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Find Arlecchino, Pantalone & Pulcinella within Arounder Venice 360 panoramas and win a 50 iTunes Gift Card!

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Tiny coloured dots

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John Varvatos Fall/Winter 2012 Fashion Show

Arounder Team is very pleased to announce Nadzeya Kalbaskaas the lucky winner of Arounder Swiss Experience!!!

Nadzeya Kalbaska

Nadzeya is a PhD student originally from Minsk (Belarus). Shewill enjoya 4 days memorable Swiss Experience for two people in the city of Bern. The prize includes:

3 NIGHTS STAY IN SUITE DELUXE AT BELLEVUE PALACE *****

Bellevue Palace from Kirchenfeldbrcke

HELISWISS HELICOPTER CITY FLIGHT

Heliswiss sightseeing flights

VISIT THE JUNGFRAUJOCH, EUROPES HIGHEST RAILWAY STATION

Jungfraujoch

LEARN THE ART OF MAKING SWISS CHEESE

Emmental traditional production

DINING IN THE BEST RESTAURANTS OF BERN

Kornhauskeller

ROMANTIC BATHING RITUAL AT HAMAM SPA

Hammam & Spa Oktogon

GUIDED TOUR OF BERNS OLD TOWN, SWISS HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT & CLOCK TOWER ZYTGLOGGE

Zytglogge

Congratulations Nadzeya!

Enjoy your Arounder Swiss Experience…

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Arounder Swiss Experience and the winner is

Arounder Guest PhotographerAndrew Bodrovhas shot some spectacular panoramas of Tallin, capital of Estonia and European Capital of Culture.

North view from Town Hall tower

Superintendents garden (Komandandi aed)

East view from St. Nicholas' Church

More panoramas can be found on Arounder Tallinn as well as on Aroundertouch app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

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Visiting Tallinn

Arounder Guest Photographer Dean Karamehmedovic recently created a beautiful series of aerial panoramas of Hawaii’s coastline. Now you can enjoy them on Arounder.com as well as on the go with Aroundertouch app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

Aerial tour of Hawaii Magic Island

Aerial tour of Hawaii Makapuu Point Lighthouse

Aerial tour of Hawaii Hawaii Kai

Aerial tour of Hawaii Waikiki Beach

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Hawaii a series of 14 stunnig Aerial HD Panoramas

Arounder Guest Photographer Dean Karamehmedovic recently created a beautiful series of aerial panoramas of Hawaii’s coastline. Now you can enjoy them on Arounder.com as well as on the go with Aroundertouch app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

Aerial tour of Hawaii Magic Island

Aerial tour of Hawaii Makapuu Point Lighthouse

Aerial tour of Hawaii Hawaii Kai

Aerial tour of Hawaii Waikiki Beach

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Hawaii a series of 14 stunnig Aerial HD Panoramas

Arounder Guest Photographer Dean Karamehmedovic recently created a beautiful series of aerial panoramas of Hawaii’s coastline. Now you can enjoy them on Arounder.com as well as on the go with Aroundertouch app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

Aerial tour of Hawaii Magic Island

Aerial tour of Hawaii Makapuu Point Lighthouse

Aerial tour of Hawaii Hawaii Kai

Aerial tour of Hawaii Waikiki Beach

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Hawaii a series of 14 stunnig Aerial HD Panoramas

Arounder Guest Photographer Dean Karamehmedovic recently created a beautiful series of aerial panoramas of Hawaii’s coastline. Now you can enjoy them on Arounder.com as well as on the go with Aroundertouch app for iPhone, iPad and Android devices.

Aerial tour of Hawaii Magic Island

Aerial tour of Hawaii Makapuu Point Lighthouse

Aerial tour of Hawaii Hawaii Kai

Aerial tour of Hawaii Waikiki Beach

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Hawaii a series of 14 stunnig Aerial HD Panoramas

This is the first first of an ongoing series of Arounder contests that will allow the lucky winners to experience in real life the locations they virtually explore with the app. To participate you need to be a registered citizen of ArounderTouch iPhone/iPad app.

Click to enter contest

Visitors to Switzerlands capital city are spoilt for choice, with an almost limitless offer of cultural activities, shopping and lifestyle to enjoy. The lucky winner will be contacted and the 4 day program, including all prizes, will be planned and organized following his wishes. At arrival in Bern the winner will be received by a representative of VRWay and of Bern Tourism in order to introduce him to the experience which awaits the winner and his travel partner.

THE PRIZE INCLUDES:

STAY IN THE OFFICIAL GUESTHOUSE OF THE SWISS GOVERNMENT

Bellevue Palace from Kirchenfeldbrcke

The BELLEVUE PALACE, a Leading Hotel of the World, is located on a terrace above the rolling River Aare and offers some of the city’s finest views of the distant Bernese Alps. Together with the adjacent buildings of the Bundeshaus (seat of the federal government), the hotel forms an imposing architectural ensemble on the southern edge of Bern’s beautiful old town, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site.
The BELLEVUE PALACE is a grand hotel in the classic style and of great national, historical and cultural importance.
Over the past century it has played host to many internationally eminent guests, ranging from monarchy and ministers to musicians, movie stars and even astronauts. Emperor Akihito of Japan, Queen Elisabeth of Britain, Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Fidel Castro, Herbert von Karajan and Johnny Cash these are just a few of the visitors to Bern who have passed through its distinguished doors. You will enjoy a Suite Deluxe with view on the Swiss Alps. Air conditioning, in room ADSL Internet (free of charge), W-Lan Internet, World Wide Sat TV, pay TV, master bedroom with desk and spacious bath, separate lounge, elegant furnishings and fabrics, direct-dial telephone, safe, mini-bar, balcony on request. Arrival should be on Thursday.

HELISWISS HELICOPTER CITY FLIGHT

Heliswiss sightseeing flights

View the city from another perspective. Your flight will start from Belp, Bern’s city airport, located 20 minutes from the city center.

VISIT THE JUNGFRAUJOCH, EUROPE’S HIGHEST RAILWAY STATION

Jungfraujoch

The journey to the Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe, at 3454 metres Europes highest altitude railway station, is the highlight of every visit to Switzerland. It offers visitors a high-Alpine wonderworld of ice, snow and rock, which can be marveled at from vantage terraces, the Aletsch Glacier or in the Ice Palace.On clear days, views extend as far as the Vosges mountains in France and Germanys Black Forest. The train journey to the Jungfraujoch through the rock of the Eiger and Mnch is also an incredible experience.Visitors can enjoy stunning views from two intermediate stations, the Eigerwand (Eiger Wall) and Eismeer (Sea of Ice).

LEARN THE ART OF MAKING SWISS CHEESE

Emmental traditional production

The Swiss have a long history of making cheese dating back 2,000 years. We will take you to the Emmental Exhibition Cheese Dairy (Emmentaler Schaukserai AG) where you will have lunch and then learn about the ancient art of turning milk into solid food. After the aging process you will get your own-produced 8 Kg cheese shipped home.

DINE AT RESTAURANT LA TERRASSE
Experience the grand art of culinary hospitality in the very heart of Bern’s old town. The Restaurant La Terrasse boasts 16 Gault Millau points and is one of Bern’s exquisite gourmet restaurants. The impressive taste combinations and the unique atmosphere hold the promise of a superlative dining experience. And, weather permitting; why not enjoy the stunning views of the Bernese Alps from the Restaurant’s own terrace.

DINE AT KORNHAUSKELLER

Kornhauskeller Restaurant

Built between 1711 and 1718, Berns Kornhaus is made of sandstone from Ostermundigen and is considered an outstanding example of Bernese High Baroque style. The historically and conceptually unique Kornhauskeller is open daily. Dress well and dine fine beneath vaulted frescoed arches at Berns surprisingly ornate former granary, now a stunning cellar restaurant serving Mediterranean inspired cuisine.

YOU AND I – ROMANTIC HAMAM SPA FOR TWO

Hammam & Spa Oktogon Turkish bath

The Hammam & SPA Oktogon bathing ritual rests on the idea that the body should be warmed and cleansed in stages. Berns new Hammam will revive the spirit of oriental bathing. It is located in the citys oldest gasometer dating from the nineteenth century, an octagonal building which gave the new Hammam its name.

GUIDED TOUR OF BERN’S OLD TOWN – A WORLD HERITAGE SITE

Old city of Berne

The medieval atmosphere in Berns historic old town with its countless alleyways and ancient towers and turrets is unique in Switzerland. Berns city centre is a recognized UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, and its miles of arcades make for an impressive covered shopping promenade.

GUIDED TOUR OF THE CLOCK TOWER ZYTGLOGGE

Zytglogge – interior

Today it is one of Bern’s most important sights. The ornate astronomical calendar clock was created in 1530.

GUIDED TOUR OF THE SWISS HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT

The House of Parliament are the seat of the Swiss government (Federal Council) and the parliament (National Council and Council of States). The parliament building was completed in 1902. The central domed hall and both chambers feature numerous symbolic renderings of Swiss history.

SWISS PASS 1 CLASS
The Swiss Travel System runs as smoothly as clockwork – each wheel engaging with the next in perfect harmony. The Swiss Pass affords you unlimited travel on Swiss Travel Systems public transport network on 4 consecutive days. Unlimited travel throughout the rail, bus and boat as well as local trams and buses in41 cities, including scenic trains. As well as Free entrance to over 400 museums.

MUSEUMS PASS
Free access to museums.

AIRLINE TICKET(S)
Airline ticket: The winner will be responsible for booking their flights. They will receive up to $800 to spend on the flights and will be reimbursed up to this amount after providing proof of purchase.

GOOD LUCK !

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AROUNDER IN COOPERATION WITH BERN TOURISM HAVE CREATED A FOUR DAYS (3 NIGHTS) MEMORABLE SWISS EXPERIENCE FOR TWO. (VALUE 7000.- )

Smithsonian magazine, November 2011, publishes Arounder 360 panoramas shot by Giuseppe Pennisi of Shanghai in the feature story “Shanghai Gets Supersized” By David Devoss with additional reporting by Lauren Hilgers.

Shanghai Gets Supersized

Boasting 200 skyscrapers, China’s financial capital has grown like no other city on earth and shows few signs of stopping.
Over the past decade or more, Shanghai has grown like no other city on the planet. Home to 13.3 million residents in 1990, the city now has some 23 million residents (to New York Citys 8.1 million), with half a million newcomers each year. To handle the influx, developers are planning to build, among other developments, seven satellite cities on the fringes of Shanghais 2,400 square miles. Shanghai opened its first subway line in 1995; today it has 11; by 2025, there will be 22. In 2004, the city also opened the worlds first commercial high-speed magnetic levitation train line. Continue reading the article at SmithsonianMag.

Interactive feature

On Arounder.com you can enjoy the complete virtual tour of Shanghai. Or view it on the go on Aroundertouch iPhone, iPad and Android app.

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Smithsonian features Arounder panoramas in Shanghai Gets Supersized

Since we launched Aroundertouch, a virtual prelude to the real-world experience a year and a half ago (the 4th December 2009), our focus has been on uncovering the world’s top travel destinations by mesmerizing 360 panoramas that puts you at the center of the picture. After exploring sightseeing, museums, theaters, sacred places and landmark you can move in a restaurant, bar or hotel room and if it pleases you, book it right away.

With over 1 million downloads, we’re quickly becoming the app people turn to when they’re planning their next great vacation. Or when the travel budget is unavailable, to take a CO2 emission free virtual journey to your dream destination right from your mobile phone or tablet.

Now, with Aroundertouch 2.0 we’re bringing the long-awaited social features by enabling our users to become Arounder citizens, with their very own passport. A community of discerning global travelers holding the world at their fingertips is born, just in time to celebrate our one millionth download.

Arounder citizens, as we call our subscribers, will get their very own passport and be able to connect with friends. Like, Comment, Bookmark locations and share their findings as well as participate to the first of an ongoing series of contests that will allow the lucky winners to experience in real life the locations they virtually explore with the app. And this is just the beginning, over the next months we’ll be releasing regular updates to expand the community features.

This major update 2.0 includes the following features:
Arounder Community
Facebook integration and login
Arounder citizen Passport
Connect with friends
View Friends activity
Get regular community insights
Like, Comment, and Bookmark locations
Enhanced panorama interface
Select metric units: kilometers and miles
New Locations and new Venues stream
Upcoming cities

Upcoming cities are an image preview of destinations we’ll shoot in the near future. Immediately available are hotel reservations with best rate guarantee through our partner Booking.com.

Win the Arounder Swiss Experience for two.

For this first Arounder citizen only contest we have teamed up with Bern Tourism to provide one lucky winner an amazing Swiss Experience for two (Value 7’000 Euro).

The prize includes a 3 nights stay in a deluxe suite at Bellevue Palace***** Bern. Dining in the finest restaurants such as La Terrasse and Kornhauskeller. A helicopter flight to see the World Heritage site old city of Bern from another perspective. Take a bathing ritual at the Hammam Spa. Excursions to the Jungfraujoch and to the Emmental where you will learn the art of making Swiss cheese. A variety of guided tours, Swiss travel system pass and museum pass. And your Airline ticket.

To enter competition click here.

What’s the best thing You’ve found through Aroundertouch? Please leave your reply below.

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Aroundertouch is celebrating 1 Million Downloads with Major App Update and an amazing contest!

Matera has gained international fame for its ancient town, the “Sassi di Matera” (meaning “stones of Matera”), a Unesco World Heritage site. The Sassi originate from a prehistoric (troglodyte) settlement, and are suspected to be some of the first human settlements in Italy.

Santa Maria di Idris

Casalnuovo District at dawn

Palazzo Lanfranchi

The Sassi are houses dug into the calcareous rock itself, which is characteristic of Basilicata and Apulia.

Crypt of Original Sin

Madonna delle Virt and S. Nicola dei Greci, monastry

Many of these “houses” are really only caverns, and the streets in some parts of the Sassi often are located on the rooftops of other houses. The ancient town grew in height on one slope of the ravine created by a river that is now a small stream. The ravine is known locally as “la Gravina”. In the 1950s, the government of Italy forcefully relocated most of the population of the Sassi to areas of the developing modern city. However, people continued to live in the Sassi, and according to the English Fodor’s guide:

Matera is the only place in the world where people can boast to be still living in the same houses of their ancestors of 9,000 years ago.

Until the late 1980s this was considered an area of poverty, since these houses were, and in most areas still are, mostly unlivable. Current local administration, however, has become more tourism-oriented, and has promoted the re-generation of the Sassi with the aid of the European Union, the government, UNESCO, and Hollywood. Today there are many thriving businesses, pubs, and hotels.

Vico San'Agostino, Sasso Barisano view

Because of the ancient and primitive scenery in and around the Sassi, it has been used by filmmakers as the setting for ancient Jerusalem. The following famous biblical period motion pictures were filmed in Matera: Pier Paolo Pasolinis The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964).

Matera's Tuff Quarry

Sanctuary of St. Mary of Palomba, Palomba

Bruce Beresfords King David (1985), Mel Gibsons The Passion of the Christ (2004), Catherine Hardwickes The Nativity Story (2006), Alberto Lattuada’s La Lupa (1953), Giuseppe Tornatore’s The Star Maker (1995), The Omen (2006). A chapter on Matera describing the life of the people living there in the 1930s is in the book Cristo si fermato a Eboli (“Christ stopped at Eboli”) by Carlo Levi. This book was also turned into a film.

