The official name of Cuba is The Republic of Cuba. Many small and big islands form this country. It is located in the Caribbean. The official language is Spanish. Its past begins with the exploration of America. After 15th century, the country went under many renewals. Especially the country faced many political events which also affected other world countries.

Cuba is not a densely populated country. Approximately 11 million people live here. Cuba is under the effect of tropical climate. Plains and mountains are common geographical parts. Tourism and mining are the major economical source for the country. There are people from different religions. Catholics, Protestants and some traditional believers live all together.

Activities in Cuba
Which activities can you do in Cuba? In this charming country? Cuba attracts tourists from all over the world. The tourist number visiting Cuba in year reaches nearly 2 millions. First of all unique beaches, endless sea, sun and water sports attracts people’s attention. You can swim, go fishing or just enjoy yourself at the beach.

Historically Cuba is an important country. It is not a very old country. However in every street and every part of the country you can see effect of this feature. Cathedral, churches, historically important constructions are worth to see. Visiting such places should be a part of your activities in Cuba.

Health tourism is an important tourism branch in Cuba. Tourists come here for some of kind of medical treatments. Along with traditional methods, technological ways are well developed. People come to Cuba to find cure for their diseases. This is a point attracting tourists.

Cuba culture is very distinctive. People are always excited, they dance, they have fun and great time. They are so friendly that you feel like you are at your home. You should go and meet these warm people. You will certainly find their culture and traditions interesting.

Cuisine of Cuba is worth to try. You can taste different flavors here. Spices and fresh vegetables are widely used in Cuba cuisine. In addition to these, you can also taste tropical fruits which you can not find in another part of the world.

Cuba is associated with Cuban cigar. This is a typical product of Cuba. You can watch people prepare cigar and if you want you can also try it. It is such an important tradition in Cuba that there is cigar sector. When the name of “Cuba” is mentioned, a picture of woman who prepares Cuban cigar on her leg comes to the mind. You can watch such scenes there.

Music and dance are very popular activities in Cuba. People are so lively because they listen to music and they always dance. You should join them and have a great time during your Cuba vacation.

The Bahamas was inhabited by people since historical ages. However, during its long history, the Bahamas was kept under the control of different countries. Lastly, it was under the control of United Kingdom. In 1973, it declared its independence totally. The Bahamas has a unique geography. The land parts which came out of seas form the earth. There are lots of islands. In the country, there is not any river. The sides of islands are full of coral reef. Subtropical and tropical climate affect the land. There are not much heat changes between seasons. While summers are hot, winters are warm.

There are many islands in the area. However, there is not inhabitation on all of them. Only on some of the islands people live. Nearly 340.000 people live in the Bahamas. Asians, whites, blacks and British people live here. The official language is English. Economy of the Bahamas is based on international finance, agriculture, mining and tourism.

Activities in the Bahamas
Beaches are natural beauties of the Bahamas. Tourists visit the beaches and enjoy themselves. In addition to natural beauties, each island has its own culture and history. Meeting these entire new cultural and historical elements make your vacation interesting and enjoyable.

Rich culture and history of the Bahamas mean many festivals. During all the year, festivals, celebrations and special organizations are held. If you follow the dates of these events, you can attend them. There are heritage events, costume festivals, fairs, performances and many other special organizations.

Sport activities are popular in the Bahamas. You can see people sporting different sport branches. Swimming, sailing, carting and athletics are just some of the popular sports in the Bahamas. You will enjoy sporting in this charming environment. Water sports are very important in the Bahamas. Windsurfing, swimming, diving, sailing, snorkeling and fishing are some of the activities you can do.

If you like night life, the Bahamas also offer you this option. There are many clubs, bars, cafes you can go and have great time. Additionally, music organizations and events are very popular. Watching concerts and live performances options are available in the Bahamas. In addition to these, if you like gaming, there are casinos in the Bahamas.

Shopping in the Bahamas is another option of you in the Bahamas. You can find many traditional shops in the Bahamas. They sell traditional things, ceramics, hand made things, art crafts, food and other productions.

Vacation in the Bahamas is enjoyed by everyone. However, there are special tour packages for honeymoon couples. It is an option that couples mostly prefer. If you want to spend your days in a great environment, the Bahamas is waiting for you.

Visit the official tourism page of the Bahamas.

