In what country people are the happiest?

Here is the question asked from the OECD (organization for economic co-operation and development). After a survey, they got an answer.

This analyze is base on the economic power, social data and subjective facts from 140 countries.

According to investigated people, here are 6 different feelings, negative or positive; they had theses last 24h.

Most of the countries on the top of this list have a high income per capita, they are North European countries.

1. Denmark
2. Finland
3. Netherland
4. Sweden
5. Ireland
6. Canada
7. Switzerland
8. New Zealand
9. Norway
10. Belgium

We can suppose that this question didn’t reach to children taking a shower in The Mekong River, neither to the one climbing trees In India, or to those living in a lost temple in Bhutan.

In spite of economical difficulties in these countries, OECD’s members could have a big surprise.

Ever since the alarm jumped on the first cases of transmission of tripartite virus H1N1 (human/to make haste/pig) of the pig to the man, newspapers speak on a daily basis of swine flu. The WHO (World-wide Organization of the Health) is thinking about raising the pandemic alert until level 5 on 6, since the virus extends quickly and its spread is already at world-wide level. Nevertheless, confirmed mortal cases of pig influenza outside Mexico do not exist.

What it is more hopeful is that to confront the pig influenza, we count on past experiences and tools that we have nowadays: Antiviral drugs, systems of attention and monitoring epidemiologist system, the WHO, a greater organization and cooperation between countries, etc.
On the other hand, it is a disease that is transmitted by the air, not by the consumption of pig meat.

Going to the hospital with the first symptoms (high fever, headache, nasal congestion and general fatigue), doctors have 24 to 48h to diagnose the disease and to administer an antiviral drug called Tamiflu (used in the bird influenza). Symptoms appear within 10 days after having been in contact with the virus.
We have to highlight that in spite of the fast expansion of the virus, treatments are successful and people are safe within a few days.

Lamentably, the government of Mexico, place of origin of the epidemic, is not absolutely transparent. It is the only place where mortal cases happened, and it does not know itself why this virus has arisen in this country.

We hope that the virus does not mutate, and that Mexico clarifies some details still unknown. In any case, the pig is not guilty … after all; we passed the influenza to him. Unfortunately, it has been given back to the Human.

Recently inaugurated, the Restaurant Nais Aquarium is located in Guatemala, and it is not a simple thematic restaurant, it is also an ecological center for entertainment and education that has a sophisticated system of life support, including a hospital for marine species, tanks of group of forty, biological laboratory, center of nutritional support and an impressive system of illumination by GPS in order to maintain fishes natural habitat.

You will discover 450 fishes from 38 exotic species, reef and sand sharks, which come from Bali, Indonesia, Fiji, Brazil and the Caribbean Guatemalan, and a complex of 15 aquariums decorating the Restaurant and the Lounge decorate.

This gastronomical establishment has a capacity of 500 people, and in case there is no table available, clients will get a beeper in order to let them know as soon as there is one for them.
Visitors can enjoy their meal while they are submerged in the aquatic world with feeding shows or taking the “Back Stage Tour” to learn more about marine species.

This experience of recreational and environmental tourism, supported by Clearly, Coca-Cola, BAM and Panasonic, will be transferred to Costa Rica and Honduras the next year, then Panama and Salvador, to end in Mexico in 2011.

Till now, the Bala train or Shinkansen run 186 miles per hour and has reached 501 travels.

The Japanese train company, Central Japan Railway, has said that in 2025 the fastest magnetic levitation train of the world will be running and will reach 342 miles per hour.

The first line that reached the speed of 186 miles an hour cost 44.410 millions of dollars.
This project was not only a speed record; it was also a perfect example of ecologic transport as it does not discharge pollutants in the atmosphere.

Although these systems, in theory, can go past 435 miles an hour, it will be a whole experience to reach 342 miles an hour and seeing (or not) the landscape running fast in front of us.

Where will I spend my holiday this year?

The question is always the same: Is it better to choose a popular destination where all housings are fully booked, such beaches in the South of France where prices really high for school holiday, or rather pitching on an unusual trip, the one that will give you unforgettable memories?

@ DannyBen

We are, more and more, looking for something new, something that we are not used to see or not used to do, a way to escape completely from our routine.

Moreover, between you and me, holiday in a 5 stars complex will leave less mark than a trip in the heart of a chosen city, living like locals, discovering customs and traditions.

We have to know that in 40 years the amount of tourists has been multiplied by 10 (from 70 million to 700 million), and that the WTO (World Tourism Organisation) expects 1, 5 billion of travellers for 2020.

The most chosen destinations are almost soaked with a record of 44 million of people in New York, 15 millions in Venice, 11 millions in Egypt, even in Antarctic there are 6 times more tourists than in 1990.

So, you had better to chose a “virgin” place, and to mix with locals; your memories can only be better, and your experience, unique.

Then, have a good holiday, and send postcards, we are always pleased to get some…

Germany

@ dalbera

The famous museum in Berlin, in the middle of the river Spree , offers free entry to the 5 museums every Thursdays from 2pm.

France

The ring of Kerry sums up all virtues and attractions of this Gaelic country: Gold and hiking in the green hills, fishing in the rivers and fine sand beaches. That’s not all; the area is an authentic museum in the open air with prehistoric buildings, castles and monasteries.

Estonia

The city of Navarra, located at the Russian border, is the most oriental point of the European Union. The Teutonic Knights castle is from the century XIII and it is split up by a river. Over there all kind of concerts and other open air events are going on.

Hungary

Already famous for its Red Bull, the Air Race takes place in Budapest from August 19th and 20th, with dozen of pilots doing acrobatics and jumping from bridges in a minimum of time.

