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Pawtucket

Pawtucket is a Rhode Island city of 75,604 (2020) founded in 1671. It is a diverse city home to many cultures resulting in a spectrum of sights, sounds, and flavors. With an emerging interest and concentration on the arts, Pawtucket has introduced performing arts and visual arts into the community.

Understand
It was home to the father of the American Industrial Revolution, Samuel Slater. The construction of his historic textile mill, called Slater Mill, marked the beginning of the industrial revolution in 1793. Since then Pawtucket has shifted out of textiles (with only a few specialty manufacturers remaining) and has grown to hold 300 diversified industries with the most prominent being jewelry, silverware, and metalworking.

Pawtucket has 76,000 residents (2020). Its neighborhoods have all improved greatly as the city's developmental policies focus on improving the quality of residential areas and expanding employment.

By plane

 * T.F. Green Airport is about a 20-minute drive from Pawtucket. PVD is a national airport with connecting international flights.
 * Logan International Airport is an hour away in Boston, Massachusetts and is an international airport.

By bus

 * RIPTA bus Route 99, from Kennedy Plaza in Providence, converts into Route 76 which goes to Central Avenue and Newport Avenue. It also converts to Route 71 to Broad Street.

By car

 * Route 95 runs right through Pawtucket. Exit 29 (from 95N) will bring you to Central Avenue, from which you can easily get downtown.

By train

 * The Providence/Stoughton Rail line runs through Pawtucket. The closest passenger train stop is the one in downtown Providence, about a 10 minute drive from Pawtucket.

Get around

 * RIPTA lines run everyday all throughout the city.
 * The easiest way to get around Downtown Pawtucket is by bus, since traffic tends to make driving very frustrating. Schedules can be found online at the RIPTA website.
 * If driving is your preferred means of transportation, traffic or not, beware of the one ways around the RIPTA Station and the Pawtucket Public Library.
 * Rhode Island Taxi, +1 401 286-5515

See
Downtown Pawtucket has received federal recognition for its contributions to community planning, industry and architecture. The Historic District has been added to the National Register of Historic Places by the National Park Service.

 * Fall events are Pumpkins in the Park, a display of hundreds of carved and lighted jack-o-lanterns, and the Haunted Tunnel, which occur from late September until Halloween. Winter Wonderland occurs in December, and includes the opening of the carousel for that special event, decorated Christmas trees, and concerts. The Pawtucket Arts Festival holds concerts and other events in the park during the summer, the most popular being the free concert performed by the Boston Pops and a finale of fireworks, which acts as the closing to the festival
 * Fall events are Pumpkins in the Park, a display of hundreds of carved and lighted jack-o-lanterns, and the Haunted Tunnel, which occur from late September until Halloween. Winter Wonderland occurs in December, and includes the opening of the carousel for that special event, decorated Christmas trees, and concerts. The Pawtucket Arts Festival holds concerts and other events in the park during the summer, the most popular being the free concert performed by the Boston Pops and a finale of fireworks, which acts as the closing to the festival

Go next

 * Bristol, a 40-minute drive from Pawtucket is home to the historic 4th of July parade and beautiful scenery, especially Colt State Park, a must see.
 * Newport, 50 minutes to the south of Pawtucket, is home to famous beaches, streets and Mansions. Open seasonally the Newport Mansions are an affordable family friendly attraction.
 * Providence, 10 minutes away from downtown Pawtucket, Providence is the Rhode Island epicenter for politics, shopping and beauty. Cultural draw is Thayer Street.

title: Pawtucket


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Paxton

There is more than one place called Paxton:

Australia

 * Paxton (New South Wales) - A town in New South Wales.

United Kingdom

 * Great Paxton (England) - A town in England.
 * Little Paxton (England) - A town in England.
 * Paxton (Scottish Borders) - Scottish Borders, UK
 * Paxton House is in Berwickshire, Scotland
 * Paxton's Tower is near the National Botanic Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire, Wales

United States of America

 * Paxton (California) - A town in California.
 * Paxton (Florida) - A town in Florida.
 * Paxton (Illinois) - A town in Illinois.
 * Paxton (Indiana) - A town in Indiana.
 * Paxton (Massachusetts) - A town in Massachusetts.
 * Paxton (Nebraska) - A small town in Keith County, in South Central Nebraska.
 * Paxton (Ohio) - A town in Ohio.
 * Paxton (Pennsylvania) - A town in Pennsylvania.
 * Paxtang - (a variation of Paxton) - A town in Pennsylvania.
 * Paxton (Texas) - A town in Texas.
 * Paxton (West Virginia) - A town in West Virginia.

Townships

 * Paxton Township, Minnesota
 * Lower Paxton Township, Pennsylvania
 * Middle Paxton Township, Pennsylvania
 * Upper Paxton Township, Pennsylvania
 * Paxton Township, Ross County, Ohio

Natural features
Paxton Creek, a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania.

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

title: Paxton


text:
Paxton (Illinois)

Paxton (pop. 4,525 at the 2000 census) is a city and county seat of Ford County in Central Illinois.

title: Paxton (Illinois)


text:
Paxton (Nebraska)

Paxton is a small town in Keith County, in South Central Nebraska.

Get in
Take Interstate 80 and get off at exit 145, then head north across the South Platte River. US Highway 30 also goes through town.

Go next
Omaha- 80 East. About 5 hours away.

Cheyenne- 80 West. About 3 hours away.

title: Paxton (Nebraska)


text:
Paynes Creek

Paynes Creek is a town in Tehama County.

Get in
The nearest major highway is Interstate 5. Exit I-5 at California State Route 36 in Red Bluff and head east on SR-36 for 22 miles (35 km).

title: Paynes Creek


text:
Paynesville

There is more than one place called Paynesville:

Australia

 * Paynesville (Victoria) - A town in East Gippsland lakes region.

Liberia

 * Paynesville (Liberia)

title: Paynesville


text:
Paynesville (Victoria)

Paynesville is a resort for boating in East Gippsland.

Understand
It has a man made canal system for boating as well as a natural harbour area, central to the hundreds of kilometres of lakes and rivers that form part of the Gippsland Lakes system.

Get in
Paynesville is around 15 minutes drive from Bairnsdale. A bus runs five times daily between the towns. The road between Paynesville and Bairndale has a consistently wide hard shoulder, and it is a nearly flat 14km ride from Bairnsdale alongside the (unseen) Mitchell River. There is even a short diversion along a cycle path by the side of the river - although travelling this way involves a climb at the end of the path.

Trains service Bairnsdale from Melbourne three times daily, and carry bikes.

You can also travel to Paynesville by boat. You can moor at the jetty in front of the town centre for 4 hours free of charge - for longer stays there are plenty of marina and mooring options.

Get around
Paynesville is well suited for cycling. The area is flat, the roads are quiet, and the Raymond Island ferry carries bicycles free of charge. The town centre is easy to walk around. Parking is available everywhere.

To see many of the areas surrounding the lakes a boat is required. There are several options for dingy, cruiser, or kayak hire in town.

See

Do

 * Swimming. The foreshore area is reserved for swimmers. The water is calm, the beach is sandy, and it is a good place to cool off.  It isn't really the destination for those looking for a spectacular beach or for a beach scene. There are a few small jellyfish around, but they probably won't bother you. Please note: after strong rains, the salinity level in the lakes decreases, causing a mass die-off of shellfish. This results in a smelly layer of dead shellfish washing everywhere. By road, the nearest ocean beach is 50km away in Lakes Entrance.
 * Boating. This is what Paynesville is all about.  If you have your own boat, you will be right at home here.  Otherwise you can hire a cruiser for around $200 a day, or a kayak for around $50.  You can cross the lake directly to 90-mile beach - which is an ocean beach around 45 minutes away by boat at 8 knots.  You can circle Raymond Island, or you can spend several days or a week exploring the lake and river system.
 * Cycling. There is no challenging mountain biking here - Paynesville and Raymond Island are almost completely flat.  There are numerous bush tracks and a waterfront track on Raymond Island.  You can spot koalas and other wildlife as you cycle around.  For the best koala viewing, just cross on the ferry and continue up Seventh Avenue.  You can cycle all the way to the other side of the island, with numerous diversions along the way. Shops on The Esplanade will rent adult mountain bikes for $60 a day.

Buy
Supplies are easily available - supermarkets stock a wide variety of goods, and are open until 8pm daily.

 * Paynesville Dairy, is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 11am until 5pm, stocking local dairy products, including milk and cheese.

Eat

Most of Paynesville's cafes and restaurants can be found along The Esplanade: L-shaped road that follows the water. The coffee market is competitive - with the boaties demanding a good coffee on deck in the morning.

The pub serves meals for lunch and dinner every day, and there are a couple of clubs serving similar style pub fare.

There is a pizza place to eat in or take away, two bakeries selling a large variety of pies and cakes, and several fish and chip shops.

Drink
After a day on the lakes or seeing the sights, you will have no problem getting a quiet beer with a view. Don't expect too much in the way of nightlife.

Connect
There is mobile reception in town, but the signal is weak and limited in many parts away from the town centre. Telstra has 4G mobile Internet, but Optus and Vodafone struggle with even GPRS.

title: Paynesville (Victoria)


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Pays de la Loire

The Pays de la Loire is an extensive region of north-western France to the west and south-west of Paris.

Cities

 * is the capital of the Pays de la Loire, though many consider it part of Brittany.
 * is a medium-sized city which is the capital of the Maine-et-Loire department and has a château with an amazing set of Medieval depictions of the end times, the Tapestry of the Apocalypse.
 * is about from Nantes
 * a walled city known for locally produced Breton salt in Salt Marshes
 * or La Baule-Escoublac, is a city on the Atlantic Ocean coast, in the département of Loire-Atlantique
 * is best known for its annual 24 Hours automobile race but also has a fine cathedral.
 * is a subprefecture in Vendee
 * is a subprefecture in Vendee

 * is a small historical town, known for its château, the only château of the Loire Valley to have been built in the Loire riverbed. Today, it is a museum of contemporary art.
 * is a port town at the mouth of the Loire, near Nantes.
 * is a small historical town, site of a dramatically situated château and the heart of its own world-renowned wine district.

