Bet you also didn’t know that the smiley was the design of an American artist. His name is Harvey Ballwell, but he died in 2001. He created the smiley face in 1963. In 1971, two businessmen used it in a campaign to sell novelty goods. They produced badges, coffee mugs, t-shirts and bumper stickers and suddenly smiley was worldwide. The Smiley name and logo is registered in over 100 countries to produce many different goods and services. Harvey Ballwell wanted to use his creation for a good cause. He decided that the first Friday in October each year would be World Smiley Day. The theme for this day is: “Do an act of kindness; help one person smile.” It’s a shame this day isn’t every day of the year.

Over the last year, we’ve heard a ton of rumors about what it might deliver with LTE, a taller display, and a designed connector being the most likely tidbits. Fortunately, we now can put all that speculation to rest as Apple spills the secrets.

Taller and thinner
As expected, the new iPhone is 18 percent thinner than the iPhone 4S. Apple says it’s the thinnest handset around, but that’s a race that changes often. That means it’s also 20 percent lighter for a total of 112 grams. The Retina Display expands from 3.5 inches (its size since the original iPhone to 4 inches). The total resolution remains the same, though, at 326 pixels per inch. The total pixel count is 1136×640 and we now have a 16:9 aspect ratio.

To the user that means a fifth row of icons on the home screen. That’s pretty nice since it will let you cut down on the number of home screens. You’ll also get a full 5-day week view in the calendar, the calendar shows more events, and all iWork apps will take advantage of the bigger display. Third-party apps that haven’t been updated will continue to work, but you’ll see black borders on each side (so they won’t be stretched or scaled). Apple also promises that widescreen movies will look better with 44 percent more color saturation than the iPhone 4S.

Touch sensors are now built into the display itself, which makes it 30 percent thinner as a result and less prone to glare.

LTE and carriers
Not a shocker either, but the iPhone 5 will support 4G LTE networks. That’s in addition to the current support for GPRS, EDGE, EV-DO, and HSPA data networks. LTE has a single chip for voice and data, a single radio chip, and a “dynamic antenna” that will switch connections between different networks automatically.

So which carriers will support an LTE iPhone 5? Well, in the United States that means AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon Wireless. So again, T-Mobile loses out. In Canada it’s Bell, Telus, Fido, Virgin, and Kudo. In Asia the providers will be Softbank, Smartone, Singtel, and SK Telecom. For Australia there’s Telstra, Optus, and Virgin Mobile and in Europe it will go to Deutsche Telekom and EE. On carriers without LTE the iPhone 5 will run on dual band 3.5G HDPA+.

A faster chip
The iPhone 5 will offer a an A5 chip, which is two times faster than the current A5 chip. Graphics will get faster speeds, as well. Yet, despite the speedier performance, the new chip will be 22 percent smaller than the A5. According to Apple’s specs, users will see Web pages load 2.1 times faster and the Music app with songs will load 1.9 times faster.

More battery life
LTE tends to be a power hog, but the iPhone 5 is set to deliver respectable battery life. Of course, the real story may differ, but here’s what Apple is promising for now. We’re supposed to get 8 hours of 3G talk time, 8 hours of 3G browsing, 8 hours of LTE browsing, 10 hours of Wi-Fi browsing, 10 hours of video playback, 40 hours of music, playback, and 225 hours of standby time. You can be sure that CNET will put these promises to the test when we get a device in our hands.

Camera

The main shooter, or the “iSight” camera, stays at 8 megapixels (with the best resolution being 3264×2448 pixels) with a feature list that includes backside illumination, a hybrid IR filter, a five-element lens, a f2.4 aperture. New is a dynamic light mode and you should be able to launch photography apps up to 2.1 times faster. Another addition is an image signal processor in the A6 chip. That will bring spatial noise reduction and a “smart filter” that produces better low-light performance and captures photos faster. Finally, there’s a built-in panorama mode that stitches shots together for one large 28-megapixel photo.

