Gangnam Style : The Unique and The Phylosophy

The HinduGallping to Fame: South Korean rapper PSY performs his K-pop hit "Gangnam Style" live on NBC's Today's show, in New York. Photo: AP

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Topping the YouTube and the U.S. iTunes charts, Korean Pop King PSY’s number ‘Gangnam Style’ is the current rage.

I’m afraid you have no choice. Get off your high horse and onto that invisible one. Hands in front. Gallop. Shuffle. Imaginary lasso. All done Gangnam style.

Gangnam what? Well, you know… the latest viral video, by PSY.

PSY who? Come on, he’s the current king of K-Pop.

K-Pop what? Oh dear. Let’s start at the beginning. In fact, we’ll be really nice and hand you this cheat sheet. Now you can look cool when you hang with your better-informed ten-year-old nephews and nieces.

What is Gangnam Style anyway?

On July 15, Korean Pop (K-Pop) video ‘Gangnam Style’ by PSY was posted on YouTube. Just 51 days and it had 100 million views. It zoomed to the top of the YouTube chart beating Carly Rae Jepsen and Justin Bieber. A few days ago, the song made it to No. 1 on the U.S. iTunes Top Song chart, which it entered in late August at No. 58.

The singer, PSY, recently taught Britney Spears how to do his ‘galloping horse dance’, coining a new popular catch phrase “Dress classy and dance cheesy.” He also performed live at the Rockefeller Center in New York City for NBC’s Today show.

It’s an accomplishment, considering the song is in his native language, with no translations. PSY is the first Korean artist to go mainstream in the United States. This was largely possible because of the Internet, since the song went viral via mobile phones and computers, on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

So far the official video has 190,978,897 views. Numbers just keep going up.

What’s special about it?

Depends on who you ask.

The aggressively hypnotic techno trance beat that seems designed for hard-core clubbing. The eminently catchy tune, with its peppy chorus, which children love. The dancing with its repetitive steps.

Think ‘Macarena’, or the ‘Birdie Dance’. Only this is hipper, slicker and slightly more challenging. Designed for blasé audiences with short attention spans. High octane pop illustrated in a fresh, flashy video, bouncing with bubble gum bright colour.

Scene changes are as rapid as they are random, in PSY’s romp through conventional urban spaces. He’s snoozing in a deckchair under a bright pink umbrella. He’s in a horse stable in Seoul. He’s spoofing cult videos, walking through an abandoned parking lot in fake snow. It gets more bizarre. Here he’s dozing off in the sauna wrapped in a baby blue and pink towel. There he’s bouncing around a tour bus, jiggling with disco balls.

Next comes the march of Korean celebrities. A solemn dance off with comedian Yoo Jae Suk, dressed in Canary Yellow. The ‘elevator dance’ replete with pelvic thrusts, featuring comedian Noh Hong-cheol. Finally busting some moves with svelte redhead, Kim Hyun-a, the popular K-Pop girl group 4Minute.

Short, plump and bespectacled, PSY’s an unlikely star. Especially in K-Pop where the girls are pretty and the boys prettier. However, his ‘everyman’ persona seems to be his not-so-secret weapon. He’s willing to laugh at the world, and himself. And this sharp subversive humour is what elevates the song from catchy to memorable.

Is PSY his real name?

You wish! Born Park Jae-Song, he’s a 34-year-rapper from South Korea. His stage name comes from his first album Psy From The Psycho World released in 2001. He studied at the prestigious Berkeley College of Music in the United States.

You will probably see more of him now that he has signed a contract with American label Schoolboy Records after being spotted by music producer Scooter Braun. (Best known for discovering Justin Bieber.) Braun famously toasted PSY over glasses of Korean Soju saying, “To PSY, to Korea, to breaking down barriers, to the future.”

But we still don’t get ‘Gangnam’?

It’s a wealthy district in Seoul, South Korea, where people go clubbing, brunching and shopping for new noses. As famous for luxury boutiques as it is for cosmetic surgeons. The song can be interpreted as an attack on the world of the over privileged.

Ironically, the district is drawing tourists because of the song. Korea Tourism has responded to this interest with their ‘One day Gangnam tour’ that begins with some ‘gangnam styling’ at a beauty salon, shopping at the Apgujeong & Cheongdam boutiques, a quick luxury coffee and brunch, followed by the casino and clubbing.

Can we sing it?

Of course. Even if you can’t master the Korean verses, chant the chorus ‘Oppan Gangnam Style’ which roughly means something like ‘Your man has Gangnam Style.’

PS: Although ‘Oppa’ literally means ‘big brother,’ it is also a term girls use to address older boyfriends, or — gasp — sugar daddies. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

The Fool things About Queen Elizabeth

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1. She speaks fluent French and often uses the language for audiences and state visits. She does not require an interpreter.
2. The Queen has received over 3.5 million items of correspondence during her reign.
3. Since 1952, she has conferred over 404,500 honors and awards.
4. Elizabeth has personally held 610 investitures. An investiture is the ceremony in which an honor is bestowed on someone for their good services; the recognitions are published twice a year, in the Queen's Birthday Honors and New Year's Honors lists.
5. Queen Elizabeth II is Britain's 40th monarch since William the Conqueror was crowned.
(Get TIME's new book The Royal Family: The House of Windsor, Past, Present and Future)
6. In 2002, at 76, Elizabeth became the oldest monarch to celebrate a Golden Jubilee. The youngest was James I (James VI of Scotland), at age 51.
7. About 1.5 million people have attended garden parties at Buckingham Palace or the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland since Elizabeth has been on the throne.
8. Over the course of her reign, she has given regular Tuesday-evening audiences to 12 British Prime Ministers: Winston Churchill, 1951–55; Sir Anthony Eden, 1955–57; Harold Macmillan, 1957–63; Sir Alec Douglas-Home, 1963–64; Harold Wilson, 1964–70 and 1974–76; Edward Heath, 1970–74; James Callaghan, 1976–79; Margaret Thatcher, 1979–90; John Major, 1990–97; Tony Blair, 1997–2007; Gordon Brown, 2007–2010; and David Cameron, 2010-present.
9. There have been 12 U.S. Presidents during her reign.
10. Tony Blair is the first Prime Minister to have been born during her reign. He was born in early May 1953, a month before her coronation.
11. The Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, introduced small, informal luncheon parties at Buckingham Palace to meet distinguished people from all professions, trades and vocations. The first was held on May 11, 1956, and the tradition continues to this day. There are usually six to eight guests and two members of the royal household in attendance.
12. Elizabeth is patron of more than 600 charities and organizations.
13. In the past 60 years, the Queen has undertaken 261 official overseas visits, including 96 state visits, to 116 different countries.
14. In 2005, she claimed ownership of 88 cygnets (young swans) on the River Thames. They are looked after by a swan marker. The first royal swan keeper was appointed around the 12th century.
15. Technically, the Queen still owns the sturgeons, whales and dolphins in the waters around the U.K. A statute from 1324, during the reign of King Edward II, states, "Also the King shall have ... whales and sturgeons taken in the sea or elsewhere within the realm." This statute is still valid today, and sturgeons, porpoises, whales and dolphins are recognized as "fishes royal": when they are captured within 3 miles (about 5 km) of U.K. shores or wash ashore, they may be claimed on behalf of the Crown. Generally, when brought into port, a sturgeon is sold in the usual way, and the purchaser, as a gesture of loyalty, requests the honor of its being accepted by Elizabeth.

