Birkenstock Sandals Men and Women Like

Birkenstock Sandals Men and Women are one of the few quality sandals that cater to men and women equally. Their shoes and sandals are the best on the market in quality, style and price. Founded in 1897, the contoured foot bed took the world by storm, setting a whole new standard for comfort and foot health in a shoe or a sandal. These shoes quickly gained popularity in Europe and in 1966 a woman named Margot Fraser brought the excitement to the United States after visiting Germany and falling deep in love with the Birkenstock shoes and sandals.

The Birkenstock sandals men’s and women’s came about in 1964 and became popular in all circles. By 1973 Birkenstock had taken over the world of sandals and become the most popular shoe on the market. After the rate of the 1970’s and into the 80s Birkenstock became a household name for Birkenstock sandals. Birkenstock became the only shoe for those seeking comfort and style. Birkenstock sandals can be easily found add hundreds of retailers though out the United States as well as on many online retailer sites. You can even purchase these amazing shoes on the Birkenstock USA website.

The sandals are made in a shape that is meant to cushion your foot in all its shapes. The countered shaping is intended to fit the shape of a foot and not a flat sole like most shoes. Meant to support the medial, lateral, metatarsal and transverse arches in the human foot, Birkenstock has thought of everything. These great shoes are meant to support twenty six bones, eight muscles and fifty six ligaments found in the foot.

There are three foot bed types in the Birkenstock sandals. You can buy the original foot bed which is intended for the standard foot with the basic arches. The soft foot bed is available and is intended for people who have low arches as well as sensitive feet. This is achieved by the addition of an extra soft cushioning by way of an extra layer of foam. Higher arches and flexible feet will be in the market for the high arch foot bed. The higher arch for the metatarsal and the deeper heel promote exceptional comfort.

And if you think this is the end of the list of what the Birkenstock sandals men’s and women’s has to offer, think again. Because nobody’s feet are the same width Birkenstock also offers two widths for each the men and the women. They have available a regular width and a narrow width sandals for both them men and the women. Not just for grownups any more, Birkenstock also has a great selection of shoes and sandals for boys and girls. They come in great colors and terrific styles that all the kids will like.

Birkenstock sandals for men, women and children are high quality shoes and sandals intended to give you the comfort and price tag that you are searching for in footwear. Finding a shoe that beats them to the finish line is difficult.

Retirement in Costa Rica – One Of The Preferred Spots To Retire All around The World

If you are selecting a retirement destiny wherever you won’t be anxious about the weather, price of living, visas and residency permits, wellness care and medical facilities, infrastructure (roads, electrical power, internet service, polluting of the environment, drinking water etc), security and stability, expat community (it’s pleasant to make buddies that you can talk to in your own dialect!), language problems, houses and real estate, possibility for part-time or volunteer job, meal, well then Costa Rica is the right location for you!

Costa Rica retirement living is a really well-liked type of living. Here, you are able to relax under the sunshine and appreciate a very distinctive culture and way of life. Life in Costa Rica is truly laid back, but you’ll also come across a multitude of invigorating things to do, from the beachfront to the environmental trips. You can find additionally lots of endeavors and prospects if you would like to give it a try into them. Retire in Costa Rica for pleasure, for investment and for the pure simpleness that you will discover right here.

Costa Rica is truly a place of the earth! Due to closeness, climate, ecology and government, Costa Rica attracts tourists, second-home clients and retirees from all over the world. The progressively varied population of newcomers from The european union, and North and South America, assimilate easily with the local Costa Ricans – or “Ticos” as they call themselves. The Ticos show a agreeable attitude to foreigners, and their laws and regulations are very foreigner-friendly. Within the vast majority of scenarios, foreigners get the identical rights when it comes to owning Costa Rica real estate properties as locals, and legal people have access to the social medical program.

Perhaps the most interesting issue regarding Costa Rica retirement will be the way of living. Costa Rica food is tantalizing and special, while the traditions of the individuals that reside right here is very laid-back and not formal at all. Expect people to become less timely as the hustle and bustle of your former working life will not be found here producing it a great place to unwind. Costa Rica culture is very various in that respect from the United States. Of course quite a few come for the weather conditions found here. The conditions in Costa Rica is excellent because the nation is located in the sub tropics. This gives you the capability to truly enjoy the quality of life throughout the year. One of the unique features regarding Costa Rica is that you will discover the individuals to be welcoming, interesting, and great individuals to become associates with on your retirement.

The cost of retirement living in Costa Rica is very low, particularly when compared to what you may be used to within the United States, Europe or Canada. Your pension and retirement savings will go a lot further here than they will within the United States. Costa Rica housing is also affordable, depending on wherever you live. Costa Rica health care program and what it has to offer. Though not up towards the standard and advancement of the equipment that you can find in the United States, the quality of care here is very great and also the cost is much cheaper than what you would fork out back home.

Explore Garmin’s Slim Portable 1300 Series

The ultra- slender nüvi 1300 has a widescreen monitor, yet it’s lean and light enough to take along on all your travels. It is a relatively low- end unit in Garmin’s newest nuvi series. This low-priced GPS is included with regional mapping, announces streets by name, provides pedestrian navigation choices and calculates a more fuel- efficient route with ecoRoute.

Twenty- five percent more compact than other nüvis, you’ll be able to take the ultra- thin Garmin nuvi 1300 anywhere. It without difficulty fits in your pocket or purse, and its rechargeable lithium- ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot.

View detail, driving directions, photos and more in bright, brilliant color. Its sunlight- readable, 4. 3- inch monitor is hassle-free to read — from any direction.

nüvi 1300′s user-friendly interface greets you with two simple questions: “Where To? ” and “View. ” Touch the color screen to without difficulty lookup addresses and services and get voice- prompted, turn- by- turn directions that speak street names to your destination. It comes preloaded with City Navigator NT street maps for the continental U. S. , Hawaii and Puerto Rico or one European region or country(click versions tab to view all) , millions of points of interest(POIs) , and 2- D or 3- D maps. Its digital elevation maps show you shaded contours at higher zoom levels, giving you a big picture of the surrounding terrain. With the 1300′s enhanced user interface, you are able to slide your finger to conveniently scroll between screens. You can also upload POIs. And with HotFix satellite prediction, nüvi calculates your position greater to get you there quicker.

Direction-finding is just the beginning. nüvi 1300 saves you gas and money with ecoRoute — a green feature that calculates the most fuel- efficient route, tracks fuel usage and more. The 1300 includes many travel tools including JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, calculator and more. With photo navigation, it is possible to download pictures from Garmin Connect Photos and navigate to them. It’s also agreeable with lifetime traffic alerts or MSN Direct(receiver purchase required for either option) . With its “Where Am I? ” emergency locator, you always know your location. Simply tap the screen to get your exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, additionally, the closest hospitals, police stations and fuel stations. The 1300 sports Garmin Lock, an anti- theft feature, and is compatible with our free Garmin Garage where it is possible to download custom custom voices and vehicles. Boost your travel experience with optional plug- in microSD cards.

