Sylt is an island in northern Germany, part of Nordfriesland district, Schleswig-Holstein, and well known for the distinctive shape of its shoreline. It belongs to the North Frisian Islands and is the largest island in North Frisia. The northernmost island of Germany, it is known for its tourist resorts, notably Westerland, Kampen and Wenningstedt-Braderup, as well as for its 40-kilometre-long (25-mile) sandy beach. Since 1927, Sylt has been connected to the mainland by the Hindenburgdamm causeway. In latter years, it has been a resort for the German jet set and tourists in search of occasional celebrity sighting. The island was used during the filming of The Ghost Writer, as an alternate location for Martha’s Vineyard, due to travel restrictions on the film’s director, Roman Polanski. A starring role plays the ferry between the islands of Sylt and Rømø. read more…
Lorraine (German: Lothringen) is a cultural and historical region in north-eastern France. From 1982 until January 2016, Lorraine was an administrative region of France, when it became part of the new region Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine. Lorraine’s name stems from the medieval kingdom of Lotharingia, which in turn was named for either Emperor Lothair I or King Lothair II. It became later the Duchy of Lorraine before it was annexed to France in 1766. read more…
Ibiza (Catalan: Eivissa) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea, 150 kilometres (93 miles) off the coast of the city of Valencia, in eastern Spain. It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. Its largest cities are Ibiza Town (Catalan: Vila d’Eivissa, or simply Vila), Santa Eulària des Riu, and Sant Antoni de Portmany. Its highest point, called Sa Talaiassa (or Sa Talaia), is 475 metres (1,558 feet) above sea level. Ibiza is the home of the noted port in Ibiza Town, a popular stop for many tourists and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ibiza and the nearby island of Formentera to its south are called the Pine Islands, or “Pityuses“. read more…
Israel is a country in the Middle East, on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea. It has land borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan on the east, Palestine (West Bank, (East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip) to the east and west, respectively, and Egypt to the southwest. The country contains geographically diverse features within its small area. Geographically, the country is located in Western Asia, but geologically on the African continent. Israel’s economy and technology center and de jure capital is Tel Aviv, while its seat of government, self-proclaimed and de facto capital is West Jerusalem. The state’s sovereignty over West Jerusalem is internationally tolerated, Jerusalem as a whole remain internationally unrecognized. Israel considers itself as “the only democracy in the Middle East” and “start-up nation”, with neither goals being achieved yet. read more…
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area, and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France. On 1 January 2016, the region will join Lorraine and Champagne-Ardenne to create a new region, tentatively known as Alsace-Champagne-Ardenne-Lorraine (a name will be adopted before 1 July 2016). Alsace is located on France’s eastern border and on the west bank of the upper Rhine adjacent to Germany and Switzerland. The political status of Alsace has been heavily influenced by historical decisions, wars, and strategic politics. The political, economic and cultural capital as well as largest city of Alsace is Strasbourg. The city is the seat of several international organizations and bodies. read more…
Montenegro is a sovereign state in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea. Its capital and largest city is Podgorica, while Cetinje is designated as the Prijestonica, meaning the former Royal Capital City. Montenegro is a candidate to join the European Union and NATO. The country has a population of 625,000. It’s one of the smaller European countries. read more…
Cairns is a regional city, encompassing smaller townships, in the far north of Queensland, Australia, founded 1876. The city was named after William Wellington Cairns, then-current Governor of Queensland. It was formed to serve miners heading for the Hodgkinson River goldfield, but experienced a decline when an easier route was discovered from Port Douglas. It later developed into a railhead and major port for exporting sugar cane, gold and other metals, minerals and agricultural products from surrounding coastal areas and the Atherton Tableland region. The population is at was approximately 156,000. Cairns is located about 1,700 km (1,056 mi) from Brisbane. It is a popular travel destination for foreign tourists because of its tropical climate. It serves as a starting point for people wanting to visit the Great Barrier Reef and Far North Queensland. read more…
