Germany travel guide Click

Germany (attitude Travel) Advice, Photos and Resources for Independent Travel Home > Germany attitude Travel Questions on Highlights of Travel Advice Background on Getting to Getting around Where to stay in Where to go in Culture Shock! Journals from Photos of Books about Resources for Maps of Language of Websites about Austria Belgium Bosnia Bulgaria Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece Hungary Italy Japan Latvia Lithuania Malaysia Montenegro Morocco Netherlands Norway Poland Russia Serbia Singapore Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey Uzbekistan Germany Home Considering Germany German Travel Photos Germany Bookshop Getting to Germany Consular Travel Advice UK US AUS CAN Travelling in Germany Northern Europe attitude Travel Germany is a resource for independent travellers in Germany and a space for travellers to share original writing & photos Article Index Your questions! Travel Centre Bookshop Berchtesgaden (more travel photos...) Berchtesgaden (more travel photos...) attitudetravel.com SiteSearch Germany Profile Country Profile UK Foreign Office Germany Briefing The Economist Germany Profile BBC News Study of Germany US Library of Congress Background Notes US State Dept Cheap Hotel Rooms in Berlin Germany has convincingly established itself as the social, economic and industrial powerhouse of the European continent - perhaps to the chagrin of its nearest rivals. More maps... Travelling across the German countryside on pristine, high speed intercity trains and around German cities on efficient urban S-Bahn and U-Bahn networks, it's easy to feel the spirit of efficiency which drives the country forward. Germany's commitment to the principle of progress has a bit of a track record. For five hundred years the German lands have been a crucible of technological innovation, theological revolution, modern philosophy and radical political movements. The modern German state, inaugurated in October 1990, is a social and economic bridge between the former Eastern bloc and the European Union, and has firmly set its sights on building for the future. Berlin, a remodelled capital city with an openly gay mayor, a reconstructed Reichstag , a new city centre at the Potsdamer Platz and a brand new international airport is described today - almost to the point of tedium - as being the biggest building site in Europe, if not the world. Germany's time is coming. Independent Guides Click this icon to read a review of the website Panorama Cities Panoramic Photos Link to us on your site: Open source Germany travel guide Click above for details Travel Insurance from InsureandGo Car Hire Germany from carhire.co.uk Find cheap plane tickets on Yahoo! Travel Free Ranking and URL submission at siteranking.com Dresden and Eastern Germany © Ben Koschalka, Nordhausen, March 2003 Listen to the backpacker at Berlin Zoo station or believe many a guide book and you'd be forgiven for thinking there's nothing else worth seeing in eastern Germany. Cross the wasteland of twenty percent unemployment, drug-cheat athletes and mass neo-Nazism, next stop funky sexy Prague . More books... Or: you could at least get off that Prague train a couple of hours earlier and give Dresden a try. If you're not at least pleasantly surprised, or more likely staggered by the returning beauty of the city that used to be known as the Florence of the Elbe , you'll be in the minority. Dresden's cultural treasures were famously and tragically all but destroyed by the February 1945 firebombing and again endangered just last summer by the flood of the century, but every time I go there it seems that there are more jewels to admire. The view of the restored Semper Opera House , palatial museum and gallery complex named the Zwinger , and the Brhl Terrace along the bank of the Elbe is stunning, especially illuminated in the evening. [ article continues... ] Ben Koschalka, lectures in English at the Fachhochshule Nordhausen in Thringen. Travel Articles on Germany Dresden and Eastern Germany Article by Ben Koschalka © 1997-2003 attitude Travel A r o u n i n m e d i a publication Professional Sites Click this icon to read a review of the website Austria | Belgium | Bosnia & Herzegovina | Bulgaria | Croatia | Czech Republic | Denmark | Estonia | Finland | France Georgia | Germany | Greece | Hungary | Italy | Japan | Latvia | Lithuania | Malaysia | Morocco | Netherlands | Norway | Poland Russia | Serbia & Montenegro | Singapore | Slovenia | Spain | Sweden | Switzerland | Thailand | Turkey | Uzbekistan home | free backgrounds | bookshop | travel centre | features | travellers' cafe