The secondary front camera now can shoot 720p HD video and it gets a backside illuminated sensor. And as we heard at the announcement of iOS 6 back in June, FaceTime will work over 3G cellular networks. Some carriers like AT&T have already announced restrictions for that feature so be sure to check with your provider first.

Video resolution remains at 1080p HD, though image stabilization has been improved and face detection is now available in clips for up to 10 people. And in a nice move, you can take photos while you’re shooting video.

Audio
The iPhone 5 gets an additional microphone for a total of three. You’ll find one on the bottom, on on the handset’s front face, and one on its rear side. What’s more, the speaker now has 5 magnets (so up from two) which is apparently better and it’s supposed to use 20% less space. The noise canceling feature should be improved, as well, and there’s a new wideband audio feature that promises more natural-sounding voices. Twenty percent of carriers will support wideband audio, but so far we only know that Orange in the United Kingdom will be among them.

Country Crooner

Singer, songwriter, musician. Born Taylor Alison Swift on December 13, 1989, in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania. Swift spent her early years on her family’s Christmas tree farm. Her grandmother had been a professional opera singer, and Swift soon followed in her footsteps. By the age of 10, Swift was singing at a variety of local events, including fairs and contests. She sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” at a Philadelphia 76ers game at the age of 11, and began writing her own songs and learning guitar at 12 years old.

To pursue her music career, Swift often visited Nashville, Tennessee, the country music capital. There she co-wrote songs, and tried to land a recording contract. Noting her dedication, Swift and her family moved to nearby Hendersonville, Tennessee, in an attempt to further Swift’s career.

A stellar performance at The Bluebird Café in Nashville helped Swift get a contract with Scott Borchetta’s Big Machine Records. She released her first single, “Tim McGraw,” in 2006, and the song became a Top 10 hit on the country charts. It also appeared on her self-titled debut album in October of that same year, selling more than 2.5 million copies. More popular singles soon followed, including “Our Song,” a No. 1 country music hit. “Teardrops on My Guitar,” “Picture to Burn,” and “Should’ve Said No” were also successful tracks.

In addition to commercial success, Swift received a lot of critical praise for her debut effort. She won the Horizon Award from the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Female Vocalist in 2007. Swift next released Sounds of the Season: The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection in 2007. Her renditions of “Silent Night” and “Santa Baby” were modest hits on the country charts.

Pop Stardom

In 2008, Swift was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best New Artist category, and won the Academy of Country Music’s “Female Vocalist of the Year” Award, the American Music Awards “Favorite Female Country Artist” award, and the American Music Association’s “Horizon” award. Around this same time, Swift released her next album, Fearless (2008), which hit the top of both the country and pop charts and stayed there for 11 weeks. By the end of the year, Swift had become the highest-selling country artist of 2008.

In 2009, Swift netted several awards for her work on Fearless, including “Video of the Year” and “Female Video of the Year” for “Love Story” at the CMT Music Awards. On September 13, 2009, Swift also won the MTV Video Music Award for “Best Female Video,” making her the first country music star to win an MTV Video Music Award. The win stirred controversy when rapper Kanye West leaped to the stage during Swift’s speech, took the microphone, and declared that R&B singer Beyoncé should have won Swift’s award. The stunned Swift was unable to make her acceptance speech, and West was removed from the show. When Beyoncé accepted her award for “Best Video of the Year” later in the show, she called Swift to the stage to finish her speech. West later apologized to Swift privately, and made a public apology on The Jay Leno Show.

If possible, the attention has made Swift an even hotter commodity. Her concert tickets now sell out in less than two minutes, and she is currently ranked as the 69th most powerful celebrity by Forbes magazine, with more than $18 million in earnings this year alone. She recently made her second appearance on comedy show Saturday Night Live, this time as both the host and musical guest. She has also been tapped for four CMA nominations in 2009—”Female Vocalist”, “Music Video of the Year”, “Best Album” and “Entertainer of the Year”— as well as six American Music Award nominations.

