Best Chocolate Places on Earth!

Many few people can state with safety they don't like melt-in-the-mouth chocolates. In fact, we people actually need chocolate as researches have shown that consuming cocoa chocolate may positively affect the circulatory system and boost our metabolism; even though high in calories, a piece of chocolate brings energy and fast thinking. No one should exclude a reasonable portion of it from their nutrition. Do not overdo it though!

Travellers are lucky since they get to taste different types of chocolate around the world. 

According to travel.nationalgeographic.com, these are the best of the best chocolate makers!

Enjoy and Indulge!

1. Teuscher (Zurich, Switzerland)

2. Vosges Haut-Chocolat (Chicago, Illinois, USA)

3. Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker, Inc. (Berkeley, California, USA)

4. Jacques Torres Chocolate  (New York, New York, USA) 5. Norman Love Confections (Ft. Myers, Florida, USA)

6. Valrhona (France)

7. Godiva Chocolatier (Brussels, Belgium and worldwide)

8. Richard Donnelly Fine Chocolates  (Santa Cruz, California, USA)

9. Richart (Paris, France)

10. Puccini Bomboni  (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

By: Progress On 09:10

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The 7 Colors of the Earth!

Our planet mother Gaia is truly wonderful and reflected by the colors of nature, which in effect are frequencies of light.

One of the best examples of color on our planet is the 7 Colors of the Earth geological phenomenon. At this site layers upon layers of solid lava generate spectacularly beautiful colorful combinations.

The 7 Colors of the Earth can be found in Mauritius, which is the largest of the Mascarenes islands and is located east of Madagascar. The wavy ground looks like a sea of color shades, such as yellow, brown and green.

By: Progress On 11:23

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The British do Weird things with their Passports!

British travellers are renowned to be of the most experienced and wide reaching in the world today, which is a legacy that goes back to its former empire! That said, its even more strange that in recent times the Brits have been seeking replacements for their passports at a staggering rate and the reasons why seem to defy logic. According to the British Government, claims for emergency travel documents sharply jumped 300% in 2012. 

As one would expect, many cases of lost Passports involved darker forces and were pick pocketed while traveling. However, not everyone was a victim of crime! An alarming amount of British travellers destroyed their passports as a result of reckless behavior such as:

• Storing a passport in the freezer.
• Using their passport as a coaster for Beer at a Pub somewhere.

Getting a replacement passport can cost both time and money, especially if it involves canceling flights as one waits! 

Interestingly some travelers were simply unaffected by this potentially stressful situation and managed to find creative ways around the problem. Here are some examples:

1. A British man had his passport tattooed onto his back during a backpacking trip to Australia. Surprisingly, this form of skin art was actually accepted as ID. Upon running out of money, the man managed to withdraw cash from an Aussie bank after removing his shirt to flash the teller his unusual passport.
2. A Canadian man managed to get into the United States using just an ipad. He journeyed several hours from his hometown in Montreal, then realized his passport was not with him as he approached the U.S. border. Taking a chance, he whipped out his i-pad which held a scanned copy of his passport and amazingly, the official let him through.
3. A British girl aged 9 actually managed to get through Turkish Immigration after accidentally handing over a fake Passport that belonged to her stuffed Unicorn. Oblivious officials even stamped the toy Passport as they waved her into the country!

By: Progress On 23:17

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The clock is ticking to get your money out of the Euro-zone

The dust is slowing settling on the dramatic events that led to the Cyprus economic crisis earlier this year in spring. Subsequently, we consider it a poignant moment to remind the all PT's that the clock is ticking to get your money and assets out of the EU.

What happened in Cyprus?

In essence, 2 formally arrogant Cypriot banks in collusion with the Cyprus Government committed what is best described as a bank robbery in broad daylight earlier this year. Moreover, the EU feels that its got away with it! Many Cypriots and foreigners alike trusted the banks and the Cyprus Government with their hard earned money as it was an EU country and in many cases it amounted to peoples entire life savings.

Yet few of the powers that be on the island of Cyprus or across the continent did anything significant to protect the rights of people. Cypriot politicians simply made agreements with the Troika and IMF regardless and in some cases, a few families in the know transferred millions before the banks were closed. The President who signed for the original shameful haircut blamed the Finance Minister and still holds power.

In balance, the Government of Cyprus was basically given 2 options by the IMF and the EU

1. Confiscate money from private bank accounts in breach of the European Court of Human Rights.
2. Leave the eurozone and face political instability.

Seemingly, the so called proposal was presented as a "take it or leave it" proposition, and many objective observers are using the word "blackmail" to describe what happened.

