38-Day Path Of The Discoveries

The airport for Puerto La Cruz in northeast on the Caribbean. Isla de Margarita is off the coast.

Located in eastern Northern Ireland on Belfast Lough, an inlet of the north channel of the Irish Sea, Belfast is the capital and largest city in the country.

Cartagena, (kär´te-jê´ne) city (1985 pop. 563,949), capital of Bolívar dept., NW Colombia, a port on the Bay of Cartagena, in the Caribbean Sea. Oil-refining and the manufacture of leather, textile, and tobacco goods are major industries, and there is an expanding petrochemical complex. Founded in 1533, Cartagena became the treasure city of the Spanish Main, where precious New World minerals awaited transshipment to Spain. It was often sacked despite its massive fortifications, some of which still stand. It declared its independence from Spain in 1811 and was incorporated into Colombia in 1821. Its rapid development in the 20th cent. was due largely to the discovery of oil in the Magdalena basin. One of the most picturesque of Latin American cities, with shady plazas and cobblestone streets, Cartagena attracts many tourists.

Those who saw action in France during World War II will remember that Cherbourg was the primary supply port for the Allies during the Normandy invasion. Its first incarnation as a naval base was under Napoleon. Today, the largest port of the Cotentin Peninsula is gateway to ne of the most photographed sights in France-lofty Mont St-Michel. Begun by Bishop Aubert of Avranches in 708, the slender steeple piercing the firmament is a powerful statement of Norman/Romanesque
religious fervor. Around it, the immense Monastery and Cloisters buttress the Church in massive walls of stone reaching all the way down to the sea. Surrounded by treachous quiksands and a 50-foot tide, it must have been quite an adventure to reach the Mont in the days before the causeway!

Don’t worry how to pronounce Cobh, you’re really here to see Cork, Ireland, the main district of which sits on an island formed by the diverging channels of the River Lee. The city is filled with picturesque quays and bridges.

Whether you’ve come to kiss the Blarney stone, to outfit yourself in Irish tweeds or to hear “The Bells of Shandon” ringing, Cork and its surrounding countryside will charm you from glen to glen.

The world renowned stunning “White Cliffs” of Dover were made even more famous in a song. Today, over 20 million people a year pass through Dover, mostly on there way to France, Belgium or London. Dover dates back more than 4,000 years and the city is rich in history and places of interest. From Dover Castle, perched on the white cliffs, to the Church of St. Mary the Virgin consecrated in 1253, Dover is not a town to just “pass through”.

Portugal is for explorers. Its valiant seamen first charted the Azores, discovered Japan, and unlocked the major sea routes the world over. Now you can share the anticipation they must have felt as you explore this exciting city.

You’ll discover an 8th-century Moorish castle, quaint cafes and a palm-studded coastline. The Alfama district is a maze of narrow, twisting streets, whitewashed houses, flowered balconies, archways, terraces and courtyards that charm your socks off. (And if you can find your way out of this dizzying array, 20th-century Lisbon is just as intoxicating.)

Of course, if you’d rather play by the sea, the Portuguese Riviera lies just outside town, offering something for everyone, from sun, sand and surf to thrilling casinos. Lisbon is a vast garden abounding with flowers and tropical plants. The city’s appeal lies in the magnificent vistas from its many belvederes and in the tree-lined avenues and squares decorated with mosaic pavements.

Nestled in a beautiful mountain area near the southernmost coast of Greenland. The town was established in 1797, and has a population of about 2,700.

Québec City is the capital of the province of Quebec, home to the famous Winter Carnival and is a delightful blend of historic old world charm combined with all of the conveniences of a modern city. On a bluff, overlooking the St. Lawrence River, the Hotel Chateau Frontenac, with its impressive spires and turrets, sits adjacent to the Plains of Abraham, where important battles between the French and the British were fought. Visit the Old Fort, or take a horse drawn carriage ride down the cobbled streets of Old Quebec City with it’s quaint shops, corner bistros, and art vendors in the market squares.

Reykjavik, is the capital of Iceland. It is the country’s chief port and center of its cod fishing industry.

Founded in 874 A.D., it is the home of the Althing, or Icelandic parliament, the oldest in Europe. The city’s heating system uses nearby hot springs. Reykjavik was the site of 1986 disarmament talks between the U.S. and USSR.

Stornoway, on Hebridean Island, is a small town. (Population 6000) Due to how north it is, the northern lights can be seen in the summer. Still a thriving fishing port, it is a windsurfers paradise. Beautiful, rugged scenery and friendly natives (Gaelic is widely spoken) never let you forget that you are still in Scotland.

Visit Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia, California.