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San Antonio is located in the United States in the state of Texas. It is the second largest city of the state and the seventh largest in the country. It is situated in the northern portion of South Texas and is the center of Texas tourism. The city covers an area of four hundred and twelve miles and has a population of almost one and a half million residents. San Antonio was originally inhabited by Native Americans who dubbed the area “land of refreshing waters”. Near the end of the seventeenth century, Spanish explorers stumbled upon the Native American settlement on the feast day of St. Anthony of Padova. They named the area San Antonio in his honor. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the Spanish War Council approved a spot on the San Antonio River for the construction of a military fort. This fort was established by the Domingo Ramon expedition. Two years later, the Governor of Texas reinforced the fort with additional soldiers and their families. This would become the official beginning of the villa. At the same time, the Mission of San Francisco de Solano was joined with the mission of San Antonio de Padua.

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Governor Alarcon named the area that was composed of the fort, mission and the villa San Antonio de los Llanos. The next year, the Marquis de Aguayo moved the San Antonio de Bejar fort to a site on the Plaza de Armas. The city would continue to grow and it became the largest Spanish settlement in the state.

In 1821, Mexico achieved its independence and invited American settlers to settle the area north of San Antonio. When Santa Anna repealed the Mexican constitution of 1824, violence broke out in many parts of Mexico. The white settlers of Texas joined forces with Hispanic Texans and called for the return of the constitution. Through a series of skirmishes, the Texans were able to force out the Mexican forces in many of the anglo settlements. In December of 1835, Texan forces captured San Antonio from Santa Anna’s brother in law General Martin Perfecto de Cos. This decisive battle gave the Texans complete control of Texas. In 1836, Santa Anna subdued resistance in most areas of Mexico and began a march against San Antonio. Several patriots garrisoned and fortified the mission called the Alamo as an impromptu fort against Santa Anna’s advance.

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Famous volunteers who occupied the fort included Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, William Barrett Travis and a company of Hispanic Texan volunteers. Santa Anna set out to take the Alamo by force on March 6. After several attacks, his troops overwhelmed the weak defenses of the northern wall and captured the fort. The following year Texas independance was attained. In 1845, the United States annexed Texas. This act led to the Mexican War which lasted three years and ended with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. San Antonio would become a frontier city of the American West and hosted a large population of cow ranchers and herders. In 1877, the first railroad reached the borders of the city and it began to become assimilated into American society.

Today, San Antonio has a strong economy that is based upon four areas; government, health care, financial services and tourism. The health care industries crown jewel is the South Texas Medical Center, which is a collection of clinics, research centers, hospitals and educational facilities. The United States military also has a large concentration in the city. In fact, the defense industry employs almost ninety thousand people in the city and contributes over five billion dollars to the local economy.

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The tourist sector is bolstered by the influx of over twenty million visitors every year. Tourism employs over ninety-four thousand people in the city and contributes almost nine billion to its economy. It also brings a lot of tax revenue to the city thanks to the hotel and motel tax, as well as sales taxes.

One of the most popular attractions in the city, besides the Alamo, is the Cathedral of San Fernando. This Roman Catholic church is the mother church of the Archdiocese of San Antonio and the seat of the archbisop of San Antonio. It is considered one of the oldest cathedrals in the country and is also known by its Spanish name, Church of Nuestra Seńora de la Candelaria y Guadalupe. The church was built in 1731 and was named after King Ferdinand III of Castile. Today, the church is visited by over five thousand people each week for Mass. The church also sees over nine hundred baptisms, one hundred funerals and one hundred weddings each and every year. The church is also home to concerts, television specials and symphonies all year round. Another popular attraction in San Antonio is the San Antonio Zoo and Aquarium. This zoo was founded in 1914 by Colonel George W. Brackenridge.

