LONDON, ST PAUL's CATHEDERAL

by Hockey and Tourism

This magnificent building, created by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire of London in 1666, retains its dignity and grandeur even though itis now overshadowed by enormous tower blocks.

It is a huge structure, 515 ft long and 242 ft across at its widest point, and is elaborately decorated with columns, porticos, and balustrades. The west end of the cathedral is approached by two wide flights of steps and is surmuunted by twin towers. The whole building is crowned by a beautiful central dome which rises to 365 ft above ground level and is 112 ft in diameter.

Inside the Cathedral

From the end of the nave there is a superb view along the whole length of the cathedral through the Choir to the High Altar and its ornate canopy. Recorded commentaries describing the cathedral can be obtained from headphones at the west end of the nave. The great dome rises above the centre of the nave. Around its interior is thefamous Whispering Gallery, where a message whispered into the wall on one side can be clearly heard 112 ft away on the other side. The Gallery is reached through a doorway in the western corner of the South Transept tha t leads to the stairs which also give access to the library and the two external galleries of the dome wi th their panoramic views across London. In the Choir are the stalls of the St Paul's Cathedral Choir. They are the work of the great 17th-century woodcarver Grinling Gibbons. Beyond the Choir is the focal point of the whole cathedral- the High Altar. It is a modern replacement of the altar which was damaged during World War II, and is an exact copy of Wren's original design.



The cathedral contains numerous chapels, many of which contain exquisite furniture and Dunstan, at the western end of the cathedral. Wren's cathedral originally contained no monuments, but towards the end of the 18th century these began to appear, and now there are several hundred in the building. The oldest is that of the metaphysical poet John Donne (1573-1631), who was Dean of St Paul's from 1621 until his death. Itis the only monument to have survived from the old cathedral and is situated in the South Choir Aisle. Almost filling the North Aisle is the huge monument to the Duke of Wellington. He is actually buried in the Crypt, beneath an imposing sarcophagus. The orna te funeral car in which his body was brought to the cathedral stands nearby.

Also in the Crypt is the tomb of Lord Nelson. His coffin lies beneath a black marble sarcophagus that had originally been intended for Cardinal Wolsey, and was also considered for Henry VIII. Standing among the graves of several well-known artists is Wren's own tomb. Above it, his tombstone carries the famous epitaph, 'Lector, si monumentum requiris, circumspice' ('Reader, if you seek his monument, look about you'). Many other tombs and memorials are contained in the Crypt, and also here is the Chapel of the Order of the British Empire, which was dedicated in 1960.


EN EXELLENT GUIDE TO LONDON

THE LONGEST TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE XXI CENTURY

By Eric Talmadge, The Associated Press

TOKYO, Japan - Millions of Asians turned their eyes skyward Wednesday as dawn suddenly turned to darkness across the continent in the longest total solar eclipse this century will see. Millions of others, fearing a bad omen, shuttered themselves indoors.



Chinese launched fireworks and danced in Shanghai. On a remote Japanese island, bewildered cattle went to their feeding troughs thinking night had fallen. And in India, a woman was crushed as thousands of viewers crowded the banks of the Ganges for a glimpse.


Starting off in India just after dawn, the eclipse was visible across a wide swath of Asia before moving over southern Japan and then off into the Pacific Ocean. In some parts of Asia, it lasted as long as 6 minutes and 39 seconds.


The eclipse is the longest since July 11, 1991, when a total eclipse lasting 6 minutes, 53 seconds was visible from Hawaii to South America. There will not be a longer eclipse than Wednesday's until 2132.


The celestial event was met by a mixture of awe, excitement and fear.


Cloudy skies and rain damped the show in many areas, but villagers in the town of Varanasi, on the banks of the Ganges in India, got one of the best views.


Thousands of Hindus took to the waters to cleanse their sins. The eclipse was seen there for 3 minutes and 48 seconds.


The gathering was marred when a 65-year-old woman was killed and six people injured in a stampede at one of the river's banks where about 2,500 people had gathered, said police spokesman Surendra Srivastava. He said it is not clear how the stampede started.


