Shopping in Vietnam for travellers
The peaceful Begijnhof It is difficult not to be struck by Amsterdam’s well-preserved beauty; the lovely canalscapes depicted in centuriesold paintings are remarkably unchanged. Historian Geert Mak once described Amsterdam as ‘a Cinderella under glass’, spared as it was from wartime destruction and ham-fisted developers. The comely old centre has no fewer than 7000 historical…
HISTORY FROM THE BEGINNING Originally, the region that spawned a giant trading community was an inhospitable patchwork of lakes, swamps and peat, at or below sea level; its contours shifted with the autumn storms and floods. The oldest archaeological finds here date from Roman times, when the IJ river lay along the northern border of the…
Part 4 Dogs Don’t Misbehave: Misperceptions and Solutions Chapter 14 – Countering Anxiety-Based Behavior In This Chapter Knowing how to recognize fear Dealing with submissive urination Curing separation anxiety Treating your dog’s fears and phobias Fear, anxiety, and stress are the big three ingredients when it comes to psychological problems in humans, and they’re equally…
The Netherlands was the first country to legalise same-sex marriage (in 2001), and homosexuality was decriminalised here as early as 1811. So it should come as no surprise that Amsterdam’s gay scene is among the world’s largest. Locals are always fretting about whether they’ve lost their cherry as ‘European gay capital’, but as debate takes…
Dutch cuisine used to be little more than a contradiction in terms. This harks back to the days when Holland’s hard-working merchants saw spices, coffee and cheese more as tradable commodities than something to be enjoyed. The leading Dutch restaurant critic, Johannes van Dam, recently went so far as to say the Dutch would eat…
Part IV Dogs Don’t Misbehave: Misperceptions and Solutions Chapter 13 - Addressing and Solving Problem Behavior In This Chapter Understanding the psychology of dealing with a dog’s bad behaviors Crating your dog Correcting excessive barking Teaching a dog not to jump on people Housetraining a dog Problem behavior is a very subjective thing. Of course,…
Given this city’s rep as a wild -running commune of rabid party animals, the first-time visitor may be surprised that Amsterdam is still very much a café society. A serious and civilised institution, the cafés of any sophisticated metropolis should bring to mind intellectual types hunched over worn tables in blue-smoky rooms, dissecting the eternal…
BUSINESS HOURS Business hours are similar to those of other European countries, with a few exceptions. Most banks and businesses close on public holidays, but many shops open on Good Friday, Christmas and Boxing Day. On other religious days, such as Whit Monday, it may seem hardly like a holiday at all. Venues normally closed…
Straddling one of Europe’s busiest crossroads, Amsterdam has excellent air links, a fine motorway and train lines fanning out to the rest of Europe. Once in town, you’ll find that Amsterdam is very much a walking city; you can traverse the old centre in 30 minutes and reach the outskirts in an hour. The tram…
If you’re like many residents, you’ll have trouble tearing yourself away from Amsterdam. But you can’t say you’ve really seen the Netherlands until you venture beyond the city gates. There’s a wealth of beauty, history and tradition within easy reach, and the slower pace of life seems a world away from the Dutch capital. Prepare…
Part 3 Doggie Delinquency Chapter 12 - Happy Training, Happy Tails In This Chapter Adding levity to your training approach Discovering the best approach to suit your dog’s age and personality Incorporating the directions into everyday life Trusting your dog off-lead In this chapter, you not only discover how to teach your dog basic directions,…
Algeria shares with neighbouring Libya and Niger one of the finest collections of prehistoric rock art in the world, and seeking out the finely rendered paintings and carvings of Algeria’s south is one of the undoubted highlights of a visit to the country. These are more than mere paintings on remote rock walls. Many date…
Exploring the Algerian Sahara offers the traveller the ultimate challenge, not to mention some of the last great wilderness adventures in the world. You may see some of the most spectacular scenery on earth – Algeria is famed among experienced Saharan travellers as a true landscape of the soul – but the process of getting…
If you thought that the Sahara was all about sand and camels then you’d better think again. While you’ll get your fix of unwieldy dromedaries and undulating dunes, this part of the Sahara is also home to an alien landscape of twisted stone forests, stark volcanic mountain ranges, endless black gravel plains and deep dark…
Part 3 Doggie Delinquency Chapter 11 - Helping Your Dog Learn from Everyday Living In This Chapter Creating consistency Highlighting responses through repetition Identifying a good correction Letting your dog teach himself Dogs and people really do want the same thing: They want to get along and spend time together. Unfortunately, no one can enjoy an…
It has rolling hills, fertile farmland, some glorious – and gloriously uncrowded – beaches, big ports, and towns embellished with reminders of the region’s glorious past, yet the northwest is the least visited region of northern Algeria. Oran, the capital of the northwest, is Algeria’s most important port and naval base. Home to pirates and…
Part 3 Doggie Delinquency Chapter 10 - Inspiring Behavior with Motivational Techniques In This Chapter Sorting out training tools, from treat cups to clicker training Discovering what motivates your dog to respond Speeding up your dog’s behavioral memory Understanding the role of a perfectly timed response If you’ve ever ogled over a seemingly perfectly…
East of Algiers, beyond the soaring hills of the Haute Kabylie, lies a region rich in natural beauty and stirring history. The rugged coast of pine-clad hills and headlands hides a succession of natural harbours and, by Mediterranean terms, unspoiled beaches. Towards the Tunisian border the landscape levels out as meandering rivers irrigate a rolling…
THE LAND Algeria is one of geography’s grand epics. At 2.38 million sq km, this is the world’s 11th-largest country and the second biggest in Africa (Sudan is the largest). To help imagine Algeria’s scale, consider this: most of Western Europe – including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland, the UK and Portugal – would fit…
THE NATIONAL PSYCHE Although exceptions exist, Algerians are a forthright, passionate people who can seem to carry within them all the optimism, vision and conflict that the country itself possesses. Few require much prompting to voice what they see as the ills of their country, whether it be the president and his shortcomings or the…