TravelSpot

Poitou-Charentes, we boarded a barge and was allowed to drift along the Charente, and then takes his pilgrim's staff and recites the rosary is Romanesque wonders spin on the road to Saint -Jacques. Partout the magic happens. Everywhere wonderful outweighs the story. 

But the monuments of Poitou-Charentes are not all religious. There are great fortresses, as illustrated Fort Boyard and Coudray-Salbart impregnable, delicious picturesque villages, rural and marine, unusual cities of Rochefort Brouage and Richelieu, eminently military route, but also enigmatic caves and the fabulous Marais Poitevin. 

The contrasts are strong in Poitou-Charentes, and this region, both festive and secret seaside and rural, modern and rustic, has something to offer everyone. Some dream of a trip to Futuroscope, others wish to relax on the beaches of dream Ré or Oléron. Poitou-Charentes is dotted with countless small architectural treasures. To believe that a good fairy (Melusine) has been there!

Unknowingly, many readers when they rave about the beauty of the Cathedral of Beauvais, the richness of Chantilly Castle Museum or the charm of Gerberoy, operetta real village 100 km from Paris, not know that they have already set foot in Picard country!.

Picardie, France. Of course, is the champion of France for sugar beet, wheat and potato, but it is also one of the last terra incognita of France. Besides the fabulous bird park Marquenterre, Picardy offers many other preserved natural sites (the Halatte forest green Thiérache), a string of religious anthology as Laon Cathedral or the Basilica of St. buildings Quentin and many traditions and customs still very much alive, as Picard speak. The Somme, wide notch that opens generously on the Channel, went to get all ranges of gray and blue. And the charm works immediately.

Of course, the cathedral of Amiens is the figurehead cultural Picardy, but fans abbeys, stunning rural churches, extraordinary gardens and ruined castles leave to the discovery of a hinterland of rich and come back amazed.

Finally, in Picardie, France emotion guaranteed when visiting the battlefields of the Somme in 1916. Similarly, why not return overwhelmed by the incredible courage of the fighters Chemin des Dames. Let yourself be surprised by the Picardy region discreet but rich, and welcome to the Picards, Picardie, France!.

Strasbourg, France. Regional, economic and cultural capital of Alsace and European capital since 1949 with the Council of Europe and the seat of the European Parliament in Strasbourg officially acquired in 1992, the beautiful Alsatian takes full advantage of these honors. It was a sacred manna that the arrival of these institutions, rich elected affluent and their collaborators. In some areas, property prices rival those of Paris or Nice beautiful neighborhoods.

Traditional markets well attended Christmas markets through the Musica festival, Strasbourg knows how to charm. The success is not mounted at the head of a city went almost without transition from being quiet than European regional capital city. Strasbourg has not thrown wildly into the arms of developers to lift a concrete twenty-first century fashion. Instead, we find a lovely city, offering a delicious romantic face. It is not a coincidence that the historic center of Strasbourg, a real big island brought back to life by a traffic plan well studied, which we have largely driven the car was registered by the Unesco World Heritage.

In addition to the rich architectural heritage of Strasbourg, you will discover a city in exune rare commodity: silence and birdsong!. And if the sacrosanct Winstub disappeared for the most part, tea , terraces, trendy places open to all street corners, or almost.

Ardèche -Drôme, France

Why this pairing? Because in our view the Ardèche, France and Drome departments are twins, twin land. Born in the same land, they have an air of family while being very different.

The Ardèche, France is marked by stunning scenery of rocks and deep gorges, canyons like. The Wild West in the horizon of Valencia. The county (formerly National) 86, which crosses the Ardèche, France, is one of the most beautiful roads in the Hexagon, Ardèche, France along the slopes of gray velvet and emerald, where high perched here and there peak, a village or castle, and through smiling villages.

Ardèche, France - Amazing Scenery

The Drôme is not left splendor. Since the slopes of the wild high plateaus, to the gentle hills of the Romans. Since the savage river Drôme who has never seen a dam and where the summer, the water flows like bronze between the gravel and up the Drôme Provençale.