What models apart the Garmin nuvi 1350 from the Garmin nuvi 1300 is that the widescreen nüvi 1350 redefines portable, low cost navigation. This really- thin GPS has preloaded maps for North America or Europe, announces streets by name, guides you to the proper lane for navigation, presents pedestrian navigation options and calculates a more fuel- efficient route with ecoRoute.

On top of that the better edition of the nuvi 1350, that is the widescreen Garmin nüvi 1350T adds free traffic alerts to the nuvi 1350. In addition, this ultra- thin GPS has preloaded maps for North America or Europe, announces streets by name, guides you to the proper lane for navigation, includes pedestrian navigation alternatives and calculates a more fuel- efficient route with ecoRoute.

 

 

 

Heated LED Bathroom Mirrors: The Ultimate Bathroom Accessory?

Introduction

Central to the mythology of mirrors is Narcissus a Boeotian hero, who disliked those who loved him for his own natural beauty. He famously gazed into a pool of water and was so fascinated with the reflection, that he was unable to bring himself to leave the image. Not realising that the image he could see was of his own natural beauty, he couldn’t bring himself to leave the image, and he perished.

The concept of how the mirror works is quite simple. It stems simply from the reflective surface of still water and therefore nature plays its part. When you look down into a puddle or a dark pool of water, the smooth water reflects the light straight back into your eyes. Mirrors work in exactly the same way, in that a mirror is made up of a coated glass surface which when a polished metal surface or metal film is applied behind the glass, light cannot shine through and so reflects the image back. Young children particularly, are always fascinated when they look into a mirror for the first time and see their own reflection staring back at them. Anyone who has young children will remember the vision of their young child daughter kissing their image on a mirror. My eight year old daughter loves sitting in front of her mirror doing her hair nearly as much as my fifteen year old daughter!

Where would we be today without mirrors? Mirrors are generally used for personal grooming or interior decoration and have evolved from a luxury item into a necessity. There is an enormous variety of mirror shapes and sizes and over the years, mirrors have gradually developed to meet many different requirements. Today there is a large selection of mirrors , ranging from small mirrors to large mirrors, framed, unframed and includes bathroom mirrors, decorative mirrors, illuminated mirrors, LED mirrors, shaving mirrors, compact mirrors and demister mirrors.
Away from personal use, mirrors are also used as part of scientific apparatus such as cameras, lasers, telescopes and periscopes, to reflect light and used as tools in dentistry and medical care.

History of Mirrors

The history of mirrors as far as we can see dates back over 8,000 years. The earliest known mirrors were made from pieces of polished stone such as obsidian, a naturally occurring glass from cooled volcanic lava flows. In Anatolia in Turkey, examples of obsidian mirrors dated at around 6000 BC have been found. In south and central America, polished stone mirrors from around 2000 BC on wards have also been found. From around 3000 BC mirrors of polished copper are known to have been crafted in ancient Egypt.

The first metal coated glass mirrors are thought to have been made in the first century AD, in Sidon, known today as Lebanon. The Roman author Pliny makes reference to glass mirrors backed with gold leaf in his Naturalis Historia, one of the largest reference books to have survived from the Roman Empire, which focused on natural and man-made objects and was written in around 77 AD.

In the 10th Century Arabian Physicists, considered different types of mirrors, reflecting mirrors and parabolic mirrors and another discussed concave and convex mirrors in both cylindrical and spherical geometries. In undertaking various experiments with mirrors, finding the point on a convex mirror at which a ray of light coming from one point is reflected to another point was solved.

During the period of the 14th to 17th Centuries, across Europe a method of coating glass with a tin-mercury amalgam was perfected by manufacturers. Venice was recognised for its glass making expertise and soon became a centre of mirror production using this new technique. Glass mirrors from this period were extremely expensive luxuries.

The particular process of silvering to produce the first silvered-glass mirror is credited to German chemist Justus von Liebig in 1835. He developed a process to apply a thin layer of metallic silver onto glass through the chemical reduction of silver nitrate. The process was adapted for mass production and led to the greater availability of affordable mirrors.

The evolution of the mirror over the years is quite interesting, if like me you love mirrors! It has developed from a luxury item to an item which is now taken for granted in daily use. Today, walk into any wholesaler to look at mirrors and the selection is vast, with many technology features now finding there way into mirrors, to give added simplicity, luxury and decoration.

The unique range of eye catching backlit mirror means there is a style to suit all bathrooms.

How are Mirrors Made?

The manufacture of mirrors includes the application to a suitable material of a reflective coating. Glass is the most commonly used material, due to its ability to take a smooth finish and its rigidity. Glass is also more scratch resistant than many other materials.

Early mirrors were made of solid metal, bronze or silver and they were far too expensive for many. Metal is also prone to corrosion and because of polished metal’s low emissivity, antique mirrors were less suitable for indoor use. With indoor lighting at the time supplied by candles or lanterns, the metal mirrors reflected a much darker picturecompared to modern glass mirrors.

In modern times ‘float glass’ is used in the manufacture of mirrors, which is a flat ribbon of glass which is run out of a furnace and along the surface of a bath of molten tin. The temperature of both the glass and molten tin is controlled to enable both surfaces to be made perfectly flat. There are now three common types of mirrors: plain – which has a flat surface, and the two spherical types of mirrors: the convex and the concave. The concave and convex mirrors can be used in an entertaining way, when used at fairgrounds or amusement parks to distort peoples figures reflected in them through bloating, stretching and shrinking, the person or object in front of them.

In some applications, a mirror isn’t a mirror at all. For example, when used in public conveniences, particularly in public or factory toilets, where for reasons of cost and the need for greater durability, a single polished metal sheet is often installed as a form of mirror.

Different Types of Mirror

Throughout the ages, mirrors have been employed as symbols of truth, deception and vanity. Mention a mirror and you instantly know that if you look into one, you will see your own reflection staring back at you. The image you see will resemble your own appearance. In optical principles, the reflections in mirrors do not totally match the objects in front of them. When looking into the mirror, trace the contour of the reflection of your head in a mirror. The reflection may correspond in proportion, but will generally be half in actual size.
With such a variety and huge range of mirrors now available, much has been made of the amount of money spent in purchasing mirrors especially by women, although in this day and age with an increase in men purchasing cosmetics, some men will also be vain enough to carry a mirror. I wonder if in another decade or two, me calling men vain for carrying a mirror will be thought of as ridiculous!

