Europe Travel

!DOCTstyle="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB">FONT color=#000000>P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center>B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">SPAN lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB">First Executive Summito:p>/o:p>/FONT>/A>/SPAN>/B>/P>P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center>B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">SPAN lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB">FONT color=#000000>A href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=175">FONT color=#000000>img src="resources/uploads/Wien Palace Schoenbrunnsmall..jpg" alt="" width="140" height="95">o:p>/o:p>/FONT color=#000000>/A>/SPAN>/B>/P>P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center>B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">SPAN lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB">FONT color=#000000>17 October 2005/FONT>/A>/SPAN>/B>/P>P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center>B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">SPAN lang=EN-GB style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial Narrow'; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB">/SPAN>/B>/P>UL>/FONT>/A>/DIV>/LI>/UL>/TD>/TR>/TBODY>/TABLE>TD>/TD>P align=left>P>img src="images/uploads/Thumbnail Annual report 2004.jpg" alt="" width="84" height="118"> br>STRONG>FONT color=#cc0000 size=1>'ETC Annual Report 2004 A href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/2005/">FONT color=#cc0000 size=1>Interactive/FONT>/A> / A href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/resources/uploads/ETCReport_2004.pdf">FONT color=#cc0000 size=1>pdf for printing/FONT>/A>FONT color=#cc0000>FONT size=1>/FONT>/FONT>/P>STRONG>FONT color=#cc0000 size=1>/FONT>/STRONG>P>IMG style="WIDTH: 135px; HEIGHT: 33px" height=90 alt="" src="images/uploads/Harmonise2.png" width=305> A href="resources/uploads/DRY PILOT Aug 05.pdf">FONT face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" color=#333333 size=1>Data Exchange: Give us your opinion/FONT>/A>/P>P align=left>P>A href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=31&ac=5">P align=left>IMG src="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules/htmlarea/upload/1109239339.jpg" border=1>a href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=31&ac=5">br>STRONG>FONT color=#cc0000 size=1> 'City Tourism & Culture: The European Experience'/FONT>/STRONG> /P>P align=left> FONT color=#660099>/P>li>a href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=31&ac=5">STRONG>FONT color=#000000 size=2>ETC Research Newsletter No.2/2005/FONT>/STRONG>/a>P align=left> /P>/li>P align=left> /P>P align=left> /P> /ul>ul>div class="rightpanel">STRONG>FONT color=#660099 size=3>STATISTICS/div> li>a href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=168&ac=7">STRONG>FONT color=#000000 size=2>Your one-stop source of statistics about European tourism/STRONG>/li>P align=left> /P>FONT color=#660099>li>a href="http://tourmis.wu-wien.ac.at/index_e.html">STRONG>FONT color=#000000 size=2>TourMIS online/STRONG>FONT color=#660099>/li>P align=left>/P>P>IMG height=35src="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules/htmlarea/upload/1093862082.gif" width=140 align=absMiddle border=0>/p>li>a href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=100&ac=5">STRONG>FONT color=#000000 size=2>Tourism Trends for Europe/STRONG>/a>STRONG>FONT color=#000000 size=1>- outlines the major trends affecting tourism to and within Europe to the year 2007 and beyond/STRONG>/li>/ul> ul>div class="rightpanel">STRONG>FONT color=#660099 size=3>TOURISM IN THE EU/div>li>a href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=165&ac=12">STRONG>FONT color=#000000 size=2>Edited links about tourism issues in the European Union/STRONG>/a>/li>/ul> ul>div class="rightpanel">STRONG>FONT color=#660099 size=3>NEW MEDIA REVIEW/div>P>IMG src="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules/htmlarea/upload/1109086271.jpg" align=absMiddle border=0> /P>li>a href="http://www.etcnewmedia.com/review/">STRONG>FONT color=#000000 size=2>Use of New Media on a country by country basis/STRONG>/a>/li>/ul> /div>div id="cettime">23:48 28th December 2005 (CET)/div>br>div id="search">form name="searchform" action="modules.php?name=Search" method="post">Search input type="text" name="query" value="Enter query" size="15"> input type="submit" value="GO">/form>/div>div id="leftblock">/div>div id="content">div id="breadcrumb"> > a href="modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&cat=Home">Home/a>/div>table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0" bgcolor="">tr>td>table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="0" bgcolor="">tr bgcolor="#ffffff">td>font class="title">Welcome to the European Travel Commission/font>br>br>A href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=138">FONT color=#0000ff size=1>U>Version franaise/U>/FONT>/A>FONT color=#0000ff>/FONT> br>p align="justify">P>FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The European Travel Commission (ETC) is a non-profit making organisation with its headquarters in Brussels. Its members are the 33 National Tourism Organisations (NTOs) of Europe, whose role is to market and promote tourism to Europe in general, and to their individual countries in particular. /FONT>/P>P>FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">This is ETC's corporate website, which is aimed at industry, government and educational personnel interested in tourism to Europe. Visitors seeking travel-specific information and ideas are directed to ETC's consumer-oriented site: /FONT>A href="http://www.visiteurope.com/">FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color=#006699>www.visiteurope.com/FONT>/A>/P>P>FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">The National Tourist Offices (NTOs) of 34 countries who are members of ETC contribute to its activities and funding. For a complete list of members, /FONT>A href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=94">FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color=#006699>click here/FONT>/A>FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">FONT color=#006699>./FONT> To obtain more detailed information about tourism in each member country, STRONG>FONT color=#006699>click/FONT> /STRONG>on the country name on the map below./FONT>/P>DIV id=europe3>FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">/FONT>/DIV>IMG src="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules/htmlarea/upload/1062236085.gif" align=absMiddle useMap=#nto_members2_Map border=0> /p>br>p align="justify">MAP name=nto_members2_Map>AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Cyprus" coords=413,429,455,445 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=63">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Malta" coords=230,426,264,440 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=78">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Greece" coords=280,387,321,403 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=71">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Turkey" coords=399,368,438,384 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=90">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Bulgaria" coords=304,337,352,353 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=61">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Italy" coords=209,345,236,361 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=74">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Croatia" coords=229,321,274,336 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=62">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Monaco" coords=154,328,200,341 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=79">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Spain" coords=60,341,93,356 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=88">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Portugal" coords=19,322,69,337 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=83">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Slovenia" coords=176,301,225,317 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=85">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Romania" coords=296,307,349,321 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=84">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Hungary" coords=262,289,309,306 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=72">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Austria" coords=214,284,256,298 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=41">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Switzerland" coords=103,293,168,307 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=87">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for France" coords=127,275,166,289 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=69">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Slovak Republic" coords=287,258,352,275 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=86">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Czech Republic" coords=217,257,280,273 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=64">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Luxembourg" coords=92,257,164,272 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=77">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Germany" coords=187,240,240,254 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=70">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Belgium" coords=128,240,176,254 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=136">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Poland" coords=258,228,298,243 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=82">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Netherlands" coords=154,223,224,237 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=80">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Lithuania" coords=308,197,360,210 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=76">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Latvia" coords=315,173,350,185 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=75">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Estonia" coords=311,151,353,165 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=67">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Denmark" coords=174,178,226,191 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=65">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for United Kingdom" coords=123,186,173,210 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=91">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Ireland" coords=58,187,99,200 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=92">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Finland" coords=291,109,331,123 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=68">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Sweden" coords=248,142,292,160 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=89">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Norway" coords=184,120,232,137 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=81">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Iceland" coords=100,40,143,59 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=73">AREA shape=RECT alt="Visit the member page for Ukraine" coords=337,248,402,265 href="http://www.etc-corporate.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=176">/MAP>/p>br>br>br>br>br>center> /center>br>br>p align="right"> /p>center>[ a href="javascript:history.go(-1)">Previous Page/a> ] [ a href="#top">Top/a> ]/center>/td>/tr>/table>/td>/tr>/table>font class="footmsg">br>br>br>div id="footer">a href="http://www.carydesign.co.uk/">Designed by Cary Design Ltd/a> | European Travel Commissionbr>br>/div>br>/div>/body>/html>

