INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
YOUR GUIDE TO TURNING DREAM HOLIDAYS INTO REALITY
Journey to DISCOVER
Toronto Canada
Toronto, city, capital of the province of Ontario, southeastern Canada. It is the most populous city in Canada, a multicultural city,and the country’s financial and commercial centre. Its location on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, which forms part of the border between Canada and the United States, and its access to Atlantic shipping via the St. Lawrence Seaway and to major U.S. industrial centres via the Great Lakes have enabled Toronto to become an important international trading centre. Moreover, the city is positioned on the edge of some of the best farmland in Canada, with a climate favourable to growing a wide range of crops, thereby making Toronto a transportation, distribution, and manufacturing centre. Most importantly, its central location, along with a host of political policies favouring international trade, places this city with the greatest economic ties to, and influence from the United State
A major increase in the population of Toronto (nearly fourfold expansion, from 1.3 million in 1951 to over 5 million by 2006) and national economic growth influenced the city skyline, which is dominated by the CN Tower (a communications and observation spire 1,815 feet [553 metres] high) as well as by the First Canadian Place (Bank of Montreal), Scotia Plaza, Canada Trust Tower, Manulife Centre, Commerce Court, Toronto-Dominion Centre, and Bay Adelaide Centre, each of which is more than 50 stories high. Other prominent buildings include City Hall (1965), Eaton Centre (a large indoor shopping complex), the gilded Royal Bank Plaza, the Toronto Reference Library, the Ontario Science Centre, the Royal Ontario Museum, with its crystal-shaped facade, and Roy Thomson Hall, noted for its excellent acoustics. .
Quebec City
Quebec, French Québec, city, port, and captal of Quebec province, Canada. One of the oldest cities in Canada—having celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2008—Quebec city has a distinct old-world character and charm. It is the only remaining walled city in North America north of Mexico and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985. Among its other distinguishing characteristics are its narrow cobblestone streets, stone buildings, fortifications, and rich French Canadian culture grounded in the French language. The city’s splendid views of the surrounding landscape and unique character were noted as early as 1842 during a visit by Charles Dickens, who called Quebec the “Gibraltar of North Amerca.” In addition to being a major tourist destination, Quebec is an administrative centre and a port city for transatlantic trade. Its location at the confluence of the St. Lawrence and Saint-Charles rivers, about 150 miles (240 km) northeast of Montreal, provided a number of strategic military advantages: because of the narrowing of the St. Lawrence River, Quebec was
the farthest upstream oceangoing vessels could navigate, and the city’s fortifications on a high ridge had a commanding view of the river. Quebecers’ identity as a unique and special people is tied to their distinctive Francophone culture, often described as a blending of European traditions and North American attitudes. Though Quebec, like the rest of Canada, is becoming an increasingly multicultural place, particularly in its big cities, Quebecers have been very aggressive in trying to preserve their historic identity in the face of considerable social and technological change.The vast majority of Quebeckers, around 94%, speak French. Most can speak at least some English as well, with the city of Montreal — the historic home of Quebec’s powerful English-speaking minority — the most functionally bilingual place in Canada.
UAE Dubai
Dubai,
also spelled Dubayy, city and capital of the emirate of Dubai, one of the wealthiest of the seven emirates that constitute the federation of the United Arab Emirates, which was created in 1971 following independence from Great Britain. There are several theories about the origin of the name Dubai. One associates it with the daba—a type of locust that infests the area—while another holds that it refers to a market that existed near the city. In recent years Dubai has been compared to Singapore and Hong Kong and is often regarded as the Middle East’s premier entrepôt. Area 13.5 square miles (35 square km). Pop. (2017 est.) 2,919,178. Dubai is a city of skyscrapers, ports, and beaches, where big business takes place alongside sun-seeking tourism. Because of its large expatriate population, it feels like a Middle Eastern melting pot, and the atmosphere is generally tolerant. Religious affiliations are not a prominent aspect of city life. Islam is the majority religion, but churches and Hindu temples coexist with Dubai’s mosques.
The western area of Dubai benefits from small stretches of sandy beaches, which have helped to catalyze the city’s tourism industry. Dubai’s rulers have sought to increase the city’s limited seafronts, and, in the absence of natural offshore islands, developers were encouraged to construct giant man-made islands off the coast of the city. The most famous of these is Palm Jumeirah, which has the shape of a palm tree. Others include the “World” islands, a cluster of small islands positioned to resemble a world map when viewed from above. The Burj Khalifa, which at the time of its official opening in 2010 was the world’s tallest building; it was named after the president of the United Arab Emirates and emir of Abu Dhabi, Khalifa ibn Zayed Al Nahyan.