During much of 2008, reports circulated that Swift was dating Joe Jonas from the popular musical group The Jonas Brothers. Neither Swift nor Jonas has ever acknowledged the relationship. “He’s an amazing guy, and anyone would be lucky to be dating him,” Swift said at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards. Whatever their relationship, it seemed to turn sour by the time Fearless was released. The song, “Forever & Always,” is reportedly about Jonas. Swift was romantically linked to actor Taylor Lautner, one of the stars of the successful Twilight saga. The pair reportedly met while filming Swift’s big screen debut Valentine’s Day, which hit theaters in February 2010.

But as the Chili Peppers aged, their songs became more laid-back and lyrical, and the band went from flesh-baring firecrackers (a 1992 Rolling Stone cover featured them naked) to respected veterans.

After meeting at L.A.’s Fairfax High School, singer Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, guitarist Hillel Slovak, and drummer Jack Irons formed Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem before changing their name to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They became a popular attraction up and down the L.A. strip, though the early lineup was short-lived as Irons and the Israeli-born Slovak departed to form What Is This? Kiedis and Flea recruited guitarist Jack Sherman and drummer Cliff Martinez prior to releasing their eponymous debut in 1984. The album stiffed; Slovak returned, and the band took to the road, sometimes appearing onstage wearing only strategically placed tube socks.

The funk-heavy Freaky Styley (1985), the last album featuring Martinez on drums, was produced by P-Funk’s George Clinton and featured appearances by funk horn players Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley. The record went largely unnoticed at the time. Irons returned to the band in time for the more rock-oriented The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (Number 148, 1987), which sold better than its predecessor. Any optimism was shattered by the 1988 death of Slovak from a heroin overdose. Disturbed by Slovak’s death and Kiedis’ own heroin problem, Irons quit the band a second time. An interim band with P-Funk guitarist Blackbyrd McKnight and Dead Kennedys drummer D.H. Peligro did not take hold. Kiedis recruited a Chili Peppers fan, guitarist John Frusciante, and auditions brought drummer Chad Smith. This version of the band recorded Mother’s Milk (Number 52, 1989). With videos for “Knock Me Down” and a cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” on MTV, it looked like the Peppers were about to break through.

The band’s lifestyle came under some attack, though, with Kiedis convicted in 1989 of indecent exposure and sexual battery in an incident following a concert in Virginia. The next year during a taping of an MTV Spring Break special in Florida, Flea and Smith jumped offstage, with Flea grabbing a woman and carrying her on his shoulders, and Smith spanking her. The two were charged, and Flea was found guilty of battery, disorderly conduct, and solicitation to commit an unnatural and lascivious act. Smith was found guilty of battery.

The Chili Peppers scored their first major hit in 1991 with BloodSugarSexMagik (Number 3), which featured the single “Under the Bridge” (Number Two) and “Give It Away” (Number 73). Produced by Rick Rubin, the record was written and recorded in a mansion the band claimed was haunted. It sold more than 4 million copies, leading to their headlining Lollapalooza in 1992. Just prior to the tour, John Frusciante left the band and was replaced by Arik Marshall. Marshall lasted only a year and, after many auditions and one false start with Jesse Tobias, was replaced by former Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro. The 1995 release One Hot Minute (Number Four) went platinum but failed to generate the unparalleled excitement of BloodSugarSexMagik, precipitating a fallow phase in the band’s career. Flea joined Navarro for a 1997 reunion tour of Jane’s Addiction, and Navarro and Kiedis slipped back into old drug habits. Navarro quit the group in 1998 to pursue solo ambitions, casting the future of the band in doubt.

Instead of breaking up, however, the Chili Peppers invited Frusciante to return, the guitarist having recovered from a severe drug addiction. The subsequent album, Californication (Number Three, 1999), was a commercial and critical triumph. The Chili Peppers were back on top with hit singles “Scar Tissue” (Number Nine) and “Otherside” (Number 14) and a major tour that included a fateful show at Woodstock ’99, where the group had the dubious distinction of performing as a fiery melee erupted.