Others in India, though, were gripped by fear and refused to come outdoors. In Hindu mythology, an eclipse is caused when a dragon-demon swallows the sun, while another myth is that sun rays during an eclipse can harm unborn children.



"My mother and aunts have called and told me stay in a darkened room with the curtains closed, lie in bed and chant prayers," Krati Jain, 24, who is expecting her first child, said in New Delhi.
In Beijing, a thick blanket of greyish smog blotted out the sky.

In coastal Shanghai, eclipse watchers were disappointed by a light drizzle in the morning. As the sky darkened fully for about five minutes, however, watchers became excited.

Holding a big green umbrella and wearing special glasses, Song Chunyun was prepared to celebrate the occasion in a new white dress.

"Although the rain came, I don't want to screw up the mood. I want to enjoy the special day," she said before dancing and singing in the rain with her two sisters.

At a Buddhist temple in the Thai capital Bangkok, dozens of monks led a mass prayer at a Buddhist temple to ward off evil.

"The eclipse is bad omen for the country," said Pinyo Pongjaroen, a prominent astrologer. "We are praying to boost the fortune of the country."

In Myanmar, Buddhists went to Yangon's famed Shwedagon pagoda to offer flowers, fruits and water to ward off misfortune. Some warned their friends and family not to sleep through the eclipse for fear of getting bad luck.

"We all got up early this morning and prayed at home because our abbot told us that the solar eclipse is a bad omen," said a 43-year old school teacher Aye Aye Thein.



Bangladeshis also came out in droves.

"It's a rare moment, I never thought I would see this in my life," said Abdullah Sayeed, a college student who travelled to Panchagarh town from the capital, Dhaka.

He said cars in the town needed to use headlights as "night darkness has fallen suddenly." People hugged each other and some blew whistles when the eclipse began.

Total eclipses are caused when the moon moves directly between the sun and the earth, covering it completely to cast a shadow on earth.

VIENNA - THE CITY OF LOVE

If there is a place that I’ve always loved, for its elegance, its history, its traditions and charm, this place is Vienna. The city on the Danube, is a real pleasure for the senses, not only for its buildings and charming streets, but also for its location, embraced by the Alps.
Being one of the oldest capital in Europe has served to Vienna to offer one of the most spectacular architecture that we see. Has been key to most of the dynasties that have reigned in Europe, emblematic place of princes and emperors, famous for its music, waltz. Has seen over itself to great figures of history: the Habsburgs, Napoleon, Hitler … all with a fixed idea in mind: to conquer Vienna.


VIENNA. THE CITY OPERA.

The city of Vienna, is very attractive for its music, its colors trams, restaurants with lively classical music, parks and forests surrounding the city, where bars Heuriger or serve only wine, its architectural styles, big buildings. An elegant city, colorful, mixing Gothic with Baroque, Art Nouveau with the Romanesque, the broad range of museums, including the newly established Museum of Music. And his friendly, warm, relaxed.

Vienna is a lovely place for lovers, for example. An evocative place with impeccable Imperial Palace, recalling the loves of Empress Sisi, visit their chambers, and its museum, the gardens, stroll through the history of many dynasties. Share a wonderful ride on the Ferris wheel oldest of Europe, in the beautiful gardens of the Prater, watching the warm embrace that the Danube provides to this city.


THE CITY HALL OF VIENNA

Visit Tanzschule Willy Elmeyer where in a single day, you can learn to dance the waltz best that can be heard, and demonstrated in any restaurant or pub in the city, where they always have a place for this dance. Romantic walks by the Volkspark Stadpark will, on the Danube, to sit in the benches to contemplate the bridges as Sunset over Vienna.

And when night falls, a boat trip through the Danube from Swedenplatz to the imposing image of St. Stephen’s Cathedral. A building that stands out throughout a whole, especially the Gothic Tower Steffl of 137 meters in height. Upload it and take the best photographs of the city. And from there we can become orchestra conductors for a day at the Interactive Museum of Music, or visit the house where Beethoven lived in the Ringstrasse, opposite the University, or the Karlplatz reach the house where the composer died Schubert. We can also attend a performance by the famous Lippzaner, Austrian horses performing spectacular parades of equestrian art at the National school.