Other destinations

 * – A small market town on the river Le Loir in the south of Sarthe
 * (more fully, Fontevrault-L'Abbaye) – An historic town in the Loire Valley
 * – A picturesque island with oyster farms, salt drying lakes, several ancient windmills, beautiful beaches and an interesting road through the 	tidal flats.
 * – A town on the Loire river in the French department of Sarthe
 * – An island and commune just off the Vendée coast of western France

Understand
Pays de la Loire is adjoined by the region of Centre-Val de Loire with which it shares many affinities. Both regions border on the Loire Valley and host famous châteaux. The Pays de la Loire is somewhat more diverse, however, and has a long coastline along the Atlantic Ocean, forming the northern part of the Bay of Biscay, within the area known as the Vendée.

Talk
The language here is much the same as the rest of France, with more northern than southern influences due to the influences from Paris, and basic French will be easily understood. English will generally be understood in tourist destinations and in major cities, especially by younger people. Spanish and German are also commonly understood.

A small part of the region prides itself on its use of the Breton language (the language of Brittany) but this is mostly a tradition and Breton is only taught as a second language nowadays.

By car
From Paris, the A11 autoroute runs to Le Mans and onto Angers and Nantes. The A28 runs from Normandy from the north and Tours from the south to Le Mans. Also from Tours, the A85 links to Angers. From the south, the A83 comes from Niort and runs up through Vendée to Nantes. From Brittany, there are no autoroutes into the region, however, the N165, N137 and N157 run from Morbihan, Rennes (south and west) respectively.

By train
Le Mans is in the western branch of the LGV Atlantique line, about 1h from Paris Montparnasse (commonly known as the TGV service). Standard mainline track then runs onward to Angers and Nantes. The city also has rail connections to Caen to the N and to Tours to the S, to Rennes (via Laval) to the W and to Chartres to the E.

Nantes has rail connections to the N to Rennes and S to La Rochelle as well as to Angers then Le Mans then Paris (2h) by TGV.

Angers additionally has rail connection to Le Mans to Tours and to Nantes.

Saumur has rail connections to Nantes as well as Tours and Angers then Paris by TGV.

By plane
Pays de la Loire is served by two commercial airports:

Nantes Atlantique
The main airport in the region has good transport links from the center of Nantes and is 10 minutes off of the ring road. It has flights to the Caribbean, Africa, North America and of course, other European airports.

Angers – Loire
The only commercial flights go to and come from London City Airport and are run by British Airways. There are three car rental companies operating at the airport: Europcar, Enterprise and Avis. The car park is completely free and has direct access to the terminal.

Also on the airfield is an aviation museum which is worth a visit if you're into that sort of thing.

Get around
The region has a good rail network, with the majority of services operated by TER Pays de la Loire.

Loire Valley
The Loire river joins the Atlantic Ocean in Saint-Nazaire. The Loire river from Nantes to Saint-Nazaire is mostly boarded by industrial and commercial port facilities, but upstream from Nantes, the banks are much nicer. The Loire Valley is the 3rd most touristy destination in France. It is the largest site in France ever inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List under the heading of Living Cultural Landscapes. Kings, artists and famous authors, seduced by the Loire, were many to take up residence on the banks of the "Royal River". You can enjoy Renaissance Chateaux, medieval fortresses, historical gardens or unspoiled landscapes by car, by foot, by bicycle or on board a barge. Wine, music, literature, art, sailing, and food are also part of this legacy. Many famous Loire castles are in the Pays-de-la-Loire region, including the castle of Angers, the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany in Nantes, the castles of Saumur, Brézé or Ancenis. The castle of Brissac in Maine-et-Loire is the tallest in France.
 * Folies Siffait are terraced gardens along the steep north riverbank 5 km west of Ancenis.
 * Folies Siffait are terraced gardens along the steep north riverbank 5 km west of Ancenis.
 * Folies Siffait are terraced gardens along the steep north riverbank 5 km west of Ancenis.
 * Folies Siffait are terraced gardens along the steep north riverbank 5 km west of Ancenis.
 * Folies Siffait are terraced gardens along the steep north riverbank 5 km west of Ancenis.

Museums and exhibitions
As the main city of the region, Nantes features a host of museums, including its famous Natural History museum, the Jules Verne Museum and the Château des Ducs de Bretagne (Dukes of Brittany Castle). It is also famous for its exhibition of the Machines de l'île (Machines of the Isle of Nantes), featuring giant animatronic animals including a life-sized elephant. The Lieu Unique ("The Unique Place") is a cultural center and hammam located in the former factory of the LU biscuit company, a few steps away from the main station.

The Vendée area has a proud history of standing up to the French Republic, having been the main area resisting the French Revolution. That history is featured at the Historial de la Vendée Museum and in the Military Museum in Sainte-Gemme-La-Plaine. Other major museums in Vendée include the Cité des Oiseaux ornithological museum, the Biotopia nature exhibit and the Chocolate Museum in La Roche-sur-Yon.

The famous Royal Abbey of Fontevraud is located in Fontevraud-l'Abbaye in Maine-et-Loire. It is a former monastery and a UNESCO World Heritage site, and hosts the Cultural Center of the West.

Noirmoutier-en-l'Île
This is an island which is connected by a large bridge and by land during low tide. It does not seem to be very well known with tourists, but locals love it. Many things can be seen and done here:
 * See the old windmills
 * Try inexpensive oysters from one of the many oyster farms
 * Buy locally produced sea salt or just visit the salt flats for some surreal pictures
 * Relax at one of the numerous beaches
 * Cross the (a road through the tidal flats) just before the tide comes in for some excitement and see how the sea slowly takes possession of the road. (Note, this is potentially dangerous, pay attention to all signs and warnings!)
 * Spend 6 hr on top of one of the many emergency pillars/platforms along the tidal flats road, meditating, enjoying the sun or simply being alone in the ocean for once—bring drinking water and sun protection!
 * Take a famous Salar de Uyuni picture (for Instagram) without the need to fly to Bolivia or Chile, but simply by arriving in the middle of the tidal flats road moments after the sea released it again, with the water in the tidal flats being smooth and calm, allowing for wonderful reflections of you, your friends, your car, or any ridiculous posture you can imagine.

Other

 * Apremont Chateau
 * Grand-Lieu Lake is a large wetland southwest of Nantes Airport. Several access points, easiest from the city is Maison du Lac de Grand-Lieu near the village of Bouaye. There's an exhibition centre and guided tours.
 * Seaside activities – The Atlantic Ocean coast is a major tourist attraction in summer, with a peak from June to late August. Major seaside resort cities include La Baule, Les Sables d'Olonne, Pornic, Saint Jean-de-Monts, Piriac-sur-Mer and Pornichet. Several islands are also important tourist destinations such as Belle Île, L'Île d'Yeu and Noirmoutier. Fans of sailing shouldn't miss the Vendée Globe regatta, departing every four years from Les Sables d'Olonne.
 * The Airbus factory and the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipwright are located Saint-Nazaire and can be visited.
 * The Airbus factory and the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipwright are located Saint-Nazaire and can be visited.
 * The Airbus factory and the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipwright are located Saint-Nazaire and can be visited.

Eat
The Pays-de-la-Loire region is quite varied culinarily. Its historical ties with Brittany strongly marked the food tradition in the north of the region, while the coast features all kinds of seafood dishes. The Vendée area also has a strong culinary identity. A region-wide tradition everyone should try is salted butter with large crystals of salt: inhabitants of Pays de la Loire would not have it otherwise.

Brittany's most famous specialty is by far their delicious crêpes, pancakes of wheat or buckwheat, eaten with sweet or savory garnish. Restaurants serving them are called crêperies and will often serve only that. Small kiosks on the street may serve crêpes as well, generally of lower quality and sometimes sweet only. A tourist in the region should try at least one meal of crêpes only, with a savory main course (the most common would be a "complete": eggs, ham and cheese) and a sweet crêpe for dessert. Other specialties from Brittany include the saucisse bretonne, a sausage traditionally eaten wrapped in a buckwheat crêpe, and l'andouille de Guémené, another type of sausage. On the sweet side, the Far Breton cake is a rich cake, served with or without prunes. The Kouign-Amann is another sweet pastry famous for the large quantities of butter used in its making. And you can always top anything with a generous serving of sea-salt caramel ("caramel au beurre salé").

 * Seafood is found everywhere but coastal cities will get you the best of the best. Oysters and mussels are favorites. Fish is often served with beurre blanc sauce, whose invention is disputed between Angers and Nantes.
 * Salt is produced all along the coast, and the finest fleur-de-sel is made either in Guerande or in Noirmoutier depending on who you ask. In the salt pans, producers also grow the salicorne, a very flavorful seaweed served in salads or as a side.
 * Cheese is plentiful throughout the region. Typical of France, almost every city has its type of cheese. Famous ones include the Port-Salut, the Curé Nantais, and the Crémet d'Anjou.
 * Biscuits are a tradition in Nantes, where the largest biscuit factories from B.N. and LU were located. You can still visit the old LU factory in central Nantes. Other local sweets in Nantes include the berlingot nantais, a form of hard candy.
 * Highly regarded potatoes are grown on the island of Noirmoutier, using seaweed for fertilizer. Locals recommend the early potatoes ("pommes de terre nouvelles"), which are smaller but greater in texture and flavor.
 * The city of Challans in Vendée is famous nationwide for its chicken, best eaten roasted.

Drink
The region grows grape, a lot of it, and makes many wines. The most famous, if you ask a French person, is probably the Muscadet, a white wine that is kept with the lees (the dead yeast) for a full winter, giving it a yeasty, tangy flavor with a light body. Gamay, red or rosé, is typical of the Loire-Atlantique wineries, as well as Gros-Plant. Red Gamay is light-bodies with fruity flavors, and will please amateurs of the more famous Pinot Noir. In Anjou, the white Coteaux du Layon has a beautiful golden robe and will please those who enjoy a sweet white wine.

Sleep
With a strong tourist industry throughout, it's easy to find hotels, especially along the Atlantic coast. In summer, budget travelers can rent campsites for cheap by getting a few kilometers away from the coast.

Stay safe
Crime is generally low, although tourist areas in the major cities and along the coast will have some level of pickpockets and scammers.