By The Way (Number Two) was released in 2002 and found Frusciante digging into the complexities of multi-tonal, layered guitar tracking. In 2006, the ambitious double album Stadium Arcadium (Number One) was the first Chili Peppers’ record to top the charts and earned the band Grammys for Best Rock Album, Best Rock Song (“Dani California,” Number Six), Best Rock Performance By a Duo Or Group With Vocal and Best Producer (Rick Rubin).

But for the occasional live appearance, the Chili Peppers spent the next two years on hiatus as Frusciante — with the occasional help from Flea — and Smith embarked on solo careers. Frusciante announced in late 2009 that he was leaving the band a second time to focus on other projects. The Chili Peppers’ follow-up to Stadium Arcadium is set for release in late 2010.

Unlike most major cities traveling in and out of Paris by plane is relatively simple due to the accessibility of Charles de Gaulle International Airport

A stay in Paris should always include at least three of the most popular Paris activities for visitors including: a visit to the Louvre — one of the most impressive and well known museums in the world, a climb to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and a climb to the top of Notre Dame Cathedral. If you have time, you should also climb the steps to the Sacré Coeur in Montmartre, stroll around the Place du Tertre, and visit the saucy Pigalle district. Take a walk around the Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter) — St. Germain, Boulevard, St. Michel — and bask in the creative energy of the street performers outside the Centre Pompidou.

In the neighborhoods of Paris you can visit Fontainebleau and Versailles, with its magnificent palace of Louis XIV, as well as Vaux-le-Vicomte and the inspiration for Versailles. All of these Paris activities make perfect day trips just about any day of the week.

Another wonderful sight that shouldn’t missed on your visit to Paris is the world famous Musee Picasso (Picasso Museum). At Paris’ Picasso Museum, you can browse through the famous artist’s masterpieces housed in one of the most significant private residences in the Marais’ the Hotel Sale. The Picasso Museum features a spectacular collection of Picasso’s works including drawings, sculptures, paintings, ceramics, and engravings, as well as the artist’s private collection highlighting paintings by Cezanne, Braque, and more.

Paris is full of surprises; the city even offers an interesting breakfast place called “Breakfast in America”. Located at 17 rue des Ecoles, 5th arr., this Paris restaurant is a great place to fuel up before a long day of exploration and energetic Paris activities. Just give it a try; you’ll be amazed at Paris’s take on American cuisine! For an authentic Paris breakfast, try any Boulangerie Patisserie for excellent Paris pastries and coffee.

Be your own Paris travel guide — take a walk and discover some of Paris’ treasures for yourself!

Top Ten Things to Do in Paris

Notre Dame Cathedral - A climb to the top of Notre Dame Cathedral also offers nice views of Paris, and if you have time, you should also climb the steps to the Sacré Coeur in Montmartre.

Champs-Elysees- The avenue runs for two kilometres (1.25 miles) through the 8th arrondissement in northwestern Paris, from the Place de la Concorde in the east, with its obelisk, to the Place Charles de Gaulle (formerly the Place de l’Étoile) in the west, location of the Arc de Triomphe. The Champs-Élysées forms part of the Axe historique.

One of the principal tourist destinations in Paris, the lower part of the Champs-Élysées is bordered by greenery (Marigny Square) and by buildings such as the Théâtre Marigny and the Grand Palais (containing the Palais de la Découverte). The Elysée Palace is a little bit to the north, but not on the avenue itself. Further to the west, the avenue is lined with cinemas, cafés and restaurants (most notably Fouquet’s), and luxury specialty shops. Aux champs Elysees run under the famous l’Arc de Triomphe the famous arch napolean built to honor his war victories.

Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter) — The Latin Quarter lies in the 5th Arrondissement around St. Germain, Boulevard St. Michel. Here, visitors can bask in the creative energy of the street performers outside the Centre Pompidou.

Strolling Along the Seine - This is the perfect place for a romantic walk along the banks of Siene. Booksellers and anglers are plentiful here.

Le Marais - Spend a day in Paris’s most fashionable district. Located on a collection of streets north of place de la Bastille, Le Marais is home to kitschy Paris hotels, funky boutiques, trendy bars, and unique Paris restaurants and cafes.