golf vacations vacations vacations

Golf International - Golf Vacations to Scotland, Ireland, Europe golf, vacations, scotland, ireland, spain, customized trips, escorted tours, international travel, st andrews, royal county down, ballybunion luxury hotels luxury hotels luxury hotels golf golf golf vacations vacations vacations scotland scotland scotland ireland ireland ireland spain spain spain customized trips customized trips customized trips escorted tours escorted tours escorted tours international travel international travel international travel st andrews st andrews st andrews royal county down royal county down royal county down ballybunion ballybunion ballybunion golf, vacations, scotland, ireland, spain, customized trips, escorted tours, international travel, st andrews, royal county down, ballybunion golf, vacations, scotland, ireland, spain, customized trips, escorted tours, international travel, st andrews, royal county down, ballybunion golf, vacations, scotland, ireland, spain, customized trips, escorted tours, international travel, st andrews, royal county down, ballybunion golf, vacations, scotland, ireland, spain, customized trips, escorted tours, international travel, st andrews, royal county down, ballybunion golf, vacations, scotland, ireland, spain, customized trips, escorted tours, international travel, st andrews, royal county down, ballybunion golf, vacations, scotland, ireland, spain, customized trips, escorted tours, international travel, st andrews, royal county down, ballybunion courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , courses in british isles, links courses, guaranteed tee times, luxury hotels, bed and breakfasts, castles and private homes, custom designed programs, scottish, irish, , --