16. In the summer of 2005, she opened the first children's trail in the Buckingham Palace garden for its seasonal opening.
17. The Queen joined Facebook in November 2010, with a page called the British Monarchy, which features royal news, photos, videos and speeches. However, it is not possible to poke the royal family. She joined Twitter in July 2009, with teams at Buckingham Palace tweeting daily updates. None of the royals themselves tweet. The page follows only one other Twitter account: Clarence House, the royal home of the Prince of Wales.
18. To mark the 50th anniversary of the Queen's first televised festive address, a YouTube channel for the royal family, called the Royal Channel, was launched in December 2007. At the time, the palace hoped it would make her annual speech "more accessible to younger people and those in other countries."
19. Elizabeth was the first British monarch to celebrate her diamond wedding anniversary.
20. The Queen is the only person in Britain who can drive without a license or number plate on her state car.
21. Many of Elizabeth's official tours were undertaken on the royal yacht Britannia. It was launched by the Queen on April 16, 1953, and was commissioned for service on Jan. 7, 1954. It was decommissioned in December 1997. During that time, Britannia traveled more than 1 million miles (1.6 million km) on royal and official duties.
22. Britannia was first used by Elizabeth when she embarked from Tobruk, Libya, with the Duke of Edinburgh on May 1, 1954, for the final stage of their Commonwealth tour returning to the Pool of London. The last time Elizabeth was onboard for an official visit was on Aug. 9, 1997, for a visit to Arran, Scotland.
23. Elizabeth has visited Australia 16 times, Canada 22 times, Jamaica six times and New Zealand 10 times.
24. Since her accession to the throne in 1952, she has visited Edinburgh nearly every year, taking up residence in the Palace of Holyroodhouse during Holyrood Week, when the Queen and her husband undertake a variety of engagements in Scotland to celebrate the country's heritage.
25. During her reign, the Queen has received many unusual gifts, including a variety of live animals. The more unusual ones have been placed in the care of the London Zoo — among them jaguars and sloths from Brazil and two black beavers from Canada. There have also been gifts of pineapples, eggs, a box of snail shells, a grove of maple trees and 15 lb. (7 kg) of prawns.
26. Elizabeth has sent more than 175,000 telegrams to centenarians in the U.K. and the Commonwealth.
27. She has sent more than 540,000 telegrams to couples in the U.K. and the Commonwealth celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary.
28. Her real birthday is April 21, but it is celebrated officially in June.
29. She has attended 35 Royal Variety Performances.
30. In an average year, the Queen hosts more than 50,000 people at banquets, lunches, dinners, receptions and garden parties at Buckingham Palace.
31. There have been six Roman Catholic Popes during the Queen's reign (Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI).
32. She has launched 23 ships in her lifetime. The first was the H.M.S. Vanguard, which she launched as Princess Elizabeth on Nov. 30, 1944, in Clydebank, Scotland. Her first launch as Queen was of the Britannia, also from Clydebank.
33. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have sent over 37,500 Christmas cards during her reign.
34. She has given out approximately 90,000 Christmas puddings to staff, continuing the custom of King George V and King George VI. In addition, the Queen gives her entire staff gifts at Christmastime.
35. Every year she sends Christmas trees to Westminster Abbey, Wellington Barracks, St. Paul's Cathedral in London, St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, the Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, Crathie Kirk and local schools and churches in the Sandringham area of England.