Musee Picasso (Picasso Museum) – Housed in one of the most significant private residences in the Marais Hotel Sale, the Picasso Museum features a spectacular collection of Picasso’s works including drawings, sculptures, paintings, ceramics, and engravings, as well as the artist’s private collection highlighting paintings by Cezanne, Braque, and more. Hotel Sale, 5, rue de Thorigny.

The Eiffel Tower - Climb to the top for the most spectacular views of Paris.

Dinner at Carra des Feuillants - This Paris restaurant, housed in a restored 17th century convent, features one of the France’s top chef’s, Alain Dutournier. 14 rue de Castiglione, near place Venda me and the Tuileries.

Arc de Triomphe - Located at the western end of the Champs-Elysaes, the Arc de Triomphe is the biggest triumphal arch in the world. It measures roughly 161 feet high and 144 feet wide.

The Louvre - One of the most impressive and well-known museums in the world. 99, rue de Rivoli.

Restaurant du Musee d’Orsay - The elegant and beautifully designed Belle Epoque room features panoramic views of the Seine and excellent, but reasonably priced French cuisine. This first-class Paris restaurant is located on-site at Musee d’Orsay.

The harbor, one of the best along this coast, was once filled with fishing boats; today it’s crowded with yachts, and the waterfront is the town’s de facto main street. Neighboring Ramatuelle has the peninsula’s best beaches—three long miles of scalloped white sand fronted by the Baie de Pampelonne.

WHEN TO GO

The season begins in mid-April, a lovely time of the year when the mimosas—the feathery yellow flowers emblematic to the South of France—are in bloom. The beach clubs open in May, and the sea is comfortable to swim in by late May or early June. While many old St. Tropez hands consider April and May to be among the most delicious months on the coast, connoisseurs prefer mid-September through October, when the summer crowds are gone and the Med is toasty. Les Voiles de St. Tropez, the late September/early October sailboat regatta that’s the gala end-of-season event, pulls a desperately chic international crowd. June is busy but bearable and July is ever more crowded, but August makes the little fishing port a no-go zone. Why? Bumper-to-bumper traffic, outrageous price hikes, and wannabes who outnumber movie stars and millionaires by an enormous ratio. Tip: If you want a Mediterranean holiday in August, do as the locals do and make for the Îles d’Hyères, the gorgeous islands 50 miles west of St. Tropez. They are peaceful even at the height of the season.

HOW TO GET THERE

St. Tropez hasn’t been marred by mass tourism like the villages around Nice, partly because there is no airport or train station in the immediate vicinity. Toulon, some 50 minutes away, has direct flights from Paris and Brest, as well as London, Rotterdam, and Brussels. The closest train stations are in Toulon and St. Raphael; direct trains to both cities from Paris take around four hours. Traffic is better from St. Raphael than Toulon. Hyères, the gateway to the Île de Porquerolles and Port Cros, is a 30-minute taxi from Toulon.

The canton of the same name hosts 1.3 million inhabitants and is thus the country’s most densely populated canton.

Zürich was founded as a Roman customs post (Roman name: Turicum) on the site of what is now Lindenhof in the year 15 B.C. From the 10th century onwards, it enjoyed the status of a town, and in 1218 was granted the rights of a free city. Rudolf Brun introduced a guild constitution after the downfall of the government in 1336. In 1351, the city joined the Everlasting League of the Confederates. After that, it grew increasingly in importance, especially under the rule of Mayor Hans Waldmann (15th century). 1519 saw the beginning of the Reformation under the leadership of Ulrich Zwingli.

During the 19th century, Alfred Escher transformed Zürich into a trade and business centre (machine and textile industry, banks, insurance companies, tourism), not in the least because of the founding of the Zürich Stock Exchange in 1877. This gave the city the fourth rank on the world’s list and made it into what it still is: Switzerland’s most important business centre and the world’s gold trading centre.