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It opened its first cageless exhibits in 1929 and opened its aquarium in 1948. In 1966, the Hixon Bird House was opened in the complex and now contains one of the largest bird collections in the world. Today, this fifty-six acre zoo has over thirty-five hundred animals taken from almost eight hundred species. The yearly attendance of the zoo is almost nine hundred thousand people a year.

Other popular attractions in the city include San Antonio Japanese Tea Gardens, McNay Art Museum, Brackenridge Park, the Witte Museum, Splashtown San Antonio, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Blue Star Contemporary Art Center, the Texas Transportation Museum, Museo Alameda, Woodlawn Theatre, SeaWorld San Antonio, Tower of the Americas, The Torch of Friendship, Menger Hotel, the Spanish Governor’s Palace, the Fairmount Hotel, HemisFair Park, Arneson River Theater, Bexar County Courthouse, San Antonio Botanical Garden, the Emily Morgan Hotel, the San Antonio Cavalry Museum, Aztec On The River, the River Walk and El Mercado. The city of San Antonio is also home to a number of restaurants and hotels. Prominent restaurants in the city include the Fig Tree Restaurant, Boudro’s On The Riverwalk, El Mirador Restaurant, Casa Rio and the Guenther House Restaurant.

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Kuala Lumpur is the biggest city in Malaysia, as well as the capital of the country. This city covers an area of ninety four square miles and inside the city limits the population is just over one and a half million residents. Kuala Lumpur also has a rather large suburban area surrounding the city with a peak population of over seven million as of 2008. Though the executive and judicial branches no longer reside within Kuala Lumpur, it still remains the location for the legislative branch of the government embodied by the Parliament of Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur remains, however, the official home of the King of Malaysia.

The most important segment of Kuala Lumpur’s economy is tourism. In fact, the influx of money from tourist is of vital importance to this Malaysian city. This is evidenced by the ever increasing presence of international hotel chains that seems to little the entire city. As of recently there has also been an increase in the number of shopping malls and multiplexes. But, the popularity of Kuala Lumpur extends beyond even these two factors.

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This city is also home to a large number of zoos, museums and historic monuments that are sure to keep the average visitor busy for quite some time.

The Malaysia Tourism Centre is a one stop shop for tourist looking to learn about the latest attractions of Kuala Lumpur. This building was originally built in 1935 and was used as the mansion of a wealthy farmer named Eu Tong Seng. It was restored in 1988 and ever since has been the first stop for any visitor wishing to plan their vacation through Kuala Lumpur and the whole of Malaysia.

One of the most popular of these tourist destinations is the AP Art Gallery. This gallery depicts many different works of art that depict various forms of Malaysian life, including city landscapes, watercolor art of rural life and also works chronicling the history of the people. And if visitors find something that interest them, they can purchase it for a nominal price. The Gallery At Star Hill is another popular attraction. Here visitors can find paintings, ceramics and stoneware depicting Malaysian life in various forms.

Bird lovers should be sure to check out the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park. This bird park is one of the largest in all of Asian and features spectacular open air aviaries.

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There are literally thousands of different birds here, as well as many different types of plants and foliage. Just a short trip from the bird park is the Kuala Lumpur Butterfly Park. This butterfly farm contains over six thousand butterflies from one hundred and twenty different species. Adding to the majesty of this butterfly park is the addition of over fifteen thousand tropical plants creating one of the largest man made rainforest. Visitors can check out the collection from the specially built gazebo. There is also a souvenir stand where guest can purchase a memento of their visit. Another sensational animal park is the Kuala Lumpur Deer Park. Here visitors can not only enjoy the many different species of deer in a natural setting, but some of them are so accustomed to humans that they will actually eat right out of your hand.

But, Kuala Lumpur offers more than just animal parks. There are also many historic sites and monuments that are open to the public. One of the most popular of these is the Cathedral of Virgin St. Mary. This Gothic style cathedral was originally consecrated in 1895. This small cathedral can accommodate two hundred people and there are wonderful views of the open air roof and stained glass windows.

