Bern Christmas Market

Experience Bernese Christmas Market which is a  long time tradition for this city.

Montreux Christmas Market

Montreux Noel traditional Christmas activities are set to give entertainment and fun shopping experience to visitors along with the visit Lake Geneva.

Zurich Christmas Market

During advent season, Zurich is full of cheery light and the sounds of the Christmas concerts are heard while the nearby River Limmat listens.  The atmosphere is filled with cinnamon and wine scents while  the Christmas market are being held.  Visitors can truly enjoy their travel and shopping with the festive celebration  

Strabourg Christmas Market

Strabourg is the capital city of Alsace region where the famous sandstone cathedral is located.  The biggest Christmas market hosted in Strabourg  is the “Christkindelsmarik” (the Alsatian word to define Christmas market), the oldest Christmas market way back in 1570 visited by many people in the heart of Petite France during the holiday season. 

At the Place Brogie city centre.  Christmas decorations, Father Christmas items, ceramic gift items, small figurines of nativity scene, other crafted toys, wide variety of Christmas food including St. Nicholas pastries and butter cookies.  Other attractions within the market area are street performers and Christmas carols in the air. 

Plan your travel in advance and pack your luggage for an exciting Christmas  shopping travel adventure.

More Christmas Markets:

European Christmas Markets: Traditional Swiss Christmas Shopping

Dutch Christmas Market Shopping

Mayans Stories

There once was a man very, very lazy. One day was flying a vulture. The man saw him quickly. The man told to the vulture: “Hey Vulture, come here! I do not want to work! Come here quick! I’ll tell you something! ” But the vulture did not want and not obey the man; then the vulture left, for many years, and the man was sad.

One day, again, the man went to work. The man had a wife, then she said, “if you’re not going (to work) will have to sell our corn fields.”

The lazy man, he went to work. But when he arrives to work in his field fails to work, only goes to sleep. When he awoke and saw the vulture he shouted, “Vulture, vulture, come here, I do not want to work!”

And the vulture came down. The man told the vulture: “Let’s change our bodies.” The Vulture accept what the man said and there he changed his body with the vulture.

“I tell you one thing, you will throw yourself three times. When you do this three times I will give my
wings, ” vulture said, and so did the man, he threw three times, and the vulture gave him his wings. Then the vulture said, “You saw how you’re going to get your food.”

“Okay” said the man, and flew away, and the vulture stood on the floor. Meanwhile, the man’s wife was waiting for her husband. The vulture came home. The woman said, “What’s wrong, why do not you come in

time? “.

The woman noticed the smell and said, “Get out of my house, you stink! ” The woman then grabbed hot water and threw it to the vulture, the vulture died there.

JUAN, comunidad XUXCH’E

Extract from Book “Once Upon A NIGHT … stories, legends, history from the mountains of Chiapas”

Basel is a city rich in history and during the holiday season, the place especially century old buildings are illuminated with glittering colorful lights and tall pine trees  to bring a welcoming and festive atmosphere.  There is also a big chance to experience a Swiss winter white Christmas.  For children, Basel’s  Christmas city experience is like a fantasy magical world.

There are more than a hundred different stalls and wooden huts selling traditional Swiss creations.  Traders from all over the region exhibits their quality arts and crafts for the visitors across the globe. Gifts of wide range of stylish hats, toys, jewellery, and food stuffs such as chocolates, cheese, cinnamon, spices, wines, breads, and other traditional goodies are on sale. Enjoy shopping on top shops along the streets with variety of items to choose from.  During the advent period, the sound of Christmas concerts and chimes are being heard to the delight of the visitors. 

Other Swiss Christmas Markets can be found in   Zurich and Bern, but the most  beautiful and exciting is the one in Basel.

Some students like the idea of students having several short vacations throughout the year. Having several shorter vacations would also make students feel happy. When there is only one long vacation in a year, visiting great places will be a difficult task as such places will be crowded. If there are several short breaks, then we can think of visiting such places whenever the place is not crowded. 

 During long vacations students forget almost everything that they have studied in the sessions before the vacations. In that case there is a plus point. If there is many short breaks, the chances of forgetting what we have studied in past sessions or classes is less.

When the holiday is long, students will feel bored as there won’t be left much interesting thing that they can in the second half of the vacation. That is when students gets spoiled going for drugs, drinking alcohols and all. It is also a difficult task for students to be in the college for long duration studying.

