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VPG-DVD-231 - VIENTIANE Since the sixteenth century Vientiane has been the capital of Laos and is situated in the heart of Indochina. The city originated at the point at which the first navigable section of the Mekong River joins with the Gulf Of Thailand. Vientiane was once a group of rural settlements and even today contains several village-like districts each with its own temple and traditional marketplace. At the end of the nineteenth century the French began to renovate the city's most important buildings and made Vientiane the administrative capital of their new colony and gave it a French look. There are some fascinating places to visit outside the city such as the Cultural Park Of The Laotian People, a large area on the banks of the Mekong River. Historic Vientiane also has some fine reconstructed buildings such as the Wat Impeng on the western bank of Pagoda Street. Artistic wooden carvings on the windows and doors, along with the paintings and stucco work on the walls, feature various legends from the life of Buddha. Some signs of affluence are beginning to appear and in future years Vientiane may become yet another Asian metropolis with skyscrapers, smog and manic rush hours. It is now poised to leap into contemporary times as it gradually emerges from its atmospheric curtain of bamboo.
Vista Point VIENTIANE Laos
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m29s
Views: 20  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-216 - VALLETTA Valletta is the capital city of the Mediterranean island of Malta and is also known as The City of Palaces. It was once inhabited in turn by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Turks and in 1530 the Order of the Knights of Malta moved its main residence to this section of the island. Malta's pre-historic epoch is demonstrated by its primeval stone temples and graves. They belong to the Menhir period that extended to the British Isles. The St. John's Co-Cathedral was built in1577 by Gerolama Cassar as a monastic church of the Order of the Knights of Malta. At the command of Pope Pius the 7th, in 1816 it was designated as a cathedral and was given the same privileges as the bishop's seat in Medina, thus its somewhat strange title of 'Co-Cathedral'. Situated on the northernmost point of the peninsula is the famous Saint Elmo Fort, a dominant feature of the coast. Throughout the centuries it has been witness to many bloody battles and much courageous resistance. It reached its zenith during the time of the Knights of Saint John who expanded the fortress and made it almost totally impregnable. Its walls successfully fended off the Turks and later the French blocked off the harbour entrance to the British fleet. During the Second World War anti- aircraft artillery were positioned on the fort's upper levels to defend against both German and Italian bombers. The Orient and the Occident have both left their traces in Valletta a picturesque location carved from stone. The former City Of Knights in which the future joins with the past.
Vista Point VALLETTA Malta
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m27s
Views: 24  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-148 - VILLE DE QUÉBEC On behalf of the French crown, in 1608 Samuel De Champlain established a fur trading post from which originated Québec, a city that today looms over the Saint Laurence River like a majestic fortress. It is the birthplace of French culture in North America. With its small towers and green glimmering roofs the Chateau Frontenac majestically watches over the city. The castle like hotel was built and lavishly furnished in 1894 by the Canadian Pacific Railway and in 1943 was the rendezvous for the allies who met to prepare for the Normandy Landings. Québec's upper city is encircled by a four kilometre long fortified wall that was alternately built upon by the French and the English. In former times, various gates barred entry to the fortress but today they are wide open and welcome visitors into the well preserved old town. Designed by master builder Baillairgè in 1844, La Cathedrale Notre Dame De Québec was Canada's first Catholic cathedral. The Baroque dome of the basilica demonstrates the splendour of Catholic Church design while the altar captivates with its rich detail and paintings of the Holy Mother. The Funiculaire connects the upper city with the lower, the Quartier Petit Champlaine that was the country's first settlement. The train station looks like a mediaeval castle and its large hall seems to be the grand entrance chamber of a palace. The station's anterooms contain huge windows while its ceilings display colourful glass images. Canada's oldest city has successfully retained its deep and historic roots and has sensitively linked them to the needs of the modern world. Québec is truly a sparkling gem of French culture in North America.
Vista Point Town Of...