Dubai has a rich, Arabic cultural heritage. While it is now more known for its intriguing mix of deserts, beaches and luxurious manmade feats, the culture of the Emirati people still have a major role to play. Dubai is an absolute monarchy. The Al Maktoum family have reigned there since 1833—the current ruler being His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bi Rashid Al Maktoum. In addition to being the Crown Prince of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan is also the Chairman of Dubai’s Executive Council and, like his predecessors, has wisely and progressively led Dubai into prosperity. Although tradition and culture underpin life in Dubai, the UAE state is a warmly hospitable destination. Emirati people tend to preserve Islamic heritage, with the majority being Muslim. Despite this, the people of Dubai are extremely tolerant of their multicultural citizens and guests—all religious beliefs are welcome. Over 200 nationalities call Dubai home, including Emiratis, Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Filipinos, and Sri Lankans. Each new group has brought with them their own style, strengths and flavours. There are currently over 6000 restaurants and cafés in the bustling city, offering every cuisine imaginable.
Palm Jumeirah, artificial offshore islands in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, the site of private residences and hotels. From the air, the archipelago resembles a stylized palm tree within a circle. Palm Jumeirah was built in the early 21st century and was largely financed from Dubai’s substantial income from petroleum. Trunk, spine, fronds, and crescent are the names by which the principal sectors of Palm Jumeirah are known. The broad trunk, connected to the mainland by a bridge, serves as the entrance to the development.
Republic of Singapore Singapore
Singapore is the largest port in Southeast Asia and one of the busiest in the world. It owes its growth and prosperity to its focal position at the southern extremity of the Malay Peninsula, where it dominates the Strait of Malacca, which connects the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea. Once a British colony and now a member of the Commonwealth, Singapore first joined the Federation of Malaysia on its formation in 1963 but seceded to become an independent state on August 9, 1965. Singapore has been able to emphasize its comparative advantage in knowledge-intensive activities—especially communications and information and
financial services—which are less dependent on foreign investment. Higher productivity and research and development are encouraged through schemes that provide investment credits and allowances. An effective economic strategy has been to invest local funds abroad and simultaneously to export management skills. Singapore has sought to recruit skilled people, particularly Chinese from the United States and China (notably Hong Kong). Tourism has become increasingly important to Singapore’s economy. Singapore’s central location in Southeast Asia and its excellent air-transport facilities have been augmented by massive investments in ho-
tels and shopping centres. Duty-free shopping and a variety of recreational attractions, along with a refurbished beachfront, are among the primary attractions. Singapore’s financial services are highly sophisticated and are available through a wide variety of institutions. There is a growing venture-capital market that offers seed funding to firms that develop or introduce new technology. The government’s Monetary Authority of Singapore performs all the functions of a central bank except issuing currency. A focal point of Singapore’s growth as an international financial centre has been the Asian Dollar Market, which is essentially an
international money and capital market where currencies other than the Singapore dollar are traded. The Development Bank of Singapore is the largest local bank in terms of assets. The Stock Exchange of Singapore is an important component of the financial activity in the region. Singapore has few natural resources. There are no natural forests remaining on the island. Only a tiny fraction of the land area is classified as agricultural, and production contributes a negligible amount to the overall economy.
China Hong Kong
Hong
Kong, special administrative region of China, located to the east of the Pearl River (Zhu Jiang) estuary on the south coast of China. The region is bordered by Guangdong province to the north and the South China Sea to the east, south, and west. It consists of Hong Kong Island, originally ceded by China to Great Britain in 1842, the southern part of the Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutters (Ngong Shuen) Island (now joined to the mainland), ceded in 1860, and the New Territories, which include the mainland area lying largely to the north, together with 230 large and small offshore islands—all of which were leased from China for 99 years from 1898 to 1997. Hong Kong is characterised as a hybrid of East and West. Traditional Chinese values emphasising family and education blend with Western ideals, including economic liberty and the rule of law. Although the vast majority of the population is ethnically Chinese, Hong Kong has developed a distinct identity. The territory diverged from the mainland through its long period of colonial administration and a different pace of economic, social, and cultural development. Mainstream culture is derived from immigrants originating from various parts of China. This was influenced by British-style education, a separate political system, and the territory's rapid development during the late 20th century. Hong Kong developed into a filmmaking hub during the late 1940s as a wave of Shanghai filmmakers migrated to the territory, and these movie veterans helped build the colony's entertainment industry over the next decade. By the 1960s, the city was well known to overseas audiences through films such as The World of Suzie Wong. When Bruce Lee's The Way of the Dragon was released in 1972, local productions became popular outside Hong Kong.
