Portland is an American city that is situated on the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the state of Oregon. It covers an area of one hundred and forty-five miles and has a population of over five hundred and fifty-seven thousand residents. It is known as the most environmentally friendly city in the U.S and the second most in the Western world. This city is the third most populated state in the Pacific Northwest and the most populated city in the state. Portland has invested heavily in its light rail system and is well known for its planning of land usage. The city is also known for the many micro-breweries that are contained within its borders. Weather in the city is marked by dry, warm summers and temperate but rainy winters. This gives the city the ideal climate for the growing of roses, and Portland has been known as the “city of Roses” for more then a hundred years.

The area on which the city of Portland, Oregon is located was well known to English, Canadian and American fur trappers as a rest stop along the bank of the Willamette River used by travelers traveling between Fort Vancouver and Oregon City in the nineteenth century. In 1843, William Overton and Asa Lovejoy filed a six hundred and forty acre land claim with the provincial government of Oregon. By 1845, William Overton had grown weary of clearing trees and constructing roads, so he sold half his claim to Francis W. Pettygrove of Portland, Maine. Pettygrove then decided to name the new settlement Portland, after his hometown. Portland was close to Oregon City, the capitol of the territory. But, the city’s location at the confluence of the two rivers gave Portland an distinct advantage over Oregon City.

Today, Portland is a beautiful tourist attraction with a whole range of attractions to offer its tourists. One of the more popular attractions in the city is the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum. This aviation museum display a wide array of civilian and military aircraft. The museum was the brainchild of Captain Michael King Smith, who was the son of Evergreen International Aviation founder, Delford Smith. It began witha small collection and was originally known as Evergreen Museum. In 1990, the famous aircraft, “The Spruce Goose” was looking for a new home because Disney was closing its current exhibit in California. In 1992, the Evergreen Museum won the bid and decided to build a museum around the Spruce Goose. The aircraft was then dissassembled and shipped to Portland. Over the course of eight years, the plane went though a meticulous restoration. By 2001, the plane was completed and ready to be shown in the newly built museum. In 2006, work on the space museum portion of the museum was began. It took two years to complete. Key aircraft located at the museum include a SR-71A Blackbird, F-4 Phantom II, MiG-29, F-15A Eagle, Mercury Space Capsule, Foton-6 Space Capsule, Titan II SLV Space Launch Vehicle, B-17G Flying Fortress, A-4 Skyhawk and the Spruce Goose (a H-4 Hecules).

Another attraction in the city of Portland is the Portland Art Museum. This museum was founded in 1892 and is the seven oldest museum in the United States. Today, its also one of the largest art museums in the country and has over two hundred and forty thousand square feet of exhibit space. In the museum’s permanent collection is over forty-two thousand works of art. The sections of Portland Museum include a center for Northwest art, for Native American art, Asian art and contemporary art. There is also an outdoor sculpture garden. Some of the works that are in its collection include ”Water Lilies by Claude Monet”, ”The Ox-Cart by Vincent van Gogh”, ”The Prince Patutszky Red by Jules Olitski” and ”River at Lavacourt by Claude Monet”.

The Oregon Historical Society Museum is another prominent museum located in the city of Portland, Oregon. This museum was founded at the turn of the nineteen century and was originally just a small museum located in the Portland City Hall. Over the course of its history, it has since been moved several times, with the last move taking place in 1966, putting the museum at its current location. In 2002, the museum was remodeled at an estimated cost of three million dollars. The Oregon Historical Society Museum has over eighty-five thousand artifacts that relate to the history of Oregon. Permanent exhibitions located here include Oregon Art, Oregon My Oregon, Bulldog of the Navy and Battleship Oregon. Portland Children’s Museum is another attraction for the entire family. It was founded in 1949 and is the sixth oldest children’s museum in the world. It covers an area of fifty thousand square feet and over two hundred and fifty thousand people come through its doors every year. Exhibits that are located here include The Adventures of Clifford The Big Red Dog, Water Works, Wonder Corner, Building Bridgetown, The Dorothea Lensch Play It Again Theater, Grasshopper Grocery & Butterfly Bistro and The Baby’s Garden.