LETS COME TO FRANKFURT!

This engaging metropolitan financial center of Germany boasts a spectacular modern skyline, with ancient architectural jewels hidden beneath the tall beams.

A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

Situated on the banks of the Main river, Frankfurt’s dominating skyscrapers belie the history and culture that have brought Frankfurt from a Roman settlement in the first century to a preeminent banking center in the 21st.
Kings of the Holy Roman Empire were customarily elected there during the Middle Ages, emperors were crowned there, education and knowledge flourished, defensive walls were built and dismantled, revolutions were won and lost, and trade and commerce flourished.

BANKING AND CITY LIFE TODAY




Those in the finance industry love to save with our cheap flights to Frankfurt, the second most important commercial center in Europe. When the Deutsche Bundesbank (German Federal Bank) made Frankfurt its seat, most major banks followed suit. The Bundesbank’s success as well as its geographical and political location in Europe led the European Central Bank to be built in its image, also located in Frankfurt. The Frankfurt Stock Exchange is the largest of eight German exchanges, and one of the biggest marketplaces in the world.
With more than 40 museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Kunsthalle Schirn, the Stadelsches Kunstinstitut and the German Cinema Museum, Frankfurt is an art lover’s delight. The Museum Embankment – a collection of 13 museums on both sides of the Main – along with other cultural sites, historic buildings (including the Goethe House, birthplace of Germany’s greatest poet) and festivities make Frankfurt an internationally recognized center for culture and the arts.
World-class shopping, restaurants, nightlife – and host to the 2006 World Cup soccer championships – combine for good reasons to visit Frankfurt!

OSLO, NORWAY - 1952 WINTER OLYMPICS

Today we will visit another HOCKEY TOWN. Our trip will take us to the Norway Capital - Oslo. Way before we all have seen this strange game named hockey, this city was holding 1952 Wintrer Olympics Game - the last one of Canada domination and the last one before Russians came to make their impact to our game.


1952 EDMONTON MERCURYS - OLYMPIC CHAMPS

In 1952, the Olympics were held in Norway, the birthplace of modern skiing. Germany and Japan were invited back to compete as good weather and good spirits prevailed. The Olympic flame was lit for the first time at the 1952 Olympic Winter Games. Unlike the flame of the Summer Games, this flame was lit in the hearth of the Morgedal house in Norway, birthplace of Sondre Noreheim, the great pioneer of modern skiing. It was then relayed by 94 skiers to Oslo, where it was handed from the Norwegian ski champion Lauritz Bergendal to Eigil Nansen, grandson of the famous explorer Fridtjof Nansen, who lit the cauldron.

Canada won the ice hockey tournament for the fifth time, bringing their cumulative Olympic record to 37 wins, one loss and three ties. In those 41 games they had scored 403 goals while conceding only 34.

This beautiful capital city still pays homage to its history, but honors today’s visitors with a host of attractions that will satisfy every taste.

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL


OSLO, NORWAY

Built on the dazzling, island-studded Oslo Fjord, this is a walking city, from its picturesque harbor to the Royal palace. Beautiful parks, stunning architecture, world-class shops and restaurants, and an enormous variety of museums will fill your days with wonder.
Well known for hosting the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony each December at City Hall, Oslo’s cultural repertoire includes museums celebrating the works of Gustav Vigeland, Henrik Ibsen and Edvard Munch, as well as The Viking Ship Museum of Cultural History, with two intact 9th-century Viking ships and artifacts from Viking tombs around the Oslo Fjord. The Open-Air Museum features 155 authentic historic buildings from different regions of the country, including a 13th-century Stave Church. Don’t forget to take your camera!
No visit to Oslo is complete without a visit to the Holmenkollen ski jump, erected for the Winter Olympics in Oslo in 1952 (stop along the way for hot chocolate and apple cake in front of a roaring fire at Kafe Seterstua). Of course, there are numerous opportunities for skiing throughout Norway, including another famous Olympic village in Lillehammer (Winter games 1994).