Hong Kong has a free market economy, highly dependent on international trade and finance - the value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of reexports, is about four times GDP. Hong Kong has no tariffs on imported goods, and it levies excise duties on only four commodities, whether imported or produced locally: hard alcohol, tobacco, oil, and methyl alcohol. There are no quotas or dumping laws. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983. Excess liquidity, low interest rates and a tight housing supply have caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly. The lower and middle-income segments of the population increasingly find housing unaffordable. Hong Kong's open economy has left it exposed to the global economic situation. Its continued reliance on foreign trade and investment makes it vulnerable to renewed global financial market volatility or a slowdown in the global economy. Mainland China has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for about half of Hong Kong's total trade by value.
Brazil Rio de Janeiro
Rio
de Janeiro is well known for the beauty of its beaches and of its peaks, ridges, and hills—all partly covered by tropical forests. The city is a centre of leisure for Brazilian and foreign tourists, and people wearing bathing suits can be seen walking in the streets and along the beaches or traveling on the city’s buses. Perhaps at no time is the city’s festive reputation better displayed than during the annual pre-Lenten Carnival, which enlivens the city night and day with music, singing, parties, balls, and street parades of brilliantly costumed dancers performing to samba rhythms. Rio is also an important economic centre, however, with activities ranging from industry and national and international trade to administration, banking, education, culture, and research. The city’s economic and social prominence grew in the 18th century after it became the main trade centre for the gold- and dia-
mond-mining areas of nearby Minas Gerais. Later its status as a national capital and as the royal residence of the Portuguese monarch influenced Rio’s continued growth and helped it acquire a cosmopolitan atmosphere and a national character, free of regional conflict. After the city was relegated to being a state capital in the mid-20th century, however, a new regional consciousness began to develop. While São Paulo became entrenched as Brazil’s economic heartland and Brasília strengthened its position as the political hub, residents of Rio increasingly prided themselves on being the country’s cultural centre and Brazil’s most salient symbol to the rest of the world. The temperature varies according to elevation, distance from the coast, and type of vegetation. Winter (June–September) is particularly pleasant, both because of its mild temperatures and because it is, in general, less rainy than the summer (December–March), which is hotter as well. The annual average temperature at Rio is about 73 °F (23 °C).
The statue of Christ the Redeemer was completed in 1931 and stands 98 feet (30 metres) tall, its horizontally outstretched arms spanning 92 feet (28 metres). The statue has become emblematic of both the city of Rio de Janeiro and the whole nation of Brazil. The statue, made of reinforced concrete clad in a mosaic of thousands of triangular soapstone tiles, sits on a square stone pedestal base about 26 feet (8 metres) high, which itself is situated on a deck atop the mountain’s summit. The statue is the largest Art Deco-style sculpture in the world. In the 1850s the Vincentian priest Pedro Maria Boss suggested placing a Christian monument on Mount Corcovado to honour Isabel, princess regent of Brazil and the daughter of Emperor Pedro II, although the project was never approved. In 1921 the Roman Catholic archdio-
cese of Rio de Janeiro proposed that a statue of Christ be built on the 2,310-foot (704-metre) summit, which, because of its commanding height, would make it visible from anywhere in Rio. Citizens petitioned Pres. Epitácio Pessoa to allow the construction of the statue on Mount Corcovado. Over the years it has undergone periodic repairs and renovations, including a thorough cleaning in 1980, in preparation for the visit of Pope John Paul II to Brazil that year, and a major project in 2010, when the surface was repaired and refurbished. Escalators and panoramic elevators were added beginning in 2002; previously, in order to reach the statue itself, tourists climbed more than 200 steps as the last stage of the trip.
Morocco Casablanca
Casablanca, Arabic Al-Dār al-Bayḍāʾ, or Dar al-Beïda, principal port of Morocco, on the North African Atlantic seaboard. The origin of the town is not known. An Amazigh (Berber) village called Anfa stood on the present-day site in the 12th century; it became a pirates’ base for harrying Christian ships and was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1468. The Portuguese returned to the area in 1515 and built a new town called Casa Branca (“White House”). It was abandoned in 1755 after a devastating earthquake, but the ʿAlawī sultan Sīdī Muhammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh rebuilt the town in the late 18th century. Spanish merchants, who named it Casablanca, and other European
traders began to settle there. The French after a time outnumbered other European settlers, and the name Maison Blanche (also meaning “White House”) became as common as Casablanca. The man-made port of Casablanca is protected from the sea by a breakwater and handles most of Morocco’s foreign trade. It is also a port of call for European ships; Boulevard Hansali, which leads to the port, is lined with shops for tourists. Inland from the docks and the harbour is the old city, or medina, the original Arab town. Still enclosed in parts by its original rampart walls, it is a maze of narrow streets and whitewashed brick or stone houses. In a semicircle outside the walls of the medina is the town
built by the French. Avenues radiating from Muḥammad V Square are intersected by ring roads that reach to the coast on either side of the harbour. Muḥammad V Square, near the gateway of the old medina, and United Nations Square are the business and administrative centres of the town, where banks, hotels, and large modern shops are located. Farther south, overlooking the gardens of the Park of the Arab League, is the white Cathedral of the Sacré Coeur. West of the park and stretching toward the coast are the gardens and villas of residential districts, such as Anfa. Large numbers of poor live in shantytowns (bidonvilles) on the outskirts of the city.