The vain Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs famously asked her special mirror, “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” Mirrors are synonymous with truth.
Mirrors are frequently used in interior decoration to create an illusion of space, and to decorate and amplify the apparent size of a room. They will be used around the home, the office, a pub, club or restaurant to good effect. They work particularly well in night clubs, reflecting the many images of light in the club or room to create a feeling of a much bigger space.

Infinity Mirrors provide an effect of never reaching an end, known as ‘symmetry breaking’ and are particularly effective when used in a dark environment. I remember experiencing this phenomenon for the first time as a child in a large department store lift, where mirrors where on all sides of the elevator car. For those who are not good in lifts I should think this effect probably does nothing to calm them, perhaps that’s why you don’t see lifts like this anymore Or is it just because I’m getting old and that was a particular style popular in the 70′s!

My next favourite kind of mirror after the infinity mirror is the heated mirror, these mirrors have a heating element or what is called a demister pad mounted on the back. The reason a mirror steams up when you have a shower is because the surface temperature of the mirror is colder than the air temperature and causes the water vapour in the air to condense on the mirror. Some bright spark realised long ago that it if you heated the mirror this would avoid it steaming up, brilliant!

For many years heated mirrors have only featured in very expensive bathrooms usually costing thousands, and quality hotels have used heated mirrors as a neat differentiator from the increasingly popular budget hotels and motels. Of course it is not until you step out of the hotel shower and see yourself in the mirror that you realise it is there! Whilst at the back of your mind you realise this is one of the reasons why this room is more expensive than the other hotel across the street.

Last week I heard the BBC Radio 2 DJ Ken Bruce state that the best shave you ever had will have been in a hotel, to which he attributed the benefit of the heated bathroom mirror as the main reason. I have to agree, and every time I stay in (nice) hotel I always have a really good look at the bathroom with a view to reproducing the best of its features in my own home.

I’m currently on the lookout for a really nice LED mirror at home as I think this is a primary feature of a luxury bathroom.

In 1980, ska group The Beat had a UK top ten hit with ‘Mirror in the Bathroom’ and the bathroom is probably the location where we are most intimate with our mirrors. Many will say that it is not wise to look at yourself in the mirror first thing in the morning, but the bathroom is often the first port of call in the morning. Many bathrooms feature a main bathroom mirror positioned on a wall and a bathroom cabinet with mirror doors. Other than the “oh my god” do I really look like that expression, the uses of a mirror or mirrors in a bathroom will generally be to aid the application of make up, hair styling or shaving. One of the major problems with bathroom mirrors is that after showering or bathing, the mirror is misted over.

A recent addition in the manufacture of heated mirrors is the inclusion of a demister pad which clears the mirror for use in just seconds. Imagine never having to again wait for the steam of the bathroom to disappear from the mirror, or having to open the window, before using the mirror to shave or apply make up. The bathroom mirror demister or steam free bathroom mirror is a great invention. Some manufacturers refer to these products as fog free bathroom mirrors and there is now a huge range available, again some with back lights, LED lighting and built in shaver sockets.

Demister mirrors and steam free bathroom mirrors are not the only recent developments on mirrors. As suggested above another reasonably new product is the backlit bathroom mirror. Illuminated mirrors maintain the features of a simple mirror, but will enhance any environment in which they are used with the addition of lighting. As with all mirrors, the range of illuminated mirrors is extensive, with a variety of sizes and shapes available. An Illuminated mirror with shaving socket can also be purchased. Illuminated bathroom cabinets with or without shaver sockets are also available.

Mirrors with backlit LED lights will enhance any bathroom or environment in which they are installed. Being of low energy consumption LED, or light emitting diode, are more environmentally friendly than traditional bulbs. They are designed to withstand the dampness of the bathroom environment. So steam mist will not cause a problem. As a real luxury mirror, illuminated bathroom mirrors and bathroom mirrors with LED lighting can also include a demister, to demist the mirror in just a few seconds and an on/off sensor to activate the lights as soon as motion is detected in front of the mirror.
As a bathroom accessory the mirror should come high on the list, in fact can you really have a finished bathroom without a mirror? The enormous selection of styles, types, shapes and sizes means that there must be a mirror to match anyone’s budget. Although some of the latest technological versions such as illuminated, backlit and LED mirrors could be considered to be luxury items, some are not as expensive as you may think.

We have two bathrooms, both with a new bathroom light mirror and since we bought them I manage a much better shave because I can see what I’m doing more easily, especially if I’ve just got out of bed!

Mirrors, Superstition and Auspicious Energy Flow

I have always loved mirrors, probably why I have ended up in the mirrors business! When I was at school I did a project on them, this was before the internet was invented mind so I trawled through piles and piles of reference books in both the school and local library for months. These days of course it would only take a couple of hours on Google, kids these days don’t know how easy they’ve got it!

Once you get immersed in mirrors as I did all those years ago, or ‘mirros’ as I frequently misspelled it, and start researching them, you find that they play a major part in all aspects of life. Mirrors also feature in superstitions. One of the most commonly known superstitions is that someone who breaks a mirror will receive seven years bad luck. A popular belief for this superstition is that mirrors are a reflection of the soul and if a mirror is broken, then part of the soul is broken. Added to this, some believe that the soul regenerates every seven years in an unbroken condition, hence the seven years of bad luck. I bet you’ve always wondered why that was so I’m glad to share that with you! Mirrors were often used in traditional witchcraft too as tools for performing spells from the belief that mirrors are said to be a reflection of the soul.

It is also said that the mirror does not lie. A mirror can show only the truth. It is a very bad omen indeed to see something in a mirror which should not be there! Some cultures also have a custom that a newborn child should not look into a mirror until its first birthday because its soul is still forming.

In the southern United States, it used to be customary to cover the mirrors in a house where the wake of a deceased person was being held. If a mirror was left uncovered or exposed, people believed that the deceased person’s soul would become trapped in any uncovered mirror. It was also thought that mirrors unexpectedly falling or mysteriously cracking were believed to be haunted.

In the ancient art of Feng Shui mirror placement is considered very important. There is a lot of information available about this, and it is a subject that can’t be covered in a mere paragraph or two here. But Chi energy flow can be influenced by mirrors so where the energy needs to be diverted, mirrors can be used for this to great effect. Personally I don’t really follow these rules, although my mum has mirrors strategically placed all over her house to redirect in-auspicious energy! One of the principles I do follow though is to make sure I don’t have any mirrors facing my bed, or the kids beds, as this is said to reflect your dreams back onto you whilst you are sleeping, which is not a good thing if it’s a nightmare!