36. Elizabeth learned to drive in 1945, when she joined the women's branch of the British army. Both she and Winston Churchill's daughter were members of the group, which was called the Auxiliary Territorial Service.
37. She was a Girl Guide (1937), a Scouting movement for girls and a Sea Ranger (1943), a section of the Girl Guides focused on sailing.
38. As Princess Elizabeth, she traveled in the London Underground subway system for the first time in May 1939, accompanied by her governess Marion Crawford and her sister Princess Margaret.
39. The Queen is a keen photographer and enjoys taking pictures of her family. The Duke of York is also a photography buff and has taken a number of photographs of Elizabeth, including an official photograph for Her Majesty's Golden Jubilee in 2002.
40. The Queen was born in a private home at 17 Bruton St., London, on April 21, 1926. (The house was owned by the Queen's first cousins.) She was baptized on May 29, 1926, in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace and was confirmed on March 28, 1942, in the private chapel at Windsor Castle.
41. With the birth of Prince Andrew in 1960, Elizabeth became the first reigning sovereign to have a child since Queen Victoria, who had her youngest child, Princess Beatrice, in 1857.
42. Elizabeth has 30 godchildren.
43. The first soccer match the Queen attended was the 1953 FA Cup final.
44. She has taken the royal salute from her Household Cavalry — mounted troops known as horse guards — in every Trooping the Color ceremony since the start of her reign, with the exception of 1955, when a national rail strike forced the cancellation of the parade. Trooping the Color is a ceremony performed by British and Commonwealth regiments to celebrate the Queen's official birthday.
45. The Queen has sat for 129 official portraits during her reign, two of which were with the Duke of Edinburgh. The most recent portrait was by Isobel Peachey and was unveiled in September 2010. Elizabeth was just 7 years old when she sat for her first portrait in 1933, which was commissioned by her mother and painted by the Hungarian artist Philip Alexius de Laszlo.
46. In 2003, she sat for her first and only hologram portrait, which is made up of more than 10,000 images of the Queen layered over one another, giving it a 3-D effect.
47. The first royal walkabout took place during the Queen's visit with Prince Philip to Australia and New Zealand in 1970. The practice was introduced to allow them to meet a greater number of people, not just officials and dignitaries.
48. In 1969, the first television film about the family life of the royals was made; it was shown on the eve of the investiture of Charles as Prince of Wales.
49. An important innovation during her reign was the opening in 1962 of a new gallery at Buckingham Palace to display items from the royal collection. The brainchild of the Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen's Gallery occupied the palace's bomb-damaged private chapel. It was the first time that parts of the palace had been opened to the general public.
50. The only time the Queen has had to interrupt an overseas tour was in 1974, during a tour of Australia and Indonesia. She was called back from Australia when a general election was announced suddenly. The Duke of Edinburgh continued the program in Australia, and Elizabeth rejoined the tour in Indonesia.
51. She has opened Parliament every year except 1959 and 1963, when she was expecting her children Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, respectively.
52. She went on her first state visit as Princess Elizabeth to South Africa with her mother and father, then King and Queen, from February to May 1947. The tour included Zimbabwe, Bechuanaland, Swaziland and Basutoland (now Lesotho). The Princess celebrated her 21st birthday in Cape Town. Her first state visit as Queen was to Kenya: her father King George VI died, and she acceded the throne during the tour, which had to be abandoned.
53. Her first Commonwealth tour began on Nov. 24, 1953, and included visits to Bermuda, Jamaica, Panama, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, the Cocos Islands, Ceylon, Aden, Uganda, Libya, Malta and Gibraltar. The total distance covered was 43,618 miles (70,196 km).
54. In 1986, the Queen became the first British monarch to visit China.
55. She has made a Christmas broadcast to the Commonwealth every year of her reign except 1969, when a repeat of the film Royal Family was shown and a written message from the Queen issued. In 1953, she made her first Christmas broadcast from overseas, broadcasting live from New Zealand. Her first televised broadcast was in 1957, made live. Her first prerecorded broadcast took place in 1960, allowing transmission around the world.
56. She sent a message of congratulations to Apollo 11 astronauts for the first moon landing on July 21, 1969. The message was microfilmed and deposited on the moon in a metal container.
57. The Queen has met at Buckingham Palace the first man in space, Russian major Yuri Gagarin; the first woman in space, Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova; and the first men on the moon, American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, as well as their Apollo 11 colleague Michael Collins.
58. She sent her first e-mail in 1976, from a British army base.
59. There have been six Archbishops of Canterbury during her reign: Geoffrey Fisher, Michael Ramsey, Donald Coggan, Robert Runcie, George Carey and Rowan Williams.
60. History was made in 1982 when Pope John Paul II visited Britain; he was the first Pope to do so in 450 years. Elizabeth, titular head of the Church of England, received him at Buckingham Palace.
61. She visited a mosque in the U.K. for the first time in July 2002, in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. f
62. The Queen has attended 56 royal Maundy services (religious services on the day preceding Good Friday to honor the service of elderly people in their communities and the church) in 43 cathedrals during her reign. A total of 6,710 people have received Maundy money, coins minted especially for the occasion, in recognition of their service. Elizabeth has missed only four services — two for official tours and two for the births of Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
63. Elizabeth has owned more than 30 corgis during her reign, starting with Susan, who was a present for her 18th birthday in 1944. A good proportion of these have been direct descendants from Susan. Elizabeth currently has five corgis: Emma, Linnet, Monty, Holly and Willow.
64. Elizabeth introduced a new breed of dog known as the dorgi when one of her corgis was mated with a dachshund named Pipkin that belonged to Princess Margaret. Elizabeth currently has four dorgis: Cider, Berry, Candy and Vulcan. As well as corgis and dorgis, the Queen also breeds and trains Labradors and cocker spaniels at Sandringham House. A special Sandringham strain of black Labrador was founded in 1911.
65. She takes a keen interest in horses and racing. Her first pony, a Shetland called Peggy, was given to her by her grandfather King George V when she was 4 years old. Elizabeth continues to ride at Sandringham, Balmoral and Windsor. The Queen also takes interest in horse breeding. Horses bred at the royal studs over the past 200 years have won virtually every major race in Britain. Elizabeth has about 25 horses in training each season.
66. Her racing colors consist of a purple body with gold braiding, scarlet sleeves and a black velvet cap with gold fringe.
67. She continues the royals' long association with racing pigeons, which began in 1886 when King Leopold II of Belgium made a gift of racing pigeons to the British royal family. In 1990, one of Elizabeth's birds took part in the Pau race, coming first in the Section 5th Open of the important international pigeon race, and was subsequently named Sandringham Lightning. In recognition of her interest in the sport, the Queen was named a patron of a number of racing societies, including the Royal Pigeon Racing Association.
68. The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were married on Nov. 20, 1947, in Westminster Abbey. Her wedding dress was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell and was woven at Winterthur Silks Limited, Dunfermline, in the Canmore factory, with silk that had come from Chinese silkworms at Lullingstone Castle.
69. Her dressmakers over the years have included Sir Hardy Amies, Sir Norman Hartnell, Karl-Ludwig Couture and Maureen Rose. Her milliners have been Frederick Fox, Philip Somerville and Marie O'Regan.
70. Her wedding ring was made from a nugget of Welsh gold that came from the Clogau St. David's mine near Dolgellau. Her official wedding cake was made by McVitie and Price Ltd., using ingredients given as a wedding gift by Australian Girl Guides.
71. The Queen has an extensive collection of jewelry, most of which are crown jewels, some inherited and some gifts, including the largest pink diamond in the world. Some of her well-known pieces include a brooch of diamonds forming a spray of wattle that was presented by the Australian government in 1954 and a necklace of large square-cut aquamarines and diamonds with earrings, given as a gift in her coronation year by the ambassador of Brazil, which Elizabeth wore on her French state visit in 2004.
72. Elizabeth has laid a wreath at the Cenotaph — Britain's iconic war memorial that commemorates the dead in both world wars — on Remembrance Sunday every year of her reign, except in 1959, 1961, 1963, 1968, 1983 and 1999, when she was either pregnant or overseas on an official visit.
73. She has visited the sets of a number of popular British soap operas, including Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale.
74. In 1997, Buckingham Palace's first official website was launched.
75. In 1998, Elizabeth introduced theme days to promote and celebrate aspects of British culture. The first theme day was City Day, focusing on financial institutions. Other themes have included Publishing, Broadcasting, Tourism, Emergency Services, Maritime, Music, Young Achievers, British Design and Pioneers.
76. In June 2002, to celebrate her Golden Jubilee, the Queen hosted the first public concerts in the garden of Buckingham Palace. She attended both the classical and pop concerts. The Party at the Palace show was one of the most-watched pop concerts in history, attracting about 200 million viewers from all over the world.
77. She is the first member of the royal family to be awarded a gold disc from the recording industry: 100,000 copies of the Party at the Palace CD, produced by EMI, were sold within its first week of release.
78. She hosted Buckingham Palace's first women-only event, "Women of Achievement," in March 2004.
79. In November 2004, Elizabeth invited the cast of Les Misérables in the West End to perform for then French President Jacques Chirac at Windsor Castle. It was the first time the cast of a West End musical had performed at a royal residence.
80. As a young girl, Elizabeth acted in a number of pantomimes during World War II, including playing Prince Florizel in Cinderella in 1941. The productions took place every year in the Waterloo Chamber at Windsor Castle.
81. She once demoted a footman for giving her corgis whiskey.
82. She is supposedly the only British monarch in history properly trained to change a spark plug, as she undertook a car-maintenance course during World War II.
83. She collected clothing coupons for her wedding dress, true to the spirit of postwar austerity.
84. The Queen issued a writ against the Sun newspaper after it published the full text of her 1992 broadcast two days before its transmission. She later accepted an apology and a £200,000 donation to charity.
85. Only three other world heads of state have celebrated a Diamond Jubilee during Elizabeth's reign: King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand celebrated 60 years on the throne in 2006; the former Sultan of Johor (now part of Malaysia) celebrated his in 1955; and Emperor Hirohito of Japan celebrated his in 1986.
86. The last and only other British monarch to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee was Queen Victoria in 1897, at the age of 77. At 86, Queen Elizabeth will be the oldest monarch to celebrate this occasion.

