London is a fantastic city, it really is. However, it is a city comprised of endless queues, overpriced food, really good landmarks – we try to be unbiased here – it is a city to be seen, not experienced. If you go to Manchester you soak everything up; something which in the sprawling metropolis of London is difficult to accomplish.

If you want to see what England’s all about then a trip to Manchester is without doubt the ideal destination for you. And with it being thesixth best city to live in Britain, perhaps you may even consider laying down roots.

Below, we will sell the city like it has never been sold before. Rather than focus on landmarks, which, admittedly, the city is short of, we will look at its sporting institutes, the music scene, nightlife, and other tourist hotspots.
Sport
The sport scene in Manchester is something that put it on the international map. We have to start with Manchester United. Not only are they the most successful football side domestically, but they are valued by Forbes as the third most valuable sports team

in the world, with a value of a whopping $2.8 billion. Last season, United were sub-par aftetr losing their beloved manager Sir Alex Ferguson to retirement, as his replacement – David Moyes – turned out to be hapless.

This season, however,new manager Louis van Gaal has got things back on track, and United look certainties to return to the Champions League. Their home ground, Old Trafford, is well worth a visit. Being one of the 75,000 fans watching players like Wayne Rooney, Angel Di Maria, and Juan Mata is certainly a magical experience, especially if Rooney continues scoring wonder goals like the one he recently produced against Aston Villa.

Across town you have United’s bitter rivals, Manchester City.

History has always seen City play a secondary role to their bitter rivals, but the arrival of Sheik Mansour in the summer of 2008 has changed everything. With a wealth estimated to be over £20 billion, Mansour has turned City from perennial losers into title challengers; City are currently the defending Premier League champions. City play their games at the Etihad Stadium, which, although considerably smaller than Old Trafford, is a sublime stadium and a real architectural triumph. The sports village that the stadium is located in is awe inspiring.

Just down the road from Old Trafford, is another Old Trafford. Again, this is another impressive stadium, especially by cricket standards. This Old Trafford is the home to cricket side Lancashire, one of the oldest cricket sides in the English game. With the renovations of the stadium now complete, it is now a stadium on the cutting edge of modernity, enabling the stadium to host international games once again. If you have never spent the day at the cricket then you are missing out. Picture this: it is a glorious summer evening, there is some pulsating Twenty20 cricket going on at the crease and you have an ice cold beer in your hand, bliss doesn’t quite cut it.
Rugby also plays an important role in Manchester’s sporting DNA. In Rugby Union you have the Sale Sharks, while in Rugby League you have the Salford Red Devils.
Manchester even has a rich history in lesser-known sports. Belle Vue Stadium is of huge importance to the world of sport; it was the location of the first ever greyhound race around an oval track, while it also serves as the home of the Belle Vue Aces, a speedway team. Picking a winner in the greyhound betting is always a joyous experience, whilst watching speedway is also a pretty unique evening out.

Music
The music scene in Manchester is arguably more prestigious and appealling than the city’s sporting attractions! Before we discuss where to watch music, let us first talk about the talent this city has produced.
Joy Division, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Oasis, The Chemical Brothers, Elbow, New Order, and so many more are Manc natives. Type in “popular music of Manchester” into Wikipedia if you want your mind blown by musical prestige.

New talent on the cusp of making it usually end up rocking The Deaf Institute. Few places in the world can offer the same setting as The Deaf Institute, which is a renovated 1878 building. The main room has an extremely high ceiling, giving the place great acoustics, while the dingy basement downstairs gives for an immersive feel.

Not only is Manchester alive with the sounds of rock ‘n’ roll, it is also leading the way in Britain’s dance scene. The Warehouse Project attracts the best DJs from all over the world, as well as 5,000 dance hungry fans. The venue’s current placing of 19th in DJ Mag’s ‘Top 100 Clubs’ list should tell you everything you need to know about this raving mecca. If you love the feeling of base reverberating up your spine, you’ll love Warehouse.

Anywhere around Oxford Street in the city is jam-packed with live bars and clubs offering up the best music Manny has to offer; it is very much Manchester’s version of Camden Town. Finding live music in Manchester is practically as easy as walking into a bar.

