For many people, New York is like the most important or fun place to be. Because of its metropolitan nature, New York is where most suburban dwellers want to go visiting. Besides this, it is also a hub of business activities as you have the famed Wall Street located there, and the twin towers. Recent estimates have shown that New York generates more than some third world countries budget per year. It also has the highest number of skyscrapers concentrated in one territory.

Often dubbed an ‘urban jungle’, it is home to more than 20 million people and amazingly, the metropolitan state seems to have more room for visitors, business executives, vacationers and tourists. New York City has a lot of attractions. In fact, it is said that you could spend three years in New York doing nothing except sightseeing and still not see every vacation spot or attraction sites. Some of New Yorks main attractions are partly responsible for its global popularity and these include:

1. Statue of Liberty This statue represents or symbolizes democracy in the modern world. According to history, the statue signified hope for the immigrants who crossed through Ellis Island. A gift from the French government over a hundred years ago, it was meant to signify freedom which America stands for. Sculpted by the Frdric-Auguste Bartholdi, the steel Framework was built by the creator of the Eiffel tower, Gustav Eiffel and is about 305 ft altogether. To get to the top of the statue, a visitor would have to climb three hundred and fifty four steps. Tourists interested in getting into the monument can purchase one time tickets.

2. Empire State Building The empire state building is possibly the most popular building in New York. Once called the tallest building in the world -it is about one thousand, two hundred and fifty feet high -and named the 8th wonder of the world, many say it signifies or represents what was meant to be carried out when man decided to build the tower of Babel. The empire state building became extremely popular after the movie King Kong was shot in 1933. At the time, it was dubbed the tallest building. However, the mystery surrounding it still counts for visits from over two million visitors annually.

3. Central Park This major tourist centre occupies three hundred and forty one hectares of land is synonymous with its name in its location at the centre of Manhattan. Located between 5th and 8th avenue, central park consists of ice rinks for those who want to skate, theatres, baseball fields, fountains, lakes, a Zoo, a museum, tennis courts and a host of facilities. And the best part of central park is access to it is free of charge. A must see as part of a New York City vacation package.

4. Fifth Avenue For those who love shopping, 5th Ave is an awesome place to be. Located between the 49th and 59th streets, its like a concentration of designer stores such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Ferragamo, Prada and Versace. If you are looking for jewelleries, you will find Bulgari shops, Cartier and a host of other jewellers.

California is rife with major cities, but few get the attention they deserve. International tourist destinations, like San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Newport Beach seem to dominate talk of California. The same can be said of quaint college towns like Berkeley, Davis, and Irvine, or alternative lifestyle meccas, like Big Sur and San Francisco again, seldom does the capital of the Golden State get its due.

Named by the Spanish army officer, Gabriel Moraga, Sacramento was little more than a trading post when John Sutter arrived in 1839 from Switzerland. Within ten years he and his heirs would guide the transformation of the trading post into a military barracks for the U.S. Army and eventually into an incorporated city. Sacramento is the oldest incorporated city in the state, having been invested in 1850. This does not mean it is the oldest, however, as that distinction belongs to Monterey.

After the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), the capital of California was moved from Monterey. The first city to be designated the new capitol was San Jose. When the state legislature met there in 1850, it was argued the capitol should be moved further inland to avoid retribution either from Mexico or the Spanish Empire.

Two years earlier, in 1848, James Marshall had discovered gold in the American River in Coloma, about 50 miles away from Sacramento. In the years that followed, Sacramento had become the inheritor of the California Gold Rush. The city flooded with new residents and economic prosperity. As evidence of Sacramentos growing importance, the Transcontinental Railroad terminated in the city, solidifying it stature as the gateway city to California.

With brief stints in Vallejo and Benicia, the capitol was moved, finally, to Sacramento in 1854. Taking advantage of the citys tremendous infrastructure and rail access, the Constitutional Convention named Sacramento the permanent capitol of California in 1879. Inspired by the nations capitol, the California State Capitol was not actually completed until 1874, where it stands to this day in tribute to the vision and foresight of John Sutter.

