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Medford (Oregon)

Medford is a city in the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon. The town is southern Oregon's largest and most diverse city, brimming with historical and cultural attractions while offering regional tax-free shopping. Medford is the county seat of Jackson County, and is the commercial and medical hub of southern Oregon. Its autumns tend to be very mild, and dry when compared to the rest of the state.

Understand
Medford is a city in, and county seat of, Jackson County, Oregon, United States. In 2017, the city had a population of about 82,000, with about 218,000 in the metropolitan area, making the Medford MSA the fourth largest metro area in Oregon. The city was named in 1883 by David Loring, civil engineer and right-of-way agent for the Oregon and California Railroad, after Medford, Massachusetts, which was near Loring’s home town of Concord, Massachusetts. Medford is near the middle ford of Bear Creek.

Climate
At 1,382 feet above sea level, Medford is protected by surrounding mountains, and the area is favored with a mild climate. Annual average rainfall is 18-20 inches (45-50 cm), about the same as San Francisco. The seasons are clearly defined, temperatures are generally mild overall, and yearly snowfall is three to four inches on the valley floor. The median winter temperature is. Summers are warm with a median temperature of and an average of 15 days over. Humidity is low. Because of the layout of surrounding mountains, Medford's climate is more similar to that of nearby northern California than the rest of Oregon: relatively dry, with warmer summers and more mild winters.

By plane
The  is major airport for commercial flights serving Medford, Ashland, Grants Pass and the surrounding Rogue Valley in southern Oregon and the Siskiyous in northern California. The airport is 3 miles (4.8km) north of downtown off of I-5 at Exit #30 (Crater Lake Hwy (SR-62)) & #33 (E Pine St/Biddle Rd). The following airlines serve Medford (some distant cities may be seasonal and/or weekly):

 * Skywest dba American Eagle (Gate 1): (Los Angeles, Phoenix)
 * Avelo: (Burbank)
 * Horizon dba Alaska Airlines (Gate 3): (Portland, Los Angeles, Seattle)
 * Allegiant' (Gate 5): (Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Santa Ana; to/from Phoenix/Mesa seasonally)
 * Compass Air & Skywest dba Delta Connection (Gate 4): (Salt Lake City, Seattle)
 * Skywest dba United Express (Gates 5 & 6): (Denver & San Francisco)

There are no non-stop international flights offered into southern Oregon. Additional connections (for domestic & international flights) are made in Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Salt Lake City depending on the airlines you choose.

To travel from the airport to downtown:
 * A taxi from the airport will cost around $17+ 15% tip. Click here for a list of available taxi, shuttle and car rental companies at the airport.
 * The RVTD (local city bus) line #61 stops hourly at the airport, and ends downtown at the main RVTD terminal. Make sure you get on the bus heading to Medford, and not RCC/Table Rock. This #61 bus schedule is available on the RVTD website here.
 * Southwest Point also make a stop at the airport on it way to Ashland via downtown Medford in one direction and outbound towards Klamath Falls and Brookings on two routes. See schedules.

By bus
The central bus station is at the in downtown for Greyhound, Oregon Point and RVTD (local buses). The station is on 200 S Front St between E 10th & E 8th St in downtown Medford:

By train
Medford does not have a passenger rail service; however, Amtrak offers connecting bus routes to Klamath Falls, the nearest station serviced by the Amtrak Coast Starlight line. The next nearest station is down in Dunsmuir, California, an unstaffed station also served by the Amtrak Coast Starlight.

By car
Medford is 27 miles north of the California border, 118 miles east of the Pacific Ocean, and 75 miles west of Klamath Falls. Medford's location gives it ready access to numerous feeder highways. Medford is about midway between Portland, 273 miles to the north, and San Francisco, 373 miles to the south. Interstate 5 runs right through the middle of the city with an exit at both the north and south end of the city for easy downtown access.

Get around

 * Medford's bus system, run by Rogue Valley Transit District (RVTD), transports passengers all around the city, and as far as Central Point, White City, Phoenix, Jacksonville, Talent and Ashland with aspirations to add more.
 * It is relatively easy to walk all of downtown, as it is not very big.
 * A lengthy bike path, the Bear Creek Greenway, runs along Bear Creek in a north-south direction from Ashland (about a dozen miles south of Medford) through the city and up to the end of Central Point (the northern district of Medford). This scenic route is very level, and runs near several important parts of town, such as the mall, downtown, and commercial districts near both freeway interchanges.
 * Lyft and Uber ride hailing services operate in the city.

See

 * The enormous malevolent Blackbird statue at 1810 W. Main Street.
 * Medford is the regional hub for several smaller surrounding towns, including theater destination Ashland and historic goldrush-era Jacksonville. Similar historic landmarks include several early-twentieth-century buildings downtown, as well as numerous historical farms and Victorian homes in the area.

Parks

 * Crater Lake National Park contains an excellent network of trails (also great for winter cross-country skiing), and is a very popular destination.
 * Crater Lake National Park contains an excellent network of trails (also great for winter cross-country skiing), and is a very popular destination.
 * Crater Lake National Park contains an excellent network of trails (also great for winter cross-country skiing), and is a very popular destination.
 * Crater Lake National Park contains an excellent network of trails (also great for winter cross-country skiing), and is a very popular destination.
 * Crater Lake National Park contains an excellent network of trails (also great for winter cross-country skiing), and is a very popular destination.

Do
Southern Oregon, and Oregon in general, are excellent destinations for outdoor enthusiasts. Medford, as the hub of southern Oregon and home to some of the mildest weather in the state, is a popular launching point for many outdoor activities. The primary terrain is mountainous, with a large and mild valley where the city is located.

 * Rafting on the Rogue and Upper Klamath Rivers. Check out Momentum River Expeditions, Noahs Rafting, and Northwest Rafting Company for 1/2-day, one-day, and multi-day trips.
 * Fish for salmon in the Rogue River and tributaries
 * Go on the Haunted Brothels and Opium Dens of Medford walking tour. Meets noon Saturdays at Sixth and Central.
 * Tour the Harry & David plant.
 * Sample regional wineries
 * Bike the Rogue Valley along the Bear Creek Greenway
 * Hike the surrounding mountains and foothills (the Pacific Crest Trail skirts the south and eastern edges of the valley)
 * Ski at Mt. Ashland, the region's primary winter resort
 * Tour historical landmarks and tours through the Southern Oregon Historical Society
 * Ride an extensive and detailed miniature train line at the local Railroad Park, or tour several preserved locomotives and train cars.
 * Hunt down local landmarks along the Applegate Trail, the alternative ending to the Oregon Trail.
 * Discover the gold rush history behind Medford's foothills and immigration history

Golf
Medford is host to golf courses of varying quality. Some of the more well-known are:
 * Stewart Meadows (9 holes, $16)
 * Rogue Valley Country Club (18 holes, private)
 * Centennial Club (18 holes, $45-60)
 * Quail Point (9 holes, $18)
 * Stoneridge (18 holes, $40)

Buy

 * Downtown is an area undergoing considerable renewal in the past few years, after a period of deterioration. There's a number of small shops, bars, and restaurants along Main Street. Parking is free on the street and in the parking structure on 6th Street between Riverside and Central. Rogue Community College and the relatively new Medford library are on the south side of downtown.
 * Rogue Valley Mall is the largest mall in Southern Oregon. It's near the North Medford I-5 interchange.
 * Along Biddle Road one finds a major commercial area. At the south end is the Medford Center.  Going north one finds restaurants, Bi-Mart, Barnes&Noble, and the Food4Less, a large supermarket with discount prices.
 * Crater Lake Center is another shopping area, to the north out Highway 62. It has a Costco, Wal-mart, Office Depot, Lowe's and other large stores.
 * Numerous regional wineries have tasting rooms, and several stores feature local wine selections. Medford is in a warmer, drier climate than other wine-producing regions of Oregon, producing several vintages unique to the state. One of the larger public wineries, Roxy Ann Winery, is five minutes east of downtown.
 * The Harry and David store is near the South Medford I-5 interchange. You can get items listed in their catalog, often at reduced prices.

Camp
There's a KOA in Gold Hill, to the northwest down I-5; another commercial campground is out Highway 140 about 10 miles east of White City. Farther away are national forest campground, but they are a bit of a commute.

Go next

 * Ashland, a dozen miles south of Medford on the I-5 freeway, is a popular destination for theater and restaurant connoisseurs.
 * Crater Lake National Park, about 90 minutes north of Medford, is a popular destination. This former mountain blew its top off several hundred years ago, and is now one of the deepest lakes in the world.
 * Jacksonville, Oregon, is only a few minutes west of downtown. A picturesque historical slice of gold-rush era buildings and culture, it is also a National Historic Landmark and home to the popular Britt Music Festival.
 * Mt. Ashland, about 18 miles south of the city, is a popular regional ski resort.
 * Wildlife Safari is 96 miles north of the city in Winston, near the city of Roseburg, just off the I-5 freeway. A zoo with great prices, it is one of the only zoos in North America that allows close and personal elephant encounters.
 * Medford is also a common access point to eastern Oregon destination points such as Bend, Mt. Bachelor, Klamath Falls, and other high-desert features.

title: Medford (Oregon)


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Media

Media is the county seat of Delaware County, Pennsylvania.

Understand
Media was a planned city, meaning it had a deliberate layout with streets spread south, west, and east around the courthouse. The lots were sold at public auctions to citizens which attracted businesses. Media, being in a rural area, was popular for farms and orchards.

Media was not the original location of the county seat for Delaware County. It was originally placed in Chester as far back as 1789. Many complaints arose over the years, though, because the location of the courthouse was difficult to travel to from the farther parts of the county. Therefore, after years of debate, the county seat was officially moved from Chester to Media in 1850. The courthouse in Media is located at 201 West Front Street.

By car
Media is located off Exit 3 on Interstate 476 (locally known as the "Blue Route").

By public transit
For more information visit SEPTA's website
 * SEPTA's Media/Elwyn Line Regional Rail train has a stop located in Media, and also another stop just south of the borough, in Rose Valley (Moylan-Rose Valley station). The train runs from downtown Philadelphia. Be aware that the train does not run frequently on weekends (only about one train an hour).
 * SEPTA Route 101 Trolley runs on State St., through most of the business district. The trolley runs from the 69th St Transportation Center and ends in Media. Media is home to one of the only existing suburban trolleys on its main street.
 * SEPTA Bus Routes 110 and 118 both run through Media on Baltimore Avenue.

By plane
Media is located 10.1 miles from the Philadelphia International Airport. From the airport, you can take bus routes 110, 109, and 37 to get into Media.