The city loves music and musicians love this city. Together they ensure that Manchester is always rocking.

Nightlife

If you were fancying a night out but without the music then a trip to the Northern Quarter is essential. This, in essence, serves as Manchester’s main strip. Here you will find numerous traditional boozers, as well as more high brow cocktail bars and nightclubs. Interspersing these drinking houses are an array of lovely restaurants.

Anywhere around Oxford Street in the city is jam-packed with live bars and clubs offering up the best music Manny has to offer; it is very much Manchester’s version of Camden Town. Finding live music in Manchester is practically as easy as walking into a bar.
The city loves music and musicians love this city. Together they ensure that Manchester is always rocking.
Nightlife
If you were fancying a night out but without the music then a trip to the Northern Quarter is essential. This, in essence, serves as Manchester’s main strip. Here you will find numerous traditional boozers, as well as more high brow cocktail bars and nightclubs. Interspersing these drinking houses are an array of lovely restaurants.

However, if your funds are limited head to Fallowfield and Didsbury. This part of Manchester is where the students call home. The nightlife is cheap, but much more importantly, enjoyable. These lot know how to party, and, in all likeliness, they will probably invite you back for some afters.
Other Attractions
Retail therapy always helps when visiting a new place, and in Manchester you have one of the countries best hideaways. The Trafford Centre is absolutely massive; its food court is the largest in Europe! The centre, which channels the opulence of a Las Vegas mall, has 280 stores for you to choose from. Lack of alternatives does not exist here.
Another way to relax is to spend the afternoon in Heaton Park. This 600-acre green space is perfect for taking a leisurely stroll, or chucking a blanket on the floor and just chilling out.

Honestly, you cannot rave about Manchester enough. It has everything that a good city should have, and some. The only occasion visitors leave disappointed is due to the unpredictable nature of the weather, but sadly that is a countrywide endemic and it shouldn’t put you off visiting this wonderful city.

Cochem’s Reichsburg Castle (Creative Commons)

River Cruising through Europe

Europe is known to be an “Old World” and, as compared to America, it is. Yet, this is not to be understood as a bad thing and the truth is that any of the European countries can offer you with a unique experience. The best way to travel in Europe is on a river cruise because this will offer you with enough time to savor every single moment of your journey – and Europe is all about savory (and not just from the point of its cuisine). Thus, one of the enchanting Rhine and Moselle river cruises can be precisely what you need if you want to experience Europe at its truly finest.

What Will You See in One of these Cruises?

If you choose a river cruise on Rhine and Moselle, you will experience bits and pieces of Europe that will make for an absolutely unforgettable holiday. These cruises start in Basel, at the borderline between France and Germany. You will get to visit the gorgeous Black Forrest, the classy and important Strasbourg, Mainz and some of the oldest cities on the entire continent: Koblenz and Cologne. Even more, before you return home to the Great Britain, you will also make a stop in the exquisite and open-minded Amsterdam as well.

Cologne looks lovely from the water (Creative Commons)

Each and every single spot on your trip will definitely leave you with grand memories. There is something special about all the places in such a river cruise precisely because they find themselves at the confluence between two stunning cultures: the German one and the French one. This cruise can make for a great break from the ordinary, for a great anniversary gift and even for a very good honeymoon choice (especially for those of you who like being a bit adventurous and discovering something interesting and beautiful in every trip you make).

All in all, the experience of a river cruise in Europe (on Rhine, Moselle or any of its most important rivers for that matter) can definitely stick with you for decades. The flavor of the cuisine you will experience, the haunting beauty of the places you will see, the people you will meet, the impeccable service you will receive – all these things make for the absolutely perfect holiday.

Carpe diem (creative commons)

If you’re a visitor to this site, the chances are that you love to travel. But the chances also are that you aren’t currently travelling – but thinking about it instead. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

That’s because the best part about travel is in the mind. The real excitement, as with so many other things in life, often comes with the anticipation rather than the event itself. And the real appreciation often comes after the event in thinking back about its details.

