Daily Travelling News

In any moment Russia is ready to enter a visa-free regime with the countries of the European Union, but only on the mutual basis. Such information was declared by Vladimir Putin.
Russian president has told that Russia is ready to enter a visa-free regime at any moment. According to Putin’s words the only problem is that their partners in the Europe are not ready for this yet. The President has emphasized that the Europe should be the continent without borders, and it is necessary to aspire to this. And no matter whether it would be the visa regime facilitations or visa-free regime, all this should be done on the mutual basis.
If Russia will continue to cooperate with the EU, it will finally lead to a visa-free regime. The visa-free regime is good for everything but not only for the development of tourism.
It is worth of mentioning that last week Russian government and Euro Parliament have ratified the agreements on the facilitated order of visas reception to students, scientists, journalists, sportsmen, officials and of some other categories of citizens.

The institute of public safety of Rio de Janeiro state warns the citizens and tourists of the raised danger of robberies in city streets during a carnival. According to institute, in February 2006, 130 people every day became the victims of robbers. Since 2003 the index of criminality has grown more, than on 150 %. The city authorities have taken emergency measures. More than 30 thousand policemen, that on 18 % it is more, than during the last carnival, were appointed to guarantee security in the streets. The roads leading in Rio de Janeiro are being patrolled by one thousand traffic police agents, sent from the capital, and the special militarized divisions on struggle against criminality.
In general the fun, reigning in city, some strike of uncertainty and a pressure nevertheless can be felt. It was felt, in particular, on the carnival opening day on Friday in the center of Rio de Janeiro, when participants of masquerade processions recollected the recent tragedy, which has shocked all country - murder of 6-year-old boy. During the car robbery (the car belonged to his mother) the boy had no time to unfasten a seat belt, and robbers have dragged him, hanging outside of the car, in the streets of the city for the seven kilometers.
In memory of the kid the participants of the carnival have distributed white roses to counter passers-by under the sounds of a “Flag of truce” march - the slowest melody of carnival repertoire.
Today the basic part of a carnival has started in Rio de Janeiro. Ten schools of a samba are take part in competition for the right to get into the “Special group” for the next year.
The competition is expected to be very serious if to consider that eight competitors among these applicants in different years have already entered into the highest carnival league.

Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland. This charming city is situated in a district of mountains and rivers. We recommend you to visit Belfast Castle (built in 1879) and City Hall, known for copper dome and sculptured pediment.
Limerick is also the especial place of interest. Now this 800-year-old castle of King John is transformed into a museum.
If you are going to Dublin, you should search informative sign with the word Dublin or Bale-aha-Kliah, as it refers to in Irish style. The old part of city is especially interesting to travelers. It is insignificant, but you can find a lot of curious objects there.
Newcastle is a small seaside resort. It is known for the Golf Course and Dandrum Castle, built in the 12th century and becoming a famous historical museum due to its protogenic status.
The main temple of the Irish Catholics - sacred Patrick’s magnificent Cathedral - is well-known for the bells, stained-glass windows and church clock. This saint place is famous by the fact that since 1713 till 1745 Jonathan Swift was the prior of the Cathedral.
All travelers, irrespective of predilections, admire well-known “Dublin doors”: bright colors, carved jambs, a stucco molding, and any door it is not similar to another. Such variety has arisen after the rich Englishmen in XVIII century have built heap and absolutely similar houses in the Irish capital. The poetic Irish soul was indignant and has tried though partially to win monotony.
And still Dublin is the piers, breakwaters, the fishing uniforms, a smell of fried cods, reaching from restaurant windows, ferries, arriving from Liverpool. Here you will infrequently meet the bright-red person.
But all Ireland is also an island, so, it means the sea: Atlantic Ocean -in the West, Irish sea-in the east, besides, and on the island is set of lakes and the rivers. Also it would be strange, if Irish were not inveterate fishers.

The traditional spring carnival has started on Friday evening in Nice - one of the most popular resort cities of France.
The honorable right to open national holiday, being celebrated already for the 123-rd time, has been given to the president of the country, and is more true - to his 13-meter double made of a dense paper tense on a metal skeleton and covered from above by a thin film as protection against the rain.
“King of a carnival”, dressed up in a blue-white vest of French Rugby football team, holding an oblong ball in one hand, and  beer in other hand, and topped with gold crown, has solemnly proceeded on a chariot on the well-known Nice quay. Dancers of folklore were cheerfully dancing and the dressed up pupils of local schools brought up the rear.
On Saturday evening the double of Chirac will again head carnival procession.