Japan Travel International Travel

Metropolis - Tokyo Japan Travel: God speed JAPAN TODAY | METROPOLIS | CLASSIFIEDS | PERSONALS | JOBS Issue Index Original Features Features Mini Features Cultural Features Life in Japan Big in Japan Rant & Rave Cars & Bikes Health & Beauty Interiors Practical Jobfinder Money Talks Tokyo Tech Web Watch Food & Drink Food & Drink Restaurant Reviews Bar Reviews Word of Mouth Travel Travel Features Japan Travel International Travel Travelogue Style Art Artifacts Fashion Tokyo Talk In Store Buyline Music Japan Beat CD Reviews In Person Concerts Clubbing JAPAN TRAVEL Photos by Mary King The mother of all Shinto temples, Ise Grand Shrine is the spiritual home of the Japanese nation. Mary King takes a pilgrimage. D own the ages various rumors and tales have circulated about the sacred mirror of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. It was once said that whoever laid eyes on the mirror would immediately be struck blind, a possible deterrent for would-be thieves. Others have claimed to have seen the mirror and reported that it is inscribed with ancient Hebrew lettering, reading “eheyeh asher eheyeh,” the name of the Judaic-Christian God written in Exodus 3:14 and meaning “I AM THAT I AM.” Heavenly abode Japan’s sacred mirror, one of three items of the Imperial Regalia, is kept in the Inner Shrine (Naiku) at Ise Grand Shrine, a sanctuary that many visitors to the Mie Prefecture city of Ise are astonished to discover they are not allowed to enter or even see. Ise Jingu, popularly known as “O-Ise-san,” or officially “Jingu,” holds the most honored position among the more than 100,000 Shinto shrines that are scattered throughout the breadth of Japan. The site of the nation’s most Holy of Holies, and boasting some of the world’s greatest architectural monuments, Jingu is also home to some of the simplest and most mysterious structures. Described as the “starting point for all journeys in Japan,” Ise is regarded as the spiritual home of the Japanese, a place to which most wish to make at least one pilgrimage to in their lives. In fact, more than six million pilgrims and worshipers come to Jingu each year, crossing the Uji Bridge spanning the sacred Isuzu River to symbolically leave behind the temporal world and enter a “pure world” of kami (gods and spirits) and the ancient mythology of the land. Odyssey Passing through the second huge torii at the end of Uji Bridge, a long gravel approach leads you through a natural cathedral of towering cryptomeria. Pilgrim and tourist alike are taken on a divine journey toward the Naiku and Geku, where Amaterasu and Toyouke (God of Abundant Food) are respectively worshipped. It is an unforgettable odyssey, one that spirits you back to the country’s earliest recorded “history” that tells of the “Age of Kami,” the creation of Japan and the origins of its people right through to the Imperial line and succeeding generations of emperors and empresses. The auxiliary shrines resemble ancient granaries The Geku (Outer Shrine) was dedicated to the grain deity Toyouke, possibly in a bid to bolster the new imperial cult that started, according to the myth, when Amaterasu sent her grandson, Ninigi no Mikoto, down to earth to rule. The Sun Goddess handed her grandson the mirror that had lured her out of her cave, along with Susano’s sword, and a curved jewel. The mirror (yata no kagami), along with the jewel and sword, remain the Three Imperial Regalia, symbols of divine authority, and to this day the emperor conducts rites to ensure a bountiful harvest as well as secret rituals in which he symbolically mates with the Sun Goddess. The high priestess of Ise, meanwhile, has traditionally been an Imperial princess, reflecting the nation’s early history of shamanesses, priestesses and ruling empresses. Having passed through large open grounds and crossed over a small bridge (hiyokebashi), you gradually move towards the more sacred area of the Naiku. To the right of the main pilgrimage path is located a font for the ablutions made by pilgrims prior to proceeding toward the main sanctuary grounds. Beyond the daiichi torii (first sacred gateway) are steps that lead to the Isuzu River, where since ancient times pilgrims have purified their body and mind by washing their hands