Even people who hate the USA love San Francisco. It has an atmosphere of genteel （彬彬有礼的；有教养的）chic（高尚、别致） mixed with offbeat（不跟随时尚主流的；非传统的；特异的）innovation， and a selfeffacing（自我谦逊的）quality so blatantly missing from New York and LA.
One of the USA's most attractive cities， San Francisco's hilly streets provide some gorgeous glimpses of the San Francisco Bay and its famous bridges. This is a mosaic（马赛克式的东西）of a city， a big picture made from the colorful tiles of bustling Chinatown， gay Castro （旧金山一著名同性恋社区）and faux-hemian（法语词，故意表现得质朴童稚的）North Beach.
San Francisco covers the tip of a 30mi （50km） peninsula （半岛） in Northern California， with the Pacific Ocean on its western side and the San Francisco Bay to the north and east. San Francisco is just one of many cities in the Bay Area； others include Oakland （east across the Bay Bridge）， Berkeley （just north of Oakland） and San Jose （an hour's drive southeast of San Francisco， near the southern tip of the bay）。 Marin County and the Wine Country lie to the north， across the Golden Gate Bridge.
The most touristed part of the city resembles a slice of pie， with Van Ness Ave and Market St making the two sides and the Embarcadero the round edge of the pie. The steaming toppings of this homebaked slice are the classy shops around Union Square， the highrise Financial District， the classy Civic Center， the down-and-out but up-and-coming Tenderloin， swanky（华丽的） Nob Hill and Russian Hill， Chinatown， North Beach and the epicenter of tourist kitsch， Fisherman's Wharf（渔人码头）。 To the south of Market St lies SoMa， an upwardly mobile warehouse zone of clubs and bars that fades in the southwest into the Mission - the city's Latino quarter - and then the Castro， the center of gay life.
Making a circuit of the 49-Mile Drive is a good way to check out almost all of the city's highlights（最有意思或精彩的部分）。 The route is well posted with instantly recognizable seagull signs， but a map and an alert navigator are essential. Do yourself a favor and allow a whole day to complete the circuit.
Greyhound is the only regular long-distance bus company operating to the city - all bus services arrive and depart at the Transbay Terminal in SoMa. Amtrak's rail network connects the Bay Area with the rest of the continental US and Canada. Its main stations are in Oakland and Emeryville， both in the East Bay. Caltrain links San Francisco with the peninsula and San Jose； its depot is in SoMa.
2008年2月1日星期五
Phoenix (US)
Like the phoenix of ancient mythology， Arizona's capital city of Phoenix rose from its own ashes——in this case， the ruins of an ancient Indian village. The name Phoenix， given to the city by an early settler from Britain， has proven apt. Rising from the dust of the desert， this city has become one of the largest metropolitan areas in the country.
Though the city has had its economic ups and downs， the Phoenix metropolitan area， often referred to as the Valley of the Sun， is currently booming. The Camelback Corridor， which leads through north-central Phoenix， has become the heartland of the city and shiny glass office towers keep pushing up toward the desert sky. This burgeoning（增长迅速的，发展很快的）stretch of road has also become a corridor of upscale（高档的）restaurants and shopping plazas（市场；购物中心）， anchored （原意是抛锚使船停泊，使固定） by the Biltmore Fashion Park， the city's temple of high-end consumerism. Today Phoenicians are flocking to （涌向）this area both for work and play.
Even downtown Phoenix， long abandoned as simply a place to work， is taking on a radically new look of late. Two new museums——the Phoenix Museum of History and the Arizona Science Center——have been built adjacent to（邻近）historic Heritage Square， and the Phoenix Museum of Art has undergone a major renovation and expansion. However， the biggest project in downtown Phoenix in recent years was the construction of the Bank One Ballpark， a covered baseball stadium with a retractable（可来回收缩的）roof.
Throughout the metropolitan area the population is growing at such a rapid pace that an alarm has been raised： Slow down before we become another Los Angeles！ Why the phenomenal growth？ In large part it's due to the climate. More than 300 days of sunshine a year is a powerful attraction. Sure， summers are hot， but the mountains——and cooler air——are only 2 hours away. And it's in the winter that the Valley of the Sun truly shines. While most of the country is frozen solid， the valley is sunny and warm. This great winter climate has helped make this area the resort（常去的休闲度假之处）capital of the United States.
Golf and tennis are only the tip of the iceberg （so to speak）。 With the cooler winter weather comes the cultural season， and between Phoenix and the neighboring cities of Scottsdale， Tempe， and Mesa， there's an impressive array of（一系列；大量）music， dance， and theater to be enjoyed. Scottsdale is also well known as a center of the visual arts， ranking only behind New York and Santa Fe in its concentration of art galleries.
Over the years， Phoenix has both enjoyed the benefits and suffered the problems of rapid urban growth. It has gone from tiny agricultural village to sprawling（迅速拓展的）cosmopolitan metropolis in little more than a century. Along the way it has lost its past amid urban sprawl and unchecked development； at the same time， it has forged a city that's quintessentially（典型地，标准地）20th-century American. Shopping malls， the gathering places of America， are raised to an art form in Phoenix. Luxurious resorts create fantasy worlds of waterfalls and swimming pools. Wide boulevards（大马路）stretch（延伸）for miles across land that was once desert but has been made green through irrigation. Perhaps it's this willingness to create a new world on top of an old one that attracts people to Phoenix. Then again， maybe it's just all that sunshine.