Only Nigel Farage (captioned in the video above) had the courage and common sense to speak for the people of the EU on the right platform.

The Cyprus Beta Test
Unfortunately, the Cyprus case has set an ominous precedent for the future in the EU and it will likely generate ripple effects far beyond the small Island nation of Cyprus.

The EU appear eager to gauge if the rest of the world will let them get away with it. Cyprus was most likely selected as a "Crash Test Nation" because it's very small (least potential for a strong reaction) and because there is a lot of foreign (such as Russian) money is deposited there. The IMF and the Troika could have very easily bailed out Cyprus without issue, but they coldly calculated not to do that. Instead, the goal was to test the notion of a "Wealth Tax".

Now that the precedent has been set with money taken from bank accounts in Cyprus, plans are afoot to start doing it everywhere. The EU are reasonably pleased with the success of this modern day "Bank Robbery", hence it's only be a matter of time before depositors in other EU nations such as Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal will be expected to loser their fortunes.

Cyprus is a very small nation, so the volume of money involved is not too significant. However, the reason why this whole affair is all so concerning is that the "Wealth Tax" experiment part 2 will likely shatter confidence in the European banking system overall.

So as eloquently as Nigel Farage articulates what will happen to the EU, we remind all PT's across the EU to take action now before it's too late. Get out of the Euro now!

By: Progress On 16:23

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The Top 3 current investments of our time

We live in uncertain times and naturally even in the best of economic climates there is always an element of risk to making investments.

There are however some interesting options for Perpetual Travellers that refrain from putting their heads in the sand.

Here below are 3 top suggestions to investigate further on, but remember if you do invest the risk is all yours.

1. Shale Gas

This new form of energy has made a massive difference (as much as 50%) to reduce fuel costs in the US.

The process is called fracking and it involves deep drilling (10,000 feet) into the earth to reach a thin layer of rock called shale. A pump shoots literally millions of gallons of water, sand and chemicals to generate small explosions. This in turns splits rock and releases gas. The gas is transported through a pipe to the surface.

China, India and the UK all have plans to exploit this form of energy. So Cuadrilla is the only company in the UK with the permission to drill. French firm Total are also getting into the business.

The downside of this investment is that there are big risks attached which are linked to potential earthquake tremors at the level of 0.5. Fears that fracking causes chemicals to contaminate the water supply are also widely reported though not properly substantiated. There are also concerns that the process will turn huge areas of terrain into wasteland.

2. Budget Airlines in Africa

We have all seen the rise (and collapse in some cases) of Budget Airlines in the US, Europe, Middle East and Asia.

Now its the turn of Africa! The key players seeing super growth are Fastjet from Tanzania (backed by EasyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou), Fly540 from Kenya (tripled. Revenues since 2007), Comair and Mango both from South Africa.

The skill here is to pick the new EasyJet and avoid the Zoom, Excel Airways and Fly Globespan etc as there are usually winners and losers in this game. For example Velvet Sky opened for business in 2011 in South Africa and went bust in 2012.

3. Chinese Baby Milk

This you may think is a more surprising suggestion. However look at the facts: 5 years ago 6 babies in China died and literally hundreds of thousands became very sick due to contaminated milk.

The researcher "euro monitor" expects that demand for Baby Formula will double by 2017. There estimated to be around 85 million under-5 year olds in China and fewer than 1 third are breast-fed! Wow that's an opportunity.

On the whole international brands are now trusted in China more than home grown alternatives. Danone (makers of Aptamil) and Cow and Gate (Baby Milk Powder) are expected to have the best prospects.

There you have it, 3 top investments to consider if you are willing to face the risks.

Be courageous when the masses are afraid!

By: Progress On 17:25

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Top 10 Abandoned Cities in the World!

Here is a fascinating list featuring all of the cities across the world that were abandoned at some point. It makes fascinating reading and creates an automatic hit list of places to visit! 

1. Craco

This medieval village in Italy was built on a very steep summit for defensive reasons, in a dry and mostly vegetation-free area in the south of the country. Over the centuries, this village lost residents due to a plague, French occupation and civil unrest, and finally lost nearly all of its residents between 1892 and 1922 as they fled for America due to poor agricultural conditions. Earthquakes in the 60s forced the remaining occupants out of the city, and it’s now completely uninhabited.

2. Kowloon Walled City

The Kowloon Walled City, located just outside Hong Kong, was occupied by Japan during World War II and subsequently taken over by squatters after Japan’s surrender. Neither Britain nor China wanted responsibility for it, so it became its own lawless city.

