European Vacation - Make

Customize Your European Vacation - Make Your Own Independent Tours  You are here: About > Travel > Europe for Visitors > What to do In Europe > Customize Your European Vacation - Make Your Own Independent Tours Travel Go Europe Essentials European Vacation Planning Map Europe Travel 101 - Before you Go European Distances The Best of Europe European Photo Gallery Articles & Resources Europe Travel Planning What to do In Europe Lodging - Hotels and More European Travel Maps Sex and Nudism Travel Photography Transportation Benelux Countries France Germany Austria Switzerland Greece Italy and Malta Travel Info Scandinavian Travel Spain and Portugal United Kingdom and Ireland Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Italy Travel Guidebooks Europe Travel Guidebooks German Travel Guidebooks Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Europe for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search Europe for Visitors Stay up to date! Email to a friend Print this page European Travel Planning Information Europe Travel Planning Directory Europe Travel 101 - Before You Go Off-Season Travel Tips Europoean Destinations Europe's Best Cities Tips on Choosing a European Destination Off The Beaten Track Destinations Recent Discussions Need Help Planning a Trip Accomodation in london Mediteranean Feries Most Popular Europe Map - Distances Between Cities in Western Europe Europe's Best Nudist Beaches Europe Picture Galleries Italy Pictures Europe Travel 101 - Before You Travel to Europe for the Firs... What's Hot Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There Related Topics France for Visitors Greece for Visitors United Kingdom / Ireland for Visitors Eastern Europe for Visitors Italy for Visitors Customize Your European Vacation - Make Your Own Independent Tours Guided Tour Tip From James Martin , Your Guide to Europe for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Interested in a private or off beat tour? Here's how to customize your vacation A recent press trip to northern Europe changed my perception of local tourism offices. I, like most folks, make a quick stop at the local tourism office when I arrive at a city, ask for a map and grab whatever other materials look interesting. But Offices of Tourism have changed from the days a single volunteer could pass out maps and phone local hotels for you.Did you know that most Tourism offices have a list of the best, authorized guides of the area? Did you know that you can make arrangements to hire one of these guides to take just your family around to local attractions--and you can specify just the ones you want? Tourism Offices on the Web You can search for the city you're looking for from the search box on this site, and look for the tourism office in the list of links for that European city. If it's not listed, a search on your favorite search engine using the terms "[city] office tourism" will usually narrow the category. From there, look for a link to guided tours. Most tourist offices also offer their own guided tours of a city starting out from the tourist office. If not, find a general email address or telephone number and inquire about hiring a private guide, stating your planned itinerary. You may say something like, "I'll be in your city from July 5-7, and I would like a guided tour for 6 people that centers on art history of the area." This will give the office a good indication of the type of guide you're looking for. It's not likely that every small tourism office will be able to help you on any single request. Guides can be busy, or hard to find. They are likely to be expensive for a smaller number of people. Still, why waste your time seeing things you don't have an interest in? Private Tours and Tour Guides on Europe for Visitors For general tours for specific interests, see our Specialty Travel and Tours Directory where you'll find interesting barge, bike, and walking tours, as well as information on taking a language course or vounteering on a project like an archaeolgical dig or a building renovation. We've also included a small listing of selected custom tours and private guides in Europe , if you're looking for more than a city walking tour. You can book custom tours or hire a private guide from these listings.        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 Power Adapters Noord-Holland - Delights of North Holland Travel Visiting Pompeii Italy Guidebooks Naples - Getting There

Switzerland Travel

traveling.ch - travel information about travelling in switzerland traveling About us Contact Us Add your URL Pictures Advertise With Us Guest Book Message Board Virtual Postcards Member Login Wed 28. Dec. 2005 Book a Hostel Online Book a Tour Online Home About Switzerland Accomodations Car traveling Cell phones Cities in Switzerland Cooking / Recipies Events / News Embassies Jobs Libraries Live cameras Maps Public transport Regions Resorts Restaurants Sights to see Recreation / Sports Travel Books Weather What you must know Last Update 28.12. 05 Hostel Search: Want our news? Search the site Explore Europe with all-inclusive travel packages from Tauck. REQUEST A FREE BROCHURE . We have a travel report for you! Read up on Lenas journey through Switzerland... Click HERE - Bookmark this page < - Book a Hostel Online - Book a Tour Online Polls Do you think Switzerland is over crowded? Yes No Somewhat Only in the lower mainland Results :: Polls Welcome to Switzerland You will find lots of information about Switzerland , the Swiss , our Culture and much more. Feel free to search through our databases for information or post your question at the Message Board . If you don't get answers there, Contact us and we'll answer your questions. Are you looking for pictures? We combined the Picture Gallery with the E-Postcard service. If you're happy with our website, please leave us a comment in the Guestbook . Enjoy Switzerland! Add your Info > Info hinzufügen > Conference Hotel Hotel Backpacker Restaurant Jobs Recipe General Links News back to top Youth Hostel BnB Campground Consulate Region Cities Resort Events © by protagonist gmbh

