Since 1378, the Holy See has been the home of the pope and the Roman Catholic religion. The pope resides in the Vatican's papal apartments and St. Peter's Basilica. St. Peter's Basilica is the official church of the papal and is located in the

Vatican City.

Things to do in Vatican City:

1. Vatican Museum: The Vatican Museum is the world's largest museum which contains an astonishing 1,400 rooms. It includes art galleries with over 3,000 years of art, the museum, and the Sistine Chapel. The museum contains art works from the famous artist Raphael. Art from the Renaissance period is located in the Pinacoteca Vaticana. The Hall of Maps, is an incredible hall filled with old maps from papal landscapes.

2. Sistine Chapel: This prestigious work of art, the Sistine Chapel was built in 1481. The chapel is the venue for cardinals electing new popes and it is also used as a private chapel for the pope. Michelangelo is famous for painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel which depicts many stories from the bible including the story of Noah. Famous artists from that era created the art which we know of today, which made the Sistine Chapel so revered.

3. St. Peter's Basilica: One of the world's largest churches, the entrance inside of St. Peter's Basilica is free of charge but visitors have to be dressed appropriately. Visitors have to be fully clothed, showing no bare shoulders or knees. Inside of St. Peter's Basilica is Peter's tomb, Michelangelo's Pieta and tombs of other popes.

4. Castel St. Angelo: Emperor Hadrian had his tomb built in the second century. During the Middle Ages, Castel St. Angelo was used as a special fortress until the 14th century, when it was used as a papal residence. Castel St. Angelo was built over the walls of Rome and it includes a passageway to enter the Vatican. The passageway is underground. Visitation is during the summer where summer programs are held.

Tourist and Transportation Information for Vatican City: All the information you need is inside of St. Peter's Square on the left hand side. A shop is located there also that sells souvenirs, guides, maps, and jewelry. Hours of operation are from Monday through Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Facts about Vatican City: 1. Known as the Holy See. 2. A tiny, independent, sovereign state. 3. Vatican City only has a population of 1,000 people. 4. Vatican City gained their independence from Italy on February 11th, 1929.

Accommodation near Vatican City: Many travelers choose to stay for an extended period of time. Hostels and hotels are the main means of accommodation but it is not always the best idea. It is always best to rent an apartment while visiting. Saves a lot of time and money.

It has been a funny old year. Recession hit the UK, the pound crashed against the Euro, holidays in the Eurozone became a lot more expensive for Brits, and the Alps received some of the best snowfall for 25 years, with the season opening in style in November and continuing with fantastic conditions until the end of April. So a bit of a mixed bag for British skiers - great snow conditions vs expensive European holidays.

It wasn't all bad news however. The sheer number of catered chalets available coupled with a significant drop in clients booking early meant that there were a lot of amazing deals available as increasingly desperate chalet operators dropped their prices in an attempt to fill their beds.

With an uncertain climate still prevailing throughout the British Isles, and based on what happened last year, skiers would be forgiven for thinking that the best thing to do for 2009/2010 would be to wait until the last minute, and try and get a reduced deal. However, if you are serious about your skiing, that could prove to be a mistake.

Based on the poor performance of many chalets during the winter 08/09 season, many chalet operators have dramatically reduced the number of chalets they will be operating. In simple terms, this means that there won't be enough chalets to go around, especially during the peak weeks. Demand is predicted to massively outstrip supply which could result in price rises of between 10-30 % as the season approaches.

Because the news of these chalet cuts have yet to filter through to all the smaller chalet operators and owner run chalet operations, prices at the moment tend to be comparable with last year, or in some cases even cheaper. However, as the season approaches and it becomes clear that it is a seller's market, prices for remaining weeks and beds are predicted to rise sharply. At the moment, there are still some good deals to be found for next winter, even for the New Year and half term weeks. The shrewd skiers are booking now. Says Liz of independent ski holiday portal, All Mountain Holidays;

"Many people think that the thing to do this year is to book late. However, traffic on our site is currently high, and most of the quality chalets are already booked for Christmas, New Year and half term. For many chalet owners, Easter is also selling fast. I think it is going to come as quite a shock to people who leave it until the autumn to book a ski holiday during the school holidays - there will be very little availability, and what will be left will be phenomenally expensive. Even the non school holiday weeks are going to suffer price rises as the season approaches and availability becomes more limited."

In order to avoid disappointment next winter, if you can afford to, get a deposit down on your 2009/2010 ski holiday as soon as possible. If you leave it too late, you may find that there isn't much choice!

The allure of paradise is always fascinating; it causes the mind to picture peace and tranquility of nature in all her splendor. A flowing river, the chirping of birds and the sound of children's laughter encapsulated by the wind through the trees. Jamaica is paradise! Or is it? The contrast of this island is from one extreme to the other all coming together in one melting pot. Symbolic of the motto "OUT OF MANY ONE PEOPLE", home to approximately 2.75 million people from every race color and creed imaginable Jamaica is diverse.

The rich and the poor are separated by their location i.e. the rich man lives uptown conversely the poor man lives downtown. The world has heard about Jamaica but so many are yet to see it, what most have seen are the various resorts and all inclusive hotels, they have not seen the filth and squalor that more than 50% of natives are living in. In the capital city of Kingston there is an inner city community called Riverton Gardens, the name appealing to the ears however Riverton Gardens is the largest land fill in Kingston. A bird's eye view of the hills 3 miles away is the upscale residence of Plantation Heights, where the property owners equipped their homes with the latest security devices, guard dogs and armed guards.

The business districts in all 14 parishes have derelict buildings which become haven for the homeless and thugs and can cost you your life by just walking past any of these derelict buildings in the nights. The financial capital New Kingston is transformed in the nights this is the time for the prostitutes, drug pushers and the young people who love to party. The politics of this "paradise" is summed up in one word "CORRUPT" whatever suites the government gets done irrespective of the consequences to the natives.

The police have been described by some as gunmen in uniform, the many reported cases of extra judicial killings and brutal beating of the citizens goes unabated. Crime has skyrocketed over the last 2 years with an average of 1500 Jamaican citizens killed yearly; this figure does not include those killed by the policed. The state of the prisons are not worthy for human habitation, the prisons are overcrowded. The holding cells at the police stations are deplorable the prisoners have to use a bucket for bodily excrement.

The sleeping quarters of police officers for the most part is despicable most cops shudder at the thought of rain because the stations suffer from leaking roofs. Electricity theft is a major problem just about everyone steal electricity the rich and the poor there are the throw up wires and the tampering of the electrical meters which is costing the Jamaica Public Service Company (the countries power supply company) millions of dollars yearly.

It is reported that three hundred thousand people are paying the electricity bill for the nation. You will never read about Jamaica like this in any of the tourism brochures, what you will see is paradise. To see the real Jamaica check out http://www.birdseyeja.com