Most Beautifull Places in Winter

One of the beautiful places of the world, Grand Canyon is the steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in Arizona State of United States. The powerful sources that cause an impact on the Grand Canyon is erosion, first is by water and second is by wind.
Nearly 5 million people visit the 1 mile deep Grand Canyon every year. Planning a vacation to the Grand Canyon national park provides a great relief for you and your family.
The best time to visit Grand Canyon is during the summer, fall and mild spring, but most locals agree that winter is the great time to visit. There are various camp grounds both on the top and floor of the Grand Canyon. Camping at the floor of the Grand Canyon needs a permit from the country office.

Great Barrier Reef:

This is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem. It is one of the top beautiful places to visit in Australia. You can see it from the outer space and it is the world’s largest single structure, which is made of living organisms.
The reef supports 10,000 species which consists of 1500 types of fishes and 200 kinds of birds. This beauty inspires many of the travelers to visit the place.

Florida:

This state built its entire identity with tourism. This is the south eastern state in the US. It is one of the wonderful places. Florida is also called as the Sunshine State. Central Florida is conquered by Orlando and it is well known coterie of theme parks, sea world, universal studios, Disney world, and many more attractions to tourists.

The South Island:

The South Island of New Zealand is characterized by grand open landscapes. The island is well known for spectacular fiords, large beach forests, golden sand beaches and broad plains. Everybody can enjoy the travel to south island.
The south island has ten national parks. These parks incorporate world heritage sites, lakes, glaciers, fiords, native forest, coastline, and world class hiking tracks. The fabulous scenery across the south land attracts many people to plan vacation to this beautiful place.

Cape Town:

Cape Town is situated at the tip of the African Continent. The only way to understand and enjoy Cape Town is by experiencing the unique range of multicultural lifestyles and scenic national surroundings for yourself.
During the summer season, Cape Town is filled with holiday makers enjoying the hot weather, sunny beaches and beautiful scenery. So, if you want to spend your time during holiday season, it is best to make reservations as soon as possible. Before reaching the place, have a rough idea about the places around Cape Town, which you want to visit.

Golden Temple:

This temple has a glorious setting and it exists in the middle of the large blue sacred pool. Don’t miss the peaceful and interesting ritual that goes inside the two-story golden temple. When you take a tour to India, you should visit the golden temple.

Las Vegas:

Las Vegas is the largest city in the state of Nevada. This is commonly referred to as entertainment capital of the world. The city has great casino hotels and creates a fantasy like atmosphere. Las Vegas is a great travel destination for honeymooners and travel addicts and is more exciting than a party bingo tournament on your computer.
A trip to Vegas is usually a trip to “the strip”, about 20 long blocks of neon lights, public drinking and casinos.

Sydney:

One of the beautiful places in the world, Sydney is the economic powerhouse of Australia. The place is full of sun-drenched natural attractions, delicious and daring restaurants, dizzy skyscrapers, friendly folk and wonderful shopping, so most of the travel addicts want to visit the place. You can take a trip to Sydney at any time of the year.

New York:

New York is the USA’s largest metro area. The city is a great center for fashion, culture, finance, research, media, food, art, and trade. The city consists of 5 boroughs and each is differentiated by its own culture.
New York is cinematic. Every year this is a backdrop for about 200 movies.

Taj Mahal:

According to most of the travelers, Taj Mahal, most beautiful building, in India is one of the great wonders of the world. This is a hybrid of many artistic styles. Once you visit Taj Mahal, you can enjoy various places near it.
The river side behind Taj Mahal provides a wonderful environment. You can enjoy greatly along with your family.

Canadian Rockies:

Canadian Rockies is one of the most beautiful places on earth. This place has potential outdoor opportunities and world class resorts. Visit the two national parks of Canadian Rockies and find why most of the travelers choose Canadian Rockies as their home away home [Canada Travel].
This place offers you the best of the best. It offers you the hikes that you don’t want to miss, scenic drives and many more natural highlights. You can go for the vacation even along with your children.
Winter is a great time to enjoy the place. Be sure to visit local Arc’teryx outlets to prepare for all the cold weather winter adventures the Canadian Rockies has to offer.

Uluru:

Uluru or Ayers Rock in Australia is one of the world’s great natural wonders. Planning to visit this place is a great way to explore and experience the cultural and physical significance of this Australian icon.
The rock is at its visual best at sunrise and sunset. Most of the travelers like to climb the rock by using an ancient aboriginal trail.

Chichen Itza:

Chichen Itza is a Mayan word. Chichen Itza is one of the largest archeological cities of Mexico and one of the Seven wonders. It is the most visited tourist destination. Travelers like to visit Chichen Itza as a day trip. If you want to enjoy all the activities near by Chichen Itza, it takes 2-3 days stay.
Before entering into the Chichen Itza, you will come across an informative museum, clean rest rooms, a dining room, few vender stands and gift shops. You can visit the site at any time of the year.

Machu Picchu:

It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This is mystical place and a great spot to divinity. It is the Peru’s most popular place, so most of you like to see the place. People of Machu Picchu feel that they are the creators of god. This place offers you strange forces of nature that permit the individual to attain a contrary cosmic state.
The place is located at 2300 meters above the sea level. So, you can enjoy the vicinity of the place. One day is enough to visit the spots around Machu Picchu.
While planning to visit Machu Picchu, you need to understand a little about the geography of this area, because the location is remote and inaccessible.

Niagara Falls:

Niagara Falls can be accessed from both the American and Canadian side, but the best view facing the falls is completely from the Canadian side. When you take a trip to Niagara Falls, don’t forget to take a ride on the famous maid-of-the-mist boats. You won’t get the entire experience of Niagara Falls until you ride one of these boats.
It is the foundation for many interesting places to see and things to do. If you love beautiful landscapes, romantic getaways, family adventures and vibrant nightlife then Niagara Falls is the best place to visit.

Petra:

Petra, one of the seven wonders, is fabled rose red city and is a well known earliest Nabataean city in the south Jordan. If you have decided to travel to Jordan, then Petra is at the top of your priority list. The solid red stand stone buildings in Petra are unlike anything that you have ever seen before.
One full day is enough to see everything around Petra. This town offers you a wide variety of hotels to fit your budget.

The Pyramids:

Pyramids and wonderful temples are the great things to enjoy in Egypt. Travel to Egypt offers you the nature and desert treks, fishing, golfing, scuba diving and birding groups. You can choose the places like Sinai coasts or red sea to relax.
Winter is the best season to go for a vacation to Egypt. March-May and September-November is the best time to enjoy the warm days of Egypt.

