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sobota, 30. maj 2009

Badalona, Spain

Badalona, Spain

Badalona (Baetulo in Roman times) is a city in Spain. It is located in the comarca of the Barcelonès near the city of Barcelona. It is situated on the left bank of the small river Besòs and on the Mediterranean Sea. Badalona has a station on the RENFE R1 suburban railway line from L'Hospitalet de Llobregat to Maçanet-Massanes and a small harbour, chiefly important for its fishing and boat-building trades. There are gas, chemical and mineral-oil works in the town, which also manufactures woollen and cotton goods, glass, biscuits, sugar and brandy; while the surrounding fertile plains produce an abundance of grain, wine and fruit. Badalona thus largely contributes to the export trade of Barcelona, and may, in fact, be regarded as its industrial suburb. Badalona is one of the oldest towns in Catalonia. It is situated near Barcelona and has 210.000 inhabitants.With a typical mediterranian climate and five kilometres of beach, Badalona is excepcionally well positioned, between the sea and the mountain. The greater specific gravity that Badalona has obtained in the metropolitan area and its increasing presence in the economic and cultural world in Catalonia is the result of the transformations introduced in the town urban plans and in the public services. Badalona is a town with a lot of contrasts, where the interrelations between cultures and races generates a big multiplicity of cultural activities. The current reality in Badalona is the reflection of 2.000 years of history. Historically, we can find the urban starting point of our town in the foundations of an urban settlement by the Romans, in the year 100 B.C. Since then, that first nucleus has changed to become Badalona as it is nowadays. It was called Baetulo. People born in Badalona have always been proud of its Roman origin. The Roman Baths, in the Museum, the House preserved in Lladó street, a length of water pipe in Pujol street, and the remains of the wall oh the Hort de les Monges, as well as sculptures, wall paintings, mosaics and the Tabula Hospitalis, show us the results of the efforts to protect the past remains. The Venus of Badalona, a small sculpture, carved in white marble, is what really identifies Badalona with the Roman past. Since the tenth century, a new urban nucleus formed in Badalona, where the old Roman city was, formed by a group of houses around the square and the church. At the same time, a rural nucleus grew up outside the town walls. This double situation, urban and rural, would remain until the middle of the eighteenth century. Badalona was one of the most important towns during industrialization. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, many high quality buildings were erected, among which the Pavillard house is outstanding. It was built by Joan Amigó i Barriga in 1906, and is considered the best modernist work in town. The protection of artistic and historical heritage is constant. To this effect, one of the last and more important examples has been the remodelling of Zorrilla Theatre, a nineteenth-century theatre which has been reopened in 1999 under municipal management after having being closed for 29 years. May is the month for festivities in Badalona. On the occasion of the celebration of Saint Anastasi, the patron saint of Badalona, activities and festivals are organized all around the city. The most important celebration takes place the day before Saint Anastasi day when, at night, people gather at the maritime promenade to participate in the popular Cremada del Dimoni (Burning Devil), similar to the famous Valencia Fallas. Despite the famous saying "Badalona, Bressol del Basquetbol" (Badalona Cradle of Basketball), the citizens play a lot of different and varied sports, in numerous sports complexes. The most important of these sports complexes is the Palau Municipal d'Esports, Municipal Sports Palace, than won Mies Van der Rohe award in 1992. This palace was the setting for basketball competition during the Olympic Games in 1992.

Source: Wiki & Video Europe
More tags: badalona barcelona tourism travel video city metro streets sea