Other popular attractions in the city of Portland include the 3D Center of Art and Photography, Oregon Zoo , World Forestry Center, Pittock Mansion, Blue Sky Gallery, Oregon Jewish Museum, Oregon Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Hoyt Arboretum, Oregon Korean War Memorial, Oregon Maritime Museum, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center, Berry Botanic Garden, Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, Wells Fargo History Museum, Washington County Museum, Velveteria Museum of Velvet Paintings, Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals, Portland Japanese Garden, Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, Columbia Edgewater Country Club, International Rose Test Garden, Portland Classical Chinese Garden, Oaks Amusement Park, Bishop’s Close, Penninsula Park Rose Garden, Vacuum Museum, Portland Police Museum, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, USS Blueback Naval Sub Tour, Museum of Contemporary Craft, Northwest Film Center, Mt. Hood Jazz Festival, Portland Rose Festival, Oregon International Airshow, Powell’s City of Books, Portland Saturday Market and Portland Farmers Market.

Antwerp is a city that is the capital of the Antwerp Province in Belgium. The city covers an area of two hundred and four kilometers and has a population of four hundred and sixty-one thousand people. The city has its origins rooted in a Gallo-Roman civilization. During the fourth century, the city was settled by the Franks and this was also the time when the city received its name. The name originated fom a legend that tells of a mythical creature called Antigoon who had its residence in the Scheldt River. As the story goes, Antigoon made everyone who crossed the river pay a toll. Those who didn’t pay got their hands severed and tossed into the river. Eventually, a hero named Brabo crossed the bridge and when Antigoon asked for the toll, Brabo cut off the beast head and flung it in the river. Thus the name Antwerp, which comes from the Dutch word Werpen, which means “to throw”.

Today, Antwerp has the seventeenth largest port in the world. The city is also home to a high concentration of petrochemical industries that include five oil refineries. Tourism is also becoming increasingly important to the city. People come from all over the world to experience its rich culture and historical landmarks. One of the most prominent landmarks in the city is the Antwerp Zoo. This zoo was founded in 1843 and is the oldest working zoo in the world. Antwerp zoo has over five thousand animals taken from over nine hundred species. The key areas of the zoo include the Vriesland (a penguin exhibit), Sea Lion Theatre, reptile house, aquarium with many species of salt and freshwater fish, a Nocturama, Aviaries, Monkey and Ape House and bird of prey Aviaries. Animals located here include lions, tiger, giraffes, pandas, meerkat, bears, wolves, cougars, aardvark, tamandua and Asian Elephants. All together the animals at this zoo consume forty tons of fish, fifty-two tons of meat, one hundred tons of hay, twenty-three thousand eggs, ten thousand loaves of bread and four thousand litres of milk every year.

Another prominent attraction in Antwerp is the Cathedral of Our Lady. The Cathedral of Our Lady was founded in 1352 and is designed in the Gothic architectural style. This cathedral is over two hundred and sixty feet long and one hundred and forty feet wide, and the spire rises over four hundred feet. Though this church was started during the fourteenth century, it was never fully completed. During the fifteenth century the church was ravished by fire which delayed completion of the church. The church is capable of seating over twenty four hundred people and contains many important works of art. Some of the artworks contained here include The Raising of the Cross, The Descent from the Cross and Assumption of the Virgin Mary, all done by the artist Rubens.

The next church on any visitors tour agenda is Saint James’ Church. This church is located on an area that was an official stop on the way to the burial place of Apostle James. During the fifteenth century, a parish church was constructed on the site. It was decided that it was too small, so plans for a grande cathedral were drawn up. In 1491, construction of the church began. The church is done in a Gothic style, but by the time the construction was finished baroque was in style. That is why the outside of the church is Gothic, while the inside is done in baroque.

