North America By Anthony Trollope An American traveling in England was in a first class railway compartment with two Englishmen. He lighted a cigar, and one of his companions said to him, ‘I beg your pardon, but perhaps you have not noticed that there is a no smoking slip pasted on the window. ‘Oh, is there?’ said the American, and kept on smoking. Presently the Englishman said, ‘Apparently you are not aware that in this country a fine is laid …
American Railway Travel The first commercial use of railroads to transport paying passengers came in 1830, but it was just as well to take a horse-or a horse-drawn conveyance. Stagecoaches could take you nearly anywhere, so railroads remained largely a nov- elty until 1850, by which time there were 9021 miles of rails, mostly in the Northeast. In the early days, the railroads usually followed the lines of least resistance in laying their tracks. The railroads went by rote …
America’s Byways – US Scenic Roads All the scenic and tourist routes compiled by Federal Highway Administration. Follow the link of each title for more information. US Scenic Roads for vacations. A1A Scenic Road & Historic Coastal Byway (Florida) This byway lies between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway on a narrow barrier island with breath-taking views. This environment supports a variety of wildlife, including 50 endangered species. History aficionados will enjoy touring St. Augustine, the oldest continually-occupied European settlement …
Israeli Backpackers Around the world – Asia & South America The Israelis, who are used to traveling the world. “The Great Journey” has become a tradition of the soldiers of the Israeli army at the end of their service. During it, the boys receive a good salary, depending on which troops serve, allowing them to accumulate enough money to continue their lives afterward. As soon as the necessary amount has been accumulated, the boys set out on the long-awaited journey. …
Piece of Eight – The First Global Currency – Real de a Ocho It was the first global currency that preceded the British gold pound sterling and also the United States dollar. It was widely used and its hegemony in world trade extended for more than 300 years. Americans relied on his model to develop their own dollar, called the Spanish dollar or Spanish pillar dollar. The political protagonism, the historical projection and the prestige of Spain as a great …