in, and rinsing their mouths with, the waters of this sacred river. According to Shinto thought, one’s pure mind and body given by the kami must be ritually cleansed so as to return to a state of purity. Amaterasu Omikami is enshrined in the main sanctuary building, the Goshoden, of the inner sanctum of Naiku, in which the august mirror, her symbol or goshintai, is kept and worshipped. As they are considered most sacred, pilgrims or other visitors may see neither the mirror nor the main sanctuary. In fact, the only people allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, according to my guide, are members of the Imperial Family, although on one occasion, it is rumored, Queen Elizabeth was invited in. Restoration Except for the exalted mirror, all of Jingu’s other sacred shrines and objects must be reconstructed in synch with each 20-year Shikinen Sengyo cycle. The elaborate transference procession and ceremony involves the remaking of some 491 holy treasures, 1600 accessories and 125 kinds of sacred apparel that are then put in their proscribed places by the priests. Formerly used objects are kept in the nearby Jingu History Museum, which is open to the public. It is possible to find two absolutely identical Naiku and Geku standing side by side-one old, one new. In time the older one will be deconstructed and its wooden parts, now forever consecrated, recycled as repair pieces for other shrines around Japan. The newer one-once the transference of holy objects has been consummated-hence replaces the old as a locus of veneration. The shrines themselves are thought to resemble ancient granaries or storehouses and are built from Japanese cypress (hinoki) from the Kiso forestry preserves extending between the Gifu and Nagano Prefectures. Befitting the reverence accorded to these sanctified building blocks, death, loss of a limb, or imprisonment have, over the centuries, been the penalties for felling these jewels. A visit to the majestic Ise shrine allows one to understand why. Where to stay: Oaken, tel: 059-622-2589; Hinodekan, Tel: 059-628-2954; Saekikan, tel: 059-628-2017; Okubun, tel: 059-628-2231. Ise City Tourist Information, tel: 059-623-9655. TRAVELOGUE WORLD TRAVEL TRAVEL FEATURES JAPAN TRAVEL: SEPTEMBER 389: God speed The mother of all Shinto temples, Ise Grand Shrine AUGUST 385: Hattoji Highland hamlet JULY 380: Nagasaki Remembrance of things past 378: Kawagoe From modern Tokyo to "Little Edo" 376: Tottori Tottori's stunning landscapes JUNE 375: Kyushu Bed and bath under the volcano 373: Ryogoku Land of the giants 372: Osaka Universal Studios Japan MAY 371: Osaka Amerika-mura: Osaka's funky town 369: Mie Mikimoto Pearl Island 368: Takarazuka Hyogo-ken's all women theater group APRIL 365: Kawasaki Kawasaki's annual fertility festival 364: Aomori A day on Fear Mountain MARCH 362: Nagano Chill out snowboarding 361: Asuka One foot in the grave FEBRUARY 356: Yamanashi Hakushu's hidden treasures 355: Waseda Tram Trip A streetcar named... 352/3: Aomori Jesus in Japan 351: Kumamoto Under the volcano in Kyushu 350: Sado Island Explore the forgotten charms of Shukunegi ISSUES 348- ISSUES 298- TOP

Germany Travel

German Travel  You are here: About > Homework Help > German Language > German Travel Homework Help German Language Essentials German Vocabulary German Word Games German Lessons German Grammar Guide Wort des Tages Articles & Resources Audio / Listening Vocabulary Culture Lessons Grammar Genealogy DVD Video TV Reading German Speaking German Writing German Jobs/Careers Games, Exercises German Travel Teaching German Translating German Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks DVDs and Videos in German German Dictionaries German Music CDs Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the German Language newsletter! See Online Courses   Search German Language > German Travel German Travel Articles, information, and links about traveling to or in German-speaking countries. Subtopics Travel Web Links (37) Articles & Resources Sort By : Guide Picks | Alphabetical | Recent Course Newsletter: Travel German Planning a trip to Germany, Austria, or German Switzerland? This special Travel German course will help you prepare. You'll learn the essential German vocabulary and key phrases that will help you get more from your trip. Each week for six weeks you'll receive a new lesson. German for Travelers: The Basics An article on basic German travel vocabulary from your Guide. English-German