OSLO - THE CAPITAL OF NORWAY

HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FJORD LATELY?

The Norwegian fjords gouge deep into the mountainous terrain, twisting and turning to form picture-perfect vistas that will forever live in your dreams. The many towns and villages that dot the fjords form a colorful palette as you wind your way through tunnels and past crystalline lakes and tumbling waterfalls, on roads that stretch hundreds of miles above the Arctic Circle to the land of the true Midnight Sun.
From the charming and friendly people (English is commonly spoken in the cities) to the breathtakingly stunning countryside, a vacation in Norway will never be forgotten!

Our Destination is Toronto, Canada

Let me guess – you like travelling, you enjoy visiting new countries and cities, make new and meet old friends. And of course, you are the hockey fan or maybe even a player? Let’s mix it! Be a hockey tourist; visit some famous hockey places with me! Today I’ll take you to Toronto, Canada – the home of the Maple Leafs



Toronto is a great city to live and work in, or just to visit. We have a high quality of life and reliable services, in one of the safest urban environments in the world. We have a lot more going for us, too. Just check out the facts!



Toronto's population is one of the most diverse in the world. Nearly all of the world's culture groups are represented in Toronto and more than 100 languages and dialects are spoken.
You may already know that Toronto is home to the world's tallest building (CN Tower at 553.33 m) and that the world's longest street starts at the City's lakeshore (Yonge Street at 1,896 km), but did you know that Toronto is as far south as the French Riviera or that more people live in Toronto than in Canada's four Atlantic provinces combined?

Here you will find interesting and sometimes startling facts about Toronto, Canada's economic engine, with its 6th largest government and one of the world's most diverse and multicultural populations.
Toronto's 10 historic museums work collectively to inspire passion for our city. Our museum professionals have researched the history of Toronto and present this knowledge in ways that engage residents, visitors and community groups alike.

Toronto Culture is continuing to investigate the best way to build a museum that tells Toronto's story.



Humans began to occupy the Toronto region shortly after the last ice age. Many thousands of years later, in the 17th century, these indigenous peoples opened trade with the French, who subsequently established trading posts in Toronto in the 18th century. Toronto passed to British control in 1763, and the creation of an urban community began 30 years later when colonial officials built Fort York and laid out a town site. That community, 'York,' became the capital of the province of Upper Canada (now Ontario). It also grew as an important commercial centre, and, in 1834, with 9,250 residents, it was incorporated as the 'City of Toronto.' The population continued to expand: when Canada became a country in 1867, the city was home to 50,000 souls. By 1901, 208,000 people lived here. Today, with well over two million people, Toronto is Canada's largest city, the heart of the nation's commercial, financial, industrial, and cultural life, and is one of the world's most liveable urban centres.



In 1998 Maple Leaf Gardens Limited buys the Toronto Raptors and the Air Canada Centre (aka "The Hanger"or "ACC") after making some changes to the intial plans to make it a fitting home for the Maple Leaf Hockey Club.
On Febuary 13 1999 the Toronto Maple Leafs played their final game at Maple Leaf Gardens,(losing to the Chicago Black Hawks, who also beat the Leafs in the very first game ever.
Played there) ending its tenur as home to the club for more than 67 years the building however for the moment still is in function as home to the OHL junior A team St Michaels Majors and the National Lacrosse Leagues Toronto Rock who won the Championship in 1999 ,their first season in the league since being bought by a group including several members of the current Leaf organization played the first game at The Hanger on Feb 20 1999 defeating the Canadiens in overtime.

