggage free of charge. But if your baggage is heavier you must pay an extra charge.
Before the plane takes off the stewardess gives you all the information about the flight, the speed and altitude. She asks you to fasten the belts and not to smoke. She will take care of you during the flight and will help you to get comfortable in your seat. Inside the cabins the air is always fresh and warm. During the flight you can take a nap or have a chat, you can read and relax. In some planes you can watch video or listen to the music.
When the plane is landing or taking off you have an opportunity to enjoy the wonderful scenery and landscapes. While travelling by plane you fly past various villages and cities at the sight of which realize how majestic and tremendous our planet is. No doubt, travelling by air is the most convenient and comfortable means of travelling.
But if you are airsick the flight may seem not so nice to you. Unfortunately sometimes the flights are delayed because of unfavourable weather conditions, and one more inconvenience is jet-lag.
Travelling by Sea
Human beings are very inquisitive and like discovering different places. That is why people all over the world like to travel around the globe. It is not so interesting for them to see the world on TV today. It is precious to see it by their own.
And when people come to beautiful beaches and sparkling blue waters, they understand it is really the amazing thing they wanted to see. There are countless adventures within reach on cruise vacation. There are many cruise companies in the world, and each of these companies can provide you a qualified service.
During the cruise people live in comfortable cabins. During sea days when a cruise liner is in the open sea, people can take sunbathes, swim in the swimming pools, play fools in the slide or promenade around the ship visiting different decks. You can rent a cabin for two, four, six persons.
Cruise companies offer different tours during which you can discover the inhabitants of a coral reef on a glass-bottomed boat, go horseback riding on the beach, go mountain biking rain forests, explore ancient civilizations as you climb mysterious pyramids or snorkel with stingrays and dive 800 feet down in a research submarine. Days onboard are casual but full of joy and new impressions. But don't forget your camera and binoculars, so you don't miss a thing.
Adventures are endless in this area. People can relax on a cruise surrounded by the white-sand beaches and beautiful turquoise waters of the most beautiful islands on the earth, find and visit tropical places where nature brings striking mountains and pristine beaches.
Such islands are home to rich culture and complex histories. There are archaic ruins, beaches, rain forests and many waterfalls. Here you can find new friends and buy a lot of souvenirs.