When there is only one long vacation, visiting a place of interest would be a difficult task due to overcrowding. If there are several short vacations, students can choose to go there whenever the place is not over crowded. Let us consider that a student wanted to visit a great historic place which is not very far from the place where student stays. Now at such time when that student is having vacation, I am pretty sure that almost all other university and school children will be having vacation if there is only one long vacation. So the place which is of everybody’s interest will be crowded. I don’t know about others but I don’t like overcrowding. Especially, we are going with our parent, there will be young people, who never care of what they speak. 

So instead if there are several shot vacations, there will be time when such place will not be overcrowded. At least there will be a vacation which does not coincide with vacation of any other colleges and universities.

Remaining for long duration in the college also gives lots of stresses, worries and tensions to the students. It would be really difficult to pass time without meeting friends and parents for such long time.

On the contrary, there are also disadvantages. Did you think about it? In case of boarding school, what about students who come from faraway places, it will be expensive for them to go home now and then. There are also risks involved in travelling. It would be inconvenient for the administration. 

Take a vacation to Valley Forge and you will have a great experience.  General George Washington trained his Continental Army here in the winter of 1777-1778.  Valley Forge is now a National Historical Park that consists of 3,600 acres.  It is located in Montgomery County Pennsylvania.  Montgomery County is full of history and a great vacation place.

Valley Forge is a very important part of Americas War for Independence.  There was a great deal of suffering, sacrifice and eventual triumph.  There were no battles fought here.  There were no charges made and no artillery fired.  Still 2,000 soldiers died at Valley Forge.  Some accounts say 6,000 died.  The enemy was the British but the weather, disease and lack of supplies.

The Artillery Park you will find rows of cannons and soldiers log huts that will remind you of that past and what happened at Valley Forge.

Valley Forge is a rolling hillside that is now full of flowering dogwoods that bloom in the spring.  At the National Memorial Arch you will find the Statues of General “Mad Anthony” Wayne and Baron Friedrich Von Steuben.  There is also the Monument to Patriots of African Descent.

General Washington’s original stone headquarters has been restored and is open to the public daily.  The Valley Forge Train Station has been restored and has an exhibit of Washington as commander in chief.

Valley Forge Park has designated picnic areas.  There are 28 miles of trails and 10 miles of horse trails.  The Joseph Plumb Martin trail is a little over 6 miles long.

It is best to begin your Valley Forge tour at the Visitor Center.  There are people there than can help you plan your park visit.  They can help you find hotels and restaurants.  The center also has a museum that contains artifacts from George Washington’s stay at Valley Forge.  They also have maps that will help you with your tour of Valley Forge.

There is a Valley Forge Canteen that is open during the tourist season.  The canteen has hot dogs, ice cream, soft drinks and several other items.

The Washington Memorial Chapel has displays on George Washington’s life.  There are also American history displays.  There are statues, carvings and huge stained glass windows.

If you like to ride a bicycle you should tour Valley Forge by using the bike trails.  They are well kept and a great way to take in the sites of Valley Forge.

Another great adventure is the 90 minute guided Trolley Tour.  The Trolley Tour stops at the Muhlenberg Brigade Huts and Washington’s Headquarters.

You visit to Valley Forge will be a great adventure vacation.  There is much to see and experience.  It is a great trip into the past.

Article sources:

http://www.valleyforgebikes.com

http://www.encampmentstore.org

Image via Wikipedia

  and check out some of the awesome museums we have to offer!

• Etowah Indian Mounds is a Mississippian site in Bartow County, Georgia, which includes three main platform mounds and three smaller mounds. The site is now the location of the Etowah Indian Mounds Museum.

• Kolomoki Mounds Historic Park in Early County, Georgia, is a site from the Woodlands Period composed of eight visible mounds. Today it is a National Historic Landmark and has a museum built around part of the original excavation.

• Ocmulgee National Monument in Macon, Georgia, was one of the major population centers of the Mississippian Culture and includes several mounds. Today there is a park with a visitors’ center, a reconstructed lodge and tours of the complex.

• Trap Rock Gap in Union County, Georgia, is one of the most important rock art sites in the Southeast. Once poorly managed and almost inaccessible, the site has now been redesigned and outfitted with interpretive signs to make an outdoor museum.

• Alabama has the Moundville site, which was inhabited from about 1000 to 1450 AD. Today there is a museum, gift shop, and nature trails.