Even if it is richer and more populous, if it has cities along its Rhône when the Ardèche, France has only towns along his, Drôme perhaps lost in mystery what it gains in space, perhaps strange that it gets smooth.

Auvergne, France

Since Vercingetorix, Auvergne, France, high country with leaden baldness, glossy soaked by rain and oxygen arises mystical dungeon France.

Shivering in the ECIR (the mountain wind), just waiting to find a new life under the sign of clean air silence and contemplative hike heart melancholic and dramatic landscapes that are among the most unique and best preserved in Europe.

Auvergne, France - Highlands

Auvergne, France color coal towns, large high as those of Mongolia grassland, infernal fumes and paradisiacal valleys, not forgetting, of course, some nice specimens of Auvergne, France: suspicious at first, jokers to the second (Fernand Raynaud was Allier), and generous when the ice is broken.

Today, the Auvergne, France is one of the preferred destinations for green eyes of those seeking the charm and authenticity. Even spas are no longer smile.

And what beautiful Auvergne, France cover tables, large, small, known, marginal, quiet, volcanic.

By dint of seeing in Lyon a handover between the North and the South, many people are still content to slip to go to the sea or mountains . Lyon knew the beauty of their city, but discrete in the soul, they have never said anything. Except for friends, they invited to discover the small hidden Croix-Rousse addresses to the Sunday market before visiting their gardens. 

Attached to its traditions , its circles , Lyon france is also, and this is what makes its strength and charm, a trendy city , a city of creators. A city where the art of living is more "art " than the pig , in case you 'd still like the old "plugs" that some things in their juice. A city where young leaders are kings.

At the gates of the city of gons , the department of Loire derives a portion of its resources namesake river , which makes it a rich tradition boatmen . The department of the Loire, it is also St. Stephen , which displays its label City of Art and History, Roanne, "City and crafts " , its historical center and marina on the Loire but also villages with medieval architecture concealing small chapels , sometimes perched on volcanic buttes, grape of Beaujolais , Mount Pilat and countless hiking opportunities .

Puerto Rico. Its first inhabitants , the Tainos , Puerto Rico called " Boriquén ", the "land of the proud lord ." A wild land , bordering worlds Arawak and Carib , studded in the center of mountains covered by tropical rainforest.

What remains of Puerto Rico, five centuries after the Conquest , this paradise ? Numerous beaches, clear the sand, often planted with coconut trees , which each year attract 2.5 million visitors ( mostly American ) . Lukewarm water for bathing. No ordinary berries, illuminated at night by bioluminescent microorganisms ! Puerto Rico is a real fireworks to discover kayak ... Extraordinary framed preserved , too, such as El Yunque forest, watered by 6 meters of annual rainfall !

Puerto Rico - as they say here - stands out as an unusual melting pot. His cultural background is definitely Hispanic . The architecture of Old San Juan can be seen , with its powerful forts, walls and houses declining a charming range of pastel colors. The power of religion , the taste of the fiesta, the passion of the music go in this direction.

Today , the future seems to draw further north : already associated with the United States, Puerto Rico dream 51st state of the Union.

A melting pot

From the beginning of colonization , the Spaniards set their sights on women taínos "if well proportioned " - according to Christopher Columbus. Quickly , slavery has seen the arrival of tens of thousands of Africans taken from their continent.

But the plantations , voracious , and the development of trade , continued to require labor : Chinese immigrants , Italian , French , German , Lebanese, and Venezuela have followed throughout the nineteenth century. One would think that after the Spanish-American War of 1898, the island would become a Yankee turf. Nay : the period saw a new influx of Spanish immigrants .

Let us add the Cubans who fled the Castro regime in the 1960s , and the Dominicans in search of a better life - more likely to have recently installed. Briefly, a mixture of sacred origins !

Muñoz Marín ( Luis )

Among the few Puerto Ricans known abroad , Muñoz Marín (1898-1980) is a good example of this generation born Spanish and American become . Poet and journalist in his youth, editor of the newspaper La Democracia , senator in 1932 , he first made ​​the spokesman of the independence of the island. Excluded from the Liberal Party for that reason, he participated in the founding of the Democratic Party of Puerto Rico and became president of the Senate.

