Bøker av Kai Richardson

Cliffs of Moher, Burren, Ireland. Travel and Tourism Guide. In good visibility, the Cliffs of Moher (Aillte an Mothair, or Ailltreacha Mothair) are staggeringly beautiful. The entirely vertical cliffs rise to a height of 214m, their edge abruptly falling away into a ceaselessly churning Atlantic. A progression of vast heads, the dark limestone marches in a rigid formation. Views stretch to the Aran Islands and the hills of Connemara. Sunsets here see the sky turn a kaleidoscope of amber, amethyst, rose-pink and deep garnet-red. When you make your pilgrimage to the Cliffs of Moher, you're coming for one of two things: the staggering height of the rock face, and the even more staggering beauty of the views from the top. Soaring to 214m, the striated stone reaches its long fingers southward to counties Cork and Kerry beyond, with a keen eye from O'Brien's Tower even able to spot the Aran Islands to the north

Cologne, Germany. Travel and Tourism. Cologne (Köln) offers a mother lode of attractions, led by its famous cathedral whose filigree twin spires dominate the skyline. The city's museum landscape is especially strong when it comes to art but also has something in store for fans of chocolate, sports and even Roman history. Cologne's people are known for their liberalism and joie de vivre; it's easy to have a good time with them in the beer halls of the Altstadt or during Carnival. Cologne is like a living textbook on history and architecture: drifting about town you'll stumble upon an ancient Roman wall, medieval churches galore, nondescript postwar buildings, avant-garde structures and a new postmodern quarter right on the Rhine. Germany's fourth-largest city was founded by the Romans in 38 BC and given the lofty name Colonia Claudia Ara Aggripinensium. It grew into a major trading centre, a tradition solidified in the Middle Ages and upheld today

Chincoteague and Assateague Island Travel, Virginia, USA. Tourism. The main town for eating and lodging on the Eastern Shore in Virginia is Chincoteague Island, which has become a wee bit hip in recent years, with a young and entrepreneurial slew of residents injecting energy into the community. Let world-famous Chincoteague Island be the backdrop for your next business or social event! This quaint seaside town retains the flavor of yesteryear while providing all the amenities of today. Whether you're planning a convention, trade-show, corporate event or conference, class, festival, wedding or reunion the Chincoteague Center provides the perfect venue and meeting place. Our modern, spacious facility can accommodate up to 800 attendees in a 9,000 square foot area that includes sliding wall partitions for virtually unlimited space options. Call or stop by for a tour of the building between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm Monday through Friday

Cinque Terre, Italy. Travel Guide, Vacation, Tourism Holiday, Honeymoon. Set amid some of the most dramatic coastal scenery on the planet, these five ingeniously constructed fishing villages can bolster the most jaded of spirits. A Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997, Cinque Terre isn't the undiscovered Eden it once was but, frankly, who cares? Sinuous paths traverse seemingly impregnable cliffsides, while a 19th-century railway line cut through a series of coastal tunnels ferries the footsore from village to village. Thankfully cars were banned over a decade ago. Rooted in antiquity, Cinque Terre's five villages date from the early medieval period and while much of this fetching vernacular architecture remains, Cinque Terre's unique historical draw is the steeply terraced cliffs bisected by a complicated system of fields and gardens that have been hacked, chiselled, shaped and layered over the course of nearly two millennia. The extensive muretti (low stone walls) can be compared to the Great Wall of China in their grandeur and scope

Chicago Travel Guide, Illinois, USA Environment. Tour to Holidays, Business, Tourism. Often overlooked in favour of New York or San Francisco, the 'Windy City' of Chicago doesn't fall short as a centre of culture, art and architecture. Soaring towers befitting the birthplace of the skyscraper are stacked high along the stunning Chicago River and throughout the sprawling metropolis. This is also the home of blues and jazz, where early masters such as Louis Armstrong honed their skills. Situated on beautiful Lake Michigan, Chicago's countless bars and restaurants are lively and usually full especially if a game is on. The friendly locals are sports mad, with American football, basketball and baseball all popular. The live-music scene is vibrant (with plenty of blues bars), while there are also renowned festivals, a world-class symphony and some terrific museums such as the Art Institute with its extensive French Impressionist collection. Then there's the stunning Millennium Park, which opened in 2004 and features work by Frank Gehry, Jaume Plensa and Anish Kapoor. The Downtown area is known as the 'Loop' after the raised metropolitan railway that circles the central business and shopping district, and many visitors take to the iconic waterways to tour this area's colossal architecture by boat. The 10-floor Home Insurance Building constructed here in 1884 was the first skyscraper, ahead of Hotel Burnham (formerly the Reliance Building), which was the first steel-framed skyscraper. It also houses one of the world's tallest buildings, Willis Tower (formerly Sears Tower). Famous architects such as Louis Sullivan, Mies van der Rohe, and Frank Lloyd Wright and his Prairie School of Architecture have all left their mark here