Conclusion

A mirror is defined as a coated glass surface for reflecting images. There is a huge range of mirrors for commercial use, and available in many shapes and sizes. The most commonly seen uses of mirrors are for personal grooming and interior decoration. As a race we are thoroughly addicted to mirrors. Who can honestly say that they can walk past a mirror without taking a look at themselves?

Over time, mirrors have evolved from a luxury item to an item of necessity and many particularly women will always carry a mirror in their hand bags. However, today with technological advancements, some mirrors will be seen as a luxury, particularly those which include illumination, LED or demisting devices. As individuals we spend many hours of our life in a bathroom, so why not treat yourself to one of life’s little luxuries and indulge in a stylish bathroom mirror? After all, let’s be honest, who can really live without a mirror?

Companies vending gray contact lenses online at affordable prices

Do you want to purchase contact lenses and cleansers online at a favorable fee? Then you could detect Internet shops of adherent lenses to get your adherent lenses delivered home inexpensively and expeditiously. If the customer is already experienced in dealing with adherent lenses and knows what style of lenses fits their individual requirements best, then they could order their contact lenses and accessories conveniently at one of these German senders online stores: http://www.farbige-linsen.com/Farblinsen.html.

The corporation Lensbest has been selling in the market since 1995 as a mail order business selling adherent lenses and belongs to the longest active suppliers in this sector. Their Internet shop has been awarded as “Best Online Store 2006″ by the association of German mailorder business. On the contrary the Lenscatcher Ltd. presents a fine online store for adherent lenses and lens cleaning supplies and is one of the leading online retailers in Europe, too. This recommendable online distance seller gives a huge cost advantage to their shoppers.

Ordering adherent lenses online is recommendable for people, who already have gained experience with adherent lenses, know their data and the best style of lenses for themselves and actually do not need further personal advice from an optician. If the customer has collected appropriate experience and also has the exact parameters of the adherent lenses on hand, an additional supply at an online store is very convenient. The vendor Lensbest is one of Europes largest mail order firms of adherent lenses and offer their buyers a free of charge helpdesk around the clock as well as expert guidance by an optician and a trained team. The shipment of ordered products is usually made after a few working days. At the online shop of Lensbest the customer will receive contact lenses, cleaning materials and accessories. Besides the brand Lenscare one can also buy other popular brands, such as Bausch & Lomb and Ciba Vision.

The selection between dimensionally stable and soft lenses should be made according to the individual needs of the wearer. Thereby should be taken into consideration, e.g. the frequency and duration of wearing, the environment and any tendency of getting dry eyes. If the wearer likes to do exercise outdoors, where increased dust or dirt can occur, such as track and field athletics or soccer on the hard court, horseback riding or mountain biking, one will tend to soft day-lenses that are littered after singular use. A corneal disorder or astigmatism is rectified with the so-called toric lens. Here the shopper also must know the detailed additional data for cylinder and axis. Furthermore, there are cosmetic contact lenses sold in different colors that allow the wearer shifting the color of the eyes.

Relevant for a purchase order at one of these online offerers is to give the exact parameters of the own contact lenses, that means for example the size of the lenses in diopter, their aperture, moisture content and concavity. When having a corneal irregularity, you need to know the concerning additional data. If you are not well-versed with contact lenses the customer must first visit an ophthalmologist and optician. Inherently stable and hard adherent lenses are particularly oxygen diaphanous and swim on the tears film of the eye, which then is better supported with oxygen and nutrients than it was when having soft lenses. They are particularly well suited for rooms with dry air.

The information given in this article is not intended to diagnose and cure any illness or disease. We always recommend to ask a doctor for any specific medical problem or before embarking on a health regime of your own.

Sandwich panels are growing in popularity

Sandwich panels are not only self-supporting but can also bear significant loads. The dimensions and profile of the facings as well as the thickness and density of the polyurethane foam core are key factors. structural metal panels are used as members for ordinary loading situations: bending, shear and axial loading. In axial compression, however, there are serious structural integrity issues precisely because of their inherent efficiency; their susceptibility to highly unstable interactive buckling phenomena in real situations is widely recognized. A typical sandwich panel consists of two facings (fibreglass flat sheet) and a core (Styrofaom) but can also contain within, for example: steel reinforcments for heavy fridge support or plywood to absorb compression forces for inner wall protection.

Sandwich panels are popular components with a very high level of prefabrication. The higher this level of prefabrication, the higher the manufacturer’s obligation to prove the usability and quality features of these components. aluminum honeycomb panels are very popular construction materials that provide a quick and efficient method of build, offering very good insulation properties. If designed correctly, they are not normally prone to the other and arguably more common non-fire failures, such as icing and panel delamination. Sandwich panels are produced by continuously running production plants and sawn to ordered lengths. The surfaces can also contain lined, trapezoid or corrugated profiles, depending on the customer’s demands.

fireproof wall panels are being built in Europe for use in the fireproof double hull structure of intercoastal tankers. In this example, one panel design that was tested raised crash resistance by 73 percent, while the hull depth was decreased by 2/3.

Which Satellite Navigation Device is Best?

Tomtom is a leading provider of Global Positioning Systems (GPS), personal navigation products and services. They started life some years back as Palmtop BV in the 1990s, a small Dutch firm creating mapping products for the Psion range of handheld computers. Tom tom offers two types of products: navigation devices and navigation software for installation on mobile devices. TomTom GPS gives travellers all over the world local information, personal navigation, entertainment and assistance with foreign languages, Speed Alerts, driving directions while on the move. TomTom’s GPS products include all-in-one navigation devices which enable customers to navigate right out of the box; these are the award-winning TomTom GO family, the TomTom ONE and the TomTom RIDER. TomTom products are marketed through a network of retailers in 30 countries and online.

TomTom One V4 combines ease of use, portability, touch screen technology and an elegant, unmistakable design. It offers the latest street-level map of your chosen country, down to street level. These GPS devices are known for easy-to-use navigation, clear spoken instructions and easy access to traffic information. TomTom caught everyone off guard when they launched the tom tom one v4, very little had been heard about it prior to launch but it has already proved to be a popular device and one that despite being priced and positioned as the ‘entry level’ option is in fact better in some areas than its older brothers, Tom tom one v4 is everything you need from a straightforward portable satellite navigator.

The TomTom 930, is slimmer than the round-backed devices of yesteryear, solid and well built. The GO 930 and GO 730 also include TomTom’s new-for-2008 IQ Routes feature, which calculates routes based on actual average speeds on roads, rather than posted speed limits.The Tom Tom 930 comes with the latest and most complete maps of Europe, US and Canada pre-installed on 4GB internal memory. You can preview or demo a route in advance, and choose to avoid specific roads due to personal preference, traffic knowledge or just for a scenic route The TomTom 930 really does have everything you need to make driving even more of a pleasure.