Barcelona, Spain on www.CheckMyCity.com

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is the capital and most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain, with a population of 1,615,908 in 2008. It is the eleventh-most populous municipality in the European Union and sixth-most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris, London, Ruhr Area, Madrid and Milan with the population 4,185,000. 4,9 million people live in Barcelona metropolitan area. The main part of a union of adjacent cities and municipalities named Área Metropolitana de Barcelona (AMB) with a population of 3,186,461 in area of 636 km² (density 5.010 hab/km²). It is located on the Mediterranean coast (41°23′N 2°11′E / 41.383°N 2.183°E / 41.383; 2.183) between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs and is bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola ridge (512 m/1,680 ft). Barcelona is recognised as a global city because of its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts and international trade. Barcelona is a major economic centre with one of Europe's principal Mediterranean ports, and Barcelona International Airport is the second largest in Spain after the Madrid-Barajas Airport (handles about 30 million passengers per year). Founded as a Roman city, Barcelona became the capital of the Counts of Barcelona. After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon, it became one of the most important cities of the Crown of Aragon. Besieged several times during its history, Barcelona is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination and has a rich cultural heritage. Particularly renowned are architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner that have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city is well known in recent times for the 1992 Summer Olympics. The headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean are located in Barcelona. As the capital of Catalonia, Barcelona houses the seat of the Catalan government, known as the Generalitat de Catalunya; of particular note are the executive branch, the parliament, and the Supreme Court of Catalonia. The city is also the capital of the Barcelonès comarca (shire). Barcelona has a great number of museums, which cover different areas and eras. The National Museum of Art of Catalonia possesses a well-known collection of Romanesque art while the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art focuses on post-1945 Catalan and Spanish art. The Fundació Joan Miró, Picasso Museum and Fundació Antoni Tàpies hold important collections of these world-renowned artists. Several museums cover the fields of history and archeology, like the City History Museum, the Museum of the History of Catalonia, the Archeology Museum of Catalonia, the Barcelona Maritime Museum and the private-owned Egyptian Museum. The Erotic museum of Barcelona is among the most peculiar ones, while Cosmocaixa is a science museum that received the European Museum of the Year Award in 2006. The Barri Gòtic ("Gothic Quarter" in Catalan) is the centre of the old city of Barcelona. Many of the buildings date from medieval times, some from as far back as the Roman settlement of Barcelona. Catalan modernisme architecture (often known as Art Nouveau in the rest of Europe), developed between 1885 and 1950 and left an important legacy in Barcelona. A great number of these buildings are World Heritage Sites. Especially remarkable is the work of architect Antoni Gaudí, which can be seen throughout the city. His best known work is the immense but still unfinished church of the Sagrada Família, which has been under construction since 1882, and is still financed by private donations. As of 2007, completion is planned for 2026. The Space-Time Towers in The Rise of Darkrai is also heavily based on the Sagrada Família church. Barcelona is also home to Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Pavilion. Designed in 1929 for the Internation Exposition for Germany. It is an iconic building designed by one of the most influential architects of the 20th century.

Source: Wikipedia & Travel Spain
More tags: barcelona champions league fifa soccer city guide travel tourism potovanje

petek, 13. marec 2009

Vojnik, Slovenia on www.CheckMyCity.com

Vojnik, Slovenia

Vojnik is in central Slovenia in the north-east of the Celje Basin. Most of the people make their living from farming, but there are also many small businesses.




Vojnik was first mentioned as a borough in 1306. It was on fire many times and the town even burned to the ground in 1839.Nowadays, it a known center of turism.
Source: wikipedia

sreda, 11. marec 2009

London the most expensive city in the world - on www.CheckMyCity.com

London, UK

London is proclaimed the most expensive city in the world. London is the capital of both England and the United Kingdom, and the most populous municipality in the European Union.



An important settlement for two millennia, London's history goes back to its founding by the Romans. Since its foundation, London has been part of many movements and phenomena throughout history, including the English Renaissance, the Industrial Revolution, and the Gothic Revival. The city's core, the ancient City of London, still retains its limited medieval boundaries; but since at least the 19th century, the name "London" has also referred to the whole metropolis that has developed around it. Today the bulk of this conurbation forms the London region of England and the Greater London administrative area, with its own elected mayor and assembly. London is one of the world's most important business, financial and cultural centres and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion and the arts contributes to its status as a major global city. Central London is the headquarters of more than half of the UK's top 100 listed companies (the FTSE 100) and over 100 of Europe's 500 largest companies. The city is a major tourist destination for both domestic and overseas visitors, with annual expenditure by tourists of around £15 billion. London hosted the 1908 and 1948 Summer Olympic Games and will host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. Greater London contains four World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London; the historic settlement of Greenwich; the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; and the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church. London's population draws from a wide range of peoples, cultures, and religions, and over 300 languages are spoken within the city. As of July 2007, it had an official population of 7,556,900 within the boundaries of Greater London making it the most populous municipality in the European Union. As of 2001, the Greater London Urban Area is the second largest in the EU after Paris with a population of 8,278,251, and the metropolitan area is estimated to have a total population of between 12 million and 14 million, the largest metropolitan area in the EU. The public transport network, administered by Transport for London, is one of the most extensive in the world, Heathrow Airport is the busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic and the air space is the busiest of any city in the world.
Source: wikipedia

Zuerich, Switzerland the richest city in the world - on www.CheckMyCity.com

Zuerich, Switzerland

Zürich (German: Zürich, Zürich German: Züri, French: Zurich, Italian: Zurigo in English generally is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich.