Our Destination is Kladno, Czech Republic

Let me guess – you like travelling, you enjoy visiting new countries and cities, make new and meet old friends. And of course, you are the hockey fan or maybe even a player? Let’s mix it! Be a hockey tourist; visit some famous hockey places with me! Today I’ll take you to Kladno, Czech – the birthplace of Jaromir Jagr



Situated some 30 kilometres west of Prague, Kladno with the 75,000 inhabitants still stands for coal and steel in the popular awareness. But these attributes refer rather to Kladno's history and fit much less for the present. Coal mining has moved out of town and metallurgy has shrunk. The face of Kladno, especially the central pedestrian zone, now lives its renaissance. The oldest testimony refers to a small village in the period of 1315-18 while 1561 is the year of Kladno's becoming a vassal town. The last lords of the Břevnov and Broumov Benedictine Demesne invited the baroque Master Kilián I. Dientzenhofer to Kladno, and three of his works have survived down to our times: the mansion (today a gallery and museum); St Florian's sculpture group; and the Immaculata group. The 1870 promotion to royal town and the 1898 status of a royal mining town have supported the development of the town centre which now consists of a number of historicising, ArtNouveau, and modernist public buildings and burgher houses many of which are under restoration today.



The 1846 discovery of coal and the build-up of the Adalbert and Poldi metallurgical works made Kladno rapidly evolve into Central Bohemia's largest industrial centre. But you must visit the Poldi Engineering Museum or the mining museum at the Mayrau Mine at the north-western edge to see the short industrial season today. Kladno is the base for one of Central Bohemia's oldest theatres; has got several galleries; is good at ice-hockey-just remember František Pospišil or Jaromír Jágr (bottom photo); and offers much in terms of social and cultural life and sports facilities. The south-western frontier is the forest clad countryside which merges into a holiday area around Kačák and Křivoklát. The vicinity of Prague, good accommodation facilities, and good links with the Prague Airport make Kladno a suitable base if you want to see Prague.



We were about to visit Canadiens Tomas Plekanec - who is from Kladno as well, but...OK, next time!

Our Destination is Bromma, Sweeden

Let me guess – you like travelling, you enjoy visiting new countries and cities, make new and meet old friends. And of course, you are the hockey fan or maybe even a player? Let’s mix it! Be a hockey tourist; visit some famous hockey places with me! Today I’ll take you to Bromma, Sweden – the hometown of the Leafs legend Mats Sundin




Bromma is a so called borough (stadsdelsområde) in the western part of Stockholm, Sweden, forming part of the Stockholm Municipality. Bromma is primarily made up of the parish with the same name, and the parish of Västerled. The fourth largest airport in Sweden and the third largest of the airports close to Stockholm, the Stockholm-Bromma Airport, was built in Bromma in 1936.
The districts that make up the borough are Abrahamsberg, Alvik, Beckomberga, Blackeberg, Bromma Kyrka, Bällsta, Eneby, Höglandet, Mariehäll, Nockeby, Nockebyhov, Norra Ängby, Olovslund, Riksby, Smedslätten, Stora Mossen, Södra Ängby, Traneberg, Ulvsunda, Ulvsunda Industriområde, Åkeshov, Åkeslund, Ålsten and Äppelviken. As of 2004, the population is 59,229 on an area of 24.60 km², which gives a density of 2,407.68/km².



Bromma is dotted with tiny forests, parks and lakes, including the Judarn forest surrounding the Judarn Lake, and the parks around Åkeshov Castle and Ulvsunda Castle. Bromma Kyrka is one of the most distinguished Romanesque churches in the region, celebrated for a complete scheme of wallpaintings by the late medieval artist Albertus Pictor (c. 1440 - c. 1507).



Bromma consists predominantly of high- and medium-income residential neighbourhoods, and the Ulvsunda industrial area. This is situated close to Stockholm-Bromma Airport, the only airport in the city of Stockholm. It was opened in 1936 and serves primarily domestic destinations; with about 1.25 million passengers a year, it is the second largest airport in Stockholm County. Ängby Camping is one of the largest camping lots in Stockholm and is situated close to a large beach by Lake Mälaren.
The local football team Brommapojkarna is in the Allsvenskan although not regarded as a major team in Stockholm, it has the largest youth academy in the world. Its main emphasis on producing technichal and fast players.

Thank you, Mats and See you next time!