David Leffman Knihy

Vzhledem k rozloze kolem 7,5 miliónů čtverečních kilometrů je Austrálie šestou největší zemí na světě. Počet obyvatel se odhaduje na necelých 22 miliónů, z nichž přibližně 85 procent žije v městských oblastech, zejména kolem pobřeží. Asi 92 procent populace je evropského původu, 2 procenta tvoří domorodci a odhadem 6 procent pochází z Asie a Středního východu. Většina území Austrálie je suchá a rovinatá. Jednu třetinu pokrývá poušť, další třetinu tvoří stepi a polopouště. Jen pouhých šest procent země dosahuje nadmořské výšky nad 600 metrů, přičemž nejvyšší vrchol Mount Kosciuszko ční do výšky 2228 m n.m. Hlavními vývozními artikly Austrálie jsou fosilní paliva, nerosty, kovy, bavlna, vlna, víno a hovězí maso. Mezi nejvýznamnější obchodní partnery se řadí Japonsko, Čína a USA. Austrálie je federativním parlamentním státem (formálně konstituční monarchií) s dvěma zákonodárnými komorami v podobě senátu a sněmovnou reprezentantů. Hlavou státu je britský panovník zastoupený generálním g

Průvodce Rough Guide po Islandu je nejúplnější turistickou publikací věnovanou této fascinující zemi. Obsahuje: popis všech zajímavých míst i přírodních úkazů - od kosmopolitního Reykjaviku až po pozoruhodnou divokou přírodu poloostrova Hornstrandir, barevné fotografie islandských zajímavostí i památek, podrobné seznamy hotelů, restaurací a barů v Reykjaviku i ostatních oblastech, včetně cenových relací a doporučení, poučný komentář k islandské historii i současnosti, mapy všech regionů.

Vyrazte za exotikou s průvodcem od Rough Guide. Malajsie, Singapur a Brunej jsou mimořádně atraktivní pro milovníky exotických zemí, kteří si potrpí na divokou překrásnou přírodu a poznávání nejrůznějších kultur, ale na své si zde přijdou i vyznavači outdoorových aktivit. Vydejte se s aktualizovaným průvodcem řady Rough Guide na adrenalinové horské výstupy, ochutnejte z celé řady zdejších kuchyní a nechte se hýčkat pohostinností místních obyvatel. Navštivte lokality osídlené již před 40 000 lety, zažijte nocování v takzvaných dlouhých domech a zúčastněte se oslav některého ze zdejších nesčetných svátků. Nechte se uchvátit pohledem na sídlo brunejského sultána, opatrně nahlédněte do domova karet obrovských a podívejte se také do míst, kde najdete jak mešity, tak hinduistické, buddhistické a čínské velkolepé chrámy.

This is your essential guide to Iceland's captivating capital, covering all the key places, restaurants, shops, cafés and bars you simply must visit, not to mention the jaw-dropping sights and scenery within reach of the city. Slim, stylish and utterly pocketable, it comes with a full-colour pull-out map to help you find your way around - the only map of its kind to be marked with every single recommendation from the guide

An unbeatable, pocket-sized guide to Iceland, packed with insider tips and ideas, colour maps, top 10 lists, and a laminated pull-out map - all designed to help you see the very best of Iceland. Marvel at the natural beauty of the Vatnajokull National Park, observe the seabird colony at the Latrabjarg Bird Cliffs, venture out to the Landmannalaugar Area to explore mountains and hot springs, relish the tranquil waters of Lake Myvatn, wonder at the mighty waterfall at Gullfoss, or hike around the grassy meadows to enjoy the landscape. From Top 10 offshore islands to Top 10 festivals - discover the best of Iceland with this easy-to-use travel guide. Inside Top 10 Iceland: Nine easy-to-follow itineraries, perfect for a day trip, a weekend, or a week; Top 10 lists showcase the best Iceland attractions, covering the Blue Lagoon, ingvellir National Park, Snfellsjokull National Park, Jokulsarlon, and more; Free laminated pull-out map of Iceland, plus seven full-colour area maps; In-depth area guides explore Iceland's most interesting neighbourhoods, with the best places for shopping, going out, and sightseeing; Colour-coded chapters divided by area make it easy to find information quickly and plan your day; Essential travel tips including our expert choices of where to stay, eat, shop and sightsee, plus useful transport, visa and health information; Colour maps help you navigate with ease; Covers Reykjavik, West Iceland and the Snfellsnes Peninsula, the Westfjords, North Iceland, East Iceland, South Iceland and the Highland Interior. -- Worldcat

The Rough Guide to Chinacovers of all of mainland China and Tibet, as well as the lesser known administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau. The Rough Guide provides all the information you need, whether you want to explore the sophisticated nightlife of Beijing and Shanghai, chill out in the mellow travellers' havens of Dali and Yangshuo, or roam the streets of wonderfully historical towns such as Lijiang. Up-to-date descriptions provide you with the low-down on famous sights such as Beijing's Forbidden City, the Terracotta Army outside Xi'an, limestone peaks around Guilin and the cruise through the mighty Three Gorges along the Yangzi. There's also full practical information on where to drink, sleep, party and eat - from streetside snack stalls to luxurious Beijing Duck restaurants. Detailed maps and comprehensive practical information help you get under the skin of China, whilst the guide's stunning photography and a full-colour introduction make this your ultimate travelling companion. Make the most of your time on earth(tm) with The Rough Guide to China.