The city of Nantes has become infamous for its protests, many of which can get quite violent. Avoid the city center if you see a large protest, as cops and looters are known to indiscriminately target people at will.

Despite having a great network of dual carriageways, some of the country roads are narrow, bendy and unsuitable for their 90kph speed limits. Take your time and enjoy the dramatic scenery of the region.

Go next
Travellers wishing to see more of the Loire Valley can continue further east into the adjoining Centre-Val de Loire region, studded with additional historical cities and chateaux at sites such as Bourges and Saint-Benoît-du-Sault.

Travellers who enjoy the Atlantic coast can go south to Nouvelle-Aquitaine or north to Brittany.

title: Pays de la Loire


text:
Pärnu

Pärnu is a resort seaside city (and Estonia's summer capital) with a small harbour in south-western Estonia. The city is known for its spas, shallow white sandy beach and beautiful parks. In summer, Pärnu offers beach life, dozens of festivals, night clubs, big party crowds, concerts and funfairs.

Understand
During the Great Northern War, the University of Tartu was relocated to Pärnu from 1699-1710. Tartu University still has a branch campus there.

Pärnu is an ancient Hanseatic town, where a medieval festival and an arts and crafts fair are held every summer.

It is also a popular place for conferences, theatre performances and concerts. In 1838 the first spa was opened and nowadays Pärnu is a health resort of international stature.

Get in
See Estonia for bus and train schedules.

By bus
Buses arrive at the small bus station (bussijaam) on the border of the old town. This bus station feels like a big bus stop because the terminal building is somewhat hidden on the opposite side of the street. The nearby fast-food kiosk opens early in the morning and caters to morning travellers while the whole city is still sleeping.

Buses from Tallinn depart every hour and reach Pärnu in about two hours. You can also travel from Viljandi (1 hr) and Tartu (2½-3 hr), Kuressaare (3 hr), and Valga (2½ hr). There is one daily bus from Saint Petersburg in Russia with a stop in Narva (5 hr). Check the schedules at [http://www.tpilet.ee/en? here].

Pärnu is a major stop in the middle of the Tallinn–Riga route. Buses run every 1-2 hours and connect you to the Latvian capital in 2½ hr. Pärnu can be an excellent stopover on your away between the Baltic capitals.

By train

Pärnu's train connection to Tallinn was closed permanently in 2018. Rail travellers will have to change to buses in Rapla and Lelle.

By car
Pärnu has road connections from Tallinn (128 km), Haapsalu (108 km), Tartu (174 km), as well as to Riga in Latvia (184 km). The major artery of the Baltic states, Via Baltica, passes near Pärnu.

By plane

Expect absolutely no service at the airport. You will have to call taxi or arrange some other private transportation to the city. City bus #23 runs to the airport twice a day, but its schedule is adjusted to the airport staff, not to sporadic travelers.

By boat
Pärnu has a large port, which is mostly used for cargo traffic. Ferries to the island of Kihnu depart from the Munalaid dock located 35 km west of Pärnu. However, a small passenger harbor exists at Kalda 2(right at the city center) and may serve occasional weekend ferries to Kihnu and Ruhnu.

If you are arriving by sail boat (keelyacht), you can dock at the Pärnu Yacht Club. To stay with motorboat you can use Talvesadam on (Pärnu vallikraav).

By bus
The bus network covers the whole city, including the suburbs. There are 26 routes and their schedules can be found at pilet.ee. Load a mobile app to buy tickets. At summer free Kaubamajakas bus can be used.

By taxi
Read more under Estonia.

On foot
Pärnu's old town is pretty small and navigable by foot and it's full of small boutiques. Lots of them are on Rüütli street.

Do

 * Football: Vaprus play soccer in Meistriliiga, Estonia's top tier. Their home ground Pärnu Rannastaadion (capacity 1500) is 1 km south of town centre. The playing season is March-Nov.
 * Football: Vaprus play soccer in Meistriliiga, Estonia's top tier. Their home ground Pärnu Rannastaadion (capacity 1500) is 1 km south of town centre. The playing season is March-Nov.

Spa and baths

In winter time, consider one of the many spa hotels:

Art
Just south of downtown is a modern art museum and art school. Exhibits change frequently, and are often edgy and provocative.

Learn
Pärnu College of Tartu University.

Drink
Pärnu has several clubs and lounges, most of them located in the center near Rüütli street. There are also many cozy terraces and pubs around the numerous parks in the summer time.

Sleep
On Sauga river you can stay on a boat at the Sauga Sadam fishing village.

Go next
If you dare leave urban pleasures behind, there is great countryside to explore. Many cultural and sports events offer entertainment all year round. The enthralling nature of Pärnu County, which offering ample, quality opportunities for active holidays, supplements the greenery of city parks and boulevards. Walks in the forest, kayak trips on rivers and the sea, riding, fishing, hunting trips, adventurous bog or canoe trips to Soomaa National Park and elsewhere in the county offer great escapes. In winter, you can partake in skiing, snowshoe and kick sledge trips, or a sledge safari and enjoy a sauna steam.

 * Lottemaa
 * Valgeranna – Village with large beaches and an amusement park.
 * Kihnu – The southernmost group of islands, Khinu, is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Cosy and warm yet exotic – folk costumes are worn here every day and the handicraft of older generations remains highly valued.
 * Ruhnu – The communal territory corresponds to that of the homonymous island, formerly known as Runö.
 * Kabli – A quiet seaside village on the Gulf of Riga with bird-ringing centre and rural beaches.
 * Latvia – The border is about 60 km south of Pärnu. Even more sand beaches, interesting castles in the cities of Cēsis and Sigulda, plus of course the Latvian capital Riga with things to see and do for several days.

title: Pärnu


text:
Pécs

Pécs (PEH-ch) is a town in the south-west of Hungary. Pécs is the administrative and economic centre of Baranya County. The city has a Mediterranean atmosphere and is treasure trove of science, arts and sacrality. It had famous and glorious periods. Here are several values of the Roman times, the Middle Ages, the Turkish occupation and the development of the middle-class are built on one another or next to one another such as Gothic, Renaissance, baroque dwelling houses, Christian churches and Islamic houses of prayer, mosques and minarets, baths and public buildings. It's also an active university city, with some 20,000 students enrolled at the University of Pécs, approximately 4,000 of whom are international students.

Understand
Located on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains. The heritage of the past goes back to the neolithic age. The territory always provided good essential conditions for the different ethnic groups who settled down here, which is proven by the archaeological findings excavated here. Founded as Sopianae 2000 years ago by the Romans (most relics date back to the this period) and known as Fünfkirchen by the Germans.

After the period of migration, St. Stephen founded an episcopate in Pécs around 1009.

Pope Urban signed the foundation document of the university during the reign of Lewis the Great, in 1367. Consequently the town of Pécs became the seat of the first university of Hungary.

Today's Pécs is a pleasant small (but still one of the largest in Hungary) university town that has largely escaped the ravages of both communist-era architecture and modern-day mass tourism. In 2000, the Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is one of the European Capitals of Culture in 2010.

By train

There are frequent trains to Pécs from Budapest's Déli and Keleti stations (and vice versa) - see Hungarian Railway Timetable. The trip is rather scenic, and can be as fast as 2 hr 40 min on an express train, but several hours longer by local clunker. Most international train trips to/from Pécs must be made with a connection at Budapest, with the exception of Zagreb, which can be reached with a connection at the border town of Gyékenyés.

Get around
The core of Pécs is small enough to cover on foot, but for those who wish to explore the town, there is a cheap and efficient bus service, single tickets are available for Ft 400 from the driver or Ft 300 from the many kiosks dotted around the city. Make sure you have tickets, the bus inspectors have no mercy and will fine clueless foreigners.

In the city there is Bolt taxi as well as Volan Taxi and Euro Taxi are both safe.

Festivals

 * National Theatre Festival.
 * University Days: (April) a raw of events for the students of University of Pécs and the citizens of the city as well. Main events include the student rector election and the 4-day music festival including international artists like Tito & Tarantula in 2010.
 * Fishing on Orfű Alterfest: (June) 3-day music festival with bands only from Hungary. The festival is located in a camp site in Orfű, a small village 15 km from Pécs. There is hot shower and clean toilets on the area. During the festival there are bus shuttles from Pécs to the site every hour.
 * Sétatér festival: (September) an almost one-month-long festival with music performances, bungalows of wine cellars and artisan shops along the streets of down-town.
 * Fishing on Orfű Alterfest: (June) 3-day music festival with bands only from Hungary. The festival is located in a camp site in Orfű, a small village 15 km from Pécs. There is hot shower and clean toilets on the area. During the festival there are bus shuttles from Pécs to the site every hour.
 * Sétatér festival: (September) an almost one-month-long festival with music performances, bungalows of wine cellars and artisan shops along the streets of down-town.
 * Sétatér festival: (September) an almost one-month-long festival with music performances, bungalows of wine cellars and artisan shops along the streets of down-town.

Buy

 * Zsolnay porcelain: Colourful glazed items produced by the Zsolnay Ceramic Manufacture, often with a distinct Art Nouveau character, are the best known products of Pécs, remarkable for a distinctive green-gold glaze named eosin. Pieces from before the war are also found in antique stores on Király and Ferences Street; of special note from recent designs is the charming jewellery collection by Katalin Zoob.
 * Villány wines: wines from the Villány wine region, especially full-bodied reds, are counted among the best in Hungary. The region was at the vanguard of reviving traditional winemaking methods and implementing quality standards after 1990, a process encouraged by family vineyards and by strategic investors. Wine producers have also turned towards quality tourism, as well as introducing the “Villány Classicus” and “Villány Premium” labels to designate quality wines reflecting the best of the terroir – the former emphasising the characteristics of the wine region, the latter of specific hills or valleys. In addition to world types (Cabernets, Blaufränkisch, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Blauer Portugieser and Syrah), the less known Kadarka and Zweigelt are also cultivated.
 * Local crafts and art: A selection of wares produced by local craftspersons and artists can be sampled at “Remekek Háza” on the main square (of special interest are the bookbinders’ wares) and “Belső Kert Galéria” in a small courtyard opening from Király Street for mainly playful pieces. Other art galleries and antique stores are found in the inner city as well. Also notable is Elegáns Divat, a main street store selling quality off-the-rack womenswear based on traditional 19th and early 20th century Hungarian designs.