Chennai, India. History, Travel Guide Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu in India, is a fast-paced metropolitan city and home to a rich heritage with an alluring historical background. Some of the major attractions in Chennai include the Kapaleeshwar Temple, ISKCON Temple, Sri Parthasarathy Temple and San Thome Cathedral which is one of the three St. Thomas Basilicas in the world. When you have had your share of divine sightseeing, head to the beaches in Chennai. Breezy Beach, Marina Beach and Covelong are known for their panoramic views. There are also historical places of high significance like the mighty Fort St. George, which was the foothold of British, Government Museum and Art Gallery which has several artifacts of sculptures and carvings from 9th and 11th centuries. Shopping in Chennai is a highly rewarding experience. Both souvenirs and world's leading brands are available to shop in Chennai. This city has something for everyone, and before you know it, this cultural metropolitan hub would have sneaked into your heart.

Chester, England. Travel and Tourism Information. Chester County has a little of everything when it comes to tourism. Whether you enjoy outdoor activities, visiting historic sites, shopping, or just plain relaxing, odds are you will find Chester County the perfect place to visit. The county's rural setting is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and there are several places to visit for short day-trips. Shopping "On the Hill" (which describes downtown Chester's unique positioning on top of a very steep hill which slopes down to the remaining sections of the City) is a pleasant experience. Downtown shops carry a large variety of merchandise including men and women's apparel, antiques, books, pet needs, and hardware. Scattered throughout the county are strip malls which contain grocers, drug stores, and general merchandise. Major outlet malls and modern shopping malls can be found in nearby Rock Hill (20 minutes); Pineville (30 minutes); Charlotte (40 minutes); or Columbia (45 minutes). Dining choices in the Chester County area range from "fish camps" (local eateries famous for some of the best freshwater and seafood in the South), to pub style and southern home style restaurants to fast food eateries. International cuisine includes Mexican and Greek choices. Several places have facilities for club meetings and private parties

Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.A. Tour Guide, Early African American status, South Carolina Travel Guide. Charleston is still coming to terms with its difficult history of slavery. Historians estimate that slave ships brought 200,000 to 360,000 men, women, and children into Charleston's harbor over the course of America's period of international slave trade. Charleston's mayor, Joseph P. Riley, Jr., goes so far as to estimate that more than 80% of African-Americans in the U.S. today can trace at least one ancestor back to Charleston. Fortunately, more and more Lowcountry institutions are now recognizing African-American history and creating learning opportunities for locals and visitors. There's growing interest in Gullah language, crafts, food, and culture. And we're finally going to have the African-American Museum that local leaders have been talking about for years. The city and other partners recently announced plans for a $75 million International African-American Museum to be open by 2018 near the South Carolina Aquarium. In the meantime, here are five African-American history sites worth a visit in Charlest. TOURISM: If you prefer a temperate, subtropical climate, then Charleston is the place for you! The weather is typically warm, even when winter wraps much of the world in her icy cloak. December to February typically sees an average temp in the 60s while spring and autumn are in the 70s. Summer can get a little warm, averaging in the low 90s, but that makes for great outside play and there are plenty of outside activities in the area! After the hectic work week, you can kick back on the weekends and take a walk on the long cobblestone streets along Rainbow Row and other parts of the city, catch a carriage ride around the city, or take the family to the South Carolina Aquarium. You can wander through the Old City Market where local vendors sell everything from local spices to handmade palmetto baskets and roses to photography. The Moon Pie General Store is also fun for the whole family with its snack cake scented candles and unique novelty items. If you opt for some outside fun, you can hit one of the area's bike trails or visit one of several state and county parks, including Waterfront Park with its bicycle carousel. As you walk along the river, you'll pass the Pineapple Fountain and end up at the Battery with its massive, moss-laden oaks and beautiful gazebo. If you don't mind a short drive, pack the family in the car and head over to Johns Island to see the Angel Oak Tree

Chengdu, China. Travel and Tourism, Business Travel Guide. Chengdu is no great draw when it comes to major tourist sites pandas excepted, of course but many visitors find its laid-back pace and diversity of cultural scenes unexpectedly engaging. It could be its relaxing teahouse culture, with favourite local institutions serving the same brews across generations. Maybe it's the lively nightlife, with a strong showing of local partiers bolstered by large student and expat populations that gather at craft beer bars and super-hip clubs. It might be the food: famous for heat, history and variety even in the cuisine-rich cultures of China; and very much a point of pride. It is, after all, Unesco's first-ever City of Gastronomy. But who can say for sure? Luckily, as Chéngdū is the transport hub for the entire region, most travellers in China's southwest pass through this way and can find out for themselves