The Old Town consists of narrow streets which can be easily explored on foot. Along the riverside, you can find baroque guildhouses that tell their own version of the city’s past. Winding streets that show a nostalgic Zürich or maybe even expose the city’s fringe – just give way for the enthusiasm this inspirited and colourful (both with houses and people) city appeals. You will find a myriad of small boutiques, antique shops, bars and cafes in the Old Town on the left bank of the Limmat.

The main shopping area is concentrated nearby the main train station (‘Hauptbahnhof’). Stroll down the famous ‘Bahnhofstrasse’ – one of the most beautiful shopping streets in Europe – towards ‘Paradeplatz’ and the lake. Here you will find all sorts of elegant boutiques, department stores and specialist shops with a rich selection of high quality goods. When you feel like it, take a tour on the river so you can lay eyes on the nice skyline of Zürich.

If you are on a budget, you do not have to avoid the city. Try doing just the windows shopping on Bahnhofstrasse, but move over to the other side of the river Limmat for your catering needs. The Niederdorf offers plenty of cheaper places to buy, eat and drink. Although considered Zürich’s most touristy area, you still find some pretty genuine places here – just wander through the narrow lanes with their old houses, many of which date back to the 14th century.

Besides being a business centre and a shopping paradise (for the wealthy, that is), Zürich is known for ‘culture’: Old Churches, such as the ‘Grossmünster’ and the ‘Fraumünster’ with stained glass windows by Marc Chagall; art galleries with the finest collections, amongst them Chagall, Miro and Picasso and museums for all sorts of tastes. Try to stay at least two days. This will give you the time to explore not only the city by daylight but also Zürich’s exciting and varied nightlife, ranging from jazzy bars and popular discos to cabaret performances in smokey clubs.

If you plan to stay over night, Zürich offers a wide variety of amusements. There is not only the famous Schauspielhaus (which kept German drama alive during the 2nd world war), but some small but fine theatres with less well known ensembles that offer exquisite drama. As for a small city of less than  400,000 inhabitants, Zürich also has excellent movie theatres (for a price, though). Unlike in Germany, movies here are not dubbed and mostly shown in their original language with German and French subtitles – and usually you’ll see good copies.

However, if you want to get in touch with the aboriginals here, you have to make your way into areas like Aussersihl (Zürich’s still very lively working class district with plenty of good foreign restaurants and an astonishing diversity of people from all kinds of nations) or the newly developped center (‘Zürich West’) around Escher-Wyss Platz , which was the former inustrial area of the city. Here you find the “in” places: bars, restaurants, clubs, all of which are frequented by the locals and offering a more insider sight of the richest city in Europe.

Start off at station ‘Feldeggstrasse’ (Tram 4 from ‘Bellvue’ or Tram 2 from ‘Opernhaus’/Train Station ‘Stadelhofen’) and head down towards the lake. Down at the lake boarder turn left towards ‘Zürichhorn’(little land-nose in the south) and enjoy a nice walk. Just behind the Restaurant at ‘Chinawiese’/'Plattnerwiese’ is the Boat/Ferry landing place (Zürichhorn Casino) which Brings you back up to the central north.

Get off the boat at ‘Bürkliplatz’ to go straight ahead north to the ‘Bahnhofstrasse’ and see Zurichs famous Bank and Highlife shopping area.

Having a good view from above the City during night falling in and start exploring the old town (we call it the ‘niederdörfli’) with its bars and places, you might to want to go to ‘Polytherasse’, which is just infornt of ‘Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule’ (ETH, quite a famos Technical University):

to get there either walk/tram all the way up through the ~1.5Km Bahnhofstrasse up to the Main Train Station (‘Hauptbahnhof’) and over the Bridge to ‘Central’, or stay in the boat and cruise the river ‘Limmat’ along the Niederdörfli, and get off at ‘Landesmuseum’ (which is just behind the Train Station).
From ‘Central’ (btw. just the north end of ‘Niederdörfli’) there is either the Cablecar ‘Polybaehnli’ next to the Starbucks which takes you up to the Polythreasse, or Tram 6 up to ‘ETH’/'Universitätsspital’. (the Tramstation is just on the opposite of the building with the dome, so just walk around it).

