It was at the Lenin shipyard in Gdansk where it all started! Lech Walesa`s strong leadership of Poland’s Solidarity movement punched the first cracks in the Soviet Union’s Iron Curtain almost ten years before the fall of the Berlin Wall (9th November 1989). The fall of the Soviet Union happened in in December of 1991 which disintegrated into fifteen separate countries.

The magic of Christmas was very much alive in Gdansk, especially in the old town. Streets, houses, bars, restaurants and shops windows were full of Christmas decorations. The most visible evidence of the Christmas celebration in Gdansk was the beautiful decorated and lightened Christmas tree on the Dluga Street.

Sunrise in Gdansk, Poland, admired through an open window from my hotel room in the 14th floor (Sunday 2nd Advent 8th December 2013). Even with cold strong winds in periods, it was a great christmas atmosphere here with snow covering the architectural wonders in the beautiful old town. Gdansk is also the city where the Second World War started (first battle) and where the Solidarity movement arose tearing down the Iron Curtain.

"This is Athens, the ancient city of Theseus" as it`s written on the temple of Olympian Zeus, Olympeion, on the side facing the Acropolis (west facade). The is in addition to Acropolis this temple is another strong symbol of the Greece heydays in the past. It was an enormous structure, the largest temple in Greece, even bigger than the Parthenon, a temple on the Acropolis.

Here I felt really international soaking up the city`s diplomatic atmosphere from 2nd to 4th November 2012. The capital Brussels in Belgium is well known for the headquarters of the European Union, and the European Parliament, for its beautiful architecture, delicious chocolate, the Belgian waffle, and a huge number of beer brands. No one take the beer more seriously than the Belgians.

As a remaining symbol of the Greece greatness in old time, the Acropolis, Akropolis, rises above modern Athens. This wonder rests on a tall hill in the center of the city. The Acropolis was the center of rituals and ceremonies, and the religious heart of the city. It still has its fascination.

The Scottish website 3D Ancient wonders shows 3D examples of both ancient artefacts or relics and examples of Ancient architecture. There you can learn about the ancient buildings and objects by taking Virtual tours, or examining Virtual reality models of them.

Nepal is a land of monasteries, mountains, lush valleys and a multitude of cultures. It offers the adventurous traveller a unique mixture of activity holidays and cultural experiences.

The planet is still alive, according to Marie-France Grenouillet, a French wildlife photographer. She has travelled around the world since 1979 taking photos. As Marie-France says about her mission: I want my photos to make people dream and then help to protect the wonderful wildlife in the world.