Though the city has had its economic ups and downs， the Phoenix metropolitan area， often referred to as the Valley of the Sun， is currently booming. The Camelback Corridor， which leads through north-central Phoenix， has become the heartland of the city and shiny glass office towers keep pushing up toward the desert sky. This burgeoning（增长迅速的，发展很快的）stretch of road has also become a corridor of upscale（高档的）restaurants and shopping plazas（市场；购物中心）， anchored （原意是抛锚使船停泊，使固定） by the Biltmore Fashion Park， the city's temple of high-end consumerism. Today Phoenicians are flocking to （涌向）this area both for work and play.
Even downtown Phoenix， long abandoned as simply a place to work， is taking on a radically new look of late. Two new museums——the Phoenix Museum of History and the Arizona Science Center——have been built adjacent to（邻近）historic Heritage Square， and the Phoenix Museum of Art has undergone a major renovation and expansion. However， the biggest project in downtown Phoenix in recent years was the construction of the Bank One Ballpark， a covered baseball stadium with a retractable（可来回收缩的）roof.
Throughout the metropolitan area the population is growing at such a rapid pace that an alarm has been raised： Slow down before we become another Los Angeles！ Why the phenomenal growth？ In large part it's due to the climate. More than 300 days of sunshine a year is a powerful attraction. Sure， summers are hot， but the mountains——and cooler air——are only 2 hours away. And it's in the winter that the Valley of the Sun truly shines. While most of the country is frozen solid， the valley is sunny and warm. This great winter climate has helped make this area the resort（常去的休闲度假之处）capital of the United States.
Golf and tennis are only the tip of the iceberg （so to speak）。 With the cooler winter weather comes the cultural season， and between Phoenix and the neighboring cities of Scottsdale， Tempe， and Mesa， there's an impressive array of（一系列；大量）music， dance， and theater to be enjoyed. Scottsdale is also well known as a center of the visual arts， ranking only behind New York and Santa Fe in its concentration of art galleries.
Over the years， Phoenix has both enjoyed the benefits and suffered the problems of rapid urban growth. It has gone from tiny agricultural village to sprawling（迅速拓展的）cosmopolitan metropolis in little more than a century. Along the way it has lost its past amid urban sprawl and unchecked development； at the same time， it has forged a city that's quintessentially（典型地，标准地）20th-century American. Shopping malls， the gathering places of America， are raised to an art form in Phoenix. Luxurious resorts create fantasy worlds of waterfalls and swimming pools. Wide boulevards（大马路）stretch（延伸）for miles across land that was once desert but has been made green through irrigation. Perhaps it's this willingness to create a new world on top of an old one that attracts people to Phoenix. Then again， maybe it's just all that sunshine.
Nashville (US)
Admit it - as LA is to long-haired rockers and Chicago is to steamy blues - when you think Nashville， you've got country music on your mind. And why not？ As the self-proclaimed 'Country Music Capital of the World，' Nashville revels in its down-home glamour. Banners and billboards announce new recording stars and releases like accolades （称赞；盛赞）in a high school yearbook， and streets bear the names of country legends like Roy Acuff and Chet Atkins. Music City （as Nashville's promoters like to call it） has even caught the attention of non-country singers - from Joan Baez to Jello Biafra - though their reviews have not always been favorable. Still， for a city that's staked（本意为把…押下打赌，拿……冒险） it's reputation on its trademark sound， there's no doubt about it - Nashville's tune is catchy.
Straddling the Cumberland River in northern central Tennessee， Nashville lies midway between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. From the state capitol - the city's highest point - a busy， compact downtown of narrow one-way streets and high-rise office buildings slopes eastward to Broadway， Nashville's central artery. Southeast of the capitol along 2nd Ave and Broadway， the renovation of historic commercial buildings has carved a downtown tourist destination called 'the District.' Music Row， the other main commercial district， is less than a mile southwest of downtown.
Record shop named after the famous country singer
In the rest of sprawling Nashville， it's hard to pinpoint（准确地确定）what constitutes a neighborhood， but a few are easily discernible（可识别的）。 Elliston Place is a compact stretch of bohemian alternative culture about a mile west of downtown and north of West End Ave. South of this is the Vanderbilt University campus. East of Elliston Place and abutting（邻接；毗连） the university， Centennial Park is the site of the mock（仿制品）Parthenon leftover from the Centennial Exposition of 1897. This whole area is known as West End， and it centers on a cluster of restaurants along Broadway and West End Ave on either side of the university； you might also hear it referred to as 'Around Vanderbilt.'
Many tourists never set foot in downtown Nashville， confining their visit to the massive Opryland complex a few miles northeast of town. Here， the prefabricated（预先制造；预先构思） Music Valley boasts budget motels， franchise restaurants and outlet stores.
Straddling the Cumberland River in northern central Tennessee， Nashville lies midway between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. From the state capitol - the city's highest point - a busy， compact downtown of narrow one-way streets and high-rise office buildings slopes eastward to Broadway， Nashville's central artery. Southeast of the capitol along 2nd Ave and Broadway， the renovation of historic commercial buildings has carved a downtown tourist destination called 'the District.' Music Row， the other main commercial district， is less than a mile southwest of downtown.