In many ways, holidays are better before and after the real event – in the mind’s eye. For most people, a vacation typically lasts anywhere between and week and two weeks – maybe even three weeks if you’re feeling particularly reckless. For real travellers, on the other hand, the durations are usually measured in months, if not a year or even two.

When you look back on these experiences in years to come, you’ll always appreciate the things you actually did – rather than those you thought about doing but didn’t. This isn’t true for all things in life – but is generally true of travel.

Make your dreams come true (creative commons)

That isn’t to say you should be reckless and throw everything up just for a year’s travel. Instead, this is something to plan for in all areas of your life – but also to “carpe diem” whenever you can. You will always appreciate it and look back on it as one of your life’s great experiences.

And talking of seizing the moment; if you’re a football fan, there may well only be the one chance in this life to visit Brazil while a World Cup is on. For the record, it lasts from 12^th June to July 13^th and will surely be the greatest competition football has ever seen. Remember; the last time the World Cup was held in the country that has won the tournament more than any other was 64 years ago. The chance to say you were there isn’t one to pass up lightly. Currently, the home nation is the bookmakers’ favourite to win a sixth World Cup on home soil in the Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, on Sunday July 13^th – and what a spectacle that would be!

Grabbing such opportunities, if they really “do it” for you is partly what travel is all about. But it’s also about something deeper; changing the people we really are.

The most obvious time to seize the moment for a long tour or stay somewhere is when there’s a natural break in your life and you aren’t hell-bent on your career – so after College / University, or just before. But an increasing number of people are able to take career breaks or sabbaticals with their employer’s blessing, or simply between jobs.

Remember; travel isn’t simply about sightseeing or the experiences you have. Travel fundamentally changes you for the better – and this is change that is always with you afterwards. It changes the way you look at things, what you find important or trivial and, done properly, it makes you appreciate the simple things in life.

Bhutan by Jean-Marie Hullot

Bhutan is one of the most beautiful countries in the South Asia region. Tourism in Bhutan is increasing due to green lush meadows, scintillating valleys, picturesque snow-capped mountain ranges, flowing waterfalls, fertile valleys, wildlife reserves, dense forests, numerous temples, monasteries and museums. These natural wealth are the main attractions of the country. Globetrotters visit the small country to gather memories and spend their holidays in very lavish manner. This wonderful country has something for every tourist. The country is perfect for adventure lovers, pilgrim travelers, nature lovers, culture travelers, etc. People of all interests can visit the country and enjoy their vacation.

Bhutan offers endless opportunities for hiking, trekking, mountaineering, rock-climbing, and other adventure activities. Therefore, Bhutan is becoming very popular among adventure enthusiasts. There are many wildlife destinations and natural attraction sites in the country which makes it popular among nature lovers. Here are some of the popular attractions of Bhutan:

Wangdi Dzong: It is one of the most beautiful landscapes in the country located at the converge of the Punakhachu and Tang-chu Rivers. It is  beautiful valley that offers  rich pastureland for cattle and unbelievable views .

Tongsa: It is very beautiful location situated in the heart of Bhutan. The climate of the area is very pleasant and is seen as perfect summer retreat for visitors and is very popular with tourists.

Mongar: Mongar is a quickly developing area in eastern Bhutan. It is famous for its small villages where people live a very traditional way of life. It is also very popular with trekkers.

It is important to know that there are some rules to visit the country, therefore, you must contact with one of the local tour operators to visit Bhutan. There are many of these operators to choose from. They can help you plan the perfect visit for you. If you like trekking, or visiting religious sites, or even want to try and catch a glimpse of Bhutan’s famous Yeti, there are people ready to help you create the perfect vacation.

Bhutan also has a good team of interpreters and guides that are well versed in history and possess good communication skills. They are all certified who undergo training conducted by the Tourism Council of Bhutan. There are also guides who speak fluent Japanese, Thai, Chinese and other languages.

Bhutan, the Land of the Thunder Dragon, is a dazzling tour destination where ancient eastern cultures coexist with a western democratic way of life. Make your plan to visit today!