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VPG-DVD-157 - YUNNAN Kunming is located in the Chinese province of Yunnan in south west China. The Buddhist temple of Ykan Ton Si dates back to the Tang Dynasty. The design of the city's largest temple complex was influenced by many diverse ethnic groups. The highlight of the complex is a lake in the middle of which a number of bridges lead to an octagonal pavilion. The Temple Of Total Penetration (yes, that's it's name!) is a tranquil and peaceful haven amid the busy alleys of Kunming's old town. In the west of Yunnan Province there are magnificent views from Xi Shan Mountain across Dian Lake and nestling among the rocks there are numerous temples that were once the scene of ritual sacrifice. On the downward journey the temples loom larger and larger while earthenware images of Buddha depict various stages of life. Yunnan's most famous site is the unique Stone Forest of Shi Lin. Its limestone rock originated from a long since dried--up ocean when the elements set to work on creating its fantastic and bizarre forms. The most amazing formations were given dramatic names such as The Sea Of Fire, Dragon's Tooth and Heavenly Sword. Pagodas, columns and strange flowers appear to rise from the rock and to facilitate access, tunnels and paths have been cut into the rock face. The Venice Of The Far East is the nickname of the ancient Chinese city of Lijiang in the northwest of Yunnan Province. The picturesque centre of the old town of Dayan is an architectural gem. Three rivers and several small creeks flow through the historic cit and there are various splendid stone bridges date back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Buy Shan is a typical village of the region. Just as it was hundreds of years ago with farmers slowly leading their ox wagons through the village. The houses were built over a period of more than two hundred year between the Ming and Qing Dynasties in 14 and 16 A.D. Yunnan Province - place of simplicity, exquisite culture and spectacular natural wonders!
Vista Point YUNNAN China
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 199 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m38s
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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: 199 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m27s
Views: 24  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-103 - TUSCANY Tuscany was named after the Etruskans, who were called 'Tusci' by the Romans. The kingdom was eventually divided into independent dukedoms and, from 1531, the Medici ruled, a family of businessmen and bankers. Capital of Tuscany is Florence, a city of art and joie de vivre and past home of important artists and sculptors such as Donatello, Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci, plus the writers Dante and Boccaccio, not to mention the scientist, Galileo Galilei. Lucca, one of Tuscany's most important historical towns, rises from the lower reaches of the Serchio river, on a former swamp. Dating from the Middle Ages, it is surrounded by a massive 4.2 kilometre long brick wall which helped the town retain its independence, and also protected it from the floodwaters of the Serchio. The precarious imperfection of The Leaning Tower Of Pisa is in stark contrast to the grandiose palaces and religious buildings of the Medici family and the natural contours of the hills and mountains of this European nirvana complete the connection between art and nature. Tuscany satisfies all the senses!
Vista Point Tuscany Italy
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 199 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m34s
Views: 29  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-153 - TUNIS Tunis is the capital of Tunisia and this 'Paris' of North Africa is a metropolis with a long history. In the centre of the medina the domed roof of the souk encircles the Olive Tree Mosque the spiritual centre of the old town. The central market district dates back to the Hafsidic and Early Christian period. Here there's something for everyone, many of the goods being skilfully crafted under the watchful eye of prospective purchasers and while strolling through the markets it's like being part of an Arabian fairy-tale with all the magic of the One Thousand And One Nights. The tall, octagonal minaret of the Sidi Youssef Mosque is an example of Tunisia's earliest Syric building design and opposite is the Dar El Bey, former palace of the Turkish monarchs. Dar Ben Abdallah is a splendid palace that dates back to the 18th century and since 1975 has incorporated a folklore museum that is well worth a visit. A large cool courtyard is dominated by a central marble fountain and surrounded by both residential and official rooms. The lavish lifestyle of the 19th century is on full display in numerous rooms with precious furniture and crystal chandeliers as well as beautifully attired life-size dolls. Today Bardo is an elegant suburb of villas but in the 19th century the Turkish Beys built their palace district within it and the former harem today contains the majestic Bardo Museum. Tunis has all the wonderful atmosphere of this region's historic and colourful past.
