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After hearing mixed reviews of the Polish capital, I decided that it would be worth checking out. I headed there from Krakow and though first impressions weren't the best [the Central Train Station was quite ugly], my mind was changed once I got to discovered the rest of the city.

The area known as Srodmiescie, with it's skyscrapers and modern buildings blends in with XIX century tenements and eventually the city's historic core, which can be reached by walking up the colourful promenade known as the Royal Route. It looks quite original and I have to say that the conservationists did a good job reconstruction the street. The Old Town and New Towns are interesting as well, offering everything from over-priced dining and junk to really good Italian Ice Cream. All in all, it's a nice place to idle around.

The city itself is one that is in a state of transformation. The grime and greyness that so many associate with it is slowly being replaced with glass and steel and fresh paint. In 10-15 years, it'll be a totally different place. Though it's not Krakow, I recommend Warsaw, especially if you enjoy modern architecture.

It's such a wonderful Island...I live there, but right now I'm an exchange student here in USA.

There are attractions for all kinds of tastes. Great beaches. Good to surf, and play a lot of summer sports. Also one of the most famous place to sendboard. Very fun. It's very close to snowboard.

The nights are perfect!!! A lot of night clubs, Bars, show houses, movies, theatres.

Sao luis is also a historical city. Downtown you can see old French and Portuguese buildings, and all kind of artcraft.

Cracow is, in short, awe inspiring. Unlike Prague, which sold it's soul and compromised it's cultured beauty with white-wash and sparkling red roof tiles, Krakow retains its atmospheric, laid back charm, yet at the same time manages to offer the visitor everything that Prague does, minus perhaps the sleazy sex shows. Krakow seems, on the whole, much more refined and artistic, ranking with the sleazy Prague and bustling Budapest as a Central European jewel.

Wawel Castle and Cathedral, Market Square, Old Town, St. Mary's Basillica, Florianska Street and Jewish Quarter give any beautiful European city a run for it's money. Don't miss this spot, you'll be impressed by it's charm and delightful beauty will have you wanting to know more and perhaps visit again.

Appart from being a beautiful place Saltaire is also a truly remarkable one. In a time that was notorious for the poor treatment of employees by mill owners Sir Titus Salt built a self contained village around his mill to house his workers. In addition to houses and streets, which are all named after members of his family, he also built churches, schools, parks, etc... today's employers should take note. Although the houses have been in constant use since they were built the mill itself was in ruin until a few years ago but now contains shops, cafe's, business' and even art galleries (the David Hockney collection is housed in Salts mill). On a strip of land between the river Aire and the Leeds-Liverpool canal is a section of the mill that has been converted into apartments. If you walk accross the foot bridges into Roberts park there is a good view of this secondary mill across the wier. Sir Titus was a Temperate man and there are still no pubs allowed within Saltaire village. Although there are several on its boundary.

We walked past a line of sidewalk vendors selling bread and pastry, fishing boats offering fish for sale, and a ferryboat terminal, disgorging crowds of people.

We had only a precious too few hours to visit Süleyman (Blue) Mosque, St. Sophia Mosque, and shop in the 4,000 stall Grand Bazaar. As we walked back to the ship we again crossed the bridge over the Golden Horn. It was meal time, the restaurants were filling with hungry patrons, fishermen were still selling fish, street stands were still selling pastries, the ferryboat terminal was still disgorging passengers.

Those street scenes will be there for us to enjoy when we return to this city, the most enthralling of the 124 ports we have arrived at, or departed from, on a ferry or cruise ship.

Downtown Bern is outstanding, blocks of arcaded shopping streets, with a beautiful 16th century clock tower in the middle of the main street. Around the city we saw many very nice houses and apartment buildings, and the countryside and the Bernese Alps (mountains), within 50 miles of the city, are exceptional. After several visits, we think Bern would be our favorite city to live in Europe.

The city name, Bern, means bear in German, so we went to see the famous bear pits, where the bears sit up and beg for food. The day we were there, they especially liked to eat carrots.

If you do get the chance, to go up to Jungfraujoch: The Top of Europe. SBB will take you up to the bottom of the mountain, and then a special train - which is very expensive at CHF150- will take you up to the observatory known as Top of Europe. I was fortunate to get a very special deal, where I commuted all the way from Geneva at about CHF189. There are scientific experiments being undertaken up there, including global warming, pollution, oxygen levels and so on. The view is amazing, absolutely stunning views of glaciers and green, especially in May and September. This is Switzerland at its very best. You can ski, use discs as surfboards in the perpetual snow at 10,000ft. Take in the Eispalast, a beautiful museum of ice carvings, and two levels of viewing, the Sphinx area being the better one. The restaurant is not bad either. This was one of my most memorable trips.