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TGV.com : tgv reservation and tgv information for french holiday and week-end ideas TGV.com : tgv reservation and tgv information for french holiday and week-end ideas book a tgv, business travel in france, departure times, france tgv, france travel On Tgv.com, you can book your tgv train ticket and you can easily find some week-end ideas and travel ideas for your next french holiday. All the tgv information , tgv prices and tgv services you need, are available on our web site www.tgv.com . book a tgv , business travel in france , departure times , france tgv , france travel , french tgv , reservation tgv , sncf tgv , sncf tgv reservation , sncf ticket , tgv departure times , tgv france , tgv information , tgv lines , tgv offers , tgv paris , tgv prices , tgv reservation , tgv ticket , tgv tickets , ticket train , train ticket , train tickets , travel france , travels in france , trip in france , visit france , france holiday , french holiday , holiday in france , french train , travel ideas , week end ideas , tgv photos , tgv services , business travel , business travels , business travels france , train reservation , tgv news , tgv -- Leaving from: Dates: (DD/MM/YYYY) Times: 00h 01h 02h 03h 04h 05h 06h 07h 08h 09h 10h 11h 12h 13h 14h 15h 16h 17h 18h 19h 20h 21h 22h 23h and 00h 01h 02h 03h 04h 05h 06h 07h 08h 09h 10h 11h 12h 13h 14h 15h 16h 17h 18h 19h 20h 21h 22h 23h Arriving at: Dates: (DD/MM/YYYY) Times: 00h 01h 02h 03h 04h 05h 06h 07h 08h 09h 10h 11h 12h 13h 14h 15h 16h 17h 18h 19h 20h 21h 22h 23h and 00h 01h 02h 03h 04h 05h 06h 07h 08h 09h 10h 11h 12h 13h 14h 15h 16h 17h 18h 19h 20h 21h 22h 23h 1 st class 2 nd class Smoking Non-smoking Looking for a solution for your business trips or those of your collaborators? TGV proposes answers adapted to your needs and professional constraints. This month, the TGV favourites take you to Annecy, the “Venise in Savoie”. Discover the exceptional environment of this city situated between lake and mountains. Book early for the lowest prices... Special offers starting from 25 €, find out more! Conception and realisation: Crayon noir e-médias | Site plan | FAQs | Contact us | Legal Information