Bus/Train/Boat should all be covered by the same City/Zone 10&11 Ticket, but anyway ask at the station for a map and timetable infos about the boat and maybe the Cablecar. If possible let yourself highlight the places mentioned above to get a feeling of the distances, Zurich is quite small .

Trnava has been indutrialized since beginning of 20th century. Recently it emerged as one of centers of Slovak automotive industry with big PSA Peugeot car plant built in 2005 and many smaller car components producers. Nuclear power plant is located close to the city near village Jaslovske Bohunice.

Forty-five kilometres northeast of Bratislava, and just 35 minutes by fast train, Trnava is one of the few towns on the plain to have survived with its walled-in medieval character intact. The town’s rich ecclesiastical history took off in 1543, when the archbishop of Esztergom and primate of Hungary moved his seat here, and reached its zenith during the Counter-Reformation, with the founding of a Jesuit university in 1635. When the Turkish threat receded, these institutions moved out, and, despite the re-establishment of Trnava’s archbishopric in 1990, and the frequent references in tourist literature of the town as a “Slovak Rome”, its golden days are clearly over. Nowadays, it’s a sleepy place, with a pleasant old town, a couple of very fine churches and a fairly good museum – enough for an afternoon or so, but by no means an essential overnight stop.

The Roman Catholic church and international trade have been Trnava’s two main historical influences for over seven centuries. The town originated as a market town, at a crossroads of international merchants and in the midst of extensive farming. Its key position led its fortification in the 13th century, most of which is still visible today. During the Turkish occupation of Hungary, Trnava was the seat of the area’s archbishopric and first university, though both later relocated to Budapest. Today by all accounts it boasts a higher ratio of churches to inhabitants than anywhere outside of Rome; and its location and easy accessibility give it Slovakia’s largest ratio of major multinational plants per resident.

Trnava is an important center of West Slovakia and is one of Slovakia’s oldest cities (13th century). During the period of the Turkish invasions, it was a religious center of Hungary, and became, as early as in the 17th century, a university town. Numerous buildings from this era earned Travna the nickname of “The Slovak Rome”. This historic center was surrounded by medieval town walls (Gothic). The old university occupies the northwestern part of the Old Town. The visitor can also admire the Clarist convent, the University Church of St. John the Baptist and the Franciscan Church of St. James. The Cathedral of St. Nicholas, constructed in the area around the fortifications in the second half of the 14th century, deserves special attention.

Trnava was already in the Middle Age a significant centre of extent Gothic sacral as well as profane architecture. St. Nicolas’ Church, St. Helen’s Church and church monastery complexes (Clarist’s, Franciscan and Dominican) were built in this period. Fertile plain of Trnava range of hills attracted man for ages to settle here. Existence of significant ancient commercial crossroads gave the town an impulse to be found. Across Trnava territory run two important roads, one from Czech to Hungary and another from Mediterranean to Poland.

Prague

The whole city is permeated by a romantic and decadent atmosphere with its ancient legends (Golem: supernatural creature, in argil, made by Rabbi Low to defend the Jewish community). Jewish Quarter is a jewel.

Prague is home to a wealth of incredible buildings, structures and monuments that span several eras. A wealth of architectural forms, ranging from Romanesque and Gothic through Renaissance and Baroque to Art Nouveau, Cubism and Deconstructionist, co-exist in an unusual harmony. The Czech capital was blessed in the sense that the majority of its man-made structures survived the Second World War.

Even the Socialist regime, with its penchant for cold strictly functional architecture, could not put a damper on Prague’s historical glow. In fact, in a jolie-laide way, there are socialist structures that serve to enhance the city’s attractiveness in the same manner as a mole is sometimes a beauty spot.