More panoramas of Matera can be seen in Arounder Matera as well as on your mobile with the aroundertouch app.

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Sassi di Matera, Italy

Bremen, home to the world famous Town Musicians, puts itself on the map as the pulsating, multifaceted heart of North West Germany. The 1,200 year old Hanseatic city has a unique quality that ensures a metropolitan city experience like no other.

Guest Photographer feature: Discover Bremen through Ina-Maria Meckies & Hans Doehle’s Eyes.

Film-making, social anthropology, journalism and webwork were the ingredients melting together when Ina-Maria and Hans started with panorama shooting many years ago. owning a small web-agency it was natural to provide a panoramic service to their clients and further on; collaborations with the Tourism Board of Bremen and the Tourism Authority of Thailand set the marks. travelling to the kingdom regularly allowed Ina-Maria and Hans to witness the ongoing changes in the country and those things which stay for ever. awesome landscapes, traditional buildings and ultra-modern architecture are found in the lens snapshots of ceremonies, natural scenery and streetlife, working places of the people …

We love doing panorama-shots at the shoemaker, in a dental-laboratory or during a wedding ceremony inside the church – we love to catch the moment of real life. Reporting with a picture is the idea, Ina-Maria and Hans try to include in every panorama they make. Following the rule that quality is a matter of manual work, they have published several projects like panorama-thailand.com and bremen-rundum.de.

Going back and forth between Bremen and Bangkok is a challenge for Ina-Maria and Hans, changing from cold to hot, from hanseatic coolness to thai relaxation, from here to there offers the chance to bring a fresh breeze to the tropical thai beach and add some warmth to a frozen winters marketplace. But crucial is the deep affection to the places, where pictures are taken. Thailand and Northern Germany are only relatively small areas on our globe and we decided to show the beauty of these places we love. For this, Ina-Maria and Hans use 3 panorama-heads hers, his and the one that holds the camera.

More about Ina-Maria & Hans can be found at: immidea.com

Town Musicians of Bremen

Waterfront Bremen

The City Municipality of Bremen (German: Stadtgemeinde Bremen, pronounced [bemn]) is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area (2.4 million people).

Freimarkt from the top

Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany. Bremen is some 60 km (37 mi) south from the Weser mouth on the North Sea. With Bremerhaven right on the mouth the two comprise the state of Bremen (official name: Freie Hansestadt Bremen – Free Hanseatic City of Bremen).

Schnoor

In 150 AD the geographer Ptolemy refers to Fabiranum or Phabiranum, known today as Bremen. At that time the Chauci lived in the area now called north-western Germany or Lower Saxony. By the end of the 3rd century, they had merged with the Saxons. During the Saxon Wars (772-804) the Saxons, led by Widukind, fought against the West Germanic Franks, the founders of the Carolingian Empire and lost the war. Charlemagne, the King of the Franks, made a new law, the Lex Saxonum. This law stated that Saxons were not allowed to worship Odin (the god of the Saxons), but rather that they had to convert to Christianity on pain of death. This period was called the Christianisation. In 787 Willehad of Bremen was the first Bishop of Bremen. In 848 the diocese of Hamburg merged with the diocese of Bremen, and in the following centuries the bishops of Bremen were the driving force behind the Christianisation of north Germany. In 888 Archbishop Rimbert, managed to get Kaiser Arnulf of Carinthia, the Carolingian King of East Francia, to grant Bremen the right to hold its own markets, to mint its own coins and make its own customs laws. The first stone city walls were built in 1032. Around this time trade with Norway, England and the northern Netherlands began to grow, thus increasing the importance of the city.

Europahafen, port

In 1186 the Bremian Prince-Archbishop Hartwig of Uthlede and his bailiff in Bremen confirmed – without generally waiving the prince-archiepiscopal overlordship over the city – the Gelnhausen Privilege, by which Frederick I Barbarossa granted the city considerable privileges. The city was recognised as a political entity with its own laws. Property within the municipal boundaries could not be subjected to feudal overlordship; this also applied to serfs who acquired property, if they managed to live in the city for a year and a day, after which they were to be regarded as free persons. Property was to be freely inherited without feudal claims for reversion to its original owner. This privilege laid the foundation for Bremen’s later status of imperial immediacy (Free Imperial City). In fact, however, Bremen did not have complete independence from the Prince-Archbishops, in that there was no freedom of religion, and burghers were still forced to pay taxes to the Prince-Archbishops. Bremen played a double role; it participated in the Diets of the neighbouring Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen as part of the Bremian Estates and paid its share of taxes, at least when it had previously consented to this levy. Since the city was the major taxpayer, its consent was generally sought. In this way the city wielded fiscal and political power within the Prince-Archbishopric, while not allowing the Prince-Archbishopric to rule in the city against its consent. In 1260 Bremen joined the Hanseatic League.

Weserstadion, soccer field

When the Protestant Reformation swept through Northern Germany, St Peter’s cathedral belonged to the cathedral immunity district (German: Domfreiheit), an extraterritorial enclave of the neighbouring Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen. The cathedral chapter which was still Catholic at that time closed St Peter’s in 1532 after a mob consisting of Bremen’s burghers had forcefully interrupted a Catholic mass and prompted a pastor to hold a Lutheran service. Roman Catholic Church was condemned by most local burghers as a symbol of the abuses of a long Catholic past. In 1547 the chapter, which had in the mean time become predominantly Lutheran, appointed the Dutch Albert Rizaeus, called Hardenberg, as the first Cathedral pastor of Protestant affiliation. Rizaeus turned out to be a partisan of the Zwinglian understanding of the Lord’s Supper, which was rejected by the then Lutheran majority of burghers, the city council, and chapter. So in 1561 – after heated disputes – Rizaeus was dismissed and banned from the city and the cathedral again closed its doors. However, as a consequence of that controversy the majority of Bremen’s burghers and city council adopted Calvinism by the 1590s, while the chapter, which was at the same time the body of secular government in the neighbouring Prince-Archbishopric, clung to Lutheranism. This antagonism between a Calvinistic majority and a Lutheran minority, though it had a powerful position in its immunity district (mediatised as part of the city in 1803), remained dominant until in 1873 the Calvinist and Lutheran congregations of Bremen were reconciled and founded a united administrative umbrella Bremian Protestant Church, which still exists today, comprising the bulk of Bremen’s burghers. At the beginning of the 17th c. Bremen continued to play its double role, wielding fiscal and political power within the Prince-Archbishopric, but not allowing the Prince-Archbishopric to rule in the city without its consent.

View from Atlantic Hotel Sail City platform

In 1811, Napoleon invaded Bremen and integrated it as the capital of the Dpartement de Bouches-du-Weser (Department of the Mouths of the Weser) into the French State. In 1813, the French – as they retreated – withdrew from Bremen. Johann Smidt, Bremen’s representative at the Congress of Vienna, was successful in achieving the non-mediatisation of Bremen, Hamburg and the Lbeck by which they were not incorporated into neighbouring monarchies, but became sovereign republics. The first German steamship was manufactured in 1817 in the shipyard of Johann Lange. In 1827, Bremen, under Johann Smidt, its mayor at that time, purchased land from the Kingdom of Hanover, to establish the city of Bremerhaven (Port of Bremen) as an outpost of Bremen because of the increased silting up of the river Weser. Brauerei Beck & Co KG, a brewery, was founded in 1837 and remains in operation today. The shipping company The North German Lloyd (NDL) was founded in 1857. Lloyd was a byword for commercial shipping and is now a part of Hapag-Lloyd. In 1872, the Bremer Cotton Exchange was created.

Town Hall of Bremen, The Golden Chamber

A Soviet (Council) Republic of Bremen existed from November 1918 to February 1919 in the aftermath of World War I before it was overthrown by Gerstenberg Freikorps. Henrich Focke, Georg Wulf and Werner Naumann founded Focke-Wulf Flugzeugbau AG in Bremen in 1923; the aircraft construction company as of 2010 forms part of Airbus[citation needed], a manufacturer of civil and military aircraft. Borgward, an automobile manufacturer, was founded in 1929, and is today part of Daimler AG.

Bremen Roland and City Hall

The town of Vegesack became part of the city of Bremen in 1939: the Bremen-Vegesack concentration camp operated during World War II. Following the bombing of Bremen in World War II, the British 3rd Infantry Division under General Whistler captured Bremen in late April 1945.[3] After World War II, the city became an enclave, part of the American occupation zone. Bremen’s mayor Wilhelm Kaisen (SPD) travelled 1946 to the U.S. to seek Bremen’s independence from Lower Saxony, as Bremen had traditionally been a city-state. In 1947, Martin Mende founded Nordmende, a manufacturer of entertainment electronics. In 1958, OHB-System, a manufacturer of medium-sized spaceflight satellites, was founded.

Many more panoramas of Bremen can be found in Arounder Bremen.

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Bremen

Ibiza or Eivissa (Catalan) is a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea 79 km off the coast of the city of Valencia in Spain.
It is the third largest of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain. With Formentera, it is one of the two Pine Islands or Pityuses.
Ibiza is a very Firmly established among Europes trendiest resorts, is wholly unique, with an intense, outrageous street life and a floating summer population. Ibiza is a very tolerant and cosmopolitan place where you can have a great time in the many clubs. place where you can have a great time in the many clubs.

Baluarte de Santa Llucia

From breathtaking scenery to local arts and crafts, Ibiza has a lot more to offer than just sunbathing. The city of Eivissa the island’s capital-, is a must for visitors to the island. Its fortification, declared a World Heritage Site, is full of narrow streets and monuments such as the Castle and the Cathedral. Its construction was ordered by Philip II of Spain, giving Eivissa a strategic role in his defence policy for the Mediterranean. The fortification’s aim was to stop the Berber pirates’ invasions and plunders. It was the Italian engineer Giovanni Batista Calvi who conducted the ambitious project of erecting these defensive walls. Afterwards, Jacobo Paleazzo Fratn enlarged the initial project and carried it out. The construction started in 1554 and it is believed to have lasted 31 years.

El Puerto

Nowadays, Dalt Vila’s historic centre has been transformed into an outdoor museum. It is a place where the visitor can find traces of all the peoples that have settled in the island: Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, and Muslims, up to the Conquest of Catalonia in the XIII century. The main gateway to enter this historical complex is the Portal de Ses Taules drawbridge, as well as the Mercat Vell (Old Market), although other beautiful gates can be used, such as the Portal Nou, next to the Reina Sofia Park.

Once inside the fortification, there are several monuments you can visit: the Cathedral, which is the Diocesan Museum’s See; Santo Domingo’s Church; San Ciriaco’s Chapel, the City Council’s See whose cloister is used as a venue for many sort of exhibitions, concerts, and cultural events throughout the year; and finally, the Archaelogical Museum, where you can find an impressive collection of pieces that belonged to the island ancient inhabitants, from Prehistory to the Islamic Middle Ages.

A series of signs shows the visitors where to go and informs them about the citadel’s history and the magnificent Castle located inside, which is about to be transformed into a Parador Hotel.

Both the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Puget Museum are located in Dalt Vila, as well as the Madina Yabisa Interpretation Centre, which allows the visitor to know more about the city’s history through visual technology.

Dalt Vila’s historic centre is strongly influenced by History’s weight and the charm of a lively cosmopolitan city. Life flows in the Squares (Plaza de la Vila, Plaza de Sa Carrosa) or in the Calle de la Virgen, where the visitor can find people from all over the world who are keen to enjoy a multicultural inspiring atmosphere. There are many handicrafts shops, art galleries, hotels and restaurants all along this area.

Carrer de la Mare de Du

Each year on the second weekend of May, the Institutions’ representatives and the people living in Dalt Vila celebrate the fact that the town has been declared World Heritage. The fortification then turns into a great medieval Fair, full of minstrels, artists, goldsmiths, musicians and confectioners, who can enjoy a wonderful view of the coast and the harbour. The event is free so that everybody can attend. It lasts three days and gathers over 100.000 people every year.

Carrer de Sant Ciriac

Other interesting places outside the fortification are the necropolis Puig des Molins, which was used as a cemetery for more than one thousand years, nowadays having 3,500 underground tombs, and the ancient irrigation systems, known as “Portals de Feixa”, declared “Site of Cultural Interest” by the Island Government.

Ronda del Fratin

Eivissa City offers a good number of services to travellers and residents, such as hospitals, chemists’, banks, European countries’ consulates and shopping areas. The Barrio de la Marina, the Plaza del Parque, the Paseo de Vara de Rey, the Avenida de Espaa, the Calle Bartolom Rosell, and the Avenida de Isidoro Macabich are some of the main shopping areas. Several bus stations, as well as taxi ranks, can be found in the latter, from where the visitor can go to different places in the island.

View from Baluarte de San Juan

The Barrio de la Marina is a district that has grown around the Harbour, where many liners and cargo ships depart from and go to Dnia, Valencia or Barcelona. Apart from welcoming the travellers who come to the island by sea, this area is one of the most visited places by those who love going shopping or just wish to enjoy their spare time. Many shops and recreation facilities can be found in the city’s marina, located in the Marina Botafoc area. Botafoc’s cruise ship dock extension offers magnificent views of Dalt Vila, being one of the locals’ favourite places to go for a walk.
Scattered along the coast line, there are several beaches such as Talamanca and Platja d’en Bossa, where the visitor can enjoy any sort of nautical sport. Another beach, Ses Figueretes, is accessible from the city centre.

More panoramas of Ibiza old town can be seen in Arounder Ibiza.

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Ibizas (Eivissa) Old Town

Let’s start with what most likely is the most beautiful private suite pool around. For you to enjoy the Hotel Principe di Savoia Presidential Suite’s pool in Milan. Located on the top floor of the building, reachable with its private elevator, the Presidential Suite is the largest and most exclusive suite in Europe measuring 500sq meters (almost 5400sq feet). It features Empire style, original antique furniture and an elegant working fireplace in the living room.
The elegant dining room is furnished with French crystal, Limoges porcelain and silverware. Authentic Venetian XIX century mirrors, Murano glass lamp and chandeliers, marble and bronze wall lamps, original late XIX century prints and fine objects in marble and granite complete the luxurious location.

Milan: Hotel Principe di Savoia Presidential Suite's pool

Then let’s glimpse the Copacabana Palace pool in Rio de Janeiro. One of Rios storied hotels, the Copacabana Palace boasts a nearly unrivaled pool. Open 24 hours a day, their swimming pool is an escape from the bustling streets that border it. Old world charm and a full staff dedicated to serving guests all day, its enough to make one not take advantage of the hotels private beach service. With their Pergula restaurant situated poolside, the pool is flourishing with activity both day and night.
What to order poolside? The Pergula restaurant serves a mean feijoda a stew of mixed dried meats a Brazilian specialty. Take advantage of their classic Afternoon Tea, as well.

Rio de Janeiro: Copacabana Palace pool

And the more intimate black pool on the roof.