By foot/bike
Media is a compact borough, and has excellent sidewalks, which makes a car unnecessary

By trolley
The Route 101 trolley runs through the heart of Media on State St to Upper Darby. Standard fare (as in for all of SEPTA) is $2.50 cash or $2.00 using SEPTA Key Travel Wallet. Media is the last suburban town with a trolley running down the main street.

By car
Parking is available on most side streets and there are several parking garages located near the State. St Business District

Buy

 * Locally run store, Earth & State provides its customers with a memorable shopping experience while browsing through arts and crafts made from citizens of the Media area.

Internet
Internet access (WiFi) is available in several coffee shops located in Media, including the Starbucks on Baltimore Pike (at the far eastern edge of the borough) and at the Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union on State St.

Phone
Media is covered by all the major cell phone companies in the United States (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile). Unfortunately, most public phones have been removed, and celluar service is the only way to communicate.

Newspapers
The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Delaware County Daily Times are daily newspapers widely available in Media. The freesheet Metro Philadelphia is available at SEPTA Regional Rail stations. Philadelphia Weekly and Philadelphia City Paper  are two alternative weeklies also available in Media.

Go next

 * Allentown, 63.1 mi
 * Philadelphia, 28.1 mi

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Media


text:
Mediaș

Mediaș or Medgyes (Hungarian) or Mediasch (German) is the second biggest city in Sibiu County, with a population of around 50,000.

Get in
You can easily get in Mediaș either by train (an important station in the Romanian railway network) or car (from Sibiu or Sighișoara). There are 3 airports that are in reachable distance:

 * Sibiu: Sibiu International Airport (50 km)
 * Targu-Mures: Târgu Mureş International Airport (60 km)
 * Cluj-Napoca: Cluj Avram Iancu International Airport (120 km)

Time
Mediaș is in the Eastern European time zone (UTC+2, with a DST of UTC+3 from April to October).

Talk
The official language is Romanian and the younger generations also speak reasonable English or French. Because of the Germanic influence and the German kindergarten, school and high-school, German is also known by many, as well as Hungarian (being the second minority of the city with 10% of the population).

Get around
The local transportation operator is called Meditur, practically one can get these buses in every part of the city, lately there are micro buses as well. Because the city center is pretty compact, one can easily walk from one attraction to the other. The taxi is always a good and cheap choice. You can buy the bus ticket at many of the bus stops. You get 2 rides for 1 price or day tickets (€1). The bus drivers can be very friendly and the buses (electro trolly) can be from the German town of Esslingen, near Stuttgart.

See
Mediaș has one of the best preserved historical centers in Romania and also some well preserved medieval fortifications.

Around Mediaș
The area was inhabited by Saxons, therefore, it should be no surprise, that around Mediaș (in every direction) there are a lot of villages, where one can still discover the beauties of the past: in every village there is a fortified church, the houses built in Saxon style. The best preserved and most famous of all these villages is Biertan. There are also some routes definitely worth to be done:

 * Mediaș - Dumbrăveni - Valchid - Laslea - Mălâncrav
 * Mediaș - Axente Sever - Agârbiciu - Șeica Mare - Buia - Mihăileni
 * Mediaș - Moșna - Alma Vii - Pelișor
 * Mediaș - Târnava - Șeica Mică - Țapu - Micăsasa
 * Mediaș - Blăjel - Bazna - Boian - Cetatea de Baltă
 * Mediaș - Brateiu - Ațel - Șaroș pe Târnave - Biertan - Richiș - Copșa Mare

Do
See the medieval city center and its churches, town walls and fortified churches.

There is traditional Romanian shopping, and modern shopping such as in the Kaufland and Carrefour area. Buy local, take the T2-Bus and drive around. Day tickets are €1.

Restaurants

 * Binder Bubi: Str. Plopului F.N. A solid choice when you need a meal.
 * Noi's: Soseaua Sibiului nr. 38. Here you might be able to try a chicken or salami roll.
 * Zen Chinese Restaurant: Str. St. L. Roth, nr. 6. Addresses any Chinese food hankerings.
 * Select: Str. Petofi Sandor, nr. 3. Breaded cutlet and other items.
 * Edelweiss: Str. Aurel Vlaicu nr. 5. A fairly lively place.
 * Traube: Piata Regele Ferdinand I, nr. 16
 * Han Greweln: Str. Greweln, nr.1. You can have a bite on their outdoor dining patio if the weather cooperates.
 * Vila Flora: Str. Hermann Oberth, nr. 43. Here the dining is kind of family-style, it seems (everyone at one table).

Pizzerias

 * Big Pizza: Soseaua Sibiului, nr. 48
 * Mama Mia: Str. Honterus, nr. 27
 * Medieval Bistro: Str. Episcop Ioan Suciu, nr. 2
 * Pizzarito: Str. Mica, nr.1
 * Pizza Roma: Soseaua Sibiului, nr. 60A
 * Trattoria Roma: Piata Regele Ferdinand I

Drink

 * Art Cafe: Str. I.G. Duca, nr. 44. Here you can get one of those beautiful cappucinos with a palm leaf or chocolate pattern on top.
 * McGowan's Irish Pub: Str. Unirii, nr. 7. Seems a bit sleepy during this Covid-19 era, but it was a place to socialize and eat some tasty food and even stay in the adjoining inn.
 * Central Park: Piata Regele Ferdinand I, nr. 29. A place for alcoholic refreshments and meetups.
 * Offside Cafe: Piata Regele Ferdinand I, nr. 17. Another exciting place for a fancy coffee.
 * Prohibition Pub: Str. Stephan Ludwig Roth, nr. 1. Here patrons get a little rowdy with their drinks and having a good time.

Sleep

 * Hotel Traube Piata Regele Ferdinand I, nr. 16, http://hoteltraube.ro/. It's kind of an old-world type of place with dark wood colored varnish and tones in its restaurant/bar and domains.
 * Han Greweln Str Greweln 1. This place is set in a lovely piece of green countryside and has a restaurant.
 * Hotel Edelweiss Str Aurel Vlaicu Nr 23. This place goes all out with its ochre-tone walls and carpeted hallways and restaurant. People like to come here for a good time.
 * Hotel Vila Flora Str Hermann Oberth Nr 13. It's not quite like a resort, but still it has a pool, restaurant, and massage service.
 * Hotel Select Str Petofi Sandor 3. A festive little inn with food options and flags hanging outside.
 * Fabini Apartments Piata Regele Ferdinand I 5. This has a certain European town building look, and the rooms are fairly large.
 * Fabini Apartments Piata Regele Ferdinand I 5. This has a certain European town building look, and the rooms are fairly large.

Go next

 * Sighișoara
 * Sibiu

title: Mediaș


text:
Medical tourism

Medical tourism is a category of travel where people go to another country for medical treatment, often for lower costs or to enjoy a vacation along with their treatment.

Typically, medical tourism involves residents of high-income countries seeking medical treatment in low-income countries; often the costs are much lower. The reverse also happens; residents of less-developed countries may travel to a place with more modern hospitals and better-trained staff.

Residents of countries with national health care schemes – such as Canada and Great Britain – may travel to avoid the long waiting times which elective procedures sometimes have in those countries. Others may travel for work not covered by insurance; many insurance schemes do not cover cosmetic surgery or gender reassignment operations, Canadian health care does not include dental, and so on. Also, couples are increasingly seeking fertility treatments abroad.

Residents of countries with heavily-regulated pharmaceutical and healthcare systems may seek treatments not approved within their home countries, but approved in countries with different regulatory systems. This includes exotic treatments with limited to no scientific backing. These instances of medical tourism can be highly risky, or serve as a last-ditch effort when other treatment options have been exhausted.

Availability of good low-cost medical services can also be a factor in selecting a destination for working abroad, studying abroad and especially retiring abroad.

Possible benefits
The most obvious benefit is lower cost of treatment. All the professional services — doctors, dentists, optometrists, physiotherapy, lab tests, hospitals, etc. — are generally cheaper in low-income countries. Many related items, such as eyeglasses, dentures or common drugs, are also usually cheaper. However items that have to be imported, such as dental implants or certain drugs, may actually be more expensive.

Many travelers incorporate a holiday along with the treatment as they may need time to recover after surgery or have their progress monitored through other treatment, and vacations also tend to be cheaper than vacations in their home country. Some even retire abroad in an area where they can get good cheap treatment.

Medical tourists sometimes can avail themselves of the best doctors and hospitals of a foreign country. The hospitals/clinics in medical tourist destinations may also be credentialed in first world countries and doctors are sometimes graduates of first-world medical schools.

Waiting lists are sometimes shorter in another country, for those with the means to pay. For example well-heeled Canadians may jump the queue at home by buying treatment in U.S. private hospitals, where specialised care can be had quickly – if money is no object.

Residents of jurisdictions which criminalise abortion may find their options less restricted elsewhere; for example, after the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding state laws severely limiting the legality of abortion in some U.S. states, residents of the affected states immediately started traveling to other states for legal abortions. The same is happening across national borders.

Medical tourism also gives people a chance to incorporate local therapies — India's yoga and Ayruvedic medicine, Thai massage, traditional Chinese medicine, etc. — with their ongoing treatments.

Childbirth
If your country, or the country you're visiting, uses jus soli as a basis for citizenship, your child's birthplace will affect their eligibility for a passport. For instance, a citizen of Point Roberts, Washington who rushes to the nearest hospital to give birth is free to apply for baby's first Canadian passport with little more than their newly-minted British Columbia birth certificate ― even if they are not themselves Canadian. They may also want to visit their home country's embassy or high commission (in this case, the US consulate in Vancouver) to register a birth abroad. Conversely, if a Mexican girl espouses a Canadian boy who was born abroad to parents serving in Canada's Cold War NATO deployment to Lahr, West Germany any of their children born abroad will not be Canadian citizens.

Birth tourism may allow a way around immigration laws or circumvention of mainland China's one-child or two-child policies; jus soli countries (where anyone born in the country without diplomatic immunity is entitled to birthright citizenship) are the preferred destinations. The number of countries offering jus soli, especially on an unconditional basis, is dropping, but notably includes the United States and Canada. Australia for example abandoned unconditional jus soli in 1986, as did Ireland and France. Outside the Americas, jus sanguinis (citizenship by "blood" or descent) is most common. Some countries offer conditional jus soli; Australia and the United Kingdom offer jus soli if at least one parent is a legal permanent resident at the time of the child's birth, while China offers jus soli if both parents are stateless and legally settled in China at the time of the child's birth.