The city is Switzerland's main commercial and cultural centre and sometimes called the Cultural Capital of Switzerland, the political capital of Switzerland being Berne. Zürich can be counted as one of the world's pre-eminent global cities. According to several surveys from 2006 to 2008, Zürich was named the city with the best quality of life in the world as well as the wealthiest city in Europe. The earliest known form of the city's name is Turicum, attested on a tombstone of the late 2nd century AD in the form STA(tio) TURICEN(sis) ("Turicum tax post"). Neither the name's linguistic origin (most likely Rhaetic or Celtic) nor its meaning can be determined with certainty. A possibility is derivation from *Turīcon, from the Gaulish personal name Tūros. A first development towards its later, Germanic form is attested as early as the 6th century AD with the form Ziurichi. From the 10th century onward, the name has more or less clearly been established as Zürich (Zurih (857), Zurich (924)). Note that in the modern Zürich dialect, the name has lost its final ch [x]. This is hypocoristic rather than the result of a regular sound change, and the adjective remains Zürcher ['tsyr.xer] also in dialect.
Source: wikipedia

sobota, 7. marec 2009

London, Heathrow airport on www.CheckMyCity.com

London, Heathrow International Airpot

London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow (IATA: LHR, ICAO: EGLL), located in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the largest and busiest airport in the United Kingdom.



It is the world's third busiest airport for passenger traffic and it handles the most international passenger traffic in the world. Heathrow is owned and operated by BAA, which also owns and operates six other UK airports. BAA is itself owned by an international consortium led by the Spanish Ferrovial Group. Heathrow is the primary hub of British Airways, bmi and Virgin Atlantic. Located 12 NM (22 km; 14 mi) west of Central London, England, Heathrow originally was designed to have six runways in three pairs spaced approximately 120 degrees apart but now has just two parallel main runways running east-west and five terminals. The site covers 12.14 square kilometres (4.69 sq mi). Terminal 5 was officially opened by H.M. Queen Elizabeth II on 14 March 2008 and opened to passengers on 27 March 2008. Construction of Heathrow East, to replace Terminal 2 and The Queen's Building, began in 2008, and is expected to be completed by 2012. Terminals 3 and 4 will also be refurbished during this period. In November 2007 a consultation process began for the building of a new third runway and was controversially approved on 15th January 2009 by UK Government ministers. Heathrow Airport has a CAA Public Use Aerodrome Licence (Number P527) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction.
Source: Wikipedia

More keywords: london heathrow airport international british airways cathay virgin travel video A380 airbus

Dallas Fort Worth Int. Airport on www.CheckMyCity.com

Dallas Fort Worth int. Airport

With 685,491 aircraft movements in 2007, it is the third busiest airport in the world in terms of aircraft movements. In terms of passenger traffic, it is the seventh busiest airport in the world transporting 59,784,876 passengers in 2007.



57,093,187 passengers passed through DFW Airport in 2008. In terms of land area, at 18,076 acres (7,315 ha), it is the largest airport in Texas, the second largest in the United States, behind Denver International Airport, and third largest in the world. It is the ninth busiest international gateway in the United States, and in Texas, behind Houston Intercontinental Airport. It is tied with Chicago O'Hare International Airport with the most runways, with seven. In 2006 the airport was named the "Best Cargo Airport in the World" according to the second edition of a survey. The airport, within the incorporated cities of Coppell, Euless, Grapevine, and Irving, serves 128 domestic destinations and 36 international, and is the largest and main hub for American Airlines (745 daily flights), and also the largest hub for American Eagle. Eighty five percent of all flights at Dallas/Fort Worth are operated by American Airlines. Delta Air Lines moved its Dallas/Fort Worth hub to Los Angeles International Airport in February 2005 in an effort to cut costs and avoid direct competition with American before eliminating it all together due to the oil price increases since 2003. The airline shrank operations from 258 daily nonstop flights to 21. The airport is often referred to by its IATA airport code, "DFW." It is operated in many ways like a small city. It has its own post office, ZIP Code, and Public Services. The United States Postal Service gave the airport its own city designation, DFW Airport, TX.[8] The members of the airport's Board of Directors are appointed by the "owner cities" of Dallas and Fort Worth. The airport is inside the city limits of three other suburban cities, a situation that has led to legal battles over jurisdiction (see below). To help ensure future harmony with its neighbors, the DFW Airport Board includes a non-voting member — a representative chosen from the airport's neighbors (Irving, Euless, Grapevine, and Coppell) on a rotating basis. DFW is connected by shuttle bus to a commuter rail station just south of the airport. The Trinity Railway Express line serves both downtown Dallas and downtown Fort Worth.


Source: Wikipedia

torek, 24. februar 2009

Hamburg airport on www.CheckMyCity.com

Hamburg International Airport

Hamburg Airport (IATA: HAM, ICAO: EDDH), also known as Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel Airport (German: Flughafen Hamburg-Fuhlsbüttel), is an international airport serving Hamburg, Germany.
It originally covered 440,000 square metres. Since then, the site has grown more than tenfold to 5.7 square kilometres. The main apron covers 320,000 square meters. The Airport is 8.5 km north-west of the centre of the City of Hamburg in the Fuhlsbüttel quarter.