• Russell Cave National Monument near Bridgeport, Alabama, was inhabited in several different phases, from the Archaic period through the Mississippian. Today the monument is open to the public, and it is free to tour the cave. There are various facilities and activities, a visitors’ center and walking trails.

• Louisiana’s Poverty Point Historic Site is one of the most important sites of the Archaic Culture. Now regarded as unique among North american archaeological sites, Poverty Point is a National Historic Landmark with a museum, special events and tours.

• Not surprisingly, Mississippi also has its share of Mississippian culture sites. One of the largest is Winterville Mounds near Greenville, Mississippi. Today 12 of the remaining mounds are under archaeological investigation, and there is a museum on the site. Admission is free.

• For those wishing to know the history of native Americans from their point of view, there is the Choctaw Museum of the Southern Indian in Choctaw, Mississippi. Located on a Choctaw reservation, this museum features exhibits illustrating the lifestyle and history of Southeastern tribes. There is a gift shop and admission to the museum is free.

• In Natchez, MS can be found the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians. This site features a museum, a reconstructed Natchez house and three mounds. There is a gift shop and a nature trail, and admission is free.

These places can teach the whole family about the ancient peoples who lived in this land. For a unique and interesting vacation, visit museums and learn about some things that rarely make it into the history books.

March itself is National Umbrella Month, Black Hole Awareness Month, Foot Health Month – and my personal favourite, National Noodle Month. Read on for a list of what you should be celebrating each day…

March 1: National Peanut Butter Lovers’ Day. Come on, why wouldn’t you want to celebrate your love for peanut butter? National Pig Day.Apparently the purpose of this day is ‘to accord the pig its rightful, though generally unrecognized, place as one of man’s most intellectual and domesticated animals’. I will say no more.

March 2: Old Stuff Day. Find something to do that you’ve never done before! I think this should actually be called New Stuff Day, but whatever.

March 3: I Want You To Be Happy Day. Be happy! The mysterious men in dark glasses over there want you to be happy!

March 4: Holy Experiment Day. A day to, so I hear, try praying for something and then see if you get it or not. Call me picky, but a touch blasphemous…?

March 5: Multiple Personalities Day. Get in touch with yourselves.

March 6: National Frozen Food Day. Anyone else think this was invented by a supermarket?

March 7: National Crown Roast Of Pork Day.I love pork as much as the next carnivore, but having a holiday to celebrate it? That’s just wei….. ok, who am I kidding, THAT IS AMAZING.

March 8: Be Nasty Day. It also happens to be International Women’s Day – but hey, never pass up a free chance to be nasty, right?

March 9: Panic Day. PAAANIIIICCC!

March 10: Festival Of Life In The Cracks Day. I have absolutely no idea what this may be – it was just too weird not to include. March 10 is also Mario Day – MAR10, geddit?

March 11: Johnny Appleseed Day. Being English, I haven’t the slightest idea who or what Johnny Appleseed is, but you go have fun celebrating it.

March 12: Middle Name Pride Day. O ye who hide an embarrassing middle name from your peers – flaunt it with pride!

March 13: Pluto Planet Day. New Mexico’s still rooting for the little guy.

March 14: Save A Spider Day. Pi Day. These two are self-explanatory, but I like White Day – celebrated in Asia, where males who received Valentine chocolates from females give them a gift in return, which is expected to be two to three times more expensive. Basically females get expensive gifts. What’s not to like?

March 15: The Ides Of March, celebrating the anniversary of the death of Julius Caesar. Poor guy. Also Buzzard Day and Everything You Think Is Wrong Day (can someone say ‘Matrix’?).

March 16: Everything You Do Is Right Day. I’m not arguing with this one. Also Lips Appreciation Day. Mwah.

March 17: National Common Courtesy Day. And possibly as an alternative to St Patrick’s Day, Spinach Appreciation Day!

March 18: Awkward Moments Day. I… er… um, that is…yeah.

March 19: National Chocolate Caramel Day. I wish this day was more widely celebrated. Mmm… chocolate…

March 20: Snowman Burning Day. Rotten Sneaker Day. Festival Of Extraterrestrial Abductions Day. THIS IS AN AMAZING DAY.

March 21: National Dance Day. Dance in those rotten sneakers.

March 22: International Goof-Off Day. As Young As You Feel Day. These two seem to go hand in hand.

March 23: National Chip and Dip Day. National Puppy Day. For what could be better than a combination of puppies and dip?