In some cases, the foreign hospital or medical facility is actually geographically closer. This can have unintended consequences; many Campobello Island (New Brunswick) kids have Maine birth certificates as it's the only point reachable year-round by bridge, but that dual citizenship leaves these "border babies" liable for U.S. income taxes for life while living as Canadian citizens in Canada. A few decades back when the US military used conscription, these kids could be drafted.

Generic medications
Another reason for seeking treatment abroad can be the lower cost or better availability of some medications.

One conspicuous example is Americans going to Canada to obtain insulin at roughly a tenth of the US price. There may be complications; getting a prescription from a Canadian doctor may not be either quick or cheap, getting a Canadian pharmacy to fill a US prescription might require extra documentation, a prescription might not cover a long-term supply, and if you do get, say, a six-month supply then you need to worry about shelf life. Your doctor is likely the best source of advice.

As a general rule common drugs, e.g. most things on the WHO list of essential medicines, will be considerably cheaper in low-income countries. On the other hand, imported items such as dental implants and newer or more unusual drugs are often more expensive. There may also be differences in prescription rules; for example in China, Viagra (or a Chinese copy?) and many antibiotics are available over-the-counter.

In the Philippines, Viagra and Cialis are often sold by vendors walking around tourist areas; the same guys have items with obviously bogus Rolex and Rayban labels, so while they are cheap (about a dollar a pill if you bargain well), buying drugs from them may be quite risky. Caution is required here since these drugs affect the circulatory system and can be quite dangerous for some men; talk to a doctor if you are considering them.

One blatant example of an enormous price difference is Harvoni (ledipasvir/sofosbuvir) for treating Hepatitis C. Previous treatments involved injections, often had quite nasty side effects, and gave only about a 60% chance of curing the disease; Harvoni was the first (about 2011) of a new generation of drugs that are taken by mouth, have fewer side effects, and cure well over 90% of patients. Unfortunately, in the US it is patented and sells for about $1000 a pill, over $80,000 for the usual treatment of 12 weeks at one pill a day. At least two other drugs with similar properties are now on the market and cost less, but still in the tens of thousands. Many insurance schemes — including the British National Health, Canadian provinces, and many insurers in the U.S. — will not pay for these treatments unless you are desperately ill, so some patients go untreated and may spread the disease.

India refused to grant the Harvoni patent on grounds it contained no significant original work — the key part of the research was done at a British university — and in India the whole 12-week course of treatment costs about $1000. This is not some dubious knock-off from a 'pirate' vendor; the Indian companies involved are large and reputable, and are licensed by the original developer. A 12-week vacation in India, including air fare, good hotels, and Harvoni treatment might cost roughly what the treatment alone would in the US or Europe, and other countries such as Egypt and Bangladesh also have Harvoni at low cost.

For other things, the issue may be availability rather than cost. It can take years for a new or experimental treatment to prove its worth and obtain regulatory approval, and it may be approved in some countries long before others. The dengue fever vaccine, for example, was approved in Mexico, Brazil and the Philippines in late 2015 but in the US not until 2019. Cuba has a lung cancer treatment called CimaVax that (as of mid-2017) is available only there and in a few other Latin American countries; other countries are running tests but are unlikely to approve it soon. Such treatments do have some scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness, but they should be considered risky since they have not yet undergone the full analysis required for worldwide approval. Again, consult your own doctor or an appropriate specialist at home.

Beware of bogus treatments which may be on offer in countries with weak regulations, poor enforcement, or easily bribed officials. A conspicuous example is laetrile or amygdalin, a purported cancer cure that is both ineffective and dangerous but vigorously marketed. Some quacks offering it have been prosecuted in the US, and at least one has set up a clinic in Mexico. A general rule is that if any "miracle cure" makes claims that seem too good to be true, then it is almost certain that they are indeed not true. Beyond that, check with your own doctor.

Destinations
Some popular medical tourism destinations worldwide are:
 * Argentina: Russian birth tourists who used to take Miami, Florida for granted as a flag of convenience have started turning up in Buenos Aires as one of the few Western locations where Russian flights (and their passengers) are not rapidly becoming persona non grata in the wake of the Russian Federation's unprovoked 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Visa requirements are lax in comparison to Canada, the United States of America or other popular destinations; the medical care is good and an Argentine-born child gives the parents an easier path to applying to immigrate to Argentina.
 * Costa Rica: Joint Commission International accredited private hospitals, state-of-the-art-equipment, proximity to the United States and Canada, English-speaking medical personnel, highly trained doctors, dentists, oral surgeons, and cosmetic surgeons with costs generally up to 70% of what would be paid in the United States.
 * Greece: Greece is becoming increasingly popular as a destination for high-quality cosmetic surgery especially for patients from the United Kingdom. Because Greece is a member of the European Union, its health industry is kept to a good standard and under thorough checks and safety regulations.  In the private sector the Metropolitan Hospital in Athens is regarded as being the best in Greece, and the plastic surgeons associated with that hospital are among the best.  Greece is also traditionally regarded as a popular tourist destination and therefore its tourism and service sectors are well-developed. The widespread knowledge of English language among the general population is also an advantage.
 * India: Especially for heart surgery, hip resurfacing, dental, cosmetic surgery and high end surgeries. English as a primary language is also an advantage.
 * Singapore: Has highly accredited hospitals and a very high-quality infrastructure, but more expensive than its neighbours Malaysia and Thailand
 * Thailand: Low labour costs resulting in lower treatment costs. Some Thai hospitals have a lot of experience with gender reassignment surgery.
 * Hong Kong: High quality infrastructure and good quality doctors with high English proficiency.
 * Mexico: Dental care is the best deal here. Because Mexico borders the United States, Americans in border states visit for dental care and minor checks out of convenience. The quality in Private Clinics and Hospitals is just about the same as in the U.S. Los Algodones, on the border with Arizona and California, is so well-known for dental tourism that it's been nicknamed "Molar City". Prescriptions, eyeglasses, cosmetic surgery, and even major surgeries will all cost significantly less in Mexico than in the U.S. (or other countries). Pharmacies catering to Americans are common in Tijuana and border cities near Texas. Mexican pharmacies often charge 90% less than U.S. pharmacies. The Farmacias Similares chain specializes in even cheaper generics. Some medications that require prescriptions in the U.S. can be purchased over the counter in Mexico.
 * Turkey: Istanbul is inexpensive by US and European standards for in vitro fertilization, optometry, cardiology and cosmetic procedures such as hair transplants.
 * South Korea: Known for being the world leader in cosmetic surgery.
 * United States: By far the world's leading nation in medical research, with the most cutting-edge treatment methods and infrastructure available to those who can afford it. The downside is that consultation and treatment costs are the highest in the world. Also a popular birth tourism destination due to the fact that all people born in the U.S. (other than those whose parents are on diplomatic posting) are automatically granted citizenship under the US 14th Amendment. Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands is popular for visitors from China as its visa policies are more lax than the continental US.
 * United Kingdom: If you can afford it, Harley Street in London remains an area where medical specialists can be consulted for a substantial fee.
 * Canada: With a high standard but significantly lower cost, Canada is a popular medical tourism destination for Americans living near the border. While foreigners are not covered by Canada's universal healthcare system, the cost of drugs in Canada, even uninsured, can be as low as $1/10$ the price in the United States.

– and more recently, Brazil, Brunei, Colombia, Cuba, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Africa, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates

Important considerations
First, consider whether the treatment you are planning is the right for you. If you were denied the treatment, the denial may have had a good reason. Are you sure it will help you? What risks are there? Have you gone through all preliminary examinations or will they be done at the destination? Will the hospital back off if they find that you, in fact, shouldn't be treated in the planned way? Do you need to commit to lifestyle changes or training programmes that will continue after your return? If so, you should have the needed support at home.

Be sure you are allowing enough time in your travel to receive follow up care. You may need to stay days or weeks beyond the date of the medical procedure itself. Be realistic about the finances of medical tourism. Sure the medical treatment itself may be cheap. But when you add on airfare, hotels, taxis, restaurants – all in an unfamiliar city – the actual cost may be close to what you would pay at home.

Next, involve your home doctor in your plans! Having major surgery in a faraway country is not a decision you should take lightly. Research – what sort of questions should you ask your doctor about this procedure? How is the procedure typically performed, and will it be done this way where you travel? Who credentials doctors and hospitals in your destination country, and what credentials do your intended providers have? You should also determine what level of follow up care your procedure may require – in the days, weeks, and even years after the procedure. Who will provide this follow up care?

If a specialised procedure entails possible medical complications, your budget should permit a follow-up trip to your distant specialist.

Not all medical tourism is enjoyed by patients travelling away from their home country, or travelling to a third world region. For instance, migraine surgery is performed only in the US, and attracts patients from the Middle East and Africa, since their surgeons aren't able to perform this. If you are considering travel from within your country or outside of it, be sure to explore all of your options. Seek assistance from many sources in locating the right doctor and the right country.

Don't be surprised if insurance which would have fully paid for a medical procedure at home refuses to cover (or only partially covers) the same treatment abroad. Even within the same country, some provincial health insurance plans only reimburse what they would have paid in-province, leaving the traveller out-of-pocket. Insurers are also likely to refuse to cover transportation. Border crossing can also be complicated by the need to carry prescribed medicines; a prescription validly issued by a practitioner in one country may be meaningless in another.

Patients seeking treatment for mental health conditions, communicable disease or street drug addiction may encounter issues with immigration authorities if travelling internationally. "I'm Toronto mayor Rob Ford and I'd like to see a Chicago doctor about my crack cocaine problem" is the wrong thing to tell the US border patrol, unless the intention is to immediately turn back to seek medical treatment in-province. Gravenhurst is charming this time of year?

Consider the languages you speak and what is spoken in your country. In some countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, India, the Philippines and South Africa, most educated people speak English. This can be an important consideration. Having a common language is not necessarily enough, though, if it is not the native tongue for both of you ("fluently" can mean different things), or you or the personnel speak it with a strong accent or with a strange jargon. There may be subtle nuances you'd better be able to convey and understand.

Make sure that you will get sufficient documentation on the treatment, such that it can be used for follow-up care at home.

Lastly confirm, and double check, your plans. How can you contact family members while abroad? Do you need a special visa or proof of ability to afford treatment in order to enter your destination country?

Stay safe
In the past, some discredited or bogus doctors set up shop outside U.S. borders to promote dubious or dangerous treatments or outright scams (alleged cures for cancer, lengthening body parts, etc.). Medical tourism today is far removed from these scammers but one must still be vigilant. At the very least, see a trusted doctor in your home country and discuss your plans for overseas treatment.

Reputation counts in medical treatment overseas. Look for top quality hospitals and clinics with well known doctors.

