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Bristol is a city located in the southwestern section of Great Britain. One hundred miles to its east is London and Cardiff is located about fourty miles west. This city covers an area of forty-five square miles and has a population of over four hundred thousand people. This makes the city the sixth most populated city of England and the eight most populated city of the United Kingdom. This city is also situated on the border of the counties of Gloucestershire and Somerset and is built around the Avon River. Because of its southern location, Bristol is the warmest city in the United Kingdom. It has an average temperature of fifty degrees Fahrenheit and receives over seventeen hundred hours of sunshine every year. Annual rainfalls in the city is approximately thirty inches per year.

A large portion of Bristol’s economy is based upon its status as a major trade port. This city has long enjoyed commodity trading of goods such as wool, fish, grains and dairy. Other commodities that pass through this city include tobacco, fruits, timber and petroleum products.

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Another major facet of the city’s economy is based on the aerospace industry, as well as information technology, defence and tourism. The Gross Domestic Product of Bristol exceeded nine billion British sterling pounds and the GDP per capita was twenty-three thousand sterling pounds.

Bristol’s educational needs are supplied by a wide range of primary schools, secondary schools and universities. Major secondary schools in the city include Ashton Park Secondary School, Bristol Brunel Academy, Bridge Learning Campus, Badminton School, Bedminster Down Secondary School, Bristol Cathedral School, Bristol Steiner School, Clifton College, Bristol Gateway School, Carmel Christian School, City Academy, Clifton High School, Briarwood School Special, Bristol Grammar School and Andalusia Academy. The two major universities in this city are the University of the West of England and the University of Bristol. The University of Bristol has over fifteen thousands students enrolled and it offers degrees in medicine, psychology, economics, management, law and pollitics.

One of the major attractions in the city is the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

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The Clifton Suspension Bridge crosses the Avon River and connects the city of Bristol with Leigh Woods. This bridge is a distinctive symbol of the city and accommodates over four million cars each year. The bridge is seven hundred feet long and its towers are eighty-six feet above the deck. The weight of the bridge exceeds fifteen hundred tons. Bristol Zoo is another popular attraction in the city. This zoo was founded in 1836 by the Bristol Zoological society and is considered to be the world’s oldest provincial zoo. Animals located in this zoo include gorillas, fruit bats, pandas, pygmy hippos okapi and penguins to name a few of the three hundred mammals taken from over fifty species. Sections of the zoo include the Seal and Penguin Coasts, Gorilla Island, Explorers’ Creek, the Reptile House, Bug World, the aquarium, Monkey Jungle, Monkey Islands, Zona Brazil, ZooRopia and the Butterfly House.

St Mary Redcliffe is another popular attraction in the city. It is an Anglican church that is situated in the center of the city. This church enjoys a few distinctions which set it apart from other churches. First, this church is the tallest building in the city of Bristol.

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Two, its the second tallest Anglican church in the country. The church was started during the twelfth century, though most of it was completed during the fifteenth century. The church is two hundred and forty feet long, forty-four feet wide and is fifty-nine feet high at the nave. The tallest point on this church is the spire which rises two hundred and ninety-two feet. Other churches in the city of Bristol include St. Augustine Church, All Saints, Bristol Cathedral, Arley Chapel, Buckingham Baptist Chapel, Chapel of the Three Kings of Cologne, Christ Church with St Ewen, Church of All Hallows, Church of Holy Trinity, Eastern Orthodox Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God, Crofts End Church, Redland Chapel, St John the Baptist, St Mark’s Church, St Michael on the Mount Without and Woodlands Christian Center.

The Bristol Hippodrome is a theater in the city that can seat over nineteen hundred patrons. It was founded in 1912 and designed by Frank Matcham.

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It contains one of the largest stages to be seen outside the city of London and is home to many productions which have included Les Miserables, Blood Brothers, Cats and Phantom of the Opera. Past productions have included Jeeves, Guys and Dolls, The Nutcracker ,Sail Away and Windy City. Also located in the city is the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery. This museum was built in 1823 and includes exhibits that spotlight archaeology, natural history and industry. Collections that can be seen here include Chinese ceramics, Egyptian artifacts and antiquities that go as far back as ancient Rome.

Other attractions in Bristol include the Arnos Vale, Arnolfini, Ashton Court, At-Bristol, Aviation Heritage Museum, Avon Gorge, Blaise Castle, Bristol Castle, British Empire and Commonwealth Museum, Cabot Tower, City Museum and Art Gallery, Floating Harbour, Old Vic Theatre, Red Lodge Museum, Concorde 216, Glenside Museum, Industrial Museum, St Nicholas Market, Snuff Mills, Oldbury Court, SS Great Britain, Watershed Media Centre and Royal West of England Academy. The city also has a large collection of restaurants, cafes, pubs, bars, nightclubs and hotels. Popular hotels in the city include the Bristol Marriott Hotel City Centre, Ramada Jarvis Bristol Hotel, Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel and The Berkeley Square Hotel.