Despite the large dimensions of the economic capital of Morocco, Casablanca hides a place of peace and relaxation inside that breaks with the structure and rhythm of the metropolis. The park of the Arab League is the green lung of the city and is the claim for anyone who seeks some peace in the hustle and bustle. Its collection of different types of vegetation fill the city with value, being the vegetable treasure of Casablanca that every tourist should mark on their list of places to visit.
The building was commissioned by King Hassan II to be the most ambitious structure ever built in Morocco. It was designed by the French architect Michel Pinseau who had lived in Morocco, and was constructed by the civil engineering group Bouygues. It took over seven years and 10,000 craftsman recruited in all the cities of the kingdom that carved 53,000 m2 of wood and assembled more than 10,000 m2 of zellige (ceramics) for the place of worship. the result is a modern and massive tribute to the former King of Morocco that beautifully blends traditional Moorish architecture with 20th century innovation and equipment. Although it is only the 7th largest mosque in the world, Hassan II claims the title of having the largest minaret in the world at a time. Capped with a spotlight that shines east towards Mecca, the minaret is 210m tall, towering above the Atlantic Ocean. Almost lighthouse-like in its position, it is also built directly on the Atlantic Ocean on reclaimed land, which was done with intention by the architect to recall a verse of the Qur’an stating that “the throne of Allah was built on water.”
Thailand Bangkok
Bangkok
welcomes more visitors than any other city in the world and it doesn’t take long to realize why. Bangkok is a city of contrasts with action at every turn. Marvel at the gleaming temples, catch a tuk tuk through bustling Chinatown or take a longtail boat through floating markets. Food is another Bangkok highlight, from local dishes served at humble street stalls to haute cuisine at romantic rooftop restaurants. Luxury malls compete with a sea of boutiques and markets, where you can treat yourself without overspending. Extravagant luxury hotels and surprisingly cheap serviced apartments welcome you with the same famed Thai hospitality. And no visit to Bangkok would be complete without a glimpse of its famous nightlife. Be it nightclubs, cabarets or exotic red-light districts, Bangkok never ceases to amaze. Homes generally consist of small, detached one- or two-story wooden houses or
row houses. Most of these are overcrowded because there are far too few of them to house the expanding population. Government programs alone are insufficient to meet the housing shortage, and funds from the World Bank have been used to build low-income housing, such as the Din Daeng and Hua Mak developments. The government allows squatters to occupy unused public land. The number of squatters is small, and most of them are concentrated in the Khlong Toei area near the port. Beginning in the 1960s, housing developed rapidly in the city. From the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s more than 100,000 new units were built. There was also an emphasis on renewal in inner-city areas. Private real-estate developers provide homes for middle-income groups, and many government agencies provide homes for their employees. Homes may be crowded onto small lots with rudimentary sanitation facilities.
The most important cultural feature of Bangkok is the wat. There are more than 300 such temples, representing classic examples of Thai architecture. Most are enclosed by walls. Many wats have leased a portion of their grounds for residential or commercial use. Fairs, festivals, and “kite-fighting” contests are held in the parks. The Ratchadamnoen and Lumphini stadiums host professional boxing bouts featuring the highly ritualistic form of boxing known as Muai Thai. Silapakorn National Theatre presents dancing, drama, and music.
Grand Palace is undoubtedly the most famous landmark in Bangkok. It was built in 1782 and for 150 years was the home of the Thai King, the Royal court and the administrative seat of government. The Grand Palace of Bangkok is a grand old dame indeed, that continues to have visitors in awe with its beautiful architecture and intricate detail, all of which is a proud salute to the creativity and craftsmanship of the Thai people. Today, the complex remains the spiritual heart of the Thai Kingdom
Wat Pho is one of Bangkok's oldest temples. It existed before Bangkok was established as the capital by King Rama I. It was originally named Wat Photaram or Podharam, from which the name Wat Pho is derived. The name refers to the monastery of the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India where Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment.The date of the construction of the old temple and its founder are unknown, but it is thought to have been built or expanded during the reign of King Phetracha (1688–1703).
