The high-speed train service, Eurostar, recently moved its London terminal from Waterloo Station to St. Pancras.   They also formed themselves as an entirely high-speed train service, and beat their own records by cutting 20 minutes off the trip from London to Paris, and 25 Minutes off the London to Brussels trip.    This is results from a part of a $12 billion project.  Trains now can reach the maximum of 186 mph in Britain.

 The first scheduled trains on the service departed for Paris from St. Pancras Station in central London, at 11:01 a.m. and arrived at the Gare du Nord two hours and 15 minutes later (down from the previous standing of two hours and 35 minutes).  The Brussels train left at 11:04 a.m. and arrived at the destination one hour and 51 minutes later.

            The beautiful and preserved Greek island of Hydra is a popular side stop from Athens and a vacation spot for artists and travelers alike.  The island of Hydra has one town, no real roads except the donkey trails, no cars and no bikes.  There are no motor vehicles allowed on the island, and there is no airport, which makes this island a destination rid of noise and environmental pollution.  Taxi boats take you from one place to another.  Many tourists travel there by ferry or yacht, but many tourists come ashore from private and public boats, but very few venture beyond the harbor from to get the experience of Hydra.

            Though this island seems remote and too calm for many, it is surprisingly popular and activity filled.  Not a day will pass during your visit that you will be bored.  There are many architectural delights on the island, such as their 365 churches, and many buildings are from the 18th century.   And there are strict architectural conservation laws which preserve the island from obscene buildings, allowing the island to keep its rich architecture and integrity.  The island is covered in donkey trails that will lead you to hidden valleys, goat farms, monasteries and beaches. 

You can end each day there by sitting at one of the numerous cafes along the port, sipping your Greek coffee, chilled wine, or ouzo while you listen to the soft Greek lounge music and watch the sun set on the beautiful island of Hydra.

            As one of the busiest sites of construction in Europe and one of the world’s hot spots, Prague is a city rich with history and beauty, and should be a spot you destine to visit.

            This beautiful city speaks of times past and times to come, with its beautiful architecture, historical sites and a society of people keeping tradition alive.  When visiting Prague , you will want to take a trip along the city visiting the sites that make the trip worth while.  Start at the Charles Bridge , which is set over the Vltava River .  This 600-year old landmark connects the Prague Castle and Stare Mesto ( Old Town ).  By day you will find many local craftsmen and painters selling their creations to tourists and locals alike.  By night, you can gaze upon the 30 glowing baroque statues, one of which brings good luck.  Rumor and tradition has it that by placing your hand on the brass plaque of St. John of Nepomuk and making your wish, you will be granted good luck.  Next, pleasure in the beauty of the Vltava River , which you can row, pedal or go on a fast tour boat down.  Across the river from Old Town is the Prague Castle , which is the biggest ancient castle in the world.  This castle has been home to royalty and Nazi’s alike.  Travel further to the castle’s gothic St. Vitus Cathedral, and gaze on its stained glass windows, and the famed Golden Lane , where Franz Kafka once lived. 

            Now you can journey further into the history of Prague and into it’s darker past.  Heading back to Old Town , you can visit Josefov, the largest Jewish ghetto in Europe , and what was once home to over 55,000 Jews before the Holocaust.  Another spot worth mentioning is the 14^th century Old Jewish Cemetery – the oldest cemetery in the world.  The true history lies in the cemetery’s Memorial Hall, where you can see drawings sketched by the children imprisoned at the Therein concentration camp during WWII.  And then comes the Pinkas Synagogue, a monument which includes the names of almost 80,000 Holocaust victims.

            Due to Prague ’s deep history and overall breath-taking beauty, tourism and population have been readily increasing in Prague .  And due to this increase, they are growing to accommodate travelers and locals alike.  Just beyond Old Town you will find Nove Mesto (New Town).  There you will find many five-star hotels, business districts, and the Wenceslas Square .  This city square easily holds 400,000 people during both festive and political occasions for over 750 years.  The Wenceslas Square is the spot for the city’s best luxury hotels, such as the Palace Hotel, which has hosted a temporary home for well-known people from Josephine Baker to Prince Charles, and the 120-year-old Evropa Hotel, with it’s gold exteriors and its renowned Titanic café (which served as the model for the dining room of the ocean liner, Titanic).

            Though Prague still holds deep an untouched history and architecture, you will still find the luxury of five-star hotels within its memorable squares.  For more information visit www.prague.cz

A few tips when visiting Venice, first and foremost, take comfortable shoes. You will be walking around a lot; there are so many great sites to see and you won’t want to miss them, because you are sitting back at your hotel with blisters on your feet. While you are there stop by Doge’s Palace, take a guided tour and see works of art by; Titan, Tintoretto, and Veronese. You will also get a chance to hear about Venice’s amazing history as a democratic republic.

One of my favorite places to visit when I go to Venice is the Murano Glass Factory. It is located about half an hour from the city, and well worth the commute. You won’t believe your eyes, when you witness the works of art created by these professional glass blowers. The have a gift shop so you can take home some of these magical pieces of glass.

When you get tired of walking around, take a gondola ride down the Grand Canal. Ride the entire length of the Canal from the bus station to St. Mark’s Square. You will be mesmerized by the nearly 200 palaces built between the 12th and 18 centuries. Just beware the canals can have a bad smell, nothing that will take away from the beauty all around, but worth mentioning.

The food in Venice is some of the best you will ever eat, especially the pasta, pizza, and tiramisu. Stop by an outdoor café, have lunch, and enjoy the gorgeous city. One more thing, use ATM machines when converting your money, you will get a better exchange rate than you would at the bank, or any other place.

by Annette

I arrived with my girlfriend to Santorini, Fira at 7:00am during the peak season. Ms. Diana( manager of Asteras) arranged our transfer from the airport and we had a short walk to the the hotel as I looked over the wall i saw our hotel and knew we picked the right spot. Ms. Diana greeted us and let us know the room would be ready by 1pm so we walked around, exchanged money, and had a drink which is all within 30 seconds of Asteras. There are other hotels in the area however with the location and the amount of stairs at other places Asteras was by far the best location and service of any hotel we came across. I met my parents there in Fira and they were booked at the Atlantis Hotel which is an okay property but the balconies are limited and if you are lucky to get a balcony at the Atlantis you will find it very small. We stayed in Suite #2 at Asteras the view and balcony were simply amazing. We picked Asteras villas because it reminded me of the 1985 movie Summer Lovers filmed in Santorini. Everything is within walking distance from Asteras and Ms. Diana is by far the best host in all of Santorini. It was my first time to Santorini however, we are well travelled and i have never liked a place as much as Fira, Santorini. The women, the wine (which is okay, Washington wines are better), and the Jewelry shopping Asteras in Fira is your best bet for relaxing. You can be as loud or as quiet as you want in Fira, but i do strongly recommend visiting during peak season and flying using Aegean Airlines one day in Athens is perfect also. Hope this helps.