Budget
In general, the budget traveler would do well to seek out self-service canteens (of which there are plenty) near his place of accommodation. These offer authentic (though of course not spectacular) dishes at very low prices, and offer a great opportunity to get acquainted with Hungarian cuisine in the company of locals. They tend to be only open for lunch, however, and many close on weekends. They're frequented mostly by workers on lunch break, senior citizens, and students, all of which are looking for cheap but decent meals.

Drink
Even in a country of oenophiles, Pécs is known for its wines and sparkling wines. The famous wine of the Mecsek hills called cirfandli.

In the early evening students gather in Király street, Széchenyi square, and Kossúth square in the city centre. For late night clubbing, try Pécsi Est Cafe, a nightclub quite popular with university students, or ask the taxi drivers at Kossúth tér where to go. They are the most up-to-date source about night life. Bars close around midnight, while clubs are open until around 04:00 or 05:00.

Although beer is not as important culturally as in Germany or in the Czech republic, these days younger generation drinks more beer than wine. Pécs has its local beer Szalon and Pécsi beer.

Budget
Private rooms and apartments are widely available. There's also a number of small hotels in the centre. Enquire at the tourist office.

During the summer months some student dormitories open for foreign visitors, this is the cheapest accommodation (~Ft 3800 per night incl. tax). There is five really cheap and nice hostels in Pécs, see below.

Mid-range

 * Separé cellar accommodation Villány (Szeparé pinceház szállás), Villány, Zrínyi Miklós u. 17, 7773, tel:+36303344216,
 * Separé cellar accommodation Villány (Szeparé pinceház szállás), Villány, Zrínyi Miklós u. 17, 7773, tel:+36303344216,
 * Separé cellar accommodation Villány (Szeparé pinceház szállás), Villány, Zrínyi Miklós u. 17, 7773, tel:+36303344216,
 * Separé cellar accommodation Villány (Szeparé pinceház szállás), Villány, Zrínyi Miklós u. 17, 7773, tel:+36303344216,
 * Separé cellar accommodation Villány (Szeparé pinceház szállás), Villány, Zrínyi Miklós u. 17, 7773, tel:+36303344216,
 * Separé cellar accommodation Villány (Szeparé pinceház szállás), Villány, Zrínyi Miklós u. 17, 7773, tel:+36303344216,

Stay safe
Generally, Pécs is rather quiet during the night compared to other European cities, and crime to tourists is limited to pickpocketing or possibly prices, bills and taxi fares cheats.

Downtown is safe to walk, even after midnight. Even though it is forbidden by law, there are some beggars on the streets of downtown. They might be annoying to some, but they do no harm.

Learn
Pécs is a very active city, partially because of its educational base. The University of Pécs offers wide range of programs including Arts, Economics and Business Administration, Health Sciences, Law, Medicine, Music, Pharmacy, Life Sciences and Education. Throughout the year students from all around Hungary and around the world come here to study.

The city also has a wide range of high school programs, most of which are highly specialised in areas such as humanities, sciences and engineering and more.

Stay healthy
As everywhere in Hungary, tap water is drinkable.

Private health care providers are high quality; dentistry and physiotherapy are cheaper than in Western Europe. Still, though, check the price with the provider before you confirm the appointment. Most doctors have some English or German skills.

Pharmacies are everywhere; however, many cannot maintain an adequate reserve of medicines. Another problem might be communicating with the pharmacist, as most of them speak only Hungarian. Some rusty Latin might come handy quite unexpectedly.

Connect
Pécs has 4G from all Hungarian carriers. As of Sept 2021, 5G has not reached the city. WiFi is widely available in public places.

Go next

 * Baja (90 km toward northeast) — This is a local commercial centre and the provider of public services such as education and healthcare. A small cosmopolitan town (pop. 37 000) with some minorites such Germans; Croats; Serbs; Slovaks and Romanis. Also there are some museums and art galleries. The city churches representing the variety of religion.
 * Gemenc Forest Nature Park — This is part of the Danube-Drava National Park, and it is a nature reserve. Enjoy a ride on the Gemenc Forest Train. Visit the Karapancsa Castle and Farm. Water sports. Forest Walking. Birdwatching. Danube Swamp Forest. Also from Baja take a Pleasure-boat Trip on the Danube River to and around Gemenc Forest. Start your tour in Ecotourism Centre in Pörböly village.
 * Harkány (26 km toward south, buses every hour or more) — European famous medical waters. Also can be visit on a day tour
 * Szekszárd (61 km toward northwest, take one of the couple daily bus to here) — Famous wines.
 * Szigetvár (35 km toward west buses and trains every hour or more), — The main sights is the Castle (Museum) founded in Celtic times. (More up in 'further afield').

title: Pécs


text:
Pénjamo

Pénjamo is a city of 40,000 people (2010) in Guanajuato. It is famous as the birthplace of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the "Father of the Mexican Nation".

By plane
Pénjamo is close to the Guanajuato International Airport (BJX).

By bus
Flecha Amarilla offers regular buses to Pénjamo from La Piedad and Irapuato.

See

 * Penjamo city: Penjamo has commercial stores, restaurants, coffee shops, parks, parish churches, and buildings that could be consider real architecture jewels, such as the market-place in the city's downtown, or Catholic temples such as the Parish of Saint Francis of Assisi (San Francisco de Asis), Parish of Our Lady of Los Remedios, Temple of San Antonio of Padua, Municipal Palace, House of the Culture. In addition large green areas can be found in the city's environs such as Magellan and Churipitzeo.
 * Penjamo city: Penjamo has commercial stores, restaurants, coffee shops, parks, parish churches, and buildings that could be consider real architecture jewels, such as the market-place in the city's downtown, or Catholic temples such as the Parish of Saint Francis of Assisi (San Francisco de Asis), Parish of Our Lady of Los Remedios, Temple of San Antonio of Padua, Municipal Palace, House of the Culture. In addition large green areas can be found in the city's environs such as Magellan and Churipitzeo.
 * Penjamo city: Penjamo has commercial stores, restaurants, coffee shops, parks, parish churches, and buildings that could be consider real architecture jewels, such as the market-place in the city's downtown, or Catholic temples such as the Parish of Saint Francis of Assisi (San Francisco de Asis), Parish of Our Lady of Los Remedios, Temple of San Antonio of Padua, Municipal Palace, House of the Culture. In addition large green areas can be found in the city's environs such as Magellan and Churipitzeo.
 * Penjamo city: Penjamo has commercial stores, restaurants, coffee shops, parks, parish churches, and buildings that could be consider real architecture jewels, such as the market-place in the city's downtown, or Catholic temples such as the Parish of Saint Francis of Assisi (San Francisco de Asis), Parish of Our Lady of Los Remedios, Temple of San Antonio of Padua, Municipal Palace, House of the Culture. In addition large green areas can be found in the city's environs such as Magellan and Churipitzeo.

Do

 * Sierra de Pénjamo (Penjamo's mountains): a natural area in route to there be declared natural protected zone consisted of impressive cannons, mounts and hills. It is an excellent site for extreme sports and camping.
 * La Feria de Mayo: better known as "Fiestas de Mayo", they are carried out last days of April up to the first third of May of every year, with the invitation of varied artists of national and international height, of free access to the fair and the majority of the spectacles of the artists who appear. Commercial and cattle exhibitions, “jaripeos”, “tardeadas”, spectacles in the “plaza de toros”, in the fence, and parallel feasts exist in the Urban Delegation Santa Ana and in Corralejo's Estate, where there realizes the principal event of the festivity, the commemoration of Don Michael Hidalgo's birthday on May 8, 1753, with presence of municipal, state and federal authorities, and the military.
 * Festival Cultural de la Fundación (Cultural Week of the Foundation): from November 6 to 13 the city commemorates the foundation of the city. There are exhibitions of photos of the city, old vehicles, theatrical and musical works, a parade and fireworks on the 12th, motocross, artistic international presentations, Jaripeo, and other activities.
 * Festival Cultural de la Fundación (Cultural Week of the Foundation): from November 6 to 13 the city commemorates the foundation of the city. There are exhibitions of photos of the city, old vehicles, theatrical and musical works, a parade and fireworks on the 12th, motocross, artistic international presentations, Jaripeo, and other activities.

title: Pénjamo


text:
Périgueux

Périgueux is a city in the Dordogne department of France.

Get in
Perigueux is not large enough for an airport, but as with most cities in France, there is an SNCF station from which you can connect to and from the rest of Europe. However, there are no direct train connections with Paris. Therefore, a trip to or from the French capital requires a connection in Limoges. From Paris to Limoges, several direct Intercity trains leave from Paris-Austerlitz station each day. In Limoges, hourly- to two-hourly services are available to Perigueux. The total trip takes around 4 or 5 hours.

Car travel is logical as well, especially if you want to tour the surrounding area at your leisure.

Get around
Most sights are reachable by foot: main attractions like the Vesunna Museum, Renaissance area, Roman arena, art museum and the Odyssey Theatre are all within a five-minute walk from each other.

There is a bus system that runs through the town and to the outlying areas as well, with stops scattered pretty evenly throughout the town.

Bicycles and motor scooters can be rented from several shops, including MBK near the Office of Tourism. Prices are very reasonable, with bikes running from €10 and scooters €20-30 per day.

There aren't many taxis floating around town to flag. Cabs generally must be called for in advance.

See
There are many caves in the area. Midway between Limoges and Périgueux is Thiviers, a small market town 30 minutes train journey north of Périgueux and claimed to be the capital of foie gras and truffles. It is also the town in which French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre spent his childhood years. The building is now used by a property agent but the square behind has been named after him. The office of tourism in Thiviers has now incorporated a museum de Foie gras in its premises displaying many items showing how foie gras is made, entrance is free.

Do

 * Swim in the swimming pools
 * Go see a movie in the.

Eat
There is a market with fresh local produce going on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

title: Périgueux


text:
Pétion-Ville

Pétion-Ville is a wealthy suburb to the southeast of Port-au-Prince, in Central Haiti. It is known for its nightlife and restaurants, many of which have large expat crowds.