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m22s
Views: 24  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-126 - STOCKHOLM Stockholm is a city that floats on water: the 'Venice Of The North' was built on fourteen islands. Gamla Stan, or 'Old Town', is the name of the city's three central islands that are linked by numerous bridges. Its ambience is that of the Middle Ages and small and mysterious alleys and beautiful buildings that date back to the 7th century characterise the life of the traders who once lived there. The old town's most dominant building is the royal castle of Kunglia Slottet. Larger than London's Buckingham Palace it contains six hundred and eight rooms. The Stadshuset is one of the city's landmarks and was designed in Medieval style and with a tower that is almost 106 metres tall. The most important artists of the time were engaged in the creation of the Blue Hall in which the Noble Prize ceremony now takes place each year. Those who appreciate museums will not be disappointed by Stockholm as it boasts more than fifty! The National Museum located on the Strömmen Canal contains countless works of art. Due to the passion for art of various of Sweden's royal family and also generous public donations, the museum has a truly outstanding collection of French paintings that date back to the 18th century. Six kilometres south of Stockholm is a cemetery that has been designated as a World Heritage Site by Unesco, the Skogskyrkogarden, the final resting place for many of Stockholm's past inhabitants and also some of its most famous, including Greta Garbo. This extraordinary complex took thirty years to build and is unique in the world. Since 1998 this centuries-old Hanse city has also been the cultural capital of Europe. This city of the Vikings is a true architectural gem!
Vista Point STOCKHOLM Sweden
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m22s
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VPG-DVD-210 - SAIGON: HO CHI MINH CITYSaigon, an exotic trading post of bygone times, derived its name from the banks of the river upon which it is located. In 1859 the French arrived and transformed it into the capital of French colonial Indochina. With nearly six million inhabitants Saigon is also known as Ho Chi Minh City and, although large, is no longer the capital of Vietnam.Following the eventual withdrawal of both the French and the Americans the city has prospered once again with a lively trading spirit and a special flair that has helped it to become known as, The Paris Of The East. The Post Office, a mighty colonial building of 1883, highlights the splendour of old Europe and with its colourful glass windows and cast iron gratings and balustrades it is more like a European train station. The History Museum was built in 1929 according to Neo-Vietnamese design and features a large range of fascinating exhibits from each epoch of the country's history. Statues, pottery and other artefacts of various epochs are on display in various atmospheric rooms and they range from the Bronze Age culture of the Dong Son to the Funan, Chenla, Khmer and Cham periods as well as various Vietnamese dynasties. Although past, present and future live side-by-side in this richly cosmopolitan city, today Saigon is experiencing a massive property boom and its city centre premiums now match those of both Singapore and Jakarta. Saigon's dramatic past began with it being a small fishing village followed by its development as the 'Paris Of The East' and then as an American garrison city until it eventually became South Vietnam's modern metropolis of today.
Vista Point SÀI GÒN Ho...
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m20s
Views: 16  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-169 - PROVENCE Marseille is the most important city in Provence.and is situated on the south coast of France. From a distance, one of Marseille's main landmarks rises high above the harbour: the seafarers' church of Notre-Dame-De-La-Garde. With abundant internal furnishings, Byzantine arches, golden mosaics and numerous votives it is a splendid structure inspired by Byzantine Romanic design. The most impressive religious building in Marseille is a fortified monastery church that dates back to the 5th century, the mighty Abbaye Saint Victor. Deep down in the rock is an Early Christian crypt and a number of stone sarcophaguses that contain the remains of various holy martyrs that date back to the Roman persecution of the Christians. A boat trip from Cassis leads to one of the most beautiful coastal areas in Europe, Les Calanques, a unique nature reserve where shining white limestone cliffs plunge more than four hundred metres into the deep blue sea and extend for twenty kilometres. Sur Le Pont D'Avignon is a world famous French song that is familiar to both young and old alike. It is a song of dance on the bridge of the Pont Saint Bénézet but it is more likely that the people here once danced under the bridge, as that is the location of its bars! A place of radiant light and sweet aromas with villages that nestle in the rocks like eagles'nests and with cities that have an historic past. Provence is indeed a captivating land full of fascinating contrasts.