Travel to USA

Central Park is a US National Historic Landmark. It is one of the most visited parks in the world. The Central Park Conservancy manages Central Park. Need for open space created such a place. As New York City grow more and more, people needed more space. In 19th century, a great area was left for park and Central Park was built. After building period, design works were made. The design of architects Olmsted and Vaux was applied to the recreation area. It was a project dominant with “green”. Soil was brought, trees and flowers were planted. Sculptures were replaced, playgrounds were built. With the foundation of Central Park Conservancy, Central Park experienced a more organized development.

Visiting Central Park
Central Park is an attraction place for both New Yorkers and tourists. With its natural beauty and impressive environment, Central Park attracts attention of people from all over the world. Along with just going around, there are also many activities you can do at Central Park.

Central Park is designed with many sculptures. If you are interested in architecture, sculpture and statues, you should see these pieces. Approximately 30 different sculptures can be seen at Central Park. These depict generally famous names and fictional characters. The most famous of them are sculpture of William Shakespeare, Alexander von Humboldt, Hans Christian Andersen, Sir Walter Scott, Alexander Hamilton, Alice of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Balto, Still Hunt and the Indian Hunter.

Sport activities options are available. Running, jogging, skating and bicycling are the major sport activities that can be done at Central Park. In addition to amateur sport activities, professional sport organizations are held at Central Park. The New York Marathon is the most popular of these activities. If you follow the activities, you can join or watch these activities at Central Park.

Climbing is a popular activity at Central Park. Compared with other sport branches, climbing is more popular here. There are rock outcroppings at Central Park. Rat Rock and Cat Rock are also two other places for climbers. If you like climbing, it will be different experience at Central Park in New York City.

Since the foundation of Central Park, the traffic has been always a problem. Carriage horses were an alternative for transportation. Carriage horses create a traditional atmosphere. However, carriage horses were banned at Central Park. It is claimed that this activity is against animal rights. Nowadays, Central Park is away from the traditional scenes of carriage horses.

For children there are playgrounds at Central Park. These playgrounds offer muppet performances, theatre plays and many other interesting activities. While you are going around, your children can enjoy themselves at these playgrounds.

Central Park is also a centre of art and culture. Watching theatre plays, concerts and performances, following festivals are just some cultural and artful activities at Central Park.

For the official Central Park website visit centralparknyc.org.

Travel to China

Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula and other 260 islets form Hong Kong region. The first settlement in the area dates back to Paleolithic era. It was controlled by China Empire, Britain and Japan Empire mainly. Now it is a special administrative region of China.

Hong Kong is the area of islands and islets. These are mountainous areas. There are not much plain fields. Fields are made with filling the high points. The highest point of Hong Kong is Victoria Hill. It is 551 meters high. The area is under the effect of monsoon tropical climate. While the weather is hot in summers, it is warm in winters. There are many rainy days during all the year. Especially the months between June and September, the area receives rain. The typhoons affect the area. Population is approximately 6 millions. Chinese people dominate it. In addition to that, Indians, Pakistanis, Europeans, Japanese, Koreans and Canadians live here. People are free to believe anything they want. Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Taoist, Jewish, Hindu, Catholic and Protestant people live all together in Hong Kong.

The economy of Hong Kong region depends on marketing, exportation, fishery, industry and tourism. It is the centre of trade and banking. Air, road and sea transportation options are available. Especially within the area, the transportation web is well designed. There is rapit transit system and public services.

Activities in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is famous for skyscrapers. More than a quarter of the highest buildings in the world are found in Hong Kong. The old buildings were mostly replaced with new ones. They are architecturally masterpieces. If you are interested in architecture, you will find a vacation in Hong Kong very enjoyable.

Hong Kong is an old province. Its historical roots make it culturally and artfully rich. Hong Kong has a unique culture. It is the combination of many other cultures. However, mainly it reflects the Asian view. You will find the traditions, beliefs and customs interesting in Hong Kong. Everything is based on logic and spirit. During your vacation, you can examine these features of the area. You can learn more about Fung shui and other characteristics of Hong Kong.

Music is an important theme for Hong Kong. You have many options to listen different music genres and watch performances. Along with traditional genres, rock and roll, jazz, pop and RB can be listened.

It is the area of sports. In the area, there are many buildings, courts and ways for sport activities. If you like sporting, in Hong Kong you can enjoy yourself. In a different and charming environment, sporting is much more enjoyable.

For learning more about the history, culture and art of the region, museums should be visited. You can visit Hong Kong Museum of Arts, Hong Kong Heritage Museum and the other centers.

