Tignes, France

One of the highest resorts in Europe, Tignes also offers more skiing in winter and in summer than pretty well anywhere else, thanks to its high altitude skiing on the Grande Motte glacier and its commitment to maintain a vertical of at least 1000 metres (3280 feet) for eight months of the year. Sharing the vast and exciting 'l'Espace Killy ' ski area with neighbouring Val d'Isère, purpose-built Tignes has the stronger French influence of the two, as well as being largely based at a higher and more snow-sure altitude.

There are in fact five base areas to Tignes, although three of them - Le Lac, Le Lavachet and Val Claret - more or less run in to one another to form the main section. They stand together in a vast snowy bowl above the tree line resembling some sort of isolated moon base, from a distance. Further down the mountain, but lift linked to l'espace Killy are Les Boisses and Les Brévières and there are three traditional villages along the valley floor on the road to Val d'Isère (Le Reculaz, Le Chevril and Le Villaret du Nial), but these are not lift-linked.

Interestingly the original base is Le Lac, the relocated genuine village of Tignes that was submerged under Lake Chevril following the construction of a dam in 1952. The church bell was the only physical momento to be carried up to the new village site, but the spirit of skiing which began in 'old Tignes' in the 1920s was certainly carried forward with spectacular results!


Lodging Profile

21 hotels, 14 rental agencies, 5 hotel residences, 11 holiday centers, 2 holiday clubs, and 72 private landlords.

Services Profile

There are 6 mountain restaurants on the resort and 78 restaurant located nearby; cuisines ranging from American, Creperie, French Regional, Gastronomique, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, and Savoyard. 130 shops located nearby along with 4 banks, 4 post offices, 1 petrol station, 5 laundrettes, car rental, and a Protestant Church. The nearest town is Bourg St Maurice which is 30 km away. Child care is not available at this resort. Ski school is available for 4 year olds to adults. Free bus service 24 hours a day.

Snowboarding Profile

Snow park and 2 halfpipes, quarter pipes, and boarder cross are available for snowboarders at the resort.

Common Misspellings

Dignes, Teens, Tegnies, Teignes, Tiges

source

Read more »

10 places to swim with sharks

source

The only sounds are breath and bubbles. A tuna head floats just feet away. I peer through the blue to the limits of my visibility, straining to see that tell-tale shape emerge from the murky edges of the water. Suddenly, a frantic tap on my shoulder from a fellow diver forces me to pivot to my right, and there, barely a foot away, is one the world’s greatest predators — his black eye staring right into my wide blue ones as he slowly glides past the cage. I had met my first Great White Shark...
The fear elicited by sharks — by the very idea of something toothy and hungry lurking beneath the surface — is primeval. But it is also, for the most part, unfounded. Sharks don’t want to eat humans. We’re far too bony. They want to eat fish or seals or even plankton. Sharks are actually in far more danger from us than we are from them. Millions are slaughtered for their fins every year, putting dozens of species in danger of extinction. And if we lose the apex predator in the ocean, the whole eco-system is in danger. Already, scientists have traced the shortage of sharks to the shortage of shellfish in U.S. waters. What else might disappear from our oceans along with the shark? Fortunately, there are places in the world where you can still see these powerful predators in their natural habitat, dive with them — even swim alongside them. While diving with some of the bigger sharks is an inherently perilous activity (those teeth weren’t made for smiling), steel cages and experienced shark professionals minimize the danger. And it might just turn out to be one of the most exhilarating and exciting experiences of your life...

By Tina Cone

10 places to swim with sharks

South AfricaFrom Gansbaai, the self billed “World Capital of the Great White Shark”, you can get on a dive boat to the infamous Shark Alley. Rumor has it that there are more Great Whites in that one stretch of ocean than anywhere else on the planet. And at nearby Seal Island, you might even get to witness an astonishing sight: Great White sharks literally leaping out of the water as they hunt seals. Plenty of diving operations offer you the chance to see the sharks underwater in a cage, or to enjoy them from the relative safety of the boat. And many operators don’t require you to be a certified diver either, so snorkelers are welcome.

Further information: apexsharkdiving.com

Guadalupe Island, Mexico
 For Americans looking for something closer to home, try Guadalupe Island — about 144 miles from the coast of Baja California. I had my first experience cage diving with Great White sharks here in 2007, and not only was the water warm and surprisingly clear, but we saw Great Whites on every single dive. And seeing those massive, magnificent animals — I once heard them described as camper vans with teeth — in the wild was the most amazing experience of my life. This excursion is an excellent introduction to shark diving because certification isn't required.

Further information: sdsharkdiving.com

Galapagos Islands
 As well as the spectacular array of fauna that inspired Charles Darwin to realize his theory of evolution, this Ecuadorian paradise is also home to some of the world’s best shark dive sites. You can see huge schools of Hammerhead sharks and dozens of Whitetip sharks, Silky Sharks, Whale Sharks and of course, Galapagos Sharks.