If anything goes wrong, don't be surprised if your local doctor is reticent to do anything to attempt to "fix" the work done by your foreign practitioner. This is a medical liability issue; local doctors fear lawsuits if an attempt to repair another surgeon's bungled procedure makes things worse.

Realize that, should a worst-case scenario occur, your legal avenues for making a malpractice claim or filing a lawsuit will be greatly reduced and often nonexistent. Freedom from frivolous lawsuits and huge insurance premiums are one reason why some doctors choose to practice overseas and can offer low cost treatments. On the other hand, this type of legal environment makes seeking doctors of good reputation all the more important.

Travellers might be impaired during recovery; see travellers with disabilities.

title: Medical tourism


text:
Medicine Bow

Medicine Bow is a town in Southeast Wyoming.

History
The settlement, which is named after the Medicine Bow River, had its first post office in 1869. It became notable at the turn of the century when, in the late 1890s, a dinosaur skeleton was discovered in the area.

The local Virginian Hotel, built in 1911, is on the National Register of Historic Places. The population peaked at the 1980 census, when it reached almost 1,000, before declining to 261 as of the 2018 estimate.

As a stop on the transcontinental railroad, it was featured in the famous novel Around the World in Eighty Days. Unfortunately, as a result of the decline in rail transport in the postwar period, there are no longer any passenger trains serving Wyoming, and the railway line through the town is used exclusively by freight trains.

title: Medicine Bow


text:
Medicine Hat

Medicine Hat is a city of 63,000 people (2016) in the Southern Alberta region of Alberta.

It's also known as the Gas City thanks to its vast reserves of natural gas. Rudyard Kipling famously described it as the city with "all hell for a basement".

Medicine Hat isn't a large metropolis, and downtown Medicine Hat does not offer megastores with an excellent variety at excellent prices. However, you'll find it to be funky, hip and small-town sincere.

Understand
The city's name comes from the word Saamis, which is a native word that means Medicine Man's Hat. According to the 1983 centennial song "Hats Off to 100 Years!":

 * In eighteen-eighty-three, the Blackfoot fought the Cree
 * in a battle raging on near the South Saskatchewan.
 * In a ritual of defeat, the Medicine Man fell to the ground
 * and laid his feathered headdress down as a legend for our town.

Climate
Medicine Hat experiences a semi-arid climate, and is one of the driest cities in Canada. Due to the aridity, it is also one of the sunniest in Canada, with an average of over 2,500 sunshine hours annually. Winters (November through March) are long and cold, but snowfall is low compared to the rest of Canada. Conditions usually alternate between mild and windy, due to chinook winds, and positively frigid temperatures frequently accompanied by clear blue skies and light winds. Spring (April and May) is short, variable and relatively wet. Snow often occurs in April, and is not unheard of even in late May. Summer (June through August) is typically hot and dry, often without a single cloud in the sky. However, thunderstorms often interrupt the bright, sunny weather late in the afternoon, and there are always a few days (particularly in June) with heavily overcast skies in which the temperature only reaches the mid teens °Celsius. Autumn (September and October) is short and generally mild, though September can bring scorching temperatures in the mid 30s °Celsius, and snow in October is usual. The season typically brings sunny and warm to cool days and cool, sometimes cold nights.

By car
You'll probably arrive in Medicine Hat on Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway), which is the principal highway crossing Canada. If you're travelling across Canada by car, you're almost certain to pass through this city.

Get around
Medicine Hat Transit buses run regularly M-F 6:45AM-10:45PM, Sa 6:30AM-10:45PM, and Su 8AM-6:45PM. The routes do change when it is peak and non peak services, and not all buses run during the non peak service. Transit does not provide any services on holidays.

See
The Medicine Hat Tourism office can be reached at.
 * Downtown Medicine Hat is lit with 277 old-fashioned gas lights that burn around the clock.
 * Downtown Medicine Hat is lit with 277 old-fashioned gas lights that burn around the clock.

Do

 * There is a permanent pottery exhibition at the Clay Products Interpretive Centre, which houses the "Great Wall of China" (referring to the ceramic China, as opposed to the country). Medicine Hat was the home of Medalta Pottery and Hycroft China, two of the most important industrial pottery factories in the early 20th century.
 * Downtown Walking Tour: Maps for a self-guided walking tour can be found at the Tourism Office for free.
 * During the spring/summer time there's always a chance to see many bison mating.
 * During the spring/summer time there's always a chance to see many bison mating.

Parks

 * There are over of walking trails in the city. All of the major parks are linked by the extensive trail system.

Buy

 * There is also a Wal-mart Supercentre, a Canadian Tire, and many independent specialty stores.
 * There is also a Wal-mart Supercentre, a Canadian Tire, and many independent specialty stores.
 * There is also a Wal-mart Supercentre, a Canadian Tire, and many independent specialty stores.

Drink
Medicine Hat has several dance bars, but certainly not the "megaclubs" you would find in larger cities like Calgary. The dance clubs in town are as follows:

 * The Corona - Top 40 and dance music. Popular with younger adults (18-24) as well as adults.
 * Ralph's Texas Bar and Steakhouse - Very large bar with multiple floors, separate pool hall, and restaurant. Country-western, rock, and some Top 40 music.
 * Temptation Nightclub (formerly Gringos; Hazzard County Roadhouse) Open Th-Su. Lingerie contest on Th. Featuring the only live Video DJ system in Medicine Hat. DJ-E spins live video mixes all weekend. 1,000 square foot dance floor.
 * Temptation Nightclub (formerly Gringos; Hazzard County Roadhouse) Open Th-Su. Lingerie contest on Th. Featuring the only live Video DJ system in Medicine Hat. DJ-E spins live video mixes all weekend. 1,000 square foot dance floor.

Sleep
There are no hotels in the downtown area: you'll be staying on the outskirts of town.

Go next

 * Elkwater, inside Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park; southwest of Medicine Hat on Highway 41
 * Dinosaur Provincial Park; northwest of Medicine Hat on Trans-Canada Highway 1 and Highway 876; hiking and guided tours through fossil beds.  The park is designated as a World Heritage Site. Adults $8, children (7-17) $6

title: Medicine Hat


text:
Medicine Park

Medicine Park is a town of 450 people (2019) in the Great Plains Country region of southwest Oklahoma just north of the Fort Sill Military Reservation. Medicine Park is in Comanche County, in the Wichita Mountains near the entrance to the 60,000-acre Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge. Many of the original structures are constructed out of naturally formed granite cobblestones. These red granite cobblestones are unique to the Wichita Mountains.

Understand
It was founded on July 4, 1908 by Oklahoma Senator Elmer Thomas, and was Oklahoma's first planned tourism resort.

Medicine Park has grown into an arts community with several artists in residence including sculptors, fine artists, graphic designers, musicians including street theater actors. There are outdoor concerts at the Park Tavern throughout the summer. The population was 450 in 2019.

History
The community has a rich and colorful history. It was founded by Elmer Thomas, a young lawyer who had just become the first senator of Oklahoma.

In the spring of 1906, five years after the establishment of the Wichita Mountains National Forest, Thomas envisioned the need for a recreational area and for a permanent water source for the budding and newly founded City of Lawton. Over a period of a few years, he and a partner, Hal Lloyd from Altus, quietly purchased approximately 900 acres of what is now the cobblestone community of Medicine Park.

When the resort opened, it consisted of a large surplus Army tent with a wooden floor where hot meals were served. Two dams were constructed on Medicine Creek to form Bath Lake Swimming Hole and a few campsites were built. Over a period of approximately 4 years, numerous improvements were added, and the area began to take on the look and feel of a bona fide resort.

About this same time, numerous such resorts were opening near the entries of other newly founded National Parks and National Forests all across the country. The American public held a remarkable fascination with nature. The coming of the automobile gave unprecedented access to the country's natural wonders. Resorts began springing up nationwide to provide these new found "tourists" with food, lodging and entertainment.

Tourists flocked to the area from around the state and North Texas to enjoy the mountains, wildlife, swimming, good food and lodging. Soon, there were two inns -- the Outside Inn and the Apache Inn (which used to be the Press Association Clubhouse) -- Baird's Health Sanitarium (which featured clay tennis courts and a spa) -- a dance hall, the Medicine Park Lodge (atop Mount Dunbar), a canteen, petting zoo, bath house, general store, school, bait shop, hydro electric power plant and the infamous Dam Café. Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys (the kings of western swing) became regulars at the dance hall from 1929 through the late 1930s. Numerous other famous bands of the day made their way through Medicine Park in route to big city venues in Oklahoma City, Dallas and Fort Worth.

The entire Bath Lake Park was landscaped with beautiful gardens, large trees, foot bridges and grassy areas for visitors to lounge around, sunbathe and enjoy the natural beauty. The area flourished during the late teens to the 1940s as the "Jewel of the Southwest."

The nearby Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge and Lake Lawtonka attracted thousands of people each weekend and throughout the seasons. Medicine Park became the "playground" for the State's rich, famous and notorious. Folks would come to town for the weekend and leave their "work-a-day" world, troubles and reputations behind them. Outlaws and horse thieves mixed with noted politicians and businessmen, soldiers and officers from Fort Sill, families and socialites in this new cobblestone community. The pages of the Town's colorful history are filled with the likes of Will Rogers, Wiley Post, Frank Phillips, Bob Wills, Al Capone, Bonnie and Clyde, Pretty Boy Floyd, Lil Hardin, Colonel Jack Abernathy, Les Brown, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans and countless others.

Get in
Medicine Park is near the city of Lawton and Fort Sill. Interstate 44 runs north-south just to the east of Medicine Park. State Hwy 49 runs east-west and can be accessed from I44. Medicine Park is at the main entry to the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge, the second most visited wildlife refuge in the country - hosting more than 1.5 million visitors annually.

Do
You can also possibly watch the Spirit of Survival Marathon or Tour de Meers if your stay happens to coincide with these.

Sleep
Medicine Park has wonderful lodging from historic cabins to Bed & Breakfasts. You will find a variety of accommodations available.

title: Medicine Park


text:
Medina

Medina (Arabic: المدينة, Madinah), officially known as Al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (Arabic: المدينة المنورة,  al-Madīnah al-Munawwarah), is a city in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia.

Commonly referred to as the "cradle of Islamic culture and civilisation", it is Islam's second holiest city.

Although a visit to Medina is optional (though highly encouraged) and not part of the Hajj, most pilgrims visit Medina after completing the Hajj before they head home.

Understand
Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Medina, where he was welcomed, and taught there for some years before his triumphant return to Mecca. He died in Medina in AD 632 and was buried there, the location on which the Prophet's Mosque now stands. His house where he passed away is still part of that mosque.