Rio de Janeiro: Copacabana Palace Black roof pool

Let’s move to Athens to the Divani Apollon Palace & Spa pool. The Divani Apollon Palace & Spa is a luxury resort hotel situated in the exclusive area of Vouliagmeni on the Athenian Riviera, Greece. Enjoying a spectacular beachfront location, just 18 km from Athens city centre, the Divani Apollon Palace & Spa was the first hotel in Athens to become a member of the Leading Hotels of the World.

Athens: Divani Apollon Palace & Spa pool

For you to enjoy the Grand Hyatt Berlin pool. Positioned next to Potsdamer Platz in the Mitte district, Grand Hyatt Berlin hotel is within walking distance of the main city landmarks: Brandenburg Gate, Reichstag, Berlin Tiergarten and the Philharmonic Hall. The hotel anchors the newly built centre of Potsdamer Platz with powerful architecture and innovative interior design. The modern art concept is present throughout our 5 star hotel in the designs of Hannes Wettstein, Tony Chi and the impressive presence of Jae Hyo Lee sculptures serving as buffet tables.

Berlin: Grand Hyatt pool

In George Clooney’s residence’s neighborhood you can find Villa d’Este‘s floating pool. Experience the splendor, the grandeur, the intrigue and the magic of Villa d’Este- an opulent hotel overlooking glorious Lake Como. Hailed as one of the best hotels in the world by Travel & Leisure, Cond Nast Traveler and Forbes Traveler, this famous resort destination has been widely praised for its beautiful gardens, exquisite cuisine, gala celebrations, impeccable dcor and extraordinary hospitality.

Como: Villa d'Este Pool

Maison Rorqual is a rare pearl in Corsica. Here’s the view of their infinity pool. The ancestral pastures of a hostile land once desired for its great richess. Villa “red whale” will know how to seduce you by its unique architecture blending harmony and originality, respecting the basics of the latest conforts which or lives have become accustomed to.
Hidden away from the “madding crowd” nestled in a acre of private gardens of juniper reserves, honey suckle and Italian everlasting flowers. Let yourself became bewitched by the magic of this extraordinary place.

Corsica: Maison Rorqual infinity pool

In Sardinia, at Hotel Don Diego‘s pool you can enjoy the spectacular view of Tavolara Island. Directly on the beach, the Hotel Don Diego rises on a ravishing cove facing the Marin Park of the islands of Tavolara and Molara. All the typical colors and scents of the lush Mediterranean vegetation grows all over the valley surrounding all the buildings. This discreet corner of paradise is the ideal place to go to relax, enjoy the emerald sea and admire romantic golden sunsets.

Sardinia: Hotel Don Diego pool

From island to island we finally reach Cyprus with the Le Meridien Limassol SPA & Resort Lagoon Pool. Through the lenses of art, design, fashion and cuisine, Le Mridien creates a stimulating, interactive experience that allows guests to see their destination from a new perspective. Exclusive to residents, the luxurious Le Mridien Limassol Spa & Resort is situated on 100,000m2 of landscaped gardens. It is located in Limassol on the Blue Flag beach Aoratoi, which translates from Greek as “Invisible”.

Le Meridien Limassol SPA & Resort Lagoon Pool

Far more east, in Dubai, you can find the Le Mridien Al Aqah Beach Resort‘s pool. Located on a 230m stretch of unspoilt golden beach, nestled between the Hajar Mountains and the Indian Ocean, The resort is perfectly placed to enable its guests to make the most of the Emirate’s year-round sunshine, accessible by a 90 minutes drive from Dubai International Airport.

Dubai: Le Mridien Al Aqah Beach Resort Pool

Actually this is not a pool, but the fountain of Hotel Las Arenas in Valencia. I thought to add it here since it looks really nice. The Hotel Balneario Las Arenas is the only Great Luxury Five star Hotel in the Santos chain, it belongs to the select LHW Club, and was born from the desire to claim back recuperate the beaches of Las Arenas and La Malvarrosa in the city of Valencia, combining the architectural beauty of the historical thermal spa of Las Arenas, founded in 1898, with the elegance and comfort of modern design, set in a privileged position by the sea. Using the architectural structures of the existing pavilions in the old Spa as a guide, this building with its classical lines has become a point of reference for everyone visiting Valencia.

Valencia: Hotel Las Arenas Fountain

Much more can be found in the Arounder.com web site as well as on the Aroundertouch on your iPhone, iPad and Android.

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Pools around the World

Formentera is known as the last Mediterranean paradise because it has been able to combine tourism with environmental protection. The struggle of various generations of Formenterans has made possible the conservation of an island whose beaches, transparent waters and climate make it a little jewel in the Mediterranean Sea.

Es cap de la mola dawn

Formentera can only be reached by boat from Ibiza, but this inaccessibility makes it a peaceful place where you can flee from stress and overcrowding. The island is flat and sandy with magnificent, unspoilt beaches. There are a few places where the land rises to present spectacular cliffs to the sea. It is perfect for cycling, walking, snorkeling and sailing. Its cultural attractions include some megalithic sites, a roman road, some watch-towers (18th century), the 18th century chapel of Sant Francesc Xavier and a small Ethnological museum.

Playa Ses Illetes

Cala es mort

Sant Francesc Xavier esglesia

The secret of the existence of a crystalline sea and Formentera’s long beaches, which mark it out from the rest of the Mediterranean, is the posidonea prairie that surrounds the island, a natural treatment plant that cleans the water and makes it possible for sand to be deposited on the coast. It is a real underwater jungle, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999.

Cala Sasindria

Other facts differentiating Formentera are the freedom and its light, which, since the ’70s, has made it attractive for artists and artisans, who are nowadays part of the island’s differential heritage. Their designs in clothes, accessories, jewellery and their works of art are powerful attractions for Formentera.

El moli de la mola

Some of the islanders make their living from small-scale traditional fishing. In parts of the island, the soil is good enough to support vines and fruit trees. Several parts of the island are covered in Mediterranean pine trees. Salt marshes (now abandoned) are defining features of parts of the island. However, tourism is the biggest sector of the local economy.

Pou de Verro

With a population of just over 7000 and no airport, Formentera is much quieter than its neighbor Ibiza. However, in the peak season of July-August, it draws huge numbers of tourists. In peak season, advance booking for hotels is absolutely essential. The hotels on the island are mostly small and independently owned. The majority are in the one- and two-star categories. There are also many small apartment developments. There are no high rise buildings on Formentera. Camping is forbidden on the island.

Formentera View from the sea

Outside the peak season when the tourists are high spenders, Formentera has an atmosphere of simplicity and back-to-nature that is the heritage of its past hippie phase. Most people sunbath nude on Formentera.

Las Salinas

More and more, parts of the island are actively managed as a national park with, for example, board-walks through the sand dunes to enable them to regenerate their vegetation. In addition, areas of the surrounding seas are designated as zones of particular scientific interest in which certain plant and fish species are protected.

More panoramas of Formentera can be seen in Arounder Formentera.

See the original post here:
Formentera: The last Mediterranean paradise

Formentera is known as the last Mediterranean paradise because it has been able to combine tourism with environmental protection. The struggle of various generations of Formenterans has made possible the conservation of an island whose beaches, transparent waters and climate make it a little jewel in the Mediterranean Sea.

Es cap de la mola dawn

Formentera can only be reached by boat from Ibiza, but this inaccessibility makes it a peaceful place where you can flee from stress and overcrowding. The island is flat and sandy with magnificent, unspoilt beaches. There are a few places where the land rises to present spectacular cliffs to the sea. It is perfect for cycling, walking, snorkeling and sailing. Its cultural attractions include some megalithic sites, a roman road, some watch-towers (18th century), the 18th century chapel of Sant Francesc Xavier and a small Ethnological museum.

Playa Ses Illetes

Cala es mort

Sant Francesc Xavier esglesia

The secret of the existence of a crystalline sea and Formentera’s long beaches, which mark it out from the rest of the Mediterranean, is the posidonea prairie that surrounds the island, a natural treatment plant that cleans the water and makes it possible for sand to be deposited on the coast. It is a real underwater jungle, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999.

Cala Sasindria

Other facts differentiating Formentera are the freedom and its light, which, since the ’70s, has made it attractive for artists and artisans, who are nowadays part of the island’s differential heritage. Their designs in clothes, accessories, jewellery and their works of art are powerful attractions for Formentera.

El moli de la mola

Some of the islanders make their living from small-scale traditional fishing. In parts of the island, the soil is good enough to support vines and fruit trees. Several parts of the island are covered in Mediterranean pine trees. Salt marshes (now abandoned) are defining features of parts of the island. However, tourism is the biggest sector of the local economy.

Pou de Verro

With a population of just over 7000 and no airport, Formentera is much quieter than its neighbor Ibiza. However, in the peak season of July-August, it draws huge numbers of tourists. In peak season, advance booking for hotels is absolutely essential. The hotels on the island are mostly small and independently owned. The majority are in the one- and two-star categories. There are also many small apartment developments. There are no high rise buildings on Formentera. Camping is forbidden on the island.

Formentera View from the sea

Outside the peak season when the tourists are high spenders, Formentera has an atmosphere of simplicity and back-to-nature that is the heritage of its past hippie phase. Most people sunbath nude on Formentera.

Las Salinas

More and more, parts of the island are actively managed as a national park with, for example, board-walks through the sand dunes to enable them to regenerate their vegetation. In addition, areas of the surrounding seas are designated as zones of particular scientific interest in which certain plant and fish species are protected.

More panoramas of Formentera can be seen in Arounder Formentera.

See the original post here:
Formentera: The last Mediterranean paradise

Saturday 06:30 AM, my iPhone emits the persistent “Marimba” sound. I wonder for a few seconds why I have to experience this torture, only to realize soon after that in less then an hour my train to Milan will be leaving. At the railway station I have just the time to get the latest issue of Monocle featuring the annual Quality of Life survey, before getting on the train. Destination is Milan, shooting at John Varvatos Spring / Summer 2012 Fashion Show at the deconsecrated church of San Paolo Converso . When I arrive on location I meet Mehmet, the Digital Marketing Manager of John Varvatos and soon after our photographer Maurizio Chiocchetti join us. It will take several hours until we can start shooting the empty venue.

Maurizio Chiocchetti

Here you see the empty venue at 14:00:

John Varvatos Spring / Summer 2012 Fashion Show at San Paolo Converso Church

Then we spend several hours shooting panos in the backstage, which are not yet cleared for publication.

backstage

Peace before the storm, minutes before the gates will open for the public.

Everything is ready

And the show begins. Here’s the finale panorama:

John Varvatos Spring / Summer 2012 Fashion Show Finale

The panoramas have been post produced on Sunday by Andrea Stefanoni and were published on John Varvatos web site Sunday evening New York time.
Today we published them in the events section of Arounder Milan as well as on Aroundertouch.

And here you can see the official video of the John Varvatos Spring / Summer 2012 Fashion Show.

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Milan Fashion Week: John Varvatos Spring / Summer 2012 Fashion Show

The installation of Oksana Mas by the title Post-vs-Proto-Renaissance -curated by Achille Bonito Oliva and Oleksiy Rogotchenko presented at the Biennale di Venezia at the Ukrainian Pavilion in the Church of San Fantin, is the section of a monumental artwork 134 meters long and 92 meters high composed of 3.640.000 wooden eggs. The iconographic reference is the work of the Van Eyck brothers, proto-Renaissance artists who painted The gardens of paradise, for a renowned altarpiece in the Flemish city of Ghent. The eggs form a veritable architecture whose structure evokes a mosaic in which the eggs iconographic tattoos constitute the single elements. Ancient and modern art merge into an image embracing stories of sins and dreams of redemption, hope in the future and a yearning for purity. Inside the Church of San Fantin, the installation ideally interacts with the sacredness of its surroundings: depending on the distance, the work breaks down as if it were a digital file of egg-pixels, each one representing the dramatic destiny of mankind. Contemplating the work of Oksana Mas is a form of initiation into a new life, a full life.

Post-vs-Proto-Renaissance, San Stae church

Art is the attempt to alleviate a bereavement, the loss of completeness and the descent into an incomplete and fragmentary world. In this regard, creation becomes a development and healing process of the artist who uses form as the crystal-clear evidence of a newfound wholeness. The sphere is the emblem of a circularity that flows and brings together, as shown in the history of art, which has always combined reason with instinct, rationality with spirituality ever since the Middle Ages.

Post-vs-Proto-Renaissance, San Fantin Church, interior

For several years now, Oksana Mas has been working on reclaiming the sphere as a geometric shape holding within itself a principle of universal oneness. The artist starts from the Ukrainian krashenki folk custom: wooden eggs covered in traditional Ukrainian decorations celebrating Easter. In order to realize this grand installation, the artist had thousands of people paint the eggs, incarnation of the sphere: inmates, intellectuals and people from different walks of life from forty-two different countries. She then assembled the painted eggs in her own studio to reconstruct the Ghent altarpiece on a far larger scale.

Oksana Mas was born in 1969 at Ilyichevsk in Ukraine, in the province of Odessa. In 1986 she graduated from her hometowns art school and in 1992 from the State Art School of Odessa. Without ever putting her artistic activity on hold, in 2003 she obtained a degree in philosophy. She lives and works in Odessa.

More panoramas of Venice can be seen in Arounder Venice.

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The 54th Venice Biennale, Ukrainian Pavilion, POST-vs-PROTO RENAISSANCE, San Fantin Church

Leader in business and entertainment, Dubai is the most modern and progressive emirate in the UAE.

Guest Photographer feature: Discover Dubai through Frigyes Toth & Zsolt Toth’s Eyes.

Frigyes is a computer programmer engineer and Zsolt is a graphic designer and digitally VR photographer. We can do everything in the Virtual Tours industry.

We are living in Dubai and running our own company Al Fanoos Al Malaki L.L.C. (alfanoos.net). Our main project is the 360emirates.com portal. You can see the best and important places within U.A.E and Dubai in this virtual tour collection. By using this interactive solution, you will be able to fly into virtual tour and fly away to another location. The virtual tours are combined with Google Earth layers and the result a unique product in the world… 360emirates.com.

The 360 degrees panorama photos give you the feeling that you are almost there. Our goal to increase this feeling by using all possible multimedia and interactive solutions. For example you can see a factory where machines are working inside the 360′s photo at gulfex.360emirates.com. A special hotel demonstration can be seen at stgeorge.360emirates.com and you can explore virtual tours from most luxury villas at albarari.com. Another important project created upon request of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities composed of more than 170 panorama photos can be seen at 360saudiarabia.com. We have virtual tour projects in the hotel industry (Hilton, Le Meridien, Atlantis, The Address, Crown Plaza… etc) and the tourism industry (Dubai Museum, Burj Khalifa Tower, Jumeirah Palm, Jumeirah Medinat…etc).

We like to shoot high quality in photo shooting and retouching and we try to use the latest multimedia solutions when we create a virtual tour.

More about Frigyes Toth & Zsolt Toth can be found at: 360emirates.com

Burj Khalifa Downtown

Dubai (Arabic: Dubayy English pronunciation: /duba/ doo-BYE) is one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the only two emirates to have veto power over critical matters of national importance in the country’s legislature. The earliest recorded mention of Dubai is in 1095, and the earliest settlement known as Dubai town dates from 1799. Dubai was formally established in the early 19th century by the Al Abu Falasa clan of Bani Yas, and it remained under clan control when the United Kingdom assumed the protection of Dubai in 1892.