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Nottingham is situated in the Nottinghamshire County of England. This city covers an area of twenty-nine square miles and has a population of almost three hundred thousand residents. The city can trace its roots back to the fifth century. This is when the Romans left the city and independent Brythonic kingdoms popped up all over Britain. In the mid ninth century, the city was captured by the Vikings and became one of the towns of the Dane Law. During the eleventh century, the castle of Nottingham was erected by the Trent River. This Anglo Saxon settlement would develop into the Borough of Nottingham and contains courts and a town hall. In the thirteenth century, Carmelite friars establish a friary on Friar Lane. The town would become incorporated in 1449.

Nottingham would emerge during the Industrial Revolution as a major player in the textile industry and was known especially for its manufacture of lace. The city’s growth was poorly planned however, and large slum areas developed. In 1831, people who lived in these slums rioted in protest to the Duke of Newcastle’s oppossition to the Reform Act. These residents uprose and set fire to Nottingham Castle.

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After World War II, Nottingham’s textile industry began to decline. This was due in part to the industries inability to compete with Asian textile manufacturers. Today, the city of Nottingham is in the process of transforming from an industrial center to a service center, especially in the Tourism sector. In fact, Nottingham receives over three hundred thousand foreign visitors each year. Many of these tourists are attracted to the city because of its vibrant nightlife, rich history and amazing attractions.

A prominent and popular attraction in Nottingham is Nottingham Castle. The castle that can be presently seen in the city is not the original, however. The first castle was a Norman Motte and Bailey castle composed of wood and built in the eleventh century. This castle was built under orders of William the Conqueror after the Battle of Hastings. This structure was eventually replaced by a stone castle that was erected during the reign of Henry II. For centuries, Nottingham Castle was an important strategic location due to its position near the Trent River Crossing. It was also a place for relaxation by the nobles because of its proximity to the Tideswell Royal Hunting Grounds and Sherwood Forest.

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When Richard the Lionheart was away fighting the Third Crusade, it is told that the castle fell into a period of neglect. It was also this time that the Sheriff of Nottingham supposedly occupied the castle. The legend of Robin Hood places Nottingham Castle as the final showdown between Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Notingham. Whether this is true or not is subject to debate. During the twelfth century, the castle was seized by Prince John. When King Richard returned to England, he seiged the castle. The castle would eventually become bsolete during the late fifteenth century when artillery was invented. It would later be burned to the ground to prevent its use as a military installation.

In the late seventeenth century, a new castle was erected by Henry Cavendish on the foundations of the original structure. But, this castle would be destroyed during the slum riots of 1831. It would remain in ruins until 1875, when it was restored by Thomas Chambers Hine. Three years later it was opened by the Prince of Wales to be used as an art museum. Much of the interior was designed similar to the design of Paris’ Lovre, but the original gate house was kept. Though its a popular attraction, many tourists become disappointed at finding a mansion house here instead of a castle.

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Over the years there has been talk of tearing down the mansion house and building a replica of the original castle, but little funding is available for a project of this magnitude. Today, the mansion is an art gallery and a museum. Contained here are some of the most important art collections that the city of Nottingham possesses. Key exhibits in the museum include fifteenth century alabaster carvings, the Ballantyne Collection, the Joseph Collection of Wedgwood Jasperware, a collection of costumes, stoneware and watercolors.

Nottingham Contemporary is another popular attraction in the city. This art museum opened in November of 2009 and is located in the Lace Market area of Nottingham. Its scheduled to have five exhibitions each year. This museum is located in one of the oldest sites in the city. At one time this location was home to a Saxon fort and a medieval town halls. Current and future exhibitions include The Art of David Hockney, Frances Stark, Cabinet of Curiosities, Aurelien Froment, Morgan Fisher, Hotel Theory and Jennifer Bornstein. Another popular museum in Nottingham is the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre.

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This museum has a collection of operational diesel and steam engines and is situated at the end of the Great Central Railway Heritage Line. Key features of the Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre include a
RSH Ruddington, RSH Corby, Hudswell Clarke Julia, Manning Wardle Dolobran, Manning Wardle Rhyl, Manning Wardle Arthur, a Class 20 Bo-Bo, a Class 25 Bo-Bo, a Class 73 Bo-Bo and a Class 37 Co-Co.