Its population flourished for decades. It was a place where brothels, casinos, opium dens, cocaine parlors, food courts serving dog meat and secret factories ran unmolested by authorities. It was finally torn down in 1993 after a mutual decision was made by British and Chinese authorities, who had finally grown wary of the unsanitary, anarchic city and its out-of-control population.

3. Gunkan-jima

The forbidden island is one among 505 uninhabited islands in the Nagasaki Prefecture of Japan about 15 kilometers from Nagasaki itself. It is also known as "Gunkan-jima" or Battleship Island thanks to its high sea walls. It began in 1890 when a company called Mitsubishi bought the island and began a project to retrieve coal from the bottom of the sea. This attracted much attention, and in 1916 they were forced to build Japan’s first large concrete building on the island. A block of apartments that would both accommodate the seas of workers and protect them from hurricanes.

4. Mandu

Located south of Indore in the state of Madhya Pradesh, Mandu was once the capital city of a northern Indian Muslim state and has lain abandoned for over 400 years. The ancient city takes up a large plateau just above the Narmada River and is home to a dazzling array of ruins, including a royal palace and a mosque. The Nil Kanth Palace is an important pilgrimage point for devotees of the Hindu goddess Shiva. Today, the city’s only residents are gypsy tribes who live on the hilltop plateau.

5. Humberstone

Humberstone in Chile was a booming town from the 1920s until the early 40s, enjoying the wealth and prosperity that came from mining and processing nitrate, also known as saltpeter. Once synthetic saltpeter was invented, the town began to decline and experienced a slow outpouring of residents until it finally lay empty in 1961. Since then, the blowing sand from surrounding deserts has made its way into the remaining buildings, which still house machinery and furniture. The town has been named a World Heritage Site and will likely be preserved as a historical monument.

6. San Zhi

San Zhi in the North of Taiwan, this futuristic pod village was initially built as a luxury vacation retreat for the rich. However, after numerous fatal accidents during construction, production was halted. A combination of lack of money and lack of willingness meant that work was stopped permanently, and the alien like structures remain as if in remembrance of those lost. Indeed, rumors in the surrounding area suggest that the City is now haunted by the ghosts of those who died.

7. Prypiat

Prypiat is an abandoned city in the "zone of alienation" in northern Ukraine. It was home to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant workers, abandoned in 1986 following the Chernobyl disaster. Its population had been around 50,000 prior to the accident.

8. Famagusta 

Famagusta is a settlement in the unrecognised Republic of Northern Cyprus. Prior to the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, it was the modern tourist area of the city of Famagusta. For the last three decades, it has been left as a ghost town. In the 1970s, the city was the number one tourist destination in Cyprus. To cater to the increasing number of tourists, many new high-rise buildings and hotels were constructed.

9. Times Beach

Once home to 2200 residents, Times Beach, Missouri stood empty and condemned for over a decade. It is the site of one of America’s worst pollution disasters. From 1972 to 1976, city officials had waste oil sprayed on the unpaved roads to alleviate a dust problem. Unfortunately, that waste oil contained dioxin, a toxic carcinogen and component of Agent Orange. The dioxin permeated the soil and flooding further spread it through the town. After a long cleanup effort, the town has been reborn as Route 66 State park.

10. Kadykchan

Kadykchan was one of many small Russian cities that fell into ruin when the Soviet Union collapsed. Residents were forced to move to gain access to services like running water, schools and medical care. The state moved them out over a period of two weeks, and they were taken to other towns and provided with new housing. Once a tin mining town of 12,000 people, the city is now desolate. In their hurry to leave, residents left their belongings behind in their homes, so you can now find aging toys, books, clothing and other objects throughout the empty city.

By: Progress On 17:35

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Top 10 reasons to retire to Uruguay

Once dubbed as the Switzerland of South America, Uruguay, is also famous for its beach resorts and safe easy living, which  is attracting attention as a great place to retire. 

Here below is a Top 10 list of reasons why to retire to Uruguay:

1. Safety: Simply put this is the top criteria for people from other parts of South America. In order to relocate it must be safe! Uruguay now has a reputation for enjoying the lowest rate of crime in the whole of South America, which makes it an attractive place to settle.
2. Stability: At present Uruguay is without doubt one of the most economically and politically stable countries in South America. It is a free country away from the ills of world controversy. The local banks have never succumbed to tactics shown in other South American countries such as expropriating, freezing or forcing a fixed currency exchange of deposits. Over the last few decades they have proved to be as trustworthy as a bank can be. 
3. Excellent Health care: Private hospitals feature an excellent patient-care all at reasonable prices. It is feasible to buy health care they need and others purchase health plans with a fixed monthly fee.
4. Low Tax: This of course has to be on the agenda! Pleasingly, Uruguay does not levy any Tax on foreign income sources. In essence this translate to NO pension, social security and all money earned outside outside the country.
5. Infrastructure: Uruguay has a decent infrastructure with roads in condition, safe to drink tap water, a good network of public transportation, excellent cell phone coverage across the country and widespread availability of broad-band internet.
6. Lifestyle: Uruguay offers different contrasts in Lifestyle from the cosmopolitan capital city life in Montevideo to life on the beach with 200 miles of stunning coast to explore during the summer months Punta del Este is of course the king of the summer resorts and features a high quality 24-hour cocktail of lifestyle activities, cultural and musical events. A country lifestyle is also possible in Uruguay boasting green rolling prairies, ranches and village plazas. 
7. Climate: Uruguay is situated within a temperate zone of the Southern Hemisphere. The region has 4 seasons and temperatures during the daytime average between 21° C > 27° C (70° F > 80° F ) during the summer months and between 10° C > 16°C (50° F > 60° F) in winter.
8. Nature: Uruguay is a beautiful country and has never had an earthquake or a hurricane.
9. Education: The population in Uruguay is well educated overall, friendly and welcoming to visitors. In fact, the country boasts the most highly educated population in addition to the greatest middle-class population in the whole of Latin America. 
10. Residency: The residency procedure is not too complex. All u  need to do is a criminal background check, a health examination and a confirmation of a regular income, such as a pension.

So if you want to get away from the austerity of Europe or the crime of the US, Uruguay provides an interesting alternative. 

By: Progress On 16:28

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Europe Slammed by its own Latest Poll!

Paradoxically, EU people and non-EU people seem to have one thing in common; lack of trust in the European Union.

Traditionally, Britain was always the most consistently Euro-skeptic country within the EU. Since the recent raft of Bail-Outs, that has now changed.

According to the most recent survey conducted in the UK, a shocking 68% of UK citizens don't trust the EU, however that number is even greater in Cyprus, Spain, Greece, Portugal and even more.

Just to get an idea, a worrying 83% of Cypriot citizens say they do not trust the EU decisions. It's not surprising that the vicious Troika cocktail of austerity, doom and gloom which has been forced on the unsuspecting people of the EU bail-out countries is deeply unpopular.

Interestingly, the Poll of 32,000 people across a section of people within the Euro-zone was paid for by Brussels. 

The unpleasant and revealing results for the unpopular European Commission were semi concealed, as they were not featured in any Press Release. Instead, they were camouflaged within a boring 200 page report giving the full details. Such reports are rarely read by the Public.

Despite the distasteful effects of the Bail-Outs leading to war-time like conditions in countries like Greece, large food banks for the poor, increased crime, shocking unemployment levels (especially for the young), street riots and the fear of anxiety for the population at large, the social tank of the EU carries on regardless. 

All of this while the EU commissioners seemingly show NO empathy or compassion for the destruction caused by the Euro and the exchange mechanism to southern European communities.

By: Progress On 16:26

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Top Modern Hotels Around the World

Even though i know that going to all these places is a science fiction scenario for me at the moment, i was very happy to do a brief research in order to inform all Perpetual Travellers about the most modern hotels one may find around the world!

Some people do not need luxurious or impressive hotels to make their vacation worthy!

However, we are pretty sure that for many readers luxury is a must!

See photos of some of the top modern hotels below!

Yas Hotel, Abu Dhabi

Almyra Hotel, Paphos, Cyprus

Semiramis, Athens, Greece

Hotel Habita Monterrey, Monterrey, Mexico

The Mira Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

Luna2 Private Hotel, Bali, Indonesia

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Hotel, Singapore

Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong

Park Hyatt Hotel, Beijing, China

By: Progress On 16:34

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World's Best Hotels 2013

For some travellers its not about "where", but "with who". For those who care about "where" though, no worries.

Thanks to this research conducted by Travel and Leisure , find below the list with the Best Hotels in the World for 2013! 

1. Mombo Camp and Little Mombo Camp, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana

2. Castello di Casole, A Timbers Resort, Casole d'Elsa, Italy

3. Singita Kruger National Park, South Africa

4.Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens, La Fortuna, Costa Rica

5.Four Seasons Resort Bora-Bora, French Polynesia

6.The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, Matauri Bay, New Zealand

7. Ritz-Carlton, Berlin, Germany

8.Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India

9. Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, Kruger National Park Area, South Africa

10. Singita Sabi Sand, Kruger National Park Area, South Africa

By: Progress On 00:36

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