For further information visit hkta.org.

Vacation in New York

In the early years of 20th century, the area of the square was owned privately. With the movement of New York Times building to the area, everything changed. The publisher of New York Times, Adolph Ochs worked for the renewal of the area. With his offer, a subway station was constructed and advertisements were begun to be used. Everything began that simple and now the streets are full of lights, advertisements, colorful things. These are the things that make the area attractive. These are the characteristic features of Times Square.

New York gained importance in the world arena. It developed day by day. With this development, Times Square became a centre of art, theatres, halls and hotels. Many celebrities met with the scene world here. With time, new features were added to the characteristics of Times Square. Commerce, trade and economy became important. It also became a tourism centre visited by lots of people everyday.

In many movies, TV series, videos and other audiovisual works, Times Square has been used as setting for several times. Times Square is one of the symbols of New York City. Especially, at nights, the square is full of lights creating a charming sight. Neon and sign keep the streets alive. Being so attractive and in the centre of New York, Times Square requires strict security regulations. Especially after 11th September, more and more security precautions were taken. Everyday lots of people come here and go from here. Keeping all them in secure is hard. However, the regulations are good enough to keep everything steady and safe.

New Year and Times Square
Celebrating New Year at Times Square is a tradition since the first organization held in 1907. In 1907, a ball was held at the square. Since then, every year magnificent celebrations are organized. New year night thousands of people gather here. Fireworks light up the streets. Every year more than 25.000 people come here for the celebrations. However, the greatest organization was for millennium. It is predicted that approximately 2 millions people attended to New Year day at Times Square.

Times Square and Broadway Theatre
Broadway Theatre is located very close to the Times Square. It is probably the most famous theatre around the world. Many literary and dramatically important plays were acted for the first time in Broadway. Many actors and actresses became famous after acting here. In the name of Broadway, there are 39 theatres displaying all professional plays. If you go New York City and Times Square, you should see Broadway and watch some plays.

Visiting Times Square
Times Square is the centre of art and commerce. You can find stores of famous trademarks. You can go around great plazas, watch unique theatre plays, taste different flavor in restaurants. If you are interested in architecture, you will also find towers and other buildings. These are well built and interesting construction.

For Times Square Cam visit earthcam.com.

Travel to Thailand

During its long history, Bangkok has been always a world center. In 14th century, it was a trade center. Then it kept its importance in transportation and trade fields. With the area it covers, Bangkok is one of the largest countries of the world. The city is rich with rivers, canals and passages. The altitude of Bangkok is just two meters. This causes some problem especially during rainy seasons. The city is under the effect of tropical climate. The temperature is moderate all year.

Approximately 6 millions people live in Bangkok. Chinese, Japanese, Americans and Europeans dominate the population. There are people with different religions and beliefs. Major religion and beliefs are Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Jewish and Hindu. Economy of Bangkok depends on marketing, commerce, finance and tourism. Tourism is an important source for the city. People not only visit it, but also pass from there while going other destinations.

Transportation web is very good in Bangkok. You can easily reach to the city by air, road or sea way. Within the city, there are river networks, roads, public transportation, railway system, private car services and the other options.

Activities in Bangkok
Activities you can do while you are in Bangkok city are various. In order to do all these activities and see every part of the area, you should spend a long vacation in Bangkok. You can begin with museum visiting. There are museums displaying different things. These are historical, art, natural things. National Museum, Vimanmek Mansion Museum and National Gallery Museum are just some of these museums.

If you like shopping, Bangkok gives you many options for shopping. There are shops serving with different goods. You can find stores, malls, luxurious plazas and traditional shops all together in Bangkok.

Art and culture are inseparable parts of Bangkok city. All year festivals, organizations are held. Theatre plays are acted. If you can arrange your vacation schedule, you can attend Chinese New Year Festival, The King’s Birthday Celebrations, Songkran Festival and many other unique organizations.

If you want to see natural face of Bangkok, you can visit parks, farms and zoos in Bangkok. There are big public parks. Spending time in these and meeting with new people would be a different experience for you. In zoos, you can see extinct animal species.

For a city guide visit Bangkok.com.