The Nordic Games were the first iteration of winter Olympic games. Viktor Gustaf Balck first organized the Nordic Games in Sweden in 1901. This international mult-sport event that was designated specifically for winter sports was thereafter held regularly until 1926. In the meantime, Balck was rallying to have winter sports (starting with figure skating) included in the Olympic sport roster. He was unsuccessful until 1908, when four figure skating events were included in the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.

When planning the next summer Olympics (to be held in 1912), an Italian count named Eugenio Brunetto dUsseaux beseeched the International Olympic Committee to plan a week of winter sports as part of the 1912 games. The idea was not welcomed warmly, for a couple different reasons. First, the committee did not want to detract from the Nordic Games. Second, the committee was concerned about the lack of facilities for other winter sports.

More ground was gained in 1916, when the idea to include a week of winter sports was again proposed. The committee went as far as to plan the week of winter sports including figure skating, speed skating, ice hockey and Nordic skiing. Unfortunately, the 1916 games in Berlin were cancelled due to World War I.

Figure skating and ice hockey were featured in the first Olympic games after the war, held in Antwerp in 1920. Shortly thereafter the International Olympic Committee decided that the organizers of the next Olympics (to be held in 1924) would also host an International Winter Sports Week. The first Winter Sports Week took place in Chamonix in 1924 and actually lasted 11 days. The event was a huge success, drawing more than 200 athletes from 16 competing nations. In the first Winter Sports Week, women only competed in figure skating events.

In 1925, the International Olympic Committee created a separate event designated for these types of sports. The event was called the Olympic Winter Games, and at the same time, the 1924 Winter Sports Week in Chamonix was retroactively designated as the official first Winter Olympics. The second Olympic Winter Games were held in St. Moritz in February of 1928. The next Winter Olympic Games were held in North America for the first time. The location of the event was Lake Placid, New York. The turnout at the 1932 Winter Olympics was not impressive, however, partly due to the financial stress of the Great Depression. 1936 was the last year in which both summer and winter Olympics were held in the same country. Both the 1940 and the 1944 Winter Olympics were cancelled as a result of World War II. The 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy were the first to be televised.

The next Winter Olympics Games scheduled are to take place in 2010 in Vancouver, B.C. Below is a list of scheduled medal events:

- Alpine skiing - Biathlon - Bobsled - Cross-country skiing - Curling - Figure skating - Freestyle skiing - Ice hockey - Luge - Nordic combined - Short track speed skating - Skeleton - Ski jumping - Snowboarding - Speed skating

Santa Catalina Island is part of the beautiful Channel Islands Archipelago, which stretches for miles along the Southern California coast. Just 22 miles long and 8 miles wide, rugged and beautiful Catalina Island is home to some of the richest marine diversity in the world. Catalina Island is the only Channel Island that is developed, but most of the island is still protected, and most the inhabitants are concentrated in the town of Avalon.

Located approximately 22 miles south-southwest of Los Angeles, Catalina Island makes the island a perfect destination for weekend vacations, honeymoons, weddings and day trips. There are unlimited ways to enjoy Catalina including diving, hiking, sailing, sport fishing, camping, golf and more. Each of these activities is deeply connected to the islands rich history.

The majority of the island’s residents are concentrated in the port town of Avalon, with 300 or so more in the more remote Two Harbors. Islanders typically work in the tourism industry in some way, some are artisans, baoting enthusiasts, or retirees. All supplies must be shipped in from the mainland, making fuel, groceries and just about everything else expensive and prone to shortages. There are strict regulations regarding motor vehicles on the island so resident use modified golf cart to get around. These things add to the island’s charm and easy pace of life.

Most of the island is managed by the Catalina Island Conservancy, which endeavors to restore the islands original flora and fauna. However, they are also charged with protecting one of the most interesting transplants to the island, a massive herd of wild Bison, which were brought in by a film production over 50 years ago.

Golf carts are easy to rent, but bicycles are the easiest way to explore the narrow street and interact with friendly locals. guided tours provide a great, inexpensive way to learn about the island’s rich history.

Lodging is available for all budgets, including budets accomodations, spa resorts, vacation rentals and small intimate inns. There are plenty of activities to fill day trips or stays of a few days or more with great dining, boutique shops, tours, and adventures to keep visitors interested. Catalina Island is like another world compared to the California mainland, and is close enough to make weekend trips easy and affordable.