The Airport was opened in January 1911, it is the oldest Airport in Germany which is still in operation. In the 1970s, there were discussions of moving Hamburg airport northward to a site near Kaltenkirchen. This plan was subsequently abandoned, and the airport is completing a major modernization that includes new terminal buildings, a new hotel right across from the terminal, new roadside access and a connection to Hamburg's rapid transit system (S-Bahn).
Hamburg Airport (measured by the number of passengers) is the fifth busiest of the 16 German commercial airports (after Tegel International Airport in Berlin).
The shareholders of Hamburg Airport are the City of Hamburg (51%) and Hochtief AirPort GmbH. (49%).
In 2007, Hamburg airport served 12,780,000 passengers, a new record, and 173,500 aircraft movements.
Hamburg airport has 17 jet-ways.

Transport to/from Airport

HVV, the Hamburg public transit network, runs the S-Bahn-line (suburban railway) S 1 which links the airport directly to the city centre. Journey time is 25 minutes to the central station (Hauptbahnhof), and about 30 minutes to the inner city centre, townhall and major shopping and business districts. Trains run every 10 minutes, in the very early morning and late evening every 20 minutes. The one-way-fare is € 2,60 (€ 2,70 as of jan. 2009).
Passengers travelling in the direction from the city centre to the airport have to pay attention at Ohlsdorf, the last station before reaching the airport, because all trains are being split up at this station. The front part-train (carriages 1, 2 and 3) proceeds to the airport, while the rear part-train (carriages 4, 5 and 6) is running to Poppenbüttel, a suburb of Hamburg. There are sufficient signs and anouncements in German and English language to get the passengers informed, so it is easy to make sure that you are travelling in one of the front carriages. In addition the trains stop at Ohlsdorf for about 2 minutes to allow passengers to change to a carriage which runs to their intended destination.
The first train in the morning departs from central station at 04:04 a.m. and arrives at the airport at 04:30 a.m. The last train in the evening departs from the airport at 00:14 a.m. During the night-break sun/mon–thu/fri a night bus service (route 606) connects the airport with the city centre, at the nights fri/sat and sat/sun the bus route 274 calls the Ohlsdorf station where the S-Bahn line S 1 as well as the underground line U 1 runs to the city centre every 20 minutes all night.
The airport is also linked by some local bus routes to nearby areas as well as coach services to the cities of Kiel, Neumünster and Lübeck.
Source: Wikipedia

torek, 10. februar 2009

Novi Sad on www.CheckMyCity.com

Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia





Since it was founded in 1694, Novi Sad became the centre of Serbian culture and earned its nickname Serbian Athens. Today, Novi Sad is a large industrial and financial centre of the Serbian economy; and it is also one of the biggest construction sites in the region.
Source: Wikipedia

Belgrade, Serbia on www.CheckMyCity.com

Belgrade, Serbia






One of the oldest cities of Europe, with archeological finds tracing settlements as early as 6th millennium BC, Belgrade's wider city area was the birthplace of the largest prehistoric culture of Europe, the Vinča culture. The city was discovered by the Greeks, founded and named by the Celts (White City, name it still bears), awarded city rights by the Romans before it was permanently settled by White Serbs from the 600s onwards. As a strategic key, the city was battled over in 140 separate wars since the ancient period by countless armies of the East and West. In medieval times, it was in the possession of Byzantine, Frankish, Bulgarian, Hungarian and Serbian rulers. In 1521 Belgrade was conquered by the Ottomans and became the seat of the Pashaluk of Belgrade, as the principal city of Ottoman Europe and among the largest European cities. Frequently passing from Ottoman to Austrian rule, the status of Serbian capital would be regained only in 1841, after the Serbian revolution. Northern Belgrade, though, remained an Austrian outpost until the breakup of Austria-Hungary in 1918. The united city then became the capital of several incarnations of Yugoslavia, up to 2006, when Serbia became an independent state again.
Belgrade has the status of a separate territorial unit in Serbia, with its own autonomous city government. Its territory is divided into 17 municipalities, each having its own local council. It covers 3.6% of the territory of Serbia, and 24% of the country's population lives in the city. Belgrade is the central economic hub of Serbia, and the capital of Serbian culture, education and science.
Source: Wikipedia

Turrialba, Costa Rica on www.CheckMyCity.com

Turrialba, Costa Rica
Turrialba Volcano was named after the region of Costa Rica in which the volcano is situated in Turrialba County, Cartago of Costa Rica. There is no clear consensus on the origin of the name Turrialba, but historians disagree with attempts to attribute the name to the patronym Torrealba (from Aragon in Spain) or from the Latin Turris alba (white tower). The general consensus is that Turrialba derives from a local Indian language (Huetar) but there is no agreement on its actual roots.