Tokyo, formerly (until 1868) Edo, city and capital of Tokyo to (metropolis) and of Japan. It is located at the head of Tokyo Bay on the Pacific coast of central Honshu. It is the focus of the vast metropolitan area often called Greater Tokyo, the largest urban and industrial agglomeration in Japan. For full treatment, see Tokyo-Yokohama metropolitan area. The site of Tokyo has been inhabited since ancient times; the small fishing village of Edo existed there for centuries. Edo’s development into a city did not occur until the Tokugawa period (1603–1867), when it became the capital of the Tokugawa shogunate. During this period, however, the imperial family remained in Kyōto, the ancient imperial capital. With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which ended the shogunate, the capital was moved to Edo. The city was renamed Tokyo, meaning “eastern capital.” Edo had been Japan’s largest city since the 17th century. Tokyo’s population exceeded one million in the late 19th century, and as Japan’s political, economic, and cultural centre it became one of the world’s most populous cities in the 20th century. The city is built on low, alluvial plains and adjacent upland hills. The climate is mild in winter and hot and humid in the summer. Early summer and early autumn are rainy seasons; two or three typhoons usually occur during September and October.
Japan Tokyo
Shibuya Crossing is a popular scramble crossing in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Three large TV screens mounted on nearby buildings overlook the crossing, as well as many advertising signs. The Starbucks store overlooking the crossing is also one of the busiest in the world. Its heavy traffic and inundation of advertising have led to it being compared to the Times Square intersection in New York City and Piccadilly Circus intersection in London. Shibuya Crossing is the world’s busiest pedestrian crossing, with as many as 3,000 people crossing at a time.
Mount Fuji, Japanese Fuji-san, also spelled Fujisan, also called Fujiyama or Fuji no Yama, highest mountain in Japan. It rises to 12,388 feet (3,776 metres) near the Pacific Ocean coast in Yamanashi and Shizuoka ken (prefectures) of central Honshu, about 60 miles (100 km) west of the Tokyo-Yokohama metropolitan area. It is a volcano that has been dormant since its last eruption, in 1707, but is still generally classified as active by geologists. The mountain is the major feature of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park (1936), and it is at the centre of a UNESCO World Heritage site designated in 2013.
Tokyo Skytree is a broadcasting and observation tower in Sumida, Tokyo. It became the tallest structure in Japan in 2010 and reached its full height of 634 meters (2,080 ft) in March 2011.
Maldives
Maldives, in full Republic of Maldives, also called Maldive Islands, independent island country in the north-central Indian Ocean. It consists of a chain of about 1,200 small coral islands and sandbanks (some 200 of which are inhabited), grouped in clusters, or atolls. The islands extend more than 510 miles (820 km) from north to south and 80 miles (130 km) from east to west. The northernmost atoll is about 370 miles (600 km) south-southwest of the Indian mainland, and the central area, including the capital island of Male (Male’), is about 400 miles (645 km) southwest of Sri Lanka.
The Maldive Islands are a series of coral atolls built up from the crowns of a submerged ancient volcanic mountain range. All the islands are low-lying, none rising to more than 6 feet (1.8 metres) above sea level. Barrier reefs protect the islands from the destructive effects of monsoons. The rainy season, from May to August, is brought by the southwest monsoon; from December to March the northeast monsoon brings dry and mild winds. The average annual temperature varies from 76 to 86 °F (24 to 30 °C). Rainfall averages about 84 inches (2,130 mm) per year. The atolls have sandy beaches, lagoons, and a luxuriant growth of coconut palms, together with breadfruit trees and tropical bushes. Fish abound in the reefs, lagoons, and seas adjoining the islands; sea turtles are caught for food and for their oil, a traditional medicine. The population of Maldives belongs almost entirely to the Maldivian ethnic group, which is the result of various
peoples settling in the islands successively through the country’s history. The first settlers, it is generally believed, were Tamil and Sinhalese peoples from southern India and Sri Lanka. Traders from Arab countries, Malaya, Madagascar, Indonesia, and China visited the islands through the centuries. The official language is an Indo-European language called Dhivehi (or Maldivian); Arabic, Hindi, and English are also spoken. Islam is the state religion. Fishing, long the traditional base of the economy, has been far surpassed by tourism as the main source of gross domestic product (GDP).Tuna is the predominant fish caught, traditionally by the pole-and-line method, although a good deal of the fishing fleet has been mechanized. Most of the fish catch is sold to foreign companies for processing and export.
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