Returning his jacket , or simply pragmatic , he adopted as and when a position more favorable institutional rapprochement with the United States.

He threw two parallel major campaigns : one designed to eradicate poverty through agrarian reform , the other to attract investors to the island. A double success, which led to his being repeatedly reelected governor ( 1949-1965 ) . He was instrumental in obtaining the commonwealth status in 1952.

Grateful , Puerto Ricans have named San Juan airport in his honor.

Music

Like all Caribbean , Puerto Ricans can not live without music . The island is one of the cradles of arisen from the traditions of Spanish and African rhythms Latin rhythms . Among the favorite instruments are percussion ( bongos , congas , timbales ) - inseparable from the salsa - but the maracas, the guiro ( gourd carved with " scratch ") and guitar. But not just any guitar : the cuatro , which despite its name, actually has ten strings ! Mixed with drums, it gives jíbaro farmer on an air of nostalgia puertoriqueña ...

Often associated although they are very different , the bomba and plena are among the first musical forms appeared on the island. Plena was gradually shaped by African slaves in the plantations of sugar cane from the seventeenth century. Before improvised (and repeated in chorus ), it is punctuated by maracas and drums echoes amounts - one large and one small , are responding . It is inseparable from the dance. Plena , more multicultural, also later . Born around 1900, it is based on texts messages, and more often satirical protest . His instruments are the guiro , cuatro and the tambourine .

Side traditions, danza is the image of the Puerto Rican music of yesteryear, mixing classical and Caribbean influences. The hymn "national" The Borinqueña is also made ​​on the rate of a danza . This style emerged in the mid- nineteenth century, can be both sang and danced , hence its name.

Among the Puerto Rican musical glories is also high position the singer and bandleader Tito Rodríguez ( 1923-1973 ) , famous for his cha-cha -cha and furious sentimentality of his boleros . And more : Mr. Tito , Tito Puente , born the same year as Rodríguez (1923-2000) , but in New York , leader of the mambo and cha-cha , the recipient of five Grammy Awards.

Also included in another genre, the Spanish cellist Pablo Casals, who ended his life in Puerto Rico and there began a festival of chamber music with his name . What is left today of the golden age ? Lots of nostalgia and the voice of Ricky Martin , the last great Puerto Rican singer dated to have acquired an international reputation.

salsa

But what would a music section not to mention salsa ? It is the initiative of Puerto Rican and Cuban musicians that style developed in New York in the 1960s . There is a bit of everything that makes the Afro-Caribbean musical traditions montuno Cuban , Puerto Rican bomba and plena , Dominican merengue , but also jazz, mambo , rumba, cha-cha ...

Quite a cocktail of sounds, combination of bass guitar, wind instruments, maracas , drums , güiros , claves , cow bell and we probably forget . Big local names have marked the history of salsa, as Héctor Lavoe ( the false air of Elvis Presley ) , voice almost as high as that of a castrato , associated with trombonist Willie Colón, Pete " El Conde " or Cheo Feliciano Rodríguez , alias El Señor sentimiento ...

Taínos

Statistically, the first inhabitants of Boriquén ( Puerto Rico ) became invisible : their descendants now account for only 0.2 % of the population of the island.

It was long believed that slavery and decimated by new diseases, Arawak people had disappeared in the first half of the sixteenth century . DNA tests in 2003 showed the opposite: they revealed that 61% of Puerto Ricans living on the island have Taino blood - against only 27 % of African blood and 12% of European blood !

The same research estimates the total population of the island on the eve of the conquest between 200 000 and 400 000. To try to communicate with the lost piece of local identity, will visit the Centro Ceremonial Indígena Tibes , near Ponce. An Indian guide will help you discover the passion forgotten lore of his ancestors.

Beirut,Lebanon. At the crossroads of East and West is Lebanon. On a small territory , the country seems to have gathered all the diversity of nature and humanity .

From the sea to snowy mountains to arid valleys sometimes , sometimes green , watered by rivers and waterfalls, pine forests tumble down hillsides to desert areas extended by fertile plains which mixed orchards and vineyards tops , Lebanon never ceases to amaze with its natural treasures.