Seeing the city in all its glory requires several days. The centre alone has plenty of gorgeous and quirky details that can be missed if going strictly by a guidebook. Of course, such structures and locations as Prague Castle, Old Town Square, Charles Bridge, Lesser Town Square and Petrin Hill are must-sees. But quarters outside the centre, such as Zizkov and Vinohrady, also have plenty to offer to those interested in sightseeing, dining, and drinking some of the world’s best beers and wines. The zoo in Troja is also worth mentioning as its standards, along with its number of attractions, have been increasing on a yearly basis.

In Prague there is also the base of National Nederlanden or “Fred and Ginger”, the Dancing Building (Tančící dům) by Frank Gehry, and a great number of towers that give  you the best view of the whole city.

Prague is far more than just another pretty city. While those who want a restful stay will certainly find what they’re looking for, the city also boasts a rich cultural calendar and lively nightlife. Whether you want to spend a night at the opera, visit an art gallery, participate in open mic poetry performances, listen or dance to your favourite genre of music, chances are that on any given day or night you will find something that interests you.

As the quantity and quality of goods and services continues to rise (though one should still be careful when it comes to taxi and restaurant rip-offs), Prague has become a prime destination not only for tourists, but for expatriates as well. The city’s central location and the Czech Republic’s excellent train and bus connections make it an ideal base for those who wish to see more of the country.

Should you decide to visit Prague, rest assured that you will have to go to great lengths to get bored.

Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe especially due to its historical sights such as the Prague Castle, Charles Bridge or the Old Town Square . It is therefore not surprising that the number of tourists visiting Prague is increasing from year to year exponentially. Nowadays Prague is becoming one of the most visited cities in central Europe. Due to the increased incoming tourism activity the number of accommodation providers is increasing as well. You may find a large number of newly renovated hotels, bed and breakfasts, pensions and cheap hostels.

The highest tourism season in Prague is from April to October and during holidays such as Easter, Christmas ( in this period its local street markets are wonderful with many treats to eat such as “staroceske trdlo”, sausages and drinks such as mulled wine and warm mead ) or New Year’s. During the busiest season it is highly recommended to book your accommodation at least one month in advance, for the New Year’s even earlier.

The easiest way how to find accommodation is to the search the internet where you will find a lot of travel agents offering various possibilities of accommodation from cheap hostels and pensions to luxury 5 star hotels. You will usually find detail description of the hotel or apartment with pictures and rates. Most of the travel websites are not online connected with the accommodation provides so you will have to wait until the travel agent check the availability of your selected accommodation.

It is best known for its historical associations as the German capital, for its lively nightlife, for its many cafes, clubs, and bars, and for its numerous museums, palaces, and other sites of historic interest. Contrary to popular belief, Berlin is also home to many modern, upscale shopping areas filled with department stores and small boutiques that offer the latest in European trends and fashion.

Berlin’s architecture is quite varied: though badly damaged in the final years of World War II, Berlin has reconstructed itself greatly, and it is now possible to see representatives of many different historic periods in a short time within the compact city center, from a few surviving medieval buildings near Alexanderplatz, to the ultramodern glass and steel structures at Potsdamer Platz.

In addition, there is no city in Europe that parties harder than Berlin; the nightlife of most cities is tame in comparison. There are lots of great clubs and dance parlors.  You only need to ask around to find the most popular hotspots in town. Most of the usual good places to go are in the center of Berlin (Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg, Kreuzberg), but the eastern part of the city has all the nightlife. Berlin has also played host to the ”Love Parade,” an outdoor rave that attracts millions of people from around the world who dance to rhythmic techno and electronic music and crowd the streets at night.

Berlin is also perhaps one of the greenest cities in Europe: over 60% of its surface area is either a park or a river… it has even more bridges than Venice!

Berlin has an amazing number of sights, although it is not as centralized or small as other European cities. Sometimes the best things about it have nothing to do with landmarks: simply strolling along one of hundreds of charming streets complete with cafés or sipping a “Berliner Weisse mit Schuss (shot of either raspberry juice or other)” at a beach bar along one of the city’s many rivers can be pleasurable enough. The Berliners you’ll meet will often be friendly and extremely helpful, although you may also encounter the famous “Berliner Schnauze,” a certain brusqueness that can seem rude.