Record shop named after the famous country singer
In the rest of sprawling Nashville， it's hard to pinpoint（准确地确定）what constitutes a neighborhood， but a few are easily discernible（可识别的）。 Elliston Place is a compact stretch of bohemian alternative culture about a mile west of downtown and north of West End Ave. South of this is the Vanderbilt University campus. East of Elliston Place and abutting（邻接；毗连） the university， Centennial Park is the site of the mock（仿制品）Parthenon leftover from the Centennial Exposition of 1897. This whole area is known as West End， and it centers on a cluster of restaurants along Broadway and West End Ave on either side of the university； you might also hear it referred to as 'Around Vanderbilt.'
Many tourists never set foot in downtown Nashville， confining their visit to the massive Opryland complex a few miles northeast of town. Here， the prefabricated（预先制造；预先构思） Music Valley boasts budget motels， franchise restaurants and outlet stores.
Nashville (US)
Admit it - as LA is to long-haired rockers and Chicago is to steamy blues - when you think Nashville， you've got country music on your mind. And why not？ As the self-proclaimed 'Country Music Capital of the World，' Nashville revels in its down-home glamour. Banners and billboards announce new recording stars and releases like accolades （称赞；盛赞）in a high school yearbook， and streets bear the names of country legends like Roy Acuff and Chet Atkins. Music City （as Nashville's promoters like to call it） has even caught the attention of non-country singers - from Joan Baez to Jello Biafra - though their reviews have not always been favorable. Still， for a city that's staked（本意为把…押下打赌，拿……冒险） it's reputation on its trademark sound， there's no doubt about it - Nashville's tune is catchy.
Straddling the Cumberland River in northern central Tennessee， Nashville lies midway between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. From the state capitol - the city's highest point - a busy， compact downtown of narrow one-way streets and high-rise office buildings slopes eastward to Broadway， Nashville's central artery. Southeast of the capitol along 2nd Ave and Broadway， the renovation of historic commercial buildings has carved a downtown tourist destination called 'the District.' Music Row， the other main commercial district， is less than a mile southwest of downtown.
Record shop named after the famous country singer
In the rest of sprawling Nashville， it's hard to pinpoint（准确地确定）what constitutes a neighborhood， but a few are easily discernible（可识别的）。 Elliston Place is a compact stretch of bohemian alternative culture about a mile west of downtown and north of West End Ave. South of this is the Vanderbilt University campus. East of Elliston Place and abutting（邻接；毗连） the university， Centennial Park is the site of the mock（仿制品）Parthenon leftover from the Centennial Exposition of 1897. This whole area is known as West End， and it centers on a cluster of restaurants along Broadway and West End Ave on either side of the university； you might also hear it referred to as 'Around Vanderbilt.'
Many tourists never set foot in downtown Nashville， confining their visit to the massive Opryland complex a few miles northeast of town. Here， the prefabricated（预先制造；预先构思） Music Valley boasts budget motels， franchise restaurants and outlet stores.
Straddling the Cumberland River in northern central Tennessee， Nashville lies midway between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. From the state capitol - the city's highest point - a busy， compact downtown of narrow one-way streets and high-rise office buildings slopes eastward to Broadway， Nashville's central artery. Southeast of the capitol along 2nd Ave and Broadway， the renovation of historic commercial buildings has carved a downtown tourist destination called 'the District.' Music Row， the other main commercial district， is less than a mile southwest of downtown.
Record shop named after the famous country singer
In the rest of sprawling Nashville， it's hard to pinpoint（准确地确定）what constitutes a neighborhood， but a few are easily discernible（可识别的）。 Elliston Place is a compact stretch of bohemian alternative culture about a mile west of downtown and north of West End Ave. South of this is the Vanderbilt University campus. East of Elliston Place and abutting（邻接；毗连） the university， Centennial Park is the site of the mock（仿制品）Parthenon leftover from the Centennial Exposition of 1897. This whole area is known as West End， and it centers on a cluster of restaurants along Broadway and West End Ave on either side of the university； you might also hear it referred to as 'Around Vanderbilt.'
Many tourists never set foot in downtown Nashville， confining their visit to the massive Opryland complex a few miles northeast of town. Here， the prefabricated（预先制造；预先构思） Music Valley boasts budget motels， franchise restaurants and outlet stores.
Seattle (U.S.)
Ever wondered whether caffeine is a viable substitute for sunshine？ If so， Seattle is your kind of town. More than any other city in the region， Seattle epitomizes（浓缩） what people know of the Pacific Northwest. Nevermind that its sunshiny days can be suicidally few - its residents are among the nation's most outgoing and outdoorsy（爱好野外活动的）。 Sure， it had everybody wearing flannel （法兰绒）shirts and whistling Nirvana for a while， but consider also the good things it's given us： the city's chilly mornings had the espresso（浓咖啡） generation brewing long before Starbucks sold its first cup. If you're looking for lifestyle， Seattle has it in spades（肯定地）。
Seattle is situated in the west of Washington， the northwesternmost state. The largest city in the state， Seattle sits on a skinny slip of land between the Puget Sound（普吉特海湾） and Lake Washington. Lake Union and the Lake Washington Ship Canal divide the city into northern and southern halves； downtown and the Capitol Hill and Queen Anne neighborhoods lie south of the canal， the U District is to the northeast.