The stratovolcano is 3,340 m (10,958 ft) high and is about 45 minutes from the Atlantic slope town of Turrialba. The summit has three craters, one of which has fumaroles and sulfur pits. Visitors used to be able to hike down into the main crater, but increased gaseous activity has caused the time at the summit to be limited to no more than fifteen minutes. The hike to the top from where the vans usually are forced to stop takes about one to three hours depending on the ability of the hikers. Below the summit is a mountain range and cloud forest, with ferns, bromeliads, lichens and mosses. During the 19th century, it explosively erupted several times (1847?, 1853, 1855, 1861?, 1864-1865, 1866), producing pyroclastic flows. The last major eruption was in 1856, but in January 2001, the volcano reported increased activity, displaying strong fumaroles at the central craters.
Turrialba is adjacent to Irazú and both are among Costa Rica's largest volcanoes. It had at least five large explosive eruptions in last 3500 years.
Source: Wikipedia

ponedeljek, 9. februar 2009

Six Flags, New Jersey on www.CheckMyCity.com

Jackson Township, New Jersey

Jackson Township, named after Andrew Jackson, is a township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 42,816. Jackson's most famous attraction is Six Flags Great Adventure, which as of May 2005 has the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world: Kingda Ka. Jackson is also home to Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and Six Flags Wild Safari.
Jackson Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 6, 1844, from portions of Dover Township (now Toms River Township), Freehold Township and Upper Freehold Township, while the area was still part of Monmouth County, New Jersey. It became part of the newly-created Ocean County on February 15, 1850. Portions of the township were taken to form Plumsted Township on March 11, 1845.
Vista Center is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Jackson Township.

Kingda Ka

Kingda Ka is a roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey, USA. At its opening on May 21, 2005, it became the tallest and fastest roller coaster in the world, claiming the title from Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point. The train is launched by a hydraulic launch mechanism to 128 miles per hour (206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds. At the end of the launch track, the train climbs the main top hat tower reaching a height of 456 feet (139.5 m). Due to aviation safety concerns, the tower is equipped with three dual strobes: 2 mid-way up, and one on the top.




Ride experience

After the train has been locked and checked, it slowly advances out of the station to the launch area. The train goes through a switch track which allows 4 trains on two tracks to load simultaneously. Once the train is in position, the hydraulic launch mechanism rockets the train from 0 to 128 miles per hour (0 to 206 km/h) in 3.5 seconds, pulling about 1.67 g. At the end of the launch track, the train climbs the main tower, or top hat, twisting 90 degrees to the left before reaching a height of 456 feet (139 m). The train then descends 418 feet (127 m) straight down through a 270-degree spiral. Finally, the train climbs the second hill of 128 feet (39 m), producing a moment of weightlessness before being smoothly brought to a stop by the magnetic brakes. The train then makes a U-turn and enters the station. The ride lasts 28 seconds from the start of the launch to the end of the brake run, but has an "official" ride time of 50.6 seconds.
The hydraulic launch motor is capable of producing 20,800 horsepower (15.5 MW) peak. Due to the high speed and open nature of the trains, this ride will not operate in light rain, as rider contact with rain drops can cause discomfort.



Source: Wikipedia

nedelja, 8. februar 2009

Honolulu, Hawaii - Video Travel on www.CheckMyCity.com

Honolulu, Hawaii

Honolulu is the capital and most populous census-designated place (CDP) in the U.S. state of Hawaii. Although Honolulu refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and the county are consolidated, known as the City and County of Honolulu, and the city and county is designated as the entire island. The City and County of Honolulu is the only incorporated city in Hawaii, as all other local government entities are administered at the county level. The population of the census designated place was 371,657 at the 2000 census, while the population of the City and County was 909,863. In the Hawaiian language, Honolulu means "sheltered bay" or "place of shelter."




History

It is not known when Honolulu was first settled by the original Polynesian migrants to the archipelago. Oral histories and artifacts indicate that there was a settlement where Honolulu now stands in the 12th century. However, after Kamehameha I conquered Oʻahu in the Battle of Nuʻuanu at Nuʻuanu Pali, he moved his royal court from the Island of Hawaiʻi to Waikīkī in 1804. His court later relocated, in 1809, to what is now downtown Honolulu.

Captain William Brown of England was the first foreigner to sail, in 1794, into what is now Honolulu Harbor. More foreign ships would follow, making the port of Honolulu a focal point for merchant ships traveling between North America and Asia.
In 1845, Kamehameha III moved the permanent capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom from Lahaina on Maui to Honolulu. He and the kings that followed him transformed Honolulu into a modern capital, erecting buildings such as St. Andrew's Cathedral, ʻIolani Palace, and Aliʻiōlani Hale. At the same time, Honolulu became the center of commerce in the Islands, with descendants of American missionaries establishing major businesses in downtown Honolulu.
Despite the turbulent history of the late 19th century and early 20th century, which saw the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, Hawaiʻi's subsequent annexation by the United States, and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Honolulu would remain the capital, largest city, and main airport and seaport of the Hawaiian Islands.
An economic and tourism boom following statehood brought rapid economic growth to Honolulu and Hawaiʻi. Modern air travel would bring thousands, eventually millions (per annum) of visitors to the Islands. Today, Honolulu is a modern city with numerous high-rise buildings, and Waikīkī is the center of the tourism industry in Hawaiʻi, with thousands of hotel rooms.

