Still, the guns were obviously not to be carried by the rest of the population. I won’t lie and say that I saw a Glock resting on the passenger seat in a taxi. But people did find ways to create more security even without the firearms. I guess there can never be too much security…

This bizarre trip, from Havana to San Salvador, took me through five levels of Central American gun culture.

Yet, curiously, throughout this process a strong Valencian cultural identity emerged in, once again, the City of Contrasts. The locals see themselves as an ethnic kingdom within Spain. What is spectacular, though, is that here the traditional is still very much in fashion, preserved mainly in music, costumes, customs and fiestas. A good third or so of Valencia proudly sports regional costumes (said to be the most colourful in Spain) and music on even the smallest occasion. That includes a lot of youth. Here, it is still cool to be traditional in the 21st century.

Western Europe is such an ultimate travel destination that anything worth seeing has already been triple-packed. It is practically impossible to find a place that has major attractions yet has retained its innocence. And, out of all countries, Spain – the place where annual tourist head count overtakes that of its residents – is a very unlikely candidate for such location.

Once in Antigua I heard the terrible news: Luke failed to get signed up and was only starting. I did want to go to El Salvador with Luke, though, and I was beginning to think that my Spanish could do with some classes too, so with a heavy heart I decided to stay and look for classes in the morning.

Learning Spanish in Guatemala is popular and some places are well-known for it. But if you want to remain fairly off-the-trail, Xela is the place to go. A large chunk of Guatemala’s tourism revenue comes from teaching Spanish to travellers. It’s not like it’s the only Spanish-speaking country on the continent, but a number of factors make it a number one choice.

Liverpool won against Chelsea 1 May 2007! After extra times Liverpool beat Chelsea and they deserved to win the great victory. Since the club become founded in 1892, it has grown to be the one of the best in the world, probably the best. Liverpool is not a rich club in money, but in traditions, courage, modesty, hard work, honesty and loyalty, the club wins the biggest trophies.

Two years after the dramatic final against AC Milan from Italy, Liverpool will be facing AC Milan once again. We look forward to more dramatic. With the Liverpool players Never Die-spirit and the fans fantastic support, Liverpool will be able to beat AC Milan again on 23 May 2007. AC Milan plays excellent football, and Liverpool couldn`t meet a better team! Liverpool`s history is full of highlights, and the city is really something to experience!

Antigua is the cultural centre in Guatemala. It’s full of beauty and charm! The richness lies in the creativity of its native population, especially when it comes to their skillful weaving of carpets and traditional costumes. We had a memorable experience admiring the town’s colours and architecture, observing massive volcano peaks, attending the largest festival in Central America - Semana Santa, touring around on endless greens stretches, and enjoying Antigua’s brown treasure, the town’s delicate coffee.

There have been many great discoveries through the last centuries. It’s hard to say which is the greatest, but one thing I am sure of: the discovery of the Tahiti must been like coming to a paradise people didn’t believe would exist in real. Captain Cook and his crew got a pretty warm welcome that melted their hearts.

After sailing for several months without spotting land, it must have been apocalypse to discover Tahiti. With its lush tropical landscapes of crystal clear blue lagoons, hot water, colourful coral reefs, lush rain forest, black pearls, and long white sand beaches, surrounded by soaring volcanic peaks. And even better: love and romance.

Bells are ringing for Christmas time. It's time to spread joy and bring smiles to faces ! Christmas is celebrated in most countries in the world. Whether people believe in Santa Claus or not, they continue their traditional Christmas celebration. Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday that marks the traditional birthdate of Jesus of Nazareth. Both children and adults enjoy sending post cards, singing songs, dancing around the Christmas trees and giving each other presents. They all wait for the arrival of Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. He is the world`s best traveller and most popular person!

Santa Claus is real, and he is the best traveller in the world! Do you want to know where he is? Based on historical data and more than 50 years of NORAD tracking information, it proves that Santa is alive. NORAD is the bi-national U.S.-Canadian military organization responsible for the aerospace defence of the United States and Canada. Now people around the world can follow Santa`s movements in Christmas. Find out more about it and be convinced!

The Norwegians are still waiting for the snow to fall, especially in Oslo, but anyway the Christmas celebration has started. And of course the Santa Claus has already started to hand out presents. Both in Drøbak and Savalen in Norway, it`s said that the real Santa Claus live. Julenissen, as it`s called in Norway, has achieved international celebrity status. From his home in Drøbak, an idyllic maritime town 30 minutes south of Oslo, he receives visitors from all over the world. Julenissen serves as a symbol of modern Norwegian cultural values, and perhaps this is why he makes such a splendid ambassador for Norway throughout the world.

Nothing changes a country like a war. That which is history books for many nations, is a yesterday’s memory for this one. I realised that all of the things that struck me as unusual about El Salvador have to do with those 12 years.