Celtic People History and Culture. The Origin, Custom, Language. Who were the Celts? We know that prior to the I700s the term "Celtic" was not in use in the English language. The eighteenth-century classification came about as a result of linguistic evidence, which linked the native languages of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales to the continental language of the people whom Julius Caesar described as Celtae. The word "Celtic" came originally from the Greeks who, around 600 B.C., called the people who lived to the north of Greece Keltoi. We know also from references in both Greek and Roman texts that they inhabited a large area in Central Europe. Archaeologists do not believe that the Celts were one homogeneous people but were composed of many tribes speaking a similar language. How these different tribes came to speak a common language is not known, but these various peoples, referred to as Celtic, spoke a language which was a predecessor of modern-day Irish. Thus the word "Celtic" became a way of describing the people who spoke the Gaelic language. These continental Celtic speaking people did not commit anything to writing. This is certainly not to say they were an ignorant people. By tradition, information was committed to memory and passed on orally. There are no written records in Ireland before the arrival of Christianity in the fifth century, but there were sophisticated schools of memory where poets, storytellers, and lawyers would memorize what their various disciplines required. So successful was this method that when writing did arrive in Ireland it merely gave form to the rich culture, which had predated it and in many ways survived for hundreds of years after the arrival of the first Christian missionaries. A form of early writing had developed and Ogham, a complicated script based on the Latin alphabet, has survived, but it was usually only used on commemorative pillar stones to identify the dead

Caribbean Attractions, a Travel Guide. Honeymoon, Vacation, Holiday, Discovery. You can find any kind of island adventure here. With so many islands, beaches, cultures, flavors and waves to choose from, how could this not be vacation paradise? You can do nothing on the sand, party at a resort, explore a new community, hop between islands, discover wonders under the water or catch a perfect wave above, revel in a centuries-old culture (and sway to some of the world's greatest music while you're at it), and then run off to find your inner pirate... Just about anything is possible in the Caribbean. The tropical sunlight is infectious. Like birds shedding dull adolescent plumage, visitors leave their wardrobes of gray and black behind when they step off the plane and don the Caribbean palette. Even the food is colorful, with rainbows of produce brightening up the local markets. You'll also see every hue at intense, costume-filled festivities like Carnival, celebrated throughout the region but particularly in Trinidad. Glorious crumbling Cuba, reggae-rolling Jamaica and Vodou-loving Haiti top the wish lists for travelers seeking unique cultural experiences and Unesco heritage havens. The Caribbean is a joyous mosaic of islands beckoning paradise-hunters, an explosion of color, fringed by beaches and soaked in rum. It's a lively and intoxicating profusion of people and places spread over 7000 islands (fewer than 10% are inhabited). But, for all they share, there's also much that makes them different. Can there be a greater contrast than between bustling Barbados and its neighbor, the seemingly unchanged-since-colonial-times St Vincent? Revolutionary Cuba and its next-door banking capital, the Caymans? Or between booming British-oriented St Kitts and its sleepy, Dutch-affiliated neighbor Sint Eustatius, just across a narrow channel? List of all Caribbean Islands to discover: Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman, Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Havana, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Plata, Puerto Rico, Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, St. Barts, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Martin St., Maarten, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos, U.S. Virgin Islan

Catalan Culture and Traditon. History Information, The people. Catalan culture has developed its own unique and universal identity over the centuries. The innovative flair, creativity, capacity to absorb different influences, co-existence and tolerance values has shaped a culture that is both national and cosmopolitan. Traditionally, art and thought trends seep into Catalonia as a result of the country's geographic location, open to the Mediterranean and European countries, and also due to the leading spirit and attraction created by Barcelona. Catalan arts exemplify this national and universal vocation. Ramon Llull, Ramon Muntaner and Joanot Martorell made valuable contributions to the consolidation of the Catalan language and European medieval literature. Jacint Verdaguer, Víctor Català and Joan Maragall, in different genres, contributed decisively to the cultural Renaissance of the 19th Century. The 20th Century was very prolific in talents that still have an extensive international dissemination: from Salvador Espriu and Josep Pla to Josep Carner, Mercè Rodoreda, Manuel de Pedrolo, Pere Calders, Jesús Moncada, Pere Gimferrer, Baltasar Porcel, Quim Monzó, Miquel de Palol and Miquel Martí i Pol.