Japan Travel International Travel

Metropolis - Japan Travel: Jesus in Japan 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 TRAVEL Jesus in Japan Jesus' supposed resting place Photos by Mary King Mary King hunts down the Messiah in the small village of Herai in the wilds of northern Japan. Church bells will ring out louder this year as millions of Christians across the world join in songs of praise for Jesus Christ's 2000th birthday. While most turn their thoughts to Bethlehem, Nazareth and Jerusalem, few know of the important role some claim Japan played in the life of Christ. There are probably very few Christians who have even heard of the small village of Herai that lies tucked away in the northern reaches of Aomori Prefecture, but some here maintain this to be the place where Jesus settled, married and died at the ripe old age of 106. Although it's commonly held that Jesus grew up as a carpenter in the Galilee town of Nazareth, according to the legend of Herai, or Shingo as it's now known, the 11 "missing years" of Christ's life not accounted for in the New Testament of the Bible were spent in Japan. According to the local legend, Christ first came to Japan, aged 21, during the reign of the 11th emperor, Suinin, and landed at the port of Hashidate on the Japan Sea coast. Apparently, he settled in Etchu province where, under the tutelage of a great master, he studied Japanese language, literature and various other subjects. The Legend of Daitenku Taro Jurai (Daitenku Taro Jurai was the name Christ is said to have later taken) claims that at the end of his 11-year stay, Christ returned to Judea, aged 33, where he taught about the "sacred land" of Japan. But, unfortunately, "Christ's teachings about Japan were considered too radical," and he was condemned to death. The New Testament teaches Jesus was crucified at Golgotha, rose from the dead after three days and later ascended into Heaven. However, according to the legend of Herai, Jesus escaped this fate, and instead his brother Isukiri was nailed to the cross and died. Christ, meanwhile, fled with his disciples and went into hiding, carrying locks of the Virgin Mary's hair and his brother's ear. After an arduous journey across Siberia, Christ finally returned to Japan and settled in Herai where he changed his name, married a Japanese woman called Miyuko, fathered three daughters and lived to the age of 106. Devout Christians may insist that the Garden Tomb, which lies not far from Damascus Gate outside the Old City of Jerusalem, is Jesus' true burial site, but the people of Herai have another story to tell-marked by a large wooden cross, Jesus' tomb ( Juraizuka ) sits alongside his brother's ( Judaibo ) in Herai. Isukiri's tomb holds his ear and locks of the Virgin Mary's hair. It's hard to imagine anyone, let alone Christ, would have schlepped out to one of the remotest parts of northern Japan in days of old, as even today it demands a great deal of effort to reach the village. Herai epitomizes the middle of nowhere. The place is little more than a lonely grocery store, a sprinkling of farmhouses and scraggly garlic fields and rice paddies blanketed with snow at this time of year. Most tourists either already know about the tombs, as well as the "pyramids" said to predate those of Egypt, or are so intrigued by the wild talk they hear of Herai while trekking out near Towadako Lake they can't resist coming to check it out. Remains of the Mirror Stone pyramid Pyramid scheme The first pyramid of the "O-Ishigami Pyramid" circle, we are told, was discovered in August, 1935 on Mt Towari, exactly one day after the discovery of Christ's tomb in the village. According to the "history of the Divine Age" found in the documents of the Takenouchi family, there are seven pyramids in Japan, dating back tens of thousands of years and older than the Egyptian pyramids. Legend has it that the largest of these "pyramids," the Mirror Stone, used to stand upright and had writing engraved on it, but fell over during an earthquake in 1857 and became embedded in the ground. Disappointingly, not one of the rocks slightly resembles a pyramid in the Egyptian or Mexican sense, but apparently Japanese pyramids are different from those found elsewhere. They were triangular rocks situated on the top of mountains and used for sun-worship in ancient times. A local standing by what may be Jesus' grave Tomb of the unknown Savior The "pyramids" are a five-minute drive from the Kirisuto no Sato Denshokan (Village of Christ Legend Museum; Tel: 0178-78-3741), where you can read about the history and customs of Herai, and catch the audio-visual show of the Kirisuto Matsuri (Christ Festival) held in the early summer. The museum is open from April to October. Contact the Shingo Business and Tourist Section at Shingo Village Office (Tel: 0178-78-2111) for visits during other times of the year. The present museum, open for the past five years, also records the uncanny circumstances surrounding the tombs of "Christ and his brother Isukiri" as well as old folk songs and customs that resemble ancient Judaic-Christian ones and various theories that either support or quash links between the Japanese and Christians of Jewish descent. Even the name of the village, Herai, is said to be derived from the word Hebrai (Hebrew). It sounds like a tall tale, but no stranger than stories of burning bushes, the parting of the Red Sea and water being turned into wine. For the people of Herai too, the revelation that Christ is buried in their village came as a shock when documents claiming Jesus had resided in Japan were discovered in Ibaraki Prefecture in 1935. Said to be Christ's will and testament and the proof that he had lived and died in Japan, the "Takenouchi documents" later proved to be fake. For years, many villagers felt that the shroud of mystery surrounding the large ancient tombs in a bamboo thicket had finally been lifted. The documents explained some of the village's customs, such as marking a cross on the forehead of a child when it first leaves the home and why Sanjiro Sawaguchi, a village elder, had "blue eyes like a foreigner." The museum explains mysterious local customs The tombs are located close to the Kirisuto no Sato Denshokan, marked by two large wooden crosses and are sitting on a small hill overlooking those of the Sawaguchi family-local garlic farmers who are said to be the descendants of Christ and who, to this day, care for their great ancestor's tombs. "Somebody special lies there but I don't really believe it's the tomb of Christ. It's probably the tomb of a foreigner who settled in the village at some point. It's certainly interesting that some of the old customs in this village are said to be similar to those of ancient Judea, and it may explain why some people in the village have blue eyes. But this village has always been Buddhist and the Shinto shrine in the village is more than 1000 years old, so I really don't think that there are any ancient links between Japanese and Jews or Christians of Jewish descent," said Yoshiteru Ogasawara, who runs Nobara Pension (Tel: 0178-78-2484). Regardless of what you believe, Herai makes an interesting-if somewhat barren-destination, and you're guaranteed a great travel story to share with friends. Getting there: From JR Ueno stn, take the Tohoku shinkansen to Morioka stn and change to the express train for Hachinohe. From Hachinohe, take a bus to Gonohe, where you can change to a bus for Shingo (Herai). For information on the local bus service, contact the tourist section of the Shingo Village Office (Tel: 0178-78-2111; Fax: 0178-78-2118). Getting around: Those seriously thinking of venturing out to this part of the world to see the tombs and the "pyramids" should consider hiring a car or taxi from Hachinohe or Gonohe as the local bus service is irregular, and getting around Herai on foot is nigh-on impossible, especially during the winter months. 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

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