A year ago, two Romanian backpackers were sitting around a campfire in the Carpathians when they came up with a winning concept.
They’d make an online travel guide to Romania illustrated with rich, personal narratives and lots of alluring photography. And that’s not all. This travel guide would also connect tourists and adventurers interested in the sights and stories with travel agencies able to fulfill their wish of getting to Romania. Today, www.spirit.ro brings fresh perspective to a country that is considered by many to be a path less traveled.
Nestled between Eastern European countries such as Hungary, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Republic of Moldova and the Ukraine, Romania is a country that defies the mafia-ridden stereotype. Breaking from the closed, counterfeit information model of former communist marketing, www.spirit.ro encourages the travelers to share their story, to show others what they saw through the lens of their camera, to tell their own personal and intimate truthabout Romania.
If one hasn’t traveled to Romania so far, then www.spirit.ro will offer a free test-drive of what Romania’s got to offer as a travel destination. The travelers will have the opportunity to meet fellow wanderers from all over the world, to express their doubts and ask for advice, to read catchy stories and real travel journals.
They’ll get to know Bucovina, famous for its painted monasteries and quiet nights, they’ll get the answer to questions like – Was Dracula real? Are the Romanian girls indeed the hottest in Europe? What’s it feel like when someone grabs your wallet, takes all your cash and you’re miles away from home?
The good, the bad and ugly, the real, at www.spirit.ro
What to See and Do in Mexico
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Mexico is a big and old country. Everyone can find something interesting in this land. Ancient pyramids and temples, big modern megapolises and tropical resorts – it’s all here waiting for you to come.
The trip to Mexico can be started with visit to its capital – Mexico City. It’s the third-largest metropolis in the world. Only Tokyo and New York City are bigger. This expansive city of 20 million and over a mile high is built on the ruins of Tenochtitlan, the ancient Aztec capital. Reminders of past civilization pervade the city, particularly at the Templo Mayor excavation and Anthropological Museum at Chapultepec Park. This very Tenochtitlan was founded in 1325 by Aztecs. Speaking about modern Mexico City, the district called the Zona Rosa is famous for its shops.
One of the must-sees in Mexico are pyramids of Teotihuacan and Chichen Itza. Teotihuacan is located 50 kilometers northeast of Mexico City. Teotihuacan is not only a monumental city, but also a place where the mural paintings allow the visitor to delve into a world of mythical figures of Gods, jaguars, nocturnal beings and liquid skies.
The ruins of Chichen Itza lie about midway between Cancun and Merida, so that the journey from each city takes around 2 or 3 hours via the new autopista. This place was a settlement of Maya tribe. The tribe itself sank into oblivion, but its creature still attracts millions of tourists and hundreds of investigators seeking for their archeological glory.
When you feel tired of ancient ruins and dust roads you can direct your steps to one of the Mexican resorts – Cancun, Puerto-Vallarta or Acapulco.
So, meet Cancun. Very popular resort among US citizens situated on the Yucatan peninsula. The city of Cancun is only 35 years old. This fashionable resort was built on the place of the former fisherman’s village. Cancun is world famous for its beaches, surrounding the whole city.
Puerto Vallarta is nestled between palm-covered mountains, a river and an azure sea. The city is full of cobblestone streets and whitewashed houses. Like Cancun, once it was a fishing village.
One of the most exciting resorts in the world, Acapulco is famous for its explosive nightlife, golden beaches, unlimited watersports, world-class hotels, restaurants and the breathtaking beauty of Acapulco Bay. Acapulco is located on the Pacific coast of Mexico and unlike Puerto Vallarta and Cancun it’s a big city with 2-million population.
Mexico is enjoyable year-round, but October to May is generally the most pleasant time to visit. The May-September period can be hot and humid, particularly in the south, and inland temperatures can approach freezing during December-February.
If you like to know about how to book hotel in Mexico or in any other country, please visit http://www.allrez.com
American Cemetery in Florence – Paying a Homage while on Holiday
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Florence! The heart of the art! Located in the middle of Tuscany, it has represented for centuries the cradle of art, in all its forms and expressions. This enormous and priceless heritage has attracted people from all over the world, making of Florence one of the most popular tourist destinations. This has not always been the case though, at least for some years.
Thousands of soldiers were sent to Europe, and Italy, during the Second World War and Florence became a land to conquer and then to defend. Museums, churches, cathedrals, piazzas and other beauties of Florence were no longer the aim of those who came from far away. Sadly, many would not make their way back home and thanks to their lives, Florence, Italy and Europe could gain its previous freedom.
For those who want to pay homage to these lives, they can visit the Florence American Cemetery, located on the west side of Via Cassia, about 10 km south of Florence. The Rome-Milan motorway passes nearby and its Certosa-Florence exit is about 3 km from the cemetery. The “SITA” bus station provides a frequent bus service along Via Cassia. The bus stop is conveniently located just outside the cemetery gate.
The site covers seventy acres and is duly kept in perfect order, with a variety of beautiful trees and bushes around immaculate lawns, on the west side of the Greve River. Between the two entrance buildings, a bridge leads to the burial area where the headstones of 4.402 American military are arrayed in symmetrical curved rows upon the hillside. Most of them died in the fighting occurred after the capture of Rome in 1944, including casualties of the heavy fighting in the Apennines shortly before the end of the war. Above the burial area on the topmost of three broad terraces stands the memorial marked by a tall pylon surmounted by a large sculptured figure depicting the spirit of peace. The memorial has two open atria joined by the Tablets of the Missing upon which are inscribed the names of 1.409 Americans who gave their lives in the service of their country and who rest in unknown graves. The architects of the cemetery and monument were McKim, Mead and White. The landscape architects were Clarke and Rapuano.
The cemetery is open to visitors all year round. In Summer (16th April- 30th September) from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm, every day, and in Winter (1st October – 15th April) from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm, again every day.
Alberto is a staff writer of Florence Direct Hotels, a resource for Florence hotels bookings.