Argentina Travel Guide Overview

Argentina Tours | Argentina Tour Guide | iExplore.com FORBES' #1 ADVENTURE TRAVEL SITE 5 YEARS IN A ROW — TIME MAGAZINE TOP 50 Keyword Search: -- Home Trip Finder Travel Guides Community Special Offers Store My iExplore advertisement -- Home Travel Guides Central and South America Argentina Overview Argentina Travel Guide Overview Tours Where to Go Activities General Info History Weather Travel Tips Dining Shopping Visa & Health View Trips to Argentina Central and South America Overview Browse Argentina Photos Argentina Questions and Answers Read Argentina Journals Find a Argentina Travel Buddy Argentina Overview Argentina is a land of extremes, its hectic urban centers contrasting with a staggeringly remote hinterland, and can be simultaneously hot in one region and cold in another. The one common thread is that the people possess a curiosity, passion, and fervor for life, most visible when it comes to football, the national obsession. Evita, the Tango, gauchos and estancias are the country’s clichéd attractions, but what strikes visitors most is that life here is for living – the fast pace only letting up for the afternoon siesta. Referred to as a grimy Paris, Buenos Aires is a sophisticated capital brimming with character and an excellent spot for shopping and watching the world go by – whether it’s pedestrians strolling or motorists driving at break-neck speed. Nightlife is second to none and the restaurants are a food-lover’s delight. Argentina’s national parks teem with wildlife and incredible mountainous vistas, while the colossal Perito Moreno Glacier and Iguazú Falls are natural wonders. Endless hiking opportunities abound in the south, where Patagonia is stunningly barren and mystifying and the Tierra del Fuego feels like the end of the world. The Andes offer excellent skiing – the ski-resort of Bariloche being the country’s most established. Horse riding, adventure sports and birdwatching are just a few of the other activities on offer throughout the country. Argentina, vastly unexplored and undiscovered by most tourists, is an adventure waiting to happen. Geography Argentina is situated in South America, east of the Andes, and is bordered by Chile to the west, the Atlantic Ocean to the east and Uruguay, Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil to the north and northeast. There are four main geographical areas: the Andes, the North and Mesopotamia, the Pampas and Patagonia. The climate and geography of Argentina vary considerably, ranging from the great heat of the Chaco ( El Chaco ), through the pleasant climate of the central Pampas to the sub-Antarctic cold of the Patagonian Sea. Mount Aconcagua soars almost 7000m (23,000ft) and waterfalls at Iguazú stretch around a massive semi-circle, thundering 70m (230ft) to the bed of the Paraná River. In the southwest is a small ’Switzerland’ with a string of beautiful icy lakes framed by mountains. Sponsored Listings ( Add your listing ) advertisement Advertisement -- advertisement Why iExplore? About Us Advertise Site Map Privacy Policy Travel Agents Contact Us © 2005 Adventure Travel with iExplore --