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The Jamek Mosque is another religious destination that is definitely worth a look. This impressive building was opened in 1909 and is one of the oldest mosques in the city. The central dome is over sixty feet high and is flanked by two smaller domes. This building was designed by A.B. Habback, a famed British architect. It was directly modeled after the Moghul Mosque located in India. Another building designed by A.B. Habback is the Malayan Railway Administration Building. This building was designed in 1917 and is a perfect example of Moorish architecture. This building has dramatic arches and domes that lends a fantasy like feel to it. This building is no longer used for the railway, but is a perfect example of what travel must have been like in the past.

One of the most physically impressive landmarks in Kuala Lumpur is the Kuala Lumpur Tower, also known as the Menara Kuala Lumpur. This telecommunication tower is supposed to be the largest tower of its kind in Asia. It stands over twelve hundred and fifty feet and visitors can get a great view of the city from its observation deck.

Seated not far from the halls of Parliament is the National Monument.

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This large bronze statue was built in 1966 and was erected as a monument to all the soldiers who lost their lives in the fight against communism. It depicts seven soldiers hoisting the Malaysian flag and stand just over forty five feet high. The most popular modern attraction is the National Planetarium Of Kuala Lumpur. This planetarium is seated on Lake Gardens and offers visitors a fascinating look into the workings of the universe. Located here are various astronomy exhibits as well as several educational interactive exhibitions where guest can learn about the universe through a hands on approach.

For visitors wishing to see the largest twin towers in the world, than a visit to Petronas Twin Towers is a must. These towers stand over thirteen hundred feet and have eighty-eight stories. This building is built in the classic Islamic style and contains a very prominent concert hall, Petronas Philharmonic Hall. The bottom floors contain stores, arcades and restaurants, as well as a museum dedicated to science.Kuala Lumpur also has several stadiums where sporting events such as badminton. The stadiums in this city include Stadium Merdeka, Stadium Negara and Chin Woo Stadium.

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Ghent is a city that is located in the Flemish region of the country of Belgium. It covers an area of ninety-seven square miles and has a population of over two hundred and thirty thousand residents. Ghent is a city that can trace its history to the Celtic territories of the Roman Empire. During the fourth century, the Franks invaded the area and their language replaced the Celtic and Latin languages that were indigenous to the area. Saint Amand erected two abbeys in the city during the mid-seventh century, the St. Bavo Abbey and the St. Peter Abbey. It is from these two abbeys, as well as a strong commercial center that the city built its foundations on. But, its period of growth would become stunted during the nine century when the Vikings plundered the city, not once, but twice.

But, the city would eventually recover from these attacks and from the eleventh century on, the city of Ghent would experience a period of unrestricted growth. In fact, by the thirteenth century, the city was the largest city in Europe and had over sixty-five thousand people living within its walls.

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Ghent developed a thriving textile industry during the eighteenth century, an industry that survived well into the twentienth century. Today, thanks to the decline of the textile industry, Ghent has developed other industries. Major industries in the city include paper and chemical production, cars, optical equipment, electronic and electrical products. Also, Ghent has one of the most important ports in all of Belgium and it has an annual turnover of almost twenty-five million tons of products. Ghent has also developed a thriving tourist industry. Tourism in the city is driven by several factors. The first factor is the architecture of the city. Ghent has a large percentage of medieval architecture that is in excellent condition and has been well preserved. The city also has a large number of museums, restaurants and festivals.

One of the most popular tourist attractions in the city of Ghent is the Belfry of Ghent. The Belfry of Ghent is a midieval tower that stands over two hundred and seventy feet above the city. Contruction began on the tower in 1313 by Jan Van Haelst, a master of masonry. Work on the tower was done over a period of sixty-seven years, and was often interrupted by civic turmoil, war and even the black death. It was finally completed in 1380.