Further information: divediscovery.com/galapagos

Cocos Island, Costa Rica
 For experienced divers only, this island off the coast of Costa Rica has more sharks per cubic yard of water than anywhere else in the world. Divers regularly see huge schools of hammerhead sharks — literally hundreds of them swimming together. And there are dozens of other sharks swimming around this island, including Tiger sharks, Whitetip sharks, Silvertip sharks, Blacktip sharks, Silky sharks, Galapagos sharks and Whale Sharks. Cocos Island is a must-see on any shark lover’s bucket list — mine included.

Further information: underseahunter.com

The MaldivesThe honeymoon destination of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes has much more to offer than just sun, sea and sand. It has sharks. More than 26 different species call this island country in the Indian Ocean home, including Hammerhead sharks, Whale sharks, Whitetip sharks and Grey Reef sharks.

Further information: scubascuba.com

The Bahamas
Warm seas mean plenty of sharks. You can snorkel above Caribbean Reef sharks (that’s the way I introduced myself to shark diving before jumping in with Great Whites), and watch them feed at the surface from the safety of the boat. Or, for the more adventurous diver, you can watch as a professional shark wrangler hand-feeds Reefies on the ocean floor right in front of you. The Bahamas is also home to the Tiger shark, Great Hammerhead shark, Lemon shark, Silky shark, Nurse shark and the notorious Bull shark.

Further information: stuartcove.com

Malapascua, Philippine
sDive companies here virtually guarantee that you will see the elusive and rare Thresher shark in the waters off Malapascua. And that’s not all that this tiny island offers. It’s also a popular place to see Hammerhead sharks, Whitetip sharks, Blacktip sharks, Bamboo sharks and Nurse sharks.

Further information: malapascua-diving.com

Isla Holbox, Mexico
This is one of the best places in the world to see the biggest fish in the ocean, and the gentlest shark of them all, the Whale Shark. Called “Dominos” by the locals — thanks to the distinctive white spots on their backs — these huge fish can grow up to 30 feet long. But they only eat plankton, so swimmers are perfectly safe. To protect the sharks, the Mexican government only allows snorkelers, accompanied by a guide, to swim with them. I spent three days doing exactly that this summer, and believe me, there is nothing quite like swimming right in front of one of the biggest mouths in the sea.

Further information: holboxwhalesharktours.com

Red Sea, Egypt
Visitors to this world-renowned dive destination have seen dozens of species, including Grey Reef sharks, Silvertip sharks, Silky sharks, Hammerhead sharks and Whale Sharks. You might even see the increasingly rare Oceanic Whitetip shark, the predator suspected of eating so many shipwrecked sailors and plane crash victims over the years. And at the Ras Mohamed dive site, there have even been rare sightings of Great Whites.

Further information: touregypt.net

Rhode Island
The fictional “Jaws” was actually inspired by real shark attacks along the New Jersey shore in 1916. Nowadays, you’re far more likely to find Eastern Seaboard sharks off the coast of Rhode Island instead. Blue sharks are most prevalent, but divers can also encounter Mako sharks and Basking sharks. There are rare reports of Thresher shark sightings, and even the occasional Great White.

Further information: snappacharters.com

Read more »

Kirkuk (Karkuk) - Iraq

Kirkuk is the largest Azeri city in Iraq. The Turkic population speaks the Southern dialect of the Azeri language, and besides Kirkuk this Turkic population is to be found in the Erbil, Mosul/Ninawa and Deyalah provinces. In tows and villages southeast from Kirkuk, large numbers of Azeris live as far as Al Miqdadiyah, Khanqin, and Mandali. Azeri speakers in Iraq are usually mentioned as Turkman, Turkmen or Turkoman, they use the Arabic script and many have Arabic or Kurdish as a second language.

The first Turkman were brought to Iraq by the Ommiad ruler Ubeydullah bin Ziyad in 54 Hegira. The invasion of Iraq by the Seljuk ruler Tugrul Bey in 1055 marked the beginning of Turkish control that lasted till 1918. The 11th and 12th centuries saw the strongest flux of Turkman settlers to Mesopotamia. Wars and the resulting treaties in the area eventually separated the Azeris in Iraq and Azerbaijan. Their languages, sharing the same root - the Oghuz group of Turkic languages - however, stayed basically the same. Furthermore, several important Azeri revered intellectuals - classical poets and scientists - are buried in Iraq. Several towns and villages found around Kirkuk bear the sames names as towns in Azerbaijan, such as Aghdash, Aghdam, Bilava, Aghsu, Guruchay, Boyat, Garabagh, Garagoyunlu, Amirli, Yayji, Yandija, Mardinli, Uchtapa, Khasa , Khasadaghli Chardakhli.

Calling the Azeri speakers "Turkman" dates from the Seljuk period. Currently the Turkman are represented by the 'Turkman Front', established in 1995 joining several Turkman political and social organizations. The Turkman community's two main parties are divided in their support. One works in co-operation with the Kurdish authorities, the other is backed by Turkey and opposes a Kurdish state in northern Iraq - especially one that would adopt Kirkuk as its capital.