Government

Completed in 1928, Honolulu Hale is the seat of the city and county.
Honolulu is administered under a consolidated city-county form of government employing a strong mayor-council system. The Mayor of Honolulu holds executive privileges — as opposed to mayors with only ceremonial powers — and the Honolulu City Council serves as the legislature. Mufi Hannemann currently serves as Mayor of Honolulu. His term ends January 2, 2010.
The city and county works with an annual operating budget of over USD 1.6 billion (2008 fiscal year.)[6] The Honolulu Fire Department and Honolulu Police Department are administered by the mayor and city council through appointed officials.
Source: Wikipedia

Boston - Video Travel on www.CheckMyCity.com

Boston is the capital and largest city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is considered the economic and cultural center of the region, and is sometimes regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England." Boston city proper had a 2007 estimated population of 608,352, making it the twenty-first largest in the country. Boston is also the anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area called Greater Boston, home to 4.4 million people and the tenth-largest metropolitan area in the country. Greater Boston as a commuting region includes parts of Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine; it includes 7.4 million people, making it the fifth-largest Combined Statistical Area in the country.




In 1630, Puritan colonists from England founded the city on the Shawmut Peninsula. During the late eighteenth century Boston was the location of several major events during the American Revolution, including the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. Several early battles of the American Revolution, such as the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston, occurred within the city and surrounding areas. Through land reclamation and municipal annexation, Boston has expanded beyond the peninsula. After American independence was attained Boston became a major shipping port and manufacturing center, and its rich history now attracts 16.3 million visitors annually. The city was the site of several firsts, including America's first public school, Boston Latin School (1635), and first college, Harvard College (1636), in neighboring Cambridge. Boston was also home to the first subway system in the United States.
With many colleges and universities within the city and surrounding area, Boston is a center of higher education and a center for medicine. The city's economy is also based on research, finance, and technology – principally biotechnology. Boston ranks first in the country in jobs per square mile ahead of New York City and Washington DC. The city has been experiencing gentrification and has one of the highest costs of living in the United States, though remains high on world livability rankings.




Sports

The Boston Red Sox, a founding member of the American League of Major League Baseball, play their home games at Fenway Park, near Kenmore Square in the Fenway section of Boston. Built in 1912, it is the oldest sports arena or stadium in active use in the United States among the four major professional sports. Boston was also the site of the first game of the first modern World Series, in 1903. The series was played between the Red Sox and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Persistent reports that the team was known in 1903 as the "Boston Pilgrims" appear to be unfounded. The Boston Braves were Boston's National League team (1871–1953) until they moved to Milwaukee in 1953; then later Atlanta, in 1966, where they currently play as the Atlanta Braves.
Source: Wikipedia

Athens, Georgia - Video Travel on www.CheckMyCity.com

Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a unified city-county in Georgia, U.S., in the northeastern part of the state, at the intersection of U.S. Highways 29, 78, 129, and 441, and near the eastern terminus of Georgia 316. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial creation of Athens and its subsequent growth. In 1991, after a vote the preceding year, the original city abandoned its charter in order to form a unified government with Clarke County, referred to collectively as Athens-Clarke County. As of the 2000 census, the consolidated city-county (including all of Athens-Clarke County except Winterville and a part of Bogart) had a total population of 100,266. Athens-Clarke County is the principal city of, and is included in, the Athens-Clarke County, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a population of 187,405 as of the July 1, 2007 Census Bureau estimate.




Culture

Athens has a significant investment in culture, common in many college towns, that coexists with the university students in creating an art scene, music scene and intellectual environment. The city is home to numerous eclectic music venues, restaurants, bars, and coffee shops that cater to its creative climate.
The town is home to such notable features as the only remaining one of two double barrelled cannons produced during the American Civil War, the famous "Tree That Owns Itself"-which now is an offspring of the original tree, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, and the University of Georgia Campus Arboretum. Athens is also home to The Globe, a well-known bar voted by Esquire magazine as the third top bar in America in 2007. Athens was home to Network Translations, Inc., which produced the PIX firewall which was later purchased by Cisco Systems.
Athens also has a vibrant literary scene. The city is home to independent publisher Hill Street Press and well-known authors with previous or current residence in the city include Pulitzer Prize winners Deborah Blum and Edward Larson, as well as Judith Ortiz Cofer, Reginald McKnight and Coleman Barks.
Every spring Athens plays host to a number of bicycle races collectively known as the Twilight Series. The most popular of these is the Twilight Criterium. In addition to its yearly weekend of bike events, Athens has an active bicycle culture, easily observed the last Friday of each month at Courteous Mass (sponsored by BikeAthens) and Critical Mass (an independent gathering).
Source: Wikipedia

Charlotte, North Carolina - Video Travel on www.CheckMyCity.com

Charlotte, North Carolina

Charlotte is the largest city in the state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. As the 19th-largest city in the United States, Charlotte is also the largest city on the Eastern Seaboard between Philadelphia and Jacksonville. In 2007, Charlotte's population was estimated to be 671,588. A resident of Charlotte is referred to as a Charlottean.