Carcassonne Travel, France. France Ideal City Discovery, Touristic Guide. Perched on a rocky hilltop and bristling with zigzag battlements, stout walls and spiky turrets, the fortified city of Carcassonne looks like something out of a children's storybook when it's seen from afar. A Unesco World Heritage Site since 1997, it's most people's idea of the perfect medieval castle. The Cité Médiévale, as the old walled town is now known, attracts over four million visitors every year, peaking in high summer. Time your visit for late in the day (or better still, for spring or autumn) to truly appreciate the old town's medieval charm. Poised atop a hill overlooking lush green countryside and the Aude River, Carcassonne's fortified upper town, known as La Cité, looks lifted from the pages of a storybook-literally, perhaps, as its circle of towers and battlements is said to be the setting for Charles Perrault's classic tale Puss in Boots. With its turrets and castellated walls, it appeals to children and those with a penchant for the Middle Ages. The lower, newer part of the city is the Ville Basse, where you'll find the train station and a smattering of sights (most notably the Musée des Beaux-Arts).

Cardiff Travel, Wales UK. Tourism, Holiday Guide, Honeymoon The capital of Wales since just 1955, Cardiff has embraced the role with vigour, emerging in the new millennium as one of Britain's leading urban centres. Spread between an ancient fort and an ultramodern waterfront, compact Cardiff seems to have surprised even itself with how interesting it has become. Nowhere is this vitality more evident than in Cardiff's buildings it flexes newly acquired architectural muscles as if it's still astonished to have them. Such confidence is infectious, and these days it's not just the rugby that draws crowds into the city. Come the weekend, a buzz reverberates through the streets as swarms of shoppers hit the Hayes, followed by waves of revellers descending on the capital's thriving pubs, bars and live-music venues. Cardiff also makes an excellent base for day trips to the surrounding valleys and coast, where you'll find castles, beaches, interesting industrial sites and ancient monuments

Canada History. People, Culture and Tradition. Former American president John Adams once declared, "Canada must be ours; Québec must be taken," during the 1776 Continental Congress. However, the United States never did take Québec or the rest of Canada, which instead grew into an amazing independent nation with its own distinct cultural identity. Although Canada may appear at first glance to be merely a colder, friendlier offshoot of its American neighbor, its locals will quickly point out all the things which make their country unique. Many people immediately think of the beaches along Atlantic Canada's coast, the magnificent Rocky Mountains, or miles of isolated forests where caribou roam when conjuring up visions of Canada's landscape. However, Canada also includes some of the world's most sophisticated cities, from multicultural Toronto to scenic Vancouver. Québec City contains nearly as many centuries-old buildings as several European staples, with Montréal being the planet's most populous predominantly French speaking city outside of Paris. Most of Canada's tourists arrives in the summer months simply for warmer temperatures and greater variety of activities, but those who brave Canada's cold winters will be rewarded with some of the world's finest skiing in the Rocky Mountains, which form much of the boundary between Alberta and British Columbia. Winter is also the season for some of Canada's most famous festivals, such as the world's biggest winter carnival in Québec City and the Winterlude celebration in Ottawa, Canada's national capital. Accommodations in Canada vary drastically in terms of location, availability, and affordability. Historic landmark hotels are just as plentiful as luxury hotel chains in most Canadian cities, also offer plenty of budget options in the forms of university residences and bed and breakfasts. Cottage rentals, campgrounds, and fully-equipped log cabins are all popular places to stay in rural Canadian regions. Poutine, tourtière, and fiddleheads may be some of Canada's most unusual delicacies, but the most ubiquitous Canadian dining experience may be Tim Horton's, a donut and coffee franchise found alongside American fast food chains in most Canadian communities

British Virgin Islands Travel and Tourism. Tortola Island, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke. The Virgin Islands, commonly referred to as the British Virgin Islands (BVI), is a British overseas territory located in the Caribbean to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands make up part of the Virgin Islands archipelago; the remaining islands constitute the US Virgin Islands and the Spanish Virgin Islands. The official name of the Territory is still simply the "Virgin Islands", but the prefix "British" is often used to distinguish it from the neighbouring American territory which changed its name from the "Danish West Indies" to "Virgin Islands of the United States" in 1917. British Virgin Islands government publications continue to begin with the name "The Territory of the Virgin Islands", and the Territory's passports simply refer to the "Virgin Islands", and all laws begin with the words "Virgin Islands". Moreover, the Territory's Constitutional Commission has expressed the view that "every effort should be made", to encourage the use of the name "Virgin Islands".The Virgin Islands consist of the main islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke, along with over fifty other smaller islands and cays. About 15 of the islands are inhabited. The capital, Road Town, is situated on Tortola, the largest island, which is approximately 20 km (12 mi) long and 5 km (3 mi) wide. The islands have a population of about 27,800, of whom approximately 23,000 live on Tortola