Oʻahu, known as “The Gathering Place“, is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands; however, it is the most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii, and is the home of Honolulu International Airport. The state capital, Honolulu, is on Oʻahu’s southeast coast. Including small close-in offshore islands such as Ford Island and the islands in Kaneohe Bay and off the eastern (windward) coast, it has a total land area of 596.7 square miles (1,545.4 km2), making it the 20th largest island in the United States. The island is home to about 977,000 people (approximately 72% of the resident population of the state, with approximately 81% of those living on the “city” side of the island). read more…
Jaén is a city in south-central Spain. The name is derived from the Arabic word khayyān (‘crossroads of caravans’). It is the capital of the province of Jaén. The inhabitants of the city are known as Jiennenses. Its population is 117,000, about one-sixth of the population of the province. Recently Jaén has had a great increase in cultural tourism. The city is also known as the World Capital of Olive Oil, because it is the biggest producer of the oil, known by locals as liquid gold. read more…
Calahorra is a municipality in the comarca of Rioja Baja, near the border with Navarre on the right bank of the Ebro. The city is located on a hill at an altitude of 358 metres at the confluence of the Ebro and Cidacos rivers. Calahorra is the second-largest city in La Rioja in population and importance, after the capital, Logroño. Its population is at 24,000 inhabitants. read more…
Alfaro is a town and municipality on the Ebro and Alhama Rivers. Its population is at 9,700 inhabitants. It is known for the annual return and nesting of the ‘Storks of Alfaro.’ Alfaro has a spectacular colony of storks, the world’s largest nesting on one single building. More than 400 of these birds choose the San Miguel Collegiate Church for their nests. Watching this number of storks flying through the air is an unforgettable spectacle. The Storks Day is celebrated during the first weekend in February read more…
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a proposed free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA). Proponents say the agreement would result in multilateral economic growth. The American government considers the TTIP a companion agreement to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. After a proposed draft was leaked in March 2014, the European Commission launched a public consultation on a limited set of clauses. The US and European Union together represent 60% of global GDP, 33% of world trade in goods and 42% of world trade in services. Negotiations are held in week-long cycles alternating between Brussels and Washington. The negotiators hope to conclude their work in 2015. The 28 governments will then have to approve or reject the negotiated agreement in the EU Council of Ministers, at which point the European Parliament will also be asked for its endorsement. The EU Parliament is empowered to approve or reject the agreement. The TTIP Agreement texts are being developed by 24 joint EU-US working groups, each considering a separate aspect of the agreement. read more…
Mustique is a small private island that is part of St Vincent and the Grenadines. The island is one of a group of islands called the Grenadines, most of which are part St Vincent and the Grenadines, in the West Indies. The island is located within Grenadines Parish, an administrative area of the country. read more…
Omagh (Irish: an Ómaigh, meaning “the virgin plain”) is the county town of County Tyrone. It is situated where the rivers Drumragh and Camowen meet to form the Strule. The district, which is the largest in the county, has a population of 51,000. Omagh also contains the headquarters of Omagh District Council and the Western Education and Library Board. Omagh is the main retail centre for Tyrone, as well as the West of Ulster (behind Derry and Letterkenny), due to its central location. read more…
Santo Domingo de la Calzada is situated on the banks of the Oja River. Its name refers to its founder, Dominic de la Calzada, who built a bridge, hospital, and hotel here for pilgrims on the Way of St. James. The town’s Cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada is dedicated to him. Its facade contains statues of Emeterius and Celedonius. The altar was sculpted in 1537-40 by Damián Forment in the Renaissance style. Santo Domingo de la Calzada is one of the Rioja towns most deeply marked by the Pilgrim’s Route to Santiago de Compostela. Its network of medieval streets, declared a National Historic Interest Site, store a valuable heritage, particularly its walls, the Cathedral and the old Pilgrims’ Hospital. read more…