A prominent museum in the city of Antwerp is the Plantin-Moretus Museum. This museum, which is dedicated to the famous printers Christoffel Plantijn and Jan Moretus, was founded in the sixteenth century. This museum contains many artifacts which include the world’s oldest surviving printing presses, the sixteenth century Biblia Polyglotta, the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, Gutenberg Bible and drawings and paintings by the painter Rubens. In 2005, this museum became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Royal Museum of Fine Arts is yet another fine museum in Antwerp. This museum was founded in 1810 and features a diverse collection of sculptures, drawings and paintings that span over six hundred years. It is built in the neoclassical style and is adjacent to the the Plaatsnijdersstraat, Leopold de Waalplaats and the Beeldhouwersstraat. Artists contained in this museum include
Jan van Eyck, Jean Fouquet, Roger van der Weyden, Jacob Jordaens, Theodoor Rombouts, Peter Paul Rubens, James Ensor, Auguste Rodin, Henry van de Velde,
Fernand Khnopff, Jacob Smits, Gustave Van de Woestijne and Rik Wouters.

The former residence and studi of artist Peter Paul Rubens is now a museum located in Antwerp. In 1609, Rubens married Isabella Brant and began work on the Italian styled villa. The features of the house include his house, a studio, an interior courtyard and a portico. In 1937 the city bought the house and started an ambitious restoration project on it. It was opened in 1946 and named Rubenshuis. Period furniture was later added to the house and dozens of Rubens paintings were installed.

For those longing to see a castle from the Middle Ages then a trip to the Steen might be in order. The Steen is a castle that was built in the twelfth century as a fortification of the alluvial mound. In the sixteenth century,King Charles V had the building added to and extended. During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries it became a prison. It served in this capacity until the nineteenth century when it became an archeological museum.

Antwerp is a city that is also filled with a ton of restaurants, hotels and cafes. The city also has numerous historical attractions which include Beguinage, Bourla Theater, Butcher’s Hall, Carolus Borromeus Church, Grote Markt, Groenplaats, KBC Tower, Middelheim Open Air Sculpture Museum, the Meir, Stadsfeestzaal, Vrijdagmarkt and Vlaeykensgang. Hotels in the city include Hotel Cammerpoorte, Hilton Antwerp Hotel, Leopold Hotel Antwerp, Empire Hotel, Radisson Blu Park Lane Hotel, De Keyser Hotel, Lindner Hotel & City Lounge Antwerpen and Hotel Keyserlei.

Bangalore is the capital of the state of Karnataka in the country of India. It covers an area of two hundred and seventy-three square miles and has a population of over five million people, making it the third most populous city in India. The city can trace its history back to the sixteenth century, when Kempe Gowda I erected a fort made of mud and brick at the location and made it a province of the Vijayanagara Empire. When the Vijayanagara Empire fell, the city exchanged hands several times. In 1638, Kempe Gowda III was defeated by an army led by Ranadulla Khan and Bangalore was given to Shahji Bhonsle. When the son of Shahji Bhonsle was defeated by Kasim Khan, a Mughal general, the city was promptly sold to Chikkadevaraja Wodeyar. It would change hands several more times, until it was finally incorporated into the British Indian Empire.

Today, the city is the economic center of India and commands an economy that is worth over one hundred billion dollars. It is also the fastest growing city in the country and regularly experiences a growth rate in excess of ten percent per year. Banglore contains a large percentage of wealthy Indian residents as well, with over ten thousand millionaires and sixty thousand upper class residents. Bangalore is considerd to be the ‘Silicon Valley’ of India and has a large concentration of information technology companies which are based there. The city also boasts over nine million square feet of office space available, which makes it number three behind the cities of Tokyo and London. Also located in the city is a high end luxury mall named UB City. UB City is a mix of high end apartments, office space and stores which include names such as Tod’s, Paul Smith, Burberry and Louis Vuitton.

Prior to the nineteenth century, the educational needs of the city was managed by various religious institutions and the student enrollment was limited to followers of the particular religion. The educational needs of the city are now managed by the state and include a vast collection of primary, secondary and higher education institutions that are based on the western system of education. The major colleges and universities in Banglore include Bangalore University, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore Management University, Christ University, Jain University, Acharya Institute of Management & Sciences, Dayanand Sagar Institute of Management & IT, Indian Business Academy, Lorven Institute of Management, Garden City College of Science and Management Studies, Brindavan College, Indian Institute of Management, Indian Institute of Plantation Management, Mount Carmel College, R.V. Institute of Management, Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship, Presidency College and Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology.