Understand
Pétion-Ville is in the hills east and separate of the city itself on the northern hills of the Massif de la Selle. It was named after Alexandre Sabès Pétion (1770–1818), the Haitian general and president later recognized as one of the country's four founding fathers. The district is primarily a residential and tourist area. Pétion-Ville is part of the city's metropolitan area, one of the most affluent areas of the city, where the majority of tourist activity takes place, and one of the wealthiest parts of the country. Many diplomats, foreign businessmen, and a large number of wealthy citizens do business and reside within Pétion-Ville.

Despite the distance from the capital and the general affluence of the district, the lack of administrative enforcement has led to the formation of shantytowns on the outer edges of the district, as poor locals migrate upward and have settled there in search of job opportunities.

Pétion-Ville has more security than the center of Port-au-Prince, and in general, than the other major cities of Haiti. The community is very stable, with nightlife and business conducted with an appearance of western normality, in striking contrast to many other parts of greater Port-au-Prince.

The hillside suburban town is filled with nightclubs, beauty salons, fitness gyms and French restaurants. Businesses which cater to tourists are commonplace, and parties and get-togethers often take place at night.

By plane
Port au Prince airport is served by several major airlines - primarily American Airlines and Delta - as well as smaller flights from the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and other spots in the Caribbean. Taxis from the airport to your destination in Port au Prince will be about US$20 for standard fare. Try to bargain down to US$15. Tap taps going to all places past the airport and will cost about G10 (gourdes) (25 cents). A transit network map shows main routes.

By car
Traffic is bad in and out of Petion-Ville but many roads are quite scenic, looking back towards Port-au-Prince.

By bus
From Santo Domingo, Caribe Tours runs a once-daily bus to Pétion-Ville (in the hills above Port-au-Prince) with the following:

Crowded tap-taps (passenger pickup trucks) and buses can take you to Pétion-Ville for a few dollars, but can be dangerous.

Get around
Tap-taps run along prescribed routes throughout the city. Most routes cost G10, though to get across the city you may need to use multiple routes, each of which charges separately. These can be rather intimidating if you aren't familiar with them.

Taxis are typically about G500 and should only be used during daylight. After dark, prices rise substantially and you are at substantially greater risk of being mugged.

Markets
There are a number of supermarkets in the town.

Art
There are many art galleries around town, from traditional Haitian crafts (painting, beads, metalwork) to fine art.

Banking
There are a number of banks in Pétion-Ville. Banks here close very early, even on the weekdays.

Eat
There are a number of good restaurants in Pétion-Ville.

Drink

 * Crémas, an alcoholic beverage made of coconut and vanilla.
 * Rhum Barbancourt
 * Biere Prestige
 * Only drink Bottled Water!

Mid-range

 * Mr. Grill (the steakhouse above) has a few small rooms.

Stay safe
The town is safer than Port-au-Prince, but still one should be careful.

Embassies

 * Many embassies are located in Petion-Ville.

Go next

 * Port-au-Prince -- the capital city.

title: Pétion-Ville


text:
Pézenas

Pezenas is a city in Hérault, Occitanie.

Understand
Pézenas is a medieval gem - the old town center was the seat of government to the Princes from Paris, many fine Renaissance buildings are intact, and the narrow medieval streets offer visitors a unique experience of seeing a complete city as it was in the Middle Ages. It has a preserved ghetto complete with wall and gates.

The official guide for Pézenas can be seen here.

By car
The A75 Autoroute connects Pézenas to Paris and the A9 Autoroute just South of Pézenas opens the whole of the South of France, from Spain to Italy.

By plane
The closest airports to Pézenas are Aéroport de Béziers Cap d'Agde, with Ryanair flights to Paris (Beauvais), the UK, Germany and Sweden, and Aéroport de Montpellier Méditerrannée , with destinations across Europe (including Air France/HOP flights to both airports in Paris).

By train
The high speed TGV rail service can be taken from Montpellier, Agde, or Beziers.

Get around
The entire town can be visited on foot.

See

 * Brilliant Saturday market - all day in the Summer but closes early afternoon in Autumn / Winter.
 * Very interesting old quarter with vibrant artisan shops open in the Summer- open till midnight on Wednesday and Friday.
 * Circulades, traditionals villages that has been built in concentric circles, next to Pezenas. For example: Caux, Alignan-du-Vent and Nézignan-l'Évêque.
 * Very interesting wine producing villages in the immediate area.
 * Easy road link to the Med. coast, approx. 20km away.

Go next
If you want to drive somewhere: Carrefour sells petrol/diesel and is just on the outskirts of town. There is also a Total garage in the same vicinity. Reportedly, none of the hypermarkets in Pezenas sell road fuel. There are several petrol stations in the town, but these are expensive when compared with hypermarkets. It is best to visit hypermarkets in Béziers about 20km south, or Clermont l'Hérault 15km North, for cheap fuel.

title: Pézenas


text:
Póvoa de Varzim

Póvoa de Varzim is a city in the Douro Litoral,Norte region of Portugal.

Understand

Póvoa de Varzim (/ˈpɔ.vu.ɐ dɨ vaɾ.ˈzĩ/, PAW-voo-uh d(ih) vuhr-ZEEN) is one of the oldest fishing towns in Portugal, and a beach resort since the 19th century for beach healing purposes due to large quantities of iodine in the air and seawater. The city has diverse districts, an old picturesque downtown, the old fishermen district, high rise beach districts and an emerging contemporary east district. Póvoa is a nightlife hotspot in Portugal.

Get in
Póvoa de Varzim is located 15 km from Porto airport and to reach the city, travelers can not only use buses, and taxis, but also Metro do Porto lightrail services (line B).

By plane
Porto Airport is the closest airport and it is easy to reach Póvoa de Varzim by public transport. You can take tram E from the Airport to tram stop Verdes and then change to tram B towards Póvoa de Varzim. To take the tram you need to buy Andante ticket Z3.

By train
Line B of the Porto Metro serves the city.

By car
The main motorways serving the city are A28 and A7.

See
Around the waterfront
 * Beaches - several bay shaped sandy beaches
 * Passeio Alegre - Entertainment district, includes amongst bars, the historic beach library/bar (Diana Bar)
 * Avenida dos Banhos - Main beaches avenue, spotted with beach bars, very lively in the summer and sunny weekends.
 * Póvoa Fortress - built to protect the town from pirate attacks- free entry
 * The four remaining old Beach Villas of Avenida Mousinho de Albuquerque
 * The seaport and the fishermen quarter with the Lapa Lighthouse-Church

Around the city center
 * Praça do Almada - Central square, local traditional architecture, 16th century pillory, statue of Eça de Queirós
 * Póvoa de Varzim City Hall - in Praça do Almada, 18th century architecture that mixes Portuguese tiles, English style and French engineering.
 * Rua da Junqueira - 19th century shopping Street, traditional architecture and stores
 * Ethnography and History Museum
 * Largo das Dores Square and its churches
 * Igreja Matriz - Main church of the city in the old town center with Portuguese art

Around the countryside
 * Romanesque Church of Rates and Village of Rates - one of the best and oldest of Portugal's Romanesque.
 * Cividade de Terroso in Cividade Hill- Celtic city ruins, houses, walls, streets. The 3 thousand year old cradle of Povoa.
 * São Félix Hill - religious hill with panoramic views over the city and the countryside.

Go next

 * Amarante
 * Braga
 * Espinho
 * Gaia
 * Guimarães
 * Maia
 * Porto
 * Vila do Conde

title: Póvoa de Varzim


text:
Pörtschach

Pörtschach am Wörthersee is a city in the Wörthersee region of Carinthia (Kärnten), Austria.

Get in

Pörtschach can be easily reached by train. Pörtschach has one, right at the centre of the city. It has daily connections to Vienna. You might also notice that the Austrian train system uses Pörtschach and Pörtschach am Wörthersee interchangeably.

Get around
Pörtschach is such a small city that most of it can be traversed on foot.

See
The views of the local lake, Wörther See, and the Alps beyond are the main sight. You can see them from high points, from the banks of the lake and from boats on the lake.

You can also see many elegant villas that have views of the lake by walking around town.

Finally, there is a local parish church with stained glass windows.

Go next

 * Velden
 * Krumpendorf
 * Klagenfurt

title: Pörtschach


text:
Púchov

Púchov is a small town in Trenčín region of Slovakia with population of 25,000 citizens. It is situated in the valley of the middle stream of the Váh river, on the north of Slovakia. It is an economically and culturally developed town with a beautiful natural setting. Although it is a small town, there are many activities to do, and many interesting places for tourists to visit.

History
The first mentioned reference of Puchov was registered in 1243, when the King Belo IV gave out lists of owners of many different places on Slovak area. One of these men was called Puch. He established a small village and named it after himself. Púchov was probably established in 1100. First citizens started to live near the “Púchov Rock”, but later they came down to the valley under the hill to find a better shelter because of many invasions of Hungarians. Until now, the Púchov Rock was considered as a most frequently resided place in the Slovak history. The notion “Culture of Púchov” is well known in history. From 15th to the second middle of 19th century, there was a family line of rulers called Marczibány. In the first half of 17th century, two brothers from Morava came to Púchov, taught people many trades, and established many workshops. Púchov became one of the most important trade centers in middle Europe. In 1649, King Ferdinand praised Púchov a right to established traditional fair. This tradition persists today. Every year, a three-day fair is organized on the Square of Freedom. At the end of the 18th century, a great house of Marczibány´s was built near the Váh River called “Župný Dom”. Today, it is the center of Púchov culture and Púchov's library. From the beginning of 20th century, many factories were built here, for example Syderolit and Syenit for producing facing, Matador for producing tires, or Rolný- the first production of clothes in Slovakia. Today its name is Makyta. Púchov is a very economically and culturally developed town and it is still continuing to improve itself.

Get in
There is a new road connected with highway D1 from Bratislava leading to the town, or use the old road which takes much more time and is not so comfortable and new. You have to drive through many villages.