Madinat Jumeirah Night

In the 1820s, Dubai was referred to as Al Wasl by British historians. Few records pertaining to the cultural history of the UAE or its constituent emirates exist and because of the region’s oral traditions, folklore and myth were not written down. The linguistic origins of the word Dubai are disputed; some believe it to have originated from the Persian language, while some believe that Arabic is its linguistic root. According to Fedel Handhal, a researcher in the history and culture of the UAE, the word Dubai may have come from the word Daba (a derivative of Yadub, which means to creep); referring to the slow flow of Dubai Creek inland. The poet and scholar Ahmad Mohammad Obaid traces it to the same word, but to its alternative meaning of locust.

Sheikh Zayed Road at Night

Tourism is an important part of the Dubai government’s strategy to maintain the flow of foreign cash into the emirate. Dubai’s lure for tourists is based mainly on shopping, but also on its possession of other ancient and modern attractions. As of 2007, Dubai was the 8th most visited city of the world. Dubai is expected to accommodate over 15 million tourists by 2015.Dubai is the most populous emirate of the seven emirates of United Arab Emirates.

Spice Souk Night – Deira

Marina Walk – Yachts

It is distinct from other members of the UAE in that a large part of the emirate’s revenues are from tourism. Dubai has been called the “shopping capital of the Middle East”. Dubai alone has more than 70 shopping malls, including the world’s 7th largest shopping mall, Dubai Mall. The city draws large numbers of shopping tourists from countries within the region and from as far as Eastern Europe, Africa and the Indian Subcontinent. While boutiques, some electronics shops, department stores and supermarkets operate on a fixed-price basis, most other outlets consider friendly negotiation a way of life. Dubai is also known for its souk districts located on either side of the creek.

Burj Khalifa at Night

Traditionally, dhows from the Far East, China, Sri Lanka, and India would discharge their cargo and the goods would be bargained over in the souks adjacent to the docks. Many boutiques and jewellery stores are also found in the city. Dubai is known as “the City of Gold” and Gold Souk in Deira houses nearly 250 gold retail shops. Dubai Duty Free at the Dubai International Airport offers merchandise catering to the multinational passengers using the airport.

More panoramas of Dubai can be seen in Arounder Dubai

See the original post here:
Dubai by Guest Photographers Frigyes Toth & Zsolt Toth

Between sea and mountain, Corsica has many surprises in store…

Guest Photographer feature: Discover Corsica through Mark Anderson’s Eyes.

Mark was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1968. After travelling and working with handicapped children in Israel, he arrived in Corsica with a one-way ticket when he was 20 years old. He immediately fell in love with the island and has lived there ever since. For him, it was simply a move from one island to another, this one with more sun but less Pubs. His first experience with photography was as a child endeavouring to make an old Brownie camera work with kitchen tin-foil as film. Years later, dreaming of wildlife photography, his first wages went towards a Nikon FG.

Interested in panoramic photography since the late 90s, it was not until a change in career became possible in 2006 that Mark decided to create his own business. At that time, flash panoramas became possible and with it, the vast majority of internet users could take a virtual tour without installing dedicated plugins. He approached his first client, a Corsican luxury hotel. They accepted and the business began. Learning the technique was not easy at first and often frustrating. Mark says acquiring a satisfactory quality and efficient workflow were difficult, but thanks to panographic forum members such as Hans Nyberg, John Houghton, to mention only a few, whom helped by sharing their knowledge.

The vast majority of Marks customers are in the tourist industry, hotels, residences and villas. When he can, he goes and shoots 360s of the villages in Corsica, a lucky number you may say as there are precisely 360 villages in the island of Corsica. Go Mark, theres still some more of those 360 villages to shoot.

More about Mark can be found at: 360corsica.com.

Rock formation Sunset over Calvi

The tourist wealth of this veritable miniature continent lies undeniably in its natural heritage. In this sense, Corsica differs from the idea one has of the Mediterranean islands. In fact, no other island is as green as Corsica: from its Laricio pine forests and emerald-green mountain lakes, to its fragrant maquis, cooling high mountain pastures and wine-growing lands.

Corsican goat

If Corsica is an emerald isle, it owes it to its unique topography in the Mediterranean: this mountain in the sea is well deserving of its nickname, with 120 peaks above an altitude of 2 000 m, which remain snow-capped until the spring. The 25 watercourses that flow through it make the island the best irrigated in the Mediterranean Basin.

Palombaggia beach

To top it all, Corsica offers the luxury of 1 000 km of the richest, most varied coastline. With a “Parc Naturel Rgional” [Regional Natural Park] that covers two-thirds of its surface area, Corsica is a well-preserved island divided between nature reserves and listed sites.

Mattei windmill

Port of Centuri

The island offers visitors all the very best of nature: rich fauna, the heady scents of its diverse flora, including numbers of endemic species, as well as the captivating colours of its sites. To maintain this balance, the “Parc Naturel Rgional de Corse” [Corsican Regional Natural Park], which stretches over 3 500 km of both land and sea, is a permanent site for preservation activities carried out by its officers. Five Rserves Naturelles [Nature Reserves] and one Parc Marin International [International Marine Park] have been created for the protection of unique and fragile flora and fauna.

La Pietra Lighthouse, L'le-Rousse

The Church of Saint Laurent of Lama

Another mission entrusted to the officers of the Corsican Regional Natural Park is to maintain the footpaths, which offer visitors an incomparable view of Corsican nature. Paths such as Da Mare a Mare (from sea to sea, i.e. from west to east), Tra Mare e Monti (across sea and mountain: from north to south) and the famous GR20 (one of the most difficult and spectacular walks in Europe) are unforgettable ways to discover Corsican nature.

More panoramas of Corsica can be seen in Arounder Corsica.

See the original post here:
Corsica by Guest Photographer Mark Anderson

Slightly off topic, but I believe it might be of interest for some of you. We send our photographers back in the game shooting panoramas in Crysis 2, to deliver the next best experience to actually playing the game. The panoramas can be seen in our sister site Panogames.com. Shooting and processing by Andrea Stefanoni.

Crysis 2: NY and Liberty

Crysis 2 Ship on the street

Crysis 2

More panoramas of Crysis 2 can he seen here.

In Crysis 2, New York City has been ravaged by a series of climatic disasters and a plague that has struck down on the citys population with brutal epidemic speed. The aliens have returned, stalking the streets and leaving the city in chaos, its skyline in flames. Set in a world of futuristic warfare where soldiers are not solely reliant on firing rifles and hurling grenades, players are empowered to use New York City as a virtual playground and become the ultimate weapon.

Crysis 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Crytek, published by Electronic Arts and was released in North America, Australia, and Europe in March 2011 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Officially announced on June 1, 2009, the game is the second main installment of the Crysis series, and is the sequel to the 2007 video game Crysis and Crysis Warhead. The story was written by author Richard Morgan, another science fiction author, Peter Watts, was also consulted and wrote a novel adaptation of the game. It is the first game to showcase the CryEngine 3 game engine.

If you’re up to visit the “real” New York, you might want to visit Arounder New York, or grab your iPhone, iPad or Android smartphone and download the Aroundertouch app.

See the original post here:
OT: Were back in the Game: Exclusive Panoramas of Crysis 2 on Panogames

Slightly off topic, but I believe it might be of interest for some of you. We send our photographers back in the game shooting panoramas in Crysis 2, to deliver the next best experience to actually playing the game. The panoramas can be seen in our sister site Panogames.com. Shooting and processing by Andrea Stefanoni.

Crysis 2: NY and Liberty

Crysis 2 Ship on the street

Crysis 2

More panoramas of Crysis 2 can he seen here.

In Crysis 2, New York City has been ravaged by a series of climatic disasters and a plague that has struck down on the citys population with brutal epidemic speed. The aliens have returned, stalking the streets and leaving the city in chaos, its skyline in flames. Set in a world of futuristic warfare where soldiers are not solely reliant on firing rifles and hurling grenades, players are empowered to use New York City as a virtual playground and become the ultimate weapon.

Crysis 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Crytek, published by Electronic Arts and was released in North America, Australia, and Europe in March 2011 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Officially announced on June 1, 2009, the game is the second main installment of the Crysis series, and is the sequel to the 2007 video game Crysis and Crysis Warhead. The story was written by author Richard Morgan, another science fiction author, Peter Watts, was also consulted and wrote a novel adaptation of the game. It is the first game to showcase the CryEngine 3 game engine.

If you’re up to visit the “real” New York, you might want to visit Arounder New York, or grab your iPhone, iPad or Android smartphone and download the Aroundertouch app.

See the original post here:
OT: Were back in the Game: Exclusive Panoramas of Crysis 2 on Panogames

Slightly off topic, but I believe it might be of interest for some of you. We send our photographers back in the game shooting panoramas in Crysis 2, to deliver the next best experience to actually playing the game. The panoramas can be seen in our sister site Panogames.com. Shooting and processing by Andrea Stefanoni.

Crysis 2: NY and Liberty

Crysis 2 Ship on the street

Crysis 2

More panoramas of Crysis 2 can he seen here.

In Crysis 2, New York City has been ravaged by a series of climatic disasters and a plague that has struck down on the citys population with brutal epidemic speed. The aliens have returned, stalking the streets and leaving the city in chaos, its skyline in flames. Set in a world of futuristic warfare where soldiers are not solely reliant on firing rifles and hurling grenades, players are empowered to use New York City as a virtual playground and become the ultimate weapon.

Crysis 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Crytek, published by Electronic Arts and was released in North America, Australia, and Europe in March 2011 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. Officially announced on June 1, 2009, the game is the second main installment of the Crysis series, and is the sequel to the 2007 video game Crysis and Crysis Warhead. The story was written by author Richard Morgan, another science fiction author, Peter Watts, was also consulted and wrote a novel adaptation of the game. It is the first game to showcase the CryEngine 3 game engine.

If you’re up to visit the “real” New York, you might want to visit Arounder New York, or grab your iPhone, iPad or Android smartphone and download the Aroundertouch app.

See the original post here:
OT: Were back in the Game: Exclusive Panoramas of Crysis 2 on Panogames

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia after Sydney. The Melbourne City Centre (also known as the “Central Business District” or “CBD”) is the hub of the greater geographical area (or “metropolitan area”) and the Census statistical divisionof which “Melbourne” is the common name.

Balcony, Shrine of Rememberance

As of June 2009, the greater geographical area had an approximate population of four million. Inhabitants of Melbourne are called Melburnians.

Guest Photographer feature: Discover Melbourne through Aaron Spence’s Eyes.

“Quality 360panoramas located with online mapping is a match made in heaven.“

Buying an SLR camera in highschool during the late 80s kicked off Aaron’s love for and career in photography. His plummeting grades from a straight A student to a B minus student are testament to the all consuming passion he soon gained for photography. He entered the digital age of photography in 1996 with Photoshop 3.0.5 and a Nikon Coolscan II film scanner. In 2000 after years of computer based design, web, cd-rom, audio, video & photography he finally found the perfect blend of photography & computer imaging..the 360 degree panoramic virtual tour. Since that time, he’s continued working across many fields of digital multimedia while specializing in the shooting and production of panoramic virtual tours.
Over the past few years Aaron has done extensive research and development into panoramic photography workflows & systems for batch processing extremely high quality geo-referenced panoramic imagery. The fruit of these years of labor is his Panedia project, containing thousands of panoramas from all over Australia.

More about Aaron Spence can be found at: Panedia.com.

The metropolis is located on the large natural bay known as Port Phillip, with the city centre positioned at the estuary of the Yarra River (at the northern-most point of the bay). The metropolitan area then extends south from the city centre, along the eastern and western shorelines of Port Phillip, and expands into the hinterland. The city centre is situated in the municipality known as the City of Melbourne, and the metropolitan area consists of a further 30 municipalities.

Victoria Harbour

Melbourne was founded in 1835 (47 years after the European settlement of Australia) by settlers from Van Diemen’s Land. It was named by governor Richard Bourke in 1837, in honour of William Lambthe 2nd Viscount Melbourne. Melbourne was officially declared a city by Queen Victoria in 1847. In 1851, it became the capital city of the newly created colony of Victoria. During the Victorian gold rush of the 1850s, it was transformed into one of the world’s largest and wealthiest cities. After the federation of Australia in 1901, it then served as the interim seat of government of the newly created nation of Australia until 1927. Today, it is a centre for the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, sport and tourism. It is the birthplace of cultural institutions such as Australian film (as well as the world’s first feature film), Australian television, Australian rules football, the Australian impressionist art movement (known as the Heidelberg School) and Australian dance styles (such as New Vogue and the Melbourne Shuffle).

Cow Up A Tree Sculpture

It is also a major centre for contemporary and traditional Australian music. It is often referred to as the “cultural capital of Australia”. Melbourne has been ranked as one of the top three World’s Most Livable Cities by the Economist Group’s Intelligence Unit (since 2002), top 10 Global University Cities by RMIT’s Global University Cities Index (since 2006) and top 20 Global Innovation Cities by the 2thinknow Global Innovation Agency (since 2007). The metropolis is also home to the world’s largest tram network. The main airport serving Melbourne is Melbourne Airport.

Block Arcade

Before the arrival of European settlers, the area was occupied for an estimated 31,000 to 40,000 years[33] by under 20,000 hunter-gatherers from three indigenous regional tribes: the Wurundjeri, Boonwurrung and Wathaurong. The area was an important meeting place for the clans of the Kulin nation alliance, as well as a vital source of food and water. The first European settlement in Victoria was established in 1803 on Sullivan Bay, near present-day Sorrento, but this settlement was abandoned due to a perceived lack of resources. It would be 30 years before another settlement was attempted. In May and June 1835, the area that is now central and northern Melbourne was explored by John Batman, a leading member of the Tasmanian Port Phillip Association, who negotiated a purchase of 600,000 acres (2,400 km2) with eight Wurundjeri elders. Batman selected a site on the northern bank of the Yarra River, declaring that “this will be the place for a village”, and returned to Launceston in Tasmania (then known as Van Diemen’s Land). By the time a settlement party from the Association arrived to set up the new village, a separate group organised and financed by John Pascoe Fawkner had already arrived (on 30 August 1835) aboard his ship the Enterprize and established a settlement at the same location. The two groups ultimately agreed to share the settlement.

Flinders Street Station

Melbourne is an international cultural centre, with cultural endeavours spanning major events and festivals, drama, musicals, comedy, music, art, architecture, literature, film and television. It was the second city after Edinburgh to be named a UNESCO City of Literature and has thrice shared top position in a survey by The Economist of the world’s most livable cities on the basis of a number of attributes which include its broad cultural offerings.

Melbourne Pier

Melbourne has a highly diversified economy with particular strengths in finance, manufacturing, research, IT, education, logistics and transportation, conventions and tourism. Melbourne is headquarters for many of Australia’s largest corporations, including five of the ten largest in the country (based on revenue), and five of the largest six in the country (based on market capitalization) (ANZ, BHP Billiton (the world’s largest mining company), the National Australia Bank, Rio Tinto and Telstra); as well as such representative bodies and thinktanks as the Business Council of Australia and the Australian Council of Trade Unions. The city is home to Australia’s largest and busiest seaport which handles more than $75 billion in trade every year and 39% of the nation’s container trade.