Nicknamed the Queen City, Charlotte (as well as the county containing it) is named in honor of the German Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg, who had become queen consort of British King George III the year before the city's founding. A second nickname derives from later in the 18th century. During the American Revolutionary War, British commander General Cornwallis occupied the city but was driven out soon afterwards by hostile residents, prompting him to write that Charlotte was "a hornet's nest of rebellion," leading to another city nickname: The Hornet's Nest.
In 2007, the Charlotte metropolitan area had an estimated population of 1,897,034. The Charlotte metropolitan area is part of a wider thirteen-county labor market region or combined statistical area that has an estimated population (as of 2007) of 2,277,074. In 2008, Charlotte was chosen the "Best Place to Live in America" by relocate-america.com in its annual ranking, based on factors including employment opportunities, crime rates, and housing affordability. It was also named #8 of the 100 "Best Places to Live and Launch" by CNNMoney.com - cities picked for their vibrant lifestyles and opportunities for new businesses.

Cityscape

Spanning Uptown to Ballantyne, Charlotte has 199 neighborhoods. In the next few years, uptown will undergo a massive construction phase with buildings from Bank of America, Wachovia and multiple condos. Elizabeth Avenue will also be under construction for a shopping center and residence buildings.
Source: Wikipedia

Columbia, South Carolina - Video Travel through www.CheckMyCity.com

Columbia, South Carolina, USA

Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 116,278 according to the 2000 census (2007 population estimates put the city at 124,818). Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into Lexington County. The city is the center of a steadily growing metro area of 716,030. The city's name comes from a poetic synonym for America, derived from the name of Christopher Columbus.




Located just 13 miles (21 km) northwest of South Carolina's geographic center, Columbia is the primary city of the Midlands region of South Carolina, which comprises several counties in the central portion of the state. As such it is centrally located to the rest of the state. Founded in 1786 as the site of South Carolina's new capital city, it was one of the first planned cities in the United States. The area is often cited for its high quality of life offerings, with its many cultural amenities, parks, and recreational features. At the confluence of two major rivers, Columbia is one of the best destinations in the country for kayak and canoe enthusiasts. It is also known for its large number of independent theater groups. Columbia was recently one of 30 communities named "America's Most Livable Communities." The award was given by the Washington-based non-profit Partners for Livable Communities and honors communities that are developing themselves in the creative economy. Columbia has also been named a top midsized market for relocating families in the nation. Increasingly, Columbia is becoming recognized as an ideal city for retirees. Where to Retire magazine listed Columbia as one of its 25 best choices for retirement as a "budget town" in its January/February 2007 edition. A RetireHomeSmart.com survey of retirement cities lists Columbia as America's second best retirement city.

Metropolitan area

The metropolitan statistical area of Columbia has a population estimate of 716,030, according to the 2007 estimates performed by the U.S. Census Bureau.
In Census 2000, the population for the then two-county metropolitan area (Richland and Lexington) was 536,691, of which about 78% was within the Columbia urbanized area proper (2000 pop.: 420,537). In June 2003, the United States Census Bureau added four more counties — Fairfield, Calhoun, Kershaw, and Saluda — to Columbia's standard metropolitan statistical area, giving its total population a significant boost. It now ranks as the largest in South Carolina.
Further, the Columbia metropolitan area with the Newberry micropolitan area forms the Columbia–Newberry Combined Statistical Area which has 753,663 people from 2007 census estimates.
Source: Wikipedia

četrtek, 5. februar 2009

Bermuda - Video Travel on www.CheckMyCity.com

Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, it is situated around 1770 kilometres (1,100 mi) northeast of Miami, Florida, and 1350 kilometres (840 mi) south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about 1030 kilometres (640 mi) west-northwest. It is the oldest and most populous remaining British overseas territory, settled by England a century before the Acts of Union created the United Kingdom of Great Britain. Bermuda's first capital, St. George's, was settled in 1612 and is the oldest continuously inhabited English town in the Americas.