The train and bus station is connected and situated near Nosice which is part of Púchov, about half a kilometer from centrum. You do not have to walk into town because at the bus station busses run from there to different parts of the town. Although travelling by bus or by train is cheap, it is not so comfortable and fast as travelling by car, and it takes much more time.

Get around
Generally, Púchov is a walking town. When you want to get around, visit the Walking Zone situated in the center of the town. There is a beautiful fountain made by an academic artist which represents integrity and history of the town. It has many colour-changing lights around.

The Catholic and Evangelic churches are worthy of a visit. Each of them is situated on the opposite side of the Walking Zone.

Catholic church was built on the Square of Freedom in 13th century in Renaissance. Inside the church, there is a large beautiful Communion table with a large Cross behind. The interior of the church is decorated with many sculptures of saint people. The oldest one is sculpture of Pieta from the beginning of the 17th century. In the front of the church, there is standing a statue of saint Ján Nepomucký which was created in 1733.

Evangelic church was built in 1880 in new-gothic style. Inside is situated an altar created in 1643 which was originally placed in Marcybány´s Chapel which was destroyed through the World War I. Next to Evangelic church is built a Commemorative Rectory. It was built in 1904 and it represents two outstanding persons of Slovak history. From 1911 to 1925, one of the best Slovak poets Vladimír Roy was living there. The second person living there in the past was Ján Amos Komenský. Next interesting historical building is Župný dom situated on the riverbank of freedom. This barocco-classical dom was built in 18th century for Imrich Marcybány. Today is in Župný dom a little museum of Púchov culture, town´s library, and two representative and ceremonial halls.

See

 * Visit the theatre in the Building of culture. There are played many interesting plays every month.

Events
Púchov has organized many interesting ceremonies and performances. Each of these celebrations is worthy of a visit and visitors will have unforgettable memories.

 * Púchov has four folklore clubs- Púchovček, Váh, Vaštek, and DĽH Lachovček. Every year in Jun, a folklore celebration called Folkloric Púchov is organized in open-air theatre in Lachovec Forest. Folklore clubs present traditional dance, song, music, and clothes. Traditional foods are served. Celebrations usually take a few days and each day, visitors can see folklore performances.
 * Every year in September on the square of freedom is Púchov´s Fair. This is a tradition since 1649 and there is sales of craftworks, clothes, and food. The celebration takes usually three days and it is accompanied with performances of folkloric clubs.
 * In April, there is organized traditional Ceremonie of burning Morena. She was a Pagan goddess, who had dark power and was very bad to people. People have burned Morena every year for many centuries to have a better and calm year.
 * In December, on the Square of Freedom, every year the Fair of Saint Nicolaus. People can buy traditional food, candies, craftworks, clothes, or accessories as gifts for friends or family. The culmination of the fair is the Suite of Saint Nicolaus, angels, and devils.

Do

 * If you want to relax, there are very good Baths in Nimnica. It is village which is about four kilometers from town. They are good if you have some health problems or if you just want to relax. You can have many kinds of bath, do many kinds of sport, have a massage, or visit the Salt cave. Baths of Nimnica are not expensive and they offer accommodation, free parking, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, nice service, and relaxation. The secret of these baths is the flow of water consists of many precious minerals. This water is very treatable and also drinkable.
 * Visit the Sport Center behind the Catholic church. In this huge building, you can do almost every kind of sport. It also has a small cafeteria inside.
 * If you like hiking, go somewhere around Púchov. The town is surrounded by beautiful nature and there are many marked paths for tourists. Every visitor is satisfied after visiting these places.

Buy
If you want to buy souvenirs, clothes, toys, accessories, or food, there are many possibilities in Púchov.

You can buy beautiful traditional Slovak accessories as souvenirs in a little shop called Slovenka, situated on Štefánikova street, next to the book store or Makyta shop. It is the best shop for buying souvenirs. If you want to buy clothes or acceessories, the best place is the new walking zone in center of Púchov. There are many good branded shops with nice services. If you want to buy toys for children, the best shop is at the beginning of the walking zone. There are many different toys for different age categories which are not too expensive. Also the shop Slovenka on štefánikova street is a good place to buy such things. There are many beautiful traditional Slovak toys. If you want to buy food or drinks, you can visit Kaufland, Billa, Supermarket, or Lidl. Kaufland and Supermarket are on Nimnická Street towards Nimnica village. Billa is situated in the walking zone in the center of the town. Lidl is at the end of road connected with highway D1.

Eat
In Puchov there are not so many restaurants, but pizzeria Valdagno, restaurant Čierny Havran, Penzion pod Lipou, or restaurant Koliba are worth visiting.

The third very good restaurant is Koliba, located in Willi Hotel. Visitors may taste all the traditional Slovak food. Service is quite good, meal is delicious but prices are enormously high. Even for foreign visitors.
 * Čierny Havran is on the corner of the new walking zone. Visitors can have almost every kind of food from many parts of Europe. Although, service is good and meal is delicious, prices of meal are quite high.
 * Čierny Havran is on the corner of the new walking zone. Visitors can have almost every kind of food from many parts of Europe. Although, service is good and meal is delicious, prices of meal are quite high.
 * Penzion pod Lipou is in Dohňany- a village near Puchov. It is a pension which contains also restaurant. There are served many kinds of meal but mostly traditional Slovak meal. Prices are good, very nice service, and food is delicious.

Bars
It is very difficult to say where to go to drink in Púchov because there are so many different pubs, bars, or night clubs.
 * xXx night club, located near swimming pool. There are many kinds of parties every weekend but from Monday to Friday the club is closed or there is often screening of films for free. You can just sit on your chosen seat, drink what you add, and watch film. xXx night club is one of the favorites in Púchov. Although the service is terrible and not so nice, the music and prices are good. But visitors usually have to pay before the entering and the price is from 50,- to 500,- Sk, depending which DJ hosts each party. If it is Slovak, visitors have to pay about 50,-Sk, and when it is American, they have to pay about 400-500,-Sk.
 * City Bar, located behind the xXx night club. Every weekend there is a party with free entry. Good DJ, usually quite good service, and also very good prices. But the age average of usual visitors in mostly from 13 to 16.
 * Javorník, in the walking zone. It is quite new, good service, good prices, and very nice interior. But if visitors come at 9PM-10PM, they will have no chance to sit down because it is usually full.

Coffee
There are a few cafeterias in Púchov but the best two are on new walking zone. The first one is called El Greco. It is the newest cafeteria of Púchov. It is situated at the beginning of the Walking Zone near Evangelic church. There is nice service and good prices. It has beautiful interior and everybody is feeling there comfortable and good. The second one is Caffé West in the middle of the Walking zone. Is has the same qualities as the previous El Greco Caffé.

Sleep
There are many choices of accommodation in Púchov, but the best two are Willi Hotel, and Penzión pod Lipou.

 * Willi Hotel is situated on the Street of 1st May. It offers 20 above standard rooms, 5 apartments, 20 double-bed rooms, 7 rooms for handicapped people, fitness center, center for rehabilitation, massage, solar center, and parking. Also there is restaurant Koliba serving traditional meals. This hotel is on a very high level, so expect enormous high prices.
 * Penzión pod Lipou is situated in village called Dohňany, four kilometers away from Púchov. It has a comfortable interior, good service, and good prices. It also runs a very good restaurant where visitors can get traditional meals or other delicious meals.

Stay safe

 * Medical emergency Hospital, situated under the Lachovec Hill on the Street Pod Lachovcom, dial 150.
 * Police, near Matador Business Center, dial 158.
 * Firemen, between next to Kaufland on Street Nimnicka, dial 155.

title: Púchov


text:
Păltiniș

Păltiniș is a resort town in Transylvania, Romania, 35 km from Sibiu.

Understand
At 1440 m in altitude, Păltiniș is the highest mountain resort in Romania. It is also the oldest, founded by Germans in 1894. Păltiniș is a very well organised resort and includes 4 hotels, 6 chalets and 17 villas, as well as many bars and shops. It is delightful in winter's peak season, even though nature lovers may like the summer season better, when there are fewer visitors and you can stay outdoors for longer.

Get in
Păltiniş is fairly easy to access from Sibiu and most tourists go there from Sibiu due to its proximity to the city. Bus 22 runs from Sibiu's central railway station four times a day and roughly every four hours. The bus trip is comfortable and, although buses are infrequent, they are appropriately timetabled at convenient times. If you're coming by bus for a day trip, make you sure you know when your return bus is.

In any case, you can also catch a taxi to Păltiniș from Sibiu. Although more expensive than the bus, taxis won't break your budget as long as you set the fare with the driver beforehand (on unmetered taxis), although you may have trouble getting a ride back to Sibiu.

En route to Păltiniș from Sibiu you go through Rășinari, a typical romanian village, birthplace of Octavian Goga and Emil Cioran.

title: Păltiniș


text:
Płock

Płock is a town of 118,000 inhabitants (agglomeration of 203,000) in central Poland, on the river Vistula (Wisła in Polish). Płock is of special interest to fans of Art Nouveau, or secesja in Polish. It lies about halfway between the national capital city of Warsaw and the historic cities of Toruń and Bydgoszcz.

Understand
If you are looking for an undiscovered tourist attraction away from the main touristic corridors, Płock is a good bet. Silent, picturesque, interesting. Recommended for a day or two.

Get in
Train connections from Płock are poor as most of the railways nearby are haven't been updated in a long time. The is located in the northern part of the city, about 1 km from the historic city centre and cathedral.

Because of the poor railway connection most people travel here by bus. The is right next to the train station. Pex (Polski Express) or Komfort Bus serves the busy main line of the area - Warszawa- Płock- Włocławek- Toruń. Warszawa- Płock seem to be served hourly, journey time is approx. 1 h 50 minutes. Płock-Włocławek is served with somewhat less intensive schedule, approximately a bus is running every two hours or less. There are also multiple bus connections from Kutno.

Get around
Płock has an extensive bus system with most of the town hotspots covered. The timetables and route maps can be found on the kmplock website (in Polish) or at the bus stops. Most of the buses seem to run a few times an hour and from experience they are very rarely late (unlike England), in fact if anything arrive at the bus stop 5-10 minutes before scheduled departure time as they do sometimes arrive a little early and tend not to wait. There are very modern buses on some lines while some have older ones but all are of decent standard. The buses do tend to get busy most days so be prepared to stand (remember that in Poland it is considered polite to offer your seat to elders).

