For many travellers from around the world, the trolls in Norway capital main street Karl Johan`s gate, draw a lot of attention. I guess many wonder: what are the amazing creatures doing here? Are they guarding the Norwegians, or are they trying to scare away foreign visitors? By looking at their great smile, it`s more likely that the trolls are greeting nice visitors. But just to let you know: a troll is a fearsome member of a mythical anthropomorphic race from Norwegian folklore.

In Finland it isn't a better way to solve problems and conflicts than in a hot sauna. The Finnish European Union Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn's recently suggested that Turkey and Greek should be brought together for peace talk in a sauna. It's also a place where people do business and make friendship. As the Indians in northern America smoke peace pipe, the Finns make peace in saunas. It's their way of life.

Wether is summer or winter, the Finns like it hot. Sauna is thought to be beneficial physically for many reasons, such as increased blood circulation, flushing of impurities by sweating, raised pulse and metabolic rate. But it is also considered to have a number of emotional benefits as well, partly because of its ritual social aspect, especially when it comes to nudity. Most political issues are also solved in sauna. For the Finns the sauna is the most important place to meet and discuss things that`s really matters.

The dark sky turned suddenly into an inferno of twinkling lights in all colours and shapes. It sounded like thunder and lightning. The spectacular show decorated the dark sky to the fullest. The Maltese Fireworks Festival was held at the Grand Harbour in the capital Valletta on the 29th and 30th of April 2006. This event was a show-case and a prelude to what will occur in the coming months when the villages and towns of Malta and Gozo celebrate the feast of their patron saints.

Norwegians keep their tradition alive by celebrating Easter in the mountainsides. One of the best places for this occassion is definitely Kvamsfjellet near Vinstra in Gudbrandsdalen. By experience this region you can understand why Norway remains a wilderness outpost. Here around in amidst dark forests, moonlit mountain lakes, and mighty snow capped mountains, you will find the trolls. These amazing creatures were covered in the world famous Norwegian author Henrik Ibsen`s novel Peer Gynt. Take a thoroughly look and you will hopefully see against all logical belief, one of those mystical trolls.

In addition to admiring great temples as Angkor Wat, Bayon, Pre Khan, and Ta Prohmin at the Angkor site, I took a boat trip to the Vietnamese Floating Village near the town Siam Reap. I started from Phnom Kron where the boat docks, and floated out in Tonlé Sap Lake, a large lake about 100 kilometres long. It was amazing experience the pulsating life in this floating village, which is another wonder in Cambodia.

The Caodaism - Dai Dao Tam Ky Pho Do, or Third Great Universal Religious Amnesty, is a special belief practised in the city Tay Ninh located 100 kilometers northwest of Ho Chi Minh City - Saigon in Vietnam. I looked into the devine eye, which is the religion`s official symbol, and hoped for a vision. Some people in the sect preyed around me, other played on instruments and song. It was a relaxed, but strange atmosphere. The extravagant interior of the Caodai Great Temple gave me a feeling of being in another world. In the four daily ceremonies the intention was to create a harmonic synthesis of world religions. It is a mix of religions as Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, Hinduism, Geniism, and Taoism. So by looking into the Divine Eye of Caodai...

It`s called the biggest party in the world. The Rio Carnival 2006 starts on 25 February and ends 4 days later, so be ready for the big show! During this time the city will explode in joy and music. There are hundreds of street festivities and bands everywhere. Especially be aware of the gigantic party at the sambodrome parade. Nothing compares!

Finally the snow has come and the Christmas atmosphere in the Norwegian capital Oslo raise to great heights. What would a Christmas be in Oslo without snow? Few capitals have longer winter than Oslo. It's surrounded by forest, mountains and the fjord. Some of Norway's great winter sites are Voss, Beitostølen, Gålå, Wadahl, Geilo, Hemsedal, Kvitfjell, Hafjell, Lillehammer, Lofoten and Tromsø, but in the outskirts of Oslo city centre there are great opportunities for skiing too. Our photos today show the winter wonderland of Oslo in the Christmas preseason. Famous sites and building as Akershus Fortress, Aker Brygge waterfront, the City Council, the main street Karl Johans Gate, the Nobel Peace Prize Institute and the Royal Palace, look all mysterious in the magic sun light.

In Iceland Santa Claus has several nicknames. In addition to Santa - Santas, he or they are called Yulemen, Yule Lads or Christmas Boys. Nobody knows exactly the origin of these names, but anyway the Christmas celebration in Iceland goes on. In the middle of May 2002 I was lucky to the get a glimpse of some Santas at the Blue Lagoon. I thought the Icelandic Santas were seasonal too, but here I could observe him and she enjoyed themselves in the hot pool in the summertime. The Blue Lagoon looks "frosty blue", but it's really hot. The temperature is about 40 Celsius (104F), and the soothing, mineral-rich water is believed to have curative powers. It seemed to me that the Santas really got their extra power from the magic water, and it will make them in better shape for their hard work in Christmas!

The Norwegians have started their Christmas celebration with their fullest enjoyment. It`s very popular to take danskebåtene across the ocean from Norway to Denmark. Shop'o'hoi! For combining partying and shopping on tax free, the Norwegians go with the shiplines DFDS Seaways to Copenhagen, Color Line to Hirtshals, and Stena Line to Fredrikshavn.

Christmas is party time. For many Norwegians, celebrating Christmas is real rock`n roll, and the biggest rocker of them all is Santa Claus. Santa is the world's best traveller, but he is also the world's best dancer.

The bartender just brought me a huge whisky (November 2005). I am at '10 Downing Street', a pub on the second floor of a shopping mall in Pune, Maharashtra - India, the happening university city to the east of Bombay.

It's popular world wide for children to tell Santa what they would like for Christmas, but where do he live? Shall your wishlist be sent to the North Pole, the South Pole, Rovaniemi in Finland - Soumi, or to Savalen or Drobak, Drøbak in Norway, or somewhere else?

Eager tourists who would like to visit Santa Claus! The Santa Claus Air Plains to Rovaniemi, Lapland, in Soumi - Finland, has become a big business. Norwegian media report about heavy traffic in the air across Norway. 90 % of the tourists who across Norway on their way to Rovaniemi are British.