Tom Tom GPS products are developed with an emphasis on innovation, quality, ease of use, safety and value. TomTom is a leading provider of Global Positioning Systems (GPS), personal navigation products and services, with a TomTom SatNav device, you can keep track of local speed cameras, frequent mobile camera areas, and junctions monitored with a red-light camera. TomTom has leveraged its expertise to make their products the easiest to install and the easiest to use street finder navigation devices ever.

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Is There a Future For Solar Power?

Introduction

There may be some confusion about the term Solar Power because there are a number of systems that have been established for many years using the sun to heat water, heat ovens to cook food or heat your home either directly or indirectly. But what we are really interested in is the idea of producing electricity from the sun. That electricity can then be used for different uses not just for heating water or rooms. Technically Solar Power is any system which is powered by the sun to produce useable energy.

Making electricity really isn’t that hard so I am told. The technology is now available to convert the sun’s light into electricity using Photovoltaic cells. One company I know has developed large scale photovoltaic plants in Southern Spain, where of course there is plenty of sunshine. Panels made up of photovoltaic cells can be installed on the roof or placed anywhere they will capture the sun. They are then connected to the electrical supply in the home and used to run the everyday appliances we depend on.

What Does Photovoltaic Mean?

Photovoltaic literally means light and electricity and the technology has been developed to convert solar energy into usable power. Basically the sun produces white light, which is just a different kind of energy; as I understand it, photovoltaic cells trap this light and turn the wavelengths into electricity. They do not need bright sunlight to operate so even on cloudy days electricity can be made due to the reflection of sunlight, and on days of light cloud energy yields are higher than in bright sunshine.

How Photovoltaic Cells Work

To make these cells produce energy you need two layers of semi-conductor material which has been adapted, so that one is positively charged and the other negatively charged. When light shines on the semi-conductor, electrons are released to produce electricity. The greater the concentration of light the more electricity is produced. The electrical field across the junctions between the layers causes electricity to flow as (DC) Direct Current. Photovoltaic cells are then joined together to make panels which are positioned strategically to capture as much sunlight as possible on or around the designated building. Once the photovoltaic cells are joined together they officially become Solar Panels.

Where to Install the Solar Panels

Once you decide to have solar panels then positioning them for optimum light and sunlight is a vital consideration. If you have a good roof space high enough and not shaded by trees, preferably facing south or south west, then you will probably have the ideal location. Because we live a bungalow there is a huge roof facing south on one side. Looking at the design of the roof we concluded we could have several panels facing South East, South and South West thereby capturing sunlight throughout the whole day.

Solar panels can be mounted on frames on a flat roof or the ground or even on the side of buildings. I would think the main criteria are that they are safe and stable so they won’t fall over or blow away in high winds. The solar panel we have installed for hot water is securely mounted on our roof with strong metal fixings.

Solar panels are produced in many shapes and sizes, some are even made as roof tiles, and there is some new technology on the horizon enabling solar panels to be incorporated into actual windows. Smaller portable solar panels can be taken on holiday when you go camping or caravanning.

The production of solar panels has resulted in a variety of different designs.

Why Would You Want to Install Your Own Solar Power System?

Green Energy – Well firstly there is the issue of ‘going green’ and avoiding using carbon producing energy. There has never been a better time to do your bit to save the planet. Carbon emissions are contributing to the erosion of the glaciers which provide much of the world with drinking water. Global warming is a huge concern and if a large proportion of the world population reduce their carbon footprint then the hope is that global warming will slow to its natural cycle in the evolution of the earth.

Cost – Then there is the cost of electricity today. Utility companies are charging far too much for energy and today I read in the paper that one company is not going to reduce the bills now that the price or raw materials has gone down. They plan to use the profits for re-investment! So in fact we are paying twice for the cost of re-investment.

Prices in the UK have trebled in the last year and even with less sunlight in the UK than many other countries solar power is still worthwhile to reduce the bills. During this financial crisis anything that can be done to reduce costs is of benefit. Once your solar system is up and running any excess electricity you produce can be sold back to the national grid. So instead of bills you get paid by the electrical companies for producing more than you can use.

Freedom – When I am showering using the water from my solar heating system, I have this wonderful sense of it being free hot water. I know it is not really free because we have already paid for its installation. But now it is done, it looks after itself and on sunny days there is an abundance of hot water. It does not need electricity to make the water flow through the pipes so if there is a power cut we can still get hot water.

My policy over the last few years has been to put in systems that free us from the tyranny of the electricity companies and the oil barons. Without independent systems we have no choices if the powerful companies decide to put up prices or cut us off.

The most persuasive argument for me was when Russia decided to cut off gas supplies to the customers when they had a contract in place so that the people of those countries had no fuel to keep them warm during the coldest winter months. From my perspective is seemed it was all because ‘the powers that be’ wanted to flex their power muscles and increase prices to line their own pockets. None of us want to be in that position.

DIY Solar Panels and Installation

Now that we have a solar hot water heating system installed we are keen to get started on producing our own electricity. We use a great deal of electricity running 5 computers for our home based business and overheads have gone through the roof this year.

Using solar panel kits is outlined in a number of e-books on the market to build your own solar power production system.

The marketing material on each website is persuasive and they claim that you can make these solar panels for $200 or £150 which is a great deal cheaper than they can be bought readymade. The books provide an easy step by step guide written in clear straightforward language with the complete novice in mind. People claim they are making these panels over a weekend and are over the moon with the results.

So why would you want to make your own solar panels and then install them yourself? Wind and Solar power systems have been on the market for years but the costs are virtually prohibitive. The cost of commercial panels makes nonsense out of the whole idea of recovering the outlay within a few years. Then there is the satisfaction of producing something essential to maintain our way of life with your own hands.(Rather like growing your own vegetables)

As well as making these panels for yourself and when you have become more skillful at making them, there is the possibility of a lucrative business producing and installing solar systems starting with your friends and neighbours. Once they start telling their friends about the savings they are making you will find you have more orders than you can handle.

Future for our Children and Grandchildren

The ways we have used and misused our natural resources are creating a legacy for our children and grandchildren which will be, to say the least, challenging. The fossil fuels will run out in the next century and as resources become scarce and population increases there will be competition for what is left. I don’t think the world is going to be an easy place to live in and our descendents will have to adapt to a life that could in many ways, be similar to the Middle Ages in Britain or the early settler days in the US.

I won’t dwell on the possibilities of what could be, but I do think anything we can do to help establish a system using renewable energy will be the best legacy we can bestow on future generations.