Get in
Unlike Mecca, Medina is open to everyone, including non-Muslims. Non-Muslims used to be banned from Al-Haram, the city centre, but this rule was relaxed in 2021, so outside the Hajj season, non-Muslim tourists may now head all the way up to the perimeter fence of the Prophet's Mosque and take photos from the outside. Entry into the Prophet's Mosque is still banned for non-Muslims. However, as of April 2023, enforcement of this rule is lax, as there seems to be no one that would ask questions at the entrance.

If you plan to visit during the Hajj season, you must apply for a Hajj visa.

By plane
For pilgrims, the most common route is to arrive in Jeddah by plane, and get on a special pilgrims' bus to Mecca and Medina, and come back to fly home in a couple of weeks.

By bus
The Saudi Arabian Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) runs luxurious buses several times daily to and from most parts of the country at cheap rates. There are also privately run buses. The SAPTCO terminal is off-limits to non-Muslims.

By train
Medina is linked with Jeddah and Mecca via high-speed railway. Services are frequent, with up to 15 departures per day in each direction. Journey time is just under two hours from Jeddah and 2½ hours from Mecca.

Get around
Public transport is limited; taxis and Uber are useful for getting around.

If you are on the side of the road, you might find locals willing to pick you up and take you to your destination for a fee, even though they aren't officially taxis, but beware of con artists from among both official and unofficial taxi drivers (see "Stay safe" below).

If you take a non-Uber ride, negotiate the price up front. You can use Uber to establish your baseline (maximum) price. People will often ask for prices well in excess of the Uber price.

There is a shuttle (looks like a train of golf carts) that runs along Qiba Road between the Prophet's Mosque and the Quba Mosque. Payment is done in cash to the driver, and you can hop on anywhere along the way (although payment is the same regardless).

See
Whether you are a practising Muslim or simply curious about Islam, Medina is the perfect place to deepen your curiosity about one of the world's largest religions.

Religious sites

Apart from the main Prophet's Mosque, there are numerous historic mosques scattered around the city. Almost all are working mosques, meaning that visits might be limited.

Further afield
Another place worth visiting is the battleground of Khandaq or the Trench.

Do
. The Prophet Muhammad's burial site lies inside the mosque. Off-limits to non-Muslims.

Buy
The streets leading to and around the Prophet's Mosque are lined with shops selling goods of every variety. Visitors to Medina usually buy prayer rugs (some with magnets pointing towards the Kaaba), caps, Tasveeh or rosary beads, Abayas, pictures of the holy city and mosques, religious CDs, copies of the Holy Quran, clocks sounding Azan or the call to prayer (correct to the second) for nearly 5 million cities, etc. as souvenirs to take back with them or as gifts for family and friends. The best of them to take back are dates from Medina.

There are also huge glittering shopping complexes and malls selling goods from all over the world.

Credit cards are largely unaccepted in smaller businesses. Few banks will exchange travelers' checks. Many larger businesses, chains, and convenience stores will accept credit card and even Apple Pay.

Eat
There are restaurants selling diverse foods, largely from across the Muslim world. There are Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi restaurants in abundance. Many of these restaurants will serve favourites such as shawarmas and falafel. There is also Chinese, Indonesian, Turkish, Egyptian, and local food.

The Western fast-food chains, KFC, and Hardee's have outlets in the city, as do Saudi chains such as Al Baik and Kudu. The cheapest local specialities are shawarma, taamiyya (a type of vegetable sandwich), foul (cooked beans) with tameez (bread), and Broasted chicken which refers to pressure fried chicken cooked and seasoned similarly to KFC. There are always dates.

As of November 2023, to the north of King Fahd gate, there is a street with numerous street food stalls. The food comes from various countries with significant Muslim populations, including Indonesia, China, India, Pakistan, and other countries in the Middle East.

Drink
As it is everywhere else in the country, alcohol is prohibited. Drinking any kind of beverage during daylight hours during Ramadan is subject to punishment by the religious police and thus shouldn't be done in the open.

Sleep

Medina has many hotels, most of which are very close to the mosque. Numerous 5 star hotels have been and are being constructed all around the Prophet's mosque within a radius of 500 m. Beyond these are many budget hotels extending miles from the Masjid Nabavi. The tariff depends on a hotel's distance from the mosque, the nearer the more expensive. Even these low cost hotels have facilities like proper beds with clean linen, carpeted floors, air conditioning, refrigerator in every room, tiled bathrooms fitted with either eastern or western type WCs (sometimes both), 24 hours running hot and cold water. Kitchens with LPG and burners and sinks are also available for those pilgrims who would like to cook their own meals. But now all of these small old hotels are being demolished on a large scale to make way for starred hotels.

Outside city center zone
The following hotels are open to all.

Scams
Many visitors think that because Medina is a holy city, they need not fear being treated dishonestly. That is not a safe assumption. Below are some scams to beware of:

 * As you leave the secure area of the Medina airport and into the arrivals hall, if you look like a well-to-do visitor from a wealthier country, you will be approached by a confident and well-spoken man demanding to see your passport. This person is not an airport or government official, but is actually working for a local taxi company and you should demand to see ID if anyone asks for your passport. If you do give him your passport, he will then ask you to follow him to a desk where it will be handed over to someone who will pretend to be scrutinising it carefully for a while and then tell you to follow one of his colleagues to the taxi rank where you will certainly be hideously overcharged for your journey into central Medina. There are standard set prices for taxi journeys from the airport into central Medina, as set by the government, and these will be listed on signs in the car park area. Do not be tricked into paying over the odds.
 * Beware of taxi drivers, both official and unofficial, selling you a sob story about great hardships at home, or even saying they are about to go and fight Jihad in Palestine, Chechnya, Burma, etc., and will ask you for a donation. These are always lies designed to con you out of money, as they know pilgrims are feeling charitable and won't question the lies. Never fall for this trick.
 * Beware, as some shops and kiosks will unashamedly short-change you as they know few people will realise and it is easy money for unscrupulous businesses. So if you are from a place where you trust shops to be honest then you need to be much more cynical while you are in Medina. Confirm the price before you hand over cash and then double-check your change. If you get less than you should have, be firm in asking them for the correct change. They will then give you the correct change without complaint as there are severe penalties for theft, which is essentially what short-changing people amounts to.

Respect
Dress appropriately, especially if you will be entering mosques. Even if you aren't visiting a holy site, if you wear shorts, you will often be the only person in view who is doing so, which may draw attention towards you.

Go next
Mecca is the other holy city visited by people taking part in the Umrah (minor pilgrimage) or the Hajj. You can hire a taxi to take you to Mecca, which will cost about SR 500 for up to four passengers. A much cheaper way to get there is to use the SAPTCO (Saudi Arabia Public Transport Company) bus services instead. There are two versions: regular and VIP. The regular service is reasonably comfortable and will cost SR 55 per person. The VIP version (which you can catch from the Crowne Plaza hotel) is slightly more luxurious and will cost SR 100 per person.

The fastest way between the cities is take the high-speed trains, which cover the distance in about 2 hours. The trains operate between Medina and Mecca, with stations at King Abdullah Economic City and Jeddah (Naseem) and King Abdulaziz International Airport.

title: Medina


text:
Medina (disambiguation)

Medina is the generic Arabic name for an old town. There is more than one place called Medina:

Saudi Arabia

 * Medina - a city in the Hejaz region

United States of America

 * Medina (New York) - a village in Orleans County, New York

 * Medina (Ohio) - a city in Medina County, Ohio

 * Medina County (Ohio) - a county in Northeast Ohio
 * Medina County (Texas) - a county in Hill Country, Texas
 * Medinah — a suburb of Chicago, Illinois

title: Medina (disambiguation)


text:
Medina (Ohio)

Medina, pronounced muh-DYE-nuh is a city in Medina County, Ohio.

Get in

 * Medina is located just off of I-71, which runs from Cleveland through Columbus to Cincinnati. You can get to Medina from I-71's exit at State Route 3 northeast of Medina, or from I-71's exit at State Route 18 east of downtown Medina.
 * I-271 begins near Willoughby Hills, east of Cleveland and ends just Northeast of Medina.
 * State Route 3 begins in Cleveland and ends in Cincinnati. SR 3 runs southwest into downtown Medina and Public Square, and then continues south through Medina County.
 * State Route 18 begins at the Indiana and Ohio border, near Hicksville and ends in Akron. SR 18 runs east and west through downtown Medina and Public Square.
 * State Route 57 begins in Lorain and ends in Riceland. SR 57 runs southeast through downtown Medina and Public Square.
 * US 42 begins in Cleveland and ends in Louisville, Kentucky. US 42 runs southwest through downtown Medina and Public Square.

Get around
Medina County Public Transit provides limited bus service.

Go next

 * Cleveland
 * Akron
 * Wayne County

title: Medina (Ohio)


text:
Medina County (Ohio)

Medina County is in Northeast Ohio.

Municipalities

 * the County Seat of Medina County, is another quaint Western Reserve town with antique stores, craft shops and cafes surrounding its Public Square.
 * the County Seat of Medina County, is another quaint Western Reserve town with antique stores, craft shops and cafes surrounding its Public Square.

Get around
Medina County Public Transit provides limited bus service.

Go next

 * Cleveland
 * Greater Cleveland
 * Northeast Ohio

title: Medina County (Ohio)


text:
Medina de Pomar

Medina de Pomar is a city of 5,800 people (2018) in Castile and Leon. It is half-way between Bilbao and Burgos, in a region with rolling hills and some escarpment that breaks down impressively into the Atlantic Ocean some 70 km away. Traditionally a rural community, it has developed into a vacation destination for several thousand residents of nearby Bilbao.

Understand
Medina de Pomar is part of the Comarca of Las Merindades with its varied landscape. The rivers Nela, Trueba and Salón, the steep slopes of the Tesla, the pine forests of Losa and flat surfaces that are dedicated nowadays to the cultivation of cereal, potatoes and lettuces.

Get in
It is 77 km from Bilbao, 88 km from Burgos, 8 km from Villarcayo and about 20 km from Espinosa de los Monteros.

By bus from Bilbao or Burgos.

Get around
You can walk anywhere in town, but its best sights and surrounding nature are best absorbed on a bicycle, a mountain bike if possible.

