Last week I went on a trip on Majorca with my friend. We managed to see different places on the island, each of them has its own architecture, style and atmosfere. They are different but all worth to see. If you are going to spend some time there, maybe my description will encourage you to go there;)

S'Arenal
First days of our "holiday" in a middle of an academic year (:D) we spent in S'Arenal that is really touristic town, situated very close to the capital of Mallorca - Palma de Mallorca (about 20-30min by bus). The town is kind of vaccation target, so there aren't many places to see, but there you can rest for sure!!:) The beach there is beautiful at every time during a day, it's amazing. Next to beach there is a street with many tapas bars, pizzerias, restaurants and hostels, so you you can even be able to see a sea from your window!

Palma de Mallorca
Of course we couldn't miss the capital. Palma is famous for La Seu, its vast cathedral originally built on a previous mosque. Although construction began in 1229 it didn't finish until 1601 and local architect Antoni Gaudí was drafted in during a restoration project in 1901.
The Old City (in the south-east area of Palma behind the Cathedral) is a fascinating maze of streets clearly hinting towards an Arab past.
Woth to see is also Bellver Castle that is a gothic style castle on a hill 3 km of Palma. on the. It was built in the 14th century for King James II of Aragon, and is one of the few circular castles in Europe. Long used as a prison, it is now one of the main tourist attractions of the island, as well as the seat for the city's History Museum.


Sóller
The other place we went to is a city Sóller. The most fascinating thing is that you can get there by a vintage train that goes just in the middle of mountains, so views are wonderful and the journey from Palma is shorter. The city is really calm so walking through its streets will make you even more relax;)

Deià
Deià is a small coastal village on the northern ridge of Majorca. It is located about ten miles north of Valldemossa (that we also saw on our way) and it is known for its literary and musical residents. The small village has around twenty restaurants and bars that are popular with visitors from all over the world. What is really great, all houses have green doors and shutters!:) And the beach there is amazing!

Majorca is really great place to spend holidays:) There are amazing views and cities with monuments, beaches and all that you need. I can't show all our pictures because we took so many...;) But if you want to watch more sights you can see them in the following video.

Nowadays probably everyone know the trilogy Lord of the Rings. Why do I mention it here? Because it was the film based on this masterpiece, that has had a massive impact on showing the world just how beautiful New Zealand's landscapes really are.
Until now, New Zealand is just in my dreams, but who know, maybe I will be able to make the "hobbits' journey" in the future;)


Where is New Zealand?
New Zealand is located in the south-western Pacific Ocean, on the south of Australia. Comprises two main islands, the North and South Islands, Te Ika a Maui and Te Wai Pounamu (in Māori), and a number of smaller islands all around. The early Polynesian settlers called the country Aotearoa, meaning Land of the Long White Cloud. It is a name by which New Zealand is quite often known nowadays.

Are both islands the same?
This is what is also special and worth to know. The two islands have surprisingly different characters!! The North Island consists of volcanic landscapes and highly active thermal areas, long stretches of beautiful beaches and excellent sailing, ancient forests and a strong Maori cultural
influence. The South Island has a slower pace of life dominated by a magnificent spine of mountains, the snow-covered Southern Alps and the spectacular scenery of the southern waterways of the fjord lands, with glaciers, deep lakes and verdant forests.
Isn't it amazing? So many magnificents views and landscapes in one country!


Why is it so magnifcent?
Those who read the previous paragraph probably alredy know why, but it's just a part.
Maybe the size of New Zealand isn't really large, but it doesn't mean that the bigger country, the more magnificent is. New Zeland with its magnificent natural beauty has an incredible amount to offer. So travelers usually complain only that they didn't have enough time in the country.
Fresh air, breathtaking scenery and outdoor activities are the main attractions of New Zealand, with a tremendously friendly, honest and helpful population. Oh, I shouldn't forget also about flightless kiwi bird, one of the symbols of New Zealand - it's the only place we can meet it;)


What does it offer?
All that I mentioned above and much more.
New Zealand offers a huge variety of activities:
- bungee jumping
- skiing
- swimming with dolphins
- scenic flights
- boat cruises on the fjords
- world famous walking trails with unrivalled scenery.
Alternatively visitors can of course get to know a bit about culture at the museums and galleries of the country's main cities - Auckland, the capital Wellington in the North, and Christ Church in the south.

Now, after all these facts, the only thing that left is to go there!! Right now I know that it would be the unforgettable journey. See you there:)



Some of the inf about NZ taken from: http://www.iexplore.com/world_travel/

Everything started in May 2002...construction is believed to be finished in the next 10-15 years, but even now is the self-declared 'Eighth Wonder of the World'.

And I totally agree with that, THEY are amazing. They, I mean the islands - three largest man-made islands in the world, which are being built on the coast of the emirate of Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The are called The Palm Islands, but also referred to as The Palm Dubai and simply The Palms. How they are situated is presented on the picture below.


The islands are the Palm Jumeirah, the Palm Jebel Ali and the Palm Deira. They were commissioned by the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to boost the country’s tourism industry, adding 520 km of beaches to the city of Dubai.

As a curio I can say that the first two islands will comprise approximately 100 million cubic meters of rock and sand. Palm Deira will be composed of approximately 1 billion cubic meters of rock and sand!!

What is so amazing?
Their shape - each of the islands are being built in the shape of a date palm tree and consist of a trunk, a crown with fronds, and are surrounded by a crescent island that acts as a breakwater. There are some differences between them, but each one make a big impression.
The Jumeirah Palm island is primarily a retreat and residential area for living, relaxation, and leisure.
The Jebel Ali Palm is more of an entertainment destination for both adults and children, which caters to both residents and tourists.
The Deira Palm will consist of residential property, marinas, shopping malls, sports facilities, and clubs.

What we can find there?
The islands will support:
- luxury hotels
- freehold residential villas
- unique water homes
- shoreline apartments
- marinas
- water theme parks
- restaurants
- shopping malls
- sports facilities
- health spas
- cinemas
- various diving sites...

...so everything that a real tourist need:D