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

Taiwan Travel Deals Taiwan

Taiwan tourism - Taiwan vacation reviews - Taiwan vacations - TripAdvisor Taiwan vacations - Taiwan tourism Sign in • Sign up Home > Asia > Taiwan > Taiwan Tourism Taiwan tourism: Overview Hotels Flights Attractions Deals Forums Maps, etc. All Taiwan reviews Search (e.g., Boston hotels, Las Vegas, Paris art museum) Taiwan Taiwan Overview All Taiwan Reviews Taiwan Hotels Flights to Taiwan Taiwan Deals Taiwan Attractions Taiwan Forums Taiwan Maps Taiwan Discount Hotels Taiwan Vacation Packages Free Newsletter Get deals, news and articles on Taiwan Plus weekend trip ideas from your hometown e-mail this page to a friend Popular cities Hsinchu Hotels Kaohsiung Hotels Pingtung Hotels Taichung Hotels Tainan Hotels Taipei Hotels Read more Taiwan tourism Taiwan vacations - Taiwan tourism Find Hotels Travelers Trust City: Check-in: Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Check-out: Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Price level: Adults: 1 2 3 4 More options Currency: U.S. Dollar Euro British Pound Canadian Dollar Australian Dollar Swiss Franc Sponsored links * Taiwan Travel Deals Taiwan Hotels Discount AsiaRooms.com Book Now your Hotel Room in Taiwan Extra Low Rates Guaranteed ! Taiwan Hotels taiwan-hotelguide.com 90+ Taiwan Hotels. 75% Discount. Book online with Wired Destinations Experts in Taiwan hotels www.xcessasia.com Big Savings - Discount up to 70%. Quality hotels at wholesale rates. Hotels www.Travelocity.com Find Low Rates, Nearby Attractions & Dining, Hotel Pics, Maps & More! All results: View all 800 Taiwan travel deals Where do you want to go today? Find all the best web-based write-ups and deals on your chosen destination. View map of Taiwan and choose your destination >> View all Taiwan hotels Taiwan Hotel Recommendations Other Destinations Find a great hotel based on web-wide popularity and coverage. Top-Rated hotels: Grand Hotel Taipei , Taipei Les Suites Taipei-Ching.Cheng , Taipei Far Eastern Plaza Hotel , Taipei Les Suites Taipei Da-An , Taipei Sheraton Taipei Hotel , Taipei Grand Formosa Taroko , Hualien Grand Hyatt Taipei , Taipei The Sherwood, Taipei , Taipei Le Petit Sherwood , Taipei Taipei Fullerton 41 Hotel , Taipei View all Taiwan hotels Find top hotels by destination: Select your destination Taipei Popular Taiwan Destinations Check out these popular places: Taipei Taiwan Attractions Top Taiwan Attractions: National Palace Museum , Taipei Taipei 101 , Taipei Yangmingshan (Yangmin Mountain) , Taipei Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall , Taipei Sun Moon Lake , Nantou Fokuangshan Monastery , Kaohsiung Shilin Night Market , Taipei Fort Santo Domingo , Taipei Taroko National Park , Kaohsiung Lungshan Temple , Taipei Click above or search for more attractions in your destination: Select your destination Taipei Taiwan Articles and Guidebooks SmartDeals From tips & tricks to rants & raves. Read the best sources and the most up-to-date reviews... "Taiwan," wordtravels.com / Globe Media Ltd. "And Now, Taiwan," Mar 14, 2004 , Washington Post "A Young Taipei Finds Its Groove," Jan 23, 2005 , New York Times "I Slept With 200 Monks in Taiwan," Nov 1, 2003 , TravelLady Read all Taiwan reviews Find a great Taiwan hotel deal! SmartDeals show you the best rates on the best hotels. Far Eastern Plaza Hotel Far Eastern Plaza Hotel - Great Rooms from $236 - Orbitz.com More reviews, deals Grand Hotel Taipei - save up to 1% Average price: $165 Grand Hotel Taipei from $164 - Expedia.com More reviews, deals Les Suites Taipei-Ching.Cheng - save up to 9% Average price: $184 Les Suites Taipei-Ching.Cheng from $169 - hotels.com More reviews, deals View all SmartDeals Taiwan Traveler Forums Travelers like you give candid advice on hotels and much more. Join the Discussion To Raemum Re: Stars / Onestar Hotel (5 replies, 5:16 am, today) Taiwan OR Taipei; Packaged Tour or Self-Planned (14 replies, 2:06 am, today) I just came back from Taiwan, hope these information help. (87 replies, 1:18 am, today) Read all Taiwan discussions Post a new Taiwan topic Share Your Travel Savvy Need Help on Taiwan Inter-cityTrains!!! (no replies, 4:03 am, Dec 07, 2005) Telifah - Hualien (no replies, 9:49 am, Dec 06, 2005) Shin Kong Chao Feng Farm, Hualien (no replies, 11:06 pm, Nov 14, 2005) Browse all Taiwan discussions Free alerts on Taiwan Subscribe to our TripWatch newsletter: Weekly alert to new reviews and deals Personal watch list is customizable to add other cities, hotels or attractions Plus getaway ideas from your hometown ( new feature, limited coverage ) Let Us Watch Taiwan for You E-mail: About TripAdvisor TripAdvisor provides unbiased reviews, articles, recommendations and opinions on Taiwan vacations. Recommendations for hotels, resorts, inns, vacations, travel packages, travel guides and lots more! Visit TripAdvisor in another language: About Us | Membership | Site Map | Become an Affiliate | Top Cities | Hotel Reservations | Hotel Deals | Links | TripAdvisor Gear Popular Hotels: 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , by city TripAdvisor Recommends: Las Vegas hotels , London hotels , Paris hotels , Rome hotels , New York City hotels , Chicago hotels , Orlando hotels © 2005 TripAdvisor, Inc. All rights reserved. TripAdvisor Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . * TripAdvisor, Inc. is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site... ( more ) TripAdvisor, Inc. is not responsible for content on external web sites.