Venice:

Venice is one of the Italy’s beautiful places. You will be surprised by hearing how the city is built up. The city is built on 317 small islands and has 150 canals which are connected through 409 bridges. During the spring time, Venice is completely filled with tourists. At that time it is very difficult to find the accommodations.

Maldives:

Maldives is a great place for tranquil tropical islands, palm trees, white beaches and brilliant turquoise lagoons. Maldives is a group of 1190 coral islands. This place is a great destination for scuba divers.
Visiting Maldives between December and April can makes you to spend some extra hours of sunshine. Also this is the main season for tourism.

Great Wall of China:

The Great Wall of China is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is the travel icon of China and is one of the most popular travel vacation destinations in the world. It took hundreds of years for its construction. When you have decided to travel to China, don’t forget to see the wall.

Victoria Falls:

Victoria Falls was also one of the Seven Wonders of the World and is the most beautiful waterfalls in Africa. This is a cheap travel destination and is full of fun. Those who want to try for adventures will find plenty of activities like elephant safaris, bridge swinging, water rafting and so on [Adventure travel].
There are two sides of the falls, one is Zambia and the other is Zimbabwe side. Both sides are awesome and are a year round destination.

Hong Kong:

One of the beautiful places in the world, Hong Kong, an oriental pearl, is simply amazing. It will be very hard for you to find a more exciting city other than Hong Kong. The best thing about being in Hong Kong is getting confused and fired by the confluences and contradictions of a Chinese city with multi Asian and western elements.
The best period to take a vacation to Hong Kong is in the months of October, November and most of December.

Yosemite National Park:

Yosemite is located on the western slopes of Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is one of the nation’s most famous national parks in US. Yosemite Valley is the most famous destination in Yosemite. Every year more than 4 million people come to visit Yosemite Valley. It is packed with restaurants, shops and campsites.
This has hundreds of miles of hiking trails. You will find a great variety of wildlife along with mule deer, black bears and various bird species. When you plan your vacation to Yosemite, you can enjoy various activities like hiking, skiing, camping, snowshoeing, horse riding and bicycling.

Hawaii:

Going for Hawaii vacation will make you feel very happy by the beauty and hospitality. They want to do the things that they would not do at home. The beautiful Hawaii islands offer you to see world famous beaches closely; offer you peace and calmness somewhere off the beaten path.
During winter season, Hawaii is fully packed with tourists. When you visit Hawaii, don’t forget to enjoy the activities like: Seeing Molten lava flow at Kilauea volcano, hiking through Waipio Valley, visiting the largest Hawaiian religious temple Puukohola Heiau and playing in the snow atop Mauna Kea.

Paris:

It is the most beautiful place and also the capital of France. Springtime is the best time to visit Paris. Paris is the city of life, love and light. You will find romance and magic when you visit Eiffel tower to Mona Lisa and from the bustling Champs Elysees to the winding streets of Montmartre.

The History of Violance : Aztec human Sacrifice

After Columbus found the New World, hordes of Spanish colonists settled in the West Indies. Many of the colonists were ex-soldiers no longer able to find work in Europe. They eagerly left to stake a claim in the Indies for Spain. Bored by the day to day administrations of the colonies, they became restless. They traveled westwards again, toward the new frontier. The age the Spanish Conquistadores began.

The Aztecs were their most imposing foes. The Aztecs considered themselves chosen people of the gods. Their chief god was Huitzilpochtli (the Hummingbird Wizard) who represented the sun, the warrior, and fought the Aztecs' battles with the other gods to ensure the Aztecs' survival.

Huitzilpochtli needed food to nourish him so he could continue to fight. His preferred food was human blood.

In order to keep feeding Huitzilpochtli, the Aztecs warred continuously. Their army was of the utmost importance, and they had several different factions of warriors. The Knights of the Eagle and the Knights of the Jaguar were two such bodies of troops. These were the men who went forth to capture suitable human sacrifices.

Sacrifices were taken to the tops of the Aztec pyramids and laid upon a flat stone. There, their chests were cut open and their hearts were ripped out. The bodies were then thrown down the steps of the pyramid. The Spaniards who witnessed this violence were horrified.

More than blood lust prompted these ritual sacrifices. The Aztecs believed in a concept of "tonalli" or the "animating spirit". Tonalli was believed to be carried in the blood, and since blood flowed from the heart, this was the organ that was offered up to sate the god's appetite. It was believed that without these sacrifices, all motion would stop including the movement of the sun. The Aztecs' human sacrifices were intended to keep the sun from halting its orbit.

Also, the Aztecs did not have livestock. They practiced cannibalism on their captives.  After the sacrifices tumbled down the stairs, the Aztec priests removed the limbs and cooked them. The hands and thighs were delicacies.

Estimates suggest 20,000 people a year were sacrificed by the Aztec royalty. This royalty was made up of a priest class. The priests directly served the Chosen Speaker. In Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital city (with between 150,000 and 300,00 inhabitants it was one of the biggest metropolises in the world at the time) there were five thousand priests.

The priests painted their bodies black in order to symbolize religion and war. Their hair was matted with blood from human sacrifices. They filed their teeth to sharp points.

The Aztecs never fully conquered the surrounding states because they needed a continual supply of sacrifices for Huitzilpochtli. When the Spaniards came to conquer the Aztecs, they found numerous local allies. Even so, the Aztecs were not easily defeated, and much of their legacy is remembered.

Youngest Bride in The World : Marriage of the Young Girls

Wide-eyed and haunted, the heartbreaking expressions on these young girls' faces hint at an innocence cruelly snatched away.
They should be playing, learning and enjoying their childhood. But instead these youngsters, some as young as five, are being married off in secret weddings. It is estimated that every year this happens to ten to 12 million girls in the developing world.
In India, the girls will typically be attached to boys four or five years older, an investigation in the June issue of National Geographic magazine has found. But in Yemen, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and other countries with even higher rates of marriage at an early age, the husbands may be young men, middle-aged widowers or even abductors who rape first and claim their victims as wives afterwards.

'Whenever I saw him, I hid. I hated to see him': Tahani (in pink) was just six years old when she she married Majed, 25 (standing next to her). The young wife posed for this portrait with former classmate Ghada, also a child bride, outside their mountain home in Hajjah, Yemen

Some of these marriages are business transactions or to resolve a family feud.

 

Forced early marriage thrives in many regions, often in defiance of national laws. Whole communities often prescribe to the notion that it is as an appropriate way for a young woman to grow up when the alternative is the risk she loses her virginity to someone before she marries.
Wedding ceremonies are often held in the middle of the night, with the whole village keeping the secret for fear there might be a police raid.
In a project for National Geographic magazine, journalist Cynthia Gorney and photographer Stephanie Sinclair travelled to Yemen and Rajasthan in India to investigate the extent of this shocking practice.
In India girls may not legally marry before the age of 18 - but ceremonies involving girls in their teens may be overlooked. The younger daughters, some aged five, tend to be added on discreetly, their names kept off the invitations.
In one case in Rajasthan where her teenage sisters were also being married, a five-year-old bride named Rajani fell asleep before her wedding ceremony began.