Compared to the rest of the city， downtown orientation is pretty straightforward. Historic Pioneer Square contains most of the must-see sites. Seattle Center， home to many of the city's cultural and sport facilities， is just northwest of downtown.
Before the arrival of Europeans， the Seattle area was home to the Duwamish， a generally peaceable tribe that fished the bays and rivers of the Puget Sound and befriended（帮助） early white settlers. In 1851， a native New Yorker named David Denny led the first group of settlers across the Oregon Trail with the intention of settling along the Puget Sound. Recognizing the area's seaport possibilities， Denny's band staked a claim on Alki Point in present-day West Seattle. After a winter of wind and rain， the group moved the settlement to Elliott Bay （依利雅特湾）， renaming it Seattle for the Duwamish chief Sealth， a friend of an early merchant.
Hardly a boomtown（新兴城市）， early Seattle was peopled mainly by bachelors until one of the founding fathers went back east on a mission to induce young unmarried women to come to Seattle. On two different trips， a total of 57 women made the journey and married into the frontier stock， in the process setting a more civilized tone for the city. A spur（铁路的支线） from the Northern Pacific Railroad's terminus in Portland reached Seattle in 1893， linking the town by rail with the rest of the country. The lumber， shipping and general commerce derived from immigration soon swelled the town's ranks so much that even the Great Fire of 1889 barely slowed the advance. After 50 blocks of the old wooden downtown burned in a single day， the city was reborn in brick and iron， centered on today's Pioneer Square.
Seattle's first boom came when the ship Portland docked in 1897 with its now-famous cargo： two tons of Yukon gold. Within weeks， thousands of fortune hunters from across the country passed through on their way to the northern gold fields. Local business blossomed as Seattle became the banking center for the nouveau riche（爆发户）， and the bars， brothels（妓院） and honky-tonks（下等酒馆） of Pioneer Square overflowed with pleasure-starved miners.
The boom continued through WWI， when Northwest lumber was greatly in demand and shipyards along the Puget Sound 'harvested' the surrounding forests. WWII furthered the shipbuilding boom， and aircraft and atomic energy industries added to the region's pattern of profit. Today， international trade and tech firms （such as Microsoft and Amazon） make up the backbone（支柱） of Seattle's booming economy. And although Boeing， for decades as synonymous with Seattle as rain， announced in 2001 that it was up and leaving for windier pastures in Chicago， the city's progressive politics， inventive culture and ready access to outdoor recreation continue to lure restless people like no place else on the West Coast.
Seattle is situated in the west of Washington， the northwesternmost state. The largest city in the state， Seattle sits on a skinny slip of land between the Puget Sound（普吉特海湾） and Lake Washington. Lake Union and the Lake Washington Ship Canal divide the city into northern and southern halves； downtown and the Capitol Hill and Queen Anne neighborhoods lie south of the canal， the U District is to the northeast.
Compared to the rest of the city， downtown orientation is pretty straightforward. Historic Pioneer Square contains most of the must-see sites. Seattle Center， home to many of the city's cultural and sport facilities， is just northwest of downtown.
Before the arrival of Europeans， the Seattle area was home to the Duwamish， a generally peaceable tribe that fished the bays and rivers of the Puget Sound and befriended（帮助） early white settlers. In 1851， a native New Yorker named David Denny led the first group of settlers across the Oregon Trail with the intention of settling along the Puget Sound. Recognizing the area's seaport possibilities， Denny's band staked a claim on Alki Point in present-day West Seattle. After a winter of wind and rain， the group moved the settlement to Elliott Bay （依利雅特湾）， renaming it Seattle for the Duwamish chief Sealth， a friend of an early merchant.
Hardly a boomtown（新兴城市）， early Seattle was peopled mainly by bachelors until one of the founding fathers went back east on a mission to induce young unmarried women to come to Seattle. On two different trips， a total of 57 women made the journey and married into the frontier stock， in the process setting a more civilized tone for the city. A spur（铁路的支线） from the Northern Pacific Railroad's terminus in Portland reached Seattle in 1893， linking the town by rail with the rest of the country. The lumber， shipping and general commerce derived from immigration soon swelled the town's ranks so much that even the Great Fire of 1889 barely slowed the advance. After 50 blocks of the old wooden downtown burned in a single day， the city was reborn in brick and iron， centered on today's Pioneer Square.
Seattle's first boom came when the ship Portland docked in 1897 with its now-famous cargo： two tons of Yukon gold. Within weeks， thousands of fortune hunters from across the country passed through on their way to the northern gold fields. Local business blossomed as Seattle became the banking center for the nouveau riche（爆发户）， and the bars， brothels（妓院） and honky-tonks（下等酒馆） of Pioneer Square overflowed with pleasure-starved miners.