Melbourne Museum

Melbourne Airport provides an entry point for national and international visitors, and is Australia’s second busiest airport. Melbourne is an important financial centre. Two of the big four banks, NAB and ANZ, are headquartered in Melbourne. The city has carved out a niche as Australias leading centre for superannuation (pension) funds, with 40% of the total, and 65% of industry super-funds including the $40 billion-dollar Federal Government Future Fund. The city was rated 34th within the top 50 financial cities as surveyed by the Mastercard Worldwide Centers of Commerce Index (2007), between Barcelona and Geneva, and second only to Sydney (14th) in Australia.

Carlton Gardens

Melbourne is Australia’s industrial centre. It is the centre of Australia’s automotive industry, which includes Ford and Toyota manufacturing facilities, and the engine manufacturing facility of Holden and parts suppliers. It has the Australian automotive headquarters and design centres. It is also home to a very wide variety of other manufacturers, ranging from petrochemicals, aircraft parts and pharmaceuticals to fashion garments, paper manufacturing and food processing.

More panoramas of Melbourne can be seen in Arounder Melbourne.

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Melbourne, Australia by Guest Photographer Aaron Spence

Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. It lies 335 km (208 mi) south west of the nearest large town, Alice Springs; 450 km (280 mi) by road. Kata Tjuta and Uluru are the two major features of the Uluu-Kata Tjua National Park. Uluru is sacred to the Aagu, the Aboriginal people of the area. It has many springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings. Uluru is listed as a World Heritage Site.

Guest Photographer feature: Discover Uluru – Ayers Rock through Aaron Spence’s Eyes.

“Quality 360panoramas located with online mapping is a match made in heaven.“

Buying an SLR camera in highschool during the late 80s kicked off Aaron’s love for and career in photography. His plummeting grades from a straight A student to a B minus student are testament to the all consuming passion he soon gained for photography. He entered the digital age of photography in 1996 with Photoshop 3.0.5 and a Nikon Coolscan II film scanner. In 2000 after years of computer based design, web, cd-rom, audio, video & photography he finally found the perfect blend of photography & computer imaging..the 360 degree panoramic virtual tour. Since that time, he’s continued working across many fields of digital multimedia while specializing in the shooting and production of panoramic virtual tours. Over the past few years Aaron has done extensive research and development into panoramic photography workflows & systems for batch processing extremely high quality geo-referenced panoramic imagery. The fruit of these years of labor is his Panedia project, containing thousands of panoramas from all over Australia.

More about Aaron Spence can be found at: Panedia.com.

Uluru Sunset Viewing Area

The local Pitjantjatjara people call the landmark Uluu (Aboriginal pronunciation: [uluu]). This word has no further particular meaning in their language, also known as Pitjantjatjara, but it is also used as a local family name by the senior Traditional Owners of Uluru. On 19 July 1873, the surveyor William Gosse sighted the landmark and named it Ayers Rock in honour of the then Chief Secretary of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers. Since then, both names have been used, although Ayers Rock was the name used by most people. In 1993, a dual naming policy was adopted that allowed official names that consist of both the traditional Aboriginal name and the English name.

On 15 December 1993, it was renamed “Ayers Rock / Uluru” and became the first officially dual-named feature in the Northern Territory. The order of the dual names was officially reversed to “Uluru / Ayers Rock” on 6 November 2002 following a request from the Regional Tourism Association in Alice Springs.

Uluru – Ayers Rock

Uluru is one of Australia’s most recognisable natural icons. The world-renowned sandstone formation stands 348 m (1,142 ft) high (863 m/2,831 ft above sea level) with most of its bulk below the ground, and measures 9.4 km (5.8 mi) in circumference. Both Uluru and Kata Tjuta have great cultural significance for the Aangu Traditional landowners, who led walking tours to inform visitors about the local flora and fauna, bush foods and the Aboriginal dreamtime stories of the area. Uluru is notable for appearing to change colour as the different light strikes it at different times of the day and year, with sunset a particularly remarkable sight when it briefly glows red. Although rainfall is uncommon in this semiarid area, during wet periods the rock acquires a silvery-grey colour, with streaks of black algae forming on the areas that serve as channels for water flow. Kata Tjuta, also called Mount Olga or The Olgas, is another rock formation about 25 km (16 mi) west of Uluru. Special viewing areas with road access and parking have been constructed to give tourists the best views of both sites at dawn and dusk.

Uluru Mutitjulu Waterhole

Uluru is an inselberg, literally “island mountain”, an isolated remnant left after the slow erosion of an original mountain range. Uluru is also often referred to as a monolith, although this is a somewhat ambiguous term that is generally avoided by geologists.

Uluru, Southern Face

The remarkable feature of Uluru is its homogeneity and lack of jointing and parting at bedding surfaces, leading to the lack of development of scree slopes and soil. These characteristics led to its survival, while the surrounding rocks were eroded. For the purpose of mapping and describing the geological history of the area, geologists refer to the rock strata making up Uluru as the Mutitjulu Arkose, and it is one of many sedimentary formations filling the Amadeus Basin.

More panoramas by Aaron Spence of Uluru – Ayers Rock can be seen in Arounder Uluru.

See the original post here:
Uluru Ayers Rock by Guest Photographer Aaron Spence

New Caledonia has the largest coral reef lagoon in the world, decorated with small lagoon islands each surrounded by soft white sand beaches and coral reefs. In 2008 UNESCO listed the 24,000 square kilometre Lagoon as a World Heritage Site.

Aerial panorama Amedee

The lagoon is a constant delight for divers, surfers, pleasure boaters, fishers, sight seers, and those who just love to lay on pure white sand beaches and enjoy the sun. Over 40,000 ha of the reefs and islands are special marine reserves where visitors can swim with a spectacular array of fish amid crystal jungles of coral.

The people of Noumea are avid sports enthusiasts and overseas visitors find easy access to just about every kind of water sport imaginable. Facilities include luxury resorts, dive and snorkel equipment, boats of every size and description from kite surf rigs to charter yachts and big high speed ferries to lagoon Islands.

Ua fringing reef

There are helicopter tours, day trips for diving, snorkelling and whale watching, and beaches galore. Enjoy a virtual expedition of the New Caledonia Lagoon on Arounder.

Clown fish colony

More panoramas by Richard Chesher of New Caledonia can be seen in Arounder New Caledonia.

See the original post here:
New Caledonia Lagoon

The Philippines, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas), is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam. The Sulu Sea to the southwest lies between the country and the island of Borneo, and to the south the Celebes Sea separates it from other islands of Indonesia. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea. Its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire and its tropical climate make the Philippines prone to earthquakes and typhoons but have also endowed the country with natural resources and made it one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world. An archipelago comprising 7,107 islands, the Philippines is categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Its capital city is Manila.

Guest Photographer feature: Discover the Philippines through Fung Yu’s Eyes.

Photography grabbed me while I was still in high school, having bought my first film SLR that time set the start of my journey in capturing images. But during the days of film, my eagerness slowly faded and after graduating from school with an engineering degree, sought a traditional job like most people; my camera a Casio RF-2, sadly sits on a shelve up to this day. The age of the digital camera arrived; the ability of viewing your pictures instantly reignited my interest, but again, only briefly. Somehow being tied to an 8-5 job doesn’t offer much time to explore your hidden passion.Then it hit me! I saw my first 360 panorama sometime in 1998, ‘photobubbles’ they were called during those days and they immediately caught my attention. Having the interest without the means translates to zero accomplishment; at least that was the way then. The equipment were expensive and you will need a license for every photo bubble you captured and stitched, add to that the absence of a market in my country – resistance to technology I called it – dampened my enthusiasm. But from this moment on, I faithfully followed the trend on the Internet, read whatever news I can find, while at the same time looking for an opportunity to introduce the technology locally.

The turning point came, after over 10 years of working in IT finally bored the hell out of me; and after 4 years of my first encounter with 360VR, no one in the Philippines pick on it. 360VR was like waiting for me, prowling, and finally it pounced!

So I quit my day job, taken a consulting position instead to give me more time to study my options. IPIX was still at the top of the 360 food chain and I almost go into that direction if not for the accidental encountered of cubic QTVR. I still remember quite vividly in seeing those 360VRs of the Bahamas, the exquisite details of the images, the explosion of colors… they just toke my breath away!
Got a Nikon Coolpix 5400 from Singapore, the Manfrotto 303SPH came via airfreight from the USA, Realviz Stitcher bought online and I was finally on my way of shooting 360 panoramas.

Shooting is one thing, post-production and coding was another. Learning HTML was the most challenging for me; fortunately forums like QuickTime-VR and Panotools was there to assist – and they still do up to this day, tremendously at that.
Got my first commercial client after several months of practice, and henceforth, never look back.

Today, I shoot mostly for the local real estate developers, the tourism industry, and to a large extend, in support of advocacy projects. My work spans from culture, heritage, transportation, journalism, and human interest. I continually strive for 360VR to be accepted in mainstream journalism – putting the viewer at the center of the news.
For me, 360VR offered the freedom to express my creativity in a niche way, the empowerment I seek, and the ability to use this technology for economic development and influence my generation and beyond for the betterment of my countrymen.

More about Fung Yu can be found at: virtualjournals.net.

With an estimated population of about 92 million people, the Philippines is the world’s 12th most populous country. An additional 11 million Filipinos live overseas. Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands. In prehistoric times, Negritos were some of the archipelago’s earliest inhabitants. They were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples who brought with them influences from Malay, Hindu, and Islamic cultures. Trade introduced Chinese cultural influences.

Boracay's White Beach

Rizal Park, Manila

The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 marked the beginning of an era of Spanish interest and eventual dominance. Manila emerged as the Asian hub of the ManilaAcapulco galleon fleet. Missionary work led to widespread Christianity. As the 19th century gave way to the 20th, there followed in quick succession the short-lived Philippine Revolution, the Spanish-American War, and the Philippine-American War. In the aftermath, the United States replaced Spain as the dominant power. Aside from the period of Japanese occupation, the United States retained sovereignty over the islands until the end of World War II when the Philippines gained independence. The United States bequeathed to the Philippines the English language and a stronger affinity for Western culture. Since independence the Philippines has had an often tumultuous experience with democracy, with popular “People Power” movements overthrowing a dictatorship in one instance but also underlining the institutional weaknesses of its constitutional republic in others.

Intramuros, Manila

Balangay boats formation in Sibutu

The Philippines’ international relations are based on trade with other nations and the well-being of the 11 million overseas Filipinos living outside the country. As a founding and active member of the United Nations, the Philippines has been elected several times into the Security Council. Carlos P. Romulo was a former President of the United Nations General Assembly. The country is an active participant in the Human Rights Council as well as in peacekeeping missions, particularly in East Timor.

Miag-ao, Iloilo City

The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a total land area, including inland bodies of water, of approximately 300,000 square kilometers (116,000 square miles). Its 36,289 kilometers (22,549 miles) of coastline makes it the country with the 5th longest coastline in the world. It is located between 116 40′, and 126 34′ E. longitude and 4 40′ and 21 10′ N. latitude and borders the Philippine Sea on the east, the South China Sea on the west, and the Celebes Sea on the south. The island of Borneo is located a few hundred kilometers southwest and Taiwan is located directly to the north. The Moluccas and Sulawesi are located to the south-southwest and Palau is located to the east of the islands.

Makati at night

Cutud Crucifixion

Most of the mountainous islands are covered in tropical rainforest and volcanic in origin. The highest mountain is Mount Apo. It measures up to 2,954 meters (9,692 feet) above sea level and is located on the island of Mindanao. The Galathea Depth in the Philippine Trench is the deepest point in the country and the third deepest in the world. The trench is located in the Philippine Sea. The longest river is the Cagayan River in northern Luzon. Manila Bay, upon the shore of which the capital city of Manila lies, is connected to Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the Philippines, by the Pasig River. Subic Bay, the Davao Gulf, and the Moro Gulf are other important bays. The San Juanico Strait separates the islands of Samar and Leyte but it is traversed by the San Juanico Bridge.

Batanes near Loran Station

Palawan Beach

The Philippines has a tropical maritime climate and is usually hot and humid. There are three seasons: tag-init or tag-araw, the hot dry season or summer from March to May; tag-ulan, the rainy season from June to November; and tag-lamig, the cool dry season from December to February. The southwest monsoon (from May to October) is known as the Habagat, and the dry winds of the northeast monsoon (from November to April), the Amihan. Temperatures usually range from 21C (70F) to 32C (90F) although it can get cooler or hotter depending on the season. The coolest month is January; the warmest is May.

More panoramas of the Philippines by Fung Yu can be seen in Arounder Philippines as well as on Your iPhone, iPad with the Aroundertouch app, or on Android market.

See the original post here:
Arounder Philippines by Guest Photographer Fung Yu

The Dolomites are a mountain range located in north-eastern Italy. It is a part of Southern Limestone Alps and extends from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley (Pieve di Cadore) in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley and the Sugana Valley (Val Sugana). The Dolomites are nearly equally shared between the provinces of Belluno, Bolzano-Bozen and Trento.

Dolomites

There are also mountain groups of similar geological structure that spread over the River Piave to the east – Dolomiti d’Oltrepiave; and far away over the Adige River to the west – Dolomiti di Brenta (Western Dolomites). There is also another smaller group called Piccole Dolomiti (Little Dolomites) located between the provinces of Trento, Verona and Vicenza (see the map).

Val Gardena / Alpe di Siusi, Seceda

A tourist mecca, the Dolomites are famous for skiing in the winter months and mountain climbing, hiking, climbing and Base Jumping, as well as paragliding and hang gliding in summer and late spring/early autumn. Free climbing has been a tradition in the Dolomites since 1887, when 17-year-old Georg Winkler soloed the first ascent of the pinnacle Die Vajolettrme.

Cortina d'Ampezzo, Gilardon

The main centres include: Rocca Pietore alongside the Marmolada Glacier, which lies on the border of the Trentino-Alto Adige/Sdtirol and Veneto regions, the small towns of Alleghe, Falcade, Auronzo, Cortina d’Ampezzo and the villages of Arabba, Urtiji and San Martino di Castrozza, as well as the whole of the Fassa, Gardena and Badia valleys.

In August 2009, the Dolomites were declared a natural heritage site by UNESCO.
In the first week in July, the Maratona dles Dolomites, an annual single-day road bicycle racing race covering seven mountain passes of the Dolomites, is staged.

More panoramas of the Dolomites can be seen in Arounder Dolomites.

See the original post here:
Arounder features World Heritage Site Dolomites

When it is calm, at high tide, it is a delight to snorkel in the calm lagoon waters of Ilot Maitre Marine Reserve. The white sand and turtle grass beds to the south of l’Escapade Island Resort offer an amazing variety of sea creatures. There are clusters of sea stars and every single one has it’s own kaleidoscope of colors, red, blue, yellow, orange, purple, green, and each decorated with tiny mountain ranges of harmless spires. Most of them are Pentaceraster alveolatus, reaching 13cm in diameter, but there is also another starfish, without spines along the edge of its arms and with brown spines, called Protoreaster nodosus.