Other popular attractions in the city of Nottingham include the Brewhouse Yard Museum, Galleries of Justice, Green’s Windmill & Science Center, Nottingham Industrial Museum, Nottingham Museums of Costume and Textiles, Nottingham Natural History Museum, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham Arena, Nottingham Playhouse, Trent Fm Arena, The Robin Hood Line, Nottingham Express Transit, Albert Hall, Cathedral Church of St. Barnabas, Old Market Square, Adams Building, The Bell Inn, the University of Nottingham, Bridlesmith Gate and Victoria Centre and Westfield Broadmarsh. The city is also home to a fine collection of pubs, restaurants and hotels. Popular pubs and restaurants in the city include Petit Paris, Punchinello, Harts Restaurant, MemSaab Restaurant and Sinatras Bar and Restaurant. Popular hotels in the city include the Welbeck Hotel, Britannia Hotel Nottingham, Days Hotel of Nottingham and the Lace Market Hotel.

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Sydney has a total land area of over four thousand square miles and host a population of over four million people. It is the capital of the state of New South Wales and is the largest city in all of Australia. The site that Sydney is currently located has been inhabited by Australian Aborigines for at least thirty thousand years. But, modern Sydney was actually formed as a major settlement only after James Cook landed in Botany Bay. Once he landed he established contact with the various idigineous people of the area. Botany Bay was originally to be a convict colony, but the British government decided that the conditions were too poor in the area. So the settlement was erected in Sydney Cove in 1788. It continued as a convict settlement until 1842 when the city was incorporated.

Today, Sydney has become one of the largest economies in Australia, accounting for almost a quarter of the Gross Domestic Product. Its main industries include manufacturing, retail, health and human service, real estate and information technology.

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The city also host a booming tourism sector with over two million people visiting Sydney each and every year. One of the most popular tourist attractions in Sydney is the Sydney Harbour Bridge. This steel arch bridge crosses Sydney Harbor and was opened in 1932. It is considered to be one of the worlds widest long span bridge and its tallest arch is over four hundred feet high. This bridge is responsible for vehicular, train and pedestrian traffic across the harbor. Sydney Harbor is also home to a large number of bunkers, fort and other fortifications. Many of these date back to the nineteenth century and a fair number of them are World Heritage Sites. Most of these fortification are constructed from sandstone blocks and are riddled with many tunnels and catacombs.

A true masterpiece of the city is the Sydney Opera House. It is considered to be one of the most iconic buildings of the twentieth century and has since been name a World Heritage Site. This opera house is located at Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbor adjacent to the Sydney Harbor Bridge.

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The opera house is actually composed of several buildings which include the Concert Hall, Opera Theater, Drama Theater, Playhouse, Utzon Room and the Forecourt. This beautiful opera house was officially completed in 1973 and had an estimated price tag of over one hundred million dollars.

Luna Park is the premier amusement park in Sydney. It was built in 1935 and is situated on the northern shore of Sydney Harbor at a location known as Milsons Point. The park consist of six features which include Midway, Crystal Palace, Big Top, Coney Island, Maloney’s Corner and the Face. The Face is the most recognizable features and has been parked at the entrance for over seventy years. Luna Park host a wide range of different rides which include roller coasters, ferris wheels and various themed rides.

The oldest public building in Australia is the Sydney Mint. It was built in 1816 as the southern wing of the Sydney Hospital. The name given to it at the time was Rum Hospital. Around 1854 a mint was established on the site with the hospital building used to house mint staff and the director. Later on a coining factory was built to the rear of the building.

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In 1926 the mint closed and it is now a part of the Historic Houses Trust of Sydney.

On the eastern side of Sydney is the Sydney Aquarium. This aquarium was built in 1988 and displays over six thousand different fish from over six hundred and fifty different species. The main exhibits of this aquarium are a series of underwater acrylic glass tunnels where sharks swim above visitors, a crocodile exhibit and a recreation display of the Great Barrier Reef coral. Next to the aquarium is the Sydney Wildlife World, which was opened in 2006. Another popular location to view animals is the Taronga Zoo. This zoo is situated on over fifty acres of land and has over twenty six hundred animals divided into eight geographic regions.

A famous historic building in Sydney is the Queen Victoria Building. It was built in the nineteenth century and was designed in the Romanesque Revival style. The building measures five hundred and seventy feet long and is ninety feet wide. The main feature of this building is a dome that contains glass on the interior and has a copper gilded exterior.

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Stained glass windows allow light into the central area. The inside of the building has four main shopping floors, each decorated with iron railings. The original building was a working environment for various tradesmen and tailors and included showrooms and a concert hall. Today its home to quite a number of boutiques and shops. One of the most recognizable attractions in Sydney is the Sydney Tower. This is the tallest building in the city and the second tallest in Australia. It stands over a thousand feet. Construction was began in 1975 and the estimated cost of the structure is thirty six million dollars.

Sydney is also home to several sporting event venues. These include Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney Football Stadium and Randwick Racecourse. Other popular attractions in this city include Bradleys Head Fortification Complex, Lower Georges Heights Commanding Position, the Australian National Maritime Museum, Powerhouse Museum, Fox Studios Australia and the Museum of Sydney. This city is also home to a large number of fine restaurants, hotels, cafes and shopping venues.