The boom continued through WWI， when Northwest lumber was greatly in demand and shipyards along the Puget Sound 'harvested' the surrounding forests. WWII furthered the shipbuilding boom， and aircraft and atomic energy industries added to the region's pattern of profit. Today， international trade and tech firms （such as Microsoft and Amazon） make up the backbone（支柱） of Seattle's booming economy. And although Boeing， for decades as synonymous with Seattle as rain， announced in 2001 that it was up and leaving for windier pastures in Chicago， the city's progressive politics， inventive culture and ready access to outdoor recreation continue to lure restless people like no place else on the West Coast.
Mexico City (Mexico)
Founded on the ruins of the glittering Aztec capital， Tenochtitan， Mexico City today is a study in startling contrasts. The "City of Palaces" is home to staggering （令人吃惊的）wealth and unspeakable poverty. The picturesque volcanos and mountains that ring the city makes the city's air pollution the worst in the world. A population center since ancient times， modern Mexico City is one of the most crowded cities in the world， with upwards of 20 million inhabitants.
Despite its problems， the city is a vibrant metropolitan area， alive with history， studded（点缀）with parks， and bustling（熙攘的）with the dynamic of the 20th century. There's no end to activities in this great metropolis， whether your tastes run more toward historic attractions， cultural pursuits， shopping or after-hours partying.
A 600-plus square block historic district raises blisters（起水泡）on the feet of walking-tourers， but several bus companies provide narrated drive-bys that are gentler on the feet. North of the city are the breathtaking Teotihuacan pyramids of the sun and moon， believed to date from a civilization that flourished between 200 and 400 B.C.
For culture lovers， the city boasts more than 80 museums， many devoted to art， to history， and to archeological treasures. The grand avenue， Passeo de Reforma， leads to Bosque de Chapultepec， one of the world's greatest archeology museums.
Shopping is everywhere， from large stores and elegant boutiques to street vendors and bustling weekend markets with bright red awnings（凉篷，雨篷）over the stalls. Crafts from all over the country are available and range from bark paintings and beadwork to ceramics and silver. Bargaining at the markets is expected， so be ready to haggle（讨价还价）。
Hundreds of bars， discos and night clubs attract the after-hours crowd with live music， margaritas and cold bottles of Dos Equis. As in all big cities， a day in Mexico City can be a 24-hour adventure.
Despite its problems， the city is a vibrant metropolitan area， alive with history， studded（点缀）with parks， and bustling（熙攘的）with the dynamic of the 20th century. There's no end to activities in this great metropolis， whether your tastes run more toward historic attractions， cultural pursuits， shopping or after-hours partying.
A 600-plus square block historic district raises blisters（起水泡）on the feet of walking-tourers， but several bus companies provide narrated drive-bys that are gentler on the feet. North of the city are the breathtaking Teotihuacan pyramids of the sun and moon， believed to date from a civilization that flourished between 200 and 400 B.C.
For culture lovers， the city boasts more than 80 museums， many devoted to art， to history， and to archeological treasures. The grand avenue， Passeo de Reforma， leads to Bosque de Chapultepec， one of the world's greatest archeology museums.
Shopping is everywhere， from large stores and elegant boutiques to street vendors and bustling weekend markets with bright red awnings（凉篷，雨篷）over the stalls. Crafts from all over the country are available and range from bark paintings and beadwork to ceramics and silver. Bargaining at the markets is expected， so be ready to haggle（讨价还价）。
Hundreds of bars， discos and night clubs attract the after-hours crowd with live music， margaritas and cold bottles of Dos Equis. As in all big cities， a day in Mexico City can be a 24-hour adventure.
NorwayAkershus
In the unconscious of a traveller, Norway evokes a concept of an extreme land, of absolute north. The extreme north of Europe is known as Lapland, a land that straddles the Norwegian borders to include the northern part of Scandinavia and a small portion of Russia. The native population is the "Sami" who live traditionally from hunting and fishing, in symbiosis, even if nowadays in a technological version, with their environment.
The capital of Norway, Oslo, has a population of barely half a million. The city ensures the necessary administrative and cultural cohesion of a people who have a very strong sense of harmony with the nature, born in their distant Viking past and proudly cultivated throughout the years.
The Holmenkollen ski-jumping board is one of the most famous symbols of Oslo. Norwegians' relationship with skis goes very far back in time: indeed it is not improbable that even the Vikings traversed Scandinavia on these wooden slats.
The fundamental relationship that Norwegians have with nature makes them open and uninhibited with respect to nudity. Here, the human body is displayed with spontaneity and directness, like one of the many natural elements that blend in with the landscape.
In front of the square of the City Hall, the quay that overlooks the fjord - the Aker Brygge - has been attractively restructured and turned into a walk, a shopping centre and an entertainment area. But the grand spectacle is still the beating of the waves of the sea and the boats bathed in the golden light of the summer.
Another look at the fortress of Akershus, which once again demonstrates the harmony of the city with nature, is all the more worthwhile.
The itinerary from north to south is a compendium of Norwegian nature: thundering waterfalls, rushing mountain streams and roads that run along glaciers, after having gone through dense pine forests and coastal lakes and fjords.
The interior of the country is incredibly rugged and almost one third of it is covered in trees. Despite its northern latitude, the Norwegian climate is essentially maritime and damp, because it is influenced by the mitigating action of the warm Gulf Stream, originating from the Gulf of Mexico, which flows up the coast preventing the formation of sea ice.