We visited the house where the painter El Greco lived and worked for years. Many of his paintings were on display. In one set of 12 pictures, each of the Apostles had small parts of each picture unfinished. For example, there would be a hand, but no fingers. While we were there, some important looking officials arrived for a tour of the museum. They rode in a large limousine, complete with guards and guides.

We drove down a street into a small plaza and found several narrow streets came into the area, but only one seemed to go out. As we were trying to decide what to do, a small truck about our size went through, so we followed, then found we had plenty of room. That is, about 2 inches between each mirror and the buildings.

I presently live in Kansas City, but I was born in Slovakia. In 1996 I visited my parents who live very close to Spissky castle. One afternoon I decided to go and see the castle with my family members because I planned it for years. I took several pictures during our visit and whenever I have a chance to show them here in Kansas City to my friends or aquintances they are amazed how unique and beautiful this place is. It makes me feel good that UNESCO took notice of the castle because this "jewel" of Eastern Slovakia, so dear to my heart, is heritage not just to Slovaks but to the whole world.

It goes without saying that this cathedral is an astonishing example of medieval architecture. The 12th (?) century stained glass windows behind the altar were a great surprise to me. I have never seen such a masterful use of color and light. It was a very moving and spiritual experience to see tthese depictions of Christ in stained glass.

I find it interesting that Jokhang is listed as a World Heritage site. While Jokhang is very significant, the present one in Lhasa is rebuilt. Original Jokhang or Tsuglakhang was almost completely destroyed by the Chinese invasion and during the Cultural Revolution. The complex was rebuilt in the 80s to the current state.

I have been fortunate enough to be in Guadalajara, Mexico. Not only the Hospicio Cabañas, but all the BEAUTIFUL colonial buildings downtown (Degollado theater, the Cathedral, the goverment palaces, the expiatorio temple, and a long etc) are impressive. The frescos inside the Hospicio Cabañas are a must see. That whole city is full of history and beauty. Guadalajara has uniqueness and character. Everyone should get the chance to go there! And the night life there... there is always something going on.

I was in Kandy for one year stint as an expatriate in year 1998. Kandy is a small, serene and hilly city with a big man-made lake in the center. Its climate is perfectly nice for me. Ooops..Tamil Tiger suicide bombers bombed the temple of the tooth few days before I arrived at the city.

Kandy is like Mecca to Muslim, a holy city visited by many Buddhist worshippers especially on 1st and 15th day of the lunar calendar. The rooftop of the temple is coated with the gold sheet.

The annual grand parade or processing in somewhere June or July is an unforgettable event, not found in other part of this world. Singhalese dancers in traditional gears performing traditional dance and music in acrobatic movement to entertain bystanders and a platoon of elephants carrying Buddha tooth is truly eye-opening experience. This grand processing usually last for three long weeks!

Wesak day is a big celebration day to Singhalese people. Almost every house is decorated with lantern made from the bamboo and white paper.

Kandy botanical garden is a beautiful and magnificent tropical garden. Watch out for the countless of fruit bats hanging upside down on the treetop. Bad thing is foreigners need to pay 10 times more entrance fee than local folks.

Bull carts and elephants are still a mode of transport to some local people. Don't be panic when you see elephant is blocking your four wheels car. Lastly, I hope my friends in Sri Lanka can email …

Madagascar is not quite African and not quite Asian, but rather a land unto itself. As the world’s fourth largest island, the country is generally known for its delightful lemurs and bewildering Baobab trees. And while I wanted to meet those lemurs and walk under those Baobabs, Madagascar attracted me for another reason—the Tsingy de Bemaraha.

My traveling companion, Herr Kuls, and I landed in Morondava, on the western coast, on a bright May morning. Our guide Patrick met us off the plane, and introduced himself in excellent English. Morondava is a sandy, little place. The kind of beach town that tries to put on a happy face, but is poor and indicative of the difficulties Madagascar faces. We drove directly to our hotel, kicked off our sandals and settled in. Patrick advised us to rest up for the next day. Looking out towards the beckoning beach, we told him that wouldn’t be a problem.