Introduction Hong Kong is a beguiling place to visit: a land whose aggressive capitalist instinct is tempered by an oriental concern with order and harmony. Indeed, whatever you've heard about it, the most important thing to remember is that, despite 150 years of British colonial rule and the modern city's cosmopolitan veneer, Hong Kong is, and always has been, Chinese. The glittering skyline imitates others throughout the world; the largest department stores are Japanese-owned; you can take English high tea to the accompaniment of a string quartet; there's cricket and horse-racing, pubs and cocktail lounges. But for most of the Chinese locals - 98 percent of a population of almost seven million - life still follows a pattern that many mainland Chinese would recognize as their own: hard work and cramped housing; food bought from teeming markets and street stalls; and a polytheistic religion celebrated in the home, in smoky temples, and during exuberant festivals. Recent years, however, have been far from easy for Hong Kong. The enormous political upheaval that accompanied the handing back of the territory to China in 1997 was followed almost immediately by the Asian economic crisis, during which stockmarket and property markets collapsed and unemployment reached its highest levels for 25 years. And though fears that the Chinese government would interfere in the running of Hong Kong after the British left have proved to be generally unfounded, they have been replaced by concerns that the territory's own leadership lacks the experience necessary to run such a sophisticated and fast-changing society, with local officials trying to second-guess the wishes of Beijing. Even so, visitors to Hong Kong will find that little has changed - superficially at least - since the handover. Many practical matters, such as entry requirements, have remained unaffected, and the city has lost none of its interest: the architecture is an engaging mix of styles, from the stunning towers of Central to ramshackle town housing and centuries-old Chinese temples; the markets and streetlife are compelling; while the shopping - if no longer the bargain it once was - is eclectic, from open-air stalls to hi-tech malls. Hong Kong is also one of the best places in the world to eat Chinese food (and a good many other cuisines besides), while the territory's Western influence has left in a plentiful selection of bars and nightspots. If there's a downside, it's that commercialism and consumption tend to dominate life. Cultural matters have been less well catered for, though a superb Cultural Centre, several new or improved museums, and an increasing awareness of the arts - both Chinese and Western - are beginning to change that. Sixty kilometres west across the Pearl River estuary, Macau (due to be returned to China in December 1999) makes Hong Kong look like the gaudy arriviste colony it is. In 1557, almost three hundred years before the British arrived in southern China, the Portuguese set up base here, and although Hong Kong and its harbour later surpassed the older enclave in terms of trading importance, Macau absorbed its Portuguese associations and culture in a way that Hong Kong never did with Britain. Smaller and more immediately attractive than its neighbour, Macau remains a pleasant contrast to the madness across the water in Hong Kong. It's one of Asia's most enjoyable spots for a short visit, its Chinese life tempered by an almost Mediterranean influence, manifest in the ageing Catholic churches, hilltop fortresses and a grand seafront promenade. Of course, like Hong Kong, Macau is Chinese - 95 percent of its population speak Cantonese. All the temples and festivals of southern China are reproduced here, but few come to Macau to pursue them, believing - perhaps rightly - that such things are done bigger and better in Hong Kong. Instead, Macau offers alternative attractions. Eating here is one of the highlights of any trip to the region - even on a short visit to Hong Kong it's worth taking the jetfoil over for a meal: Macanese food is an exciting combination of Portuguese colonial cooking, with dishes and ingredients taken from Portugal itself, Goa, Brazil, Africa and China, washed down with cheap, imported Portuguese wine, port and brandy. And with gambling illegal in Hong Kong, except for betting on horse-races, the Hong Kong Chinese look to Macau's various casinos to satisfy their almost obsessive desire to dice with fortune.

INTRODUCTION Australia is massive, and very sparsely peopled: in size it rivals the USA, yet its population is just over eighteen million - little more than that of the Netherlands. This is an ancient land, and often looks it: in places, it's the most eroded, denuded and driest of continents, with much of central and western Australia - the bulk of the country - overwhelmingly arid and flat. In contrast, its cities - most of which were founded as recently as the mid-nineteenth century - express a youthful energy. The most memorable scenery is in the Outback, the vast desert in the interior of the country west of the Great Dividing Range. Here, vivid blue skies, cinnamon-red earth, deserted gorges and other striking geological features as well as bizarre wildlife comprise a unique ecology - one that has played host to the oldest surviving human culture for at least fifty thousand years. The harshness of the interior has forced modern Australia to become a coastal country. Most of the population lives within 20km of the ocean, occupying a suburban, southeastern arc extending from southern Queensland to Adelaide. These urban Australians celebrate the typical New World values of material self-improvement through hard work and hard play, with an easy-going vitality that visitors, especially Europeans, often find refreshingly hedonistic. A sunny climate also contributes to this exuberance, with an outdoor life in which a thriving beach culture and the congenial backyard "barbie" are central. While visitors might eventually find this Home and Away lifestyle rather prosaic, there are opportunities - particularly in the Northern Territory - to gain some experience of Australia's indigenous peoples and their culture, through visiting ancient art sites, taking tours and, less easily, making personal contact. Many Aboriginal people - especially in central Australia - have managed to maintain their traditional way of life (albeit with some modern accoutrements), speaking their own languages and living according to their law (the tjukurpa). Conversely, most Aboriginal people you'll come across in country towns and cities are victims of what is scathingly referred to as "welfare colonialism" - a disempowering system in which, supported by dole cheques and other subsidies, they often fall prey to a destructive cycle of poverty, ill-health and alcoholism. There's still a long way to go before black and white people in Australia can exist on genuinely equal terms.