Bergen, a port lying in the southeast of the country, is crowded with brightly coloured houses, which belonged to German traders of the powerful Hanseatic League. Despite several fires, the area maintains the atmosphere of the "old port" and Commercial City from the Middle Ages. UNESCO recently declared it a World Heritage Site and included it in the list of monuments that are to be preserved.
There is a large park in the centre of Bergen which is taken up almost completely by an octagonal lake, around which, lie some of the principal museums in the city.
The Hakonshallen, the most beautiful monument in the city, lies within the walls of Bergen's fortress. The great 13th century Gothic hall was built for the parties and the receptions in the days of the city's control over trade in the North Sea.
You get the best view over Bergen, the fjords and the surrounding pine-covered mountains from the belvedere. It's easy to admire Norwegians for their unique way of respecting the nature！
From north to south, from Lapland to Oslo and Bergen, Norwegian people has convinced us, with time, that human beings, as the most advanced yet most vulnerable in the grand family of nature, can live in harmony with all its other members.
The capital of Norway, Oslo, has a population of barely half a million. The city ensures the necessary administrative and cultural cohesion of a people who have a very strong sense of harmony with the nature, born in their distant Viking past and proudly cultivated throughout the years.
The Holmenkollen ski-jumping board is one of the most famous symbols of Oslo. Norwegians' relationship with skis goes very far back in time: indeed it is not improbable that even the Vikings traversed Scandinavia on these wooden slats.
The fundamental relationship that Norwegians have with nature makes them open and uninhibited with respect to nudity. Here, the human body is displayed with spontaneity and directness, like one of the many natural elements that blend in with the landscape.
In front of the square of the City Hall, the quay that overlooks the fjord - the Aker Brygge - has been attractively restructured and turned into a walk, a shopping centre and an entertainment area. But the grand spectacle is still the beating of the waves of the sea and the boats bathed in the golden light of the summer.
Another look at the fortress of Akershus, which once again demonstrates the harmony of the city with nature, is all the more worthwhile.
The itinerary from north to south is a compendium of Norwegian nature: thundering waterfalls, rushing mountain streams and roads that run along glaciers, after having gone through dense pine forests and coastal lakes and fjords.
The interior of the country is incredibly rugged and almost one third of it is covered in trees. Despite its northern latitude, the Norwegian climate is essentially maritime and damp, because it is influenced by the mitigating action of the warm Gulf Stream, originating from the Gulf of Mexico, which flows up the coast preventing the formation of sea ice.
Bergen, a port lying in the southeast of the country, is crowded with brightly coloured houses, which belonged to German traders of the powerful Hanseatic League. Despite several fires, the area maintains the atmosphere of the "old port" and Commercial City from the Middle Ages. UNESCO recently declared it a World Heritage Site and included it in the list of monuments that are to be preserved.
There is a large park in the centre of Bergen which is taken up almost completely by an octagonal lake, around which, lie some of the principal museums in the city.
The Hakonshallen, the most beautiful monument in the city, lies within the walls of Bergen's fortress. The great 13th century Gothic hall was built for the parties and the receptions in the days of the city's control over trade in the North Sea.
You get the best view over Bergen, the fjords and the surrounding pine-covered mountains from the belvedere. It's easy to admire Norwegians for their unique way of respecting the nature！
From north to south, from Lapland to Oslo and Bergen, Norwegian people has convinced us, with time, that human beings, as the most advanced yet most vulnerable in the grand family of nature, can live in harmony with all its other members.
the Loire Valley
The Loire, the longest river in France, rises south of the Central Massif and flows into the Atlantic Ocean 1020 km later. This is the part that goes from the city of Orleans to the city of Tours, enclosing that area of the Loire Valley in which over 100 magnificent castles lie.
What we are looking at is the castle of Beauregard. In this residence？？ the central part has a double gallery with arcades opening onto the ground floor. Which was commissioned by Jean de Thier, secretary of state to Henri II. There is a collection of paintings quite unique in the world.
This sumptuous salon, built in the 17th century, which is covered with exquisite woodwork and has a marvelous ceiling with decorated beams, contains over 300 portraits going from the first sovereign of the Valois up to Louis XIII of Bourbon. Here is Charles VIII, Louis XII and Francois I, it was primarily they who brought to the region: painters, cabinet-makers, sculptors, and architects, who were to live and work here.
In this chapel, which has a nave and two aisles, there lies the tomb of a genius: Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo arrived in Amboise in 1517, having been invited to the court by Francois I, and was put up in this residence which is called Cols-Luce. The artist lived out the last years of his life here and Francois I acquired that masterpiece that even today represents one of France's treasures: the Mona Lisa.
We continue on our way to visit another very special castle: Villandry. Built on the banks of the Loire in 1536 it is distinguished by its architectural peculiarity, which is characterized above all by its rectangular pavilions instead of round towers. But its fame is especially connected to the marvelous Italianate gardens. Here in Villandry he called Don Pacello da Mercogliano to the court, which were more a great Italian artist rather than a gardener. On the lower level, there is the decorative vegetable garden, the most visually striking and original of the whole estate. It is amazing to see how simple lettuces and vegetables manage to have this ornamental quality.
