Punjab Wednesday, Jul 23 2008 

Travel , , , , olle3 2:38 pm

Punjab is a state located in the north-western part of India. It is famous for being the location of one of the first known civilizations, the Indus Valley Civilization. The Indus Valley Civilization is considered the first civilization of India.

Punjab is today home to several notable cities, including Patiala, Jalandhar and Amritsar. Many tourists visit the state, particularly those interested in Indian history and spirituality. In Punjab, you can find thriving communities of Hindus as well as Sikhs. There are many temples and monuments to study. Some tourists spend their vacation living together with Punjabi families instead of staying in resorts, in order to gain a deeper understanding of Punjabi life and culture.

 

Notable Gardens of France Wednesday, Jul 23 2008 

Travel , , , , olle3 2:33 pm

The “Notable Gardens of France” is a list comprising over 200 different French gardens classified as notable gardens by the French Ministry of Culture. The French term is “Jardins Remarquable“.

Jardins Remarquable are found all over France. In Burgundy, there are for instance the Gardens of the Château d’Arcelot, the Garden of the Château de Barbirey, and the Park of Saint-Léger de Fourches. In the Champagne-Ardenne district, you will find gardens such as the Park and Garden of the Château in Barberey-Saint-Sulpice and the Botanical Garden of la Presle, while the Midi-Pyrénées offers gardens such as the Hot springs park of Quinquonces and the Palm garden of Sarthou.

One of the newer additions to the list is the Garden of the Zéphyr in Anglure-sous-Dun. This is a private one hectare garden created in the early 21st century by a couple passionate about gardening. Located in Bourgogne, Anglure-sous-Dun is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department. The Garden of the Zéphyr combines English and contemporary styles and the environment is quite hilly. Notable portions of the garden are wooded; there are 20 varieties of maple and 10 varieties of birch. You can also find hornbeam, oak, beech and various conifers in this Notable Garden.