You need to buy the ticket before boarding and they are around 3-4 zł for an adult ticket with concession prices available. They are available at nearly every food shop and easy to get, you need to scan them in the machine once you get on the bus.

See

 * Vistula River, particularly attractive at sunset.

Do

 * Walk the riverside. It's a nice walk along the steep bank of the Vistula river. Go to the City Hall, then move southwards till you reach the promenade on the bank. If you choose to go down the steps, you can walk at the bottom of the steep slope and walk past the rock-like forms of the sandy cliffs that are located in the direction opposing to the two Vistula bridges. Another option is to remain atop and stroll westwards on the top of the cliffs. Nice views are guaranteed.
 * Football: Wisła Płock were relegated in 2023 and play soccer in 1. Liga, the second tier. Their home ground Kazimierz Górski (or Orien) Stadium (capacity 15,000) is 2 km north of town centre.
 * Reggaeland, the second largest reggae festival in Poland. Professionally organized, 3 scenes (reggae, ragga/dancehall, raggajungle), good artists, nice vibes. Reggae festival takes place right on the river bank, in mid-July.
 * Reggaeland, the second largest reggae festival in Poland. Professionally organized, 3 scenes (reggae, ragga/dancehall, raggajungle), good artists, nice vibes. Reggae festival takes place right on the river bank, in mid-July.

Buy
There is a factory outlet of Levi Strauss (producing here). Reasonable prices, 2nd choice very cheap.

Eat

Many zapiekanka stands, especially in the center (typical 4 zł). Like in any Polish city there is a large choice of kebab restaurants and stands.

Stay safe
City center looks safe, compared to other cities.

title: Płock


text:
Peabody (disambiguation)

There's more than one place called Peabody:

United States of America

 * Peabody (Kansas) - a city in Marion County, Central Kansas
 * Peabody - a city in Essex County, in north-east Massachusetts

title: Peabody (disambiguation)


text:
Peabody

Peabody is a city of 54,000 (2020) in the suburban area of the North Shore in Massachusetts. In the April 2009 edition of Forbes Magazine, Peabody was ranked the 14th most livable city in the United States.

Understand

The town's name is pronounced "PEE-biddy".

History
First known as the Northfields, "the Farms", and Brooksby, the area was settled about 1626 within Salem, which had been founded in 1626 and incorporated in 1629. In 1752, the area was set off from Salem and incorporated as part of Danvers. It was usually referred to as "the South Parish", associated with the church located in the center (now Peabody Square). In 1855, the community broke away from Danvers to become the town of South Danvers, incorporated that May 18. The name was changed on April 30, 1868 to Peabody after George Peabody, a noted philanthropist. It would be incorporated as a city in 1916.

Beginning as a farming community, the town's streams attracted mills which operated by water power. In particular, Peabody was a major center of New England's leather industry and tanneries remained a linchpin of the city's economy into the second half of the 20th century. The tanneries have since closed, but the city remains known locally as the Leather City or Tanner City and its high school sports teams are nicknamed the Tanners.

The loss of the tanneries was a blow to Peabody's economy, but the city has made up for the erosion of its industrial base, at least in part, through other forms of economic development. Early in the 20th century, it joined the automobile revolution, hosting the pioneer brass era company Corwin Manufacturing Company. The Northshore Mall is one of the region's largest malls. It opened in 1958 and is now the city's largest taxpayer. Centennial Park, an industrial park in the center of the city, has attracted several medical and technology companies.

Meanwhile, West Peabody, which was mostly farmland until the 1950s, has been developed into a middle-to-upper class residential area.

Peabody is the location of the Salem Country Club, a private country club with a professional golf course. In the past, the club hosted The U.S. Senior Open in 2001 and the U.S. Women's Open in 1954 and 1984.

By car

 * Interstate 95 to Route 128

By air

 * Logan International Airport in Boston or Manchester-Boston Regional Airport Manchester, New Hampshire.

By bus
Catch the 435 or 436 buses from Lynn. The 435 is also accessible from Salem.

Get around
The 435 and 436 buses run across Peabody, towards the North Shore and Liberty Tree malls, but service is only hourly and weekdays only, so a car can be helpful here. By car, route 114 runs through Peabody.

title: Peabody


text:
Peace River (Alberta)

Peace River is a town of about 7,000 people (2016) in the Peace Country region of Alberta.

Understand
The city sits on the banks of the Peace River, at its confluence with the Smoky River, the Heart River and Pat's Creek. The Peace River townsite is nearly 1,000 feet (300 m) below the relatively flat terrain surrounding it. There are various First Nations (Aboriginal) communities to the northeast, French-Canadian farming communities to the south and to the east, and Mennonite and Hutterite German-Canadian farming communities to the north and northwest of the town.

The Government of Alberta is the largest employer in the town, with over 15 government departments within its municipal boundaries. It is followed in close second by resource extraction, principally forestry, agriculture, oil and gas and their support services.

The Town of Peace River is close to the Peace River Oil Sands, Alberta's 3rd largest oil sands deposit.

An ancient Beaver First Nation legend says: "Drink the water of the Peace River and you will return."

Climate
The Peace River area generally has low year-round precipitation. Its dry climate, which results in reduced humidity, causes the summer heat and winter cold feel less severe than in places with higher humidity.

Due to cold air drainage, the river valley is often completely filled with stratus and fog while outside the valley is clear. The fog usually clears in a few hours. Winds in town are channeled along the Peace River valley (towards the northeast or southwest) while winds outside the valley are quite variable.

Winters are often cold enough to see the formation of an ice cover on the Peace River from January to late March or early April. Summer frequently features thunderstorms that are preceded with persistent winds and occasionally produce small grain-sized hail. Tornadoes and severe winds are a rarity in the Peace River area.

Regardless of the season, when there is daylight out, Peace River will usually have sunny skies. There is on average 2,060 hours of sunshine every year.

By car
Peace River is northwest of Edmonton, and  northeast of Grande Prairie, along Highway 2. It is about five hours drive northwest of Edmonton and 2½ hours northeast of Grande Prairie. Highway 35 (part of the Mackenzie Highway) comes in from Northwest Territories and intersects Highway 2 about 21 km west of Peace River. Highway 43 from British Columbia and Alaska.

Peace River can be accessed via Highway 2 from Edmonton, or by travelling Highway 43 to Valleyview then Highway 49 – the latter is a faster and shorter route.

By bus
Operates a bus route between Peace River and Edmonton including stops in High Prairie, Slave Lake, and Westlock. Travel time to Edmonton from Peace River is 5.75 hours. Operates several days per week.

Northern Express service from Edmonton, Grande Prairie, and High Level, is suspended as of Jan 2021.

Get around
Peace River no longer has public transit.

title: Peace River (Alberta)


text:
Peace Country

''This guide is about the portion of the Peace Country in Alberta. For the portion in British Columbia, see Peace Country and Northern Rockies.'' The Peace Country is a region that covers the entire northwestern quadrant of Alberta, Canada. Most of northern Alberta is part of the sparsely-populated boreal forest, but here along the banks of the Peace River, there is an isolated patch of farmland, separated from the main population centres of Alberta by the Swan Hills. This is the northernmost agricultural region of any size in North America, and is home to most of Canada's farmed bison (buffalo) and honeybees. The entire region, both farmed and forested, is drained by the "mighty Peace", a major river that goes on to empty into the world's largest inland delta at nearby Wood Buffalo National Park.

Many visitors (especially Americans) pass through this region on their way to the Alaska Highway. While here, you can blast through as fast as possible, or if you know where to look, you can find natural gems like Alberta's largest road-accessible lake (Lesser Slake Lake) or indoor actives like a huge new Dinosaur museum (Philip J. Currie Museum in Wembley).

Communities
The Peace County only has one city, Grande Prairie. The other places you would stop to buy supplies or look for a hotel are all small towns of one kind or another, ranging to small but well-serviced (those listed here) to barely a crossroads (many others).
 * – by far the largest city and economic hub of the Peace Country; pop. 63,000
 * – situated on the banks of the Peace River, at its confluence with the Smoky River, the Heart River; pop. 7,000
 * – an agricultural and college town near Dunvegan Provincial Park which has Alberta's largest suspension bridge; pop. 3,000
 * – "Honey Capital of Canada" and predominately Francophone; pop. 1,000
 * – mile zero of the Mackenzie Highway; pop. 2,700
 * – accessible to the western shore of Lesser Slave Lake; pop. 2,600
 * – midway point between Edmonton and Yellowknife and last "major" centre before the Northwest Territories; pop. 3,160
 * – southern gateway into the Peace County; pop. 1,900

Other destinations

 * — site of historic Fort Dunvegan, one of Alberta's earliest fur trade posts and missionary centres. Alberta's largest suspension bridge crosses the Peace River and overlooks the park

Understand
Located where the Rocky Mountains give way to the vast Interior Plains of North America, where the southern fringe of the great subarctic boreal forest meets the northernmost tongue of prairie grasses, and deep in the interior of the continent, this vast region is quintessentially Canadian in its wildness and remoteness.

Despite the short growing season found this far north, the Peace Country is of one Canada's richest agricultural areas, with most of the land in cereal crops and hay. Other agriculture here includes beef and bison production, poultry, and pork, and apiculture (honey).

This area has been occupied for thousands of years by indigenous groups; today two main ethnic groups far found here, the Cree and the Dene peoples. The region has been settled by westerners much more recently, and has been explored and lived in by many important figures in Canada's history such as Henry Fuller "Twelve-Foot" Davis, Sir Alexander Mackenzie, David Thompson, and Peter Fidler.

Most Peace Country communities sprang up in response to the building of the railway, and most communities still exist along railway supply lines. The ethnicity of most of the western settlers here derive from England, Ukraine, France, and Germany. There are still many communities of primarily (even exclusively) French or German speaking people. Most of the people who live in this area reside in small towns and are conservative in nature.

This area can be extremely remote, and huge tracts of land remain relatively untouched, even today.