Noumea Ilot maitre snorkeling

Three different species of sea turtles graze on the lush grass beds in the reserve. They don’t seem to mind spectators but move away if you move towards them. Like most sea creatures they are curious so, if you are quietly moving around looking at the starfish and sea shells (which you must not disturb because this is a protected marine reserve), the turtles might drift over to see what you have found.

More panoramas of Noumea, New Caledonia can be seen in Arounder New Caledonia and Arounder Noumea.

See the original post here:
Snorkeling at Ilot Maitre, Noumea, New Caledonia

When it is calm, at high tide, it is a delight to snorkel in the calm lagoon waters of Ilot Maitre Marine Reserve. The white sand and turtle grass beds to the south of l’Escapade Island Resort offer an amazing variety of sea creatures. There are clusters of sea stars and every single one has it’s own kaleidoscope of colors, red, blue, yellow, orange, purple, green, and each decorated with tiny mountain ranges of harmless spires. Most of them are Pentaceraster alveolatus, reaching 13cm in diameter, but there is also another starfish, without spines along the edge of its arms and with brown spines, called Protoreaster nodosus.

Noumea Ilot maitre snorkeling

Three different species of sea turtles graze on the lush grass beds in the reserve. They don’t seem to mind spectators but move away if you move towards them. Like most sea creatures they are curious so, if you are quietly moving around looking at the starfish and sea shells (which you must not disturb because this is a protected marine reserve), the turtles might drift over to see what you have found.

More panoramas of Noumea, New Caledonia can be seen in Arounder New Caledonia and Arounder Noumea.

See the original post here:
Snorkeling at Ilot Maitre, Noumea, New Caledonia

Tai O, also known as the “Venice of Hong Kong”, is a hot tourist spot for both foreigners and residents of other parts of Hong Kong, despite damage by a fire in July 2000. The pang uks, a kind of stilt house, built right over the waterway are still quite scenic.

Tai-O, fishing village

Tai-O, fishing village

Tai-O, fishing village bridge

A rope bridge tended by local women used to be quite popular with visitors, but it has been replaced with a steel pedestrian bridge.

Tai-O, fishing village

The traditional salted fish and shrimp paste and storefronts at Tai O. For a small fee, some residents will take tourists out on their boats along the river and for short jaunts into the sea. Many tourists come to Tai O specifically to take these trips to see Chinese white dolphins. It is also a good place to see the sunset.

More panoramas of Tai O and Hong Kong can be seen in Arounder Hong Kong.

See the original post here:
Tai O, the Venice of Hong Kong

Tai O, also known as the “Venice of Hong Kong”, is a hot tourist spot for both foreigners and residents of other parts of Hong Kong, despite damage by a fire in July 2000. The pang uks, a kind of stilt house, built right over the waterway are still quite scenic.

Tai-O, fishing village

Tai-O, fishing village

Tai-O, fishing village bridge

A rope bridge tended by local women used to be quite popular with visitors, but it has been replaced with a steel pedestrian bridge.

Tai-O, fishing village

The traditional salted fish and shrimp paste and storefronts at Tai O. For a small fee, some residents will take tourists out on their boats along the river and for short jaunts into the sea. Many tourists come to Tai O specifically to take these trips to see Chinese white dolphins. It is also a good place to see the sunset.

More panoramas of Tai O and Hong Kong can be seen in Arounder Hong Kong.

See the original post here:
Tai O, the Venice of Hong Kong

Most of the world’s population now lives in urban zones a first in the entirety of human history. In order to meet the increasing challenges of environmentalism, transportation, infrastructure and other hallmarks of urban planning, intrepid students and professionals alike must pool their resources, experiences and ideas together.
onlinecollegesanduniversities.net lists ArounderBlog in the 30 Best Blogs for Urban Planning Students.

“Don’t even think about reading the Arounder blog without first trying out the absolutely amazing tool it discusses and utilizes! The wondrous site provides maps and photos to virtually walk visitors around 74 (and growing!) locations and 2 of which are completely off-planet! Users choose from 4 different regions and explore the major cities from the comfort of their own browsers.” Kaytlin Cole, Onlinecollegesanduniversities.com

See the original post here:
ArounderBlog listed in the 30 Best Blogs for Urban Planning Students

Most of the world’s population now lives in urban zones a first in the entirety of human history. In order to meet the increasing challenges of environmentalism, transportation, infrastructure and other hallmarks of urban planning, intrepid students and professionals alike must pool their resources, experiences and ideas together.
onlinecollegesanduniversities.net lists ArounderBlog in the 30 Best Blogs for Urban Planning Students.

“Don’t even think about reading the Arounder blog without first trying out the absolutely amazing tool it discusses and utilizes! The wondrous site provides maps and photos to virtually walk visitors around 74 (and growing!) locations and 2 of which are completely off-planet! Users choose from 4 different regions and explore the major cities from the comfort of their own browsers.” Kaytlin Cole, Onlinecollegesanduniversities.com

See the original post here:
ArounderBlog listed in the 30 Best Blogs for Urban Planning Students

Zhouzhuang (Chinese: ; pinyin: Zhuzhung) is a town in Jiangsu province, China. It is located within Kunshan county-level city, 30 km southeast of Suzhou. Zhouzhuang is a popular tourist destination. It is one of the most famous water townships in China, noted for its profound cultural background, the well preserved ancient residential houses, the elegant watery views and the strong local colored traditions and customs. It has been called the “Venice of the East”

Zhouzhuang

The ancient town, which has a history of more than 900years old still keeps the intact, original ancient water villages style and pattern. The most famous attractions are Fuan Bridge, Double Bridge and the Hall of Shens Residence. Fuan Bridge is the only remaining three-dimensional building which made a connection between bridge and house.

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang is surrounded and divided by lakes and rivers, 14 stone bridges cross the rivers, showing distinctive views of the water-town. Double Bridge connected by two bridges as a whole. Stone Bridge was built in Ming Dynasty. It is firm and simple, and composed by a stone arch bridge and a beam bridge. The Stone Bridge, likes a lock, tightly connects the north-south River and Silver Band River.

Zhouzhuang

The Hall of Shens Residence is Qing-style. The overall structure looks very rigorous and the parts of the hall have different scenery. In addition, there are Quanfu Temple (Buddhist) and Chengxu Temple (Taoist) and other religion sites. The whole town connected to the bridges and streets, all houses were built on the river.

Zhouzhuang

The boat gently rocking and green shadow whirling on the bank of river. When you visit it, you will feel you are in a picture. Overseas newspapers called Zhouzhuang as “China’s first water village”. Small bridge, Flowing water, people is the special characteristics of Zhouzhuang. Every family has its own pier in the water town.

Zhouzhuang

In the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC), Zhouzhuang Suzhou was a part of the fief Yaocheng and called Zhenfengli. After being donated to Full Fortune (Quanfu) Temple by Zhou Digong, a very devout Buddhist, in 1086 during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), Zhouzhuang got its present name as a memorial of the donor.

More panoramas of Zhouzhuang can be seen in Arounder Shanghai.

See the original post here:
Zhouzhuang Chinas most Famous Water Township

Zhouzhuang (Chinese: ; pinyin: Zhuzhung) is a town in Jiangsu province, China. It is located within Kunshan county-level city, 30 km southeast of Suzhou. Zhouzhuang is a popular tourist destination. It is one of the most famous water townships in China, noted for its profound cultural background, the well preserved ancient residential houses, the elegant watery views and the strong local colored traditions and customs. It has been called the “Venice of the East”

Zhouzhuang

The ancient town, which has a history of more than 900years old still keeps the intact, original ancient water villages style and pattern. The most famous attractions are Fuan Bridge, Double Bridge and the Hall of Shens Residence. Fuan Bridge is the only remaining three-dimensional building which made a connection between bridge and house.

Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang is surrounded and divided by lakes and rivers, 14 stone bridges cross the rivers, showing distinctive views of the water-town. Double Bridge connected by two bridges as a whole. Stone Bridge was built in Ming Dynasty. It is firm and simple, and composed by a stone arch bridge and a beam bridge. The Stone Bridge, likes a lock, tightly connects the north-south River and Silver Band River.

Zhouzhuang

The Hall of Shens Residence is Qing-style. The overall structure looks very rigorous and the parts of the hall have different scenery. In addition, there are Quanfu Temple (Buddhist) and Chengxu Temple (Taoist) and other religion sites. The whole town connected to the bridges and streets, all houses were built on the river.

Zhouzhuang

The boat gently rocking and green shadow whirling on the bank of river. When you visit it, you will feel you are in a picture. Overseas newspapers called Zhouzhuang as “China’s first water village”. Small bridge, Flowing water, people is the special characteristics of Zhouzhuang. Every family has its own pier in the water town.

Zhouzhuang

In the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC), Zhouzhuang Suzhou was a part of the fief Yaocheng and called Zhenfengli. After being donated to Full Fortune (Quanfu) Temple by Zhou Digong, a very devout Buddhist, in 1086 during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), Zhouzhuang got its present name as a memorial of the donor.

More panoramas of Zhouzhuang can be seen in Arounder Shanghai.

See the original post here:
Zhouzhuang Chinas most Famous Water Township

The Shanghai World Financial Center (Abbr: SWFC) is a supertall skyscraper in Pudong, Shanghai, China. It is a mixed use skyscraper which consists of offices, hotels, conference rooms, observation decks, and shopping malls on the ground floors.

Park Hyatt Shanghai is the hotel component containing 174 rooms and suites. Occupying the 79th to the 93rd floors, it is the highest hotel in the world, surpassing the Grand Hyatt Shanghai on the 53rd to 87th floors of the neighboring Jin Mao Tower.

Shanghai World Financial Center

On 14 September 2007 the skyscraper was topped out at 492.0 meters (1,614.2 ft) and became the second-tallest building in the world; as well as the tallest structure in the People’s Republic of China, including Hong Kong. It also had the highest occupied floor and the highest height to roof, two categories used to determine the title of “The Worlds Tallest Building”.

On 28 August 2008, the SWFC officially opened for business and two days later, the world’s tallest observation deck opened with a view from three levels. The highest view is at 474 m (1,555 ft) above ground level. It continues to have the tallest observation deck in the world surpassing even the Burj Khalifa.

World Financial Center observation deck

The SWFC has been lauded for its design and was named by architects as the best skyscraper completed in 2008. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, the 101-story tower was originally planned for construction in 1997, but work was temporarily interrupted by the Asian Financial Crisis in the late 1990s and later to accommodate design changes by the developer.

The building of the tower is financed by several multinational firms, including Chinese, Japanese, and Hong Kong banks, as well as by the Japanese developer and as-yet unnamed American and European investors. American investment bank Morgan Stanley is coordinating the financing for Mori Building.

World Financial Center observation deck view

More panoramas of Shanghai can be seen in Arounder Shanghai.

See the original post here:
The Shanghai World Financial Center

The Rivellino art gallery is a differentiated multipurpose cutural complex.

The Rivellino: a 1507 autonomous fortress built by the King of France according to Leonardo da Vinci’s plans in order to protect the castle whose demolished rests were used in the 1530′s to connect the upper citt vecchia with the lower town (Piazza Grande which hosts the Locarno Film Festival). As a result the Rivellino remains an underground all to discover spire…

The Rivellino Art Gallery

The Rivellino Art Gallery enables an imaginary travel in the subconscious mind, an initiative by the Sciolli brothers Arminio and Paolo.

Recent exhibitions features Bob Wilson, Peter Greenaway, Stephan Spicher, Anthony Chretien, Incir Blent, Michele Lamassa, Pascal Murer, Umberto De Martino, Ivan Bianchi, Hermann Hesse, Mario Dondero, Hermann Hesse.

Official site ilrivellino.ch.

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The Rivellino Art Gallery, Locarno build by Leonardo da Vinci

We are pleased to announce that since friday Aroundertouch is available on Android Market.

Aroundertouch for Android

Aroundertouch for Android

Aroundertouch for Android

Aroundertouch for Android Viewer

Aroundertouch for Android Viewer

The app can be downloaded here.

See the original post here:
Aroundertouch is now available for download on Android Market

Aroundertouch iPhone and iPad app

Download Aroundertouch from the app store.

See the original post here:
Now installed, for the iPad2 launch, on the iPhones and iPad2 of all worldwide Apple Retail Stores, re-seller stores, and third-party stores selling Apple products.

Even better news: not only is Aroundertouch installed on the iPad2 of the Apple Retail Stores as well as the Apple re-seller stores, third-party stores selling Apple products, but also on the iPhones.

Aroundertouch on iPhone4 at Apple Store

Download Aroundertouch for iPad and iPhone from the app store.

See the original post here:
Aroundertouch app installed on the iPhones of all US Apple Retail Stores

Even better news: not only is Aroundertouch installed on the iPad2 of the Apple Retail Stores as well as the Apple re-seller stores, third-party stores selling Apple products, but also on the iPhones.

Aroundertouch on iPhone4 at Apple Store

Download Aroundertouch for iPad and iPhone from the app store.

See the original post here:
Aroundertouch app installed on the iPhones of all US Apple Retail Stores

Aroundertouch has been included in the selection of apps installed on the iPad2 at launch in US Apple stores which includes: Facebook, Tripadvisor, Yelp, Places, Financial Times, CNN, H&M etc.

Apps installed on iPad2 at launch in US Apple stores

The first screen shows the apple apps; the second and third, the selected third party apps, including Aroundertouch.

Download Aroundertouch from the app store.

See the original post here:
Aroundertouch has good company: apps installed on iPad2 at launch in US Apple stores

Aroundertouch has been included in the selection of apps installed on the iPad2 at launch in US Apple stores which includes: Facebook, Tripadvisor, Yelp, Places, Financial Times, CNN, H&M etc.

Apps installed on iPad2 at launch in US Apple stores

The first screen shows the apple apps; the second and third, the selected third party apps, including Aroundertouch.

Download Aroundertouch from the app store.

See the original post here:
Aroundertouch has good company: apps installed on iPad2 at launch in US Apple stores

Or should I say Apple store New York on Aroundertouch ?

iPad2, Aroundertouch and NY store

As previously mentioned Aroundertouch app has been chosen by Apple (out of +350000 apps) and installed on the iPad2 in all the 235 US Apple Retail Stores.

Right now Assaf Spiegler and Ivan Giuglietti of the Arounder team are in New York and send us some proof:

Assaf and Ivan, iPad 2 and Aroundertouch

And here’s the VR panorama by Guest Photographer Sam Rohn:

See the original post here:
Aroundertouch at Apple store New York

Or should I say Apple store New York on Aroundertouch ?

iPad2, Aroundertouch and NY store

As previously mentioned Aroundertouch app has been chosen by Apple (out of +350000 apps) and installed on the iPad2 in all the 235 US Apple Retail Stores.

Right now Assaf Spiegler and Ivan Giuglietti of the Arounder team are in New York and send us some proof:

Assaf and Ivan, iPad 2 and Aroundertouch

And here’s the VR panorama by Guest Photographer Sam Rohn:

See the original post here:
Aroundertouch at Apple store New York

Some time ago we got mail from Apple:

“The App Store has been a tremendous success and continues to grow thanks to innovative applications like yours. To continue this momentum we are interested in receiving a demo version of your application so that we can consider it for potential marketing opportunities.”

and

“DESCRIPTION OF USE: For use in the promotion and marketing of Apple products, including, but not limited to, in Apple retail stores, Apple re-seller stores, third-party stores selling Apple products, Apple events, Apple sales (including, but not limited to, education and corporate), and public relations activities. ”

So we immediately created a demo version of the app and send it to Apple.