Although commonly referred to in the singular, the territory consists of approximately 138 islands, with a total area of 53.3 square kilometres (20.6 sq mi). Compiling a list of these islands is often complicated, as many have more than one name (as does the entire archipelago, which, in addition to its two official names, has historically been known as "La Garza", "Virgineola", and the "Isle of Devils"). Despite the limited land mass, there has also been a tendency for place names to be repeated; there are, for example, two islands named "Long Island", three bays known as "Long Bay", and "St. George's Town" is located on "St. George's Island" within "St. George's Parish" (each known as St. George's), whereas Bermuda's capital, the "City of Hamilton", lies in Pembroke Parish, not in "Hamilton Parish", on the largest island, "Main Island", which itself is sometimes called "Bermuda".
Bermuda has a highly affluent economy, with finance as its largest sector followed by tourism, giving it the world's highest GDP per capita in 2005. It has a subtropical climate, beaches with pink sand, and is surrounded by cerulean blue ocean waters.
Source: Wikipedia

Cayman Islands - Video Travel on www.CheckMyCity.com

The Cayman Islands (pronounced /ˈkeɪmæn/ or /ˈkeɪmən/) are a British overseas territory located in the western Caribbean Sea, comprising the islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. The territory is a major financial centre in the Caribbean.




History

Main article: History of the Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands were sighted by Christopher Columbus, on 11 May 1503 on his disastrous fourth and final voyage to the New World. He named them Las Tortugas after the numerous sea turtles there. The first recorded English visitor to the islands was Sir Francis Drake, who landed there in 1586 and named them the Cayman Islands after the Neo-Taino nations term (caiman) for alligator (Zayas, 1914).

The first recorded permanent inhabitant of the Cayman Islands, Isaac Bodden, was born on Grand Cayman around 1661. He was the grandson of the original settler named Bodden who was probably one of Oliver Cromwell's soldiers at the taking of Jamaica in 1655.
The islands, along with nearby Jamaica, were captured by, then ceded to England in 1670 under the Treaty of Madrid. They were governed as a single colony with Jamaica until 1962 when they became a separate British Overseas Territory and Jamaica became an independent Commonwealth realm.
The largely unprotected at sea level island of Grand Cayman was hit by Hurricane Ivan on 11- 12 September 2004, which destroyed many buildings and damaged 90% of them. Power, water and communications were all disrupted in some areas for months as Ivan was the worst hurricane to hit the islands in 86 years. However, Grand Cayman forced a major rebuilding process and within two years its infrastructure was nearly returned to pre-Ivan levels. The Cayman Islands have the dubious honour of having experienced the most hurricane strikes in history. Due to the proximity of the islands, more hurricane and tropical systems have affected the Cayman Islands than any other region in the Atlantic basin (brushed or hit every 2.23 years). The Cayman Islands enjoy a high global standard of living fully dependent upon tourism and banking.
Source: Wikipedia

sreda, 4. februar 2009

Perth, Australia on www.CheckMyCity.com

Perth, Australia

Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. With a population of 1,554,769 (2007), Perth ranks fourth amongst the nation's cities, with a growth rate consistently above the national average.
Perth was founded on 12 June 1829 by Captain James Stirling as the political centre of the free settler Swan River Colony. It has continued to serve as the seat of Government for Western Australia to the present day.
The metropolitan area is located in the south west of the continent between the Indian Ocean and a low coastal escarpment known as the Darling Range. The central business district and suburbs of Perth are situated on the Swan River. Perth is ranked 4th on The Economist's 2008 list of the World's Most Livable Cities.
Perth became known worldwide as the "City of Light," as city residents lit their houselights and streetlights as American astronaut John Glenn passed overhead while orbiting the earth on Friendship 7 in 1962. The city repeated its feat as Glenn passed overhead on the Space Shuttle in 1998.




Geography

Perth is one of the most isolated metropolitan areas on Earth. The nearest city to Perth with a population over 1 million is Adelaide in South Australia, which is 2,104 kilometres (1,307 mi) away. Perth is geographically closer to East Timor, Singapore and Jakarta, Indonesia, than it is to Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. It is the antipode of Hamilton, Bermuda.

Climate

Perth receives moderate though highly seasonal rainfall. Summers are generally hot and dry, lasting from late December to late March, with February generally being the hottest month of the year, making Perth a classic example of a Mediterranean climate. Summer is not completely devoid of rain with sporadic rainfall in the form of short-lived thunderstorms, weak cold fronts and on very rare occasions decaying tropical cyclones which can bring significant falls. The hottest ever recorded temperature in Perth was 46.2 °C (115 °F) on 23 February 1991. Winters are relatively cool and rather moist, though the once reliable winter rainfall has been declining steadily in recent years. The coldest temperature recorded in the Perth metropolitan area was -3.4 degrees Celsius on 17 June 2006 at Jandakot airport.[28] Even in mid-winter, maximum daytime temperatures only occasionally fall below 16 °C (60 °F). Though most rainfall occurs during winter, the wettest day ever was unusually on 9 February 1992 when 121 millimetres (4.75 in) fell. On most summer afternoons a sea breeze, also known as "The Fremantle Doctor", blows from the south-west, cooling the city by up to 15°C.
Source: Wikipedia