Travel Glossary An annotated English-to-German travel lexicon from your Guide. Essential German - On One Page Don't have time to learn German? You know you need to know a few basics, but you're a busy person. Here's some help. A one-page phrasebook for people in a hurry. Fotogalerie - German Photo Gallery Take a virtual tour of Austria and Germany in our special photo gallery for German. Features scenic and cultural photographs of many places in German-speaking Europe. Driving Glossary: Traffic Signs If you're planning to drive in Europe you should make sure that you know what the traffic signs mean. Most European traffic signs are uniform throughout the continent and they usually communicate via symbols and graphics, but there are also situations where knowing German is important. With a self-scoring quiz. Euro & Money Glossary German-English The euro () and other money-related vocabulary. The euro went into circulation in Austria, Germany, and 10 other countries on January 1, 2002. German Menu/Dining Guide A menu and dining guide with words and expressions that are likely to be encountered on a typical menu ( die Speisekarte ) in Austria, Germany or Switzerland. Part of Lektion 13 - Essen und Trinken (German for Beginners). German Weather Glossary How to understand a weather forecast and talk about the weather... in German. Medical Vocabulary - English-German German words and phrases related to medical treatment, diseases and injuries. What to tell the German doctor or pharmacist when you're not feeling well. German for Beginners Our free online course is perfect for Europe-bound travelers who know little or no German, or those who need to brush up 0n a hurry. No book required and you can start any time.        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot German Words of the Year 2005 (plus English) German First Names and Their Meanings 6 German Word of the Day - 23. Dezember German SMS 2 - Sources - Text Messaging auf Deutsch German Word of the Day - 22. Dezember Headlines German SMS - Text Messaging auf Deutsch German SMS, also known as text messaging, has been popular... German Words of the Year 2005 Each year in December the Gesellschaft fr deutsche Sprache (German... Christmas Lights in Germany: Weihnachtshuser It's common to see colorful Christmas lights and decorations on... Bauernregeln - German Folk Sayings The German word Bauernregel (f.) is variously defined as "country...

Orlando Vacation Packages Free

Cheap vacations to Orlando - discount hotel + air deals - TripAdvisor Orlando vacation discounts and deals Sign in • Sign up Home > United States > Florida > Orlando > SmartDeals > Vacation packages Orlando tourism: Overview Hotels Flights Attractions Dining Deals Getaways Forums Maps, etc. Discount hotels | Hotel + air deals | All travel offers Search (e.g., Orlando hotels, Las Vegas, Paris art museum) Orlando Orlando Overview Orlando Hotels Flights to Orlando Orlando Deals Discount hotels Hotel + air deals All travel offers Orlando Attractions Orlando Restaurants Orlando Forum Orlando Maps Orlando Discount Hotels Orlando Vacation Packages Free Newsletter Get deals, news and articles on Orlando Plus weekend trip ideas from your hometown Nearby Cities You may also be interested in these deals within five miles of Orlando: Edgewood Deals Winter Park Deals e-mail this page to a friend Orlando vacation packages Acapulco vacation packages Alaska vacation packages Amsterdam vacation packages Anaheim vacation packages Arizona vacation packages Aruba vacation packages Aspen vacation packages Atlanta vacation packages Atlantic City vacation packages Bahamas vacation packages Barbados vacation packages Belgium vacation packages Bermuda vacation packages Boston vacation packages Branson vacation packages Breckenridge vacation packages British Virgin Islands vacation packages Cabo San Lucas vacation packages California vacation packages Canada vacation packages Cancun vacation packages Caribbean vacation packages Colorado vacation packages Costa del Sol vacation packages Cozumel vacation packages Dallas vacation packages Daytona Beach vacation packages Dominican Republic vacation packages Florida vacation packages Florida Keys vacation packages Fort Lauderdale vacation packages France vacation packages Germany vacation packages Grand Canyon National Park vacation packages Greece vacation packages Grenada vacation packages Hawaii vacation packages Hilton Head vacation packages Ibiza