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Another prominent attraction in the city is Saint Bavo Cathedral. Saint Bavo Cathedral was founded in the tenth century. During this time, the cathedral was primarily a wooden structure, but work was done on it during the eleventh century to convert it into a stone Romanesque church. During the fourteenth through the sixteenth centuries, the church was worked on a nearly continuous basis and the church expanded rapidly. It was during this period of expansion that chapels, a new choir, nave aisles and a tower were added to the structure. In 1559, when the Diocese of Ghent was organized, the church then became its Cathedral. The crypts beneath Saint Bavo Cathedral is the final resting places of many bishops of Ghent. These include Ignaz Augustus Schetz van Grobbendonck, Karl vanden Bosch, Gerard van Eersel, Karl-Justus Calewaert, Jan van de Velde, Prince Ferdinand Marie de Lobkowitz and Jan de Smet.

Another popular, and beautiful church in the city of Ghent is Saint Michael’s Church. Saint Michael’s Church is a Roman Catholic church that was first founded in the fifteenth century. Construction continued on the church until the sixteenth century when it was suddenly halted.

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By the end of the sixteenth century, the church was looted and partially destroyed by the Calvinist. Lieven Cruyl would begin work on the church in the early seventeenth century and bring it back to its former glory. The main features of the church include Rococo statues and an interior that is distinctly Neo-Gothic. The church also has several Baroque and eighteenth century paintings by artists such as Philippe de Champaigne, De Crayer and Anthony Van Dyck.

The city of Ghent also has several art museums. One of the most prominent of these museums is the Stedelijk Museum voor Actuele Kunst, or as its known in English, The City Museum for Contemporary Art. This museum was opened to the public in 1999 and artists featured in its collection include Francis Bacon, Karel Appel and Andy Warhol. Another museum in the city is the Museum of Fine Arts. The Museum of Fine Arts is located in a turn of the century building at the edge of Citadelpark. It collections include works by artists such as Puccio di Simone, Theodore Gericault, Hieronymus Bosch, Tintoretto and Maerten Van Heemskerck.

Ghent is a city that offers visitors a wide range of foreign and local cuisine.

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Restaurants in the city include Poortackere, Amadeus, Belfort Restaurant, Belga Queen and Novotel Gent Centrum. Most of the restaurants serve stews and soups which are the main staple of the Belgium diet. One of these stew dishes is called Waterzoi. Waterzoi is a chicken stew that is served nouvelle style. The city also has a large number of bakeries that sell Belgium buns that are called Mastellen. Ghent is also known for its promotion of “Vegetarian Thursdays”, This is when the city promotes vegetarian eating options within the city. Ghent is also home to some colorful festivals which include the Ten Days Off Music Festival, The I Love Techno Festival, Gentse Feesten, The Flanders International Film Festival, Gentse Floralien and the International Festival van Vlaanderen. Last, but not least. Ghent is home to several hostels and hotels that provide varying levels of accommodations. There are four and five star hotels in the city, as well as budget inns. Some of the more prominent hotels in Ghent include the Ghent Marriott Hotel, Hotel Ibis Gent Centrum Opera, Ghent River Hotel, Hotel de Flandre, Hotel Novotel Gent Centrum, Hotel Gravensteen and the Astoria Hotel, to name a few.

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Mexico City is the political, cultural and economic center of Mexico, as well as being the capital. This city is situated in the center of Mexico, in the Valley of Anahuac. Mexico City was originally erected by the Aztecs in 1325. The name of the city at that time was Tenochtitlan. During the Spanish siege of 1521 the city was left in total ruins. It was promptly rebuilt by the Spanish government and in 1524 the municipality of Mexico was created. By 1585, the name was officially changed to Mexico City. Today the city enjoys a population of over eight million people.

The second oldest university in the Americas is located in Mexico City and was built in 1551. It is also one of the largest colleges on the entire continent with over three hundred thousand students enrolled. This university, the National Autonomous University of Mexico, conducts over half of Mexico’s scientific research. Several entrepreneurs, most of the countries presidents and three Nobel laureates have graduated from this university.