If somewhere also there is a fantastic emerald country, it is, certainly, Ireland. It is difficult to say, who exactly has painted it in emerald color (whether great and awful Goodwin, whether local house painters in a green special clothes, whether the nature-mother, whether all together), but only other tones in the Irish palette are not almost met.
The green trees twisted by ivy, and the same green ivy on cable columns and walls of ancient buildings. Green planes of national companies Aer Lingus and Aer Rianta. Green post cars for cleaning dust; green school uniform and road workers in green waistcoats; a heap of green souvenirs in each booth. And at last, infinite green pastures with unimaginable quantity (no, all the same not green) of sheeps and cows.
It is possible so state that this country has only spring, and winters do not practically happen. Summer is usually not hot. Short rains during sunshine obligatory finish with rainbow. The climate is soft because of warm current Gulf Stream, and the year is always “green” in the valleys protected from winds, and laurels, rhododendrons, oaks, the Mediterranean tree strawberry and even palm trees grow along the road. In Dublin it is possible to see a blossoming tree even in December-January. Sometimes you may fell that you are in Israel, but not in the UK…
It is said that green color calms and it is exclusively good for nervous system. Looking at Irish, it is easy to believe in this: they do not spoil to them and other people’s nerves on trifles and, apparently, almost they always stay in good mood.
How to travel across Ireland
Ireland is such country in which it is better to travel by car. Bus and railways are not so developed; therefore you can’t manage without the car. Problems with service are not present, in each city, as well as everywhere in the Europe, you can find the centers of the tourist information where it is possible to get cards and any necessary data. And don’t forget about the Irish! They are very kind and everyone will try to help you.

Any road can be unsafe to a certain extent. But some roads are really very dangerous. An old road in Bolivian province Yungas (North Yungas Road) is considered as the most dangerous road in the world and is known as “Road of death”.
Annually the road “takes” lives of 100-200 people. According to one of the sources, the road has been constructed in 1930th by Paraguayan prisoners. Other people say that here it was built by the American building company in the middle of the last century.
The road goes down from the height of 3, 6 thousand meters up to 330 meters above sea level. Here there are very abrupt slopes, a slippery and dirty covering. Sometimes, two cars can’t part on this twisting and extreme road, so, it makes drivers to stop, go forward, to take a reading by estimation of the situation and to agree on further actions.
By the way, one of local road rules orders to the driver of a going down car to keep external line of road, and the priority of right travel is always given to climbing uphill transport. The most interesting is that even one lorry can somehow to find necessary place on the road, besides, that lorries and buses is the basic transport on the “Road of death”.
During the journey the drivers should deal with not the most favorable meteorological conditions: the cool plateau of the Andes with monthly average temperatures from 6 up to 11 degrees is replaced by damp jungle of Amazon. There, the road is not only narrow, but it is also very slippery. Asphalt covers only the first 20 kilometers of the way, the rest is a dirt and clay. Also do not forget, that a motor-vehicle park of Bolivia is a very old car park with worn out cars and busses with the erased trunks.
Because of dense fogs it very often happens so that the road becomes visible only in some meters forward. And then it is necessary to move very slowly and accurately. By the way, tropical downpours often provoke landslips, and the piece of road can simply be washed off. So, here is the recipe of fatal fear.
However North Yungas Road is one of few routes connecting northern Bolivia with the capital, therefore its exploitation does not stop even for a day. The danger of the road has made its popular among tourists.
Many people come here to lift a level of adrenaline in blood, having gone down on it on an off-road car or a mountain bicycle. Not all of them come back. But those who have managed to pass it and to survive, compare this route with the conquest of the Everest. And usual inhabitants of Bolivia continue “to submit” this road every day.

Since autumn 2007 a new procedure entry visas registration for Malta is to be implemented. Such changes are caused by Malta’s membership in EU and preparation of all Maltese external correspondence in accordance with the Schengen standards. Now visa regime for Malta will be more complicated: copies of passports of tourists will be forwarded to Malta and then the visa receipt confirmation will be sent back to the embassy of the interested country, finally, the visa will be pasted into the passport after an arrival on Island.
Tour operators of the Maltese direction confirm that they have known about new visa regime implementation for a long time before the officially informed data and give different comments and forecasts concerning the consequences of such changes.
While full data on requirements are not present, it looks like the information on salary, incomes, real-estate and other papers will be required. All experts do not see the bases that Maltese council has raised cost of the visa (now, Maltese visa costs 30 euros).
In the nearest future the United Arab Emirates visa regime also will be changed: the price of visa will be a little bit higher and the validity of the visa will also be prolonged. The visa regime and visa’s validity prolongation will be facilitated.