The city is the most important tourist center in the state of Karnataka, due to the many historical and cultural attractions in the city. A popular attraction in Bangalore is Lal Bagh Gardens. This is a botanical garden that was commissioned by Mysore ruler, Hyder Ali. While he commissioned the building in 1760, it was actually his son Tipu Sultan who completed its construction. The garden contains over a thousand species of flora and holds many flower shows throughout the year. The main feature of the botanical garden is the Glass House. The Glass House is designed in the style of London’s Crystal Palace. Lal Bagh Gardens surrounds one of the towers that was buit by Kempe Gowda. The gardens are aesthetically designed and contain many flower beds, lawns, pools and fountains. It also contains trees that are over a century old. Another feature of the gardens is Lal Bagh Rock, one of the oldest rock formations in the world.

Bangalore Palace is another popular attraction in the city. This palace is designed to resemble a small replica of England’s Windsor Castle. Construction on the palace was begun in 1862 by Rev. Garrett and it was completed in 1944. Bangalore Palace has a floor area of around forty-five thousand square feet and the palace grounds are located on four hundred and fifty-four acres of land. The palace has thirty-five rooms and contains many stained glass windows and mirrors. The ground floor contains an open courtyard and a ballroom for private parties. The first floor contains Durbar Hall, a beautiful hall that contains a large elephant head and several paintings. The rest of the palace is heavily decorated with nineteenth century paintings by Greek and Dutch artists. The Palace Grounds is extremely large and is often used for concerts. Musicians and bands who have performed here include The Rolling Stones, Mark Knopfler, Black Eyed Peas, Elton John, Bryan Adams, Joe Satriani, Aerosmith, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Uriah Heep, Machine Head, Sting and the Scorpions.

Another popular tourist attraction in Bangalore is St. Mary’s Basilica. St. Mary’s Basilica was built in 1803 and started its life as a small thatched roof chapel. Fr. Abbe Dubois enhanced the chapel ten years later and named it Church of our Lady of Purification. Due to communal riots in 1832, the chapel was torn down. It was rebuilt in 1882 and was once called Church of our Lady of Purification. It was consecrated in September of 1882. In 1973 it was elevated to basilica status. This basilica is built in the Gothic architectural style and contains impressive arches, stained glass windows and ornamental motifes. It also has spires which can be seen from quite a distance.

Other popular attractions in the city include Cubbon Park, Forum Mall, Vidhana Soudha, Attara Kacheri, Brigade Road, Tipu Sultan’s Summer Palace, Visvesvaraya Industrial and Technological Museum, ISKCON Temple, St Patrick’s Church, Bull Temple, Mayo Hall, Hesaraghatta Lake, Nagavara Lake, Bannerghatta National Park, Muthyalamaduvu and Tippagondanahalli Reservoir. Bangalore is also home to numerous restaurants and hotels. Restaurants in the city include MTR Restaurant, Moksh The Chancery Khayal Restaurant, The Leela Palace Kempinski Bangalore and Bamboo Shoots Restaurant. Hotels in the city include St Marks Hotel, The Lalit Ashok Hotel, The Park Bangalore, Hotel Rama, Taj Residency, The Monarch Hotel, Oberoi Hotel and Hotel Taj West End.

Monaco is a city-state that is situated in the southwest of Europe and is on the northern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It is located about ten miles from Italy and borders France on three sides. This sovereign city is the world’s smallest French speaking country in the world and covers an area of only three quarters of a mile with a population of only thirty thousand residents. This city state is so small that a person can walk its entire length in about an hour. Monaco is considered by many to be a tax haven, and as such has attracted a population that is composed mainly of the extremely wealth and those who reside from other countries.