vacation packages Ireland vacation packages Italy vacation packages Ixtapa vacation packages Jamaica vacation packages Kauai vacation packages Key West vacation packages Lake Placid vacation packages Lake Tahoe vacation packages Las Vegas vacation packages London vacation packages Los Angeles vacation packages Los Cabos vacation packages Maui vacation packages Mazatlan vacation packages Melbourne vacation packages Mexico vacation packages Miami vacation packages Montreal vacation packages Myrtle Beach vacation packages Nashville vacation packages Nassau vacation packages New York vacation packages New York City vacation packages Niagara Falls vacation packages Nova Scotia vacation packages Oahu vacation packages Orlando vacation packages Paris vacation packages Park City vacation packages Philadelphia vacation packages Phoenix vacation packages Pigeon Forge vacation packages Puerto Rico vacation packages Puerto Vallarta vacation packages Punta Cana vacation packages Quebec City vacation packages Reno vacation packages Rome vacation packages Salt Lake City vacation packages San Antonio vacation packages San Diego vacation packages San Francisco vacation packages Santa Fe vacation packages Scotland vacation packages Seattle vacation packages Spain vacation packages St. Croix vacation packages St. Lucia vacation packages St. Maarten/St. Martin vacation packages St. Thomas vacation packages Sydney vacation packages Texas vacation packages Toronto vacation packages Tucson vacation packages U.S. Virgin Islands vacation packages Vail vacation packages Virginia Beach vacation packages Washington DC vacation packages Whistler vacation packages Read more Orlando tourism Hotel + air deals to Orlando * Featured specials - December 28, 2005 Orlando : Save on hotel + air Expedia Vacations Don't just travel. 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Switzerland Travel

Switzerland Travel Information | Lonely Planet Destination Guide worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links : Explore Switzerland Switzerland Leave the lederhosen at home and get in line with the stylish Swiss. At a Glance Fast Facts WORLDGUIDE Introduction Background Info See Image Gallery Events Transport Money RELATED Thorn Tree Forum Postcards Travel Links More Places Check out our other destinations: Within Switzerland Geneva Interlaken Zurich View Map Click here Feature Attraction Great St Bernard Pass Hospice Museum Perhaps the Great St Bernard Pass should be renamed the Great Alsation Pass. It might save the local rescue dogs at the local hospice some embarrassment. ... more Switzerland may be neutral but it is certainly not flavourless. The fusion of German, French and Italian ingredients has formed a robust national culture, and the country's alpine landscapes have enough zing to reinvigorate the most jaded traveller. Goethe summed up Switzerland succinctly as a combination of 'the colossal and the well-ordered'. You can be sure that your trains and letters will be on time. The tidy, just-so precision of Swiss towns is tempered by the lofty splendour of the landscapes that surround them. Factoid You Fondue? Most of the world left fondue back in the 70s, but in Switzerland it's always in style. The classic fondue is bread dunked in Emmental and Gruyere cheeses mixed with white wine and flour - consumed, of course, on shag-pile carpet. SPONSORED LINKS Enquire Accomodation Reviews Find Lonely Planet author reviewed places to stay * Required Fields Country * Please select Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada China Cuba Czech Republic Denmark Egypt England Estonia Finland France Germany Hungary Iceland India Ireland Israel & the Palestinian Territories Italy Japan Malaysia Mexico Morocco Netherlands New Zealand Poland Portugal Russia Scotland South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Taiwan Thailand Turkey USA United Arab Emirates Vietnam City * Please select Travel Services · Flights · Hostels · Hotels · Travel Insurance More Services › Disclaimer: We've tried to make theinformation on this web site as accurate as possible, but it isprovided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injuryor inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety,customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before youtravel. text & images © lonely planet 2005 about us | privacy | feedback | advertising FAQs worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links