Singapore

Singapore is an old habitation. However modern history of it begins with 19th century. It was controlled by England till 1959. Then it declared its independence. In 1965, Singapore was totally a country on by own. The area is found between the countries Malaysia and Indonesia. Total area of the country is approximately 700 km². The altitude of it is not much. Especially, shores are low. High points can be found in the country. The highest point of Singapore is 177 meters Timah Mountain. Tropical climate affects the area. It is hot and humid. It is usually rainy. There are not great heat and humidity changes between seasons. As it is very close to the Equator, in summer the weather is very hot.

Four official languages are spoken in Singapore. These are English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. Approximately 5 millions people live in the island country. Singaporean, Chinese, Indians, Malays and Eurasians form the population. There are people believing in different religions and beliefs. Buddhism, Taoism, Islam and Christianity are just some of these religions and beliefs.

Island country Singapore is connected to Malay Peninsula with railway and road. Air transportation is also possible. The economy is based on trade, technology and tourism. Especially, tourism is a great income source for Singapore. Every year, millions of tourists visit the country.

Activities in Singapore Island Country
Once upon a time, Singapore had various natural beauties. However, with time forests and other natural parts are destroyed. There are still some gardens and parks you can visit. Some of them are artificial, but all of them are worth to see on your vacation in Singapore.

Art and culture are important for Singapore country. There are centers for such organizations. There are also festivals held all around the year. If you follow the schedule, you can attend to interesting organizations.

Museum visiting should be a part of your vacation in Singapore. Malay Heritage Centre, Singapore Art Museum, MINT Museum of Toys, Hua Song Museum and Nus Museums are just some of the museums you can visit.

Isles form Singapore. When you are there, you can see these isles. The plantation and animal species are not various. However, seeing these natural earth parts would be a different experience for you.

No matter how much Singapore lost its nature, it is still naturally rich. You should see different animals, underwater world and parks. Jurong Bird Park, Singapore Zoo and Underwater World are some attraction places for you.

Singapore has a rich and diverse cuisine. It is the combination of Indian, Chinese and Malay cuisines. Along with traditional dishes, there are also many dishes of chicken and fish. On your vacation you should taste different flavors of Singapore cuisine.

Visit the tourism page of Singapore.

Travel to the Philippines

The Philippines is an old country. There are signs showing that the area has been inhabited since 5th BC. Asian and European people inhabited the country. The area is located in the middle of many different countries. It affects the cultural and social situation of the Philippines. Malaysia, Indonesia, India, China and Japan effects on the country are clear. The official languages are English and Filipino. More than 90 million people live in the country. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism are major religion and beliefs.

The geography of the Philippines is unique and very diverse. First of all, 7.100 islands make it a very different geographical land. Tropical forests, mountains and volcanoes are other distinctive features of the Philippines. The climate is hot and tropical. During the entire year, it is warm. You can visit it in any month.

Philippines is a developing country. The economy is based on agriculture and electronic industry. The world economic crisis affected the Philippines bad. However, the country overcame them and it continues to develop. In addition to these, it is a country of vacation. Every year, the Philippines attracts lots of tourists from all over the world. Land, sea and air transportation options are available.

Activities in Philippines
The Philippines is a country of festivals and fiestas. These are parts of their culture. In nearly every city, there is a festival, a fiesta going on. If you like such organizations follow the schedules and attend these enjoyable organizations.

Cultural and art events are other option for you. You can visit museums, libraries and culture and art centers. You can visit the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the National Museum, the National Library and other places.

Cuisine of the Philippines is very rich. Especially Asian cuisines affect it. Chinese cuisine dominates the cuisine of Philippines. If you visit the country, try different flavor. You will certainly enjoy different tastes. The Philippines cuisine consists of vegetable types, tropical fruits and fish.

Basketball and billiard are two major sport branches in the Philippines. There are areas for sport activities. During your vacation, you can play basketball, billiard and other sports.

Shopping in the Philippines is a very enjoyable activity. You can find many stores selling traditional goods. For instance, pearl shops are very common. Buying unique and spectacular pearls will make you have a long lasting Philippines memory.

The Philippines is a country of nature and natural beauties. You will enjoy being in such an environment. Additionally, you can discover different plantation and animal species. Walking in the tropical forests and seeing different geographical places are just some activities you can do in the Philippines.

For further information about Philippines visit wowphilippines.

Travel to Italy

The city is called “Venezia” in Italian. Venice is so unique and charming that different names are given to it. It is called “City of Water”, “City of Bridges”, “Queen of Adriatic” and “City of Light”.