Talk
English is the primary language spoken here, virtually everyone speaks fluent English. You may find that there are a few speakers of French, German, Ukrainian, and Cree (an indigenous language), but you should not expect the average waiter or hotel desk clerk to know anything but English. By law, French services will be provided by federal government employees, but aside from police or perhaps postal clerks, most travellers would never meet one of those here.

Although English is the rule all through Western Canada, a small, ageing colony of Francophone farmers can be found in the Municipal District of Smoky River, especially Girouxville, Donnelly, and Falher. With the locals ancestrally from Quebec, geographic isolation has allowed French to survive much longer in this district than in other prairie towns, and you can still hear it spoken in shops - uniquely in Alberta.

By plane
The main airport for the region is Grande Prairie Airport with service to Edmonton and Calgary, which have international connections. Alternatively, the Peace River Airport offers connections to Edmonton and Calgary while the High Level Airport  has connections to Edmonton, Hay River, and Fort Smith.

By bus

 * Operates route from Edmonton to Grande Prairie, from Edmonton to Peace River, and from Fort St. John, British Columbia via Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Grande Prairie.
 * Operates a route between Grande Prairie and Edmonton including stops in Valleyview, Whitecourt, and Mayerthorpe.

From within Alberta

 * Highway 43 from Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) west of Edmonton to Grande Prairie

From British Columbia

 * Highway 2 (in British Columbia) / Highway 43 (in Alberta) from Dawson Creek to near Edmonton via Grande Prairie

From Northwest Territories

 * Highway 1 (in Northwest Territories) / Highway 35 (in Alberta), which are both part of the Mackenzie Highway. Highway 35 end north of Grimshaw and west of Peace River.

Get around
See "By bus" listed above. A private vehicle, however, is best.

See and do
There are plenty of historical destinations, and plenty of wilderness and wildlife to see, museums, festivals (music and cultural), scenic views, fishing, hunting, canoeing, kayaking, whitewater rafting, sledding, skiing, horseback riding, golfing, hiking, and waterskiing.

The Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum in Wembley to thewest of Grande Prairie is a beautiful work of architecture housing finds from the nearby "River of Death" that has been the source of significant fossil finds.

Big attractions which are popular include the World's Largest Beaver (in Beaverlodge, by Grande Prairie), Twelve-Foot Davis' grave site (Peace River).

By far the best music festival in this area is the North Country Fair, a celebration of the summer solstice in Driftpile, near Joussard. It is a haven and a destination for alternative music lovers from all over Canada and even the world. It is usually a three-day event punctuated by live folk, country, bluegrass, trance, tribal, and Inuit musical talent 24 hours a day.

For environmental tourists, there is also some of the world's largest and most densely populated bird migrating paths and nesting grounds, including the world's only site for the endangered Whooping Crane. There is plenty of wildlife all over the Peace, deer, moose, beaver, coyotes, silver and red fox, black bear, weasel, bald eagle, various hawks and falcons, duck, loon, swan, pelican, bison, and elk are all very common sites in this area. Less common but also very present are lynx, mountain lion, wolf, egret, grizzly, and caribou.

There are also plenty of ghost towns to explore. You can also find local legend and character in the museums and from local people themselves involving haunted residences and places of healing.

There is the "Mile 0" (kilometre 0) sign for the Mackenzie Highway, (Highway 35) at Grimshaw. There is much history to this highway. Part of the history was made by Hamilton Brothers Trucking, later called Grimshaw Trucking. They proved in the early 1950s that they could transport goods from Edmonton to Yellowknife, much quicker than through rail to Ft. Mackay, near Ft. McMurray, then down the rivers to Yellowknife.

Stay safe
This area is a very safe part of Canada. The only place you might run into a bit of trouble is if you are impolite or aggressive towards others, especially in places which serve alcohol.

Most conflicts can be avoided through diplomacy, and most conflicts never get beyond verbal combat.

If you are openly homosexual, you will likely be received with mixed feelings; some will be very welcoming and polite, others indifferent and will not acknowledge you, and other may be downright hostile and defensive.

Strangers and travellers may find it hard to interact with locals at first, as locals may be wary of newcomers. This is not necessarily hostility, just hesitant curiosity for the most part. When they do open conversation, be prepared for many questions, some of which may be personal. It is not considered rude to decline to answer personal questions. Polite and talkative visitors are generally well received.

title: Peace Country


text:
Peachland

Peachland is in the Okanagan region of British Columbia. It is a small town of 5,400 permanent residents (2016) which was incorporated in 1909.

Climate
As most of the city is built into a mountainside, it is typically shielded from cold northerly winds and also has an overall southern exposure. This helps warm the area slightly during spring, summer and fall, but particularly in winter. Proximity to the lake results in more moderation relative to Okanagan cities which are farther away from it. Average January high temperatures in Peachland are nearly 1.5 degrees warmer than in Kelowna, while the reverse is true in July.

The city's southern orientation provides protection from winds coming from the north, while encouraging those from the south which blow across the lake directly toward the city and can cause mild lake-effect snow. The steep mountainside on which Peachland is built can enhance this effect somewhat via the action of orographic lift.

Get in
Provincial Highway 97 runs through the town. Kelowna is 25 km to the north, and Penticton is 40 km to the south. Peachland is also the eastern terminus of the Coquihalla connector (Hwy 97C), a freeway which runs from Merritt (and Vancouver) to the Okanagan Valley.

By public transit

 * Bus 22 operates between Peachland and West Kelowna. Between West Kelowna and Kelowna, take bus route 97, which is a limited stop frequent route.
 * Bus 22 operates between Peachland and West Kelowna. Between West Kelowna and Kelowna, take bus route 97, which is a limited stop frequent route.

See

 * and across Highway 97 from each other on the western edge of town. Antler's Beach is a rocky beach with swimming and picnic areas. Bring a camera, as Squally point, the reputed home of Ogopogo is across the lake from here. Hardy Falls is a short walk (wheelchair accessible) up the Deep Creek Canyon to a modest waterfall. The creek may be full of salmon in September and October.
 * The legendary lake monster Ogopogo.
 * The legendary lake monster Ogopogo.

Sleep
Other accommodations are available in West Kelowna.

Cope

 * The nearest hospital is in Kelowna.

title: Peachland


text:
Peach Springs

Peach Springs is an unincorporated village of 600 people which serves as base of operation for the native Hualapai Nation of Northern Arizona.

Understand
Peach Springs' map location matches that of the cartoon village Radiator Springs in the 2006 Pixar film "Cars". The tiny village is served by the famed US Route 66, which originally followed the railway across the Arizona desert.

When Interstate 40 bypassed US-66 between Kingman and Seligman, it took a shorter but divergent route far to the south. US-66 is separated from I-40 by twenty miles or more through much of the section through Peach Springs, Hackberry, Valentine and Truxton. The only major cross street joining I-40 to US-66 in this area is Hackberry Road, which has no I-40 offramp.

The steady stream of traffic westward through Peach Springs to California died overnight with most affected villages in the area becoming ghost towns. Peach Springs barely held on, primarily to serve the Hualapai Nation and as a point of depart for travel to the Grand Canyon. When US-66 entirely disappeared from standard road maps in 1985, the section from Kingman to Seligman was numbered as Arizona State Highway 66.

Route 66
The only way in is by motorcar; leave I-40 at Kingman (in the west) or Seligman (in the east) to return to highway 66. The old road is fourteen miles longer than I-40 from Kingman to Seligman but is one of the largest continuous, intact portions of historic Route 66 in Arizona.

By train
The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railways once served both Hackberry and Peach Springs. The train no longer stops at any intermediate point between Kingman and Williams Junction. One must disembark at Kingman to travel the last 42 miles by car on Route 66.

By plane
Most travelers fly into Las Vegas which is 120 miles away by car. They have an airport for general aviation called Grand Canyon West Airport (GCW), it is owned by the Hualapai Indian Tribe and is on the Hualapai Indian Reservation.

Get around
The 82-mile Arizona Route 66 between Kingman and Seligman is for the most part little more than ghost town. There are few services; at one point, there was only one fuel station open on this entire stretch of road.

Do

 * Whitewater Rafting in Grand Canyon: 1-day trip meets at 7:30AM at Hualapai River Runners Lodge, returns at approximately 6PM. includes helicopter flight out of canyon, box lunch, 35 miles of river and 7 wet rapids in the first 10 miles.

Eat
There are restaurants in the Hualapai Lodge (Diamond Creek Restaurant, +1 928 769-2800) and inside Grand Canyon Caverns (Cavern Grotto, +1 928 422-3223).

Sleep

Nearby
Continuing westward from Peach Springs, Route 66 passed through three more villages (all now ghost towns or former ghost towns) before I-40 rejoined US-66 at Kingman.

Hackberry

 * A former ghost town; this village once had a few fuel stations and stores. The town died in the 1970s with the construction of I-40 and the roadside businesses closed. From 1992-1998, Hackberry was the home of late Route 66 travelling artist Bob Waldmire, at one time the town's only resident. Waldmire was based at what is now the, now a popular tourist stop with a collection of old and classic motorcars. He travelled the route in an old VW hippie van creating and selling elaborate hand-drawn maps. (In the "Cars" film, the "Fillmore" character is unofficially based on Waldmire; the original van is now in the Route 66 Hall of Fame in Pontiac (Illinois).)

Valentine

 * Home of a former native residential school, the Schoolhouse at Truxton Canyon, now listed on the national register of historic places.

Truxton
A "new ghost town", Truxton (west of Peach Springs on Route 66, established in 1951, bypassed 1979 by I-40) had several fuel stations (Bell, Texaco, Chevron), a café and an assortment of motels which are still standing but long abandoned. The former Cowgill's Trading Post (2006) became a Gas & Grub, but there is no lodging. The last inns were the Orlando Motel (16213 Highway 66) and the Frontier Motel & Café (16118 E Highway 66). Established in 1951, the once-distinctive Frontier had declined for years, closing upon the owner's death in 2012. It's likely the best-preserved of the vacant local buildings, as a short-lived restoration effort had a souvenir shop open in 2014 (which closed in 2015). The motel's 1950s tiles, furnishings and décor were a throwback to a simpler era when a TV in every room earned boasting rights.

Go next

 * Grand Canyon

title: Peach Springs