Greece

Greece is a country in southeastern Europe. Greece has the twelfth longest coast line in the world at 8,498 miles in length. Approximately 14 thousand islands are part of this country, and only 227 of them are inhabited. Eighty percent of Greece is mountains.

Modern Greece has its roots in the civilization of ancient Greece. It is the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, the Olympic Games, Western literature and historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, and Western drama, including both tragedy and comedy. The ancient Olympic Games were celebrated every four years by the Greeks; they were abolished in 394 AD by the Emperor.The Modern Greek state was established in 1830, following a victorious uprising against Ottoman rule.

Athens, Greece capital, is home of The Acropolis, built in the fifth century BC, the Acropolis Temple, the Parthenon, Temple of Athena and Erechtheum are considered the greatest architectural accomplishment of classical Greece. Ancient Agora located below the Acropolis, was the commercial and civic center. People used these buildings for a wide range of political, educational, philosophical, theatrical, and athletic purposes.

Other interesting places to go to are the amphitheater of Epidaurus, the reconstructed palace at Knossos and the Ionian Islands.

Jerusalem, Israel

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, though not internationally recognized as such. With a population of 763,800 residents, located in the Judean Mountains, between the Mediterranean Sea and the northern edge of the Dead Sea, modern Jerusalem has grown far beyond the boundaries of the Old City. Jerusalem is also considered as the holy city to the three of the major Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Visiting Jerusalem during Holy Week (a Christian holiday celebrating Jesus death and resurrection) is a whole different experience, within the old city, in an area of ​​half a square mile, one can find some of the most sacred places in the world: the Holy Sepulchre and the Via Dolorosa, worship by Christians; the Western Wall, holiest site for Jews, and the Temple Mount, the most important sites in Islam after Mecca and Medina. These divine and human wealth are protected by the beautiful white stone walls, almost five miles of defenses eight feet wide and twelve high, topped by 34 towers. This strength is perforated by eight holes; doors throughout the centuries have allowed the pilgrims to approach their gods. One of them, The Damascus Gate, that dates from 1537, also called in Arabic “Bab Al Hamoud”, means "gate of the column," referring to a monolith Roman victory that in the past stood in the square outside. The most controversial of all the doors is, precisely, the one that remains sealed, the Golden Gate, which many refer to as the Eternal Life Gate or Gate of Mercy, located on the east wall of the citadel, facing the place where the sun raises. According to Jewish tradition, this is the door through which the Messiah will enter Jerusalem when he returns. The door dates from the seventh century, the first Islamic period of Jerusalem, but remains sealed since 1541. The passage of time has seen the old citadel of Jerusalem changed hands and face, but one thing remains unchanged: the belief of thousands of Christian pilgrims, Jews and Muslims to cross the wall by any of its doors and enter in places that blanket, is a way of approaching God.

The status of the city now days, and especially its holy places, remains as an issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Israeli government has approved building plans in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City in order to expand the Jewish presence in East Jerusalem, while prominent Islamic leaders have made claims that Jews have no historical connection to Jerusalem, alleging that the 2,500-year old Western Wall was constructed as part of a mosque.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Buenos Aires is the capital of Argentina, it is also known as the “Paris of south America”. It is the second largest city in South America. It was founded more than 400 years ago, but it was virtually created at the end of the 19^th century. With the beef boom of the 1880s, the city’s Hispanic colonial buildings were leveled and replaced in the image of Paris. It was time of tremendous wealth. The center of the city is where all happens. It starts with the Florida walkway, and has other recognize avenues life Avenida Santa Fe, where all the boutiques are located, La Plaza San Martin, where a statue commemorates one of the only heroes of Argentine history. Other good places to shop at are at Avenida Cordoba. The presidential house is called Casa Rosada, for the tint of its masonry. It stands in the Plaza de Mayo. San Telmo, one of the oldest neighborhoods, where you will find tango bars and antiques shops, with a 19^th century architecture. This city counts with a subway system, which is the first subway ever build in a Spanish speaking country. It was inaugurated in 1913, and it is a high-yield system providing access to various parts of the city.

French Guiana

The French Guiana is located in northern South America. It is a French colony that has 220 miles of coastline. Since European colonization in the 17^th century this territory has been held by France, and when slavery was abolish African American slaves, brought in to work the plantations, were replaced by indentured laborers from other parts of the French Empire. In 1946 it became and overseas department of France, and in the 1960s a satellite space exploration center was established at Kourou, which brought jobs and urban development. There are different native groups in the rainforest areas, and communities of Noir Marrons, descendant of African Slaves.

Cayenne, the capital, has some interesting colonial buildings like The Musee Departemental, which has a mix of historical and archeological artifacts, and the Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur De Cayenne.

Other interesting places to go in the French Guiana are: Kaw Marshes, 40 miles southeast of Cayenne, is an area of forest, rich birdlife and inhabited. Montsinery, 27 miles southwest of Cayenne, a botanical hiking trail leads to the Annamite Penal Colony, where deported indo-chineese were detained. And Cacao, a village south of Cayenne, is inhabited by a Hmong community.