Switzerland

The street Parade in Zurich goes on in August. It’s a colorful party with electronic music, it’s actually a huge “RAVE PARTY” which succeed with dignity to the “love Parade” in Berlin.

@ Javi Vte Rejas

England

London is famous to be expensive. Taking a look at these countless treasures and works of arts from the Britannic museum and the national Gallery is priceless. That’s why it’s free…

Belgium

The sentence “free beer” has a special meaning in this country that produces some of the best beer worldwide. The Haacht beer offers a free tour with 2 degustation of their beer included.

Norway

“The Scream”, famous Edvard Munch’s paint, can be contemplated in the national gallery in Oslo, with Cézanne’s, Gauguin’s, Picasso’s works of art.

Austria

In the city of Innsbruck, the “hiking bus” is free from end of May till October for all costumers of the city and for the ones being around this city, it will be free if you acquire the Club Innsbruck Card. Of course, there is a vast hiking program.

Google never stops surprising us, and this time it has realized a project with the Prado Museum in order to allow anybody to contemplate, from the other side of the world, 14 paint artworks with a high resolution.

This project is called “Prado’s works of art on Google Earth” and enables to look at several pieces with a high resolution.
Images have 14 billions of pixels, a level of details 1400 times better than what we could get with a camera of 10 mega pixel.

This system is so specific that we can see micro details that painters incorporated in their works, details impossible to see naked-eyes; we can also appreciate works’ scratches and imperfections and, of course, any deep and shade of licks of pain that made these pieces becoming classics.

14 works of art can be seen, here are some of them:

• La Crucifixión, Flades, Juan de
• El caballero de la mano en el pecho, El Greco
• La familia de Felipe IV o Las Meninas, Velázquez
• El sueño de Jacob, Ribera
• 3 de mayo, Goya
• La Anunciación, Fra Angelico
• El Cardenal, Rafael
• El emperador Carlos V a caballo, en Mühlberg, Tiziano

With the typical Italian euphoria, now news papers tell that the tower is safe.

In January 1990, after 20 years of research, the Tower of Pisa had been closed to public to protect it from its inevitable worsening. In December 2001, its visitors could go and see it again. With all maintenance works, the tower got, partly, its verticality back.

Technicians say that it got back almost the same position than in the 1700s, it can stay like this for 300 more years if researches and preventive cares still go on. But visits are limited.

The tower of Pisa started to be built in 1173 and it is prone to various stories and myths.
They say that Galilee threw two different mass cannon balls from the top of the tower in order to demonstrate that the descent speed was independent of the mass.

Various initiatives have been undertaken in order to look after the tower, but without a real success. Included Benito Mussolini, in 1934, commanded to set the tower in a vertical position, by spilling cement on the base of it in order to sink further in the soft ground.

Have you ever heard of the Autobahn? I did hear of it yesterday. Thus, if you have never heard of it, I’m telling you, it’s the German highway without tool network; its surprising features: no speed limit, even if 130km/h (about 81 miles per hour) is the official advice.

I have found a lot of information about this much talked-about highway, the Autobahn. I have done a selection of it in order to give an idea.

On Youtube, there are plenty of videos about cars and motorbikes going faster than 186 miles per hour.

* A funeral car, driving on a German highway, let a coffin going away and the corpse fell down on the roadway. The coffin, untied, broke down in a hundred of pieces. They had to close the highway while collecting all the parts.

* On a highway, they caught a skater going at 100 km/h (62 miles per hour). On the video, beamed by the German TV, the skater grabs a car in order to gather some speed, then drops it and keeps on going on his own. If he was identified, he would have been guilty for “traffic safety disturbance”.

* A German highway had to be momentarily closed because of a “Euros’ rain”. It seems that a bewildered driver had forgotten a suitcase full of Euros on the top of his car. The police managed to save 3 000 Euros only; they couldn’t identify all drivers picking up those “small colored papers”.

* They had to close a highway in order to rescue a swan: the police had got, in a few minutes, a dozen of calls notifying that a swan was stuck on the Autobahn. They finally caught the animal that had a broken leg.

Here are some incidents happened on the “no limit highway”.

1. Lagos, Nigeria

Tourists going to Nigeria are, most of the time, exasperated by this culture based on hush-money and shakedown.

Advise: Ask at your hotel how to get a private transport.

2. Naples, Italy

@ ZeroOne

Italy, The country where they drive Ferrari and Lamborghini like totally crazy.
Advise: Get a private vehicle and go directly to Capri.

3. Caracas, Venezuela

@ miotei

Be careful with “pirate taxis”. They can change your travel in a nightmare.

4. Moscou, Russie

@ miss_ohara

In Moscow, be careful with “gipsy taxis”.

5. Sao Paulo, Brésil

@ alvez

Getting a taxi here is a chaos. It’s the opposite of Los Angeles, for example.

Advise: If you can afford it, do like rich people, and don’t take a cap! Go around with a helicopter! I agree it can seem a little bit snobs but…

6. Mexico City

stevecadman

Warning with “express kidnapping”. They are common at this time.

7. Bagdad, Irak

No comment.

8. Bangkok, Thaïlande

@ Yan Pritzker Photography, Chicago

Here there is no matter of safety. But Bangkok is crowded, and it’s quite hard to walk around in the city with so many cars. You had better renting a small boat even if taxis are colorful.

9. Manila, Philippines

Here, I advise to rent a car directly.

10. New-York, US

@ Marionzetta

New York, New York… Maybe one of the best cities in the world, but also one of the worst to get a taxi.

Advice: If you want to go from JFK to the city center, you had better going by helicopter. The journey lasts only 8 minutes and costs 140 dollars.

Next time, I’ll tell you about another ranking: The top 10 of the best cities to get a taxi.