Monaco has a rich history that predates the middle ages. Officially, the city was founded in the twelfth century by Emperor Henry VI, after he bequeathed the land that Monaco is now situated on. In the early thirteenth century, the city was incorporated and founded as a colony of Genoa. During the late eighteenth century, the French captured the city and it remained under French authority until 1814. It was then reincorporated and designated as a protectorate of Sardinia under authority of the Congress of Vienna. It would serve in this capacity for forty-five years, until the surround area was ceded to France under the Treaty of Turin. By 1861, Monaco was recognized as a sovereign state under the Franco-Monegasque. In 1918, a sub-section of the Treaty of Versailles provided limited French protection of the city. During World War II, Monaco was conquered by the Italian army and then later occupied by Nazi forces. The Nazi’s then began a systematic deportation of the Jewish population. After the war, Prince Rainier III ascended to the throne of Monaco. In 1956 he married the American actress Grace Kelly. Other major events in the history of Monaco include the abolishment of capital punishment during the 1960s and Monaco joining the United Nations in 1993. In 2005, the son of Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace Kelly ascended to the throne of Monaco after his father fell ill. Today, the city of Monaco derives most of its income from tourism. This is due in part to the pleasant climate, the stunning beaches and the lively casino scene that graces this city. But, tourism is far from the only economic activity of Monaco. The city also has a thriving financial sector.

One of the most popular tourist attractions in Monaco is the Jardin Exotique de Monaco. The Jardin Exotique de Monaco is a beautiful botanical garden that is located on a one hundred and twenty foot cliff in the city. It was founded in 1933 and features the succulent garden and the caves. The garden contains species of plants from the United States, Africa, Arabia and South America. Examples of plants that can be seen here include cacti, aloes, African Crassula and other flowering plants. At the base of the cliff is a cave called Observatory Cave, that features calcareous rock formations, stalactites, stalagmites and helictites. Guided tours are given of the cave and during this tour visitors can see the proof of prehistoric humans that once inhabited the area. Also located on this site is the Anthropology Museum. This museum has two main sections, the Albert I Room and the Rainier III room. The Albert I Room presents an overview of the prehistory of mankind. It chronicles the evolution of humanity from Homo Erectus all the way to Homo Sapiens. It also features examples of extinct fauna and foliage and the animals that migrated during the interglacial periods. Other exhibits here include examples of the industries that were prevalent through the Neolithic and Palaeolithic civilizations. The Rainier III room focuses specifically on the region around Monaco. It features artifacts gathered from archaeological digs at the Observatory Cave and Red Rocks.

Another prominent attraction in Monaco is the Oceanographic Museum. The Oceanographic Museum was founded in 1910 by Prince Albert I and is a museum dedicated to the marine sciences. This museum took over eleven years to build and over fifty tons of stone was used for its construction. This museum contains two floors which are open to the public and contain many interesting and educational exhibits. Some of the exhibits located here include the skeleton of a whale, models of shifts and the oceanographic works of Prince Albert I. Also located here is an aquarium filled with over four thousand species of fish and over two hundred families of invertebrates. On the top floor of this museum is the restaurant named La Terrasse. Dining here visitors can get a fantastic view of Monaco, as well as a great view of the Italian Riviera. Visitors should also check out the museum shop and pick up a souvenir.

Other prominent attractions in Monaco include the Centre de Recontres, Fontvieille, Monaco Harbor, Monaco Cathedral, Larvotto, War Museum of the Princes of Monaco, Mareseille, Musee Napoleonien et des Archives Monegasques, Saller Garnier Opera House of Monaco, Cap d’Ail, Prince of Monaco’s Private Collection of Cars, Prince’s Palace of Monaco, Monaco Grand Prix, Monte Carlo Rally, St. Paul’s Church, International University of Monaco and the Trophee des Alpes. The city of Monaco is also home to a number of fine restaurants and hotels. Popular restaurants in the city include L’Argentin, Cafe de Paris, Les Grandes Ondes, Restaurant Joel Robuchon Monte-Carlo, Louis XV, Le Grill and Zebra Square. Popular hotels in the city include Fairmont Monte Carlo, Le Metropole Palace, Hotel Hermitage, Hotel Columbus, Novotel Monte Carlo, Hotel Port Palace, Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort, Le Meridien Beach Plaza, The Ambassador and the Paris Hotel. The city is also home to a large assortment of nightclubs and casinos. These casinos feature all the popular games such as roulette, baccarat, black jack, craps and even slot machines. An interesting note about the casinos is that only tourist are allowed to game at them. Residents of Monaco are forbidden from frequenting the casinos.