See

 * Las Torres de Medina is an Arabic military fortress at the top of Calle Mayor.
 * The Alcázar de los Condestables de Castilla was built on the south-west corner of the city's walls. It is a 14th-century fortification erected during the reign of Henry II of Castile.
 * Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora del Salcinar y del Rosario is a chapel that houses the Virgin of Rosario, patron saint of the city. Lends its name to the great festivals of the city in October.Originally called Santa Maria del Salcinar (for being surrounded by the river willow), is now called Our Lady of the Rosary, thanks to the vow the council medines did and who took her as patron because of the victory of Battle of Lepanto (1571). It is the most beloved church by the city citizens and proof of this is that many of them choose it to get married there.
 * Convento de Santa Clara, founded in 1313, is in the south of the city, near the Hospital of Vera Cruz and near the Hermitage of San Millán. In its interior there is a church, the family vault of the Fernandez de Velasco and the Museum of the Constables of Castile. It also has a cozy inn and a meeting place. During its seven centuries of history it has been inhabited by a community of Poor Clares, devoted to prayer and work.
 * Arch of la Cadena is one of the gates that gave access to the walled city. It marked the Real road to Burgos. It is a picturesque archway in a house where King Carlos I stayed overnight on its way to retirement at the monastery of Yuste.
 * The Arch of la Juderia is another of the five gates that gave access to the city, in this case the old Jewish district, hence its name. It is a building of the 16th century, possibly replacing an older one. It faces Nuño Rasura Street.

Drink
Drinking should not be a problem: this town has about 100 bars, which amounts for one for each 30 inhabitants, approximately.

title: Medina de Pomar


text:
Meditation in Japan

Understand

Buddhism entered Japan from China, and although there was an almost continuous flow of philosophical and religious thought between the two countries over many centuries, it can be said that Buddhism arrived in three waves: during the Nara period (up to 784 CE), Heian period (794–1185 CE) and the post-Kamakura period (from 1185 CE).

During the Nara period, the main schools that arrived were the Kegon (華厳宗) and Hosso (法相宗, or Yogacara; 瑜伽行派). The Heian period saw the arrival of Tendai (天台宗) and  the esoteric school of Shingon (眞言宗), while the latter wave brought the more faith based schools of  Jodo Shu (Pure Land School; 浄土宗) and Jodo Shinshu (浄土真宗; True Pure Land School) and the various Zen Schools (禅宗).

Among the various schools of Buddhism that took root in Japan, perhaps Zen is the most well known overseas, and in many ways Zen and Japanese culture are synonymous. Japanese gardens, tea ceremony and martial arts were all either direct expressions of the Zen spirit or were greatly influenced by it. Perhaps as a result of its overseas fame, the majority of overseas visitors who come to Japan to study meditation will do so at a Zen monastery. The other school that has attracted some overseas interest is Shingon, though not to the same extent as Zen.

Many monasteries offer multi-day meditation courses for the lay community, though only a few cater to non-Japanese speakers. Below is a list of those that have provision for overseas visitors. This list serves only as a 'pointer.' More detailed information is available on the city or prefecture article where the temple is located.

Prepare
Few monasteries entertain trainees who arrive without prior notice, so it is important to first contact the monastery to discuss your plans. This can be done by written correspondence or phone. Some monasteries do not charge guests, though many do. Check the nightly rate before making long term plans.

As a resident you are required to participate in the schedule 100% fully, and this can be quite rigorous. In addition to long periods of meditation, there are many hours devoted to physical labor. Visitors should be aware of the schedule before arriving.

Prepare loose clothing suitable for sitting in lotus posture, such as full-length skirts or loose-fitting trousers, and durable clothing for working outdoors. Shorts or clothing that is tight or low cut should be avoided. In addition, as many monasteries are in the mountains, ensure to bring warm clothing, even in the summer.

Temples that offer multi-day meditation courses
Categorized according to tradition.

Rinzai Zen
Predominant in the Kyoto region. A specialty of Rinzai (臨済宗) is the use of the koan (公案) - a question that cannot be answered by intellectual means, but relies on intuitive understanding. Famous koans are 'what is the sound of one hand clapping' and 'what was your face before you were born.'
 * (曹源寺), Okayama. Week-long sessions in English several times a year.

Shingon
An esoteric school, Shingon utilizes many methods similar to those used in Tibetan Buddhism. In particular, the use of visualizing seed syllables as a means to transform the mind is a common practice.

Soto Zen
Prevalent throughout Japan, Sōtō (曹洞宗) is known for its method of sitting called shikantaza (只管打坐) – just sitting. The practitioner is trained to be alert, and at the same time to let thoughts come and go without either attachment or suppression. The Soto website lists a number of temples open to foreigners, although the level of facilities available in English vary widely. Some picks:

 * Antaiji (安泰寺), in Hyōgo prefecture.
 * Eiheiji (永平寺), in Fukui prefecture. Intensive 2- and 3-day meditation retreats.

Temples that offer meditation lessons to visitors
Many temples in Mount Koya offer meditation lessons, usually in the Shingon ajikan style (阿字観), which involves breathing exercises and focusing on the letter (seed syllable) "A".

 * Rinnoji (輪王寺), Sendai. Meetings are held every Sa 18:30-20:00. Instruction is given in English and participation is free. No accommodation available.
 * Shunkoin (春光院), Kyoto. Meditation lessons daily at 09:00, 10:40 and 13:30 with temple tour (total of 90 minutes), conducted by an American-educated abbot.  Overnight accommodation also available.
 * Sojiji (總持寺), Yokohama. Irregular meditation sessions. Check website for schedule.
 * Tōshōji (東照寺), Shinagawa, Tokyo.　Free morning sessions every weekday from 05:00, free Zen sessions every Saturday at 18:00. Also runs 5-day training sessions (¥3000/day) in April and December.

title: Meditation in Japan


text:
Meditation in Thailand

Buddhism was introduced into Thailand from Sri Lanka, and nearly 95% of the population is Buddhist. Theravada is the predominant school, though beliefs are often mixed with Hinduism and folk religions. Mahayana Buddhism is also practiced in Thailand, though it is mostly confined to Thais of Chinese ancestry.

Since the 1960s, many foreigners have trained at monasteries in Thailand, and while most have only stayed for a short time, many have also taken monastic ordination. Therefore, it is not uncommon to see farang monks at monasteries, especially those in rural areas. Two famous Thai monks who have enjoyed influence overseas are Ajahn Chah and Buddhadasa.

Understand
Thais are pretty flexible by nature and so readily make allowances for foreigners who are not familiar with their customs. However, there are a few rules that should be observed when visiting a monastery:

 * Never sit with the soles of your feet facing a Buddha image or a Buddhist monk. The feet are considered dirty, and so it is considered disrespectful to sit with them facing an object of respect.
 * Women should never touch a Buddhist monk. If a female wishes to make an offering to a monk, she should place it on a table and allow the monk to retrieve from there.
 * Do not climb on sacred objects.
 * Do not take photographs of meditating monks as this obviously disturbs their practice.

Below is a list of monasteries offering meditation courses to non-Thai speakers. This list serves only as a "pointer", and more detailed information is available on the city or provincial article where the temple is located.

title: Meditation in Thailand


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Mediterranean Morocco

Mediterranean Morocco is a region in northern Morocco, home to some important sea ports such as Tangier and a variety of market and beach towns.

Cities and towns

 * – the starting point for most visitors arriving by ferry from Spain. An enigmatic charm which has historically attracted numerous artists (Matisse), musicians (Hendrix), politicians (Churchill), writers (Burroughs) and others (Malcolm Forbes)
 * – seaside resort
 * – a mountain town just inland from Tangier full of white-washed winding alleys, blue doors, and olive trees, Chefchaouen is clean as a postcard and a welcome escape from Tangier, evoking the feeling of a Greek island
 * – a town in the Beni Snassen Mountains of Oriental (or Eastern) Morocco.
 * – a large coastal city close to Spanish exclave of Melilla
 * – a small seaside town on the coast between Tetouan and Chefchaouen with a nice long beach
 * – capital of Oriental (or Eastern) Morocco
 * – capital of the North of Morocco, has very beautiful beaches and is the gateway to the Rif Mountains

Get in
Oujda Angads Airport

Go next

 * Ceuta – a Spanish enclave. Ferries connect it with mainland Spain and it can make a less hectic alternative to nearby Tangier.
 * Melilla – a Spanish enclave and possible entry point from the Spanish mainland.

title: Mediterranean Morocco


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Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea borders several countries in Europe, Asia and Africa. The region is hugely popular with tourists, both for the warm and sunny Mediterranean climate, and for the ancient and modern civilisations that have risen and fallen here over millennia. The region is also known for its long tradition of gastronomy, with some of the most revered cuisines in the world.

See also Ferries in the Mediterranean.

Regions

 * Balkans
 * Iberia
 * Levant
 * North Africa
 * Middle East

Countries
Twenty-one countries and several territories have a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea. They are, roughly clockwise from the Strait of Gibraltar:

Europe

 * Gibraltar (United Kingdom)
 * Spain
 * France
 * Monaco
 * Italy
 * Malta
 * Slovenia
 * Croatia
 * Bosnia and Herzegovina
 * Montenegro
 * Albania
 * Greece
 * Turkey (part)
 * Cyprus
 * Northern Cyprus
 * Akrotiri and Dhekelia (United Kingdom)

Although Portugal does not lie on the Mediterranean, it is often considered to be culturally Mediterranean, especially the Algarve and Alentejo regions.

Asia

 * Turkey (part)
 * Syria
 * Lebanon
 * Israel
 * Gaza Strip (Palestine)

Africa

 * Egypt
 * Libya
 * Tunisia
 * Algeria
 * Morocco
 * Ceuta and Melilla (Spain)

Islands

 * Balearic Islands
 * Corsica
 * Sicily
 * Sardinia
 * Malta
 * Greek Islands
 * Crete
 * Rhodes
 * Cyprus

Seas

 * Aegean Sea
 * Black Sea

title: Mediterranean Sea


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Mediterranean Turkey

Mediterranean Turkey (Turkish: Akdeniz Bölgesi) is a region in Turkey, encompassing the entire southern coast and the inland areas backing it. The coast is also called the Turkish Riviera (Türk Rivierası) and the Turquoise Coast.

Perhaps along with the Aegean, the region is the top destination in the country, thanks to its crystal clear waters, sunny skies, and rich art and history.