The historical records show that Venice was firstly inhabited by fishermen and refugees fleeing from rushes. Venice has a mild climate. While it is hot in summers, it is not very cold in winters. Transportation within the city is via canals. You can use either sea way or road of bridges. Waterway is the main transportation type of Venice. In addition to that, you can reach to the city by air, by public transportation options and by car. However, in the city nor car or bus is used, it is city of water. You can come to the stations and then you can go to the city. Transportation by air is provided with Marco Polo International Airport.

The constructions of the city Venice were built on the water. It has been long long years since the city was built, so it began to sink! There are works to prevent this. The house levels are reaching to the water level more and more. Some parts of the buildings which used earlier are no longer available. Some projects were used to stop sinking and it was reported that the city is no longer sinking. However, there is still search for a permanent solution.

Activities in Venice
Gondola is the symbol of the city of water. Going through channels with gondola is very popular. There are tours for this. You can rent one of them and enjoy yourself in this dream city.

Venice is the city of festivals. During the year, different festivals are held. You can attend them and live the city. Carnivale of Venice is the most famous of these organizations. It is held in February. In the streets, you can see people with charming masks and clothes. These are traditional clothes. Around the city, there are stores from where you can also buy such things.

The city is connected via bridges. These bridges all have unique characteristics. Every one of them is architectural masterpieces. Rialto Bridge is the most famous of them. Accademia Bridge, Scalzi Bridge, the Bridge of Sighs is just some others. You can visit all these different points.

Italy is center of art, history, culture and civilization. Venice represents all these features very well. There are museums you can visit in Venice. Scuola Grande di San Marco, Palazzo Grassi, Museo Del Ghetto, Museo de Orientale are just some of the museums you should see.

Architecturally Venice is very rich. Palaces, churches, piazzas are all found in every part of the city. Doge’s Palace, Basilica di San Marco, Campo San Polo, Fondaco dei Turchi are some attraction places of Venice.
For more information visit Venetia.it.

Travel to Turkey

Now Zeugma antique city is found in Gaziantep, Turkey. Zeugma city was a very important trade way. It was used as a passage way. The area of the city is approximately 20000 square meters. It is near the river Fırat. That makes it economically and militarily important.

History of Zeugma Antique City
Zeugma was founded by Seleucus Nicador. It was one of the biggest cities of Commagene Kingdom. In 1 AD, the city was under the control of Roman Empire. The city was named after Seleceus Nicador. The name was changed in 1 AD, the name “Zeugma” was given to the city. In its long history, Zeugma faced many attacks. Some of them ruined it. When Sassanids invaded the area, Zeugma was damaged. After that, the city becomes the land of Roman Empire. Islamic rushes affect the city. People left Zeugma due to these rushes and Islamic population inhabits it. In 17th century, a village named “Belkıs” is founded in the area.

Why Is Zeugma So Important?
Excavations found a unique city. Zeugma is one of the oldest, greatest cities of the world history. It combines culture, history, art and archeology. The city is famous for its mosaics.

The collection of Zeugma consists of mosaics, bullas, and statues. Zeugma is the city of mosaics. Only a small part of mosaics could be found with excavations. These are Roman works. This kind of mosaic can be found in two places in Turkey, Zeugma and Ephesus. If you also wonder about Ephesus read also TRAVEL: Pearl of Aegean: Izmir – Turkey.

Half of the area found with archeological excavations is covered with mosaics. That makes it world wide famous. Some of them were taken to Gaziantep Museum. Who made these works and why? The area was a common point for traders, for passengers. It was a point where people from the entire world met. These attracted the attention of artists. Lots of painters, sculptures came to Zeugma and left all these masterpieces to our age.

A world record was broken in Zeugma. A collection of more than 100.000 bullas were found. Bulla is a kind of seal used for letters. Finding so many bullas shows the great state archive of Zeugma. On every bulla, there are different figures. These figures give us information about economical, cultural situation of the era. The collection is displayed in Gaziantep Museum. It is one of the richest bulla collections of the world.

Sculptures and statues found in Zeugma are other unique parts of the city. The styles sculptures used here lead the other artists. Combining traditional and cultural elements of the area, works that can be seen only in Zeugma were made. Examining these different sculptures and statues is highly recommended during your visitation.

The city is divided into three, A, B, C. With excavations, A and B parts met with sunlight. There is not an excavation work for part C. There is a project to establish a museum at that part. However, ironically A and B parts is under water! A dam was built on the city!