Well past bedtime: Child marriage might be illegal in India, but this doesn't stop ceremonies taking place in the small hours of the morning - it becomes a secret the whole village keeps, explained one farmer. Here, five-year-old Rajani is roused from her sleep long after midnight and carried to her wedding by her uncle

So young: Barely looking at each other, Rajani and her boy groom are married in front of the sacred fire. According to tradition, the young bride is expected to live at home until puberty, before she is transferred to her husband

An uncle lifted her from her cot and carried her in the moonlight toward the Hindu priest and future husband - a ten-year-old boy. Although child brides tend to remain with their families until they are older, this is not always the case.
Three years ago, the case of Nujood Ali came to worldwide attention. The ten-year-old Yemeni girl managed to escape her home and made her way to a courthouse to request a divorce from the man in his 30s her father had forced her to marry and who beat her.
She became the poster girl for children in her position around the world and a recent book, translated into 30 languages - I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced. She is now back with her family and has returned to school.
Not all girls have such a lucky escape. Few who are married off as children have any chance of an education but there are far worse consequences.
Many are raped and have a low life expectancy due to the number of children they carry at such a young age.
Girls suffer physical abuse and are too frightened to escape because they are threatened with death.
In another case in Yemen, it was discovered that a ten-year-old girl Ayesha had been married off to a 50-year-old man.
The journalists were told by her sister Fatima that 'little Ayesha screamed when she saw the man she was to marry'.

Wailing in protest: Surita, 16, cries as she leaves her family home, shielded by a traditional wedding umbrella and carried in a cart to her new husband's village. Early marriage is the norm in her small village in Nepal

Someone alerted the police, but Ayesha's father ordered her to put on high heels to look taller and a veil to hide her face.
He warned that if he was sent to jail, he would kill Ayesha when he got out. The police left without troubling anyone and Ayesha now lives in a village two hours away with her husband.
'She has a mobile phone,' Fatima said. 'Every day, she calls me and cries.'
The medical consequences are also extremely serious and in some cases fatal.
One doctor based in the Yemeni capital Sanaa listed some of the medical consequences of forcing girls into sex and childbirth before they are physically mature - ripped vaginal walls and internal ruptures called fistulas which can lead to life-long incontinence.
Girls are often too young to understand the concept of reproduction. The doctor said: 'The nurses start by asking, "Do you know what's happening?" "Do you understand that this is a baby that has been growing inside of you?''
Few are equipped with the information of how to care for themselves or their babies after childbirth leading to high infant mortality rates.
The people who work full-time trying to prevent these illegal marriages, and to improve women's lives, know that it is a far from simple plan of rescuing girls.
Molly Melching, the founder of a Senegal-based organisation Tostan, told National Geographic: 'If we separate a girl and isolate her from her community, what will her life be like?
'You don't want to encourage girls to run away. The way you change social norms is not by fighting them or humiliating people and saying they're backward. We've seen that an entire community can choose very quickly to change. It's inspiring.'

Source : http://www.dailymail.co.uk

United States Prresident Cursed to DIe in Zero Election

Some called it "The Curse of Tecumseh," after the Shawnee chieftain who was killed by the forces of General William Henry Harrison in 1813.  Tecumseh's brother, Tenskwatawa, supposedly prophesied bitterly that Harrison would die if he were elected president. (In truth, there's no proof that Tenskwatawa ever said any such thing.) Harrison was elected in 1840, died after barely a month in office, and the "curse" was off and running.
140 long years later, Ronald Reagan finally broke the string by serving two full terms as president before stepping down in 1989 -- though he had to survive a 1981 assassination attempt to do so.  George W. Bush was elected in 2000 and also served two full terms.  The killer Curse of Tecumseh turned out to be the Coincidence of Tecumseh after all.
Still, it was quite a deadly run.  Here's the full roll call of 0-year presidents in American history.

The Early Birds: Jefferson and Monroe

Things started out well enough with 0-year presidents.
THOMAS JEFFERSON, elected in 1800, served two full terms: 1801-1809.
JAMES MONROE, elected in 1820, also served two full terms: 1817-1825.
But then tragedy struck.

1840: William Henry Harrison

WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON was elected president in 1840, and he was 68 years old when he delivered his inaugural address on March 3, 1841. Harrison spoke for an hour and 40 minutes in frigid weather, all the while refusing to wear a coat or hat.
Bad idea. The new president soon came down with a cold, which rapidly developed into pneumonia. Harrison was bedridden for a month and finally died on April 4, having been president for just a month and a day.

1860: Abraham Lincoln

President ABRAHAM LINCOLN was just beginning his second term in 1865 when he was shot in the head by John Wilkes Booth at Ford's Theater in Washington, D.C.  It was the evening of April 14th, only six days after the surrender of Robert E. Lee at Appomattox and the end of the Civil War. Lincoln survived the night but died the next morning at a house across the street from the theater, becoming the war's last martyr.

1880: James Garfield

JAMES GARFIELD was shot by assassin Charles Guiteau on July 2, 1881 in a Washington railway station. The shots were not immediately fatal, but a bullet ended up lodged in Garfield's chest, and he lived for two months while surgeons tried to decide if it would be most dangerous to operate or not operate.  Garfield finally died from complications on September 19th.

1900: William McKinley

WILLIAM McKINLEY was elected in 1896 and re-elected in 1900 for a second term. He was attending the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, New York when he was shot by unemployed millworker Leon Czolgosz on September 6, 1901. The President died a week later, from gangrene caused by the bullet wounds. (William McKinley was replaced as president by Theodore Roosevelt, who a decade later was shot but not killed while trying to regain the presidency.)

1920: Warren Harding

President WARREN HARDING began a cross-country rail tour of America in June of 1923. It was a major undertaking for that time. Harding became the first president to visit Alaska on that trip -- but while returning south to California, he came complained of exhaustion, then came down with intestinal cramps and then pneumonia. Harding was convalescing from those injuries in San Francisco when he suffered an apparent heart attack and died in his hotel room and died.

1940: Franklin Roosevelt

It takes some stretching to make the "Curse of Tecumseh" apply to FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT. He was first elected president in 1932, and was reelected in 1936, 1940 and 1944. He was beginning an unprecedented fourth term when he died in April of 1945. Worn down by years of exertion leading the country during the Great Depression and World War II, FDR suffered a cerbral hemorrhage while on a working vacation in Warm Springs, Georgia. His last words were simple enough: "I have a terrific headache."

1960: John F. Kennedy

JOHN F. KENNEDY's death has replaced Abraham Lincoln's as the most famous and shocking of presidential assassinations. Kennedy was shot by Lee Harvey Oswald as he rode in a motorcade through Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. Two days later Oswald was himself shot and killed on national TV by Jack Ruby.