March 24: National Chocolate-Covered Raisin Day. Why are these so deliciously tempting?

March 25: Pecan Day. Waffle Day. Tolkien Reading Day - chosen due to the fact that this day marks the death of Sauron. Fellowship, unite!

March 26: Make Up Your Own Holiday Day. There are so many possibilities…

March 27: Viagra Day. Enjoy.

March 28: Something On A Stick Day. Corn dogs, toffee apples (candy apples), ice lollies… go wild.

March 29: Festival of Smoke and Mirrors Day. Apparently this is a holiday for celebrating illusions. Illusions are cool. I have nothing clever to say about this.

March 30: Death To Hornets Day. I can’t quite work out if this is a joke or not, but I can imagine one very angry and very stung man coming up with this.

March 31: National Clams On The Half Shell Day. I hope you like clams. Or you’ll be feeling sad and left out on what is of course an international day of riotous festivities celebrating… er, clams on the half shell.

…I don’t like clams.

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Since each of us are somehow different from every other person who is alive on Earth only you can make that choice of where you would like to spend the last years of your life. Then again, a retirement home can be purchased for as little as $40,000.00, which will be near shopping, restaurants, entertainment and access to quality health care. Your home can be a trailer, condominium, town house or even a free standing home within a community where you will have many things in common with the other people who live within that community.

However, it is true that golf front or ocean front property is more expensive than property that is miles away from the coastal areas. It terms of wanting to be safe from natural disasters, such as hurricanes and violent rain storms, the northern part of Florida is the safest place in which to purchase a home and also have relatively low living expenses. Such expenses include Real Estate taxes, utilities and other County taxes.

Being far away from those places where tourists travel to are the most desirable places to live. You can always hop in your mode of transportation and go to those places within a reasonable time and have as good a time as any other person. As a matter of fact, due to the depressed economy, an affordable home can be found within dozens, if not hundreds of, so called, retirement communities within the State. 

If you have a computer it is a simple matter to search for such properties right from the comfort of where you now live. What you do purchase depends on how you want to live during your retirement years. Then again, you might have a business that you want to relocate to that State. You might also be self-employed and can easily work within the comfort of your home, rather than purchase or rent a place in which to conduct business with the buying public. 

One thing for sure. When you are about to retire from the workforce, Florida should be one of the places to go in which to spend the last years of your life. It is also the place where you will, most likely, meet and make friends with people who have similar interests and can share in your Florida living experience for many years to come.

As it happens, many retired people like to go fishing or play golf, swim, window shop, go to theme parks, dine out, go to flea markets and antiques stores, play bingo, gamble in a casino and/or just take in the sunshine and/or relax without the fear that whatever you do will cost an arm or a leg to enjoy.

Good for you and maybe now you can do those things that you didn’t have time for because your family and your employer required your attention.

So now how do you spend your time, besides watching television and browsing in the shopping malls for items of interest? You might even be lucky enough to eat out every night because your retirement income allows you to do so.

I like all kinds of food. So now I have time to cook those meals that I’m most fond of. Yes you can learn how to cook and save a whole lot of money while you really enjoy cooking those meals that you and your wife or husband enjoy eating in those expensive restaurants. Then again, who really knows if the chef is disease free and his kitchen is as clean as can be?

Yes being retired means that you really are independent from those responsibilities back in the days when you had to go to work each day. Do you miss that part of your life?

In a way I miss being so active but I still manage to make some contribution to the well being of society. I got a computer and for fun and a few pennies of income each day, I write stories that are published on the Internet.

I also have a home media business. The software I purchased allows me to play phonograph records and tapes into my computer, from which I make custom music CDs for people. They love the music but they no longer can play their records because their record deck is broken.

Be that as it may, I enjoy music and I have a huge collection of records. So too, I have a huge data base in my computer from which I can provide CDs to those who desire the wonderful music from forty or more years ago.

If you like to collect thing like antiques, coins and stamps, you can also profit from your particular collecting interest by looking for bargains at flea markets and yard sales. In that regard, there’s a load of treasure just waiting to be discovered.

If you like adventure, an RV or mobile home is a great way to tour the Country. In so doing you can also go treasure hunting. No doubt, whatever you find will help pay for your traveling expenses, and you might even discover the Mother Lode.

Since I’m not you I can only offer a few suggestions as to how you use all of your free time but you should now have an idea of some of the other ways that you can wisely use your time and have a whole lot of fun. Good luck and stay healthy.