Turkey has tried to exert a strong influence on the Turkman, and often written Turkish is used by the Turkman, as opposed to the traditional Southern-Azeri dialect which predominates in the spoken form. In spite of this, from the Arab point of view, the language of the Iraqi Turkman is regularly mentioned simply as Turkish. The number of Turkman is estimated a 2.0-2.5 million - the third largest ethnic group in Iraq after the Arabs and Kurds. Historically, the Turkman formed a cultural buffer zone between the Arabs in the South and the Kurds in the north.

Under the Iraqi constitution of 1925 both Turkman and Kurds had the right to use their own languages in schools, government offices and press. By 1972 the Iraqi government prohibited the both the study of the Turkman language and the Turkman media and in 1973 any reference to the Turkman was omitted from the provisional constitution. During the 1980's the regime of the Baath party prohibited even the public use of the Turkman language and the constitution of 1990 only states the the "people of Iraq consists of Arabs and Kurds".
In 2003 the collapse of Saddam Hussein's Baathist government brought new possibilities to the Turkman community that will have to be materialized in a difficult context, balancing the interests of Turkey and of the global super-power.

Kirkuk is located in northern Iraq, about 250 km north of the capital Baghdad near the foot of the Zagors Montains. Railway lines provide good connections with Baghdad and Arbil. Kirkuk has a population of over 600.000 and is the capital of the Al-Tamin governorate (muhafazah). Until 1974 the city was the capital of the Kirkuk governorate, which was reduced to a quarter of its original size by the Baghdad government, as a way of controlling the influence of the Azeri speaking population. The Iraqi government has also been very active in settling Arabs in the area as a way of inverting the ethnic balance. Turkman leaders say thousands of their community were forced into destitution in northern Iraq, while up to 20,000 made their way illegally to Europe throughout the 1990s. Currently Kirkuk still has a Turkman majority but the Kurdish and Arab communities are also important.

In post-Saddam Iraq, Kirkuk reveals some symptoms of becoming the centre of a struggle between the Turkmen and the Kurds, both of whom aspire to domination in the area.


The first commercial oil field in Iraq was developed in Kirkuk in 1927. Today Kirkuk is at the centre of one of the richest oil producing areas in the middle east, and pipelines connect it to the Mediterranean ports of Tripoli in Lebanon and Yumurtalik in Turkey. However the oil industry was affected first by the war with Iran and later by the American aggression and blockade. The area has also an textile industries and a strong agricultural sector, producing wheat, barley, fruits and sheep.


The city is built by the Hasa river on an area with archaeologic remains over 5000 years old, the city reached great prominence in the 10th and 11th centuries, under Assyrian rule when it was known as Arrapha. The oldest part of the town is clustered around a citadel built on an ancient tell, or mound. Saddam Hussein's government had some unpleasant interventions in Kirkuk's architecture, including the demolition of the Muhammediye Mosque, but the city is well worth visiting for the many ancient buildings and specially for the castle and citadel, and the 6th century Nabi Danial mosque located in the old quarter. Don't miss the ethernal fire at Babagurgur.

Outside Kirkuk

Qalat Jarmo:
Located east of Kirkuk, Qalat Jarmo is an important prehistoric archeological site. The site became knwon for revealing traces of one of the world's first village farming communities. The approximately dozen layers of architectural building and renovation yeild evidence of domesticated wheats and barley and of domesticated dogs and goats, suggesting the achievement of a settled agricultural way of life. Other artifacts found at Qalat Jarmo, such as flint sickle blades, milling stones, and - in the uppermost layers only - pottery, hint at the technological innovations made in response to the new way of food production. The original occupation of the site is estimated to have occurred at about 7000 BC.

Nuzu:
Modern Yorghan Tepe, Nuzu is an ancient Mesopotamian city, located southwest of Kirkuk. Excavations revealed revealed material extending from the prehistoric period to Roman, Parthian, and Sasanian periods. In Akkadian times (2334 BC to 2154 BC) the site was called Gasur; but early in the 2nd millennium BC the Hurrians, of northern Mesopotamia, occupied the city, changed its name to Nuzu, and during the 16th and 15th centuries BC built there a prosperous community and and important administrative centre.

Excavations in Nuzu uncovered excellent material for a study of Hurrian ceramics and glyptic art. An especially outstanding type of pottery, called Nuzu ware (or Mitranni ware) because of its original discovery there, was characterized by one primary shape - a tall, slender, small-footed goblet - and an intricate black and white painted decoration. In addition to these extraordinary ceramic artefacts, more than 4,000 cuneiform tablets were discovered at the site. Although written mostly in Akkadian, the majority of the personal names are Hurrian, and the Akkadian used often shows strong Hurrian influence. The Nuzu material also made possible an insight into specific Hurrian family law and societal institutions and clarified many difficult passages in the contemporary patriarchal narratives of the Book of Genesis.

source

Read more »