Excellent wines are produced in the many vineyards in the ancient province of Touraine, which lies around Tours. Wines that make you love this area even more, just as the great writer Honore de Balzac also loved it. And in Touraine you also learn to love wine. Its history dates back as far as the Gauls and its international.
reputation has certainly no need of further comment.
The ones here are the dry white Sancere, strong and vibrant, Vouvray, sparking and clear, it looks like a waterfall of pearls. This wine reminded Rabelais, the great writer of the 16th century, of taffeta, a silky and delicate fabric.
Those who love glowing reds will not be disappointed by the Loirs Valley: here is Bourgureil, with the strong perfume of raspberries. Chinon, on the other hand, has a delicate hint of violets.
And so, glasses raised. A toast to the beauty of these dreamlike-places.
A journey on the Loire is a meander in history, art and daily life. It is in a corner of Europe that etched itself deeply in the heart and mind.
What we are looking at is the castle of Beauregard. In this residence？？ the central part has a double gallery with arcades opening onto the ground floor. Which was commissioned by Jean de Thier, secretary of state to Henri II. There is a collection of paintings quite unique in the world.
This sumptuous salon, built in the 17th century, which is covered with exquisite woodwork and has a marvelous ceiling with decorated beams, contains over 300 portraits going from the first sovereign of the Valois up to Louis XIII of Bourbon. Here is Charles VIII, Louis XII and Francois I, it was primarily they who brought to the region: painters, cabinet-makers, sculptors, and architects, who were to live and work here.
In this chapel, which has a nave and two aisles, there lies the tomb of a genius: Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo arrived in Amboise in 1517, having been invited to the court by Francois I, and was put up in this residence which is called Cols-Luce. The artist lived out the last years of his life here and Francois I acquired that masterpiece that even today represents one of France's treasures: the Mona Lisa.
We continue on our way to visit another very special castle: Villandry. Built on the banks of the Loire in 1536 it is distinguished by its architectural peculiarity, which is characterized above all by its rectangular pavilions instead of round towers. But its fame is especially connected to the marvelous Italianate gardens. Here in Villandry he called Don Pacello da Mercogliano to the court, which were more a great Italian artist rather than a gardener. On the lower level, there is the decorative vegetable garden, the most visually striking and original of the whole estate. It is amazing to see how simple lettuces and vegetables manage to have this ornamental quality.
Excellent wines are produced in the many vineyards in the ancient province of Touraine, which lies around Tours. Wines that make you love this area even more, just as the great writer Honore de Balzac also loved it. And in Touraine you also learn to love wine. Its history dates back as far as the Gauls and its international.
reputation has certainly no need of further comment.
The ones here are the dry white Sancere, strong and vibrant, Vouvray, sparking and clear, it looks like a waterfall of pearls. This wine reminded Rabelais, the great writer of the 16th century, of taffeta, a silky and delicate fabric.
Those who love glowing reds will not be disappointed by the Loirs Valley: here is Bourgureil, with the strong perfume of raspberries. Chinon, on the other hand, has a delicate hint of violets.
And so, glasses raised. A toast to the beauty of these dreamlike-places.
A journey on the Loire is a meander in history, art and daily life. It is in a corner of Europe that etched itself deeply in the heart and mind.
The first World Cup
The first World Cup On 26 May 1928, at a meeting in Amsterdam, the Fifa congress decided that a new tournament open to all its members should be played. A year later in Barcelona it was agreed that Uruguay, the Olympic champions and the era's footballing superpower, should celebrate 100 years of independence by hosting the first World Cup the following year. Only 13 nations took part in the inaugural tournament, with a majority of nine coming from South America. All games were played in three stadiums in Montevideo and, as expected, the South American countries dominated, although the European teams did not disgrace themselves.
Some 100,000 fans packed into the Centenario Stadium for the final on 30 July to see Argentina throw away a 2-1 half-time lead as Uruguay ran out 4-2 winners.
Jules Rimet, the Fifa president and brains behind the World Cup, presented the trophy to winning captain Jose Nazassi and football's greatest tournament was born.
After a pre-match row over which ball to use for the final, it is believed the Argentine ball was used in one half and the Uruguayan ball in the other. Rumour has it that this is how the phrase "a game of two halves" evolved.
World Cup history - vocabulary
Fifa congress The international organisation that controls football is Fifa, which stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association. A congress is a meeting.
era This word is used to talk about a period of time in the past when something or someone is important.
hosting If a country hosts the World Cup, then the competition is being played in that country.
inaugural This adjective means the very first. It is mainly used when talking about special events and competitions.
dominated If a team dominated it means that they were much stronger and they did much better than the others.
did not disgrace themselves This expression is used to describe good performances by a team that isn't very strong. Although they are a weaker team and didn't win, they did play well.
packed into This expression shows that the stadium was completely full, there was no extra space.
brains behind When someone is described as the brains behind something, then it is that person's idea or plan.
row Another word for an argument or disagreement.
Rumour has it This expression means that what is being told is not a fact, but is what people believe to be true
For each question, choose the one correct answer.
1: When was the first World Cup played？
a 1928 b 1929 c 1930 d 1931
2: Where was the first World Cup played？
a Holland b Spain c Brazil d Uruguay
3: Which of these statements about the first World Cup is not true？
a Most of the teams came from South America. b The South American teams were the strongest. c All the matches were played in the same stadium. d The European teams did not play badly.