Vista Point PROVENCE France
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m27s
Views: 23  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-128 - PORTO Situated in the north of Portugal, Porto is a cultural capital of Europe and birthplace of the nation. The Torre Dos Clerigos is the symbol of the city and was built in the middle of the 18th century on a rock at the city's most elevated point. Two hundred and twenty five steps lead to a stunning view across the picturesque old harbour town and its carpet of red rooftops that nestle against the city's hills. Porto has one of the most beautiful markets in Europe that contains a large inner courtyard completely encircled by arcades. The narrow, deep river valley of the Douro is spanned by five bridges of which the most impressive is the Ponte Dom Louis. The Frenchman, Gustave Eiffel, constructed the gigantic two level bridge that connects Porto with its sister town, Vila Nova De Gaia. Five bridges connect the banks of the River Douro and two of them are monuments that date back to the Industrial Revolution. The river has always been the city's lifeline and a trading route to the whole world. The entire river valley was designated as a vine growing area because it is where the world famous port wine is grown. With all of its picturesque districts including its Baroque splendour and the palatial houses of its elite, Porto has well and truly survived the march of time.
Vista Point PORTO Portugal
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m19s
Views: 27  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-224 - PHNOM PENH Phnom Penh is the reawakened capital of Cambodia and former Land Of The Khmer, now a wonderful place with all the charm of a bygone age. The Wat Ounalom Monastery is the centre of Cambodian Buddhism and home of the patriarch and around two hundred monks. The monastery once contained more than forty buildings that were either damaged or totally destroyed by the Khmer Rouge. During the second half of the nineteenth century Phnom Penh became a French colonial town with wide streets, shops, government buildings, hotels and villas all in colonial style. The Mekong has its origin in China on the edge of the Tibetan High Plateau and for almost five thousand kilometres it crosses China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. During the rainy season the river is at its highest and not only floods the land but also creates a miracle of nature. The Tonle Sap changes its direction and the surplus water of the Mekong flows into the Tonle Sap Lake that has ample room for the extra water. After the monsoon period the water drains out of the lake back into the Mekong when everyone celebrates the Festival Of The Turning Water. Today, one of the most beautiful and interesting cities in Asia is gradually recovering from the tragic events of the past. It is as though Phnom Penh is now keen to enjoy everything that was forbidden during the Vietnam War and the savage rule of the Khmer Rouge.
Vista Point PHNOM PENH...
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m29s
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VPG-DVD-132 - PARIS Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. First established by the Celts, next used strategically by the Romans, then it served the extravagant lifestyle of the Sun King, Louis the Fourteenth until it became a hotbed of Revolution. Les Champs Elysees is surely one of the most beautiful avenues in the world. With wide boulevards, shady corners, ambient street cafes and classic Parisian buildings that are decorated with flowers. Since 1873, the Palais De L`Elysee has been the residence of the French President. At the beginning of the 17th century, Madame De Pompadour lived there and during the Revolution the liberated people cavorted in its luxurious rooms. Through a small triumphal arch decorated with scenes of Napoleon's victorious army, there is the garden created by Leotre, the Jardin Des Tuileries. A bridge and a fountain are the focal points of this popular park created in typical French style. A modern glass pyramid and a fountain decorate the courtyard of the former Louvre Palace, which since the time of the Revolution has been transformed into a museum that contains the famous Louvre art gallery. Its collection of remarkable historic treasures and superb art collection make it one of the world's most famous museums. with Leonardo Da Vinci´s masterpiece, the Mona Lisa, taking pride of place. Situated on a small island on the River Seine is the Cathedral Of Notre Dame, the 'Mother Church Of The Nation'. Built on the foundations of a Roman temple and commissioned by the bishops Maurice and Eudes De Sully, it took almost 200 years to build this Gothic masterpiece. Built at the end of the 19th century as a symbol of national revival, Montmartre's Sacre Coeur has the appearance of a white, fairy-tale palace with 237 steps that lead up to the main entrance of this extraordinary structure. Its Byzantine architecture and five cupolas are reminiscent of the Marcus Dome in Venice. Of course, there are the dizzy heights of the Eiffel Tower and a great deal more. Paris is a wonderful festival of the senses!