Vista Point TUNIS Tunisia
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 199 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m21s
Views: 19  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-152 - TRINIDAD Located to the south of the Caribbean island of Cuba, Trinidad was founded by the Spaniard, Velazquez and in the 18th century the city experienced great wealth and recognition through the cultivation of sugar cane. The exclusive palaces and villas of the sugar barons still leave their mark on the city with tall wooden gates, barred windows and original roof tiles that characterise the style of bygone days. The Palacio Padron is located on the Plaza Mayor, the centre of the city. A few years ago the palace was lovingly restored in painstaking detail and transformed into an archaeological museum. Around the main square the most beautiful palaces stand in rows and are an impressive indicator of the colonial lifestyle enjoyed by the former sugar aristocracy. The slave trade and the cultivation of sugar cane made the island's inhabitants incredibly wealthy and Trinidad became the most important cultural and trade centre in the whole of Cuba. The former palace of the Cantero sugar barons now houses the Museo De Historia, an impressive building in the Calle Bolivar in which visitors can marvel at old timepieces, porcelain, furniture and valuable crystal chandeliers. The seven storey Torre De Iznaga rises menacingly into the sky, the bells of which once summoned the plantation slaves to work while watchmen surveyed the valley from above because of the fears of the plantation owners who believed that one day the slaves would rebel against them. Splendid exotic beauty in a land situated between sun and socialism, sugar and cigars, rumba and revolution. In Trinidad it is as though everything is in a state of suspended animation waiting to be kissed awake.
Vista Point TRINIDAD
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 199 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m23s
Views: 22  | 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: 199 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m22s
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VPG-DVD-121 - TORONTO Toronto is a sensational city. Canada's 'secret' capital: boomtown, show town and financial metropolis, clean, safe and with five million inhabitants. Gigantic skyscrapers and with a frenetic lifestyle, Toronto is where many Canadian banks and multi-national companies have their palatial offices of steel and glass built in what was once a waterfront wilderness. The old City Hall was built in 1899 in Victorian style and consists mainly of sandstone. Its Venetian clock tower faces an array of modern skyscrapers and almost opposite is the futuristic looking new City Hall, a symbol of the city's cosmopolitan flair. It's easy to become disorientated in Toronto's Underground City. Most of this subterranean complex extends beneath the financial district and is the largest of its type in the world with countless shops, restaurants and subway stations. An endless network of corridors and passages connects these vast shopping centres and offices to the Central Business District. Since 1975 the city has possessed a unique monument, the Canadian National Tower or, the C.N.Tower. At a speed of six metres a second four external elevators zoom to the top of the building and it takes only fifty-eight seconds to reach the Skypod platform. The massive Skydome stadium is home to the Blue Jays baseball team. The huge pitch contains a hundred and six rolls of light green turf and is illuminated by more than seven hundred two thousand watt spotlights. The building is multi-functional and has a movable dome that can be opened and closed as necessary depending upon the weather. Niagara Falls, although extremely touristy, is an unforgettable experience. For the adventurous there are bridges and platforms close to the raging waters and the roar of the mighty torrent can be heard from a great distance while the awe-inspiring view of the waterfalls make it easy to forget the surrounding hustle and bustle of fellow sightseers. The Indian meeting place of bygone times has been transformed into a huge city that is a true gem among Canada's other great cities. Toronto is without a doubt the most multicultural city in the world!
Vista Point TORONTO Canada
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 199 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m39s
Views: 23  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-212 - TAIPEI Taipei is a pulsating metropolis in the north of the South Asian island state of Taiwan, a land of gods, spirits and temples. With around three million inhabitants it is the largest city in Ilha Formosa, a beautiful island that is located a hundred and thirty kilometres from the Chinese mainland. The famous Grand Hotel is the most impressive building in Taipei and is in the typical Chinese palace design of the Ming Dynasty. The large interior hall of the fine building is supported by massive red pillars and it features a magnificent open staircase with marble banisters. The south western edge of the city was where wealthy trader, Lin An Tai, once had a huge residence. It is one of the most well preserved examples of a building in the style of a classical southern Chinese residence and designed according to the strict rules of Feng Shui and Chinese Geomancy. The Confucius Temple is a place of contemplation and a replica of the Temple Of Qu Fu, Qu Fu having been the home town of Confucius. A large wall surrounds both the temple and its inner courtyard. This silent place is one of five temples in Taiwan dedicated to the great Chinese philosopher who founded a religion that even today has many followers. Taipei is one of the fastest growing cities in the world, a modern Asian metropolis that is full of ancient traditions as well as futuristic flair.
Vista Point TAIPEI Taiwan
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 199 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m22s
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VPG-DVD-209 - SIEM REAP Siem Reap is a relatively small town three hundred and fifteen kilometres north of Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia. Here, growing tourism has created a boomtown because Siem Reap is close to Angkor, the ancient capital of a huge and mysterious jungle realm. The Temples Of Angkor are the remains of various religious buildings that were built by more then ten kings of the Khmer realm between the 7th and 16th centuries A.D. The gigantic roots of kapok trees cling to the moss-covered walls of the temple complex and everything is dominated by the encroachment of nature. The monastery was once home to five thousand including more than two thousand monks and over six hundred female dancers who played an important part in the sacred rituals and ceremonies of that time. The fishermen on the tributaries of the Tonle Sap live peacefully together in large families. They are not particularly interested in commerce or trade as their lives are dominated by Buddhism. In the Middle Ages Angkor was the largest city in the world. The majestic silence amid the temples and dense jungle vegetation seems to highlight Angkor's immortal splendour and its magnificent contribution to Asian history and culture.