1980: Ronald Reagan

RONALD REAGAN served two full terms, 1981-1989, ending the string of deaths among '0' year presidents.  But good heavens, he was very close to joining the group.  As he left a Hilton Hotel after making a speech on March 30th, 1981, Reagan was shot by a deranged would-be assassin, John Hinckley, Jr.  Reagan was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery and barely survived.  He was reelected in 1984 and live through the end of both terms.
(Photo: The shooting of President Ronald Reagan by John Hinckley in 1981. The wounded president has been rushed into his limousine; Hinckley is hidden in a mob of police and Secret Service agents. Photo from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Archives.)

2000: George W. Bush

President GEORGE W. BUSH also served two full terms, from 2001-2009, thereby putting the final kibosh on Tecumseh's Curse. It's true that President Bush narrowly escaped an assassination attempt by a pretzel on January 14, 2002, but his administration was otherwise healthfully uneventful.

The Final Tally

The final 0-year tally: four presidents killed, three who died of natural causes, and four who lived out their full terms.
Only one president has died in office who was not part of this group: Zachary Taylor, who died of natural causes in 1850.
But there have been near-misses!  Teddy Roosevelt is among many world leaders who almost bought the farm.

Man’s Character That Woman Need From you

Money, money , money. It’s all about money. It’s a lie. Woman still need your best characteristics to stay happy with you.

Trait #1: Loyalty. Loyalty allows a woman to feel safe. It gives her a sense of security.

Trait #2: Imagination. Imagination allows a woman to feel stimulated. It gives her a sense of pleasure.

Trait #3:Passion. Passion allows a woman to feel excitement. It gives her a sense of adventure.

Now, what you’ll notice is that guys can be categorized by which trait is most dominant in them.

Google Translate To Read Images

PICTURE... NOW CAN READ BY GOOGLE TRANSLATE

   The newest version of the Google Translate app can now translate text from photos, according to Android Central. The image feature works with all languages available in Translate, and allows users to highlight the text they want to convert to another language.

   In the app, users take a photo of their foreign blurb of choice, and then swipe their fingers to highlight the text in the photo that needs to be translated. Google sends the image off to its servers and gives the user back the translated phrase. It can't auto-detect what language it's trying to read, however—that's your job.

   The new functionality is similar to an iOS app released in December 2010 called Word Lens, which can translate text picked up by the iPhone's camera. Word Lens could display the translated text right in the viewfinder itself, but is still restricted to only three language packs for translating to and from English (Spanish, Italian, and French), each of which cost $4.99.

   The new Google Translate is available now in the Google Play store for Android phones running 2.3 Gingerbread or later.

Invisible Cloak Of Harry Potter Not Only A Dream

   It might not work as well as Harry Potter's garment or the potions that transform other unseen heroes in books and on screen, but scientists have built an invisibility cloak that makes everyday objects vanish by bending light to fool the eye.
The cloak – a lump of crystal rather than a flowing cape – can hide only small objects, such as pins and paperclips, but it is the first to work in the range of light visible to humans.
The cloak exploits the natural light-bending properties of calcite, a transparent glass-like crystal, so that an object placed under it is hidden by what appears to be a flat, featureless surface.
The experiments conducted so far pave the way for more sophisticated devices that are capable of hiding much larger objects, the researchers said.

   Future cloaks might be used to hide military hardware from view, although the lead researcher, Shuang Zhang at the University of Birmingham, said small cloaks could revolutionise cosmetics by obscuring unsightly blemishes. "If you had a mole on your face, you could potentially cloak it so it won't be seen," Zhang said. "Though you do need a fairly large cloak to hide even a small thing."
The device needs some technical tweaks before it passes muster. Although it can hide small objects from view, the cloak itself – roughly the size of a small paperweight – is visible.
Another shortcoming is that it only works when light is polarised in a particular plane, meaning objects only disappear completely when viewed through a filter.

   Progress on invisibility cloaks has taken great leaps since 2006, when a group led by Sir John Pendry at Imperial College London, described a technique called transformation optics. The method allows scientists to control light and other electromagnetic waves, which allows for the design of materials that steer light around objects, so making them disappear from view.
Recent invisibility attempts have centred on man-made composite materials with exquisitely fine structures that bend electromagnetic waves the wrong way.

While these can hide tiny objects from microwaves and infrared light, they only work for specific wavelengths and cannot make objects invisible to humans.

   In the latest study, the Birmingham group joined forces with Pendry and scientists at the Technical University of Denmark to build the first cloaking device that works in visible wavelengths of light. They found that calcite, a naturally-occurring crystal, had just the right properties. The cloak uses two calcite prisms joined together to make a pyramid with a slight recess in the base. The underside of the pyramid is then coated with gold to make it reflective.

   The cloak hides objects placed underneath it because light rays passing through it are bent, making the base of the pyramid look flat. "The cloaked region is the space at the bottom of the calcite prism," Zhang said. "Anything you put in there won't be seen from outside.

"If you put a pin or a paperclip in there you see nothing. From the outside, you just see a flat surface."

The research is published in the journal Nature Communications. A major drawback is that the cloak, though transparent, is not invisible. Zhang said it may be possible to coat the cloak and make it less visible. Tests at his laboratory show it is almost completely invisible in water.
Larger calcite crystals are needed to build cloaks that make bigger objects invisible, Zhang said. One crystal, which is seven metres long and two metres high, could hide an object the size of a large dog.

"Another limitation is that our cloak has to be placed on a surface to work," Zhang said. "Harry Potter's cloak makes things invisible that are in free space - and that is much harder to do."

Lady Diana : Biography of Princess of Wales

   Diana was born in 1961 as the third daughter of Edward John Spencer and his wife Frances Ruth Burke Roche. Diana grew up in a very privileged family that had a long history of close ties with the royal family. When Diana's paternal grandfather passed away in 1975, Diana's father became the 8th Earl of Spencer and Diana gained the title of "Lady."

In 1969, Diana's parents divorced. Her mother's affair helped the court decide to give custody of the couple's four children to Diana's father. Both of her parents eventually remarried, but the divorce left an emotional scar on Diana.

Diana attended school at West Heath in Kent and then spent a short time at a finishing school in Switzerland. Although she was not an excellent student academically, her determined personality, caring nature, and cheerful outlook helped her through it. After returning from Switzerland, Diana rented an apartment with two friends, worked with children at the Young England Kindergarten, and watched movies and visited restaurants in her free time.

It was about this time that Prince Charles, in his early 30s, was under increasing pressure to choose a wife. Diana's vibrancy, cheerfulness, and good family background caught the attention of Prince Charles and the two began dating in mid-1980. It was a whirlwind romance for on February 24, 1981, Buckingham Palace officially announced the couple's engagement. At the time, Lady Diana and Prince Charles seemed truly in love and the whole world was awed by what seemed like a fairytale romance.

It was the wedding of the decade; nearly 3,500 people attended and approximately 750 million people from around the world watched it on television. To the envy of young women everywhere, Lady Diana married Prince Charles on July 29, 1981 at St. Paul's Cathedral.