Vista Point PARIS France
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m31s
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VPG-DVD-215 - NORTH VIETNAM In colonial times the Europeans referred to North Vietnam as Tongking. Today the Vietnamese people call it, Bac Bo. Hanoi is North Vietnam's lively capital city. It was here that in 1882 the French created their administrative headquarters and main capital city. Compared to other southeast Asian cities that have developed into modern metropolis' at breathtaking speed, Hanoi could be described as being a provincial city. The Hoh Chi Minh Museum, a three storey concrete building, was inaugurated in May 1990 to commemorate Hoh's one hundredth birthday. Den Dao Quan is one of the most beautiful Taoist temples in Vietnam and an oasis of tranquillity. It is a place dedicated to the worship of benevolent spirits and for those who believe in divine and spiritual natural powers. Haiphong is the most important industrial harbour town in North Vietnam and has a population of one and a half million. Under French rule thousands of workers built this city at record speed and the harbour was enlarged, making it the largest in Indo China. Hoa Binh is one of the north's less attractive provincial towns but this, the former centre of a prehistoric Bronze Age culture on the Black River, is the gateway to the mountains of the north. Located within a remote and mountainous landscape, the village of Ban Lac Thai is a peaceful place set within an elevated and fertile valley. It is believed that the Viet are related to the Thai people and originally separated from the Muong tribe when they cultivated the Red River Delta. Everywhere the Thai folk offer hand made arts and crafts for sale such as knitted blankets, woven cloth and numerous bags. From the nostalgic capital of Hanoi as far as the mountain tribes of the north, North Vietnam is a country of charm and beauty with natural wonders and ancient cultures full of age-old traditions and new hope for the future!
Vista Point NORTH VIETNAM
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m33s
Views: 22  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-101  - NEW ORLEANS Fun-filled metropolis at the mouth of the Mississippi, New Orleans is a cultural melting pot and the birth place of jazz. In 1682, the Frenchman, Robert Cavalier, declared this Mississippi region to be French territory and named it, 'La Louisiana'. However, Napoleon later accepted $15,000,000 from President Jefferson and in 1840 it was the fourth largest city in the USA. The Garden District is a sought-after residential area in which there is an abundance of magnolia trees, palms, shrubs and flowers, and the city's largest graveyard, the Metairie Cemetery, has over 7,000 graves and an array of spectacular mausoleums which astound the eye. Gumbo Soup, Jambalaya, Hurricane Cocktails and Dixie Beer are just a few of the traditional refreshments on offer in this carefree, non-stop city, yet, just outside, there are the swampy bayous alive with many exotic species, and the Oak Valley Plantations whose great wealth derived from the sugar cane industry prior to the American Civil War and part of which is reminiscent of some of the scenery from Hollywood's, Gone With The Wind. In the 19th Century, New Orleans was North American capital of the Voodoo cult and today it is a city of unique atmospheres, flavours, contrasts and Mardi Gras: an extraordinary city!
Vista Point NEW ORLEANS
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m19s
Views: 24  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-138 - MONACO Located between Italy and France on the Côte D`Azur, the Principality of Monaco is renowned for its high society, Grand Prix and scandal and the cost of a square metre of land is the most expensive in the world. After the Vatican, it is the smallest yet most unique sovereign state in the world. Monte Carlo's Casino is undoubtedly the principality's most famous landmark. Designed by the architect of the Paris Opera House, Charles Garnier, this superb casino was built in 1878. With the opening of the casino, this previously relatively poor mini State, developed into the famous principality it is today. La Condamine is the harbour district, with its typical French atmosphere and overlooking apartments it connects Monaco Ville with Monte Carlo. Luxury yachts anchor in the harbour throughout the year and travel from all over the world to visit this much sought after tax haven and exclusive casino paradise. On the large rock plateau of Le Roche, Monaco Ville is crowned by its royal palace that was built in 1215 on a former mighty Genoese fortress. The Neo Roman Monaco Cathedral was built in around 1897. The large interior is dominated by the main altar that was designed by Louis Brea. This is also the location of the grave of ex-Hollywood actress, Princess Grace Of Monaco who died tragically in a car accident. Monaco is certainly a place of wealth and prosperity. But the sunshine and its wonderful location on the Côte D`Azur makes it a fascinating place to visit.
Vista Point MONACO
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 198 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m25s
Views: 17  | Comments: 0
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