A wonderful example of natural resources running out is on Easter Island. From study and research of this uninhabited island it would seem there was once plenty of trees. In fact it was completely covered in forest. The inhabitants cut down these trees as a source of fuel but also for carving images which you can still see on the island. However when the trees became scarce, instead of planting and nurturing their valuable resource, they continued to cut down the trees until there were none left. Because there was no more wood they had used up their means of survival so they all died out or possibly left. To this day it is an uninhabited island with no trees. (In New Zealand there is an oral history of the Maori people canoeing from the pacific islands to find their new land of the long white cloud. They could well have been the ones from Easter Island)

Storing Electricity or Selling Back to the Grid.

Just having solar panels is not sufficient to provide you with electricity for your requirements. Once electricity is produced there has to be a scheme to convey the correct power to the appliances. For the most basic system after the solar panel, you will need a charge controller which regulates the flow of electricity to the battery. A battery is an essential item to maintain the supply when it is dark and an inverter which is essential to convert the direct current (DC) generated by the solar panel to alternating current (AC) for use with all appliances. However by DIY the system could pay for itself within a couple of months.

Once your solar power system is up and running you could decide to just provide electricity for your own use and store any excess in deep cycle batteries. You may however prefer to sell the excess back to the national grid to offset any usage you might need over and above the production of the solar panels installed.

To make a solar panel you can use a solar power kit providing you with detailed instructions of all the items needed to start generating electricity from the sun. You’ll also need a digital electricity meter to monitor the usage of your various home appliances.

Apparently there are ways of getting deep storage batteries for free in which to store electricity that you have produced, over and above your current consumption. A charge controller is advisable to monitor and control the charging of the battery and prevent it being overcharged. Careful use of the battery will extend its life and save having to swap it so often.

Selling electricity back to the national grid will require installation of several more items than the basic system uses and is a little more complicated to install. But if it offsets the cost of the electricity you do need, it might be a better system in the long run.

Will it work in the UK?

Although sunlight hours are fewer in the UK than in other more sunny climates photovoltaic cells work with light, and as mentioned earlier, they work particularly well on partially cloudy days of which there are many. We already have several solar units in the garden and I have never known them to not have enough light to work, even in winter.

Will we run out of Raw Materials?

The semi-conductor material used in the construction of the solar cells is mostly silicon. Silicon is basically derived from sand and sand is the second most abundant material in the Earth’s mass. So I think it is unlikely we shall run out of raw materials.

Conclusion

Hot water powered by the sun has been in use for many years in countries where there is a plentiful supply of sun and is known as passive energy. However the development of new technology whereby light can be converted to electricity is a important step in the evolution of civilisation.

What I don’t understand is why Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain don’t make more use of this technology Now that oil supplies are dwindling maybe they will turn their attention to other forms of electricity production and use their vast wealth to invest further in the solar and wind technology. They could even be the ones who ultimately end up dominating the industry. I did read that there are plans to turn parts of the Sahara into solar power farms, and that the plan is to export a fair amount of the power produced, into Europe. This could be an excellent export opportunity for Africa.

To be completely free of electricity from the grid would be a huge bonus for me and there seems to be a small revolution going on with a ground swell of public opinion demanding the use of renewable sources to produce energy. People are getting fed up with being hostage to energy companies and are looking for ways to change the system.

It is a fact that solar power is one of the safest, easiest and cheapest ways to create electricity for our homes. In an ever increasingly energy hungry planet, currently only 0.2% of energy comes from renewable sources and 93% comes from sources that will eventually run out. So now is the time to look for an alternative in the form of wind and solar energy to provide a very moral and ethical gift for the generations that follow

The Evolution of the Bathroom Mirror

Introduction

Central to the mythology of mirrors is Narcissus a Boeotian hero, who disliked those who loved him for his own natural beauty. He famously gazed into a pool of water and was so fascinated with the reflection, that he was unable to bring himself to leave the image. Not realising that the image he could see was of his own natural beauty, he couldn’t bring himself to leave the image, and he perished.

The concept of how the mirror works is quite simple. It stems simply from the reflective surface of still water and therefore nature plays its part. When you look down into a puddle or a dark pool of water, the smooth water reflects the light straight back into your eyes.

Mirrors work in a similar way, in that a mirror is made up of a coated glass surface which when a polished metal surface or metal film is applied behind the glass, light cannot shine through and so reflects the image back. Young children especially, are always fascinated when they look into a mirror for the first time and see their own reflection staring back at them. Anyone who has young children will remember the vision of their young son kissing their image on a mirror.My eight year old daughter loves sitting in front of her mirror applying her make up nearly as much as my fifteen year old daughter!

Where would we be today without mirrors? Mirrors are generally used for personal grooming or interior decoration and have developed from a luxury item into a necessity. There is an enormous variety of mirror shapes and sizes and over the years, mirrors have gradually evolved to meet many different requirements. Today there is a large selection of mirrors , ranging from small mirrors to large mirrors, framed, unframed and includes bathroom mirrors, decorative mirrors, illuminated mirrors, LED mirrors, shaving mirrors, make up mirrors and demister mirrors.

Away from personal use, mirrors are also used as part of scientific apparatus such as cameras, lasers, telescopes and periscopes, to reflect light and used as tools in dentistry and medical care.

History of Mirrors

The history of mirrors as far as we can see dates back over 8,000 years. The earliest known mirrors were made from pieces of polished stone such as obsidian, a naturally occurring glass from cooled volcanic lava flows. In Anatolia in Turkey, examples of obsidian mirrors dated at around 6000 BC have been found. In south and central America, polished stone mirrors from around 2000 BC on wards have also been found. From around 3000 BC mirrors of polished copper are known to have been crafted in ancient Egypt.

The first metal coated glass mirrors are thought to have been made in the first century AD, in Sidon, known today as Lebanon. The Roman author Pliny makes reference to glass mirrors backed with gold leaf in his Naturalis Historia, one of the largest reference books to have survived from the Roman Empire, which focused on natural and man-made objects and was written in around 77 AD. The Romans also created a technique for making crude mirrors by using molten lead to coat blown glass.

In the 10th Century Arabian Physicists, considered different types of mirrors, reflecting mirrors and parabolic mirrors and another discussed concave and convex mirrors in both cylindrical and spherical geometries. In undertaking various experiments with mirrors, finding the point on a convex mirror at which a ray of light coming from one point is reflected to another point was solved.

During the period of the 14th to 17th Centuries, across Europe a method of coating glass with a tin-mercury amalgam was perfected by manufacturers. Venice was recognised for its glass making expertise and soon became a centre of mirror production using this new technique. Glass mirrors from this period were extremely expensive luxuries.