Less than a year after the wedding, Diana gave birth to William Arthur Philip Louis on June 21, 1982. Two years after William was born, Diana gave birth to Henry ("Harry") Charles Albert David on September 15, 1984.

While Diana quickly gained the love and appreciation of the public, there were definitely problems in her marriage by the time Prince Harry was born.

The stresses of Diana's numerous new roles (including wife, mother, and princess) were overwhelming. These pressures plus the extreme media coverage and post-natal depression, left Diana lonely and depressed.

Although she tried to maintain a positive public persona, at home she was crying out for help. Diana suffered from bulimia, cut herself on her arms and legs, and made several suicide attempts.

Prince Charles, who was jealous of Diana's extra media attention and unprepared to handle her depression and self-destructive behavior, quickly started to drift away from her. This led Diana to spend the mid- to late-1980s, unhappy, lonely, and depressed.

During these lonely years, Diana tried to find a place for herself. She had become what many describe as the most photographed woman in the world. The public loved her, which meant that the media followed her everywhere she went and commented on everything she wore, said, or did.

Diana found that her presence comforted many who were sick or dying. She dedicated herself to a number of causes, most especially to the elimination of AIDS and landmines. In 1987, when Diana became the first famous person to be photographed touching someone with AIDS, she made a huge impact in dissolving the myth that AIDS could be contracted merely by touch.

In December 1992, a formal separation was announced between Diana and Charles and in 1996, a divorce was agreed to which was finalized on August 28. In the settlement, Diana was given $28 million, plus $600,000 per year but she was to give up the title, "Her Royal Highness."

Diana's hard-won freedom did not last long. On August 31, 1997, Diana was riding in a Mercedes with her boyfriend (Dodi Al Fayed), bodyguard, and chauffer when the car crashed into a pillar of the tunnel under the Pont de l'Alma bridge in Paris while fleeing from paparazzi. Diana, age 36, died on the operating table at the hospital. Her tragic death shocked the world.

Initially, the public blamed the paparazzi for the accident. However, further investigation proved that the primary cause of the accident was that the chauffer had been driving under the influence of both drugs and alcohol.

Most Beautiful Christmas Trees in the World

   The Capitol Christmas tree in Washington, D.C., is decorated with ornaments created by U.S. schoolchildren. Encircling evergreens in the ‘Pathway of Peace’ represent the 50 U.S. states. Because this year’s tree comes from Arizona:

   Schoolchildren throughout Arizona made nearly 6,000 ornaments to be placed on the iconic symbol often called “The People’s Tree.” Another 4,000 handcrafted ornaments were made to accompany the 80 companion trees places throughout the United States Capitol Complex. Students were encouraged to craft their ornaments from recycled materials and to consider the environmental impact of their finished designs.

   The biggest Christmas tree display in the world rises up the slopes of Monte Ingino near Gubbio, in Italy’s Umbria region. Each year, on December 7 (Immaculate Conception Eve) the Christmas tree is lit up! This amazing display rises from the last stone houses of Gubbio up to the basilica of S. Ubaldo, the patron saint of the town. More than 500 lights, connected by 40,000 feet of wire comprise this amazing display.

   A display like this one makes me want to book a trip to Tokyo right now! Check out the amazing neon lights on the outside of the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka! Even among the many lights of the City, this Christmas Tree stands out.

   Oh, how I wish to visit Prague someday! The Old Town Square includes gorgeous Gothic architecture, and during December each year, holy manger displays can be found in the famous Christmas markets.

   The Prague Christmas markets run daily throughout December. They take place at the Old Town Square & Wenceslas Square, with smaller ones operating at Havelske Trziste & Namesti Republiky. All are within 10 minutes walking distance of each other.
The tree shown above is from the Sumava Mountains in the southern Czech Republic.

   Venice ‘s Murano Island, renowned world-wide for its quality glasswork, is home to the tallest glass tree in the world. This artistic Christmas tree was sculpted by master glass blower Simone Cenedese, and is a modern reflection of the holiday season.

   While most of the world is a mere 2 weeks away from Christmas, Moscow doesn’t celebrate Christmas until January 7, according to the Russian Orthodox calendar. Still, the City is in full preparation mode for the arrival of Father Frost on his magical troika with the Snow Maiden. Instead of a Christmas Tree, you’ll find a New Year tree, or yolka, under which Father Frost places goodies and gifts!

   If you want to see the largest Christmas tree in Europe, you’ll have to visit the Praça do Comércio in Lisbon, Portugal. The tree extends more than 230-feet into the sky and boasts thousands of lights. I’m serious – you have to see this tree to believe it! And if you want a bird’s-eye view, check out the live webcam on top of the tree from SAPO.

   I think that this Christmas tree is one of the most special of them all. How can you not consider the true meaning of the season when viewing this display next to a tiny chapel in Germany’s Karwendel mountains?
Ahhh….. Paris! What a perfect place to celebrate Christmas – the style, the art, the je ne sais quoi that is France! This Christmas Tree inside the Galeries Lafayette is – in every sense of the word – awesome. Can you believe that more people visit the department store than the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower? Non? Quelle horror!

   For the ultimate in a Christmas experience, you have to visit St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. Anyone who is a Christian, or interested in theology in general, should make a pilgrimage to this holy city-state. This time of year, you get a “two for one”! Not only can you view the Vatican’s heavenly evergreen, but you’ll also be able to enjoy a larger-than-life nativity scene in front of the obelisk.
Now here is a Christmas celebration worth attending! In Madrid, Spain, you may win the El Gordo (the fat one) on December 22! The world’s biggest lottery is announced in less than 2 weeks. You’ll want to be at the Puerta del Sol to be a lucky winner!
Another great metropolis in which to celebrate the season is London! Who can resist the Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square, which is an annual gift to Great Britain for its aid during WWII from the people of Norway?

Each year since 1947, a Christmas tree has been given to the people of London from the people of Norway in gratitude for Britain’s support for Norway during World War II. For many Londoners the Christmas tree and carol singing in Trafalgar Square signal the countdown to Christmas.
The simple holiday displays are often the most meaningful. Here at the holiday market in Romer, Frankfurt’s City Hall, you can raise a glass of gluhwein (mulled wine) and give a toast to Christmas’s past, present and future!

Perhaps you’ll agree that the most meaningful Christmas tree displays are those that are unexpected. One of my friends on Facebook recently posted that she had been running along a river trail and came upon a few fir trees that were decorated for the season… out in the middle of nowhere! Similarly, this photo of a trio of Christmas tree is from an unknown location.
Perhaps you can recreate the special feeling in your hometown?
Perhaps my favorite photo of this series of this one from the Arlington National Cemetery, outside Washington, D.C. The wreaths that are placed at the headstones each year – more than 5,000 – are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine.

   The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He’s done this since 1992. Groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to D.C. to help out. Perhaps even more amazing is the fact that Harrington is in one of the poorest parts of the state. The Christmas spirit is indeed alive and well!