Lebanon keeps fingerprints and souvenirs of many civilizations it was born : the archaeological and architectural attractions galore recall that the cradle of some civilizations can be found here , and tell the roots of a shaped by a cultural ferment people.

Lebanon rises proudly from its ruins after years of civil war between 1975 and 1990 , and reopened to travelers to reveal its many gems .

How to get around ?

Lebanon is a small country , it only takes about 3 hours to cross from one end . To move , most people use taxis , many of which follow, such as buses, fixed routes . Buses also connect Beirut and other cities, but their frequency is lower in comparison to that of collective taxis. Bus and car rental (basic) are cheap.

the bus

This is the most popular means of transport. The service is not very regular and vehicles are few. Buses are inexpensive.

The public bus network of urban Beirut are red and white . There is no plan bus routes , destinations are indicated on a sign placed behind the window of each bus.

Intercity routes serving major cities of Lebanon from Beirut (Byblos , Tripoli, Tyre, Sidon ...) from the bus station which is located in the port of Beirut ( Charles Helou station ) .

Some more comfortable coaches as Ahdab , allow for the return to Tripoli in a day. The roundabout Cola in Beirut, you can go to the suburbs or to Sidon (coaches Bosta ) Chtaura Masna (border) and Damascus .

It is not easy to take the bus from the airport to earn Beirut must leave the airport to Beirut, to catch a red and white bus LCC line 5 to stop Cocody . We advise you to take a taxi instead .

the taxi

Taxi without a meter

They are indicated by their red license plate and the yellow light placed on the roof . Overall , drivers understand French or even English , but it is prudent to have the address where you want to go , written in Arabic.

Caution! Remember to negotiate the amount of the fare before getting essential as these taxis are not metered. A taxi can be rented by the day or race .

Taxi service

Warning: cases of scams and attacks have been reported in these taxis . As far as possible, so we will avoid this mode of transport , especially alone and at night .

Popular Taxis are plentiful and shared to reduce costs . These are the famous taxis , the " taxi - service " or " services," as they are called Lebanese. These passenger vehicles can carry up to 5 passengers , each paying one-fifth of the amount of the race. It is better to negotiate the fare before departure.

The two main points of departure for intercity services from Beirut are: Cola roundabout if you go to a city in South Lebanon and the crossroads Dora if you want to go in North Lebanon.

the car

Rent a car

This solution offers a wide range and is affordable given the competition on this market and low fuel prices. You must be at least 20 years . Agencies rental cars are now located in the arrival hall of the airport of Beirut. Vehicles with automatic transmission are the most common .

The International Driving Permit is required. He gets free prefecture or sub- préfecture.Il is valid for 3 years.

Driving in Lebanon

Diesel vehicles are banned from Lebanon.

In Lebanon , driving is on the right. However, you have to drive carefully because the roads have suffered from armed conflict, they are irregular , often in poor condition . Many damaged by military operations aileurs roads are under construction as part of the reconstruction of the country . An improvement of the network is underway , but the lighting at night is still unsatisfactory . Night driving on small roads is dangerous.

By car , it crosses the country from north to south in just 3 hours , but congestion is chronic , especially in summer on coastal roads.

In town , parking is not too difficult. It is usually free , but some streets are equipped with parking meters . There are also private parking ( fee from 1 000 to 2 000 LBP ) .

Traffic lights are respected when traffic is dense. Traffic is controlled by the police ( dark gray cap and holding ) , the police ( lattice light gray camouflage, bright red beret ) , or by police motorcyclists (white helmet, gray outfit, American motorcycle ) .

Wearing seat belts is compulsory for front and rear . Attention to this rule violators face a fine ranging from 25 000 to 100 000 LBP , and a prison sentence of 10 days.

Namely: there are on Lebanese roads military checkpoints . These are positions colored in red and white guard.

When the dam is kept , the use of slow and mark off, and at night , turn on the ceiling . In rare cases ( this is the case in South Lebanon ) , a passport is required , but NEVER part with it. The integrity of the army and the Lebanese gendarmerie is noteworthy.