Recently, a system of new hotels’ “stars’ estimation” has been introduced. Nowadays, such questions as how much the hotel cares of the smallest visitors; whether it possesses all necessary services for their high-grade rest are becoming more and more important.  However, the category of hotels’ stars is defined not by the presence “necessary” services, but of luxury surplus.
The best hotels offer special rooms for kids and teenagers, special SPA for children, tiny umbrellas on a beach. In San-Francisco Personality Hotel recommends to lodge the child in a room with the intercommunication door with parental room. However, children’s room, would significantly differ from the parents’ room by its special design, or any interior peculiarities, such as, for example, presence of the huge flat screen for viewing animated cartoons at children’s room, a microphone for a karaoke, a case with a set of the surprising things suiting changing clothes in children’s favorite cartoon or fairytales’ heroes: from a boa in solar glasses up to a parrot in ostrich’s feathers. The music, loaded into the iPod, will also be chosen according to the children’s tastes.
Precisely the same services are offered in family rooms of Ritz Carlton Hotel in Boston. And a group of Swissotel has developed a special concept of “children’s room” under the motto “Children are happy - rest is successful!”. The stuff management tries to offer more “children’s rooms” in the hotels, though such pleasure this rather expensive.
Usually hotels try to find the conciliatory proposal: to satisfy their “small” visitors and their parents at the minimal expenses. In Florida Bentley Beach Hotel has managed by small umbrellas on a beach, and Reid’s Palace (Madeira)  Hotel has added special children’s peignoirs, dressing gowns, shower gels and towels in the bathrooms, and adapted children’s menu in the hotel’s restaurants. On Maldives the One Only&Kanuhura Hotel suggests girls “to be as mum” and to visit SPA, where it is possible to take a flower bath, to seize art of nails coloring and to braid freakish pigtails.

Many tour operators suggest “sweet” couples to celebrate St. Valentine’s Day in a special way and offer them romantic tours to Rome, Milan or Paris at a discount. The cost of romantic trips is 30-40 % cheaper from the usual tourist tour. Besides, February is a time of student’s vacations, so, budgetary tours to the Europe became more popular. But if you wish to celebrate February, 14th in a very especial way, be ready to pay more money for romance and luxury.
London: have intimae on the bridge
British people keep all their traditions, including St. Valentine’s Day. Every year they prepare refined entertainments for the sweet couples.
For example, on this St. Valentine’s Day the enamored will be able to have a walk on the Tower Bridge (constructed in 1894, it is considered as one of the most beautiful monuments of the world), but it will not be a usual walk of pedestrians. The couples will admire the sunset from a height of 45 meters! And a specially invited pianist, who will play piano compositions on the Bridge, will adjust them on romance. Everyone will be offered a glass of champagne. The ticket costs 12 pounds for couple.
Those who are not afraid of height can arrange romantic appointment at height of the bird’s flight - the London Eye. It is only necessary to reserve special tickets for Valentines Flight in advance. At the same time you will receive a red rose and chocolate -a gift from The London Eye. Another program- Valentines Champagne flight- will give you an opportunity to pass on a big wheel and to drink champagne at height of 135 meters.
Italy: 3 euros for a kiss
On sacred Valentine’s native land (besides traditional Rome, fashionable Milan and romantic Venice) you can go to small town Kurmagiore. There you will be able to participate in the celebratory procession with national dances, devoted to the St. Valentine’s Day.
Giuseppe Foggetti (one of the most successful Italian businessmen) has decided to represent a special place for dating. The special park for enamored is situated in a seaport of Bari. The exclusive “headquarters” for kissing and other purposes are waiting for their visitors on February, 14th. In fact own habitation is inaccessible to the majority of young Italians.
Paris: a bed from roses
On the St. Valentine’s Day practically all hotels of Paris, Lyons, Marseilles and other French cities offer small gifts to their visitors. These gifts may be a bottle of a champagne, chocolate or flowers. The most magnificent hotels suit the whole solemn suppers and special surprises to couples.
Nevertheless, a night in one of these luxury hotels would cost you no less than 500-900 euros.
Thailand: the gift will smell for half a year
The tourists, who would come to Thailand on, February 14th, would be able to get an exclusive souvenir - a stamp with a rose smell. These fragrant marks are let out especially to the Valentine’s Day and will be on sale in all large department stores. The stamp will cost $0, 35, and it will smell sweet for half a year.
Austria: a weekend in a beer cask
Flowers, chocolate, and champagne - it is pleasant, but it is too banal. What about having a really unforgettable romantic evening … in beer cask?
In a basement of one Austrian village wooden flanks are established, each one is made for two persons. Beer, malt and two spoons of hop plant are poured into a keg and all these is, then, filled up with warm water. Your romantic bath is ready!!! It very much reminds a Jacuzzi.
Such romantic holidays of beer-spa resort would cost you only 400 euros per couple. The baths, two nights in hotel, a breakfast and dinners are also included.

The interesting idea of reception of the additional income has occurred to heads of the Prague underground.
The majority of modern mega cities inhabitants use periodically the underground. However one more life is hidden from the eyes of passengers behind facades of underground stations and the walls of tunnels. Secrets of inaccessible (for passengers) underground world can be very interesting, if it would be represented to them in appropriate way.
The special excursion program which would be interesting to local residents and tourists is now being properly prepared in Prague. Some of the underground vaults with special tourist routes of various distances are to be opened by the end of the summer.
It is likely that there will be four or five “Tourist tracks”. The employees of the Prague underground are absolutely sure that the walk on an underside of the underground will be in demand.