The particular process of silvering to produce the first silvered-glass mirror is credited to German chemist Justus von Liebig in 1835. He developed a process to apply a thin layer of metallic silver onto glass through the chemical reduction of silver nitrate. The process was adapted for mass production and led to the greater availability of affordable mirrors and formed the basis of what we now consider the normal way to produce a mirror today.

The evolution of the mirror over the years is quite interesting, if like me you love mirrors! It has evolved from a luxury item to an item which is now taken for granted in daily use. Today, walk into any DIY store to look at mirrors and the selection is vast, with many technology features now finding there way into mirrors, to give added simplicity, luxury and decoration. 

Accessories available on bathroom mirrors feature back lighting, LED lighting and demister pads.

How are Mirrors Made?

The manufacture of mirrors includes the application to a suitable material of a reflective coating. Glass is the most common material, due to its ability to take a smooth finish and its rigidity. Glass is also more scratch resistant than many other materials previously used for making mirrors. 

Early mirrors were made of solid metal, bronze or silver and they were far too expensive for most to be able to afford. Metal is also prone to corrosion and because of polished metal’s low emissivity, antique mirrors were less suitable for indoor use. With indoor lighting at the time supplied by candles or lanterns, the metal mirrors reflected a much darker picture. 

In modern times ‘float glass’ is used in the manufacture of mirrors, which is a flat ribbon of glass which is run out of a furnace and along the surface of a bath of molten tin. The temperature of both the glass and molten tin is controlled to enable both surfaces to be made perfectly flat. There are now three common types of mirrors: plain – which has a flat surface, and the two spherical types of mirrors: the convex and the concave. The concave and convex mirrors can be used in an entertaining way, when used at fairgrounds or amusement parks to distort peoples figures reflected in them through bloating, stretching and shrinking, the person or object in front of them. I challenge even the most dour faced individual to stand in front of a mirror in a hall of mirrors without laughing at their reflection!

In some applications, a mirror isn’t a mirror at all. For example, when used in public conveniences, especially in public or factory toilets, where for reasons of cost and the need for greater durability, a single polished metal sheet is often installed as a form of mirror.

Different Types of Mirror

Throughout the ages, mirrors have been employed as symbols of truth, deception and vanity. Mention a mirror and you instantly know that if you look into one, you will see your own reflection staring back at you. The image you see will resemble your own appearance. In optical principles, the reflections in mirrors do not totally match the objects in front of them. When looking into the mirror, trace the contour of the reflection of your head in a mirror. The reflection may correspond in proportion, but will generally be half in actual size.
With such a variety and huge range of mirrors now available, much has been made of the amount of money spent in purchasing mirrors particularly by women, although in this day and age with an increase in men purchasing cosmetics, some men will also be vain enough to carry a mirror. I wonder if in another decade or two, me calling men vain for carrying a mirror will be thought of as ridiculous!

The vain Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs famously asked her special mirror, “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” Mirrors are synonymous with truth.
Mirrors are frequently used in interior decoration to create an illusion of space, and to decorate and amplify the apparent size of a room. They will be used around the home, the office, a pub, club or restaurant to good effect. They work particularly well in night clubs, reflecting the many images of light in the club or room to create a feeling of a much bigger space.

Infinity Mirrors provide an effect of never reaching an end, known as ‘infinity breaking’ and are particularly effective when used in a dark environment. I remember experiencing this phenomenon for the first time as a child in a large department store lift, where mirrors where on all sides of the elevator car. For those who are not good in lifts I should think this effect probably does nothing to calm them, perhaps that’s why you don’t see lifts like this anymore Or is it just because I’m getting old and that was a particular style popular in the 70′s!

My next favourite kind of mirror after the infinity mirror is the heated mirror, these mirrors have a heating element or what is called a demister pad mounted on the back. The reason a mirror steams up when you have a shower is because the surface temperature of the mirror is colder than the air temperature and causes the water vapour in the air to condense on the mirror. Some bright spark realised long ago that it if you heated the mirror this would avoid it steaming up, brilliant!

For many years heated mirrors have only featured in very expensive bathrooms usually costing thousands, and quality hotels have used heated mirrors as a neat differentiator from the increasingly popular budget hotels and motels. Of course it is not until you step out of the hotel shower and see yourself in the mirror that you realise it is there! Whilst at the back of your mind you realise this is one of the reasons why this room is more expensive than the other hotel across the street.

Last week I heard the BBC Radio 2 DJ Ken Bruce state that the best shave you ever had will have been in a hotel, to which he attributed the benefit of the heated bathroom mirror as the main reason. I have to agree, and every time I stay in (nice) hotel I always have a really good look at the bathroom with a view to reproducing the best of its features in my own home.

Demister mirrors are great, especially if you prefer to shave when you get out of the shower.

In 1980, ska group The Beat had a UK top ten hit with ‘Mirror in the Bathroom’ and the bathroom is probably the location where we are most intimate with our mirrors. Many will say that it is not wise to look at yourself in the mirror first thing in the morning, but the bathroom is often the first port of call in the morning. Many bathrooms feature a main bathroom mirror positioned on a wall and a bathroom cabinet with mirror doors. Other than the “oh my god” do I really look like that expression, the uses of a mirror or mirrors in a bathroom will generally be to aid the application of make up, hair styling or shaving.

One of the major problems with bathroom mirrors is that after showering or bathing, the mirror is steamed up. A recent addition in the manufacture of heated mirrors is the inclusion of a demister pad which clears the mirror for use in mere seconds. Just think never having to again wait for the steam of the bathroom to disappear from the mirror, or having to open the window, before using the mirror to shave or apply make up. The bathroom mirror demister or steam free bathroom mirror is a great invention. Some manufacturers refer to these products as fog free bathroom mirrors and there is now a huge range available, again some with back lights, LED lighting and built in shaver sockets.

Demister mirrors and steam free bathroom mirrors are not the only recent developments on mirrors. As suggested above another reasonably new product is the illuminated bathroom mirror. Illuminated mirrors maintain the features of a simple mirror, but will enhance any environment in which they are used with the addition of lighting. As with all mirrors, the range of illuminated mirrors is extensive, with a variety of sizes and shapes available. An Illuminated mirror with shaver socket can also be purchased. Illuminated bathroom cabinets with or without shaver sockets are also available.

Mirrors with illuminated LED lights will enhance any bathroom or environment in which they are installed. Being of low energy consumption LED, or light emitting diode, are more environmentally friendly than traditional bulbs. They are designed to withstand the moisture of the bathroom environment. So water vapour mist will not cause a problem. As a real luxury mirror, illuminated bathroom mirrors and bathroom mirrors with LED lighting can also include a demister pad, to demist the mirror in just a few seconds and an on/off sensor to activate the lights as soon as motion is detected in front of the mirror. Now bathroom cabinets are also available with inbuilt back lights, and LED lighting for that special something different in your bathroom.