Cities

 * — the largest city in southwestern Turkey and the unquestioned capital of the Turkish Riviera
 * — one of the largest cities of the country serves as a hub to the eastern half of the region
 * — a popular beach resort crowned with an extensive medieval fortress
 * (also known as Antioch) — where St Peter served as a bishop offers a great culinary experience as well as the Mosaic Museum with a rich Roman collection
 * — nestled at the head of a gulf perfect for yachting, Fethiye and its vicinity offer outdoor sports; paragliding and hiking top the list
 * — an unspoiled resort town with traditional architecture in the southwest
 * — a major tourist town, scenically surrounded by piny mountains, and serves as one of the gateways for the "Blue Voyage"
 * — a major port, one of the best examples of modern Turkish town planning, with a palm-lined esplanade
 * — a pleasant town with cobbled streets and frequent ferries to Northern Cyprus

Other destinations

 * — the ruins of a Roman city on the southernmost point of Turkey
 * — an isolated canyon with waterfalls and a large colony of butterflies
 * — a geological curiosity, two large chasms next to each other just inland from the coast
 * — a ghost town with plenty of hiking opportunities in the surrounding area
 * — somewhat overrated waterfalls near Antalya
 * — the "Blue Lagoon", one of the most celebrated Turkish beaches
 * — a backpacker destination with tree-houses in the forest near a pebble beach and Roman ruins, also featuring a rich nightlife
 * — the birthplace of St Nicholas is now a great archaeological site adjacent to a dream-like beach with the largest dune landscape in Turkey
 * — the ruins of the ancient Lycian capital, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Understand

The Mediterranean coast of Turkey is mostly a narrow strip of land hemmed in by the pine-covered Taurus Mountains (Toros) and the Mediterranean Sea.

History
Home to a number of ancient civilizations, namely Lycia, Pamphylia, and Cilicia from the west to the east, Mediterranean Turkey was captured by the Romans about a century before the birth of Christ. After a brief occupation by the Crusaders on their way to Jerusalem, as evidenced by a number of Crusader-built or -expanded castles mainly in the east, and a number of Crusader-backed Armenian kingdoms, the Turkic Seljuqs seized the region. It was during this era when the ancestors of most of the locals poured in from Central Asia as nomadic tribes. Some still keep the tradition, wintering on the warm coast and heading for the heights of the Taurus Mountains or the plateaus of Central Anatolia further to the north with their goats and camel caravans when summer approaches. The Seljuqs were replaced by the Ottomans in about the 15th century.

Climate
As expected, coastal Mediterranean Turkey enjoys the typical Mediterranean climate; temperatures can go above 35°C in dry summers, some of the sunniest in Europe, and while winters quite rainy, winter lows rarely go below freezing and snowfall is virtually unknown in the region (unsurprisingly except in the heights). Rainfall is heavy in winter and can be accompanied by very strong winds, and sometimes severe storms.

The water temperature of the Mediterranean Sea is above 25°C between May and October, making September an ideal time to visit for a beach holiday, especially if you are not used to the Mediterranean heat.

The inland Lakes District has an altogether different continental climate than the rest of the region, more similar to Central Anatolia; hot, dry summers, cold, snowy winters and a spring storm season.

Talk
The region is home to a plethora of Turkish dialects, from the Muğla şivesi, some of which is totally incomprehensible for non-local Turks spoken in Lycia to the dialect of the Cilician Mountains, which is essentially a mainland "extension" of Cypriot Turkish. The Syrian dialect of Arabic is also prevalent around Antakya.

However, thanks to heavy tourism, English will likely be enough to communicate during your trip, especially in the western parts of the region (i.e. Pamphylia and Lycia) and especially if you don't intend to go off the beaten path. German, Russian, and Scandinavian languages may also be helpful, especially when you visit one of the resort towns mainly frequented by the speakers of those languages.

Get in

 * By plane — The major airports in the region open for international flights are located in Dalaman, Antalya, and Adana.
 * By train — Adana has daily direct passenger train services from Konya (which is connected to Istanbul and Ankara by high-speed trains), while Isparta and Burdur has services from Izmir.
 * By bus — All cities and a good number of towns, especially those attracting many travellers, have direct bus connections from the large Turkish cities.
 * By car — The region is connected to the northern parts of the country by a number of highways, most of which are double-carriageways, and O-21 north of Adana/Mersin is a motorway. These drop down to the coast through numerous, very scenic passes across the Taurus Mountains.
 * By boat — There are ferries from Northern Cyprus to a number of ports. See also Ferries in the Mediterranean.

By public transport
Buses (for long-haul routes such as Antalya to Adana) and minibuses (for shorter routes between a major city and nearby towns) will be your main mode of transportation within the region. Services are fairly frequent and quite comfortable, and especially so in the more touristed areas of Lycia and Pamphylia.

Train service within the region is limited to the Cilician Plains with a branch line south to Iskenderun in Hatay. The Lakes District also has a (mostly unused) line stretching out to the northwest.

There is no long-haul ferry route along the coast, however, boat trips offer pleasant cruises into the remoter parts of the coastline from the major touristy towns.

At least two daily flights connect the airports of Adana and Antalya.

By car
The highway D400, which closely follows the shoreline of the Turkish Mediterranean from one end to the other, is the main regional thoroughfare. While most of its length has an appreciably wide alignment (at least 2 lanes per direction) and is in a very good condition, some sections are very twisty and narrow such as between Alanya and Anamur. There are other roads, such as D650, which connect the inland areas (e.g., the Lakes District) with D400, thus the coast.

See

 * Ancient ruins — The region is dotted by many ancient city ruins. Most date back to the indigenous civilizations of the region, which were expanded or rebuilt by the Romans later.
 * Early Christian sites include those in Tarsus, the hometown of St Paul, Antioch, where St Peter preached and founded the first church openly called "Christian", Patara, where St Nicholas was born, and Demre (Myra) where he preached.
 * Citadels — Strategically located on the main route between Europe and the Middle East, there are also lots of citadels in the region, either in the form of walls surrounding towns or castles in a valley or on a rocky outcrop to defend the nearby routes from unwanted incursions. Many, especially those in the eastern portions of the region, were either built by the Crusaders from scratch or were heavily fortified by them.

Itineraries

 * The Lycian Way — A 509-km, waymarked hiking trail connecting Fethiye with the southern suburbs of Antalya.

Do

 * Yachting. One of the top cruising areas in the Mediterranean basin, the southwestern reaches of Mediterranean Turkey (the coasts of Lycia and western Pamphylia) offer abundant yachting options. In the much famed Blue Cruise (a.k.a. the Blue Voyage; Mavi Yolculuk), started by a group of Turkish intellectuals in the 1940s and usually compared to cruising the Caribbean, you take a chartered gulet type yacht (two-masted wooden boats) for a specified amount of time (usually 15 days), and cruise from cove to cove with turquoise waters surrounded by the pine-covered mountains rising immediately from the shore, calling at coastal towns and fishing villages on the way. Marmaris, Fethiye, and Kaş are the usual starting points of a Blue Cruise (as well as Bodrum and Kuşadası in the neighbouring Aegean), although voyages extending all the way from Izmir to Antalya are not unheard of.

Eat
While local cuisine traditionally embraces goat meat, which is less common to much of the rest of the country and may lead to stomach trouble for those who are unaccustomed to it, the restaurants in the touristy towns frequently feature more familiar treats. Fish restaurants abound in the seaside towns, while typical Turkish fast food döner and the like are common in the larger towns and cities. Adana in the east is known for its style of kebabs (Adana kebabı), while the cuisine of Antakya to the southeast, being culturally a part of neighbouring Syria, features highly delicious and partially vegetarian or even vegan-friendly Middle Eastern fare.

Drink
A great way to reduce your bottled water costs in this hot region is to use the free cold water dispensers, locally called sebil (pronounced say-beel), which can usually be found on the sides of the streets and the mosque courtyards in the less-touristed towns and districts. They look like small, white refrigators and usually have two faucets: the red one delivers warm (or mildly hot depending on the weather) water, while the blue one offers comfortably cold water. Though the water coming out of the faucets is not from a commercially-bottled jar, and likely from the city water network, it's harmless and causes no stomach upsets. A way to reduce the risk may be allowing yourself a week after arrival in the region to get accustomed to local microflora that may be present in the water and then taking full advantage of the sebils.

Two areas moderately famous for their local wines are Elmalı and Vakıflı (near Antakya) at either end of the region.

Stay safe
Mediterranean Turkey lies further south than anywhere else in Europe except Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete, so take it easy in the beginning of your trip and pay close attention to the early signs of heat stroke and dehydration. While on the beach, applying liberal amounts of sun lotion wouldn't hurt.

If you plan to spend time in the mountains, be wary of scorpions. They thrive in the Mediterranean climate and rocky areas are their habitats, so never reach under a rock without carefully checking first. Keeping your backpack closed at all times will keep them out, and don't forget to check the inside of your shoes first, should you take them off for any amount of time.

On crowded public beaches (i.e., those that aren't owned and enclosed by a resort hotel), don't leave your valuables like cell phones and cameras unattended, or better yet, don't take them to the beach. While many beaches are patrolled by the police and security cameras, there are still reports of petty theft.

Otherwise, the Mediterranean towns are very safe (and security forces very keen to keep them so), although there may be rough areas in large cities such as Antalya, Mersin, and Adana.

Connect
Antalya has 4G from all Turkish carriers, and the signal extends along the resort strip to Alanya and beyond. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

 * The Aegean Region to the northwest has a lot in common with Mediterranean Turkey (especially the climate, landscape, and flora), yet is culturally distinct.
 * Northern Cyprus is a short ferry hop away to the south.
 * Many travellers with an intention to move forward into the Middle East to the southeast used to cross to Syria from one of the border gates around Antakya. Due to the ongoing Syrian civil war, the flights from the regional airports are absolutely safer options as of 2022.
 * If you've found the Seljuq sites in Alanya and Antalya interesting, head north to Central Anatolia for a lot more.
 * Southeastern Anatolia to the east is quite an off the beaten path destination and is an altogether different world.

title: Mediterranean Turkey


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Medjumbe

Medjumbe is a private island, around an hour by small aircraft north of Pemba, Mozambique.

Understand
Medjumbe is a very small island sitting in the Quirmbas Archipelago and very little more than a long sandspit divided by some scrubby vegetation and with a very old, unused lighthouse at the other end. Under the management of Rani Resorts, there are a dozen or so bungalows that face the water and lagoon. These are all individual with a deck, a mini plunge pool and outdoor shower. The decoration is a glorious version of beach house shabby-chic with hints of the orient through ornaments and decoration. It is an amazing place for honeymooners, couples and those who want to be lazy most of the time.

However, the island also attracts a substantial number of nature lovers for two reasons - the birds that come to the island and the marine life in the surrounding waters. Scuba diving is subject to tidal changes but there are some impressive wall dives within a short boat ride and the hard coral reefs are close to pristine. On land, there are visiting terns, herons and egrets as well as many other small birds.

title: Medjumbe


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Medora

Medora is the county seat of Billings County. It is conveniently near Theodore Roosevelt National Park in the Badlands of North Dakota.

Get in

 * By car from east or west, exit 27 off Interstate 94.