Today we are pleased to announce that Aroundertouch app has been chosen by Apple (out of +350′000 apps) and installed it on the iPads in all the 235 US Apple Retail Stores.

See the original post here:
Aroundertouch app installed on the iPads of 235 US Apple Retail Stores

Some time ago we got mail from Apple:

“The App Store has been a tremendous success and continues to grow thanks to innovative applications like yours. To continue this momentum we are interested in receiving a demo version of your application so that we can consider it for potential marketing opportunities.”

and

“DESCRIPTION OF USE: For use in the promotion and marketing of Apple products, including, but not limited to, in Apple retail stores, Apple re-seller stores, third-party stores selling Apple products, Apple events, Apple sales (including, but not limited to, education and corporate), and public relations activities. ”

So we immediately created a demo version of the app and send it to Apple.

Today we are pleased to announce that Aroundertouch app has been chosen by Apple (out of +350′000 apps) and installed it on the iPads in all the 235 US Apple Retail Stores.

See the original post here:
Aroundertouch app installed on the iPads of 235 US Apple Retail Stores

A few months after it’s 1 year birthday, Aroundertouch has achieved some quite remarkable results which outperform by far all other VR panorama apps on the iOS market.

Downloads of the app throughout the world

• 750′000

Top regions are:

• Europe 46.5%
• China 26%
• United States 10.6%

Top app usage:

• Europe 64%
• North America 16%
• Asia 16%

Active push notifications:

• 180000

Top 20 app store ranks in lifestyle achieved by Aroundertouch:

App store ranks

So you will wonder about what’s next?

• New Design
• Geo-social networking
• Improvement of the location based services
• Augmented reality
• My Arounder login beta

Download Aroundertouch from the app store.

See the original post here:
Overwhelming global success for Aroundertouch iPhone and iPad app

A few months after it’s 1 year birthday, Aroundertouch has achieved some quite remarkable results which outperform by far all other VR panorama apps on the iOS market.

Downloads of the app throughout the world

• 750′000

Top regions are:

• Europe 46.5%
• China 26%
• United States 10.6%

Top app usage:

• Europe 64%
• North America 16%
• Asia 16%

Active push notifications:

• 180000

Top 20 app store ranks in lifestyle achieved by Aroundertouch:

App store ranks

So you will wonder about what’s next?

• New Design
• Geo-social networking
• Improvement of the location based services
• Augmented reality
• My Arounder login beta

Download Aroundertouch from the app store.

See the original post here:
Overwhelming global success for Aroundertouch iPhone and iPad app

We just finished post producing the missing 40 VR panoramas of Hangzhou. Below an appetizer, all the other can be found in Arounder Hangzhou. Or on your iPhone and iPad through our Aroundertouch app.

Liuhe Pagoda, entrance

The China Tea Museum, exhibition

Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor Park, Red Carp pond

Yanggong causeway

Lotus Park, West Lake

Binjiang District

Baochu Pagoda

See the original post here:
40 New Panoramas in Arounder Hangzhou

We just finished post producing the missing 40 VR panoramas of Hangzhou. Below an appetizer, all the other can be found in Arounder Hangzhou. Or on your iPhone and iPad through our Aroundertouch app.

Liuhe Pagoda, entrance

The China Tea Museum, exhibition

Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor Park, Red Carp pond

Yanggong causeway

Lotus Park, West Lake

Binjiang District

Baochu Pagoda

See the original post here:
40 New Panoramas in Arounder Hangzhou

Aroundertouch’s recent success in China created to date +65′000 downloads. Our users are widely distributed.

Aroundertouch's chinese audience

Top cities, out of 165 are:
Beijing
Shanghai
Hangzhou
Shenzhen
Guangzhou
Chengdu
Wuhan
Nanjing
Xi’an
Fuzhou
Qingdao
Chongqing
Harbin
Jinan
Changzhou
Tianjin
Changsha
Urumqi
Wuxi
Wenzhou
Lianyungang
Handan
Suzhou
Zhengzhou
Dalian
Huaian
Kunming
Nanning
Ningbo
Zhenjiang
Jilin
Dongguan
Nanping
Xiamen
Shaoxing
Xuzhou
Taiyuan
Hefei
Quanzhou

See the original post here:
Aroundertouchs chinese audience

Aroundertouch’s recent success in China created to date +65′000 downloads. Our users are widely distributed.

Aroundertouch's chinese audience

Top cities, out of 165 are:
Beijing
Shanghai
Hangzhou
Shenzhen
Guangzhou
Chengdu
Wuhan
Nanjing
Xi’an
Fuzhou
Qingdao
Chongqing
Harbin
Jinan
Changzhou
Tianjin
Changsha
Urumqi
Wuxi
Wenzhou
Lianyungang
Handan
Suzhou
Zhengzhou
Dalian
Huaian
Kunming
Nanning
Ningbo
Zhenjiang
Jilin
Dongguan
Nanping
Xiamen
Shaoxing
Xuzhou
Taiyuan
Hefei
Quanzhou

See the original post here:
Aroundertouchs chinese audience

Aroundertouch ranked in 13 iTunes app stores in the top 5, in 20 stores in the top 10, and in 75 stores in top 100 of it’s category (Lifestyle). In the Chinese store it achieved homepage presence in the “New and Noteworthy” section, for both iPhone and iPad versions.

In the last 30 days Aroundertouch universal app for iPhone and iPad has been downloaded 81′423 (95′405 times since January 1) from all over the word. Top countries were: China, Italy, USA, Spain, Germany, France, UK.

January 14 – February 11 downloads chart

We are very pleased to see to what extent our users engage in discussion sending us several hundred feedback through the app with compliments, requests, suggestions, desired destinations etc. We’ll do our best to fulfill all our users wishes.

See the original post here:
2011, a great start for Aroundertouch iPhone and iPad app

With the recent developments of our Aroundertouch app, in particular the launch of the iPad version, we are experiencing a dramatic increase in downloads and consequently overall usage of the app.

Over the last 3 days we had +18′000 downloads from China only, and some Chinese users reported slow access times. Therefore we are speeding up the long time planned migration of the content to Akamai’s Content Delivery Network.

Industry leader Akamai has the most pervasive, highly-distributed cloud optimization platform with over 73,000 servers in 70 countries within nearly 1,000 networks. Actually 85% of the world’s Internet users are within a single “network hop” of an Akamai server.

The migration on Akamai’s server of all the content of the apps should be completed latest within the next 48 hours, probably before.
So dear users, stay tuned, soon you will enjoy “light speed” panorama downloads on your iPhone and iPad

See the original post here:
Need for Speed? Aroundertouch is getting the Akamai treatment

With the recent developments of our Aroundertouch app, in particular the launch of the iPad version, we are experiencing a dramatic increase in downloads and consequently overall usage of the app.

Over the last 3 days we had +18′000 downloads from China only, and some Chinese users reported slow access times. Therefore we are speeding up the long time planned migration of the content to Akamai’s Content Delivery Network.

Industry leader Akamai has the most pervasive, highly-distributed cloud optimization platform with over 73,000 servers in 70 countries within nearly 1,000 networks. Actually 85% of the world’s Internet users are within a single “network hop” of an Akamai server.

The migration on Akamai’s server of all the content of the apps should be completed latest within the next 48 hours, probably before.
So dear users, stay tuned, soon you will enjoy “light speed” panorama downloads on your iPhone and iPad

See the original post here:
Need for Speed? Aroundertouch is getting the Akamai treatment

With the recent developments of our Aroundertouch app, in particular the launch of the iPad version, we are experiencing a dramatic increase in downloads and consequently overall usage of the app.

Over the last 3 days we had +18′000 downloads from China only, and some Chinese users reported slow access times. Therefore we are speeding up the long time planned migration of the content to Akamai’s Content Delivery Network.

Industry leader Akamai has the most pervasive, highly-distributed cloud optimization platform with over 73,000 servers in 70 countries within nearly 1,000 networks. Actually 85% of the world’s Internet users are within a single “network hop” of an Akamai server.

The migration on Akamai’s server of all the content of the apps should be completed latest within the next 48 hours, probably before.
So dear users, stay tuned, soon you will enjoy “light speed” panorama downloads on your iPhone and iPad

See the original post here:
Need for Speed? Aroundertouch is getting the Akamai treatment

Changchun is a beautiful city endowed with cultural atmosphere. Approved by the Ministry of Culture of China, Changchun Municipal Peoples Government and the National Guiding Committee for Urban Sculpture Construction began to hold the annual Changchun International Sculpture Exhibition from 1997. Over the past nine exhibitions, Changchun has accumulated 439 pieces of sculptures made by 395 well-known sculptors from 212 countries around the world. Changchun World Sculpture Park was built in 2003.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

Nestled in the southern part of Renmin Street, it covers 92 beautifully landscaped hectares. The combination of western gardening theory and the modern landscaping concept and the harmony of man and nature make the park full of special verves and miens. An 11-hectare lake also adds extra nimbus to the park. As an independent project, the park was awarded with its special achievements at the 3rd National Exhibition of Urban Sculpture Construction.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

The great white column of stone, Friendship, Peace and Spring, made by Ye Yushan, Pan He, Cheng Yunxian, Wang Keqing and Cao Chunsheng, 29.5 meters tall, won the award of Outstanding Sculpture at the 3rd National Exhibition of Urban Sculpture Construction.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

The sculptures here represent different cultures such as Eskimo Culture, Maya Culture, Maori Culture, Indian Culture and Eastern Culture, covers from realism, abstract expressionism, to modernism or post modernism and fully illustrates the unique feature of the park, namely, a sculpture park of the world, making it of great value and widespread influence around the world. Inside the park, there is a new-style multifunctional art gallery which covers 12600 square meters.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

Some one hundred sculptures made by the well-known sculptors at home and abroad are displayed there, and more are expected to be collected from the entries of the 10th National Art Exhibition. In 2004, The Exhibition of the Entries for the 10th National Art Exhibition, The Thousand Year Culture of Peru-Pottery Sculpture Exhibition, The Exhibition of the Exceptional Sculptures of the National Environment Protection Competition for Teenagers and The 3rd National Urban Sculpture Construction Achievement.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

More panoramas of the World Sculpture Park and Changchun can be seen in Arounder Changchun, as well as on your iPhone and iPad with the Aroundertouch app.

See the original post here:
Changchun World Sculpture Park

Changchun is a beautiful city endowed with cultural atmosphere. Approved by the Ministry of Culture of China, Changchun Municipal Peoples Government and the National Guiding Committee for Urban Sculpture Construction began to hold the annual Changchun International Sculpture Exhibition from 1997. Over the past nine exhibitions, Changchun has accumulated 439 pieces of sculptures made by 395 well-known sculptors from 212 countries around the world. Changchun World Sculpture Park was built in 2003.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

Nestled in the southern part of Renmin Street, it covers 92 beautifully landscaped hectares. The combination of western gardening theory and the modern landscaping concept and the harmony of man and nature make the park full of special verves and miens. An 11-hectare lake also adds extra nimbus to the park. As an independent project, the park was awarded with its special achievements at the 3rd National Exhibition of Urban Sculpture Construction.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

The great white column of stone, Friendship, Peace and Spring, made by Ye Yushan, Pan He, Cheng Yunxian, Wang Keqing and Cao Chunsheng, 29.5 meters tall, won the award of Outstanding Sculpture at the 3rd National Exhibition of Urban Sculpture Construction.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

The sculptures here represent different cultures such as Eskimo Culture, Maya Culture, Maori Culture, Indian Culture and Eastern Culture, covers from realism, abstract expressionism, to modernism or post modernism and fully illustrates the unique feature of the park, namely, a sculpture park of the world, making it of great value and widespread influence around the world. Inside the park, there is a new-style multifunctional art gallery which covers 12600 square meters.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

Some one hundred sculptures made by the well-known sculptors at home and abroad are displayed there, and more are expected to be collected from the entries of the 10th National Art Exhibition. In 2004, The Exhibition of the Entries for the 10th National Art Exhibition, The Thousand Year Culture of Peru-Pottery Sculpture Exhibition, The Exhibition of the Exceptional Sculptures of the National Environment Protection Competition for Teenagers and The 3rd National Urban Sculpture Construction Achievement.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

More panoramas of the World Sculpture Park and Changchun can be seen in Arounder Changchun, as well as on your iPhone and iPad with the Aroundertouch app.

See the original post here:
Changchun World Sculpture Park

Changchun is a beautiful city endowed with cultural atmosphere. Approved by the Ministry of Culture of China, Changchun Municipal Peoples Government and the National Guiding Committee for Urban Sculpture Construction began to hold the annual Changchun International Sculpture Exhibition from 1997. Over the past nine exhibitions, Changchun has accumulated 439 pieces of sculptures made by 395 well-known sculptors from 212 countries around the world. Changchun World Sculpture Park was built in 2003.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

Nestled in the southern part of Renmin Street, it covers 92 beautifully landscaped hectares. The combination of western gardening theory and the modern landscaping concept and the harmony of man and nature make the park full of special verves and miens. An 11-hectare lake also adds extra nimbus to the park. As an independent project, the park was awarded with its special achievements at the 3rd National Exhibition of Urban Sculpture Construction.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

The great white column of stone, Friendship, Peace and Spring, made by Ye Yushan, Pan He, Cheng Yunxian, Wang Keqing and Cao Chunsheng, 29.5 meters tall, won the award of Outstanding Sculpture at the 3rd National Exhibition of Urban Sculpture Construction.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

The sculptures here represent different cultures such as Eskimo Culture, Maya Culture, Maori Culture, Indian Culture and Eastern Culture, covers from realism, abstract expressionism, to modernism or post modernism and fully illustrates the unique feature of the park, namely, a sculpture park of the world, making it of great value and widespread influence around the world. Inside the park, there is a new-style multifunctional art gallery which covers 12600 square meters.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

Some one hundred sculptures made by the well-known sculptors at home and abroad are displayed there, and more are expected to be collected from the entries of the 10th National Art Exhibition. In 2004, The Exhibition of the Entries for the 10th National Art Exhibition, The Thousand Year Culture of Peru-Pottery Sculpture Exhibition, The Exhibition of the Exceptional Sculptures of the National Environment Protection Competition for Teenagers and The 3rd National Urban Sculpture Construction Achievement.

Changchun World Sculpture Park

More panoramas of the World Sculpture Park and Changchun can be seen in Arounder Changchun, as well as on your iPhone and iPad with the Aroundertouch app.

See the original post here:
Changchun World Sculpture Park

Changchun Movie Wonderland offers visitors the chance to experience the such special effects as 4D, laser, huge screen and water curtain and so on adopted in modern films in four big sections, namely, Innovated Science and Technology, Adventure Park, Film Experience and Art Appreciation of Games. It is a wonderland in which visitors can have much fun by participating, experiencing, interacting and appreciating the tailor-made programs. Also, in the magic workshop world visitors can make their dreams and fantasies come true.