4: What was the score after the first 45 minutes of the final？
a Argentina 2 - 1 Uruguay b Argentina 1 - 2 Uruguay c Argentina 4 - 2 Uruguay d Argentina 2 - 4 Uruguay
5: What is the best definition of the phrase "a game of two halves"？
a A different ball should be used in each half of the match b Anything can happen in football c Players shouldn't argue with the referee d Each team should use its own ball for part of the match
Some 100,000 fans packed into the Centenario Stadium for the final on 30 July to see Argentina throw away a 2-1 half-time lead as Uruguay ran out 4-2 winners.
Jules Rimet, the Fifa president and brains behind the World Cup, presented the trophy to winning captain Jose Nazassi and football's greatest tournament was born.
After a pre-match row over which ball to use for the final, it is believed the Argentine ball was used in one half and the Uruguayan ball in the other. Rumour has it that this is how the phrase "a game of two halves" evolved.
World Cup history - vocabulary
Fifa congress The international organisation that controls football is Fifa, which stands for Fédération Internationale de Football Association. A congress is a meeting.
era This word is used to talk about a period of time in the past when something or someone is important.
hosting If a country hosts the World Cup, then the competition is being played in that country.
inaugural This adjective means the very first. It is mainly used when talking about special events and competitions.
dominated If a team dominated it means that they were much stronger and they did much better than the others.
did not disgrace themselves This expression is used to describe good performances by a team that isn't very strong. Although they are a weaker team and didn't win, they did play well.
packed into This expression shows that the stadium was completely full, there was no extra space.
brains behind When someone is described as the brains behind something, then it is that person's idea or plan.
row Another word for an argument or disagreement.
Rumour has it This expression means that what is being told is not a fact, but is what people believe to be true
For each question, choose the one correct answer.
1: When was the first World Cup played？
a 1928 b 1929 c 1930 d 1931
2: Where was the first World Cup played？
a Holland b Spain c Brazil d Uruguay
3: Which of these statements about the first World Cup is not true？
a Most of the teams came from South America. b The South American teams were the strongest. c All the matches were played in the same stadium. d The European teams did not play badly.
4: What was the score after the first 45 minutes of the final？
a Argentina 2 - 1 Uruguay b Argentina 1 - 2 Uruguay c Argentina 4 - 2 Uruguay d Argentina 2 - 4 Uruguay
5: What is the best definition of the phrase "a game of two halves"？
a A different ball should be used in each half of the match b Anything can happen in football c Players shouldn't argue with the referee d Each team should use its own ball for part of the match
The University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is one of the oldest universities in the world, and one of the largest in the United Kingdom. It has a world-wide reputation for outstanding academic achievement and the high quality of research undertaken in a wide range of science and arts subjects. The University pioneers work in the understanding of disease, the creation of new materials, advances in telecommunications and research into the origins of the universe. It trains doctors, vets, architects, engineers and teachers. At all levels about half of the students at Cambridge study arts and humanities subjects, many of whom have gone on to become prominent figures in the arts, print and broadcast media. The University's achievements in the sciences can be measured by the sixty or more Nobel Prizes awarded to its members over the years.
The University is a self-governing body: the legislative authority is the Regent House, which consists of the three thousand or so members of the teaching and administrative staff of the University and Colleges who have the MA （or MA status） or a higher degree. The principal administrative body of the University is the Council, which consists mainly of members of the academic staff elected by the Regent House. The General Board of the Faculties co-ordinates the educational policy of the University and the Finance Committee of the Council supervises its financial affairs.
As Cambridge approaches its eight hundredth anniversary in 2009, it is looking to the future. The modern University is an international centre of teaching and research in a vast range of subjects: about half of the students study science or technology. Members of the University have won over sixty Nobel Prizes.
It continues to change in response to the challenges it faces. The Vice-Chancellor, for instance, is no longer a Head of College, but is a full-time administrative appointment. A Development Office and associated charitable foundation is successfully seeking funds around the world for new ventures. The 1990s have seen a major expansion of University accommodation for teaching and research. There are many major new buildings either underway or already completed, including the Law Faculty building and the Judge Institute of Management Studies, in March 1996 opened by HM The Queen.
The University is a self-governing body: the legislative authority is the Regent House, which consists of the three thousand or so members of the teaching and administrative staff of the University and Colleges who have the MA （or MA status） or a higher degree. The principal administrative body of the University is the Council, which consists mainly of members of the academic staff elected by the Regent House. The General Board of the Faculties co-ordinates the educational policy of the University and the Finance Committee of the Council supervises its financial affairs.
As Cambridge approaches its eight hundredth anniversary in 2009, it is looking to the future. The modern University is an international centre of teaching and research in a vast range of subjects: about half of the students study science or technology. Members of the University have won over sixty Nobel Prizes.
It continues to change in response to the challenges it faces. The Vice-Chancellor, for instance, is no longer a Head of College, but is a full-time administrative appointment. A Development Office and associated charitable foundation is successfully seeking funds around the world for new ventures. The 1990s have seen a major expansion of University accommodation for teaching and research. There are many major new buildings either underway or already completed, including the Law Faculty building and the Judge Institute of Management Studies, in March 1996 opened by HM The Queen.
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