As a bathroom accessory the mirror should come high on the list, in fact can you really have a finished bathroom without a mirror? The enormous selection of styles, types, shapes and sizes means that there must be a mirror to match anyone’s budget. Although some of the latest technological versions such as illuminated, back lit and LED mirrors could be considered to be luxury items, some are not as expensive as you may think.

A top of the range LED mirror features a demister pad and shaver socket, great for shaving straight out of the shower, or if like me, you always get the second go in the bathroom after someone else has just had a shower!

Mirrors, Superstition and Auspicious Energy Flow

I have always loved mirrors, probably why I have ended up in the mirrors business! When I was at school I did a project on them, this was before the internet was invented mind so I trawled through piles and piles of reference books in both the school and local library for months. These days of course it would only take a couple of hours on Google, kids these days don’t know how easy they’ve got it!

Once you get immersed in mirrors as I did all those years ago, or ‘mirros’ as I frequently misspelled it, and start researching them, you find that they play a major part in all aspects of life. Mirrors also feature in superstitions. One of the most commonly known superstitions is that someone who breaks a mirror will receive seven years bad luck. A popular belief for this superstition is that mirrors are a reflection of the soul and if a mirror is broken, then part of the soul is broken. Added to this, some believe that the soul regenerates every seven years in an unbroken condition, hence the seven years of bad luck. I bet you’ve always wondered why that was so I’m glad to share that with you!

It is also said that the mirror does not lie. A mirror can show only the truth. It is a very bad omen indeed to see something in a mirror which should not be there, a technique regularly used in scary movies! Some cultures also have a custom that a newborn child should not look into a mirror until its first birthday because its soul is still developing.

In the southern United States, it used to be customary to cover the mirrors in a house where the wake of a deceased person was being held. If a mirror was left uncovered or exposed, people believed that the deceased person’s soul would become trapped in any uncovered mirror. It was also thought that mirrors unexpectedly falling or mysteriously cracking were believed to be haunted.

Another superstition claims it is bad luck to have two mirrors facing each other. In the ancient art of Feng Shui mirror placement is considered very important. There is a lot of information available about this, and it is a subject that can’t be covered in a mere paragraph or two here. But Chi energy flow can be influenced by mirrors so where the energy needs to be reflected, mirrors can be used for this to great effect. Personally I don’t really conform to these rules, although my mum has mirrors strategically placed all over her house to redirect negative energy! One of the principles I do follow though is to make sure I don’t have any mirrors facing my bed, or the kids beds, as this is said to reflect your dreams back onto you whilst you are sleeping, which is not a good thing if it’s a nightmare!

Conclusion

A mirror is defined as a coated glass surface for reflecting images. There is a huge range of mirrors for commercial use, and available in many shapes and sizes. The most commonly seen uses of mirrors are for personal grooming and interior decoration. As a race we are thoroughly addicted to mirrors. Who can honestly say that they can walk past a mirror without taking a look at themselves?

Over time, mirrors have evolved from a luxury item to an item of necessity and many especially women will always carry a mirror in their hand bags. However, today with technological advancements, some mirrors will be seen as a luxury, particularly those which include illumination, LED or demisting devices. As individuals we spend many hours of our life in a bathroom, so why not treat yourself to one of life’s little luxuries and indulge in a stylish bathroom mirror? After all, let’s be honest, who can really live without mirrors?

 

Munich: Beer, Bavarians and Business

Munich is packed with beautiful beer gardens, magnificent public green areas and buildings with ornate stucco facades. Tradition and modernism rub shoulders in Munich as in no other German city.

The small town charm of many Munich districts stands in great contrast with the hectic pace of big city life on the Marienplatz or along the sidewalks of Maximilian Street. Quite aside from the famed Oktoberfest held each autumn, this city on the Isar River offers visitors a wealth of architectural treasures. During the years of the last century, Munich has become one of Germany’s most important media and business centres. Munich’s unique combination of iPhones and lederhosen have made the city one of the most popular business and holiday destinations in Europe.

From Petersbergl to Munich.

Monks settled on the Isar in the eighth century, building Tegernsee Monastery at the place they called Petersbergl. The crypt of the church of St. Peter, Munich’s oldest, dates back to the early Middle Ages. In the twelfth century Heinrich the Lion, Duke of Saxony and Bavaria, constructed the city of Munich around St. Peter’s. Under the command of this powerful duke, Munich became an important city. It was the official residence of the Bavarian dukes from 1255 and named the capital city of Bavaria in 1506.

A square for football celebrations.

Just as Munich is the heart of Bavaria, the Marienplatz is the heart of the city, the most popular and best known of the many squares in Munich. The new city hall is on the north side of the square, with the old city hall, the Rathaus, on its eastern side. St. Peter’s is just a few steps away. The famous and beloved Bayern Munchen football team has traditionally celebrated its championship titles on the Marienplatz with thousands of enthusiastic fans.

Munich conjures up images of Oktoberfest, the Hofbrauhaus, shady beer gardens and people wearing lederhosen and dirndl. All of these images are accurate, but Munich is more than simply a bastion of Bavarian traditions. The city is one of Germany’s most important publishing and television centres, for example. Many publishing houses, radio and television stations, film production companies and recording studios have their head office in the media city of Munich. As a result, Munich is home to more actors, artists, TV executives and stars than any other German city.

Summer residence of the Bavarian monarchs.

The celebrities of the past, the Bavarian dukes, princes and kings, also resided in Munich. Their legacy has left the city with a number of fascinating historical attractions. There are so many to choose from, visitors may have a hard time deciding which of the many sights to head for first.

Nymphenburg Palace and its park should be near the top of the list. The former summer residence of the Bavarian rulers, Schloss Nymphenburg is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Bavaria today. Its elaborate interior furnishings, including King Ludwig I’s almost surreally ornate “Gallery of Beauties” should not be missed.

Symbol of Munich.

The twin towers of Munich’s most famous symbol, the Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Lady), are 99 metres tall. Duke Sigismund laid the cornerstone of Munich’s most beloved church on 9 February 1468. Today the Frauenkirche is officially the Cathedral Church of the Archbishops of Munich and Freisling. Its towers can be seen for miles around, is in part because the city administration prohibits the construction of any building within Munich’s central ring taller than 99 metres. New construction of taller buildings further away from the centre has been permitted in the past, but is currently under review. Only the south tower of the Frauenkirche can be climbed. It offers a unique view of Munich, its surroundings, and the nearby Alps, which on clear days appear to be close enough to touch.

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