The stars were still twinkling when a 4x4 truck picked us up before dawn. Our driver, Monsieur Jackie, was to drive us to Madagascar’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Tsingy de Bemaraha, located approximately 145 miles (235 kilometers) away. En route, Patrick informed us, we would also see the famous “Avenue du Baobab.” Tsingy itself is a collection of improbable limestone karsts, pinnacled (“tsingy”) formations. These dangerously jagged, highly eroded pinnacles form an amazing forest, unlike anything, literally, on Earth. Our journey was to see, first-hand, these distinctive formations and walk inside the extraordinary …

I visited Sian Kaan with a tour group from Alltournative in a jeep in 8/01. It was really a fun trip although it had rained extensively the day before and parts of the road were almost totally flooded out. Luckily no-one in our group got stuck in the mud! Punta Allen was beautiful and we had lunch there and then snorkeling. Fantastic! We also explored some of the mangroves by boat. I highly recommend this trip.

If you could design the interior of heaven you would use the Pilgrimage Church of Wies as your model. This small rococo church is over-the-top beautiful. When you walk in your jaw drops as wherever you look you see one ostentatious scene after another. In a word: Magnificent!

The old city of Edinburgh is a world heritage site by itself. The attractions include the Castle on the hill overlooking Princes Street (Oxford Street of the Scottish Capital), Palace of Holyroodhouse, The Royal Mile in between, Arthur's Seat (an extinct volcano) in Holyrood Park, St Giles Cathedral (small for a cathedral but containing the chapel of the Knights of the Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle), The Firth of Forth, the University, St. Mary's catholic cathedral, numerous other old churches, the street where Sean Connery was born and was a milkman(he doesn't live there any more). I was there during the Festival in August, which is the largest Art event in the world. The city swells up in population as people from all over the world come to join in the festivities. You will never be bored because of the thrilling sounds of the bagpipes wafting over the hills. Don't miss the Military Tattoo if you can help it. They call it the "Greatest Show in the World", P.T. Barnum notwithstanding. The well-travelled Irish flautist James Galway once said that this city is his favourite city in the world.

Dear Els Slots,

This is one review I never thought I would write, enthusiastic as I am about this city, concerned that it maintain the atmosphere that I enjoyed so much during a four-day stay in 1996, and not eager to see it ovewhelmed with people who would not appreciate it, including the elegant and friendly bar I happened upon. The friend I was with and I agreed that we would tell no one about this place. I know you will understand. However, since it is on your site, I will say something about it.

As long as I have known who Rafael of Urbino was, it did not dawn on me that this would be the same place, when I drove down from Ravenna to Pesaro (wonderful lunch there) and up to Urbino. It is the home of the invisible University, housed as it is in the existing monasteries and other church buildings from its magnificent past.

I found Raphael's home, and could imagine the charmed life he must have lived there, the youth and adolescence he experienced until he attained something like adulthood, such a short adulthood. I had never known before what it would have been like to be an Italian aristocrat of the Renaissance. I know now.

The chapel of San Giovanni contains one of the most striking and effective frescoes I have ever seen; called "curious" in Michelin, but much more than merely curious. That fresco is worth a trip to Italy. The chapel is …

This Park is located in Northern Region of the Central African Republic is a diverse and magic place worthy of its place on the World Heritage Site.I worked there as part of an EU project called PDRN, I lived in one of the projects locations called Manovo in 1997.The other bases were at Gordil, Biroua, Ndele and Sangba.The project was an EU funded projetc managed by an International staff employed by an organisation based in Brussells called AGRER, working in partnership with National staff from the Department of Water and Forests.I was responsible for the training of anti-poaching units who were responsible for the security of the wildlife and habitats within the Parks boundaries.Unfortunately the are no longer rhino in the region having been totally removed by poaching.The remaining Hippo and Elephant are under severe poaching threat and will follow the rhino if action to secure their environment is not met.Unfortunately the country is not stable enough to support a tourist trade in the northern region.If the stabilty of the region were to change for the better and tourism infrastructure improved this Parc will offer a treasure of natural beauty and wildlife not witnessed in many parts of Africa.

To get to CAR from Europe fly from Paris with Air France to the Capital Bangui or with Air Afrique again from Paris.The SOFITEL in Bangui is the best Hotel to stay in, situated on the banks of the Oubangui river.But you need to check the situation regarding safety to travel …

The Palau de la Musica is an amazing building. Guided tours are offered on a daily basis, but the best option is to try and get tickets to a concert during your stay in Barcelona. The Palau is easy to find, just off Via Laietana, (nearest Metro: Urquiniona) and a short walk from the Cathedral.

Hospital Sant Pau is an excellent example of modernist architecture. It is free to enter the gardens, where you can observe the different buildings which are still in use. The nearest metro is on the blue line (Sant Pau), but I would recommend you combine this visit with one to the Gaudi cathedral (La Sagrada Familia). The two sites are close. You can walk from one to the other along Avenida Gaudi in less than 10 minutes.