Changchun Movie Wonderland, entrance

Changchun Movie Wonderland, amphitheatre

Changchun Movie Wonderland, Water Screen Theater

It is located in Changchun Jingyue Economic Development Zone, and is adjacent to the largest forest park in Asia, covering an area of one million square meters. The first-phase construction totaling 0.3 million square meters was invested with RMB 1.5 billion mainly for film entertainment. With the best one may experience in Universal Studio and Disneyland, Changchun Movie Wonderland, the first world class film amusement park elaborately hammered out by Changchun Film Studio, has made it a better place to accumulate the world top-notch techniques and illustrate the humanistic sensibility of China.

More panoramas of the Changchun Movie Wonderland and Changchun can be seen in Arounder Changchun, as well as on your iPhone and iPad with the Aroundertouch app.

See the original post here:
Changchun Movie Wonderland

Changchun Movie Wonderland offers visitors the chance to experience the such special effects as 4D, laser, huge screen and water curtain and so on adopted in modern films in four big sections, namely, Innovated Science and Technology, Adventure Park, Film Experience and Art Appreciation of Games. It is a wonderland in which visitors can have much fun by participating, experiencing, interacting and appreciating the tailor-made programs. Also, in the magic workshop world visitors can make their dreams and fantasies come true.

Changchun Movie Wonderland, entrance

Changchun Movie Wonderland, amphitheatre

Changchun Movie Wonderland, Water Screen Theater

It is located in Changchun Jingyue Economic Development Zone, and is adjacent to the largest forest park in Asia, covering an area of one million square meters. The first-phase construction totaling 0.3 million square meters was invested with RMB 1.5 billion mainly for film entertainment. With the best one may experience in Universal Studio and Disneyland, Changchun Movie Wonderland, the first world class film amusement park elaborately hammered out by Changchun Film Studio, has made it a better place to accumulate the world top-notch techniques and illustrate the humanistic sensibility of China.

More panoramas of the Changchun Movie Wonderland and Changchun can be seen in Arounder Changchun, as well as on your iPhone and iPad with the Aroundertouch app.

See the original post here:
Changchun Movie Wonderland

Changchun Movie Wonderland offers visitors the chance to experience the such special effects as 4D, laser, huge screen and water curtain and so on adopted in modern films in four big sections, namely, Innovated Science and Technology, Adventure Park, Film Experience and Art Appreciation of Games. It is a wonderland in which visitors can have much fun by participating, experiencing, interacting and appreciating the tailor-made programs. Also, in the magic workshop world visitors can make their dreams and fantasies come true.

Changchun Movie Wonderland, entrance

Changchun Movie Wonderland, amphitheatre

Changchun Movie Wonderland, Water Screen Theater

It is located in Changchun Jingyue Economic Development Zone, and is adjacent to the largest forest park in Asia, covering an area of one million square meters. The first-phase construction totaling 0.3 million square meters was invested with RMB 1.5 billion mainly for film entertainment. With the best one may experience in Universal Studio and Disneyland, Changchun Movie Wonderland, the first world class film amusement park elaborately hammered out by Changchun Film Studio, has made it a better place to accumulate the world top-notch techniques and illustrate the humanistic sensibility of China.

More panoramas of the Changchun Movie Wonderland and Changchun can be seen in Arounder Changchun, as well as on your iPhone and iPad with the Aroundertouch app.

See the original post here:
Changchun Movie Wonderland

Zhejiang Narada Grand Hotel (formerly known as Zhejiang World Trade Center Hotel), which is a five-star integrative and multifunctional business hotel, is standing at the foot of Baoshi Hill, West Lake, Hangzhou, near the Yellow Dragon Cave and in the centers in terms of finance, business, tourism, culture and sports of Hangzhou the heart of Yellow Dragon CBD, so it is the best choice for those for business, conference and tourism purposes.

Zhejiang Narada Grand Hotel Meeting room

Ramada Hangzhou is a Modern Hotel With Sophisticated But Comfortable Rooms, Fully Equipped To Fulfill Your Needs For Business Or Leisure. Superior, Executive Business Rooms And Suites Available. Close To Airport, Located In Major Business District. In-House Gym, Sauna And Swimming Pool. Video Game Room, Card And Mahjong Room. Business Center, 9 Meeting Rooms. 3 In-House Restaurants. Free Breakfast Buffet For In-House Guests. HBO, CNN Channels. All Rooms Have Bathtubs. Hotel Close To West Lake. 50 Percent Of The Rooms Can See The Qiantang River. Located Just 20 Minutes Outside Of The Center Of The City, Ramada Hangzhou Offers A More Natural Environment For Your Stay In Hangzhou. Come Experience The Peaceful Charm Of The Binjiang District Of Hangzhou.

Ramada Hangzhou Hall

More panoramas of Zhejiang Narada Grand Hotel and Ramada Hangzhou as well as a complete virtual tour of Hangzhou can be seen in Arounder Hangzhou.

See the original post here:
Zhejiang Narada Grand Hotel and Ramada Hangzhou

Zhejiang Narada Grand Hotel (formerly known as Zhejiang World Trade Center Hotel), which is a five-star integrative and multifunctional business hotel, is standing at the foot of Baoshi Hill, West Lake, Hangzhou, near the Yellow Dragon Cave and in the centers in terms of finance, business, tourism, culture and sports of Hangzhou the heart of Yellow Dragon CBD, so it is the best choice for those for business, conference and tourism purposes.

Zhejiang Narada Grand Hotel Meeting room

Ramada Hangzhou is a Modern Hotel With Sophisticated But Comfortable Rooms, Fully Equipped To Fulfill Your Needs For Business Or Leisure. Superior, Executive Business Rooms And Suites Available. Close To Airport, Located In Major Business District. In-House Gym, Sauna And Swimming Pool. Video Game Room, Card And Mahjong Room. Business Center, 9 Meeting Rooms. 3 In-House Restaurants. Free Breakfast Buffet For In-House Guests. HBO, CNN Channels. All Rooms Have Bathtubs. Hotel Close To West Lake. 50 Percent Of The Rooms Can See The Qiantang River. Located Just 20 Minutes Outside Of The Center Of The City, Ramada Hangzhou Offers A More Natural Environment For Your Stay In Hangzhou. Come Experience The Peaceful Charm Of The Binjiang District Of Hangzhou.

Ramada Hangzhou Hall

More panoramas of Zhejiang Narada Grand Hotel and Ramada Hangzhou as well as a complete virtual tour of Hangzhou can be seen in Arounder Hangzhou.

See the original post here:
Zhejiang Narada Grand Hotel and Ramada Hangzhou

Zhejiang Narada Grand Hotel (formerly known as Zhejiang World Trade Center Hotel), which is a five-star integrative and multifunctional business hotel, is standing at the foot of Baoshi Hill, West Lake, Hangzhou, near the Yellow Dragon Cave and in the centers in terms of finance, business, tourism, culture and sports of Hangzhou the heart of Yellow Dragon CBD, so it is the best choice for those for business, conference and tourism purposes.

Zhejiang Narada Grand Hotel Meeting room

Ramada Hangzhou is a Modern Hotel With Sophisticated But Comfortable Rooms, Fully Equipped To Fulfill Your Needs For Business Or Leisure. Superior, Executive Business Rooms And Suites Available. Close To Airport, Located In Major Business District. In-House Gym, Sauna And Swimming Pool. Video Game Room, Card And Mahjong Room. Business Center, 9 Meeting Rooms. 3 In-House Restaurants. Free Breakfast Buffet For In-House Guests. HBO, CNN Channels. All Rooms Have Bathtubs. Hotel Close To West Lake. 50 Percent Of The Rooms Can See The Qiantang River. Located Just 20 Minutes Outside Of The Center Of The City, Ramada Hangzhou Offers A More Natural Environment For Your Stay In Hangzhou. Come Experience The Peaceful Charm Of The Binjiang District Of Hangzhou.

Ramada Hangzhou Hall

More panoramas of Zhejiang Narada Grand Hotel and Ramada Hangzhou as well as a complete virtual tour of Hangzhou can be seen in Arounder Hangzhou.

See the original post here:
Zhejiang Narada Grand Hotel and Ramada Hangzhou

Location is Everything. Welcome to the Four Points by Sheraton Hangzhou, Binjiang. Overlooking the Qian Tang River, were located in the exciting new hi-tech development zone with easy access to highways and downtown. Popular attractions and the airport are within a 10-20 minute drive.

Four Points by Sheraton Bar Restaurant

Time to Relax. Our 350 stylish guest rooms and suites have everything you need for a great stay: a flat screen LCD TV, rain forest shower, the Four Points by Sheraton Four Comfort Bed, as well as fantastic views of the Qiantang River. We offer the perks youll love, like High Speed Internet, free bottled water, and even a free local newspaper. A comprehensive and well-equipped Health Center and indoor heated swimming pool is great for a business trip or a weekend getaway.

We Mean Business. Whatever the occasion, our meeting space has what you need from the latest audiovisual equipment to the personal attention of our catering professionals. Our separate convention building with covered-bridge connected to the hotel’s main building gives you access to a variety of meeting spaces. With over 6000 square meters of meeting space, two ballrooms with soaring ceilings, wireless High Speed Internet Access, and a business centerweve got you covered. Our innovative restaurants offer both Chinese and American cuisine, and both our lobby lounge and executive lounge are a great place to sip on a cocktail after a busy day.

More panoramas of the Four Points by Sheraton Hangzhou and a complete virtual tour of the city can be seen in Arounder Hangzhou.

See the original post here:
Four Points by Sheraton Hangzhou

Location is Everything. Welcome to the Four Points by Sheraton Hangzhou, Binjiang. Overlooking the Qian Tang River, were located in the exciting new hi-tech development zone with easy access to highways and downtown. Popular attractions and the airport are within a 10-20 minute drive.

Four Points by Sheraton Bar Restaurant

Time to Relax. Our 350 stylish guest rooms and suites have everything you need for a great stay: a flat screen LCD TV, rain forest shower, the Four Points by Sheraton Four Comfort Bed, as well as fantastic views of the Qiantang River. We offer the perks youll love, like High Speed Internet, free bottled water, and even a free local newspaper. A comprehensive and well-equipped Health Center and indoor heated swimming pool is great for a business trip or a weekend getaway.

We Mean Business. Whatever the occasion, our meeting space has what you need from the latest audiovisual equipment to the personal attention of our catering professionals. Our separate convention building with covered-bridge connected to the hotel’s main building gives you access to a variety of meeting spaces. With over 6000 square meters of meeting space, two ballrooms with soaring ceilings, wireless High Speed Internet Access, and a business centerweve got you covered. Our innovative restaurants offer both Chinese and American cuisine, and both our lobby lounge and executive lounge are a great place to sip on a cocktail after a busy day.

More panoramas of the Four Points by Sheraton Hangzhou and a complete virtual tour of the city can be seen in Arounder Hangzhou.

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Four Points by Sheraton Hangzhou

Location is Everything. Welcome to the Four Points by Sheraton Hangzhou, Binjiang. Overlooking the Qian Tang River, were located in the exciting new hi-tech development zone with easy access to highways and downtown. Popular attractions and the airport are within a 10-20 minute drive.

Four Points by Sheraton Bar Restaurant

Time to Relax. Our 350 stylish guest rooms and suites have everything you need for a great stay: a flat screen LCD TV, rain forest shower, the Four Points by Sheraton Four Comfort Bed, as well as fantastic views of the Qiantang River. We offer the perks youll love, like High Speed Internet, free bottled water, and even a free local newspaper. A comprehensive and well-equipped Health Center and indoor heated swimming pool is great for a business trip or a weekend getaway.

We Mean Business. Whatever the occasion, our meeting space has what you need from the latest audiovisual equipment to the personal attention of our catering professionals. Our separate convention building with covered-bridge connected to the hotel’s main building gives you access to a variety of meeting spaces. With over 6000 square meters of meeting space, two ballrooms with soaring ceilings, wireless High Speed Internet Access, and a business centerweve got you covered. Our innovative restaurants offer both Chinese and American cuisine, and both our lobby lounge and executive lounge are a great place to sip on a cocktail after a busy day.

More panoramas of the Four Points by Sheraton Hangzhou and a complete virtual tour of the city can be seen in Arounder Hangzhou.

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Four Points by Sheraton Hangzhou

ArounderMag Italian Design has been specifically created for the German market and is linked from AWMagazin and ZuhauseWohnen, which are the most distributed design furniture publications in Germany. This special issue of the ArounderMag showcases some of the most prestigious brands Italy has to offer such as Alessi, Moroso, Poliform, Mood, Flexform, Fantini, Varenna, Desalto and Bonaldo. The articles tells the stories of these companies and feature product photo galleries and 360 panorama virtual tours of the showrooms and facilities.
The virtual tours can also be seen in Arounder.com in the relative city directory as well as on Aroundertouch iPhone and iPad app.

ArounderMag Italian Design

This publication is created by VRWay Communication upon a concept by Andrea Brovelli of Media & Service International Srl which was also in charge of advertising sales.

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ArounderMag Italian Design

The recent article in Smithsonian magazine shows how a German archaeologist has finally deciphered the Roman amphitheater’s amazing underground labyrinth. The interactive section of the article features Arounder’s Colosseum panoramas.

A 360-Degree View of the Colosseum

More panoramas of the capital city of the ancient world can be seen in Arounder Rome.

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Secrets of the Colosseum, By Tom Mueller, Smithsonian magazine, January 2011

Beijing ( Bijng) is the capital of the most populous country in the world, the People’s Republic of China, and also its second largest city after Shanghai. It was also the seat of the Ming and Qing dynasty emperors until the formation of a republic in 1911. Beijing is the political, educational and cultural centre of the country and as such it is rich in historical sites and important government and cultural institutions.

Beijing National Stadium at night

The city is well known for its flatness and regular construction. There are only three hills to be found in the city limits (in Jingshan Park to the north of the famous Forbidden City). Like the configuration of the Forbidden City, Beijing has concentric “ring roads”, which are actually rectangular, that go around the metropolis.

The National Centre for the Performing Arts

Beijing is characterized by its vastness and large distances between locations. Until recently, the city was almost entirely made up of hutongs with narrow lanes and single story buildings. Now, many of the hutongs have given way to broad boulevards and modern buildings, contributing to an airy, sprawling feel, in sharp contrast to cities like Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Changpu River Park

Beijing is the political centre of the country with official buildings and embassy areas dominating the city. Beijing is also the historical and cultural centre of China with many historical buildings and sites – especially within Ring Road Two. The city has undergone rapid modernization in recent years, with improvements of institutions, business environment and work conditions.

Paiyun Gate, Summer Palace

Temple of Buddhist Virtue

Given their city’s historical, cultural and political heft, Beijingers are justifiably proud to be citizens of the capital. An attitude known as or “Great Beijing-ism” is often used to describe their attitude toward people from other regions of China. They are often much more interested in politics and willing to talk about current events than people elsewhere in China. Beijingers also seem to focus on not losing face and often use humor in order to do so. However, many Chinese from other provinces find Beijingers very friendly and straightforward comparing with people from Shanghai especially.

More panoramas of Beijing can be seen in Arounder Beijing.

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Beijing