Due to it’s high elevation, Mexico City has a very moderate temperature. The average temperature is sixty four degrees Fahrenheit and the winters are very mild. During the summer months, Mexico City gets a large amount of rain.

One of the first stops that visitors make when touring Mexico City is El Zocalo. This plaza, also known as the Plaza de la Constitucion, is located in the center of this cities historic district.

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Located on the side of the square is the The Presidential Palace. This is a colonial style building that has beautiful murals depicting the history of the city. Just adjacent to the square is the Metropolitan Cathedral. Inside this cathedral is the King’s Chapel and gilded altar. The square is usually filled with hordes of vendors, merchants, tourist and traditional Aztec dancers.

Templo Mayor is another popular attraction. Originally it was part of the city of Tenochtitlan and has been partially excavated. This temple was built in the fourteenth century and over the course of its life was expanded. It is here that the bloody rituals to the sun gods were performed. Inside this site is a museum named the Museo del Templo Mayor. At this museum are original artifacts recovered from the site.

Another fascinating site to see is the Palacio de Bellas Artes, or Palace Of Fine Arts. This palace constructed of white marble features a concert hall and an arts center that has many brilliant works of art contained within it. This palace also contains two museums, the Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes and the Museo de la Arquitectura. The combined collections of these museums include over six thousand paintings and sculptures. Also the Ballet Folklorico performs here twice a week.

The Bosque de Chapultepec is Mexico City’s biggest park. Located in it is a large lake, the zoo and two museums. The largest of these museums is the Museo Nacional de Antropología.

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It houses a large collection of ancient artifacts from the Teotihuacana Empire, the Aztecs and the Mayans. San Ángel is a pretty little suburb of Mexico City. It is littered with various cafes and restaurants, as well as several museums. Every Saturday there is a craft fair where local vendors hawk their art and handmade crafts.For those visitors who are looking for a little more action, then the Zona Rosa is the district to be. Here there are various nightclubs, restaurants and shopping venues. Also located in this area is the Independence Monument featuring the gilded Statue of Winged Victory.

There are also a ton of places that can host some of the top Spanish and English speaking singers. These include the ten thousand seat National Auditorium. Other popular sites for musical performances include the Teatro Metropolitan, the fifteen thousand seat Palacio de los Deportes, and the Foro Sol Stadium. There are many other venues for smaller musical ensembles and solo performers, as well. These include the Hard Rock Live, Bataclán, Foro Scotiabank, and Voilá Acoustique.

Mexico City is also home to some of the most culturally significant and entertaining festivals in the entire country. One of the most important ones is Independence Day. This day commemorates Mexico’s independence from Spain. It starts out with the President stepping out on the balcony of the National Palace and addressing the crowd below. The city is then consumed with street parties and firework displays. The culmination of the event is a military procession the following day.

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Another important festival is Candlemas Day. This is a holiday that is part religious ceremony and part cultural pride. The next festival was taken from ancient Aztec ceremonies and is called Day of the Dead. It’s a time that is marked by ceremonies honoring those who have died. Other important festivals in Mexico City include
Cinco de Mayo, the Festival of Mexico and the Xochimilco Festival.

Interestingly, two of the most important historical sites of Mexico City are not really located in the city. One of these is Teotihuacán, This site is located approximately thirty miles from Mexico City. It was believed to have been built by a long forgotten culture around 300 BC. It is also believed that the city was abandoned due to some natural disaster. When the Aztecs discovered the abandoned city they gave it its current name. Prominent features of this site include the Pyramid of the Sun, Pyramid of the Moon and the Citadel. The second site is called Guanajuato. This was a city that was founded by the Spanish in 1558. This is an unusual site with brightly colored buildings that have an off kilter feel to them. This location also has some interesting museums and several churches. This site has since been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An important part of this city are the cultural events that take place here. Every weekend musicians stroll the streets, adorned in traditional dress, playing instruments and banging on drums. After their procession the musicians will then tell stories to the crowd.