Vista Point SIEM REAP...
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 199 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m27s
Views: 21  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-147 - SHANGHAI Shanghai is a gigantic city that is a meeting point of both east and west. The shoreline is without a doubt the city's main focal point. The city is a combination of the past, present and future and contains the historic monuments and eye-catching buildings of a great metropolis. It was once referred to as 'the whore of Asia': capital of crime, the Paris of the east and the centre of Maoism. But today the city is ruled by modern-thinkin communists and the Yangzi Delta is not only China's largest port but also its new shining star of capitalism. The Oriental Pearl Tower is a mighty four hundred and sixty-eight metre high television tower that contains an entertainment centre, futuristic luxury hotel, fine restaurant and offers the most superb views across the city. In the centre of the city's labyrinth-like shopping alleys a zigzag bridge extends across a small pond to a famous tea house. The bridge was designed thus in order to fend off evil spirits who, it was believed, could walk only in a straight line! Located in the countryside, Suzhou is above all famous for its gardens. The 'Garden Of The Policy Of The Common People' is one of China's four most famous gardens. The complex was built between 1522 and 1566 at the command of an important mandarin and designed according to his wishes. South of Suzhou is Zhou Zhuang that is said to have been the first water village in China. A journey on its canals is certainly worthwhile as the surrounding area is covered with thousands of canals and rivers and many villages in the area are only accessible by boat. Shanghai and its surrounding area has now freed itself from its early growing pains and from the restrictions imposed by Chairman Mao and today enjoys the rich rewards of capitalism.
Vista Point SHANGHAI China
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 199 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m34s
Views: 24  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-197 - SHAN STATE North of Burma's central plains is the exotic and fascinating Shan State, a beautiful landscape in South East Asia located on the eastern side of Myanmar. Once forty Shan monarchs ruled there but they lived in hostile times as Burmese kings and Chinese warlords fought against them to gain control of their fertile land. We begin our journey at Inlay Lake. The magical beauty of this body of water has attracted and fascinated people since time immemorial and this unique lake is home to the Intha people. The next leg of the journey leads to a far more tranquil section of the lake that features floating gardens that are around a hundred metres long and two metres wide and consist of a densely interwoven carpet of water hyancinths. Mandalay, 'The City Of Art', is located in the centre of Shan State. It was founded in 1857 and up until the British conquered it in 1885 it was the capital of the kingdom of Burma. The Mahamuni Pagoda is the centre of worship and is also where the Mahamuni Buddha is kept, the country's most highly worshipped Buddha statue. Around twelve kilometres beyond Hsipaw is the legendary Bagyo Pagoda. Surrounded by a magnificent wall it is thought that the sanctuary is more than seven hundred years old. An important festival takes place each year around Tabaung, the time of the full moon in February and March, and is the highlight of the town's cultural calendar. The Shan people in the north of Myanmar have most certainly retained their cultural heritage and Shan State is an exotic combination of both nature and culture and a land of beauty and joie de vivre!
Vista Point SHAN STATE...
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 199 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m24s
Views: 18  | Comments: 0
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VPG-DVD-177 - SEVILLA Seville is a gem of a city and Andalusia's most fascinating metropolis. In the centre of the old town is the Real Alcazar that was originally home to numerous Moorish monarchs and later the domicile of Spanish kings. It's said to be the oldest and most fascinating palace complex in the whole of Europe. Christopher Columbus was welcomed in the palace when he returned from his second voyage to America after having established a trading route with the New World. Its unique mixture of numerous cultures and époques augments the atmosphere of exquisite luxury. With its labyrinth of white alleys, Santa Cruz is the city's old Jewish district and is located close to both the Real Alcazar and the Catedral. Grated windows, flowerpots on the walls and old wooden gates are typical of this area of the city that exemplifies the traditional Andalusian way of life. The Plaza De Toros and the seasonal hustle and bustle of its bullfights, dominates the El Arenal, the city's former harbour district. Designed in the 18th century by Vicente San Martin, the bullfight arena was fully restored in the middle of the 19th century. The Giralda and the Patio De Los Naranjos are the only remains of Sevilla´s Almohadian Mosque. The rest of the temple was destroyed by the Christians. Construction began in 1401 and it became the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. After the Petersdom in Rome and St. Paul's in London it is the third largest Christian building in the world. With its rich cultural inheritance bequeathed by both the Moors and the Christians, Seville is a truly incredible city with a flamboyant way of life and fiery Latin temperament!
Vista Point SEVILLA Spain...
Categories: Holiday Location and Places 
Added: 199 days ago
By: travel-video
Runtime: 1m35s
Views: 19  | Comments: 0
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