Go next

 * The Maah Daah Hey Trail, 161 21st St. W., Dickinson, Tel: +1 701 225-5151. A 120-mile trail open for biking, hiking and horseback riding. The trail begins at Sully Creek State Park approximately five miles south of historic Medora and meanders north through the south and north units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Biking within TRNP is not allowed; bikers must use alternate routes around park boundaries. The trail is jointly managed by the U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, and the North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department.
 * Theodore Roosevelt National Park - The park includes badlands, open prairie, hard wood draws. It is home to bison, prairie dogs and many other wildlife species.

title: Medora


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Meerbusch

Meerbusch is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, a state in northwest Germany.

By train

 * Station served by regional train services RE7 Krefeld - Neuss - Cologne - Wuppertal - Hagen - Hamm - Münster - Rheine, RE10 Düsseldorf - Krefeld - Meerbusch-Osterath - Weeze - Kleve and RB37 Krefeld - Neuss.

by bus and light rail
Light Rail lines U70 and U76 connect Krefeld and Düsseldorf via the so-called K-Bahn that crosses Meerbusch. The trams run at high speed on tracks separated from car traffic, with U70 being a peak hour service skipping some stops, so check beforehand to avoid missing your stop. There is no stop at Meerbusch-Osterath rail station, the closest being Hoterheide stop, approximately 1km away. is location of a large Park-and-Ride parking lot where commuters leave their cars or arrive on connecting buses to transfer to Stadtbahn trains into Düsseldorf.

Sleep
See also Messe Unterkunft

Go next

 * Krefeld
 * Düsseldorf
 * Neuss

title: Meerbusch


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Meersburg

Meersburg is a town in the south of Baden-Württemberg in Germany. It lies on Lake Constance. Meersburg is known for its two castles and for its wines.

By car
Meersburg lies along the B31 and B33 highways.

By boat
There is a car ferry several times an hour from Konstanz, which takes about 15 min.

Boats from other locations around Lake Constance also stop in Meersburg.

By train and bus
There is no train station in Meersburg. The best way to get there by train is to travel to Friedrichshafen or Überlingen and take the bus into Meersburg.

Get around
The most interesting parts of the city are lower town ("Unterstadt") and upper town ("Oberstadt") and are best seen on foot. They are mostly pedestrian zones, and connected by stairs or alternatively via a very steep street. There are great views from the upper town over the lake.

Go next

 * Other cities and towns on Lake Constance. Especially recommended are Überlingen, Konstanz, Lindau and Bregenz.
 * Stein am Rhein
 * Schaffhausen — go there to see the Rhine Falls
 * Salem — castle and Affenberg (monkey hill)
 * Unter-Uhldingen (Uhldingen-Mühlhofen) — Pfahlbauten (Lake Dwellings)

title: Meersburg


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Meerut

Meerut is a city in the west of Uttar Pradesh, India

By bus
A 24-hour bus service is available from Delhi, 60 km away.

AC bus service is available from Anand Vihar (ISBT) Delhi to Bhaisali bus stand in Meerut.

By car or taxi
Meerut is not only connected to Delhi, Noida, and Gurugram but is also connected with Dehradun, Haridwar and Lucknow. National Highway (NH-58) connects Delhi to Meerut via Ghaziabad District. National Highway (NH-334) is connected from Dehradun to Meerut via Saharanpur Road. Meerut is also connected by road to the state of Haryana, specifically to the city of Sonipat.

You can hire a taxi from the Meerut Taxi Union, which is near Bhaisalai Bus Stand or opt for renting a cab from many local tour & travel agents. By doing so, you can save on the cost of renting a car for a full day. You can also reach Meerut by hiring an online cab from the Ola or Uber apps (if its service is available) because most of the time cabs are not available on these apps. You may also choose to book your taxi online by visiting online car rental companies such as Travelodesk 24x7 support ; V Tours & Travels ; Shri Shyam Taxi Service.

A highway has been built from Anand Vihar in Delhi to Meerut (Delhi-Meerut Expressway). Other roads are under construction which will help get you to Meerut Cantt and Meerut City. Usually the taxi price from Delhi to Meerut are ₹2500, Dehradun to Meerut ₹3200, Noida to Meerut ₹2000, Ghaziabad to Meerut ₹1800, Haridwar to Meerut ₹3000. These prices may change, depending upon the high or low season.

It's highly recommended to hire a car from a reputed travel company to avoid unexpected extra charges such as night charges, driver's allowance, extra kilometres, and billing. So before choosing any travel company, check online to see if it is reputed or not.

By train
Meerut city has 4 railway stations. All are well connected to Delhi and other parts of India. The main station of Meerut is the Meerut City station.

By plane
Delhi's IGI Airport is the nearest airport to Meerut. It is around 100 km from Meerut.

Dr. Ambedkar Airport is a single-airstrip airport in Meerut which is used by government officials.

Get around
There are various options available to travel within the city. There is a good suburban city bus service connecting various parts of Meerut and its suburbs. Local rickshaws are also available, or you can hire a local taxi from any travel agent.

E-rickshaws are a very popular and convenient way to travel around Meerut. Many standard places and markets have fixed rates and you can go around on a sharing basis. You can also book the e-rickshaw to get around if you have more luggage.

See

 * Haunted House reputed as India's 4th haunted place.
 * Haunted House reputed as India's 4th haunted place.
 * Haunted House reputed as India's 4th haunted place.
 * Haunted House reputed as India's 4th haunted place.

The beautiful Jain temples and Pandav Teela in Hastinapur town near the Ganges River are also "must see" attractions.

Buy
Abu Lane, Begum Bridge Road and Central Market Shastri Nagar are good places to shop though modern shopping malls have also come up.

You can buy different types of sports items in Meerut. Bats of Meerut are very popular. Companies like BDM, SS and SG are world famous.
 * Soti Ganj reputed as a place where you can get everything ranging from tyres to engines of almost every car.
 * If you want to buy book, many bookstores are there in the Abulane area.
 * Soti Ganj reputed as a place where you can get everything ranging from tyres to engines of almost every car.
 * If you want to buy book, many bookstores are there in the Abulane area.

Eat
The local chaat bazar is very famous in the city.

You can eat 23 different types of patties from egg to banana from the shop near Victoria Park (Bhamasah Park).

Gazak and Rewarees are very famous and can be bought from the bazaar near Jimkhana Maidan.

Naan khatai is another famous thing in Meerut.

Good Soya Chaap is available at shops on Nayi sadak near Tejgarhi chauraha.

Samosas are available throughout the city. Gol Market has good pastries, Samosa, Dosa, Pav Bhaji, Chowmein.

Drink
Meerut is famous for its Lassi drink, made of yogurt, cream, water and sugar. Coconut water is easily available near Chaudhary Charan SIngh University area.

Connect
Meerut is well connected with Delhi, Haridwar, Lucknow, Allahabad with daily trains.

Go next

 * Delhi is around 70 km from Meerut. Take bus to Anand Vihar or Kashmere Gate from Bhaisali Bus Stand. Trains to Delhi from Meerut City station are frequent.
 * Haridwar is 150 km from Meerut.

title: Meerut


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Megalochori

Megalochori (Greek: Μεγαλοχώρι) is a very quiet traditional village sitting on a hill facing to the east in the heart of Santorini. The roads narrow frighteningly for a nervous passenger as you get closer to the village. There is a central square with a couple of tavernas. There are numerous wine tasting places here and indeed this village is at the heart of the island's wine industry. The vineyards are located all round the village, the vines coiled in a typical Santorini fashion. The village itself has a nice mixture of cream and white Cycladic houses with contrasting colourful wooden doors and a fair few white churches with bright blue domes for good measure. There are a couple of tiered bell towers over the road as you approach the square.

Go next

 * Fira
 * Akrotiri
 * Pyrgos
 * Emporio

title: Megalochori


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Megève

Megève is a ski resort in Rhone-Alpes, in the Mont Blanc massif. It has extensive skiing and is easily reached from Geneva airport, so it's a popular package-tour destination suitable for all grades of skier.

Get in
Megève is close to Chamonix and the Mont Blanc Tunnel, which is the gateway to Italy and the Aosta Valley.

The closest rail station is about 15 km away in the town of Sallanches from where there are frequent TGV connections to Paris and TER connections to Lyon, Annecy and other cities in the south of France.

Get around
Most people arrive by car but park their vehicle for the duration of their stay as the village center is pedestrian-only. Five ski-bus lines trundle through town and out to most of the major lift stations. Fares are included in the lift pass.

See
Megève is often referred to as the St Moritz of France. It is a resort which has attracted the jet set since the Rothschilds made it popular in the early 1900s; but is also an ideal family destination that has, unlike many ski resorts, retained its local French essence and atmosphere. The village is exactly what one would look for in a ski resort: a picture postcard central square with horse drawn carriages waiting to take you on a tour along the cobbled streets; old wooden chalets dominated by a church that dates back to the 13th century and plenty of chic boutiques with all the trappings of elegance and class.

Do
For families and groups that include non-skiers, this is a resort where they will not be bored. It is a shopper's heaven – window or otherwise, there are plenty of top class restaurants, both on and off the slopes, a weekly market and one of the world's best spas. There is an outdoor ice rink which is in the town centre and is open in the winter months. From Megève it is easy to take day trips to Courmayeur, Annecy and Geneva.

The ski area of Megève has over 300 km of slopes and 80 lifts within three areas: Rochebrune Cote 2000, Mont d’Arbois and Jaillet with 75% of the slopes geared towards beginner and intermediate skiers. The area links up to others within the Mont Blanc Evasion area, namely Saint Gervais, Combloux and Saint Nicolas de Veroce. Although the resort is not a very high one, being at little over 1,000 metres, the natural protection of the Mont Blanc massif plus over 170 snow cannons mean the ski conditions are usually excellent throughout the season.

Drink / Snack

 * Grand Marnier, 17 Arcades Mont Blanc (situated on the pathway to the right of the Tourist office, just over the stream), 04 50 21 12 06. 7 days a week. Extensive & delicious range of great value cocktails, hot drinks & crepes: almost all with a Grand Marnier liquer component! Soft drinks, tea / coffee, bottled beer and cider also available.
 * Patisserie L'Arboisier, 170, place de l’église (situated at the edge of the main square), 04 50 21 20 28. great place to sit a relax and watch the world go by! Offers range of soft drinks and patisserie items. Euro3 for large coffee.

Sleep
There are several fabulous hotels in Megève: the renowned Ferme de Marie and the Fer a Cheval to name but two. Most visitors however, prefer to stay in chalets, either self catering or for those looking for a luxury holiday there are some operators, such as Indigo Lodges, who have several chalets that come with their own chef.

title: Megève